Warrior emperor from space opera anime; Legend of Galactic Heroes.
He is patterned after Alexander the Great down to the fact that he has handsome features and started young on path of conquest. Alexander also known for his emotional attachment to his mother Olympia during early years is replicated here in Reinhard's very close relationship to his sister, Annerose Grunwald who was forced to be emperor's concubine. This incident angered Reinhard that he swore revenge to bring down Goldenbaum Dynasty ( a writer's nod to Julius Caesar). Alexander have stormy relationship with his father, Philip II of Macedon and Reinhard is no exception, he disdained his father so much that he refuse even to look at him.
However unlike ambitious and cunning Olympia, Annerose serves as beacon of conscience to Reinhard until one day their world view is on separate track which arguably the time when he start to make mistakes in terms of personal development. For years of them together, she nurtured Reinhard with good side of things and make him believe there is hope for humankind despite all ugliness in the world. In contrast,Olympia practically molded Alexander into his manifest destiny, telling him that he descended from Zeus and removed any throne rivals discreetly. Some scholars even believed that she is responsible for murder of her husband, paving way of ascension of her own son to kingship of Macedonia.
Siegfried Kircheis is very close and talented soldier, his relationship with Reinhard can be said almost bordering on homoerotic but they did not really cross the line. He is perhaps molded on Hesphastion, Alexander's closest friend and male lover who is also Captain of his elite Companion Calvary. These 2 played role of emotional backbone to their respective more illustrious friend and interestingly too, when they died, their close friend began to crumble inside. Alexander becomes more tyrannical and emotionally unstable, Reinhard is more prone to impulsive mistakes and egoistical miscalculation.
He handpicked his officers, mostly Young Turks of Imperial Fleet on merit basis instead of aristocratic birth just like Alexander have his closest Companions who fought with him and promoted on merit basis. People like Ptolemy and Seleucus are some examples of Alexander's talented Generals. For Lohengramm, he pick up people like Ruental and Mittermayer which shares the similar vision with him.
Stay tuned for Part 2.
