Videssos
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Videssos is the name of an empire in Harry Turtledove's "Videssos" series.
"Videssos" can mean either the Empire of Videssos, or its capital city. The Videssian Empire is very similar to the Byzantine Empire, and much of its history and geography is analogous to Byzantine history. The main differences are the religion, the existence of magic as a usable force, and some details of the history of surrounding states. These states strongly resemble neighbours of Byzantine Empire - for instance Makuran is Sassanid Persia and Vaspurakan is Armenia.
Like Byzantium, Videssos is an absolute monarchy, ruled by an Emperor. The Emperor is assisted by a numerous, influential bureaucracy, which is powerful enough to have been able to enforce its choice for the throne, even in the face of military opposition; the bureaucracy and military are traditionally rivals for power and influence. Even videssian offices and titles are the same as byzantines (autokrator, sebastokrator, vestiarios, drungarios).
The Videssian emperors and their history strongly resemble the Byzantine emperors.
- Genesios is the usurper Phocas
- Maniakes, the main protagonist of the Time of Troubles series is emperor Heraclius
- Anthimos III is Michael III the Drunkard
- Krispos of the Tale of Krispos series is Basil I the Macedonian
- Mavrikios Gavras of the original Videssos Cycle resembles Romanus IV Diogenes, but the two rivalling imperial families, the Gavras and the Sphrantzes, are analogous to the Komnenos and the Ducas dynasties.
Videssian religion is dualist, with a good god, Phos (Greek for light) and his evil counterpart, Skotos (Greek for darkness). In some ways, this religion is very similar to Orthodox Christianity, with nearly-identical organization, veneration of icons and saints. In other ways, it resembles Zoroastrianism, in particular with its belief in a narrow bridge walked by all souls upon death; the wicked tumble off, unbalanced by their sins, to Skotos' icy hell, while the souls of the virtuous make it across.
Videssian Empire is rather feudal, with powerful landowners wielding great influence. The class of yeoman farmers, who provided much of the best recruits for the military, is dwindling, analogously to what happened at several stages of Byzantine history.
[edit] The Videssos Books
Fantasy series about a world that is analogous to the Byzantine Empire.
- The Videssos Cycle
- The Tale of Krispos Series
- The Time of Troubles Series
- The Bridge of the Separator (2005)
| Alternative History Series by Harry Turtledove | ||
|---|---|---|
| Videssos Books | Videssos Cycle | The Misplaced Legion | An Emperor for the Legion | The Legion of Videssos | The Swords of the Legion |
| The Tale of Krispos Series | Krispos Rising | Krispos of Videssos | Krispos the Emperor | |
| Time of Troubles Series | The Stolen Throne | Hammer and Anvil | The Thousand Cities | Videssos Besieged | |
| The Bridge of the Separator | ||
| Worldwar & Colonization Series | Worldwar Tetralogy | In the Balance | Tilting the Balance | Upsetting the Balance | Striking the Balance |
| Colonization | Second Contact | Down to Earth | Aftershocks | |
| Homeward Bound | ||
| Southern Victory or Timeline-191 Books | How Few Remain | |
| The Great War Trilogy | American Front | Walk in Hell | Breakthroughs | |
| The American Empire Trilogy | Blood and Iron | The Center Cannot Hold | The Victorious Opposition | |
| The Settling Accounts Tetralogy | Return Engagement | Drive to the East | The Grapple | In at the Death | |
| Darkness Series | Into the Darkness | Darkness Descending | Through the Darkness | Rulers of the Darkness | Jaws of the Darkness | Out of the Darkness | |
| War Between the Provinces Series | Sentry Peak | Marching Through Peachtree | Advance and Retreat | |
| Hellenic Traders Series | Over the Wine Dark Sea | The Gryphon's Skull | The Sacred Land | Owls to Athens | |
| Crosstime Traffic Series | Gunpowder Empire | Curious Notions | In High Places | The Disunited States of America | The Gladiator | |
| Pacific War Series | Days of Infamy | End of the Beginning | |
| Scepter of Mercy Series | The Chernagor Pirates | The Bastard King | The Scepter's Return | |
| Other Books by Harry Turtledove | ||
| Agent of Byzantium | A Different Flesh | Noninterference | Kaleidoscope | A World Of Difference | Earthgrip | The Guns of the South | The Case of the Toxic Spell Dump | Departures | Down in the Bottomlands | The Two Georges | Thessalonica | Between the Rivers | Justinian | Household Gods | Counting Up, Counting Down | Ruled Britannia | In the Presence of Mine Enemies | Conan of Venarium | Every Inch a King | Fort Pillow | Beyond the Gap | The Battle of Teutoberg Forest | ||
