Edward V

Edward V
Photograph, 1926
King of the Esthurs
Reign	17 September, 1906 – 19 February, 1947
Crowning	7 February, 1907
Predecessor	Rickard XII
Successor	George IX
Born	(1868-11-28)28 November 1868 Armston House, Weskerby, Osynstry, Esthursia
Died	19 February 1947(1947-02-19) (aged 78)
Burial	22 January, 1947 Kingsholdingstow
Spouse	Irmengard of Osthampstow (m. 1863)
Issue Detail	George IX Atling Rickard
Full name Edward Alfred Henry
House	House of Bosbury
Father	Rickard XII
Mother	Hilda of Anberry
Education	Atling College, Thornlow

Edward V (Edward Alfred Henry; 28 November 1868 – 19 February 1947) was King of the Esthurs from 1906 until his death in 1947.

The eldest child of King Rickard XII and Hilda of Anberry, Edward grew up far less interested in political happenings and more interested in creative and leisurely pursuits than his brother Frederick, who by contrast was ruthlessly political and cynical of the establishment that allowed Edward, who he saw as incapable to rule, to be able to rule. The death of his mother to an aggressive cancer when Edward was just 11 ruptured the Crown family apart; the King's children were antipathetic to Rickard and hostile to one another for years thereafter. Reconciling gradually with his depressive father in his later teens, he was hurt badly by the death of his childhood mentor Graham Marling at age 17, however this hastened the reparation of relations between King Rickard and his young adult son Edward. Having been essentially self-isolating from public attention for ten years until his early-20s, Edward only fully returned to public service as a royal in 1890, while his brother Frederick had become more popular amongst the family and commentators.

The reconciliation of Edward and Rickard left Frederick isolated, despite broad public support. Their father's health then deteriorated into the early 20th century, whose care given by Edward returned the young heir to a place of popularity, while Frederick's strained relationship and uncaring attitude to his father proved divisive and controversial even at the time - their father Rickard deteriorated slowly but significantly, to the extent that he retreated from public life in 1902 and was rarely conscious and lucid in his final year. Following his father's death in November of that year, Edward rose to the throne, being coronated in 1907.

The Edwardian era of Esthursia saw the country undergo significant shifts - culture shifted from 19th century attitudes, while the politics of the country had changed radically during the middle of his reign. His increased public role, including yearly Kingsbroadcasts and a more transparent Armston House, earnt him significant praise for modernising an institution that was falling out of favour gradually due to the relative absence of his father during his reign. Edward's role was critical in opposing the rise of fascism in Esthursia, particularly due to the rift between him and his now fascist-sympathising brother Frederick, while his tacit support of the Workers' Union government in order to restore stability following the postwar period and his strong working relationship with George Asmont allowed the monarchy a continued role in Esthursian politics even despite the mid-century government's plans to remove aristocratic institutions such as the House of Thanes, the aristocratic land holdings and the class system. Edward's reign came to an end in 1947 during the Fascist Wars, with the aftermath of his death eventually resulting in Arthur VI - his grandson - taking to the throne later in the same year. His later life projects to reforest Esthursia, in particular to plant pear orchards, for which he dedicated a fifth of the Crown's wealth during the late 1930s and 1940s, would earn him the moniker the Pear King.