The Hayford Duchy
Timeline of the History of the Hayford Duchy
The Hayford Duchy is made up of the lands East of The Hespeak Mountains. Its Northern side borders on The Bay of Glass, its Eastern and Southern sides border The Mirror Sea. On its Western side it borders the lands of the Southbay Duchy, House Southbay itself across the The Conbridge River in the South-West and House Brume of The Green in the North-West. House Locke of Riverfoot, a Blackbar Vassal, is located to the North-East of the Duchy. The Duchy is bisected by water, with Eastlake in the centre and the Rivers Tayach and Stiv feeding from Eastlake to the sea in the North and the South respectively.
The Hespeak Mountains have been home to House Hayford of Haycastle since long before The Unification of Somercrag, when they were known as the Hay Kings. Even the name of the mountain range is derived from them, being once known as the "Hay's Peaks", and gradually evolving to the current name.
ser Jorrel Hayford, last of the Hay Kings, was the first noble to bend the knee to King Soren Somercrag in his campaign to unify The Kingdom of Somercrag. The rest of the region soon followed, either following the newly appointed Duke Jorrel's lead, or being conquered by the combined forces under King Soren's command.
The early incorporation of the Duchy meant that the armies of the various Hayford Vassals saw considerably more conflict than the other Duchies, leading to them both winning more glory and suffering more losses than others. This, combined with the supply of valuable metals from Quarrystone, has meant that the Hayford Duchy has a strong martial culture, with some of Somercrag's most storied knights coming from the region.
During the campaign to end The Irogonie Aggression Duke Brennar led the forces of the Duchy against the Irogonians. He was supported by his Marshal ser Edam Bracks, a man whose treachery is detailed elsewhere.
Following the war the Hayford Duchy was rewarded for their service with the wedding of Duke Brennar's sister, Lady Ophelia Hayford, to ser Newall, the Hero of Starfield, and the creation of House Foxworth of Fairstrand as their vassal within the lands seized from Irogonie.
The Hayford Duchy was also the site of the events that led to the death of ser Sola Somercrag and eventually the Somercrag Revolution of 441KS, resulting in, amongst other unfortunate effects, the death of Duke Brennar Hayford and the extinction of two Hayford Vassals.
The Duchy is now ruled by ser Edgarth Hayford, Duke Brennar's son. He is young for the position, but is advised not only by a Council of his own vassals but by the close friendships he has established with houses outside his own lands - particularly House Southbay of Southbay and House Conklyn of The Clerewood, with Edgarth having spent much time travelling in the company of ser Allon and ser Carreth.
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The Hayford Duchy
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