Pelagius Septim III, more popularly known as Pelagius the Mad, was one of the most eccentric rulers inThe Elder Scrolls. Though the man became emperor, he never grew out of his strange ways. Intriguingly, the people of latter eras even celebrate him for these eccentricities.
Though the player only ever gets to meet him inSkyrim, his life is well-documented in the game’s texts. The Daedric Prince Sheogorath’s quest also gives the Last Dragonborn a more personal look into the mad emperor’s psyche — eras after he’s been laid to rest.
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A Rocky Childhood
Thoriz Pelagius Septim was born in Year 119 of the Third Era. He was the son of King Magnus of Wayrest, brother of Antiochus Septim, the current emperor at the time. Magnus and Antiochus were close-knit, so it’s said that the emperor treated Wayrest better than other kingdoms. However, he soon died after young Pelagius turned one. Thus, his daughter, Kintyra Septim, assumed the throne. It was then that Potema Septim, the infamous Wolf Queen of Solitude (who is also one of themost powerful bosses inSkyrim), wrought chaos among the royal family.
Barely a year after Kintyra II was crowned, Potema assisted Uriel Septim in usurping the throne. Kintyra was then captured and imprisoned, while Uriel III wascrowned emperor inThe Elder Scrollsworld. Magnus wasn’t happy with this turn of events, so he teamed up with his brother, Cephorus, to bring down the usurper emperor. In response, Uriel III and Potema laid waste to Wayrest, forcing Pelagius and the rest of his family to flee to the Isle of Balfiera.
During their time on the isle, Pelagius was described as a handsome and pleasant boy. He enjoyed sports, magic, and music. Most importantly, he didn’t exhibit any of the eccentricities that he would be known for in the future. It’s unknown what caused such a drastic shift in his personality, but part of it may have been the general turmoil that took over the land and, thus, Pelagius’ childhood.
When Pelagius turned eight, Cephorus defeated Uriel III and took on the role of emperor, but there was no peace as Potema’s armies still fought against him. Only when Pelagius turned 18 did the warring stop as Emperor Cephorus ended Potema’s life during the Siege of Solitude. With her out of the picture, Cephorus named Pelagius the new ruler of Solitude — one of themost important cities inSkyrim.
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Becoming the Emperor of Tamriel
Pelagius’ strange behaviors started to become more apparent when he took over thecity of Solitude inSkyrim. However, since he was the emperor’s favorite nephew, no scribe or diplomat could write anything too critical about him. Something that was noted, however, was his fluctuating weight. Four months after becoming ruler, he had apparently been on the heavier side, but five months after that, he became extremely weak and emaciated. It’s unclear why.
Three years after the Siege of Solitude, Emperor Cephorus died. Since he had no surviving children, his brother, Magnus Septim, assumed the throne. However, Magnus was already an elderly man, so all eyes turned to Pelagius — his eldest son. This was when news of Pelagius’ eccentricities grew more widespread. In one story, he locked himself in his room with the prince and princesses of the city of Silvenar, only letting them go when an unsigned Declaration of War was provided. In another, Pelagius stripped off his clothes while giving a speech at a local festival.
Suffice to say, Magnus knew he needed to do something about his son’s habits. Thus, he ordered Pelagius to marry Katariah Ra’athim, a beautifulElder ScrollsDark Elffrom an ancient noble family hailing from Ebonheart. Aside from securing relations with the Dunmer settlement, Magnus knew that Katariah was a shrewd mer and that she’d be capable of concealing Pelagius’ madness from the public eye.
Come Year 145 of the Third Era, Emperor Magnus perished in his sleep. Following this, Pelagius’ sister took over Solitude, while he and Katariah journeyed to theImperial City ofThe Elder Scrollsto be crowned the new rulers. It’s said that Pelagius fainted as the crown was put on his head, but that Katariah held him up so none but those closest to them would notice. In the years to come, Katariah and the Elder Council would make most of the decisions, while also keeping Pelagius in check.
Still, plenty of strange stories about Pelagius spread across Tamriel — from tales of him defecating on the floors of the Imperial Palace to ones where he bites and attacks visitors. A few years after he was crowned, Pelagius the Mad was sent to different institutions and asylums. Meanwhile, Katariah was named regent and ruled in his place. Finally, in Year 153 of the Third Era, Emperor Pelagius died of a fever in his cell at a Temple of Kynareth, a place of worship for one ofThe Elder Scrolls’Divines. Much later, people would begin to celebrate the anniversary of his death in a festival known as Mad Pelagius Day — a time when all sorts of foolishness would be permitted.
The player can meet Pelagius the Mad in anElder Scrollsgame, specificallyin theSkyrimquest The Mind of Madness. In this quest, the Last Dragonborn must enter the Pelagius Wing in the Blue Palace of Solitude and convince the Daedric Prince Sheogorath to return to the Shivering Isles. He agrees, but only if the player manages to escape from Pelagius’ mind. To do this, they must explore Pelagius’ mind-world and help him through his mental trials, which is admittedly a strange undertaking, especially considering that Pelagius died an era prior.
Still, these trials give the player a very personal look into the Mad Emperor’s internal conflicts. For one, he suffered many night terrors as a child, though it isn’t elaborated why. In another trial,Daedric Prince Sheogorath ofSkyrimhints that Pelagius’ mother was abusive, stating she’d taught her son that danger could come from anywhere, at any time, and from anyone. This resulted in Pelagius growing up to be a paranoid man, fearful of many things. It’s apparent in the last trial, where the player finds that Pelagius’ anger and self-doubt constantly win over his confidence, with Sheogorath commenting that the former emperor hated himself more than anything else.
Upon treating Pelagius’ mind, the quest ends, and Sheogorath agrees toreturn to his realm ofOblivion. Despite Pelagius being long dead during the events ofSkyrim, the quest certainly shows that he wasn’t mad, but tormented. While the people around him were fussing over royal ascension and public image, Pelagius was likely trapped in his own mind, struggling with his own internal problems.
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