House Kurdwyn
"Y'see, some o' the Houses of the realm, they be old and go back to the days o' Sothar kesGalen hisself. Now, House Kurdwyn ain't one of 'em, but they have a long pedigree alla same." Buck was in the mood to discuss nobility again tonight, and, having seen the Duke of Gwyneþ himself in the Stone Market earlier today, he'd settled on his topic for the evening.
"The House, they've got ties to the throne, y'see, but we'll get t' that."
History
Founding
"T'get to the House, we need t' go back to the Barrel Rebellion--ye'll remember that was the end of the reign of King Alfor, first o' his name, and the fall o' the Galen dynasty. Now, an ancestor o' the Kurdwyns, man named Maeglyr, he was a squire to a knight when all the trouble started, and as it went on he proved hisself courageous and unfalterin' on the field o' battle. Got hisself knighted, he did, and soon was one o' those guardin' the man who got hisself onto the throne. That's be Aelfeth, second o' his name, and the first king o' the Blathen dynasty. Builds himself a right good reputation too as a true knight, noble, honourable, and alla that." "Now, Maeglyr's son Haren, he follows in his father's footsteps, being a knight hisself, though mebbe not as storied as his father. And Haren has hisself a son, Garen. But the lad, he doesn't have the skill with sword n' shield that his father and grandfather had, bein' a bit of a disappointment to the ole family line. What he does have is a mind sharper than a Sennish steel knife, and he unnderstans strategy n' tactics real well. In 1203 Seiðr o' Sevens is king o' the realm, an he decides he's gonna deal with some would-be rebels up there in Lothyan. An' he bein' the man he is, the king goes up hisself with his soldiers, seein' as how he didn't trust the Houses in Lothyan t' get it right, an' he takes Garen Kurdwyn with 'im. An' it's Garen, see, what figgers out who's behind it all, and where these rebels are hidin', and the real lay o' the land. The king, then, he's impressed an' he knights the poor fella, even though he kint hold a sword any more than Alanson over there kin hold 'is water when he's had a pint too many." A pause while the aforementioned Alanson attempted to protest his innocence of such charges before facing a veritable litany of incidences from his fellow patrons. Buck continued. "So, he isn't jest a knight, the king makes him the first Baron o' Gwyneþ, givin'him lands in Lothyan and now Kurdwyn be it's own House, even if a minor one, an' the king has an ally he trusts in the Reach."Growth
"Now, over the next hunnerd and some odd years, House Kurdwyn proves to be a good and loyal ally t' the throne. Next thing y' know, the Barons become Counts, then Earls, and then a High Earl. They're rising fast, and now they're into th' high nobility. But none o' that is anything compared to what happens durin' the Bright Years. House Kurdwyn, they're tight with the Summersong, Heulyn th' first, and then her daughter, Queen Bethan the Light. And Bethan, she takes Alysin Kurdwyn, second daughter o' the High Earl, as a handmaiden, bein' as she is right fond o' her. And doesn't the Queen's son, Prince Halar, take a real shine to the lass, marryin' her. And he comes to the throne, and now Kurdwyn 'as given the realm a queen, even if her husband be the cruelest, nastiest pigshit of a man t' ever sit the throne. But she's mother to Aelfeth, fourth o' his name. Looks like Kurdwyn is lockin' things up...and then the dynasty ends up in trouble when Alfor II starts goin' mad. But Brenna Kurdwyn, she marries a fella o' the House of Aethred, related to the king but not too close, and as a weddin' gift the king raises the Kurdwyns' title t' Marquis." "Alfor, now, he dies and along with him goes his dynasty, and it ends up with Brenna's husband on the throne as Gendar I, bein' the start of a new dynasty n' all. And her son sits th' throne as Seiðr II, until he gets overthrown, and we get Gendar II as king in 1534. And here's where the Kurdwyn star really rises."To Lordship of the Reach
"Now, this same year, the king, he restores House Halad--whole nother story there, but of course today they're the royal house, but we're not there yet--and Moryth Kurdwyn, currently bein' the Marquis o' Gwyneð, marries both o' sons to Halad girls as times goes on. This don't pay off immediately, but in 1643 Gendar III dies, an' he has no sons, but was married to Sari Kurdwyn. Now, 'is nephew, Tharun Halad, he fostered with the Kurdwyns, bein' that the Halads n' the Kurdwyns are so close, and he's the one chosen by the king t' follow him. Gendar IV he be, and he raises the House again and appoints 'em Lords o' the Reach of Lothyan." "When Dale o' Havan founds the Knights of the Griffon, two--not one, but two--Kurdwyn lads are foundin' members. And today, Gendar IV's great-great-great-great granddaughter, she's athrone now as our blessed Queen Heulyn II. An' who sits on Queen Heulyn's High Council as High Steward o' the Realm? Why, Maeglin Kurdwyn, the Duke' o Gwyneð!" "So it's been a long voyage, y'see, but from a simple knight, to the mothers o' kings, t' the lordship o' their Reach, and the Queen's council, House Kurdwyn be so tied to the throne now, and to House Halad, that it be a real chore t' try and sep'rate 'em at all."House Kurdwyn Today
"Now today, bein' that the Duke o' Gwyneð is the Lord High Steward o' the Realm and the Lord of Lothyan the Kurdwyns're one of the most powerful Houses in the land. And Lothyan itself be a rich and fertile Reach, well-watered and well-farmed. And bein' such, that means it's got a lotta people, which again means the Duke kin field a good sized army iffin' he should need. Lothyan, she runs from the Kingslands right up to The Haft on her northern border and Kulain on 'er eastern one, and by all reports the Duke o' Gwyneð gets along famously with the Duke o' Blackmoor, givin' him another powerful ally." "The Duke, he has two sons and a daughter. One o' his sons is wed t' a lass from House Eddayn, but he hasn't yet made matches for the others, and bein' that his House is so powerful, there's no shortage o' suitors. An' the Queen, she's not married 'erself yet, and I don't doubt that the Duke is hopin' to match his remainin' son t' her and get more Kurdwyn blood into th' royal lineage. As for his daughter, I coouldn't say, but marryin' her to an Alens boy'd strengthen his ties with Blackmoor, but a match with House Borudh or House Windmere might bring 'im a newer ally. I kint see 'im wantin' to marry his daughter into Argawain, bein' that they're rough with Blackmoor, or t' Terwin. But I'm speculatin' here, not bein' privy t' all the workins o' these Houses." "Under th' Kurdwyns, Lothyan been takin' advantage o' a lot of what it has. Always been great for farms and pastures n' wood, but now they're producin' a lot of other goods--linen, charcoal, dried n' smoked fish, glass, perfumes, n' so on. They're also makin' a dye that produces a brilliant blue, and I hear tell there's a demand fer it in Akaryth and other lands, as well as 'ere at home. See, the Duke, he knows he kin fatten 'is coffers more by tradin' outside o' Keledon. That means merchants n' others comin' into the kingdom and settin' up shop in Lothyan too, and cause o' that, I hear there's even a temple o' The High Path up in Gwyneð! Well sure I am that the locals be findin' that an oddity!"
Valiant Unto the End
Founding Date
1203
Capital
Leader
Ruling Organization
Leader Title
Family Leader
Founders
Head of State
Head of Government
Government System
Monarchy, Absolute
Power Structure
Feudal state
Economic System
Palace economy
Official State Religion
Parent Organization
Location
Official Languages
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