House of Anthord

House of Anthord
Royal house
Royal Coat of Arms of Great Nortend
Parent family	Anthords of [Albish place]
Country	Great Nortend
Current region	Teudallum
Place of origin	Albeinland
Current head	Alexander II of Great Nortend
Titles	Titles of the head of the House of Anthord King of Nortend King of Hambria Lord of Cardoby Duke of Mere-Lucas Duke of St. Parth and Hastica
Motto	Dominus dominium dedit (The Lord hath given dominion [unto me])

The House of Anthord is the reigning royal house of Great Nortend. It is descended from the Anthords of [] of Albeinland, who gained the Erbonian throne after Albert of the House of Destern died without issue in 1518. After the death of Mary in 1772, the Albish House of Oln ruled Great Nortend until the House of Anthord regained the throne upon the accession of Edmund VII in 1813, the son of Catherine I of Oln and Prince Henry de Anthord.

In 1974, Catherine II married Andrew de Anthord, 9th Duke of Faunslaughter and 20th Duke of Mere-Lucas, of the noble House of Anthord-Mere-Lucas, a cadet branch of the House of Anthord which held the dukedom of Mere-Lucas in Albeinland and Faunslaughter in Great Nortend. From the accession of the current sovereign, Alexander II, the reigning house has been formally known as the House of Anthord-Mere-Lucas, although in common parlance the house remains known as the House of Anthord.

The dukedom of Mere-Lucas remains vested in Alexander II as it is a grant of the Albish Crown; however, the dukedom of Faunslaughter, as an Erbonian dukedom, reverted to the Crown upon the death of Prince Andrew. It was granted by Alexander II to his brother, Prince Arthur, who had used the courtesy title of Master of Faunslaughter hitherto.

Symbols

The heraldic (left) and government (right) depictions of the cross marten.

The cross marten, depicting a stylised sprig of three strawberry leaves and the stem in the shape of a cross, is one of the ancient symbols of the House of Anthord. It is typically depicted in the form of four kite-shapes joined at their longer ends, with three pearls at the corners of each limb except for the bottom 'stem'. Often this bottom 'stem' lobe is also more elongated than the 'leaf' lobes.

Nowadays, it is often used as a symbol of Crown property or as an official mark, and thus is used to mark military property, prisoner uniforms, the borders of Crown demesne and government certification. It is most commonly used as a silver hallmark, however, lending its name to the pound marten, the silver coins whereof bear the mark. The royal crown of Great Nortend also has crosses marten alternating with crosses patty.

The etymology of 'marten' is unclear. The Royal College Dictionary of English suggests that it is related to the Arlethic word 'marce' meaning 'sign', 'token' or 'mark' from whence the English 'mark'. It may also be related to the unit of weight or currency known as the mark, perhaps being derived from its use on silver coinage. Another possible etymology is from its appearance as a dagger, hence “cross martial” or crux martina. Other etymologies relate it to the Latin fragum meaning strawberry but this is phonologically unsatisfactory and involves some unlikely mutations. Another possibility is that it derives from folium maturum meaning a full leaf, or that the marten symbol originally depicted or was thought to depict a martin bird, although this is slightly anachronistic given the name 'martin' was not applied to the bird until the 15th century, and the term “cross marten” was recorded in the 14th century.

The marten is one of the four suits in a Nortan set of playing cards.

Monarchs

House of Anthord pre-Oln

• William II
• George I
• Edmund V
• Charles III
• Alexander I
• William III
• Edmund VI
• Mary

House of Anthord post-Oln

• Edmund VII
• Henry VI
• Edmund VIII
• Edmund IX
• George III
• Catherine II

House of Anthord-Mere-Lucas

• Alexander II

Family Tree

House of Anthord and Anthord-Mere-Lucas

King Edmund IX Wilhelmina of Nordenstat King George III Elisabeth of Charthrow Prince Michael, Duke of Harringow Lady Isabella, Duchess of Harringow Frances, Marchioness of Sorredge Prince Henry, Marquess of Sorredge Rosamund†, Marchioness of Sorredge Juliette Stonebridge King James II Stonebridge of Aswick Prince Charles of Rhise and Gervis Prince Andrew, Duke of Faunslaughter and Mere-Lucas Queen Catherine II Princess Susanna, Duchess of Maindy Lord Giles, Duke of Harringow Louise, Duchess of Harringow Lady Clementine, Marchioness of Lasmere Prince George, Duke of Eidenburgh and Master of Harringow Queen Catherine II of Albeinland Lord Arnold, Marquess of Sorredge Lucy, Marchioness of Sorredge Lord Andrew, Master of Sorredge Eloise, Mistress of Sorredge Lady Mary, Countess of Pondereake King Alexander II Catarina of Nikolia Prince Arthur, Duke of Faunslaughter Penelope, Duchess of Faunslaughter Prince Edmund, Earl of Normanstone Edith, Countess of Normanstone Princess Mary, Countess of Chepingstow Lord Aaron, Marquess of Yawsough Christine, Marchioness of Yawsough Lady Anne Walter-Stavecourt of Harringow Alexander, Prince of Crawlsey Princess Mary, Duchess of Whiteshire Prince Harry of Albeinland Prince William of Rhise and Gervis Princess Henrietta Lord Albert, Marquess of Suddenly Lord George, Master of Faunslaughter Lady Alice of Normanstone