Mazkwat

Mazkwat, known as Emperor Mazkwat, as well as Mazkwat the Great, was the (?th) Emperor of Gemurtrak and the first and only of the House of Ramizna, reigning from 25 April 1868 until his death on 6 June 1875. He is famous for being a major acting force for the rise of Gemurtrakian nationalism and one of the most influencial figures in liberating Gemurtrak from Salian colonial occupation.

Born in a tumultuous period for Gemurtrak, who was under colonial control by Salia prior to his reign, Mazkwat quickly became a popular figure for local revolutionary elements. His activities brought the concern of the colonial government who imprisoned him before escaping in 1866 and placing into action a chain of events that would lead to his placement as emperor of Gemurtrak and later the total liberation of Gemurtrak under a republic led by his closest friend and ally Korya Dzekana. Following his enshrinement as emperor, Mazkwat began preperations for a string of conflicts that would culminate into the Fury War. Mazkwat would be shot and killed on the 5th of June, 1875 during a suicidal charge against the Salian army in the Battle of Korzhu zhasu. The charge succeeded and would spur the rebellion towards further victories.

Regaded as a national hero and father of the modern Gemurtrak state, Mazkwat is considered one of the most important people in Gemurtrakian history and an influential figure in the development of Gemurtrak and it's future position during the 20th and 21st century.

Background
Gemurtrak was, at the time, in complete shambles of its former self. Occupied almost entirely by colonial authority from Salia for the past century, much of the semblance of imperial power was minimized, the noble families held little to no control over the functions of the state acting more as figure heads then legitimate heads of state. Much of the actual power was handed to lesser nobles who cooperated with Salian authority, many coming from feuding rival families of the Imperial family. The general hostility of the lesser nobles towards the Imperial family granted peace of mind to the Salian authority of the reduction of cooperation between elements within the colony of those who had legitimate power. Functionally, the Imperial family was placed into house arrest, banned from enacting any power onto the lesser nobility and generally forced to remain home unless for ceremonial purposes in the effort to keep face. By the time of Mazkwat's birth in 1822, the Imperial family had stayed in the imperial palace for almost 130 years.

Members of the Imperial family were still highly educated however, reading many noteworthy Gemurtrak literature and basics of governing in the realm of economics and law. They still remained some of the most educated native individuals within Gemurtrak, many pieces of poetry, music, and other forms of high art were very popular with the Imperial family at the time, spending their days as they can, unable to leave the premises of their palace.

Early Life
Born on 12 June 1822, then named Prince Sbatnu was a greatly unwelcome individual in the Imperial family as he had been the product of one of then emperor [Emperor]'s affairs committed away from the Imperial family and palace during his trips to Skephon for ceremonial purposes. He would return with an unnamed male bastard, likely due to the fact it was his only male heir at the time, to the grand displeasure of his wife and numerous members of the court. Naming of the child is limited to only the wife of the Imperial family (a leftover tradition from Daysikya), leaving the child to be named Sbatnu, literally meaning last blood. His early treatment was typically negative, many writings noting the care of the child was for the most part, handled by various servants of the house, a stark contrast from the tradition of the Empress caring for children for most of their early lives, an action upheld for Sbatnu's two older sisters.

His matter of legitimacy was placed into question due to his unknown mother. He was granted full legitimacy by his father after he had returned but many members of the court were against the idea, favoring the eldest of the emperor's daughters, [Princess], Who had up to this point been in the process of education for her eventual reign due to [Emperor]s previous failings to bear a son. Reluctantly, the court granted Sbatnu legitimacy to the throne and was to be educated as he turned 6. Sbatnu was noted as being initially slow to pick up topics but showed great interest in discussing topics he did pick up, a contrast to his typically more reserved sister who excelled in numerous subjects. He was also a fan of many outdoor activities, notably Archery which was noted by staff of the palace as being one of his favourite things to do in his youth.

His treatment still remained negative, much of the Imperial family were cold or even hostile to him, the Empress in particular not interacting with him for years at a time. He spent most of his time with the servants of the palace who enjoyed the company of the young prince, a grand contrast to the rest of the family and higher court who would avoid conversation with servants. Matni Kmazik, former servant of the palace and writer of Behind the Emperors shadow, wrote concerning Sbatnu noting "he held many conversations with me and many other members of the working staff. He'd ask a lot of questions, ask to play a game with us, he even regularly aided in menial tasks. He was so unlike the rest of the upper family... He looked so much more at peace around us than with his siblings. It was a shocking contrast".

Following Emperor [Emperor]'s death in 1842, plans shifted heavily from what was initially expected immediately after his passing. A soft coup was pulled within the house demanding the change of inheritance from Sbatnu to [Princess]. There was little to no struggle on the matter by other nobles, nor did Sbatnu come into conflict with his sister, noting "At the time, I simply saw it as just a chair. It may have had the look of power, but it didn't possess it. Quite frankly, I am most glad [Princess] took that responsibility from me". With his right of inheritance revoked and his only direct relative dead, Sbatnu formally requested the Salian Authority to release him from house arrest and integrate with larger society. The request was granted, and Sbatnu, aged 20 at the time, left the Imperial palace on 10 April 1843.

Civilian life
Following his leave from the imperial palace, Sbatnu was notably stunned by the conditions beyond the walls of the palace. In his personal writings, he noted believing the conditions the servants of the palace lived in "were indicative of those beyond my old home". Sbatnu was entirely unaware of the state of Gemurtrak beyond the palace and almost immediately strived to fix the problems plauging it. Unlike the majority of the population, Sbatnu was well educated and within short time found himself within the politics of the colonial government, part of the management board for the House of Panekza region. He however kept a low profile on the board, wishing only to improve the wellbeing of the people in the region without any recognition. Instead, his energy went towards his time studying, obtaining a degree in Law at Maguste University. After 8 years acting on the board, his opinions were slowly growing negative of his activity on the committee. Despite his increased presence on the board, even being acting president of the board for 2 years, he noticed most, if not all of the decisions made by the board were overturned by the Panekza family, later learning by the demands of the Salian government. This frustration of the slow rate of progress would see Sbatnu resign from the board in 1853.

Revolutionary Activity
Wanting rapid change, Sbatnu acknowledged the need for the removal of the Salian colonial government or a massive reformation of the current state of affairs. He began to voice his dissatisfaction towards the Salian government, often attributing their presence as a ball and chain to the progression of Trakian society in numerous writings which would have him barred from official government agencies.

His opinions were still spread by the private printing company a university friend of his owned. He would soon develop a large enough following with multiple political circles to form the Gemurtrak revival society who strove for peaceful change through the proper political channels. Persecution and large scale harassment towards the society slowly shifted the ideals of the society towards a more aggressive, revolutionary angle, performing numerous underground activities and causing turmoil within the colony, the largest of which being the total destruction of a Salian administrative building in 1857. Sbatnu quickly showed his capabilities as both a leader and tactician, organizing and successfully executing numerous attacks on Salian aligned noble houses and buildings of administration, disrupting the colony and it's management capabilities. His name grew to prominence and was soon discovered to have been a former member of the Imperial family. Slanderous actions were carried out by the Salian government towards his former imperial origins, often calling him the king of fools. Alongside this was the aggravation of the populace to see his actions as ones against the common interest of the general people, attempting to make it seem like a power grab by the Imperial family and nothing else.

On 27 July 1860, Authorities loyal to the Salian government assaulted a home housing Sbatnu at the time off of an anonymous tip they received. He, along with 8 other members within the house, were arrested and promptly jailed at the [Location] Prison on the island of Nyiki swe. Sbatnu would experience constant beatings and suffer abysmal conditions during his time at the prison. He would develop a permanent limp, caused by numerous fractures to his left femur, due to the conditions he was exposed to. His time in the prison, totaling 5 years, were a major period of his development where he would write about the vision of Gemurtrak he foresaw and developed it with well educated professors and would be politicians he became aquianted with during his sentence. Sbatnu would talk to his fellow prisoners, going on about various topics, on some occasions mentioning their views of what a free Gemurtrak would look like. Much of the later structure and policy of the Republic of Gemurtrak borrow these ideas written during the time. Sbatnu would also become close friends with Korya Dzekana after his own arrest in 1865 and quickly became friends, supporting each other during the following years of their jail time. on 8 August 1865, a breakout was arranged and performed by a large percentage of the prison, Sbatnu being one of them. His escape was almost thwarted by his injured leg but was rescued by Korya before authorities could grab them. Members of the revival society also aided the escape, bringing the convicts back to the mainland, dodging local patrols.

Usurption
Sbatnu's return at the command of the insurgency group bolstered the motivation of the organization, sure that the day of liberation was within their sight. The group reengaged in more aggressive actions unseen since before Sbatnu's imprisonment. The structure of the society solidified, Korya joining the ranks as Sbatnu's second in-charge. The attacks the group initiated were also far more organized and focused on essential infrastructure and security capabilities of the colonial government. The support for the movement was growing too, dissatisfaction of the conditions of the colony grew with the successes of the society and soon a wave of nationalism had begun to course through the colony, Sbatnu was intent on taking advantage of it.

On the morning of 25 April 1868, Sbatnu stood outside the Imperial Palace alongside an estimated 3000 people, majority armed with stolen firearms and traditional arms, demanding the surrender of the title of King Emperor from [Princess] and to declare Sbatnu the rightful inheritor. To little surprise, [Princess] staunchly declined and demanded the immediate elimination of the attacking forces. A bloody fight ensued across the day until the walls were breached and the attack started in full motion. Some 400 were killed in total on the day including then Empress [Princess]. [Sister], the next in line and present member of the family at the palace during the assault, willingly offered the title to Sbatnu and held an ordained coronation in front of all combatants in the night of the 25th. As per tradition, the emperor is granted a new name to coincide with their office. Upon the completion of the ceremony, Sbatnu declared his new name to be Mazkwat, after the legendary champion of the old mythology.

Unrest and War
The declaration of the new Emperor brought many Gemurtrakians to a frenzy, large sections of inland Gemurtrak (placed under semi-autonomous control of local nobility) revolted and declared themselves subservient or at least aligning to Mazkwat. Direct combat remained non-existent between independent Gemurtrak and Salia, the two instead fighting within rebelling territories and obtaining as much control without a proper confrontation with the Salian navy, which the Gemurtrakian army acknowledge would lead to a losing war. The interior proxy war would go on for four years, the Gemurtrakian independance movement slowly gaining the ground and eventually establishing themselves to be a considerable fighting force, even in the face of an overwhelming naval force. Mazkwat began massive changes during these fights to the function of the military and format of governance in reclaimed regions, much of these changes weren't fully implemented until total control of the peninsula was returned.

Mazkwats demands of a centralized government for the new political system, effectively eliminating the feudal system that was still in function, upset many members of the higher aristocracy. The dissatisfaction of these changes were regularly overruled by the citizenry, who demanded a unified Gemurtrak above all else. Reluctantly, many nobles joined alongside the independence movement, however they did not recognize Mazkwat as the rightful Emperor. The worst offenders were often dealt with by Korya who led the republic wing of the resistance government, who foresaw Gemurtrak as a republic with a ceremonial imperial head compared to Mazkwat's aim for an absolutist monarchy. While the two would disagree on the answer they acknowledged that they were small issues in the face of the active conflict. With a strong position finally established in the coastal city of Kadu gekerr, the plans for a total invasion were set. On October 1st, 1872, the Salian colonial government recieved the declaration of war demanding the return of all historically Gemurtrakian land. Mazkwat would be shown to be an active and present leader all across the war organizing the fighting across two seperate fronts and making his presense known in both, first leading the initial attacks in the battle of Ranko jakathin and the counter attack in the battle of Kadu gekerr. He would remain to maintain a close eye on the western coastal front and remained to be a major source of morale for the revolutionary army's slow advance north. His leadership skills under pressure especially shone during the battle of the Krown river where a near defeated revolutionary army successfully turned the situation to their favor after feigning a retreat and destroying the bridge spanning the river. The sweeping victory of the battle would allow the revolutionary army to capture Metenzhana by March 12th of 1874. The situation only worsened however, Salia, growing more concerned with the mounting successes of the Gemurtrakian army, would commit more resources to the region, and much of the coast was battered by the Salian Navy. The position of the rebellion would solidify before the city of Yosker gezhyaga in the west and Krasyet kewz in the east.

March of the emperor
With the approach of winter in 1874, the situation was dire along the coast and a decision had to be made on overcoming the growing naval force along the oceans of Gemurtrak. While offensives were being made and succeeding such as the Night of flaming oceans, the land forces were unmoved. Mazkwat would organize an expedition to journey around the complex waterways of the Yosker river through the various passes along the Jwem psaki mountains. The army personally led by Mazkwat would go across the infamous [Place] valley, successfully making it across to the eastern face of the mountains and suprising the Salian force stationed in a nearby fort. The surprise assaults would continue as Mazkwat, supported by additional forces of the eastern front, would begin a swinging maneuver, speeding the advance of the eastern armies who took advantage of the frantic situation of the Salian army. The advance would swing back into the mountains after reaching the Trakyenka river.

Death and Legacy
Since the events of his prison breakout in 1835, Mazkwat had been impaired, suffering from a limp in the years following after numerous medical scares arising from it. He remained in positive health for the most part, contrary to popular beliefs, he never drank alcohol and rarely smoked, notably only during stressful circumstances. Despite the hardship of the decades prior, Mazkwat endured exceptionally, some regarding his vigor as a sign of his legitimacy of the divine right to the throne. It was not until the 1870's when his health took a noticeable turn for the worse. He would miss many events due to reportedly complications with health and would even delegate his son, [Empernew], as head of public ceremonies in 1872. By early 1874, Mazkwat's presence had dwindled and was rarely seen in the public eye outside of major events, such as Liberation day, Coronation day of the emperor, and the new year address. When he was seen, his quality of health was visually worse. He would be last seen by the public eye was during coronation day on the 19th of may in 1874. He was seen seated across the whole event, an act unforseen in previous years and only reinforced fears for his looming death. two and a half weeks later, on 6 June, The imperial press would formally declare the emperor Mazkwat as deceased with the tolling of the imperial bell in the early morning. He had reportedly died around 3 am in the morning. Official reports stated his passing was due to an infection that had reoccured in his leg.

The importance of Mazkwat is something that doesn't need to be debated. His role and effort as leader of independance movements, and later the restored independant monarchy, had set all the pieces for a restored Gemurtrak to occur after nearly 200 years of colonial occupation. Mazkwat's influence remains still within wider Gemurtrakian society, legal policies and public proceedures still practiced to this day have origins from Mazkwat and his political reforms, even after more radical changes during the Osamian Federation. The spirit of the ideas of Mazkwat continue to be a pillar of the national constitution, which borrowed heavily from the ideas of Mazkwat's Charter of universal rights. The imperial family of Gemurtrak still traces their origin from the Ramizna house and as the legal descendants of Mazkwat and the titles he created as King Emperor, A term of entitlement still used in some circles within Gemurtrak. His acts of foreign relation paved the way to some of the most influencial political decisions in the 20th century including the exile of the imperial family and Gemurtrak's position in the World Wars.

Family and Issues
Previously part of the House of Makazhu, Mazkwat declared himself independent from that house and formally established the house of Ramizna in 1846 with himself as the sole member of the new house. He declared the Ramizna house to being the only noble household permissible to inherit the Gemurtrakian title of King Emperor. [Sister], previously also part of the house of Makazhu, was transitioned to the Ramizna house in 1847 following the inheritance declaration and her request to be re-legitimized, to which he permitted. Mazkwat married Yaka Budasna, a civilian woman he met during his studies at Maguste University, in 1847, officially bringing her and their 5 children into the imperial family and legitimizing them all.