Leo III, Emperor of the Levantines
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| Leo III, Emperor of the Levantines | |
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| Emperor of the Levantines, Apostolic King of Urcea and Elector of Canaery | |
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| Reign | 3 November 1572 - 5 December 1597 (as Emperor) |
| Coronation | 3 November 1572 |
| Predecessor | Donnchad III |
| Successor | Constantine III |
| Born | 13 August 1527 |
| Spouse | Margaret of Niallsport |
| House | De Weluta |
| Religion | Catholic |
Leo III de Weluta (Leo Augustus, August 13th, 1527-December 5th, 1597), reigning in Urcea as Leo II and sometimes called Leo the Great, was Apostolic King of Urcea from 1565 and Emperor of the Levantines from 1572 to his death. He played a crucial role during the Great Confessional War, leading Catholic forces against the Protestant King of Urcea, after which time he prosecuted the war against the Protestant Union as Apostolic King of Urcea. Towards the end of the war, Leo was elected Emperor and lead the Holy League to victory. Following the war, the Emperor prosecuted the Dragonnades in order to permanently break the power and presence of Protestantism in Levantia, an effort in which he largely succeeded.
Besides his impact on the greater Holy Levantine Empire, Emperor Leo also had a significant impact on the development of Urcea as well. The Emperor perceived much of what he considered the "Protestant revolt" in Urcea to be the result of social and political failures, and he embarked on a campaign of reform. He brought the country into full compliance with the tenets of the Counter Reformation and constructed seminaries throughout the nation in order to better educate priests and to ensure better catechesis throughout the Kingdom. Leo's conviction transformed Urcea from a medieval Kingdom to a deeply religious realm. The Emperor also introduced social reforms, such as simplifying the system of Social class in Urcea and formally abolishing serfdom. In order to secure the new holdings he had acquired during and after the war, Leo authorized the first wave of Ómestaderoi, resettling large numbers of urban freemen from the large cities of the Archduchy of Urceopolis to 40 acre plots in Gassavelia and, to a lesser extent, Ænglasmarch. The Ómestaderoi would later spread throughout large parts of the country, revitalizing the disrupted agricultural economy and beginning a process of Urceanization of new or reclaimed territories. In addition to his social changes, the Emperor also formally created and organized the Royal Navy, which had previously existed as the personal fleet of the King with conscripted merchant ships added to it. The Emperor's various reforms laid the groundwork for nearly two centuries of dominance within the Holy Levantine Empire until the Second Caroline War.
Historians generally rank Leo II as the greatest Apostolic King of Urcea and among the most transformational leaders in Levantine history.