We know that Jarls have their own personal magic users, but does The Emperor?

Imperial Battlemage. Ever heard of a guy named Jagar Tharn?

After the Emperor's assassination and Martin's Akatranscendence, I believe the then-Imperial Battlemage Ocato took the reins of the Empire until his turn to get did by the Thalmor, so it's a really high position.

I seem to recall something about after the Imperial Simulacrum the reputation of imperial battlemage became so tainted that the position no longer exists, but I think that there are still magic users within the imperial court, just not a dedicated position.

Nope. I've only played through Oblivion (about 2 years ago) and Skyrim. I haven't gone that far into TES mythology. What about during the period of Skyrim?


Ahh, thanks. So there's no personal Battlemage during the Skyrim period.

Incorrect. As far as I know we do not know the identity of Mede II's Imperial Battlemage, but as the Mede Emperors seem to ape the Septims in most ways, you cannot imagine they wouldn't have someone in that position. I don't know where this idea of there being no Battlemage after Jagar Tharn came from. Octato took over the role after Tharn.

It's likely that the current battlemage is an Altmer with Thalmor-sympathetic views, if not necessarily a Thalmor agent.

That's a scary thought.

I'm sure the Emperor does keep a sorceror close to advise on all topics magical but he also has control or influence over the Synod, does he not?

Lets hope not!! Killing the emperor for the DB could have a terrible outcome if that were true..

I think that's far a too obvious thing.

I'd say the Imperial Battlemage is the least likely position for a Thalmor agent.

I'm not so sure about this. I imagine the Imperial Battlemage would be busiest in wartime, so there is a high probability that the current Imperial Battlemage could well have been instrumental in the war effort against the Aldmeri Dominion. Then again, he may have died or even been replaced as part of the Concordat, so who knows?

I assumed Mede II used his connection to the Synod to advise him on magical matters. As for the Thalmor, there's probably an "advisor" like Ancano to Mede II to manipulate him according to the Dominion's wishes.

Someone needed to tell Ocato that in Daggerfall, Morrowind, and Oblivion then, because he became the Imperial Battlemage after Jagar Tharn. Had to step down from his position as Archmage of the Mages Guild too because he was too busy.

As for what is there currently, Titus Mede I had sorta of an Imperial Battlemage, but it was more of a top adviser from The Niben (only appointed, to appease the Nibenese). Ended up betraying Titus Mede I in the second TES book. I assume something similar, but more broken up.

I know for certain of three major wizardly advisors to the Emperors. Jagar Tharn was Imperial Battlemage, Ocato was High Chancellor, Regent and former Arch-Mage of the Mage's Guild, and Chancellor Hierem, the villain of Lord of Souls, is a powerful sorcerer.

You'd think they'd learn. Maybe after Hierem Titus I made a law.

Hierem was only there, because of political pressure. If he hadn't, The Niben would have revolted, due to a Colovian being on the throne. Ocato was loyal to the emperor, however. Enough so to be assassinated by the Thalmor.

I wonder why the Imperial Battlemage is such a high rank. Zurin Arctus crowned Tiber Septim himself, and Ocato became the leader of the Elder Councill in the Emperor's absence. Surely a more important rank would be better suited to other ministers or a general.

It's the VP to the President, in effect.

You guys who are downplaying the importance of the Imperial Battlemage have either forgotten or never realised just what the Empire is.

The anology is not the Vice President, but the bloody Pope. Make no mistake, The Cyrodiilic Empire does not exist because some Et'Ada blesses it. It is sheer force of will. The Empire is an affront to everything else in this universe and several others, a statement of I AM and YOU ARE NOT so loud it echoes through Kalpas. The entire thing is a giant con-act, tricking every mundane power and mystical one into allowing an organisation that can reach to the stars, and bestow rights on all of the citizens within. Like all great con-acts, it is a two man job. Half of the Empire's frontiers are not sea, but the barriers between dimensions, immunerable dimensions, some that would make an Emperor go mad if he even knew of them. The job of the Emperor is to be supreme master of the Arena, the biggest fish in the Grey Maybe. His Imperial Battlemage keeps up the front, chest puffed out, to everything immaterial. The message they both send out? Don't mess.

Tiber didn't forge the third empire because Akatosh came into a dream and told him it was allowed. He achieved everything possible by his own hands, until even the Gods had to admit he was on their level. The hills not bowing to Reman would have been an embarrassment. As for Alessia, she made her own Pantheon, by her will she brought the heavens into a new shape. Why? Because she thought of a thing she called Freedom, and decided that people should have it. The Imperial Battlemage is the Emperor's Pope because he does what the Emperor says, and extends the Empire into the dimensions incorporeal.

He didn't became Potentate because he was the Imperial Battlemage, but because he was already the High Chancellor of the Elder Council, thus the de-facto leader of the Empire, and The Council didn't find a more suitable person to rule it.

I've always thought the Imperial Battlemage had no authority directly, but was the chief advisor to the Emperor, there to help him deal with the otherworldly arcane forces, which can be much more subtle and dangerous than mundane weapons. I know I could have put this better, but I think you get the idea anyway.

Because a powerful enough mage can level a city with a cough given the right amount of preparation. You want one as your lapdog when you're trying to unify dozens of petty warlords into a cohesive nation.

Arcturian Heresy discribes Zurin as 'Grand Battlemage' prior to Cuhlecain taking Nibennion. Also, Vince, I say Imperial Battlemage is more like a Metropolitan Archbishop, being that the Popes historically have claimed authority over monarchs while Eastern rulers held to the old Roman model of having yer head-of-state also chief the religious bodies.

Also, remember, Battlemage Aristocrats have ruled Nibenval since Shezarr His-Missing-Self strode Nirni proud. So there's like, precedence 'n [censored].

Imperial Battlemage is like the ecumenical patriarch.

IMO, anything in that book is to be taken with grain of salt. I believe that it's nothing more than what the book title describes it as; the writings of a heretic.

Heretisy =/= untruthful. It means opposite to mainstream dogma. Ultimately, it's at least as true as anything else, maybe even more true given that one quest in Skyrim.