During the reign of Seldon II Tossia had served as one of the great administrative centers of his empire. It was here that Seldon established his Imperial Academy of Arts and Sciences as well as a training center for Imperial diplomats and administrators. The farmlands around Tossia and the other city states of the area were given to veterans of Seldon’s legions when they were no longer able to serve in the ranks.

The imperial province of Tossia soon became one of the great driving engines of the Empire.

After Seldon’s death, Tossia Province continued to prosper. Many of Seldon’s successors ruled from the Great Citadel Island at the juncture of the Five Canals. The Imperial Academy attracted students from all over Mars who came away with a sense of the grandeur and glory of Seldon’s achievements. Great merchant houses prospered as the city also attracted entrepreneurs and craftsmen who came seeking their fortune. It was truly a golden age for the inhabitants of Tossia.

The Succession Wars changed all of that. A century of internecine warfare took a heavy toll on the province. Finally, in 97 AD, Prince Umhaara, seized power and proclaimed himself "Umhaara the First, Emperor of Tossia and It’s Provinces, and Protector of Gaaryan, the Holy City of Seldon’s Birth." There was no mention of any claim to all of Seldon’s Empire. Umhaara began a comprehensive rebuilding program. In the east, representatives of the city states of Argus, Emden, Aryn, Edom, and Airy met and proclaimed Prince Khallartha of Airy "King of the Land of Mehridaani". By the time the nascent Tossian Empire was in a position to take action against them, it was too late.

In 1070 AD, there was a religious crisis. The Canal Keeper religion had played a major part in helping the Empire maintain the canal system. The religion also venerated Seldon II as a god and helped to strengthen the legitimacy and credibility of the Tossian Empire. Now, however, the Canal Keeper faith had taken a potentially dangerous path. The High Priest, Zheenker, claimed to be a re-incarnation of Seldon. Some of his followers believed that this gave him a legitimate claim to the Emerald Throne of Tossia . Civil unrest began to grow despite Zheenker’s rejection of any claim to the throne. Finally, Emperor Khaalarik III asked the High Priest to meet with him at a small village just outside of Garyaan. As a result of this meeting, the Emperor recognized the High Priest as the reincarnation of Seldon and gave him the Amulet of Seldon as a symbol of that recognition. For his part, Zheenker as "Seldon" recognized the Tossian Empire as the spiritual descendents of his great empire and charged them to carry on his great traditions. An agreement over the status of Gaaryan was also reached. The Tossian Empire "would be the Protector of Gaaryan but not its conqueror." In other words, Gaaryan would remain an independent city state under the protection of the empire. The vast majority of both factions were satisfied with this arrangement.

Over the next five centuries, the Empire began to decay. The great merchant houses with their lust for profits above all else became the driving force of the Empire. Taxes on the middle classes increased. Especially hard hit were the freeholder farmers many of whom were former Imperial legionaires who’d received their lands for long service to the Empire. Finally, in 1550 AD, Emperor Shaadric IV set up a system of tax farming. Each merchant house was given a province to rule and as long as they could meet the quotas imposed by the Empire they could keep the surplus. The system was originally supposed to make revenue collection more efficient. It didn’t take long, however, to turn into a system of organized robbery that mercilessly stripped everybody but the privileged few of everything.

Finally, in 1598 AD, the people had had enough. Nectar was the first city/province to rise in rebellion. It quickly spread to Aurora, Baetis, and Eos . There were uprising in the imperial heartland as well.The Empire was tearing itself to pieces. After four long years of bitter fighting, the western provinces won their independence with the Peace of Nectar in 1602 AD. Shortly thereafter, Emperor Mahaarik VI managed to put down the heartland uprisings. Unfortunately, he never saw the reconstruction of his empire. He was felled by an assassins dagger leaving his young wife, Empress Zhbaara and their infant son to try and salvage what was left.

Zhbaara proved more than equal to the task.With the help of her uncle, Prince Klytuus, the Chancellor of the Realm, she began to enact a series of reform decrees. The first of these dissolved the tax farming system. The second one granted amnesty to most of the rebels. The third one was the most ambitious of all. It stripped the merchant satraps of the lands that they had acquired through excessive taxation and returned it where possible to their original owners. Another decree abolished chattel slavery. It didn’t take long for the satraps to rebel and attempt to overthrow Zhbaara. The Battle of Kaarqaat was one of the fiercest and bloodiest battles ever fought on Imperial soil.When it was over, however, the power of the satraps was smashed for good and Empress Zhbaara was the undisputed ruler of the Tossian Empire.

For the next 27 years, the "Iron Empress" conducted a series of reforms and programs aimed at strengthening the Tossian Empire. With the help of the Canal Priests, the canals were kept up. She also built a series of heliograph towers along the length of canals. Through various programs and social stratagems, she was able to harness the aristocracy into the service of the Empire. The Imperial Civil Service was reformed as well as the Imperial Military. One of the most important reforms was the limitation of the numbers of troops a private household could have. Everywhere, within the Empire, was a feeling of renewal and rebirth. In 1632 AD, Empress Zhbaara voluntarily abdicated in favor of her son saying that it was time for a younger leader to take the reins of state. Her son became Emperor Krahaanik I and proved himself to be every bit as capable and dynamic as his mother.

Over the next two centuries, the Empire strengthened itself internally. Expansion was done at a prudent pace with each new addition to Empire being fully integrated before the next one was added. The Principality of Noachis was annexed in 1704 AD and its’ sister state, Pandora, was added in 1737 AD. The Principality of Thymiamata began as an Imperial client state in 1781 AD and was annexed fully in 1804 AD. When the Mehridaani Kingdom finally collapsed in 1807 AD, the City States of Argus and Emden became "Client States" of the Tossian Empire. The Empire began to turn its eyes westward with the idea of one day reclaiming the lands that it had lost two centuries ago.

There was even talk of expanding in the Coprates Valley. The biggest check to this expansion was the assassination of the High Priest of the Canal Keeper religion by worm cultists. Until the re-incarnated Seldon could be found , The Canal Keeper faith was in danger of dissolution. According to reports from the Silent Shadows(the Imperial Secret Service) the next reincarnation would be born in the sky. The Empire began making plans to continue the work of the Canal Keepers. Imperial Army Engineers stepped in to supervise the various projects while Imperial soldiery provided the vast bulk of the muscle work. Many Tossians believed that one day they would recreate Seldons world spanning empire. Nothing could stand in the way of their "imperial destiny". All of that changed on a quiet morning in 1870AD when a strange ship landed at Syrtis Major. Humanity had come to Mars.

At first, only rumors garnered from various merchants were available but these were soon followed by reports from agents of the Silent Shadows. The reports gave detailed accounts of both Thomas Edison and Jack Armstrong and the world they claimed to have come from. This news was kept from the Tossian public until the Imperial government could come up with a response. Emperor Kraahanik III was consulting with his advisors when, on April 12^th, 1872, an American built aether flyer, the Southern Cross, landed near the walls of Kaasher, one of the fortress towns outside of Tossia.The expedition was led by Dr. Samuel Pierce Gammond of Harvard and John Randolph Iverson, a wealthy Texan. Fortunately, for future US-Tossian relations, both Gammond and Iverson were seasoned enough travelers to realize that they had landed in the middle of a powerful nation-state and acted accordingly.

Although, both men had picked up Syrtan from Jack Armstrong’s book on the subject, they quickly found that none of the natives spoke it. It didn’t take long to find a merchant who could act as a translator and communications began. After several days of requesting an audience with the Emperor, the American expedition was allowed an audience with the Crown Prince. The meeting went well. Prince Kraahanik was impressed by the American’s gifts, especially their weapons. When told about the American factory system, he was even more impressed. He realized then and there that the Americans and all other Red Men would be a force to be reckoned with. When the topic of establishing a trading station came up, the Crown Prince suggested that the Americans establish it at Thymiamata in the north. The province had always been a traditional trading center and was filled with merchants from all over Mars. What the Prince did not tell them was that it was also much easier to control the access to the interior of the Empire from there. Still, everyone was happy with the arrangements and the Americans departed soon after.

The Americans returned in early 1873 with more goods. A trading center was established at Thymiamata and talks began between the US and Tossian governments on tariffs. Other human nationalities also arrived on Mars. The French landed at Idaeus Fons and a German trade expedition arrived at Thymiamata. The British also put in an appearance there as well. In 1874, the US and the Tossian Empire formally signed an agreement on trade and tariffs. Agreements with Germany and England soon followed suit. The next two years saw a slow but steady growth of off-planet trade especially with the Americans. Along with this trade came missionaries from various religious denominations. The first ones ministered primarily to the small human enclave at Thymiamata but they had plans. The Reverend C. Wade Fulkerson, a Methodist minister from Georgia, was in the process of organizing a "Grand Crusade and Revival". Unfortunately, for the reverend, the local Tossian officials mistook this for a military venture and arrested him. It took two days of explanations and consultations to clear the matter up and secure the release of Reverend Fulkerson.

In 1876, the US launched its "Centennial Expedition". A "Grand Exhibition Hall" was built in Thymiamata and a mini version of the Great American Centennial Exhibition was opened. Crown Prince Kraahanik led the Tossian delegation that toured the exhibition. He enjoyed his tour a great deal and greatly impressed the Americans that met him. Kraahanik also reaffirmed his private beliefs that human industrial technology was very definitely a force to be reckoned with. On his own initiative, the Crown Prince ordered 100 Winchester repeaters for his personal guard and 200 Remington breechloaders for the Tossian army as an experiment. The high point of the festivities, however, was when Dr. Gammond, now the American envoy, was formally presented to the Emperor. In the west, the Belgians landed in Coprates Valley to establish a "scientific station." Relations between the Tossian Empire and the various human states were showing signs of steady progress.

The progress slowed in 1877 when the French invaded Idaeus Fons. Although the Tossians could understand the reasons behind it, they’re were still appalled at the French actions. This wasn’t so much out of any great concern for the people of Idaeus Fons but rather the fact that the Red Men not only knew how to play the Game of Empire but seemed to be quite good at it. The devastation caused by the French army’s modern weapons was also studied. No sooner had the situation at Idaeus Fons been settled when trouble broke out at Parhoon in 1878. By 1881, the British had established the Crown Colony of Syrtis Lapis. The Belgians had also begun expanding in the Coprates. It seemed as if everywhere the Empire looked, the Red Men with their technology and their religion were trying to conquer the planet.

The rapid pace of events was proving too much for Kraahanik III so in the finest traditions of the Empire he stepped aside. On June 1^st, 1881, the Crown Prince took the Throne as Kraahanik IV. The new Emperor let it be known that he preferred dealing with the terrestial nations that didn’t show any territorial ambitions on Mars. The American and German Envoys were invited to the Coronation ceremony. The other representatives were invited to Coronation Feast afterwards by Kraahanik IV as a means of making his point. The next year, Kraahanik IV married Princess Saarsheela Rhe, daughter of the Prince of Airy. Senator James G. Blaine, headed the American delegation that attended the wedding. Shortly thereafter, a new trade and tariff agreement was signed.

A new round of human aggression seemed to commence in 1884. The British bombarded Shastapsh on what the Tossians felt was the flimsiest of pretexts. The Belgians continued to make inroads into the Coprates and within the year had launched a full scale campaign of conquest. Although several of the other colonial powers made protestations, none seemed really interested in stopping the Belgians. Only the American privateers, Blue Lightning and Excelsior took any action against the Belgians. American arms merchants were willing and able to sell modern weapons to any Canal Prince with the money. The Tossians placed a sizable order for Remington-Lee bolt action rifles and well as more Remington breechloaders and Winchester repeaters. The Imperial Tossian navy began to purchase surplus American naval ordinance. The large bore Dahlgren shell guns proved to be especially popular. Relations with Great Britain were beginning to thaw when the British launched the overland invasion of Shastapsh. This time however, Sir Edmund Richards, the British Envoy, had briefed the Throne on the reasons for the British actions. He’d pointed out that hostile powers including the Fenian Brotherhood were using Shastapsh as a base of operations against the British Crown Colony. There was also the matter of continued attacks against British merchants as well as a thriving slave trade.

The Americans scored a signal diplomatic triumph when in February of 1888, Fitzhugh Lee, the American Envoy was appointed as a full Ambassador to the Tossian Empire. This coincided with the signing of a treaty of Trade and Friendship. This treaty allowed American merchants further access to Tossian markets. It also permitted the stationing of a company of US Marines and the aerial gunboat Ranger at the trading center in Thymiamata. Most importantly, though, it allowed for the establishing of an American Embassy in Tossia itself. Kraahanik IV had personally pushed for this treaty. He realized that the Empire needed a strong human ally. The northern High Martian tribes were becoming more aggressive in their attacks on merchant shipping. The Belgians were getting ready to expand out of the Coprates.The Americans were the logical choice insomuch as they had no colonies on Mars and they also very strongly approved of the Empire’s anti-slavery laws. Tossian diplomats have also begun talks with Imperial Germany.

Recently, the Tossians have made an arrangement with Prince Sitaani of Nectar. Nectari territory has been the target of Belgian raiding columns. Krahaanik has ordered some of his heavy cavalry units westward to help support the Nectari. Almost as if in retaliation , a pro Belgian faction seized power in Baetis. The Empire is definitely on a collision course with the Belgians. This has led to some problems with keeping the canals open as the military forces formerly used for this task are now being put on a war footing. One of Krahaaniks special projects was to try and re-open at least one of the Grand Canals. Originally, it was to be the one between Aramis and Argus but strategic considerations have forced a change in plans and now it will be the one between Thymiamata and Oxia. This project would not only help the trade between the Tossian Empire and the French colonies at Idaeus Fons ; it would also serve to help relations between the two powers. Something that both desire at this time. Bidding has been opened and the two leading contenders appear to be a French group head Ferdinand de Lesseps, builder of the Suez Canal and an American group led by John T. Wilder, noted mining engineer and Civil War hero.

Another potential problem is the growing militancy of American missionaries. They are especially upset about having to pay a "Prosyletization Tax" to the Office of the Procurator General of the Holy Synod. The Tossians pointed out that every religion that wishes to do any kind of missionary work within Empire pays this fee. The American Missionary Society made the point that is not the fee itself but rather the "excessive amount" that bothers them. This kept the diplomats on both sides busy trying to work out compromises. The situation was further complicated by Mr. William Jennings Bryan who in a speech declared "God’s Holy Word is not for sale. The missionaries were also growing increasingly frustrated with the lack of Martian converts. They blamed the Tossian government but in reality it was the very nature of Tossian society that militated against them.

Despite the problems that surround it, the Tossian Empire still remains the most powerful native political entity on Mars. The Emperor and his counselors work constantly to try and modernize the Empire while keeping the best of the old traditions. Whether or not they will be successful only time will tell.