John I of Charville
| John I | |
|---|---|
 Portrait by artist, 1748 | |
| King of Charville | |
| Reign | 20 June 1743 — 25 December 1800 |
| Coronation | 3 September 1743 |
| Successor | John II |
| Co-monarch | Amka (1743-1771) |
| King of Oanthan | |
| Reign | 17 December 1741 — 20 June 1743 |
| Coronation | 15 February 1742 |
| Predecessor | Amund II |
| Born | 7 March 1718 Myvatn, Aenva |
| Died | ok Aenva |
| Burial | Aenva |
| Spouse | Amka, Queen of Distan (m. 1743; died 1771) |
| Issue | John II, King of Charville
|
John I (7 March 1718 — 25 December 1800), also known as Johan I or John the Elder, was the last King of Oanthan, reigning between 1741 and 1743, and subsequently the first King of Charville from 1743 until his death in 1800. His succession to the latter post was finalised by his marriage to Queen Amka, uniting the monarchies of Oanthan and Distan and placing the two nations under a central government, replacing the diarchy that had ruled Charville since the 1702 unification. John ruled jointly alongside Amka; although they de jure shared the same amount of power, John exercised most of the political authority out of the two, much to the annoyance of the Distani nobility.
The marriage ushered in an era of stability in Charville, and John worked to improve relations internally between Oanthan and Distan and externally with neighbouring countries, marrying three of his children to the Daralnian nobility. Aware of his military inexperience, he delegated almost total control of the armed forces to commanders. John's economic policies are believed to have contributed to the scientific, industrial and cultural flourishing of Charville in the late 18th centrury, continuing into the Industrial Revolution in the 19th century. Despite the politically arranged nature of his marriage, the king had deep affection for his wife, and so became increasingly reclusive after her death in 1771. John died in 1800, and was succeeded peacefully by his eldest son John II. His descendants would continue to rule Charville until the desposal of the monarchy in 1922.
John's pragmatic and refined nature made him popular during his reign—his reputation has been marred slightly in the modern era due to his authorisation of the brutal Conquest of the Highlands, although historians disagree how responsible the king was for the atrocities committed in the conflict. Despite this, he is still often ranked as one of the greatest Charvilleans of all time, by both the public and historians. On the throne for 57 years, John is the longest reigning Charvillean monarch.
Early life
John was born in the early morning on 7 March 1718 in the royal residency of Myvatn, Aenva. He was the eldest son and first child of Somerled, King of Oanthan, and his wife, . Heir apparent to his father's throne, John would be the first monarch of Oanthan born under the diarchy of Charville, at a time where relations between Oanthan and Distan were being tested. Somerled was aware of this, and so wanted his eldest son to become a figurehead for Oanthan-Distan integration.