Zosimus
Second Prelate of the Lysandrian Church
Zosimus was the second Prelate of the Lysandrian Church. As prelate, he ensured the church’s supremacy over the nobility of Ilyria and devoted considerable resources to completing the Cathedral of the Pious in Calydon, a symbol of Lysandrian power. Once a fierce enemy of Queen Antonia, he was able to negotiate an understanding between the crown and the church, preventing further conflict.
Early Life
Born as a slave in Senilran, Zosimus had a harsh upbringing. His early years saw both of his parents die in an outbreak of Valdoran pox, leaving his upbringing to elven overseers. At the age of 15 however, he was identified as particularly bright. His master transferred him to Thal’Narius, where he learned to become a scribe. It is here Zosimus met Lysander, who acted as a mentor for the young scribe. When the Great Revolt broke out in 1348, Zosimus followed Lysander north, joining the growing rebellion in Calydon. During the Revolt, Zosimus worked in Lysander’s staff as a quartermaster. His meticulous planning ensured revolutionaries across Khalon remained well-supplied. While not at the Battle of Thal’Narius, Zosimus was a quick convert to Lysandrianism. Joining with Yuriel, Zosimus traveled as a cleric, spreading the news of Lyander’s ascension to godhood.Bishop of Lithal
In 1356, Zosimus settled in the town of Lithal. There, he was appointed as the bishop of the diocese. While Yuriel focused on uplifting the newly freed mass of humans, Zosimus made every effort to reign in the new nobility. When war nearly broke out between rival factions, Zosimus arranged a meeting in Davenport to negotiate a lasting peace. The Davenport Charter would be the founding document of the kingdom of Ilyria. As the bishop of Lithal, Zosimus ensured that local nobility were always crowned by a member of the Lysandrian clergy. Working with Yuriel, he established the custom of the Ilyrian monarch being crowned by the prelate of the church. This began with Varan II, who was crowned by Yuriel in the Forefathers' Chapel. Content with establishing spiritual power above the crown, Zosimus focused for the next few decades on preaching to his flock. He retired in 1398 at the age of 70, hoping to spend his last years in quiet contemplation. During his temporary retirement, tension between the church and Antonia during the First Interregnum culminated in her crowning herself queen without the presence of any Lysandrian clergy in 1400.Prelate of the Church
Incensed, many clergy considered her illegitimate. While Yuriel attempted to keep the church out of state affairs, his attempts died with him in 1402. Meeting in Lavenwall, Lysandrian bishops from across Khalon gathered to elect a new prelate. Desiring to reign in Antonia, Zosimus was elected as the second prelate of the Lysandrian Church. Shocked, Zosimus reluctantly accepted and headed for Calydon. Zosimus immediately began visiting high-ranking nobles, winning friends among Ilyria’s nobility. The incomplete Cathedral of the Pious, long languishing due to a lack of funding, hummed with masons hired to complete it. By 1410, Zosimus had ensured the church was viewed as a prestigious and legitimate institution. The prelate then organized with other members of the Ilyrian electoral college to force Antonia to concede to the church. Faced with a forced abdication, Queen Antonia met privately with Zosimus and worked out a compromise in which she would be officially crowned queen by him in exchange for a large donation to the kingdom’s treasury. In exchange, all restrictions on temple construction and harassment of clerics would end immediately. Antonia spent the remainder of her reign a defender of the church, opposing the Elterian revival when it began to spread in the late 1410s.Legacy
Dying in 1415, Zosimus’s funeral was attended by every duke and count in Ilyria. As leader of a reinvigorated church, Zosimus was one of the most powerful men in Ilyria at the time of his death. His legacy has been debated since, with some admiring his victories over Ilyrian nobility, while others lamenting his neglect of the anti-poverty programs championed by Yuriel.
Species
Ethnicity
Previously Held Ranks & Titles
Life
1328 EE
1415 EE
87 years old
Children
Belief/Deity
Aligned Organization
1402-1415
Predecessor
Yuriel the Blessed
Successor
Vitalian
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