Moai_Spammer
Ave, True to Caesar!
Prologue: The End of the World
In the waning days of the information era, four huge empires have divided the world following the collapse of the One World Government (OWG). In the Anglo-Sphere, a highly corporatist and corrupt United States has ascended, ready to reclaim its lost hegemony over the earth. In Europe, the Russian Federation has successfully conquered the mainland and stretches from the Atlantic to the depths of Siberia, forming the Imperium of Europa. Revolution has swept through asia, and under the banner of the Reformed Chinese Communist Party has succeeded in forming the Pan-Asian People's Union, uniting the communist regimes of Asia under a common banner. Most stunning of all, however, is the rise of the Great Southern Empire, Formally known as the Imperial Federation.
Formed initially by a personal union between the Empire of Brazil and the Kingdom of Egypt during their rebellion against the OWG in the early 2030's, it gradually came to include all of Africa, South America, India, and the Near East. Africa and South America joined voluntarily, in order to safeguard their autonomy from the ambitions of the America, Europa, and Asia. The Near East and India would soon join as well, following the conquest of Turkey and Bengal by Europa and Asia respectively. Over the following decades, due in large part to the efforts of the mysterious Empress of Brazil (known popularly by her epithet: the Lady), a common military was formed and the power of the central government greatly increased. By 2055, the constituent states of the Empire had been reduced to little more than autonomous provinces. Tensions were high, and talk of rebellion became commonplace.
In 2057, the Lady Struck first. The Imperial Army quickly seized control of the major cities and carved up the constituent states of the federation into various kingdoms, which would be given to high ranking generals who had sworn fealty to the Lady and the House of Braganza. Catholicism was established as the state religion, all major corporations were nationalized by the State, and hereditary monarchy was mandated all throughout the Federation. The Imperial Court was moved to Cairo, with the summer palace remaining in Rio de Janiero. Guerilla warfare in the countryside and rioting in the cities would persist for the next few years, but the Imperial Army would manage to expand and restore order. Her Imperial Majesty Isabel 'the Lady' of Braganza, by the Grace of God, Empress of the Imperial Federation, Empress of Brazil, and Queen of Egypt, had won.
The Borders of the Imperial Federation in 2057:
Following her triumph in the Civil War, the Lady would fully implement the new legal structure of the Empire and set the borders of the different vassal kings under her. Eager to reclaim Algeria and Turkey, and to liberate the Pope from foreign rule, her vassals asked for war to be declared on Europa. The Lady accepted eagerly. In 2061 troops quickly crossed the border and seized Algeria. By 2064 Istanbul was taken and renamed to Constantinople once more. 2064-2068 saw a successful push north and the conquest of the Ukraine and Moscow. With the Capital taken, Europa quickly began to crumple. Berlin and Rome were both conquered by 2072, Paris by 2074, St. Petersburg by 2076, and by 2079 all of Europa west of the Urals was firmly in the hands of the Imperial Federation. Peace was signed with what remained of the Imperium of Europa, now known as the Kingdom of Siberia: The government was reformed to match that of the Imperial Federation, Catholicism became the state religion, and Siberia was guaranteed protection in the event of an Asian invasion. It made an excellent bufferstate.
In 2080 a new Pope was elected, Pope Boniface X, who would convene and ratify the Third Vatican Council. Traditionalists had been growing steadily within the Church and by the 2050's had become dominant in the hierarchy. The Council would largely focus on internal reform to return the Church to how it had been prior to the Second Vatican Council: Latin was the exclusive language of the Roman Rite of Mass again, the Index Librorum Prohibitum was revived, and the Code of Canon Law was reverted, with a few changes, to the 1917 Code of Canon Law. The most controversial decision of the Council was what to do with the documents of the Second Vatican Council. While Vatican II had not invoked conciliar infallibility, it was nevertheless an Ecumenical Council of the Church and had to be treated with care. Eventually, with a vote of 2378 bishops in favor, 2335 bishops against, and 73 bishops abstaining, it was decided that the documents of Vatican II would be given formal interpretations and clarifications in-line with the traditional teaching of the Church, rather than rejected and annulled completely.
To conclude, the Council promulgated a series of anathemas against what it called "the errors of the modern world, which still reign in this most unfortunate age". This lead to the denunciation of the Church and Catholics in general by much of the world, though many of the faithful received the Council with joy.
Depiction of the Third Vatican Council while it was in session:
In 2087, after recouping from the losses incurred during the invasion of Europe, the Imperial Federation invaded the Pan-Asian People's Union. Bengal was seized the same year, and Yunnan came next in 2090 following grueling fighting and a nuclear exchange between the two powers. By 2093 all of the mainland south of Manchuria was conquered, with tactical nukes and paratroopers being prepared to deal with Sumatra, Japan, and the Philippines. In 2098, following more nuclear exchanges, Kyushu was seized and the rest of Japan was set to follow. At the same time, the Imperial Army continued to push into Siberia. The following year would see all the mainland won, and the Kingdom of Siberia's existence rendered obsolete. The remains of Europa were gone by 2102, and victory over Asia was attained at last in 2108, during the last year of the Lady's reign. Dying at the age of 83, she passed the throne without issue to her grandson, Pedro III.
Scientists informed Emperor Pedro that continued use of nuclear weapons in the Federation's conquests would lead to an ecological collapse of apocalyptic proportions, but he paid them no mind. He was busy making plans to move his capital to Rome, and to be crowned the first Holy Roman Emperor in three centuries by the Pope. Alongside these plans, Pedro took a complete census of the Empire and formally organized the conquests of the past few decades into various kingdoms with defined internal borders. At the same time, the Imperial Army began expanding in preparation for war with the United States in the coming decades.
In 2119, after 11 years of preparation, the Imperial Capital was moved to the Eternal City and the Imperial Federation was reorganized into the Holy Roman Empire. At the same time, on the Feast of the Assumption, Pope Pius XIV crowned Pedro III as the Holy Roman Emperor. His formal title was now: "His Imperial Majesty, Pedro III of Braganza, By the Grace of God, Most August and Holy Emperor of the Romans, Emperor of Brazil, King of Egypt, Protector of the Apostolic See, and Defender of the Faith". The following day, the Pope called a crusade to "liberate" faithful Catholics under American rule, and the Emperor answered his call. By January of the following year, Mexico City and London had fallen. Nukes destroyed large swathes of Southern England and Cuba within the first year of the conflict alone, and more carnage was to come.
In 2121, a mere year and a half after moving the capital to Rome, the nuclear power plants of Cairo suffered a meltdown, irradiating and killing countless citizens. The worst loss was the destruction of the old Imperial Palace. American sabotage was suspected, but never proven.
Despite the "Disaster on the Nile" as it came to be called, Imperial forces continued their march with full haste. The rest of the British Isles would fall in 2122, and Texas shortly after in 2123. Nuclear weapons assisted the conquest of the latter, with a significant amount of American troops lost as a result.
Next came Havana and the Caribbean in 2124, followed by Atlanta in 2128.
The elderly Pope protested the continued use of nuclear weapons, on the grounds that they killed without any regard for civilians and, more importantly, for Catholics. They were entirely indiscriminate, and in violation to the Church's teaching on what constituted moral conduct during a Just War. The Emperor responded with a single phrase: "Caedite eos. Novit enim Dominus qui sunt eius!" Despite this provocative response, no nuclear weapons would be used for the next few years as the war in America continued. Most notable was the fall of Washington in 2131, along with the fall of Chicago, Toronto, and Denver in 2133. Fearful that the war was truly lost, the United States government fled to Melbourne in Australia. This was the most logical choice, as though the Empire had a strong fleet of attack submarines, it relied on paratroopers rather than troop transports when it came to island invasions. Australia would be safe, for the time being.
Then came the American last stand in Ireland in 2134, the result of which would be the complete irradiation of the island following a nuclear bombardment. This atrocity was an act of direct disobedience against the Pope, which would severely worsen relations with the Church for years to come.
Los Angeles would share the same fate the following year, in 2135.
California would fall three years later, and by 2141 all that remained on the mainland was Alaska.
All of North America was under Imperial rule by 2144, and the blockade of Australia was strengthened in preparation for an invasion once enough transports were built.
The invasion would never come, however, as America surrendered in 2147. Darwin was ceded to the Empire, and what was left of the United States submitted to the Emperor as an autonomous Imperial Protectorate. Pedro III adopted the epithet "Hominicus" (meaning, "Conqueror of the Humans") and would pass away peacefully in his sleep the same year, at the age of 72. His son, Manuel Hominicus of Braganza, was crowned Holy Roman Emperor by Pope Paul VII soon after. Preparations began immediately to mass in Darwin and invade Australia with extreme force when it was deemed expedient. Regardless of their submission to the Empire, Manuel was determined to put an end to the "great masonic whore of Babylon", as he described it. This determination (and obsession) was so strong that he inscribed "America Delenda Est" on his personal coat of arms.
Ten years would pass while preparations were made, in spite of unrest that was building at home among the conquered peoples. Then, at last, on Christmas Day in the year of Our Lord 2158, war was declared. Honolulu was quickly taken in a sneak attack. At the same time Imperial Troops were storming the islands of Hawaii, the Emperor, determined to destroy America, ordered the launch of the Nuclear Arsenal.
The earth, already straining under the weight of the past century of off and on nuclear war (especially in the immediate decades preceding 2158), could handle no more. Fallout engulfed the atmosphere and spread all around the world, carried by the four winds. EMP bursts from the bombs, especially the intercepted, high powered ICBMs which exploded higher in the atmosphere, took out the satellites around the Earth along with any unprotected electronics on the surface. This coincided with an unexpected solar flare and volcanic eruptions around the world, which added to the damage. With famine setting in, scalding summers, frigid winters, complete loss of the Internet, and most of the military campaigning in Australia, the Empire began to crumble.
All around the Empire the disgruntled serfs were rising up, attempting to seize whatever they could from the estates of the wealthy, in order to delay death by a few more weeks. Rio de Janeiro was even seized by Communist revolutionaries. And, unsurprisingly, with the complex web of modernity having been suddenly cut in twain, it was not long before Rome itself was stormed. Pope Pius XV declared, in the Papal Bull In Fine, that the Emperor was henceforth deposed for his sins:
"'In the End, my Immaculate Heart will Triumph.'
Thus spoke Our Lady at Fatima, as a message of consolation in the midst of present ruin, and still greater ruin to come.
Moreover, He that reigneth on high, to whom is given all power in heaven and earth, has committed one holy Catholic and apostolic Church, outside of which there is no salvation, to one alone upon earth, namely to Peter, the first of the apostles, and to Peter’s successor, the pope of Rome, to be by him governed in fullness of power. Him alone He has made ruler over all peoples and kingdoms, to pull up, destroy, scatter, disperse, plant and build, so that he may preserve His faithful people (knit together with the girdle of charity) in the unity of the Spirit and present them safe and spotless to their Saviour.
In obedience to which duty, we (who by God’s goodness are called to the aforesaid government of the Church) spare no pains and labour with all our might that unity and the Catholic religion (which their Author, for the trial of His children’s faith and our correction, has suffered to be afflicted with such great troubles) may be preserved entire. But the number of the ungodly has so much grown in power that there is no place left in the world which they have not tried to corrupt with their most wicked schism; and among others, Manuel, the dissolute Emperor of the Romans and the servant of crime, has assisted in this, with whom as in a sanctuary the most pernicious of all have found refuge. This very man, having attacked an Imperial Subject and monstrously disobeyed the prior decrees of the Supreme Pontiffs regarding the use of unjust weapons, has reduced the World- which had already been restored to the Catholic faith and to good fruits- to a miserable ruin.
Therefore, resting upon the authority of Him whose pleasure it was to place us (though unequal to such a burden) upon this supreme justice-seat, we do out of the fullness of our apostolic power declare the foresaid Manuel to be a schismatic and favourer of schismatics, and his adherents in the matters aforesaid to have incurred the sentence of excommunication and to be cut off from the unity of the body of Christ.
And moreover, we declare him to be deprived of his pretended title to the Empire of the Romans, and of all lordship, dignity and privilege whatsoever.
And also declare the nobles, subjects and people of the said realm and all others who have in any way sworn oaths to him, to be forever absolved from such an oath and from any duty arising from lordship. fealty and obedience; and we do, by authority of these presents , so absolve them and so deprive the same Manuel of his pretended title to the crown and all other the above said matters. We charge and command all and singular the nobles, subjects, peoples and others aforesaid that they do not dare obey his orders, mandates and laws. Those who shall act to the contrary we include in the like sentence of excommunication.
Given at St. Peter’s at Rome, on the 15th of March; in the fifth year of our pontificate.
Pius PP."
Soon after In Fine was promulgated, the Pope lead the people of Rome against the Emperor and he was forced to flee the city. His stealth plane took off with a handful of advisors and members of the Imperial Court, desperately sending out messages to any province of the Empire that still remained loyal to let them land. Only one city returned his reply: Arkhangelsk in what was once Russia. There the Emperor fled, and attempted to preserve what little he could of the Empire. No future Emperors would ever be named Manuel again, out of shame for the man who had lost the world. Many provinces fell so completely, that society was returned practically to square one over the next century. A few refuges remained as remnants. Very, very few.
Meanwhile, as the Empire fell between 2158 and 2165, the Imperial Forces in Australia continued their march. They would successfully conquer what little remained of the United States by the end of 2165. The Army tried in vain to keep order over the irradiated islands for the Empire.
But, by then, the world had already ended.
In the waning days of the information era, four huge empires have divided the world following the collapse of the One World Government (OWG). In the Anglo-Sphere, a highly corporatist and corrupt United States has ascended, ready to reclaim its lost hegemony over the earth. In Europe, the Russian Federation has successfully conquered the mainland and stretches from the Atlantic to the depths of Siberia, forming the Imperium of Europa. Revolution has swept through asia, and under the banner of the Reformed Chinese Communist Party has succeeded in forming the Pan-Asian People's Union, uniting the communist regimes of Asia under a common banner. Most stunning of all, however, is the rise of the Great Southern Empire, Formally known as the Imperial Federation.
Formed initially by a personal union between the Empire of Brazil and the Kingdom of Egypt during their rebellion against the OWG in the early 2030's, it gradually came to include all of Africa, South America, India, and the Near East. Africa and South America joined voluntarily, in order to safeguard their autonomy from the ambitions of the America, Europa, and Asia. The Near East and India would soon join as well, following the conquest of Turkey and Bengal by Europa and Asia respectively. Over the following decades, due in large part to the efforts of the mysterious Empress of Brazil (known popularly by her epithet: the Lady), a common military was formed and the power of the central government greatly increased. By 2055, the constituent states of the Empire had been reduced to little more than autonomous provinces. Tensions were high, and talk of rebellion became commonplace.
In 2057, the Lady Struck first. The Imperial Army quickly seized control of the major cities and carved up the constituent states of the federation into various kingdoms, which would be given to high ranking generals who had sworn fealty to the Lady and the House of Braganza. Catholicism was established as the state religion, all major corporations were nationalized by the State, and hereditary monarchy was mandated all throughout the Federation. The Imperial Court was moved to Cairo, with the summer palace remaining in Rio de Janiero. Guerilla warfare in the countryside and rioting in the cities would persist for the next few years, but the Imperial Army would manage to expand and restore order. Her Imperial Majesty Isabel 'the Lady' of Braganza, by the Grace of God, Empress of the Imperial Federation, Empress of Brazil, and Queen of Egypt, had won.
The Borders of the Imperial Federation in 2057:
Following her triumph in the Civil War, the Lady would fully implement the new legal structure of the Empire and set the borders of the different vassal kings under her. Eager to reclaim Algeria and Turkey, and to liberate the Pope from foreign rule, her vassals asked for war to be declared on Europa. The Lady accepted eagerly. In 2061 troops quickly crossed the border and seized Algeria. By 2064 Istanbul was taken and renamed to Constantinople once more. 2064-2068 saw a successful push north and the conquest of the Ukraine and Moscow. With the Capital taken, Europa quickly began to crumple. Berlin and Rome were both conquered by 2072, Paris by 2074, St. Petersburg by 2076, and by 2079 all of Europa west of the Urals was firmly in the hands of the Imperial Federation. Peace was signed with what remained of the Imperium of Europa, now known as the Kingdom of Siberia: The government was reformed to match that of the Imperial Federation, Catholicism became the state religion, and Siberia was guaranteed protection in the event of an Asian invasion. It made an excellent bufferstate.
In 2080 a new Pope was elected, Pope Boniface X, who would convene and ratify the Third Vatican Council. Traditionalists had been growing steadily within the Church and by the 2050's had become dominant in the hierarchy. The Council would largely focus on internal reform to return the Church to how it had been prior to the Second Vatican Council: Latin was the exclusive language of the Roman Rite of Mass again, the Index Librorum Prohibitum was revived, and the Code of Canon Law was reverted, with a few changes, to the 1917 Code of Canon Law. The most controversial decision of the Council was what to do with the documents of the Second Vatican Council. While Vatican II had not invoked conciliar infallibility, it was nevertheless an Ecumenical Council of the Church and had to be treated with care. Eventually, with a vote of 2378 bishops in favor, 2335 bishops against, and 73 bishops abstaining, it was decided that the documents of Vatican II would be given formal interpretations and clarifications in-line with the traditional teaching of the Church, rather than rejected and annulled completely.
To conclude, the Council promulgated a series of anathemas against what it called "the errors of the modern world, which still reign in this most unfortunate age". This lead to the denunciation of the Church and Catholics in general by much of the world, though many of the faithful received the Council with joy.
Depiction of the Third Vatican Council while it was in session:
In 2087, after recouping from the losses incurred during the invasion of Europe, the Imperial Federation invaded the Pan-Asian People's Union. Bengal was seized the same year, and Yunnan came next in 2090 following grueling fighting and a nuclear exchange between the two powers. By 2093 all of the mainland south of Manchuria was conquered, with tactical nukes and paratroopers being prepared to deal with Sumatra, Japan, and the Philippines. In 2098, following more nuclear exchanges, Kyushu was seized and the rest of Japan was set to follow. At the same time, the Imperial Army continued to push into Siberia. The following year would see all the mainland won, and the Kingdom of Siberia's existence rendered obsolete. The remains of Europa were gone by 2102, and victory over Asia was attained at last in 2108, during the last year of the Lady's reign. Dying at the age of 83, she passed the throne without issue to her grandson, Pedro III.
Scientists informed Emperor Pedro that continued use of nuclear weapons in the Federation's conquests would lead to an ecological collapse of apocalyptic proportions, but he paid them no mind. He was busy making plans to move his capital to Rome, and to be crowned the first Holy Roman Emperor in three centuries by the Pope. Alongside these plans, Pedro took a complete census of the Empire and formally organized the conquests of the past few decades into various kingdoms with defined internal borders. At the same time, the Imperial Army began expanding in preparation for war with the United States in the coming decades.
In 2119, after 11 years of preparation, the Imperial Capital was moved to the Eternal City and the Imperial Federation was reorganized into the Holy Roman Empire. At the same time, on the Feast of the Assumption, Pope Pius XIV crowned Pedro III as the Holy Roman Emperor. His formal title was now: "His Imperial Majesty, Pedro III of Braganza, By the Grace of God, Most August and Holy Emperor of the Romans, Emperor of Brazil, King of Egypt, Protector of the Apostolic See, and Defender of the Faith". The following day, the Pope called a crusade to "liberate" faithful Catholics under American rule, and the Emperor answered his call. By January of the following year, Mexico City and London had fallen. Nukes destroyed large swathes of Southern England and Cuba within the first year of the conflict alone, and more carnage was to come.
In 2121, a mere year and a half after moving the capital to Rome, the nuclear power plants of Cairo suffered a meltdown, irradiating and killing countless citizens. The worst loss was the destruction of the old Imperial Palace. American sabotage was suspected, but never proven.
Despite the "Disaster on the Nile" as it came to be called, Imperial forces continued their march with full haste. The rest of the British Isles would fall in 2122, and Texas shortly after in 2123. Nuclear weapons assisted the conquest of the latter, with a significant amount of American troops lost as a result.
Next came Havana and the Caribbean in 2124, followed by Atlanta in 2128.
The elderly Pope protested the continued use of nuclear weapons, on the grounds that they killed without any regard for civilians and, more importantly, for Catholics. They were entirely indiscriminate, and in violation to the Church's teaching on what constituted moral conduct during a Just War. The Emperor responded with a single phrase: "Caedite eos. Novit enim Dominus qui sunt eius!" Despite this provocative response, no nuclear weapons would be used for the next few years as the war in America continued. Most notable was the fall of Washington in 2131, along with the fall of Chicago, Toronto, and Denver in 2133. Fearful that the war was truly lost, the United States government fled to Melbourne in Australia. This was the most logical choice, as though the Empire had a strong fleet of attack submarines, it relied on paratroopers rather than troop transports when it came to island invasions. Australia would be safe, for the time being.
Then came the American last stand in Ireland in 2134, the result of which would be the complete irradiation of the island following a nuclear bombardment. This atrocity was an act of direct disobedience against the Pope, which would severely worsen relations with the Church for years to come.
Los Angeles would share the same fate the following year, in 2135.
California would fall three years later, and by 2141 all that remained on the mainland was Alaska.
All of North America was under Imperial rule by 2144, and the blockade of Australia was strengthened in preparation for an invasion once enough transports were built.
The invasion would never come, however, as America surrendered in 2147. Darwin was ceded to the Empire, and what was left of the United States submitted to the Emperor as an autonomous Imperial Protectorate. Pedro III adopted the epithet "Hominicus" (meaning, "Conqueror of the Humans") and would pass away peacefully in his sleep the same year, at the age of 72. His son, Manuel Hominicus of Braganza, was crowned Holy Roman Emperor by Pope Paul VII soon after. Preparations began immediately to mass in Darwin and invade Australia with extreme force when it was deemed expedient. Regardless of their submission to the Empire, Manuel was determined to put an end to the "great masonic whore of Babylon", as he described it. This determination (and obsession) was so strong that he inscribed "America Delenda Est" on his personal coat of arms.
Ten years would pass while preparations were made, in spite of unrest that was building at home among the conquered peoples. Then, at last, on Christmas Day in the year of Our Lord 2158, war was declared. Honolulu was quickly taken in a sneak attack. At the same time Imperial Troops were storming the islands of Hawaii, the Emperor, determined to destroy America, ordered the launch of the Nuclear Arsenal.
The earth, already straining under the weight of the past century of off and on nuclear war (especially in the immediate decades preceding 2158), could handle no more. Fallout engulfed the atmosphere and spread all around the world, carried by the four winds. EMP bursts from the bombs, especially the intercepted, high powered ICBMs which exploded higher in the atmosphere, took out the satellites around the Earth along with any unprotected electronics on the surface. This coincided with an unexpected solar flare and volcanic eruptions around the world, which added to the damage. With famine setting in, scalding summers, frigid winters, complete loss of the Internet, and most of the military campaigning in Australia, the Empire began to crumble.
All around the Empire the disgruntled serfs were rising up, attempting to seize whatever they could from the estates of the wealthy, in order to delay death by a few more weeks. Rio de Janeiro was even seized by Communist revolutionaries. And, unsurprisingly, with the complex web of modernity having been suddenly cut in twain, it was not long before Rome itself was stormed. Pope Pius XV declared, in the Papal Bull In Fine, that the Emperor was henceforth deposed for his sins:
"'In the End, my Immaculate Heart will Triumph.'
Thus spoke Our Lady at Fatima, as a message of consolation in the midst of present ruin, and still greater ruin to come.
Moreover, He that reigneth on high, to whom is given all power in heaven and earth, has committed one holy Catholic and apostolic Church, outside of which there is no salvation, to one alone upon earth, namely to Peter, the first of the apostles, and to Peter’s successor, the pope of Rome, to be by him governed in fullness of power. Him alone He has made ruler over all peoples and kingdoms, to pull up, destroy, scatter, disperse, plant and build, so that he may preserve His faithful people (knit together with the girdle of charity) in the unity of the Spirit and present them safe and spotless to their Saviour.
In obedience to which duty, we (who by God’s goodness are called to the aforesaid government of the Church) spare no pains and labour with all our might that unity and the Catholic religion (which their Author, for the trial of His children’s faith and our correction, has suffered to be afflicted with such great troubles) may be preserved entire. But the number of the ungodly has so much grown in power that there is no place left in the world which they have not tried to corrupt with their most wicked schism; and among others, Manuel, the dissolute Emperor of the Romans and the servant of crime, has assisted in this, with whom as in a sanctuary the most pernicious of all have found refuge. This very man, having attacked an Imperial Subject and monstrously disobeyed the prior decrees of the Supreme Pontiffs regarding the use of unjust weapons, has reduced the World- which had already been restored to the Catholic faith and to good fruits- to a miserable ruin.
Therefore, resting upon the authority of Him whose pleasure it was to place us (though unequal to such a burden) upon this supreme justice-seat, we do out of the fullness of our apostolic power declare the foresaid Manuel to be a schismatic and favourer of schismatics, and his adherents in the matters aforesaid to have incurred the sentence of excommunication and to be cut off from the unity of the body of Christ.
And moreover, we declare him to be deprived of his pretended title to the Empire of the Romans, and of all lordship, dignity and privilege whatsoever.
And also declare the nobles, subjects and people of the said realm and all others who have in any way sworn oaths to him, to be forever absolved from such an oath and from any duty arising from lordship. fealty and obedience; and we do, by authority of these presents , so absolve them and so deprive the same Manuel of his pretended title to the crown and all other the above said matters. We charge and command all and singular the nobles, subjects, peoples and others aforesaid that they do not dare obey his orders, mandates and laws. Those who shall act to the contrary we include in the like sentence of excommunication.
Given at St. Peter’s at Rome, on the 15th of March; in the fifth year of our pontificate.
Pius PP."
Soon after In Fine was promulgated, the Pope lead the people of Rome against the Emperor and he was forced to flee the city. His stealth plane took off with a handful of advisors and members of the Imperial Court, desperately sending out messages to any province of the Empire that still remained loyal to let them land. Only one city returned his reply: Arkhangelsk in what was once Russia. There the Emperor fled, and attempted to preserve what little he could of the Empire. No future Emperors would ever be named Manuel again, out of shame for the man who had lost the world. Many provinces fell so completely, that society was returned practically to square one over the next century. A few refuges remained as remnants. Very, very few.
Meanwhile, as the Empire fell between 2158 and 2165, the Imperial Forces in Australia continued their march. They would successfully conquer what little remained of the United States by the end of 2165. The Army tried in vain to keep order over the irradiated islands for the Empire.
But, by then, the world had already ended.
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