Zerah Demir IV
| Zerah Demir IV | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
 Portrait in 1905 | |||||
| Queen of Packilvania and Morstaybishlia | |||||
| Reign | 20 February 1899 - 18 September 1936 | ||||
| Coronation | 9 September 1899 | ||||
| Predecessor | Unknown | ||||
| Successor | position abolished | ||||
| Born | 1 July 1872 Bingöl, Packilvania | ||||
| Died | 18 September 1936 (aged 65) Bingöl, Packilvania | ||||
| Burial | Syllester Abbey | ||||
| Spouse | King Thadeus I | ||||
| Issue | King Thadeus II of Morstaybishlia | ||||
| |||||
| Father | Unknown | ||||
| Mother | Unknown | ||||
| Religion | Paxism from 1872 to 1897 Thaerism from 1897 to 1951 | ||||
Zerah Demir IV (1 July 1872 - 18 September 1951) was Sultana of Packilvania from her ascension in 1881 to 1918 and Queen of Morstaybishlia from 1897 to 1918 upon marrying King Thadeus I of Morstaybishlia. He reign saw the abolition of the Packilvanian monarchy and the end of the human rule over Packilvania.
Early life and education
She was born to Sultan Ishak III and Sultana Zahira on 1 July 1872 at the Bingol Royal Palace, in Bingol, Packilvania. Her mother died at her birth from injuries sustained during the difficult pregnancy. Her father never remarried and it is unknown whether he had any lovers. Because Sultan Ishak III was often on military expeditions, she was raised largely by governesses and barely saw him. She was educated by tutors from the University of Bingol. Her favourite tutor was Mr Iman Dubit, a professor in education. They became dear friends and she wrote fondly of him in her diaries. Through their friendship, he encouraged her to strive for power in her own right and to be independent of men. Later reports found that he was secretly an atheist homosexual male who resented the patriarchal order of Packilvania for which he was executed by Sultan Ishak III after he was found in "an intimate act" with another male staff in the Sultan's household. This act made her hate her father and begin the long preparations to secure the throne.
Early political career
She was an astute politician and often invited powerful people to her house in Megdokar, just outside Bingol, for brunch. She cultivated a good rapport with powerful people in the government, business and military. She traded the secrets they confided with her for political leverage, such that she exerted influence on public policy. Her father grew wary of her endeavors but underestimated her skill and ambition because she was a woman. By the time she was 20, the Sultan's mother, Sultana Madiyaka chose Prince Bismal of Ukanar as her husband. She refused to marry him and instead rallied her cousins to unseat the Sultan from power.
Succession
Her cousins agreed to help overthrow her father. She had initially promised her uncle's oldest son, Prince Muchtan, that he would become Sultan upon the removal of Sultan Ishak III. In a bloodless palace coup, Sultan Ishak III was forced to abdicate. Shortly after, she shot him in the head. In a twist of fate, Princess Zemir had planned to frame his death on Prince Muchtan and her cousins. The Grand Vizier, Prince Adban Demir and Sultan Ishak III's fourth brother, helped her orchestrate the entire ploy. They were arrested and executed and she was crowned Sultana as all viable candidates to succeed the Sultan had been executed as part of the ploy. She was parodied as the Great Butcher of Bingol as rumors of the coup spread like wildfire. But by then her position was secure and the network of power she had cultivated was already entrenched in the state.
Reign
Royal Union
Despite being resentful of the idea of marriage, she recognised the political benefits that marriage could present her. She noticed that King Thadeus I of Morstaybishlia had not yet married. Her family, the Demirs had developed a close relationship with the Constantines as they had many princes and princesses who intermarried. Furthermore, she felt that a marriage with Thadeus I would strengthen per position at home and stretch her power and influence. Moreover, she luridly fantasized about having son sit on the thrones of the two greatest nations in the world.
Following which, she broached the plan to Thadeus I. Thadeus confided in his Ministers and courtiers who greatly fancied the idea of him become the ruler of two nations. Despite some misgivings, Sultana Zemir Demir IV and King Thadeus II married in 1897. Shortly after their wedding, Zemir crowned Thadeus Sultan of Packilvania and Thadeus crowned Zemir Queen of Morstaybishlia. The entire affair was bizarre and unprecedented, but nevertheless sent the statement that the Crowns were united in the two monarchs.
The matter of her religion was a contentious issue. On one hand, as a the Sultana of Packilvania, she was expected to be Paxist. On the other hand patriarchal heteronormative traditions dictated that she adopt her husband's religion. Furthermore, it seemed as though any potential heirs would be Thaerist anyway given that their father was a Thaerist. As a compromise, the Bingol Parliament passed an Act giving supreme religious authority over Paxism to the Grand Ayatollah. The Crown retained the duty to protect Paxism and she bore the lesser title of Protector of the Faith. This was the first major blow to her popularity as Paxists especially Felines felt she sold their religion to heathens and heretics.
The Royal union resulted in massive increase in trade between Packilvania and Morstaybishlia. The ruling human class and some powerful Shirazi Felines grew wealthy from the trade. Unfortunately, economic conditions for urban workers did not improve significantly.