Merimeth Sarum

Lore

Merimeth Sarum is the current Amarr Royal Heir of the Sarum Family, having been appointed to the seat in YC 110 by his aunt, Empress Jamyl I, not long after her ascension. During his rule, he has overseen the massive reorganization of the House's bureaucracy following Jamyl I's coronation, as well as the reconstruction of Mekhios, which was ravaged by the Elder Invasion that same year. Touted to rule for centuries, Merimeth Sarum has spent the relatively short time since his appointment asserting his authority over his new domains.

Early Life

Merimeth was born in YC 49 in Sarum Prime, on the Family headquarters station. As just another face amongst his countless peers, Merimeth was not expected to amount to much. His parents were serving captains within the Sarum House fleet, and he did not have much contact with them as a result. Instead, he established a close familial relationship with his aunt, Jamyl Sarum, almost acting as a surrogate mother until his adolescence.

Adult Education & Career

As a noble in the militant Sarum Family, there was considerable pressure for Merimeth to join the Imperial Navy as an officer. In YC 67, he attended Hedion University to study theology, a common and mostly unremarkable path. He graduated four years later with top honors, finding a job for the Ministry of Internal Order instead of the Navy, though his status as a noble and somewhat of a favorite to Jamyl meant that he was exclusively confined to administrative and bureaucratic work for the first few years of his career. Like many nobles, however, Merimeth was able to rise the ranks quickly, becoming an operations coordinator by his fortieth birthday. The influence he wielded through the MIO was able to transfer handsomely to his standing within the Sarum Family, where he was consulted often for internal security purposes across Upper Domain. It is rumoured that, during the latter years of Emperor Heideran VII's rule, he assisted aunt Jamyl considerably during her secret machinations to ensure her victory in the upcoming Succession Trials.

As Heir Apparent

In YC 105, when Jamyl Sarum committed suicide after her failure to win the Succession Trials, she did not name an Heir. Instead, senior Family members decided to elect Merimeth as heir apparent. Merimeth was extremely reluctant, despite the leadership qualities displayed during his career as a senior Ministry of Internal Order official. He was grateful for only being named heir apparent as, in secret, the House elders were fully aware that Jamyl was not truly deceased.

Under new Emperor Doriam II, Merimeth followed the lead of other Heirs, especially considering his relatively younger age severely stifling any prospect of striking out on his own. During this time, the inexperienced Merimeth was merely a puppet of senior Sarumites. When Doriam II was assassinated, Merimeth was kept in uncomfortable suspension by Court Chamberlain Dochuta Karsoth's policy of delaying any attempts to resolve the question of the Imperial Throne. Nonetheless, he felt humiliated at remaining nothing more than an Heir apparent, and thus willingly made himself the face of his Sarum relatives' unfaltering opposition to Karsoth.

During the Elder War and Minmatar invasion of Sarum Prime, Merimeth assisted in the defense of Mekhios, under House Steward Pomik Haromi, who had been appointed to command by the suddenly-returned Jamyl. With little military experience, Merimeth was believed not capable of taking charge of the realm's defense. Not long after the return of his aunt., Merimeth's status would be sealed for good.

As Heir

In October YC 110, Empress Jamyl I confirmed that her nephew Merimeth Sarum would be the Royal Heir of the Sarum Family. Merimeth said that he was "honored to accept the responsibility, and impatient to begin his duties." His first actions as Heir was facilitating the reconstruction of Sarum Prime and other House territories that were ravaged by the Elder battle. The hasty seizing of this glaring opportunity earned him much popular support, though his activities as a Sarumite would remain eclipsed by that of his aunt. When the Empress announced her historic emancipation of ninth generation slaves and above, Merimeth was notably iron-fisted in ensuring that all Holders under his domain complied with the order.

Now with the relative return of stability to the Amarr Empire, Merimeth Sarum has spent his time so far as Royal Heir asserting his rule over his dominion, visiting central worlds and distant planets alike. With a Sarum family member as sovereign, Merimeth must often live in the shadow of his aunt. Combined with the fact that he is relatively young compared to the other heirs, Merimeth has been extremely active in seeking to prove himself capable for authority. So far, the nobles of the Empire agree he has been serving his role more than sufficiently.

See Also