The Grand Duchy of Epirus
Current Ruler: Grand Duchess Theodora I
Age: 25
Picture:Children: Prince Constantine, Princess Zoe
Short Bio: A granddaughter of Grand Duke Nikephoros II, Theodora is the daughter of Nikephoros’s second son Prince Alexios, and the Hungarian Princess Márta. Theodora lived a pampered and sheltered life, and initially, she was not expected to inherit the Epirote throne.
In 1820, Prince Nicholas was assassinated by an Albanian nationalist. Nicholas was second-in-line to the throne, with his father being Grand Duchess Anna’s younger brother, then-Prince Nikephoros. The royal family was devastated by Nicholas’s loss, and now, Prince Alexios was expected to be the future Grand Duke. However, Alexios was uninterested in ruling, preferring to drink and spend time in brothels. With the stress of being future Grand Duke bearing down on him, Alexios spent more time away from his family, and instead, the prince got drunk at bars and patronized prostitutes. This took a toll on Alexios’s health, and he died of liver failure in 1825.
With both Nicholas and Alexios dead, the burden of succession passed to Theodora. Theodora found her activities tightly restricted, with by her mother Márta and her mother’s lover Lavrentios Michelakakis closely monitoring Theodora, and when combined with her father’s death, the princess became melancholic and withdrawn. On the rare occasions Theodora ventured out in public, the people rejoiced at seeing their future Grand Duchess, but this only added to Theodora’s stress.
Finally, in 1828, with Theodora having reached the age of 18, the princess finally broke free of her mother’s control. Seeking to avoid coming under her mother’s control again, Theodora began searching for her husband. She found one in Michael Xanthopoulos, a nobleman who was 6 years her senior. Despite Michael’s lower birth, Michael and Theodora were madly in love, and in 1830, Grand Duke Nikephoros II granted permission for the two to marry. They were married in an elaborate ceremony at the Cathedral of St. Paul and St. Asteios in Dyrrachium on November 15, 1830.
In 1833, Grand Duke Nikephoros died at age 78, and Theodora inherited the throne. In her first proclamation as Grand Duchess, she stated that her husband Michael would be her co-ruler, coronated as Grand Duke with the same dignities as her. The coronation took place on January 2nd, 1834, thus beginning the Era of Theodora and Michael.
While nominally Theodora and Michael share power, Michael mostly defers to his wife, leaving Theodora the ruler of Epirus. As Grand Duchess, Theodora oversaw the continued patronage of Greek culture, the expansion of the navy, and the lowering of taxes. Theodora has also invested in the army, and privately, she has taken a strong interest in military affairs in order to prepare for any coming wars. Though Theodora has only been on the throne 2 years, she has already proven herself to be a fair and just monarch.
Current Co-Ruler: Grand Duke Michael
Age: 31
Picture:Children: Prince Constantine, Princess Zoe
Short Bio: Born Michael Xanthopoulos, Michael’s father is John Xanthopoulos, Duke of Neokastron; while Michael’s mother is Anselma Amerighi, daughter of a Venetian diplomat. Michael grew up in the family’s luxurious estate just outside of Dyrrachium; Michael lived in extravagant wealth, and he received the best education possible.
However, in 1816, a major economic downturn devastated the Xanthopoulos family fortune. Michael’s family lost much of their wealth, and the little money they had left was wasted in business ventures that failed to pan out. Desperate, Michael’s parents wrote to Grand Duchess Anna, asking she accept Michael as a ward. Anna agreed.
In 1818, Michael was sent away to Doukas Palace in Dyrrachium to join the royal court. For four years, Anna helped to raise Michael. During this time, Michael first met his future wife Theodora, though their interactions were brief due to Theodora’s infrequent visits to the palace.
Finally, in 1822, Michael came of age and joined the court as a courtier. The next year, Michael’s father died, and Michael became Duke of Neokastron. Michael moved back to his family estates to tend to the family’s finances. With the economy improving, Michael invested in a serious of successful business ventures, improving the family’s financial situation. With the finances secured, Michael returned to the royal court in 1827. The next year, he again met Theodora.
Theodora and Michael quickly fell in love. Theodora found Michael to be charming and handsome, while Michael thought Theodora was vivacious and witty. However, the romance was somewhat of a scandal at court: by this time, Theodora was heiress presumptive to the throne, and it was expected she would marry a foreign prince. However, Theodora had made up her mind. At last, Grand Duke Nikephoros II consented to the marriage in 1830, and the couple was married in a lavish ceremony.
In 1833, Nikephoros II died. Theodora, as Nikephoros’s granddaughter, succeeded to the throne of Epirus. In her first decree, Theodora laid out her government’s long-term goals, and also announced that Michael would be her co-ruler. However, even before the coronation, Michael made it clear both publicly and privately that he highly valued his wife’s judgment, and would let her take the lead in most governmental affairs. However, Michael didn’t surrender all his power: Michael still maintains quite a bit of sway among the nation’s finances, and Michael is a powerful liaison between the Senate and Theodora. While Michael has taken a secondary role during his reign, Michael is still a shrewd and intelligent man, who is able to exert a great amount of power over Epirus.