Lēl VII

Lēl VII (1 Animare 1026 – 10 Metrial 1052) was the final classical Chotarian Emperor, who ruled the Fifth Chotarian Empire from 1046 until its fall during the Secote invasion of Outer Joriscia in 1052. Lēl was a young man of twenty years when he succeeded, with the support of his mother Manga, his childless uncle Lēl VI after the latter's death on campaign in Dabaia. He had little time to accustom himself to his position, as the Secote invasion promptly began with the passage of the horde through the Cinnabar Gates early in 1047. The Chotarian defence effort, headed by the large garrisons that Lēl VI had left in the region, was dealt a series of serious defeats by the Secotes in Isartia, forcing the withdrawal of the empire's forces to the east, into modern Terophan and Azophin.

Lēl's hopes of establishing a defensive line against the Secotes here were soon dashed. His situation rapidly worsened as mutinies broke out among the Chotarian armies over wage payments: these had fallen into arrears owing to the perilous state of the imperial treasury, drained as it was by recent campaigns as well as the persistent and growing expense of maintaining the sprawling administration of the empire. In November 1047, the Axiovy general Perdor effected a putsch in Askam, overthrowing the local fejedelem and seceding from Lēl's rule. An expedition from Old Chotar to Askam was routed in Empery 1048, and Perdor submitted to the Secotes the following year. Beset by mounting desperation, as Secote raids penetrated the imperial heartland, Lēl gathered his remaining forces to invade Askam once again in 1050, this time exercising personal command. He was put to flight, and at length determined on the withdrawal of all the armies of the empire to defend Old Chotar.

As the remaining provincial temple-courts broke away from his rule, the dwindling forces at Lēl's disposal were unable to effectively resist the Secote incursions, which swept into Lacre from the south. With no central oversight, the apparatus of the imperial government was rapidly disintegrating. Finally, on 10 Metrial 1052, the capital of Kozrat was taken and sacked by the Secotes; Lēl perished in the fighting, and the Fifth Empire along with him.