Tâvu the Sinner
| Tâvu the Sinner | |
|---|---|
| King of Ushia Governor-General of Ushia | |
 King Tâvu, wielding the Red Ribbons (pre-classical style by Şerîn Âzot in The Kings and Queens of Ushia (2011) {NTS: probably should get a better illustration} | |
| Reign | July 3 1892- July 1 1903 |
| Coronation | July 9 1892 |
| Predecessor | TBD |
| Successor | TBD |
| Born | K’inál Óğarte T’ávu 3 October 1871 Varash, Ushia |
| Died | 21 August 1903 Varash |
| House | Kinây |
| Father | TBD |
| Mother | TBD |
| Religion | Zarasaism |
Tâvu the Sinner (Balak: Nacqam Tāvu Naşqam Tâvu ; Ushic: Nacqam Tˤāvu Našqam T’ávu; 3 October 1871 - 21 September 1903) was the last ethnic Ushic king of Ushia. His reign saw the rule of the declining House of Kinây come to an end, ultimately finishing with its replacement with the current ethnically Balak [name] dynasty. He was also the last known LGBTQ+ monarch of Ushia.
Early Life
King Tâvu was born in the royal residence in Varash on October the 3rd, 1871, to the Queen of the First Confederation and the [name] and First King Consort [name]. He was given the name Ušvá Óğarte T’ávu. His father died after a stroke early in his childhood, in January 1877. He was raised by his mother and royal staff, and lived most of his life in the royal palace. He was privately educated by both native and Balak scholars. He was well versed in literature, and was particularly fond of Ushic philosopher Izóraq’s works on governance. During his teenage years, he was known to be fairly politically active in Varaš. He would often express public support for various groups and initiatives, and wasn’t reserved in giving his own opinions, making him much loved by the local media of the time. He was however known to be quite liberal with regards to social norms, which was somewhat controversial at the time. However, his dedication to the people earned him a positive reputation. By the time he turned 19, he was often seen alongside his mother at various events and at the royal court.
Reign
Tâvu’s mother passed away of cancer on July the 3rd, 1892. During his mother’s illness, then-Prince Tâvu had gained a very active role in politics on a national scale, often appearing instead of his mother to fulfill her duties as Queen. In the time leading up to her death, the First Confederation had passed from being a protectorate of the Balak Empire to being fully incorporated as the imperial constituency Ushia following the 1891 Constitution. This move had been welcomed by Prince Tâvu, who believed that this change would positively impact the development of Ushia. On January the 1st, 1892, he was temporarily appointed Governor-General of Ushia, given that his mother was then unable to take on the role.
Accession
After his mother’s death and five days of declared national mourning, he was crowned King of Ushia on July 9th, 1892. His accession to the throne was highly celebrated across Ushia.
Early reign (1892-1897)
[idk stuff happened - tl;dr good king, much loved, very active, showed a lot of support for his own people whilst being respectful of their Balak overlords]
Later reign and abdication (1898-1903)
(very WIP) Starting from 1990, a major change was seen in King Tâvu’s rule. He became a lot more reserved during his public appearances, and indeed generally appeared less than before. A story made popular by local newspapers was that the King had found a lover - a topic he throughout his life refused to comment upon, and had been a subject of speculation for a long time. Most notably, however, his attendance to [Zarasaist ceremonies/services] dropped considerably. Simultaneously, his appreciation for Balak rule seemed to have decreased, and his public use of Balak decreased. [very tbd but essentially this part of his rule is characterised as being far more distant from Balâkia]
On June the 14th, 1903, an article published in the newspaper The Varash Tribune claimed that King Tâvu did indeed have a lover, but that he was in fact homosexual, describing him as a pervert, şaryan. This news circulated around Ushia extremely rapidly, resulting in him falling out of favour with the majority Zarasaist population. A number of palace staff came out to confirm that they had been aware of the King’s perverse behaviour for a while, but had been covering up for him out of fear of punishment. They also identified the King’s lover as 25-year old Ozín Ží, from Nožen State, who had since fled Varash. Public outrage resulted in him abdicating the throne on July the 1st in an emotional speech in which he reaffirmed his love and commitment to Ushia and its people, but criticised the narrow-mindedness brought by the Balak Empire through Zarasaism. He was stripped of his position as Governor-General and placed under house arrest in the palace due to his anti-Balak discourse. During this time, most portraits of him in the palace were taken and destroyed, in the aim of dissociating Tâvu from Ushian history.
Suicide
On August the 12th, 1903, Ozín Ží was discovered hiding in Núr, a small town in the south of Ush State, and was severely beaten by a mob due to him being seen as responsible for corrupting the King. He died of his injuries in the late afternoon. According to palace staff at the time, after this news made its way to the capital, the King allegedly "wept for many days" and stopped eating. In the late morning on August the 21st, Tâvu was discovered dead in his room, having hung himself the night prior.
Legacy
Succession
Following King Tâvu's arrest, [name], originating from [place in Balakia], was appointed Governor-General on July the 5th, 1903. Given that King Tâvu had no children, and he had no living relatives, uncertainty arose regarding the future of the monarchy, as traditional laws of succession could not identify a successor. A power struggle arose wherein a number of noble Ushic families attempted to claim their legitimate right to the crown. This conflict was resolved on February the 3rd, 1904, when [?by decree from the Balak Emperor/by vote in parliament? idk], where [name - the dude who had been appointed gov-gen] was declared the new King of Ushia, thus founding the current [name] dynasty.
Homosexuality
Whilst typically regared as a national shame for the Ushic ethnicity, his story is often brought up when questioning the status of homosexuality and queerness in Ushian society. Whilst common during pre-Zarasaist times, they have been systematically discriminated against since the conversion to Zarasaism. [more stuff goes here]
The Pervert King
In Spring 2021, Balak-Ushian author and historian at the National University of Varash Oşor Qitâk published a biography of King Tâvu, entitled The Pervert King (Balak title: Şaryanqak). According to the author, this book aims to give a holistic perspective on the various aspects surrounding the king’s personal life, and explore where he was treated justly, and where his punishment was perhaps undeserved. This book has enjoyed a mixed reception in Ushia. “This novel provides a fresh perspective that suggests that over a hundred years of national shame may have been misguided, and nothing more than a tool for Balak exploitation,” explains VTV anchor Šíla Aceq. He and many others who share similar perspectives on the book typically belong to more atheist circles, and even in some cases to Ushic nationalist groups.