Arthur I of Treseymia
| Arthur I | |
|---|---|
| Southern Emperor | |
 | |
| King of Treseymia | |
| Reign | 9 May - 26 August 1108 |
| Coronation | 12 May 1108 |
| Predecessor | New position |
| Successor | Edward I |
| Regent | Charles the Brave |
| Baron of Carmingley | |
| Reign | 26/29 February 1091 - 9 May 1108 |
| Predecessor | Gilbert Highditch |
| Successor | Position abolished |
| Born | 9 January 1042 Thornby |
| Died | 26 August 1108 Lympsbury |
| Spouse | Eleanna (m. 1058, d. 1100) |
| Father | Godwin of Quatham |
| Mother | Elfwine Robertsdauter |
Arthur I of Treseymia (Arthur Godwinson; 9 January 1042 - 26 August 1108) was the King of Treseymia from his proclamation on 9 May 1108 until his death at Lympsbury Bridge. He was one of the agitated pretenders during the early reign of the High Emperor Alexander, and the culmination of the anger that was shed during the economic recession of the early 12th century led him to revolt against Alexander II's rule.
Early life
Arthur I was born in 9 January 1042 in Thornby, Treseymshire. Not much is known about his early life. His father was Godwin, the Earl of Quatham, a position so powerful that if the incumbent were to show signs of strength, they would inherit a second-in-command title. His mother was part of the farming persuasion at the time. Growing up in rural provincial Treseymshire was hard at the time, and therefore they married him off by arranging a marriage with his herder partner Eleanna.
In around summer 1072 he enlisted into the High Imperial army. He would serve duties until he was relieved in the late 1080s. His wife Eleanna convinced him to return back to Treseymshire and on the 26 or 29 February 1091 his ailing father elevated Arthur to become the Baron of Carmingley.
Baronship
During his baronship he developed an unusual relationship with the villagers of the small port town. Seeing the death of Eleanna as a "burden lifted", he would apparently have an illicit affair with a young townswoman. After this was learnt by his father, he revoked his title. After Godwin died in 1101 the new earl returned him to his position, and he continued to rule there.
In summer 1106 the economic crisis surrounding Rufus' death caused Arthur to forfeit his monetary gains over the years. He bribed Thomas Reginaldson, Imperial tax collector for the south with a small army retinue to prevent him from giving his little money left to the coffers of the High Priest. After the Flavian war ended, alleged controversies of illegal mining done under under Alexander II would be interpreted as a violation of his feudal sovereignty.
Reign
On 9 May 1108, he was proclaimed as Treseymian King by his brother. His army of 4,000 alerted the Earl of Quatham and he swore fealty to Arthur, and Arthur was given Quatham's lands. His army growing thousands and thousands more, provincial governor of Treseymshire George of Thaxteden, swore fealty to him, growing Arthur army to 80,000. A census conducted on 11 May 1108 showed that he had around 200,000 people in his realm, nearly one half of them enlisted in his army. His army contained 40,000 infantry, 20,000 cavalry and an estimated 20,000 archers plus cannonmen.
Coronation and military endeavours
King Arthur was coronated at Witford Palace - making the corresponding city his capital. Farming produce suddenly spurred upwards and he was very popular. However propaganda outside of his realm showed him as an enemy of the state, especially in Imperial-allied Skoljardr. By 18 May his armies captured Hasalne, Salton, Felton and Witlemaford, three along the Prestore River, which he used as an official defensive line. In the east he captured Cockingham and Clifnaling.
On the morning of 19 May 1108 a contingent of 9,000 led by Charles the Brave, his designated regent and loyal general, encamped on the Penkley River, and struck the Imperials at Stotfordge. After an arduous attack the Imperials retreated on the night of 21 May. While Charles' contingent moved west along the Heyfieldley River ready to capture Calmondge, Arthur returned from training his armies and returned to Witford to raise an army of 32,000. Crossing the Causteden, sailing down the Prestore, he would prepare until the 20th of June.
Docking at Tiverlow at the 21st, he would capture Oryfield, Amerne, and kept following the Chiptondon River to meet a slightly outnumbered Imperial army at Lympsbury. Embarking onto a slow attack they would encamp and fight until early July when he would be defeated and retreat north to Axblerid. After sieging Axblerid, he would gather another twenty thousand troops, for the time being. In the eastern march under Charles' command, he successfully struck the Imperials at Calmondge
Battle of Lympsbury Bridge and death
On the 20th of August he made a 20 mile journey south to Lympsbury with his men, and in which case he encountered 32,500 Imperials. Seeking to wait until the 26th to battle, According to contemporary sources, Arthur and the enemy commander Hugh Browne exchanged supplies with each other. On the night of the 25th, the right flank of the Treseymian army fled after the commander was shot by his own infantrymen after a fight.
By the sixth hour of the 26th of August 1108, the awake Hugh ambushed Arthur's lines and the battle resumed fully by the seventh hour. Arthur was alarmed and was crushed by his own men. At the tenth hour of the battle, he was struck by an a poison arrow and his arm was to be amputated. However this did not stop the poison, and at noon he perished.
Cremation
Two days later, a messenger brought his decaying body north to Axblerid and cremated it in a niche ceremony.