CLEON II – commonly called The Great. The last strong Emperor of the First Empire, he is important for the political and artistic renaissance that took place during his long reign. He is best known to romance, however, for his connection with Bel Riose, and to the common man, he is simply Riose’s Emperor. It is important not to allow events of the last year of his reign to overshadow forty years of... (Foundation and Empire)...
Cleon II is a character in Isaac Asimov's Foundation series.
His appearance takes place in "The General", Part One of Foundation and Empire.
Biography[]
Cleon II is the great-grandson of a pirate ruler. He has three sons.
During his later years he suffered from a painful and undiagnosed ailment. About 200 FE, Cleon directed interest in the Origin Question was "stale and unproductive speculation that tends to undermine the people's love of the Imperial throne."
He declares war against the First Foundation on Terminus, of which his Privy Secretary Ammel Brodrig informs him after learning about Riose's actions. Brodrig informs his Emperor that Riose was in the Lemul Cluster, that he is one of the "popular generals", and that his soldiers are entirely under his command.