This article is about the Sinnohan archon. For the genus of orchids, see Calanthe (genus).

Calanthe and her husband Ariston are the first archons of Sinnoh, credited with the first unification of the region. Calanthe was notable for being a force to be reckoned with on the battlefield - enemy accounts often referred to her as a figure of ruin, causing death and fields of blood wherever she went. She was an accomplished rider, classical pieces often depicting her on her unique mount, a silver-flamed Rapidash.

Early Life

From what remains of history, written records suggest that Calanthe was the daughter of the head of the Celestica tribe, a roaming band of warriors whose nomadic lifestyle was severely disrupted by the influx of settlers from Johto, who created sedentary agricultural hubs and communities known as city-states.

Blood plague brought in by travellers struck Sinnoh in 00, tearing through the region and particularly devastating the nomadic tribes. By 00, Calanthe and the remnants of her tribe sought refuge in Michina. Lord Aidoneus of Michina took them in, but sought to neutralize the possible threat, marrying the girl to his first son, Ariston.

It is unclear whether she persuaded Ariston to rebellion, or if she simply helped him along with his plans, but together they assassinated Aidoneus and his second son, and ascended to the seat of Michina.

Rise to Power

Her husband preferred ruling to fighting, and let Calanthe handle military affairs with an iron fist. When Curae attacked in 00, she led the military offensive, handily defeating their forces. While her husband handled the absorption of other city-states into their empire, Calanthe fought battles at the borders of their territory.

Unification of Sinnoh

With the surrender of the Verity faction in the west in 00, the region of Sinnoh was unified. In 00, in a grand ceremony that doubled as their coronation, Ariston and Calanthe renewed their vows to each other, and swore new ones to the land and people that they had claimed. In addition, the Five Lords also swore oaths of fealty, founding the four Houses of Sinnoh. This is the event by which Sinnoh's legendary weapons were supposedly created, although only a fraction remain in the modern era.

Joint Rule of Sinnoh

While Ariston handled statesmanship, Calanthe handled the military, guarding the borders vigorously against assault. Sinnoh attempted several unsuccessful forays into the area that is now modern day Sinjoh.

Death and Succession

While on campaign in Sinjoh, Calanthe suddenly died of fever, causing uproar in Sinnoh. Historians suggest the cause of her death as either blood poisoning or infection, pointing out the weakening of her health five years earlier after the birth of their youngest child, Cordilla.

With their mother's death, her two elder children split her duties among them. Caedan took control of her intelligence network, working with Lord Prometheus of House Prometheus, while Cydonia ran the military alongside Lord Zelos and House Zelos.

Funeral and burial

Sinnoh declared a mourning period of a year and a day, putting off the marriage of Caedan and Elucia. There was a grand funeral procession through the streets of Michina, with thousands of travellers thronging the streets to pay their respects. She was buried in the shadow of the mountain, and was joined by her husband three years later. The location of their tomb has not yet been found, but historians suspect this location is somewhere near modern-day Celestic Town.