Lore:Alessia

Queen Alessia
Race	Nede	Gender	Female
Born		1st Era Cyrodiil
Died		1E 266
Reign		1E 243- 1E 266
Previous Ruler		None
Resided in		Cyrodiil

Alessia, also known as Queen Alessia or Saint Alessia, led the First Era rebellion against the Ayleids, freeing the humans of Cyrodiil from slavery and founding what became the First Cyrodilic Empire. As its first Empress, she established a new religion, a fusion of the Nordic and Aldmeri pantheons known as the Eight Divines. On her deathbed in 1E 266, she was sainted by Shezarr (in some stories Akatosh), and her soul placed in the central stone of the Amulet of Kings. The Covenant between gods and men was made here. Belharza was elected her successor as the second Emperor of Cyrodiil.

Alessia is not her birth name, but rather a corruption of a title, Al-Esh ("High Highness"), that was given to her by her followers. Another title bestowed on her was Paravant ("The First"). From corruptions of these two titles come countless other names by which she is known to various peoples, including Perrif, Paravania, and Aleshut. The Alessian Order is so-called because she purportedly appeared to Marukh in a vision and bestowed her teachings upon him.

Alessia was born to one of Cyrodiil's many human tribes and grew up in Sardavar Leed, known at the time as Sard. As with all humans of Cyrodiil in the First Era, she lived as a slave under the Ayleids, the elvish race that ruled Cyrodiil. She prayed to Akatosh and the Aedra for liberation from the Daedra-worshipping Ayleids.

Alessia's prayers were answered when she was granted three visions by the Aedra. Once free she began an open revolt against the slavemasters. Working alongside the demigod, Morihaus, Alessia raised an army. In 1E 242, Alessia's third vision came true when Pelinal Whitestrake wandered into her encampment covered in Ayleid blood; her second champion had arrived. With momentum growing stronger, human forces took control of Cyrodiil east of the Niben.

Forging alliances with Skyrim and rebel Ayleid lords, Alessian forces encircled the capital of White Gold Tower. With coalition forces hesitant to attack, Pelinal Whitestrake stormed the tower alone and slew the Sorcerer King Umaril the Unfeathered. Eventually Morihaus followed with the rest of the army and captured the citadel. Slowly but surely the Ayleids were pushed out of Cyrodiil; many became refugees, fleeing to Valenwood.

With the capture of the White Gold Tower in 1E 243, Alessia declared herself the first Empress of the new Cyrodilic empire. One of the first challenges facing the new empire was the establishment of a religion acceptable both to the people of Cyrodiil, accustomed to an Aldmeri-derived pantheon, and to her Nordic allies, who were opposed to any elven deities. As a compromise, she established the Eight Divines, which incorporated elements of both Aldmeri and Nordic religions. This religion continues to be the dominant religion of Cyrodiil although, with the addition of Talos, it is now more commonly known as the Nine Divines. At the end of the Great War, the Empire signed the White-Gold Concordat, which outlawed worship of Talos throughout the Empire, reverting worship back to Alessia's original pantheon.

See Also

More information on Alessia can also be found in these books.

The Legendary Sancre Tor by Matera Chapel — An attempt to chronicle the rise and fall of Sancre Tor

Remanada — Fragmented, mythical recounting of the conception of Reman and the return of the Chim-el Adabal - also known as the Amulet of Kings - with the people of Tamriel

The Song of Pelinal — The life of Pelinal Whitestrake, assembled from various old fragmentary texts