Lusilia of Namija
| Lusilia | |
|---|---|
 The Princess Lusilia, summer 1825, by | |
| Princess of Namija | |
| Reign | 14 April 1818 – 27 May 1890 |
| Predecessor | Sidhil |
| Born | 3 December 1801 Cavari, Namija |
| Died | 27 May 1890 (aged 88) Martheqa, Trellin |
| Spouse | Txerig III of Trellin |
| Issue | Hasper Artxur, Prince of Namija Tovelindra, Princess of Oloros Iyarsin, Duke of Quhoran Lorel, Duchess of Zalaspa |
| Father | Sidhil |
| Mother | Tanara Baisanin |
Lusilia of Namija (3 December 1801 — ) was Princess of Namija from 1818 until her death, the last ruler of an independent Principality of Namija. She was queen consort of Trellin between 1835 and 1876 as a result of her marriage to Txerig III.
Early life
Lusilia was born on 3 December 1801, the only child of Prince Sidhil and Tanara Baisanin. Her mother, who came from the wealthy Baisanin merchant family of Ruveg, was then 28 and her father 26. It had been the custom for the Namijan heir to be fostered, between the ages of nine and fifteen, at the court of either the Grand Duke of Ja'ekha (where Sidhil had been fostered by Kenti of Ja'ekha, remaining there for Kenti's funeral) or the King of the Isles of Velar. Both states had been absorbed by the Trellinese crown since Sidhil's youth, which left only the Queen of Trellin. When Lusilia was in her second year, Sidhil corresponded with Azara IV about the prospect of fosterage with the Trellinese court at Martheqa. Tanara began to decline sharply, however: she suffered repeated bouts of ill health and had several miscarriages, and so Sidhil grew protective of his wife and daughter. Ultimately, he broke off the fosterage plans with an apologetic letter to Azara, stating that he could not bear to be separated for so long from his only daughter when his wife's health was so uncertain.
Reign in Namija
Lusilia inherited the crown after the assassination of her father in April 1818. She refused to allow a regent govern in her stead until her majority that December, and she was crowned within two weeks of ascending the throne. Nevertheless, she was not permitted to take much responsibility for the affairs of state, which instead were managed by her guardian, the Duke of Almuren. The young Lusilia spent much of her first year as monarch engaged in philanthropy and meeting civil and religious leaders from across Namija.
Namija was a prosperous and remarkably stable country in the eastern Sea of Velar sphere, and it had long enjoyed good relations with most of its neighbours. The recent growth in power of the Trellinese Empire to the west and Oostwarden League to the east, however, meant a substantial shift in the balance of power, while the ancient powerhouse of Andamonia was in decline. The Namijan nobility feared that the country's alliance with Kur'mala would be insufficient to dissuade a war with the Dangish Empire. Guided by her advisers, Lusilia began courting Trellin, and in 1822 Namija formally applied for protectorate status.
Namija became a protectorate at a ceremony in Martheqa on 8 July 1825. This was Lusilia's first visit to the Trellinese capital, and her second time meeting King Txerig III since her childhood. Her visit was immediately a sensation: tens of thousands gathered to see her ship arrive and lined the streets to the Palace of Tor'qim. Her attire was no less exceptional: at a time when colour, excess and flamboyance were the fashion, Lusilia arrived in Martheqa dressed in muted tones and a simple outfit — as a Cavari merchant's wife might have worn, albeit of finer quality.
Lusilia's popularity in Trellin was to endure long after her visit. It was also reported that she had been particularly well-received by the king, but it would be several years before it was generally guessed that that had been the beginning of their romance.