Gonryu enjoyed the revenue that Zongdu Chaisee brought him, but he sent people to spy on her, as he did not want to see any zongdu linger past their term. During Fire Lord Gonryu's reign, the Fire Nation pursued isolationism in the aftermath of the Platinum Affair, with only the island city of Jonduri designated as a special territory, ruled by a shang zongdu. Under Fire Lord Yosor, the Fire Nation collapsed almost completely into separate states until Avatar Szeto restabilized the central government and strengthened the Fire Lord's position with political and economic reforms. In these times, Fire Lords could become completely powerless. Economic crises, natural disasters, and political conspiracies could greatly weaken the position of individual Fire Lords, and the Fire Nation often suffered from civil wars. The noble clans often married into the royal family, and the ruler's consorts would then empower their own clan, causing resentment and feuds by rival nobles. ĭespite the nominal empowerment of the Fire Lords and their theoretically absolute power, their position remained highly unstable due to the lasting might of the noble clans as well as infighting within the royal family. Afterward, the positions of Great Sage and High Sage were established to replace the Fire Lord's original role as head of the Fire Sages.

Eventually, the Fire Lords took state power for themselves and reduced the Fire Sages' influence on the government, turning the Fire Nation into a hereditary monarchy controlled by the Fire Nation Royal Family. The power of the early Fire Lords was limited, as they ruled alongside a council of Fire Sages, while many noble clans who descended from the old warlords were allowed autonomy as well as armed household troops. Prior to the formation of the Fire Nation, the disaggregated Fire Islands were united by the first Fire Lord, who ushered in a prolonged era of peace under religious rule with himself as head of the Fire Sages. The first Fire Lord united the Fire Nation and ruled alongside the Fire Sages and noble clans.

5.1 Known Fire Nation regents, claimants, and revolutionaries.

Avatar korra family tree