Forever in my Heart

Forever in my Heart
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Thursday, May 17, 2018

Thaelia's World: A History of the Greycliff Royal House


The Royal House of Greycliff

There is no written history of the Royal House of Greycliff. This is a factual based notation on the Kings and their Queens of Greycliff according to the official documents in the Royal Archives as collected by QueenGaelynn.


The House of Greycliff was founded by Rhagheale I, son of Margaret. He was a nobleman who left Seimerki with the intent of uniting the many warlords in Greycliff and becoming the King. A charismatic man, he convinced a number of knights and soldiers to follow him with the promise of riches and titles. Rhagheale was born on March 15, 966. Rhagheale was described as muscular, with black hair and green eyes although after he started his campaign to conquer Greycliff he shaved his head bald and kept it so from that point forward. He was quick to laugh and just as quick to lost his temper. It was said he never forgot a slight.

He married Careene of Royalem on July 28, 970. Careene and Rhagheale had two children: Rhagheale II and Averick. After the invasion, Rhagheale spent the first two years of his rule squashing minor rebellions. He was crowned on 06-01-988 (Kyregat’s Moon). In addition to uniting Greycliff into one country, he is known for building the great Kyregalian Temple. Queen Careene died on May 9, 991 in childbirth. He died at age 51, on February 01, 1018 of a heart attack.

Rhagheale II was born on March 02, 988 and a mirror image of his father.  Rhagheale was athletic from the very start. Records tell of his prowess with the sword and bow. It was written no one could beat him and hand-to-hand combat. Rhagheale was 29 when he ascended the throne. He had married Esmee of Dunbar, but the date was not recorded although it was most likely a year or two prior to 1022 as she died in childbirth that year, leaving him without any heirs. He died in 1024 at age 36 of wounds sustained from a skirmish. His legacy was Karivane Castle.

Averick was born on May 08, 991, the brother to Rhagheale II. He was crowned at age 33 upon the death of his brother. Averick married Mareena of Boricek on September 25, 1007. They had four children: Arken (died young); Catherine (she married into the Sharlygen Royal House); Ehrys; and, Gharrick. It is unknown when Queen Mareena died. Averick died at age 55 on June 26, 1046 of unknown causes during his sleep. He was described as a tall, heavy built but muscular man with chestnut hair and brown eyes. Chroniclers of the time wrote that he took after his mother but whispers followed the King throughout his life that he was a product of an affair between his mother and one of her Court favorites, a charge she denied.

Emrhys was born on April 04, 1028. He was 18 when become was crowned. The young King spent his time honing his body and fighting a tendency to keep on weight. He had the thick black hair of his grandfather and the black eyes of Rhagheale I’s mother. As his legacy, Enrhys ordered the building of Foxwarre Palace. He thwarted every attempt by his counselors to get married and it was widely whispered that he preferred the attentions of the men from his King’s Guard although no one could obtain any proof of any indiscretions. One thing that was for certain, any person who spoke openly against the King’s favorites met an untimely end. Emrhys died in a hunting accident at age 34 in 1062.

Gharrick was born on December 10, 1034, the brother of Emrhys.  Gharrick took after his father with brown hair and eyes. As soon as he sprouted facial hair Gharrick shaved his head, but he always lamented his brown eyes. He was known for being of average height and weight and being proficient with any weapon. Gharrick was a known scholar as well. He wanted to shake off his brother’s reputation and married Esywn of Maudari (Liam of Maudari was her father and Elaine of Maudari). Together, they had four children: Caitlyn (entered the Temple of Jaira’s Hearth); Farian (killed during a battle on the Phaelyng border); Arlys, and Aired (died of a fever at 18). Eswyn died in childbirth in 1080.  Gharrick died in 1072 of wound fever from a training injury while negotiations were in progress to marry a second time. He was 38.

Arlys was born on June 19, 1052 and was known for his striking emerald green eyes and dark, almost reddish brown hair. He was unique in that he found a woman he fell in love with and married her, Bethany of Falais (born May 15, 1051). Arlys was faithful to Bethany from the moment he first laid eyes on her. Minstrils sang odes to the Queen for her unusual white hair and sapphire blue eyes. They had one living child, Ulmer. Bethany died of childbed fever after Ulmer’s birth and her demise left Arlys heart-broken. He never re-married despite the urging of his counselors. Trade treaties were expanded during his rule. Arlys reigned over a peaceful kingdom and died at age 61 in 1096.

Ulmer was born on July 15, 1078. The new King was a throw-back to Rhagheale, with black hair and green eyes. Unlike his father, who was a mere presence on the thrown, Ulmer took an active role. It was said he never sat for very long and visited ever keep in the Kingdom during his reign. He worked with Cusbergh and was able to negotiate a peace treaty. He spent much of his time on the Phaelyng border, quelling raiders. Known for his athletic ability, he personally led his army to battle. He married Kaliapae of Sealwyke (Duke Joryn of Aksel and Arienne of Kosidrig) on June 22, 1096. They were prolific and had five children, although only five survived to childbirth and three to adulthood: William and Anne died before hitting five years; Hadrell was next; Ranaia (married Duke Crkin of Amciluk); and Gytha (entered the Temple of Jaira’s Hearth). Queen Kaliapae died on October 10, 1130. Ulmer died of a heart seizure on March 17, 1123 at age 44.

Hadrell was born on September 25, 1099. He was a strong man, who was unbeaten in martial exercises.  He expected his sons to be just as good as he was and never accepted any excuses.  He was considered a tough, but fair King.When ascended the throne he was 23 and had been married since he was 16 to Sareane of Seimerki (born 01-10-1130 in Treynan). Together they had four children: Arekn, Briac, Roslyn (died at age 6), and Faxon. Hadrell was a no-nonsense ruler and managed to get a tenuous treaty signed with Phaelyng and Barera. His biggest regret was the loss of the Glodveau territory to Narulek, the lands part of his Queen’s family’s hereditary holdings. Narulek claimed the lands and title were forfeit when the family had no direct male heir in residence (Sareane and her sister had no brother) but Sareane disputed the claim by her three sons. Hadrell died on February 08, 1174 at 73 years of complications from a stroke. He ruled through direct attention to his nobles, often travelling to the troublemakers keep and ‘eating the offender’ into poverty. 

Arken I was born on March 04, 1157 and became King at age 17 and married Reidun of Seimerki on May 18, 1172 (via proxy). They had two children: Emrhys (was ‘crowned” as the Young King in anticipation of a smooth transition once Arken died) and Kyrold. Reidun died of childbed fever after delivering a stillborn son on 5-31-1178.  Kyrold died of the red sickness as a boy in 1191. Arken turned his love interest to Baroness Faucione, Lady Gaelynn, later the Countess (her husband Sir Braeden gained the title of Earl after Arken bargained for a night in Gaelynn’s bed). Once Earl Braeden died from wounds in the Glodveau Campaign, Arken married Gaelynn and had her crowned Queen. They had four children: Amelia (born prior to the marriage), Averell (died of the red sickness), Arken II, and the twins Rivolyn & Ranaia. Arken had an affair with Lady Rosamund de Visant, whom he discovered was his ‘true love’ in his later years. In 1193, he planned on divorcing Gaeylnn in order to marry Rosamund (who was pregnant). Emrhys joined his father for the battle against the combined forces of Phaelyng & Barera, where he was slain.

Arken had continued his grandfathers and father’s pursuit of expanded borders with a series of campaigns that eventually led to the Kings of Barera and Phaelyng swearing blood oaths as vassals to Greycliff while the King of Cusbergh reaffirmed his allegiance. Arken also succeeded in retaking Glodveau back (at the cost of his brother, Prince Briac’s life).  Arken was killed by an assassin’s arrow on the journey back the Bareran/Phaelyng war on May 3, 1193. Rosamund tried to take the throne in a coup for her unborn child only to be defeated by Gaelynn and the Greycliff army on behalf of Arken II.

He was known as a sponsor of the Temples for learning and the arts, although this fact was not discovered until long after he was dead.  Laws were revitalized to allow common people to hunt small game in the royal forests. The King also established houses for orphans to get the children off the streets and away from predators. Arken had the same drive and intensity of his grandfather, along with a charisma that brought men to follow him and women to desire him.

Arken II was born on March 25, 1177. He has the black hair of his father and the brown eyes of his mother. Due to his young age at his ascension, his mother Queen Gaelynn holds the throne as Regent until Arken reaches 17 years of age per the conditions of Arken I’s will. The young King is attended by a High Counsel, consisting of the High Priest and Priestess of Foxwarre (Martin of Tarthwyke and Rizena), the High Counselors of the late King Arken (Sir Claron de Thermodde and Sir Alwin de Treon), and a handful of noblemen selected  by the Council members. Arken’s initial King’s Guard is primarily that of men from the late King’s guard with a few additions with the understanding that Arken II will make his own appointments after his official Coronation.

***This is to be updated after my son is Crowned** signed Queen Gaelynn of Greycliff

We hoped you enjoyed this document found in the Archives. Apparently, The Queen never did finish her family history. She did write pages on the Fauciones and Corbeaus and we will bring you those in coming days,



Stay safe out there! 


 

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