Julian dynasty
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| Julian dynasty Julii | |
|---|---|
| Royal dynasty | |
 Traditionally attributed arms of the Julian dynasty, depicting Saint Julius of the Caeline | |
| Parent family | Julii estate |
| Country | Urcea |
| Etymology | Julia gens |
| Founded | Antiquity |
| Heirlooms | Julian Throne and Crown Jewels of Urcea |
| Estate(s) | Julian Palace |
| Branches | House de Weluta |
The Julian dynasty is a Urcean dynasty that has links with several royal families and has ruled Urcea since its inception with the Golden Bull of 1098. It has also ruled Paulastra since 1824.
The elder branch of the dynasty, the House of Julius, went extinct with the death of the Archduke Cumhachtabilis in 922 and were succeeded as senior house by the House of Julio-Harren. The Julian dynasty saw multiple inter-dynastic conflicts for the control of Urcea during the Medieval and Renaissance periods, including the Saint's War and the Urcean War of Religion. The current senior house of the dynasty is House de Weluta, whose head is the current Apostolic King of Urcea
Origins
The exact origins of the Julian dynasty - and the Julia gens of Great Levantia generally - are unknown. Several mythical origin stories from the Medieval period indicate that they were the first Latinic settlers from Adonerum to both discover and settle Urceopolis, although this story is considered by most modern historians to be a fabrication. The first historical record of the Julii occurs in 327 BC with one of its members being recorded as serving as Praetor that year. The Julii continued as a relatively obscure noble family of Great Levantia for most of its existence, but historians believe the family's continued existence through the fifth century AD suggests it to be a relatively prodigious and wealthy - if politically irrelevant - family. The leading family of the Julii eventually built the fortified Domus Julii in the New City section of Urceopolis in the early sixth century as fortified noble complexes in the declining city were becoming increasingly common after the collapse of Great Levantia.
The "Julian legend" was a popular story in the early medieval period that suggested the Julii were the first clan with a paterfamilias to become Christian. According to this legend, in 202 AD, Gnaeus Julius Cicurninus converted to Christianity. He is supposed to have been killed by a family member in 205 AD for abjuring the family’s household gods and the state god, but legend claims he faked his death and continued to direct his family in secret until his death in 243 AD, making the Julii crypto-Christians. The legend persisted in popular imagination until the 7th century, with “Saint Cicurninus” emerging as a folk saint.