Introduction

In the annuals of humanity's history, no greater presence is there to be found than that of the leaders of three empires. First there were the Scipii Romans, great traders, seamen and warriors. They created much of the Empire of Rome and were justly honoured by their countrymen for doing so. Then there came the second empire, the focus of this book. Conceived by William the Conqueror over one thousand years ago, the combination of Catholic Christian kingdoms and other states into the Empire of Christendom sent mankind into a new era of prosperity, scientific learning and discovery. Following the rediscovery of the Americas and the existence of a world outside of Europe and Africa, the many people of those two continents spread across new lands and (eventually) created the third 'empire', though we are loath to call it as such. The Commonwealth of Humanity now encircles the world, uniting us all together as one people of many peoples.

As to how this all began...well, that is quite the story. Readers are advised to first consult my translation of King William's history of the Roman Empire as background reading to this, perhaps even more ambitious undertaking: the complete translated works of the Royal Memories (such as they exist), stretching back from just after the conquest of Southern England to...well, we shall see, won't we?

Of course, there are gaps in the Memories that were unfortunately unavoidable. The patchwork of pieces that remain in the ten year period after the Third Winter War are not as regrettable as the loss of almost every record from William the Conqueror before and during the time he was becoming the King of England. These losses are due in part to the ravages of time affecting even the Royal Collection at Oxbridge but also because said Collection was set alight in The Revolution. Where gaps occur however, I have endeavoured to fill them with excerpts from myself and other authorities on imperial history. The regular situational reports begun by Recorder Daniels have also been added in where appropriate, though they were never part of the Memories actual.

Now, as to the Memories (memoir might be a passingly good descriptor also but denies the fact that these were written as they occurred) themselves. As William notes himself early on, these journals, letters, reports and collections of writings have been deemed by himself to be of the upmost importance to future generations. That is why he begs any and all writers of his and any other line to remain as honest as possible within the work, with the understanding that only kings, their heirs and designated Royal scholars would be able to read extracts from it until two hundred years after they first were written.

In this way, and as far as we modern historians can tell, William managed to maintain a remarkably truthful (at least to their eyes), honest and detailed account of the past several centuries that is of such vital importance to history that the Imperial Library of London was designed primarily as a fortress to defend the ancient scripts first, with a modern day library added as an (admittedly incredibly impressive) afterthought. This might seem to current readers as a 'bit much' but to say so would be to forget how many times various groups have attempt to destroy these works and the buildings they were contained in (there is a reason, as seen above, why Oxbridge now has a large park in its centre rather than the Royal Collection).

I would therefore urge any and all readers to not immediately believe that the people who will henceforth be writing their life stories into the pages of this book are being untrue or lying. Whilst certain battle and events have been...'rectified' and neutered by the Royal writers, the overwhelming majority of what is to come has been backed up by mountains of historical evidence and research. I will add in as much as I can when either great passages of time occur within the journals or when history gets particularly convoluted. I have also changed many territories and references to places and people to modern day terms so that you will be able to recognise what is going on. Profiles on particular persons of note will occur when said person dies within the text itself, and in all other things the original text as written by the rulers of 'Christendom' will be maintained religiously.

With kind regards to the Imperial Library for allowing this epic work to commence, we shall begin. T'was 1066 and in a windswept part of southern England, William King was deciding the fate of the world...

-Recorder TBC, Oxford, England, 2134