Michael Moorcock's Elric of Melnibone

Heir to a legacy of tens of thousands of years, Elric sees the power of his decadent empire waning as the Young Kingdoms of humankind begin to stir. The 428th sorcerer-emperor to hold the ruby throne, he is unusually introspective & weak for his race - a combination that proves too tempting for his scheming cousin, Yyrkoon!