In this episode of Domina Tempora, we explore the dangerous, glittering world of child emperors — infants and teenagers who sat on thrones while others truly ruled. From frightened toddlers crowned in grand ceremonies to boys who grew into legendary conquerors, these stories reveal how fragile power can be when placed in small hands.

We meet the outrageous teenage Emperor Elagabalus of Rome, a boy priest of a Syrian sun god who was smuggled into power by his ambitious mother and grandmother. Their ruthless maneuvering kept the empire under female control — until family betrayal and the Praetorian Guard intervened. We journey to Persia, where the Sassanid nobles crowned the unborn Shapur II, who would later become one of history’s longest-reigning and most formidable kings. And in China, we examine the young Kangxi Emperor, who ascended at age seven under the watchful eye of his formidable grandmother, the Grand Empress Dowager, and four powerful regents — eventually claiming his destiny and ushering in an era of prosperity.

These tales expose the complex dance of regency: the ambition of those ruling from the shadows, the vulnerability of divine-right children, and the high-stakes games of empire that could end in triumph or rivers of blood.

If the intoxicating blend of power, ambition, divine favor, and human frailty stirs something deep within you, my debut novel Clotho Unbound awaits. In its pages, Clotho — the ancient Fate who has spun death for Zeus across the ages — becomes entangled with Aphrodite in stolen, blasphemous nights of passion that threaten to unravel the Loom of Fate itself. Their love is treason. Their desire could shatter destiny.

Clotho Unbound is out now and available to order on Amazon (Kindle, paperback, and audiobook coming soon).

Grab your copy today on Amazon

Thank you for listening.Until next time — may your throne be steady and your regents loyal.