Khorlana

Khorlana (Ald Duekmen: ⰘⰑⰓⰟⰎⰀⰐⰀ, Old Skorbund: *Hǫralāna) was the wife of king Khorvarg II, and later the queen of West Dvekmenia from the death of her husband in 814 until she was executed by her nephew, Budig, in 818.
Khorlana had no children, and so upon Khorvarg's death in 814, she declared herself the queen of West Dvekmenia in the absence of heirs. Her nephew, Budig, claimed to be the rightful heir in the absence of a son, and mounted a campaign against her. In 818 Budig's army captured Khorlana as she attempted to flee Tselyis, and he had her executed. Budig claimed several of her servants were also her concubines and had them executed as well. Scholars debate whether this claim is true, or if Budig invented the story for political reasons.

Life

Early Life

Khorlana was born at the court of Menivun within the Skorbund-ruled West Dvekmenia. Her exact place in the Kadanian dynasty and relation to Khorvarg II is unknown. She was said to have been calm and slow to anger, though cold and distant. She was reportedly courteous but seldom kind, and was known to confide closely in her servants.

Marriage to Khorvarg II

In 796, at about the age of 17, Khorlana was wed to Khorvarg, who would become king of West Dvekmenia in two years following the death of Childug I. She would provide a great deal of counsel to her husband, including in military matters, which many in the court took issue with, holding she was going above her station as a woman. Those who disapproved of her also began to circulate rumors of her infidelity and homosexuality.

Reign as Queen

When her husband died of consumption in 814, citing that their was no direct heir, she claimed the title of queen and ruled over West Dvekmenia. Many in the court were not supportive of her claim. Many fled to Talos to support her nephew, Budig, while many of those who remained were executed. Much of her reign was occupied with the civil war between her and Budig. She was generally well-liked among the army, as their expeditions had been largely successful under Khorvarg and her counsel, which meant much of the army remained loyal to her in the wake of Budig's claim. She began levying a heavy grain tax to feed her army and had the walls of Menivun reinforced and expanded.
She had initial success in repelling Budig, before suffering a devastating defeat at the Battle of Tselos on 13 Widow's Tear, 817 in which her army was flanked from behind and annihilated. As much as a third of her army was killed in this battle, and it began a long series of retreats that would end in the Siege of Menivun and her eventual capture and death.

Death

In Sun's Coming, 818 Budig's army reached Menivun and laid siege the city. The walls Khorlana had expanded and reinforced proved difficult to breach, but Budig and his men were able to prevent the import of food into the city. After four months Khorlana's army surrendered and Budig's army entered the city. Khorlana attempted to flee the city, but was captured before she could escape. Budig made a great showing of her execution, parading her through the streets before decapitating her. Her head was displayed from a pike atop the southern city gate, and her body was disposed of in the Smoltiva. Four of her servants, whom Budig claimed had been her concubines or mistresses, were also decapitated, though the fate of their corpses is unknown.

Sexuality

There is debate among scholars as to whether Khorlana was a lesbian. There is no direct evidence that she was a lesbian, though there had been rumors among the court even during her marriage to Khovar that she was. Those who claim she was cite her cold and somewhat contractual marriage to Khorvarg, the fact she sired no children, and reports from at least her late teenage years that she was quite close with female servants. She also reportedly never publicly denied the rumors before and during her reign that was a lesbian, though it is possible their is simply no record or that it was destroyed. Those who claim she was not point to the lack direct evidence and claim Budig invented the story for political reasons to disgrace her name in order to quell opposition to his rule.

Khorlana

Queen of West Dvekmenia

Reign: 18 Lit Hearth, 798 – 6 Hierarch, 818
Predecessor: Khorvarg II
Successor: Budig I

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Born: c. 779
Died: 6 Hierarch, 818 (aged about 39)
Spouse: Khorvarg II
Issue: None
Dynasty: Kadanian