Anders Hackonson

King (660 - 689) Anders Hackonson

Anders Hackonson was one one of the Hackonson Octuplets and former King of Enther before his death.
King Anders' reign was a polarising one. On one hand, he was a skilled politician who continued to strengthen his father's reunification of the kingdom, marrying many of his fellow octuplets offspring to lords and ladies throughout the kingdom. To others, he was a tyrant, especially in the capital where he drove more improvements to the capital and it's defences which resulted in the death of many of the commoners.

Mental characteristics

Personal history

In 630 ABA, after a string of miscarriages, Lady Elsbeth gave birth to eight children. Gave birth however would be considered a tame word to describe the bloodbath that ensued. When the queen discovered she was pregnant she was over joyed, though the king maintained a wary disposition due to his prior experiences. When the queen's stomach begun to swell, many noted that she would be producing a large strong son. However the swelling did not stop. She grew larger and larger, and the child insider her continued to sap all the energy from her body. Eventually the birthing mothers and suggested that something be done to kill the child inside to prevent the death of the queen. The queen however refused. On the day she gave birth, it is said that the eight children inside her split through her body, ripping her in half as they all clambered to get out. All eight of the babies survived but Queen Elsbeth did not.
The Octuplets would be named:

• Regina
• Anders
• Benard
• Bartrand
• Freya
• Sophia
• Alma
• Gunther

As their mother passed away giving birth, each child were given a wet nurse in pairs. Anders would share a wet nurse with his sister Regina.
Prince Anders and Princess Regina were inseparable in their early childhood. As children, they played together in royal gardens of the castle, where they would play tricks on the servants tending to the gardens. Anders and Regina would dare each other to scale the castle walls which overlooked the docks hundreds of feet below. Anders and Regina slept together in the same bed when they were very young, and even went as far as to experiment together in a sexual manner at a young age. During one of these encounters at eleven years old, they were caught by a servant who informed their father. Regina was quickly moved to Kirkminster to be fostered by the Great Lord and to learn with the Consortium of Truth , whilst a Anders was taken into service with the Royal Army to train under the Knight Commander. The children were told never to do anything like that ever again.
Prince Anders went to Dorendale at the age of fourteen, and spent two years serving his distant cousin who was Lord of Dorendale. He occasionally visited Kirkminster during this time, and raged when he was informed his sister Regina was betrothed to Lord of Kirkminster’s son by their father. At the age of sixteen, while still a squire, Anders won his first tourney melee.
Whilst a squire to Lord Hackonson in 645 ABA, Anders was sent to Rosinhill as King Dorian and Lord Breakspear had been considering betrothing Anders to Breakspear’s younger daughter, Mathilda. According to the seneschal at Rosinhill castle, Anders spent a month at Rosinhill, being seated next to Elaina during meals, sent on walks through the hillsides and to feasts at different halls of Rosinhill’s lands . For a time Anders embraced her, however, he would offer be more interested the stories of the Lords he feasted with whom Anders asked for stories about the war. In 647 ABA Prince Dorian was married to Mathilda Breakspear and would return to the capital not longer after.
In 648 ABA, King Dorian announced that Prince Bartrand would be his heir, despite Ander's being minutes older than his brother. This enraged Anders, who felt he had been robbed of his birth right. When he confronted his father it is said his father scorned his son, saying he was not worthy of being king. This greatly soured the relationship between King Dorian and Prince Anders. Over time, the Octuplets would divide into two feuding parties. Bartrand, Benard, Freya, Sophia and Alma stood on one side with Anders, Regina and Gunther on the other.
In 649 ABA Prince Anders and Prince Bartrand attempted to reconcile their relationship for the good of their family. They attend a hunting trip together. On the trip, Bartrand is thrown from his horse whilst chasing the stag they hunted. King Dorian took Prince Bartrand's death hard. He was torn between pronouncing Bartrand's two year old son heir, or one of the remaining sons. Prince Benard is considered the heir presumptive, despite Ander's being the elder. 
In 660 ABA King Dorian was found dead upon his chamber pot at 76. All accounts noted the King was in great health despite his age, so his death was not expected. The "sickness" which killed him overnight was said to have ravaged the kings body in hours. Though Benard was expected to become king, internal conflict quickly arose between the octuplets and their respective parties. This internal conflict would spill into civil war once again, known as the War of Seven Eights, in reference to the 7 of the 8 remaining Octuplets. Sides were taken once more, with both Prince Anders and Prince Benard styling themselves as the true heir and king of Enther. 
King Benard was supported by his three sisters, Alma, Freya and Sophia, whilst King Anders was supported by Regina and Gunther. 
When the war ended in 664 ABA King Anders was proclaimed the rightful and undisputed king, with his sister Regina appointed as his Prime Minister.

Reign

The War of Seven Eights was over. King Benard's forces had fallen in the final battle, with Benard being taken captive by King Ander's forces. As Ander's took his seat upon the kingdom's throne, Benard was thrown into the cells. 
For months Benard remained in the cells along with his sisters who had sided with him. One night, Ander's summoned his traitorous sisters to the throne room and offered them pardons in exchange for the unrequited allegiance. Anders knew that without his sister's support he would struggle to quell any civil unrest. The three sisters submitted. The next evening, the newly dubbed "False King" Benard was taken to the gallows, where he was hanged in front of the denizens of Montheus.  The three sisters were sent to become envoys of the crown, though in reality there were being banished to the outskirts of the world. 
With a threadbare unity holding the Royal Family together the son of Benard, three year old Prince Erik, was placed in the care of Gunther.

Previously Held Ranks & Titles

• King/Queen of Enther

Life

630 ABA 689 ABA 59 years old

Family

Hackonson Family - Royal Family

Parents

Dorian Hackonson

Children

• Reginald Hackonson