Arthur I

Arthur I
King of the Anglish Empire, Grand Duke of Eisenland, King of Vetullia, Duke of West Vermandia.
Portrait by Lambert Sustris, 1623.
Reign	1 March 1601 – 8 September 1653
Coronation	June 1601
Predecessor	Robert III
Successor	Anastasia, Queen of Anglia
Born	Artur Charles Philip Vieri 8 December 1579 Prinsenhof of Retie, Lower Desselands, Eisen
Died	20 April 1653(1653-04-20) (aged 73) Retoria, Angland
Burial	Eastminster Chapel, Retoria
Consort	Queen Madelyn of Leciria
Queen Madelyn of Leciria
Issue	Ferdinand III Anastasia I Pavel of Vermandia Tommen Vieri Illegitimate: Gendry Bloodwater
Era name and dates Arturian Era: 1601-1653
House	House of Vieri
Father	Philip of Leone
Mother	Odilia Maino

Arthur I (Vetullian: Artur I. 8 December 1579-20 April 1653) was King of the Anglish Empire and Protector of the Realm, Grand Duke of Eisenland from 1619 to 1653, King of Vetullia from 1604 to 1653 and Duke of West Vermandia from 1601 to 1644 as well as Lord of Suidenland as as titular Duke of Klokov from 1606 to 1553. He was heir to and then head of the rising House of Vieri during the first half of the 17th century, his dominions in Parthenia included the Anglish Empire, extending from the Anglican peninsula to northern Muanbia with direct rule over the Eisen hereditary lands and the Desselandian Low Countries, and West Vermandia with its Vetulian possessions of Campoleone, Basilio, and Busseto. He oversaw the long-lasting Anglish colonial holdings across the globe, notably in Atusia which grew in size during his reign with his influence spreading as far as Zyang and Kuthra. The personal union between the Parthenian and global colonial holdings gave Arthur the title of the first to rule over a collection of realms labelled "the empire on which the sun never sets". Historians consider Arthur as one of the most influential and powerful men in history.

Arthur was born in the Lower Desselands of Eisen to Vieri prince Philip of Leone (Son of Robert III of Angland and Mary of Almagria) and Odilia of Maino, middle child of Isabella I and Ferdinand II of Basilio (King and Queen of Vetullia). The ultimate heir of his four grandparents, Arthur inherited all of his family dominions at a young age. After the death of his father Philip in 1600, he inherited some Anglish and Desselandic states originally held by his paternal grandmother Mary. In 1601 his grandfather Robert III of Angland died and Arthur inherited the throne, becoming King of the Anglish Empire. Along with the Anglish crown came it's colonial territories and possesions as well as the position as Duke of West Vermandia. In 1604 he became the King of Vetullia follownig the death of Ferdinand II as well as the Vetullian overseas territories in Barnesia and Tarandra and in Leciria. Finally, he inherited the position as Grand Duke of the Duchy of Eisenland in 1619 following the death of his uncle and he was elected as head. He adopted the imperial name as King Arthur (Angland) or Emperor Artur (Parthenian politics), styling himself on the legend of King Arthur.

Arthur I revitalized the medieval concept of universal monarchy. Although his empire came to him peacefully as inheritances from strategic marriages, he spent most of his life waging war, exhausting his own royal revenues and leaving debts to his successors in his attempt to defend the integrity of his holdings from the Protestant Reformation and a series of wars between Vetullia and Vermand. With no fixed capital city, he made 40 journeys, travelling in different entities he ruled; he spent a quarter of his reign travelling within his realms. Despite this, Arthur spent a majority of his reign between the cities of Retoria, Angland and Campoleone, Vetullia. Arthur I borrowed money from Eisen and Vetullian bankers and, in order to repay such loans, he relied on the proto-capitalist economy of the Desselandi Countries and on the flow of precious metal, especially silver, from Kaliban and Hong Bang to Almagria, which caused widespread inflation. During his reign his realms expanded by Anglish conquests into Atusia and the conquests of Kuthra and neighbouring regions.

Hailed Grand Duke of Eisenland in 1619, Arthur sided with the Catholic church under Pope Julius X and outed Eisen theologian Paul Zwarteveen an outlaw at the Diet of Leaches (1620). The same year, Louis IX of Vermand, surrounded by Vieri possesions, declared war on the Eisen possesion of the Duchy of Florennes which lasted until the Battle of Pavanna (1624). Arthur also had to defend Vetullia from a Tarandran invasion from Hausminia.

Ultimately, Arthur died in 1653 following complications with pneumonia as well as other health issues over the years such as gout from his diet of prodominantly red meat. Following his death his possesions were delegated to members of the Vieri family and close advisors, his eldest son Ferdinand III got Vetullia, his daughter Anastasia got the Anglish Empire and his youngest son Pavel controversially took West Vermandia. Each of the inheritances were made according to his will.

Ancestry

Paleis of Koudenburg, where Arthur was born in Retie, Eisenland.

Born in Prinsenhof of Retie, Lower Desselands, Arthur was born the son of Vieri prince Philip of Leone (Son of Robert III of Angland and Mary of Almagria) and Odilia of Maino, middle child of Isabella I and Ferdinand II of Basilio (King and Queen of Vetullia). The political marriage of Philip and Odillia was first conceived in a letter sent by Ferdinand to Robert in order to seal an Anglish-Vetullian alliance.

From the moment he became Prince of the Angles (de facto Crown Prince of the Anglish Empire) in 1586, Arthur's paternal grandfather Maximilian had carried a very financially risky policy of maximum expansionism, relying mostly on the resources of the Vieri hereditary lands.

Birth and Childhood

Arthur's mother went into labor at a ball in 1579. At that point his parents were in Prinsenhof of Retie, Eisenland, on a diplomatic visit when Odilia went into labor. At that point the newborn's royal prospects were relatively modest as heir to the Desselandic Vieri realms and the low counties of Angland. He was named after King Arthur, a great legend king in hope Arthur would follow in his story. When Arthur was born, a poet at the court reported that the people of Retie "shouted Eisen and Angland throughout the whole city for three hours" to celebrate his birth. Given the dynastic situation, the newborn was originally heir apparent only of the Anglish Low Counties as well as the honorific Duke of Hartfordland and became known in his early years simply as "Charles of Carvershire". He was baptised at the Church of Saint Stephen in Retoria by Bishop of Abbey: Charles I de Roÿ and René Lorraine. His godfather was chosen as Afonso IV of Leciria and his godmother chosen as Lady Agnes of Vermandia. Arthur recieved a helmet and sword as baptism gifts from different Parthenian diplomats. In 1586, Miguel Angel died leaving Arthur heir apparent to the Vetullia, meaning he would now inherit Vetullian holdings as well as Anglish states.

The year following, in 1587, his parents left him in Carvershire with his godmother Lady Agnes of Vermandia as they went to establish presence in Vetullia, trying to guarantee the recognition of Arthur as Prince of Campoleone. They succeeded despite facing some opposition from the Vetullian Cortes, which was reluctant to create the premises for Vieri succession. Charles only met his father again in 1590 while his mother returned in 1591. His mother suffered from presumed schizophrenia, and so was named "mad" by doctors and not allowed to see her children. His father Philip inherited the Desselandic coast as well as counties of Angland in 1599, however died a year later in 1600. This left him heir apparent to the Anglish Empire by his grandfather, Robert III. This turn of events left his mother Odilia in an even worse mental state as she was driven into insanity. She was retired into isolation in Vetullia. In 1601, Robert III of Angland died which left Arthur as King of the Anglish Empire and it's colonial territories as well as Duke of West Vermandia. A year following he also became heir to the Vetullian realms as his cousin Jon of Baracia died, leaving him as heir to Ferdinand.

Reign

A portrait of Arthur from his early reign.

Given the vast dominions of the House of Vieri, Arthur was often on the road and needed deputies to govern his realms for the times he was absent from his territories. His first Governor of Vetulia was Margaret of Suidenland (succeeded by Mary of Baths and Jacques Philibert, Duke of Boroughsford). His first Regent of West Vermandia was Adrian of Kandbetten (succeeded by Isabella of Leciria and Philip of Almagria). For the regency and governorship of the Anglish hereditary lands, Charles named his brother Ferdinand Archduke in the Anglish lands under his authority at the Diet of Leaches (1620). Arthur also agreed to favor the election of Ferdinand as King of the Eisens in Eisenland, which took place in 1626. By virtue of these agreements Ferdinand became Grand Duke of Eisenland and obtained hereditary rights over Eisenland at the death of Arthur in 1653.

A map of Eastern Parthenia under Arthur as well as colonial holdings of the Anglish Empire.

Eisen and the Desselands

The latest of the territories Arthur inherited, he was elected as Grand Duke of Eisenland following the death of his uncle, Grand Duke Charles the Bold.

Issue

Issue

Arthur and Madelyn had three legitimate children, and all three of them survived to adulthood.Arthur also had one natural child before he married who was illegitimate.

Name	Portrait	Lifespan	Notes
Ferdinand III		21 May 1610 – 13 September 1698	Eldest son of Arthur, went on to become King of Vetullia following his father's death.
Anastasia, Queen of Anglia		21 June 1612 – 26 February 1703	Middle child of Arthur and Madelyn, Queen of the Anglish Empire.
Pavel		22 November 1617 – 13 July 1657	Born a dwarf, Arthur decided to keep Pavel which was a controversial decision. Eventually made Duke of West Vermandia however died shortly after

See Also

• List of Anglish monarchs

References

Elezia