Ledh ti'Gara

Kingdom of Ledh ti'Gara
c. 1240 BC–507 BC
Flag
Ledh ti'Gara (dark green) and its client states (light green) at its greatest territorial extent, c. 550 BC
Capital	Ledigar
Common languages	Ahéri
Government	Absolute monarchy
King
• c. 1240 - c. 1205 BC	O'orcar I (first)
• 544 - 507 BC	Teiret the Calamitous (last)
Legislature	Zhaatarti Conclave
Historical era	Pre-Ethlorek
• Established	c. 1240 BC
•	c. 1240 BC
• Reforms of Carama the Golden	813 BC
• Annexation by Hysera	507 BC
Succeeded by Hyseran Empire
Today part of	Hysera Trellin

The Kingdom of Ledh ti'Gara was a Pre-Ethlorek state centered around the city of Ledigar. It spanned over seven centuries, surviving against numerous threats by virtue of its possession of iron weaponry. Iron used on the capital's gates gave rise to the name Ledh ti'Gara, or Gates of Iron. It came to dominate its neighbours and forced them to join its network of client-states in the League of Zha'tar, which eventually rose up against it. It was finally conquered in 507 BC by the nascent Hyseran Empire.

History

Ledh ti'Gara drew its influence from the discovery of iron in its mountains. It was the first Pre-Ethlorek state to make use of iron weapons, with which it zealously defended its borders. In the kingdom's latter days, the secrets of iron technology were stolen and its neighbours were soon able to match it in war. Around 520 BC, the League of Zha'tar rose up against its overlords. The resulting war broke Ledh ti'Gara's power, leaving both it and the League vulnerable to predation by the Hyseran Empire to the south. By 480 BC all the lands formerly controlled by Ledh ti'Gara had been conquered by or integrated into the Hyseran Empire.

Structure and politics

The Kingdom of Ledh ti'Gara was, in principle, only one state of a confederation which included roughly a third of the territory of the then-Ahéri world. In practice, as its king held the position of First Speaker over the League of Zha'tar and had effectively unlimited power with that rank, it was the overlord of as many as twenty three lesser statelets. Even for those client states which had their own councils, they were subject to the will of the Ledigaran king. When he was a just ruler there was domestic peace within the League, but a poor ruler - or one who failed to protect his subjects - could expect to face regular rebellion.