Laima of Šembeļi

Laima of Šembeļi
Regent of Ravumo
Regency	819 - 825
Chief council of the warlord-queen
Reign	825 -843
Born	801? Šembeļi domain, Siluan confederation
Died	843(843-00-00) (aged 41–42) Taga
Burial	Ravumo
Religion	Kuvo

Laima of Šembeļi was the Regent of Ravumo and later the chief council to warlord-queen Gabija in the years 819-843.

Background

Aima the Red served as the warlord-queen of the Siluan confederation of tribes from 800-819. Her rule saw the resumption of her grandmother's military campaigns to the north and west of the confederation's territory and while visiting the northern front in 819 she suddenly died. The cause of Aima's death remains unknown, but later writers and historians have devised numerous theories. Theories concerning Aima's death include assassination by disgruntled soldiers or tribal leaders, an unrecorded sickness or congenital condition, and death in a unrecorded battle. Regardless of the reason of her death, the loss of the confederation's leader seemed to have come as a great surprise to not only the tribal leaders but also the general populace. Aima's death also ended the northern and western military campaigns for a time.

The death of Aima left her eight year old daughter, Gabija, as the apparent successor to the position of warlord-queen as the process of nomination and approval of successors would not become the norm until after 1000. Laws and customs of the time stated that a woman could not assume leadership of a tribe or the confederation until she reached the age of majority at fourteen. The same laws and customs also dictated that in the event that a successor was below the age of majority, that a regent would act in her stead until which time she reached the age of fourteen. Traditionally, the regent would be a trusted relative, advisor, or a close ally amongst the tribal leaders. In a highly unusual (and still widely discussed) decision, a young cavalry officer from the frontier domain of Šembeļi was chosen to act as regent for the young Gabija and oversee the domain of Ravumo.

The selection of Laima as the regent of was unusual for three primary reasons, though these offer only broad understanding of the complex socioeconomics of the time. Laima' age, social status, and ethnicity are the reasons most commonly pointed to when discussing the unusual circumstance of her elevation to regent of Ravumo.

Her age was one unusual factor, as the study and comparison of contempory and later records indicate that she was likely eighteen years old when she was chosen to act as regent. From what is known of the customs of the time, an older woman with both military and political experience was typically chosen as regent. This was most likely because the percieved wisdom and experience of these elder women was highly revered and held great weight in contemporary Siluan society. Choosing a woman with such little percieved wisdom and experience would have likely seemed highly unusual and was in fact one of the chief complaints that would lead to the later plot to assassinate Laima in 822.

The social status of Laima was another peculiarity and as probably among the most concrete historical likelihoods concerning Laima. Regents among the Siluan and related tribes were typically chosen from the upper layers of society and it was reiterated in multiple Siluan and non-Siluan sources that Laima was in fact from the lowest social strata. To be from the lowest rank of society and also hold military command likely meant that Laima had managed to greatly impress and/or gain the favor of a prominent tribal leader. While a woman of low birth achieving great acclaim and prestige through battle was not entirely unheard of, it was not commonplace and the elevation of a commoner to a position of high leadership was unheard of. The elevation of a low-born to the head of the confederation greatly angered many tribal chiefs and other prominent members of the Siluan tribes.

The third reason primary reason that is often cited in discussion of Laima's unusual selection as the regent of Ravumo, is her ethnicity. Laima was a member of the Kuldī ethnic group. While the Kuldī were closely related both linguistically and culturally to the Siluans, they were nonetheless viewed as a lesser people. This view of the Kuldī had led to them being relegated to the fringes of the confederation's society and territory. Despite this negative view of the Kuldī, they were heavily utilized in the many military campaigns of the confederation as they were cited as being "better horsewomen than the Siluans and the best horsewomen in the whole of the north". The selection of Laima, a Kuldī woman, while not as divisive as her age or social status caused much consternation and displeasure among the ethnic Siluan majority of the confederation.

As regent of Ravumo (819-825)

Following her assumption of the regency, Laima immediately set about educating the young Gabija in matters of martial skill and, unusually, also in languages and literature. The records of Laima having the knowledge to read also speak several languages is seen by many modern scholars to contradict the narrative that Laima was of low birth. Regardless of her true social status, there are several accounts that state that Laima was highly skilled and knowledgeable in both the martial arts and also those of culture and tribal politics. Many past and modern scholars tend to agree that the early education provided to Gabija by Laima served as the basis for the future warlord-queen’s successful rule.

Between 819-822 Laima spent much of her time either instructing Gabija or among the permanent tribal war parties and the common people of the confederation. During this period, a group of two-dozen important and influential Siluan tribal leaders made plans to have Laima killed as they were unhappy with the selection of Laima as regent. In the fall of 822, this group of leaders sent a small force of elite soldiers to the warlord-queen’s residence in Ravumo in the hopes of assassinating Laima putting a more agreeable woman into the position of regent.

The plot to assassinate Laima ultimately failed because Laima was well aware of her unpopularity among many of the tribal leaders. As such, she had placed spies among the Siluan tribes that kept her well informed of the plans the tribal leaders’ plans to remove her from regency. On the night that the tribal soldiers were meant to kill her, Laima had prepared an ambush for them. After the ambush was sprung, Laima’s own force was said to have slain the force of the tribal leaders down to the last woman.

On the same nigh that the assassination was to occur, Laima had also sent out a force somewhere between 1,000 and 2,000 cavalry out to the lands of the tribal leaders that had plotted to assassinate her. Historian Alaric von Nersingen, who was travelling in Siluan lands at the time, records “…and she [Laima] sent a large force of armed horsemen to the lands of her foes and slaughtered them and the members of their families until none were left alive…”. Following the massacre of the tribal leaders that had plotted against her and their families, Laima gave their lands to military leaders that been loyal to her.

After removing the threat of unfriendly tribal leaders, Laima began to re-organize the existing standing forces of the confederation and also began recruiting and training further troops for the continuation of the northern military campaigns. Much like Aima before her, Laima saw the lands to the north as critical to the growth of the confederation’s wealth and power because of the lucrative seaborne trade routes along the northern coast of Eracura. By the time Laima stepped down from her position as regent in 825, she had succeeded in greatly increasing the number of regular soldiers available to the Siluan confederation.

As chief council of the warlord-queen (825-843)

Arms granted to Laima by warlord-queen Gabija

When Gabija came of age in the fall of 825, Laima stepped down from her position as regent and was granted the post of chief council of the warrior-queen by the newly installed Gabija. In the spring of 826, Laima led an army with Gabija into the lands north of the Siluan tribal confederation. Under the leadership of Laima, the Siluans achieved a great deal of success on the battlefield. The victories achieved by Laima were often very decisive, even when she found herself outnumbered such as at the Battle of Lienius. Laima was highly adept at using the tactical mobility provided by her Siluan and Kuldian cavalry when the terrain was favorable and her infantry forces when the terrain favored their use. Laima also made extensive use of intelligence gathered by spies and was noted by contemporary scholars as having a keen sense of strategy and tactics.

Of the actual battles and military campaign, few records survive. Of the battle records that do survive, the Battle of Lienius in which it is said that Laima, with a force of 500 cavalry, was able to soundly defeat a Gossirri army of 2,000 with only the loss of 13 women and the Battle of Zasa which gives the earliest known account of a major battle involving Nordic peoples and Siluans are the best attested. The final stage of the campaign in the north that Laima was involved in and in which she died was that against the queendom of Ailuan queendom of Taga between 841 and 843. After a successful campaign in which the forces of Taga and their allies had been forced to retreat multiple times, the Siluan tribes and the Tagans met in a plain 10 kilometers from Tagan capital. In the heat of the battle that ensued Laima was struck by a thrown spear in the shoulder, but continued to fight until the battle was won.

In the aftermath of the battle, Laima was said to have died while being held by Gabjia shortly after the warlord-queen had discovered her injured friend and council. Grief stricken and enraged at Laima’s death, Gabijia is said to have ridden to the Tagan capital and killed the queen of Taga as she begged for her life and then executed the other Tagan nobles present. After the killing of the Tagan queen and nobles, Gabija secured Taga and then rode back to Ravumo with the body of Laima. After the death of Laima, Gabija did not continue the military campaigns in the north, stopping just 50 kilometers from the coast. She would spend the rest of her reign consolidating her domain and focusing on religious and social matters.

Relationship with warlord-Queen Gabija

The relationship between Gabija and Laima is a widely debated topic among scholars of Siluan history. Their early relationship, before Gabija reached the age of majority, is thought to have been one of a trusted teacher and pupil. It is the relationship after Gabija ascended to the position of warlord-queen were the majority of the discussion of the nature of the two women’s relationship comes into question. Some historians argue that the two women, while close, were simply close friends. Other scholars, claim that the relationship between the two was romantic. Those in support of the plutonic nature of the women’s relationship point to a lack of mention in available accounts romantic engagements between Laima and Gabija. Those who support the idea of the two women as lovers, cite the extreme reaction of Gabija at Laima’s death and the extravagant funerary monument constructed by Gabija in Laima’s honor as proof of the romantic nature of the women’s relationship.

Regardless of the true nature of the women’s relationship, many historians agree that the two women shared a very close and trusting relationship.

Death

Following the death of Laima in 843, Gabija did not go to war for the rest of her reign. On returning to Ravumo after the defeat of Taga, Gabija held funerary games in honor of her fallen friend, advisor, and general. The celebration of lasted for an entire month and was funded entirely with the spoils gained from the conquest of Taga. In honor of Laima’s heritage and humble beginnings, Gabija treated the common people of the tribes and the Kuldī people as honored guests. She granted them stores of grain, horses, land, and governorship of the lands conquered by Laima and herself.

After the burial of Laima in Ravumo, Gabija commissioned a large and lavish funerary monument in Laima’s honor. The monument, which has been rebuilt at least once, still stands in central Ravumo and was said to have been constructed and adorned by artisans from not only within the lands of the Siluan tribes, but also from “many nations both near and far”. The monument is designated as a national heritage site and is featured prominently in promotional materials for Siluan tourism.

Legacy

Laima is credited with fully transitioning the military of the Siluan confederation of tribes into a regular, standing force. She achieved this through the recruitment, training, and equipping of large numbers common Siluans in much the same way that only the wealthier members of Siluan society of the time could afford. Also as result of Laima's successes and close relationship with Gabija, the status of the Kuldī people greatly improved and they came to be viewed as a part of the greater Siluan people by the time of warlord-queen Miglė's rule. Laima has also been claimed as inspiriation by several prominent Siluan leaders such as X, Y, and Z and has been the subject of numerous poems, novels, paintings, films, and television programs.