1. Elberhard - Third Kaiser in his line, Elberhard was a distinct individual. His love of his fellow man and sense of Chivalry were unsurpassed throughout the Reich, though he was known to have an exceptionally lewd mind and foul mouth. Though he came from a long line of Kaisers, his authority was quite low and he was unable to hold the Reich together during th Cataclysm. Regardless, he was a exceptionally decent and honest man, and quite fun to be around, in fact he was recognized as such even by those who thought him a failure as a Kaiser. He died fighting in Italy, hoping to close one of the Reich's fronts even if it meant aiding his erstwhile enemy, Lothar Steffen.
2. Matthias Steffen - First Viceroy of Outremer, Matthias made a career out of fighting there. After Jan and Elberhard left the Holy Land he fought to keep it in Catholic hands, often alone and for a time aided by Andreas. Though he pretended to be the reasonable brother as Lothar played the fool, in truth they were as close as any brothers can be. One of the first inductees into the Illuminati, he arrived at the Battle of Trent too late to affect the outcome.
3. Jan von Hamburg - King of Outremer, Jan was best remembered as an extremely chivalrous man who was the bane of dreadful characters everywhere, in particular the Illuminati and the von Kastiliens. He commanded with distinction in Outremer, but when Lothar Steffen made a play on the Duchy of Swabia he left his post in order to stop the man whom he was certan was working for the Illuminati. This resulteding the devestating Battle of Bern, which thwarted Lothar' plan at the cost of Jan and Hans' life.
4. Wolfgang Hummel - The Reich's most successful rebel, Wolfgang founded the Principality of Swabia out of outrage for being ordered to assault a plague-ridden city. The Cataclysm prevented a timely response, and allowed him time to expand his domain in Flanders while fighting the French and Athalwolf von Salza. With Duke Hans dead he masterfully seized Staufen, but died in the fighting whilst defending his new holding against Duke Athalwolf.
5. Arnold - The Dread Duke, to his enemies Arnold was as merciless as a tornado, but to his friends and subjects he was a reasonable and respectful ruler. Arnold established his reputation as a super general against the Venetians and Hungarians, but will be best remembered as the Grandmaster of the Illuminati and as such the principal victor of the Battle of Trent.
6. Maximillian Mandorf - A religious firebrand, Maximillian was first a womanizer before undergoing an intense religious awakening at the behest of Hildegard von Bingen, making him pro-papacy. Disgusted at Heinrich's actions, he was a large supporter of the Crusade and commanded one it's earliest battles. He was more of an Old Testament type.
7. Leopold - First Duke of Austria, Leopold set the standard for 'dread' characters at a time when chivalry was in vouge. He fought against the Venetians alone in Austria's earliest days, fathered Arnold and Sigismund, and at the twilight of his life led the Second Crusade against the Mongols, both to secure victory for the Reich and to find himself a death in battle worthy of a warrior.
8. Edmund Becker - Count of Bohemia, Edmund was the only Elector who was a govenor first. From the Cataclysm onwards, he fought in and around Bohemia with the ultimate goal of fostering Prague's growth into one of the Reich's greatest cities. Ultimately Prague was exterminated, and he left the Reich prior to Trent out of disgust for the directions both sides were offering.
9. Lothar Steffen - Truly, one of the Reich's most influential figures. Over the course of his life Lothar supported Swabian rebels, planned the assassination of one Kaiser, the entrapment of another and founded the Order of the Illuminati by first proposing the idea to Arnold. He directed many actions within the Reich for many years, and in the end orchestrated it's downfall.
10. Henry - Well regarded as the Reich's greatest Kaiser, Henry was the epitome of chivalry for an entire generation. In marked difference to his father, he want on Crusade in Outremer and ruled over the land in it's early years. It was under his reign that the Reich was at it's most prosperous and least troubled.
11. Fritz von Kastilien - A true terror and off the battlefield, Fritz brought victory after victory for Franconia in the waning days of the Reich, most notably by capturing Arhus and sacking Stettin. Secretly a member of the Illuminati, he revealed his true alligience at Trent and killed his brother Peter before being killed himself.
12. Otto von Kassel - First Duke of Bavaria, Otto gained the title by aiding Heinrich's plan against the Papacy. Overcome with guilt, he joined the first Crusade and as Chancellorship led the Reich to reconciliation and the First Crusade to victory. Thus he became King of Outremer after Henry.
13. Peter von Kastilien - The last Kaiser, Peter saw and caused much controversy over the course of his life. Before he became Kaiser, he led an abortive attempt to assault Constantinople and end the attempt at reunification. As Kaiser, he fought in Italy alongside his enemy Lothar. At the Battle of Trent, he met his end due to the treachery of his brother Fritz.
14. Karl Zirn - Austria's most faithful servent, Karl Zirn served both her Dukes, first acting as Austria's contribution to Outremer and later as the stalwart defender of Austria's center. He also served Duke Arnold by becoming a member of the Illuminati.
15. Dieter Bresch - A noble man who cared for his people and often released prisoners, he was the last of the Chivalrous generals. As the last Duke of Franconia, he served his Kaiser faithfully in the Battle of Trent and like so many of the Imperialists went down fighting.
16. Heinrich - No one had a greater effect on the Reich than Kaiser Heinrich. To undo the Investiture Controversy, he used Otto von Kassel to attack the Papacy in a manner completely legal and completely abhorent to the Diet. These actions would set the tone for the next three hundred years, up to and especially including the Battle of Trent.
17. Hugo de Cervole - The last of the Templars, Hugo joined Swabia and wreaked vengeance on the French who had wronged his order out of jealousy and greed. He served the Republicans in the Battle of Trent, and afterwords went on to Africa.
18. Hans - Arguably the greatest General in the History of the Reich, Hans fought and won all over the Reich from France to Constantinople to Hungary to Outremer. He met his end at the Battle of Bern after simultaneously routing one army and bloodying another.
19. Hermann Steffen - Son of Lothar, Hermann first came to prominence by orchestrating the massive battle to defend Milan from the Byzantines after fighting in Bohemia. He participated in the Battle of Trent as an organizer of logistics and communications for the Republicans.
20. Andreas von Salzgitter - A Swabian who took a keen interest in Crusading, Andreas joined King Matthias as Outremer's second General. He provided the flexibility that made it possible for the Kingdom to survive after the Cataclysm, though tragically he died defending it.
21. Conrad Salier -Secretly the son of Maximillian Mandorf and Cardinal 'Charles' Otterbach, Conrad was raised by Nuns. He followed his father to Outremer and eventually became it's King, despite a short-lived but nasty drug habit. He died against Mongols, a victim of poisoned bratwurst.
21. Welf von Luxembourg - Husband of Princess Eue, Welf came to Swabia under difficult circumstances but was able to excell in the hard fighting between Paris and Milan. He was Swabia's absentee from the Battle of Trent, keeping the French at bay while the others fought.
23. Fredericus von Hamburg - Arch-rival of Gunther von Kastilien, he joined the 2nd Crusade after being passed over as Dietrich von Saxony's successor, oversaw it's ultimate victory and spent the rest of his days in Outremer fighting against the Mongols and the Egyptians.
23. Tancred von Tyrolia - A soft-spoken man who rarely made himself heard in the Diet, this Franconian is responsible for two of the Reich's most dramatic moments: The sacking of Constantinople and the death of Fritz von Kastilien. He was a close friend of Kaiser Peter.
25. Dietrich von Saxony - First Duke of Franconia, Dietrich got into an argument with Kaiser Heinrich and was banished from the Diet. Upon his return he became a sober leader, and he died peacefully traveling with the First Crusade. He was known as the 'Old Warhorse' of the Reich.
25. Siegfried von Kastilien - The first Franconian Kaiser, Siegfried married a Byzantine Princess and began to enact a complete political and religious unification with them. This as an extremely unpopular move, which lead to both his assassination by the Illuminati and the Cataclysm.
27. Erhart Ruppel - One of Swabia's last Electors, Erhart quickly distinguished himself as a skilled tactician and politician, establishing himself as the closest thing to a ruling authority Swabia had. He sided with the Imperialists, and was struck down by Maximillian Zirn.
27. Frederich Karolinger - A RBG of Bavaria, Frederich fought in the battles plaguing Italy towards the end of the Reich. A great friend of Austria, he fought valiantly to help defend Budapest. He died in the massive battle to free Milan from a Byzantine siege.
29. Dietrich von Dassel - One of the key instigators of the Cataclysm, Dietrich assembled an army and killed the Pope at Durazzo. After crossing the Adriatic making his way towards Swabia with the intent of usurping Duke Hans, he perished at the climactic Battle of Bern.
29. Ulrich Hummel - The only Chancellor to suffer impeachment, Ulrich was a rebel to the core and defied the authority of the Charter on several occassions, including an illegal attack on Rheims. After his impeachment, he rode to his death against the Turks due to the disgrace.
31. Fredericus Erlach - A Bavarian who married into the Steffen family, Fredericus displayed great martial prowess with his campaigns in Corsica and northern Italy during the Cataclysm. He was greatly surprised to learn of the Battle of Trent, having been on vacation at the time.
31. Jonas von Mahren - A Franconian, Jonas was a friend of Austria who spent a great deal of time fighting in and around Bohemia. Tragically, he buried both of his sons. This left him an extremely bitter man when he died, and he hated the Reich more than any other elector.
33. Ansehelm von Kastilien - Duke of Franconia, Ansehelm was an outspoken, self-centered man with a penchant for alienating those around him. His most notable achievement was the Crusade against the Russians, a large-scale raid deep into their territory.
33. Ludwig von Bohmen - Ludwig appeared joining Wolfang Hummel, having fled his family's ruined holdings to find a people whom he could protect. His heart was too easily troubled to be a soldier's, but he nonetheless fought valiantly against the French and with the Republicans.
35. Jens Hummel - An ambitious young noble, down on his luck and eager to restore his family name, Jens nevertheless had difficulty inspiring confidence in those around him. He died under the command of Hans in a battle against the Mongols, his ambitions unfulfilled.
35. Jobst von Salza - 3rd Kaiser of the Reich, Jobst ascended to the throne after Kaiser Henry. He gained infamy as Prince for accidentally ambushing a Danish army on crusade, and as Kaiser he is best remembered for his death in battle, which installed Siegfried von Kastilien.
37. Athalwolf von Salza - The last Duke of Swabia, Athalwolf was the son of a Kaiser whose family originally hails from Rheims. His 'hands-off' approach to leadership led to difficulties for his house, but me met a good end in the Battle of Trent alongside the Imperialists.
37. Sigismund von Mahren - Half-brother of Arnold via Leopold, Sigismund was a chivalrous general, giving every courtesy to friend and foe alike. Thus he met an early end when he conquered Bran, defeating the King of Hungary with one regiment of spearmen.
39. Gunther von Kastilien - The 2nd Duke of Franconia, and founder of the Castilian Dynasty. Recognized by his family as the wisest among them, he was well liked, save for his arch-rival and fellow crusader Fredericus von Hamburg.
40. Gerhard Steffen - The 2nd Duke of Bavaria and father of Lothar and Matthias. He achieved great renown in Italy fighting the Venetians, the Hungarians and the Pacacy, most notable in the final battle against Pope Gregory. His achievements have placed him 40th.
41. Jan Zirn - Second son of Karl, Jan Zirn played a short but important role in the history of the Reich by fighting at Battle of Trent and aiding in his brother's deception of the Imperialists. This has been enough to secure him 41st place.
42. Sigismund der Stolze - The first Elector to die, and the only one to be assassinated, Sigismund was one of the Reich's first chivalrous generals. Having fought well against the French, he was rumored to have been a candidate for Prinz before his death. He places 42nd.
43. Lorenz Zirn - Of House Austria, he made a name for himself waging war against the Hungarians alongside his non-relative Karl Zirn. During the climax of the Cataclysm he came to the aid of Edmund Becker, saving Prague several times up to and including his death.
44. Dieter von Kassel - The last Prinz of the HRE, Dieter was a quiet man and rumored to have been quite mad. Regardless, he made a fine Prinz and had no enemies. This strategy has given him 44th place in this contest.
45. Maximillian Zirn - Youngest son of Karl Zirn, in the Battle of Trent he played the role of double-agent for the Illuminati and killed Erhart Ruppel, the first bad news the Imperialists would receive that day. Though it was his only achievement, it was enough to get him 45th place.
46. Maximillian von Hapsburg - The opportunist from House Austria, Maximillian was the only Imperialist to survive the Battle of Trent. After taking a break for a booze-cruise on the high seas, he is currently God-King of the Aztecs and has reached 46th place in this contest.
47. Frederich Scherer - The first Duke to be eliminated; for a man of such rank this Swabian kept a low profile. He decimated the French with no less than four famous battle markers in lieu of spending time in the Diet. This earned him much admiration, and placed him 47th.
48. Jan von der Pflaz - One of the pair of Generals who flocked to Wolfgang Hummel's banner, he was a staunch Lutherist who guarded Luther himself in the last years of their lives. His selfless sacrifice in taking Bruges has tied him for 48th.
48. Johann Zirn - The first son of Karl Zirn, he died less than twenty years after his father during the relief of Vienna under mysterious circumstances. His early death has resulted in placing 48th.
48. Lukas Godwinson - Though he had an impeccably well-developed backstory, this son of an english invader died of the plague before he could make a lasting impression on the Reich as the whole. The result is his placing 48th.
51. Erhart von Mahren - Though he did not last long, Erhart's death provided a lot of character development for his father Jonas and brother Sigismund. That was enough for him to survive the first round, but no more.
51. Helmut von Hamburg - Despite seething in anger against his brother Jan in the Diet, Helmut died in the Russian Crusade before be could make a stronger impression and has likewise been eliminated early from this contest.
51. Wilhelm von Heidelberg - An intensely chivalrous man, immediately after joining Austria he was captured by the Poles and executed after a disastrous battle north of Budapest. It was a tragic end, but not a memorable one and thus he is eliminated.
54. Dieter von Essen - Known mainly for challenging the Kaiser's ability to act as steward for the chancellor, Dieter died too soon to recover from the small stigma attached to him after that and as a result has been eliminiated in the first round.
54. Hans von Bavaria - Though officially an avatar, Hans von Bavaria didn't really do anything, not even enough to warrant a second profile picture for 1360. His early elimination is no surprise.
54. Markus Steffen - The lost Steffen brother, Markus died in the assault on Corsica due to curse placed on the Steffen family by the witch Danae. His tragic death resulted in Lothar decimating the island and Markus's early elimination from this contest.
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Originally Posted by TosaInu
(@Ramses-I now have my own version of your Egyptian smiley :P)
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