Belandra I of Sydalon
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| Saint Belandra Belandra I | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| The Queen Mother Princess of Ghant | |||||
| File:BelandraOfGhant.jpeg | |||||
| Princess of Petra | |||||
| Reign | 1283 – 1335 | ||||
| Coronation | 1283 | ||||
| Predecessor | position established | ||||
| Successor | William IV of Sydalon | ||||
| Grand Master of the Blessed Guardians of the Spear of Destiny | |||||
| Reign | 1277 – 1335 | ||||
| Predecessor | position established | ||||
| Successor | William IV of Sydalon | ||||
| Queen consort of Sydalon | |||||
| Tenure | 19 October 1291 – 27 April 1324 | ||||
| Anointing | 22 December 1291 | ||||
| Born | 25 October 1255 Ghish, Ghant | ||||
| Died | 25 December 1335 (aged 80) Palis du Aultavilla, Sydalon, Sydalon | ||||
| Burial | |||||
| Spouse | Hugh I of Sydalon | ||||
| Issue |
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| House | Gentry | ||||
| Father | Edward VIII of Ghant | ||||
| Mother | Esmeralda of Gauekoizarra | ||||
| Religion | Fabrian Catholic | ||||
Belandra of Ghant (Belandra Izara Gentry; 25 October 1255 – 25 December 1335), also known as Belandra I, or Saint Belandra in the Catholic Church, was the first and only sovereign Princess of Petra, the first Grand Master of the Blessed Guardians of the Spear of Destiny, and later Queen consort of Sydalon by virtue of her marriage to the future King Hugh I of Sydalon. It is often said that one cannot mention Hugh without mentioning Belandra as well.
Character and Appearance
Belandra was described by Ghantish chroniclers as special almost from birth. She was strong, beautiful, and willful. Like the rest of her siblings she had Orinbere looks from her mother- her long dark hair was thick and curly, and often hung loosely about her. Her eyes were purple. She was described as lithe and athletic. She was also an expert horsewoman and swordfighter. She was intelligent and clever as well.
She worshipped her mother and idolized her brother William. Belandra’s dress was often as dramatic as she was. As a child, she always wore exotic robes in emulation of her mother. She always wore the amethyst pendant she had inherited from her mother.
Biography
Early Life
She was the youngest child of King Edward VIII of Ghant and Queen Esmeralda the Fair, Princess of Gauekoizarra. Her paternal grandparents were Edward VII and Queen Orta the White, while her maternal grandparents were King Jaggad III of Gauekoizarra and Queen Meladara of the Haunted Forest.
While Queen Esmeralda was pregnant with Belandra, she prophesized to her husband that the child that she carried in her womb would be the greatest of all the King’s children. When the King asked her what their son would be famous for, Esmeralda responded that it was girl. The King laughed and asked how a daughter could be greater then a son. Esmeralda’s response was said to have been:
She will be a great Queen, and her name will be spoken of for as long as men have tongues to speak. She will decide the fate of Kings, and she will forge a Kingdom that will stand the test of time.
Belandra was born during a Lunar eclipse on October 25, 1255. She was the youngest of the children born to the King and Queen- she had 4 older brothers and 3 older sisters. As a young child, she was quiet, and often stared at the sea and the stars.
From a very young age, she became her father's favorite child, because of her gentle demeanor and ability to learn fast. She had many unusual habits as a toddler, such as the ability to sleep through thunderstorms, an uncanny penchant for mischief making, and running around the Royal Palace naked. She was a healthy and strong child, and was the envy of Ghant. Her father would hold tournaments and festivals for her birthdays, and would boast of how enchanting she was at every opportunity.
As a Young Lady
As she grew older, she became a spirited girl who, unlike her older sisters, was inclined towards statecraft and combat-at-arms, in addition to lady like pursuits. She showed, from a young age, a certain resourcefulness, cunning and tact that her older brothers lacked. Her mother Esmeralda, who was said to have been a witch and a practitioner of magic like her own mother Meladara, had a profound influence on Belandra, and Belandra for her part was a willing protégé of her mother, more so then any of her sisters.
Her oldest brother William took Belandra under his wing and trained her in arms. Belandra became talented with a sword and could shoot a bow while on horseback better then any of her brothers. By the age of 18, Belandra excelled in many arms, had read most of the books in the royal library, was well versed in politics and statecraft, and could speak several languages. She was also a skilled harp player.
Belandra’s many talents were noticed by her father. He included his daughter in many meetings of the King’s Council, and asked her for her opinions on many matters of state. She had a keen eye for detail, an ability to convince people of the strength of her position, and an ability to get opposing sides to compromise. These were skills that he father took great care to develop in his daughter, and he made good use of them. It is even noted that on certain occasions, she sat the Obsidian Throne in place of her father and older brothers, and conducted affairs of state in that capacity.
She had also became the most beautiful Princess in the land- it was said that she filled men’s hearts with desire at the mere sight of her, and soon most of the Lords of Ghant were asking the King for her hand in marriage, not only for her beauty and position, but also for her many talents. However, the King felt as though Belandra would be wasted in Ghant, and so looked beyond the seas, to lands that could help Belandra realize her full potential as a prophesized great Queen. The King looked south beyond the seas.
Crusade
In 1275, Belandra, aged 19 at the time, began making plans to join the call to crusade in the Holy Land. New of her plans caused great sadness among the populace and court, with many gifts were bestowed on her. The Arragaran forgemasters forged a sword for her, and gave it to her father, Edward VIII, and her brother, William, who then presented the Arragaran steel sword to her. It was named Halabeharra (Kismet). Her mother gave Belandra amethyst pendant, which had been given to Esmeralda by her own mother Meladara.
She did not leave Ghant for another eight weeks while her father had a fleet and trousseau prepared, with a flotilla of about 20 ships. As they departed Ghish, several thousand people gathered along the coast to see her off. Her father was said to have wept uncontrollably as she sailed off into the Sea of Ghant. Belandra and a force of 2000 Ghantish soldiers left Ghant, accompanied by her youngest brother John. During their 11 week journey, the fleet was beset by storms, causing the loss of several ships. Belandra was said to have stood at the front of the ship, mocking the Gods of Storm and Sea. Their convoy reached Sorbia on 5 November 1275.
Belandra and her military force made an immediate impact on the crusade, turning the tide of battle against a Behdinist attack on the outlying cities near Sydalon. Her military force quickly swelled and encompassed knights from scattered crusading armies and even a large number of new converts. Perhaps her most well known engagement of the Second Crusade came during the Battle of Petra, where it is claimed she rediscovered the Holy Lance.
Princess of Petra
At the crusades end, she named herself "Princess of Petra", settling her army into the eastern territories captured during the crusades due to her discovery of the Holy Lance. Her knightly band of soldiers was later given Papal charter and assumed the name of Blessed Guardians of the Spear of Destiny, with Belandra serving as the first Grand Master.
Not long after her crusading conquest, Belandra married Prince Hugh of Sydalon. The two did not meet until their wedding day, where she was dressed in a shimmering purple gown which was tightly-fitted to the waist, and then flared out in wide pleats to her feet. The sleeves were long and lined with ermine. Belandra became Queen consort of Sydalon when her husband Hugh ascended to the throne in 1291.
Legacy
Belandra is the source of many legends and stories in Ghant. She was often featured prominently in song and poetry of the era.