George Masele
Emperor and Autocrat of the Rasenna George Masele-Chrysatine (a.k.a. The Falconer)
Son of Nicasia Masele from her first marriage and grandson of Alexander Masele, George would be named successor of Roman IV and rule on behalf of the Chrysatine dynasty for twelve years before being succeeded by his son Roman V
Physical Description
General Physical Condition
George Masele was described in the account by the scribe Leo Szarlitan as "possessing a lowly regality, impressive to look upon and a man built for action." George was a bit short but with strong legs and arms.
Body Features
Known to be a hardened military man upon ascending to the throne, George had a body well worn defending the empire from her enemies and had scars and wounds from fighting both in armor and without it.
Facial Features
Described as exceptionally handsome with a flair for theatrics and daring that made many envious of him. Masele was known for his more reddish hair which made him a curious oddity at court. His well-trimmed and maintained appearance also caused for some swooning by debutantes in his court which inspired rumors of his infidelity to the Empress Antheria.
Mental characteristics
Personal history
With the blood of great Rasennan conquerors running through his veins, George Masele came from storied beginnings under the badge of the influential Agrihenian noble family of Masele. George's grandfather had been the successful general Alexander Masele who had fought off marauding nomads who crossed the Oltune during the reign of Emperor Basilides II. Masele had been demoted when Basilides' younger brother Manuel was proclaimed emperor after the former's illness riddled final days. Alexander had no qualms about supporting Manuel until the new emperor revoked Masele's command of the Oltune troops. Already a proud man, Masele was enraged by the backstabbing of the new imperial regime and so raised the eastern theme troops in open revolt. Despite initial successes, Masele was defeated and brutally strangled on the site of his defeat, not even given the opportunity to plead for mercy before the emperor. This brutal showcase lit a fire of fierce resentment for Manuel by the theme troops of the east and growing numbers of the imperial Tagma who had sympathies with Alexander's cause.
George himself was the only child of Nicasia Masele, Alexander's daughter, and her husband at the time Alianes Palamas. After George's birth, his father died of illness and so, given Nicasia's family name, George was raised as a member of the influential Masele clan. George's family garnered large support from the rank and file thematic troops who held the family in high regard due to his heritage and resemblance to his grandfather. George was raised to continue this Masele line of strong military men, something that came naturally to the rowdy and athletic George. Given command of troops at the young age of twenty, George excelled as an aggressive and daring cavalry commander and lived up to the imaginations of the soldiers who remembered the same daring and aggressive attitude of his grandfather.
George managed to gain prestige and influence in some of the final years of Roman Vasilaiós as he became a fixture of the palace Scholai as captain. George maintained a close relationship with the old emperor and seemed to have been mentored by the skilled emperor on manners of statecraft and diplomatic practice. As the aged emperor had no sons to pass the title onto, he named the popular George as his successor in an attempt to placate the theme armies which had always held disdain for his rule. George was hailed as emperor following the Vasilaiós' death and married the late emperor's grandaughter Antheria, effectively continuing the rule of the loved Chrysatine dynasty. George's reign was mostly quite uneventful as he successfully continued the policies of his predecessor all the while strengthening support for his son Roman, the public face of the administration as the great-grandson of the departed Vasilaiós. George died after 12 years of effectively ruling and passed the throne to his son Roman who would become Roman V.
George himself was the only child of Nicasia Masele, Alexander's daughter, and her husband at the time Alianes Palamas. After George's birth, his father died of illness and so, given Nicasia's family name, George was raised as a member of the influential Masele clan. George's family garnered large support from the rank and file thematic troops who held the family in high regard due to his heritage and resemblance to his grandfather. George was raised to continue this Masele line of strong military men, something that came naturally to the rowdy and athletic George. Given command of troops at the young age of twenty, George excelled as an aggressive and daring cavalry commander and lived up to the imaginations of the soldiers who remembered the same daring and aggressive attitude of his grandfather.
George managed to gain prestige and influence in some of the final years of Roman Vasilaiós as he became a fixture of the palace Scholai as captain. George maintained a close relationship with the old emperor and seemed to have been mentored by the skilled emperor on manners of statecraft and diplomatic practice. As the aged emperor had no sons to pass the title onto, he named the popular George as his successor in an attempt to placate the theme armies which had always held disdain for his rule. George was hailed as emperor following the Vasilaiós' death and married the late emperor's grandaughter Antheria, effectively continuing the rule of the loved Chrysatine dynasty. George's reign was mostly quite uneventful as he successfully continued the policies of his predecessor all the while strengthening support for his son Roman, the public face of the administration as the great-grandson of the departed Vasilaiós. George died after 12 years of effectively ruling and passed the throne to his son Roman who would become Roman V.
Education
Given a palatial education and surrounded by courtiers in the entourage of the Emperor
Employment
Thematic commander
Captain of the Scholai guard
Rasennan Emperor
Captain of the Scholai guard
Rasennan Emperor
Accomplishments & Achievements
Successful military engagements on the Oltune frontier against Beihan and Yarmeg raiders
Ended a worker uprising in Veria without bloodshed
Succeeded Emperor Roman IV
Rule the empire for 12 years with relative ease and stability
Ended a worker uprising in Veria without bloodshed
Succeeded Emperor Roman IV
Rule the empire for 12 years with relative ease and stability
Failures & Embarrassments
Allowed courtiers and palace officials too much autonomy in their dealings
Ruled in a less prestigious way than many of his predecessors
Ruled in a less prestigious way than many of his predecessors
Intellectual Characteristics
Diplomatic and agreeable
Morality & Philosophy
A steady ship makes it to port
Personality Characteristics
Motivation
Safeguard the empire and rule in his son's stead
Virtues & Personality perks
Generous
Gregarious
Affable
Perspicacious
Gregarious
Affable
Perspicacious
Vices & Personality flaws
Lax
Self Indulgent
Impatient
People Pleasing
Self Indulgent
Impatient
People Pleasing
Social
Family Ties
Son of Nicasia Masele and Alianes Palamas
Grandson of Alexander Masele
Husband of Antheria Chrysatine
Father of Emperor Roman V
Grandson of Alexander Masele
Husband of Antheria Chrysatine
Father of Emperor Roman V
Religious Views
George himself had been brought up by tutors and educators favored by the Masele, a family with an adherence to the traditional Rasennan pantheon, something very quickly going out of style. George would split from this thought and fully embraced the now formalized Ecclesia and did not waver from this belief for his entire life.
Social Aptitude
George is mentioned in the great Rasennan work, "The Twelve Kings" by Melius Tourkos as a man with the temperament of a good ruler, a man who was benevolent and unifying to his officials. Often times, he would hold great hunts on grounds owned by the crown. George was fascinated by falconry and often used them during these hunts, something that led to his epithet of The Falconer. George's love of falconry made the practice very popular in the capital even after his death. However, George is criticized for his lack of stern and authoritative rulership that the imperial palace's courtiers were accustomed to. The emperor made a habit of speaking to those in his court as if he were not the emperor, something that was personally quite welcomed but would lessen the reverence shown to the imperial office, something his son would discover after Tarakoun.
Speech
Well mannered and always agreeable and open to compromise, George was a man with utmost manners and was a people pleaser at heart. His speech was refined, tasteful, and very warm and generous, indicative of his heritage coming from a wealthy landowning aristocratic family.
Relationships
Current Location
Ethnicity
Other Ethnicities/Cultures
Date of Birth
19th of Larza
Date of Death
27th of Aula
Life
365 B.E
305 B.E
60 years old
Circumstances of Birth
Son of Nicasia Masele and Alianes Palamas
Circumstances of Death
Died of natural causes at the age of 60
Birthplace
Tziralla, Agrihenia Prope
Place of Death
Rasca, Lakia
Family
Spouses
Antheria Chrysatine
(spouse)
Siblings
Children
Gender
Male
Eyes
Dark Brown
Hair
Curly, Long, Finely combed
Skin Tone/Pigmentation
Tan
Height
5'9
Weight
220 lbs
Quotes & Catchphrases
"If I have wronged a man, let him come forward and I will break bread with him. A smoldering fire is best put out before turning into an inferno."
Belief/Deity
The Magna Ecclesia
Aligned Organization
Other Affiliations
Lakic
Mykran
Character Prototype
John Tzimiskes
Comments