The kingdom of Makuran was an ancient kingdom and the only true rival the Empire of Videssos had ever known. While Videssos was once able to sack Mashiz the capital of Makuran, the only city that could even approach Videssos the city's magnificence, it was unable to conquer it fully. Likewise, despite successes of their own, Makuran had never succeeded in conquering Videssos. Due to the Makurani might, Videssians never called them "barbarians" as they did to other foreigners.