Georg I Erik of Emerstari

Georg I Erik
Portrait by Hans Friedrich Wenger, 1471
King of Emerstari more...
Reign	6 September 1444 – 17 July 1512
Coronation	25 December 1444
Predecessor	Kristien I Ulrik
Successor	Erik V Georg
Born	Georg Johann Eirikr 7 August 1426 Midtenborg Castle, Midtenstad
Died	17 July 1512 Rensulier Palace, Rensulier
Burial	Rensulier Cathedral, Rensulier
Svea Frederikke Leijonhuvud
Issue	Nathalie Frederikke, Duchess of Verni Erik V Georg Gustaf Håkon, Earl of Kletterdal Erika Margaret, Queen of Rhenland
House	House of Eirikr
Father	Karl Gustaf Eirikr, Duke of Flodland
Mother	Maude van Zeite, Duchess of Flodland
Religion	Christian (Catholic then Lutheranism)

Georg I Erik of Emerstari (7 August 1426 – 17 July 1512) was the King of Emerstari from his victory in the War of the Emerstarian Succession in 1444 until his death on 17 July 1512. He was initially of lowstanding in the conflict but rose to the forefront of it upon his the death of his father, one of the claimant's to the throne, at the Battle at Sorensburg's Bend in 1442. He was the first Emerstarian monarch of the House of Eirikr since the death of his eleventh great-grandfather, Karl I, in 1122.

Georg, although today known mostly be his epiteth "the Great", was also contemporarily known as "the Reformer" and "the Learned". During his reign, he founded the Sammlingshus, a bicameral legislature consisting of the Folks Hus and the Herrers Hus, that is today in the Rikeslaghus in Rensulier as well as the Church of Emerstari, having converted to Lutheranism himself in 1439. Additionally, he worked to bring forth a standardized Emerstarian through the documentation of laws and the translation of the Bible. A Protestant, Georg was a devout Christian nonetheless, and in his pursuits to attain a greater understanding of the Gospel, he formed a foundation for the Emerstarian Empire, that would under later kings become one of the largest empires in Arda en' Estel and Markion, comparable to the Arcadian Empire.

He married Svea Frederikke Leijonhuvud, the daughter of the Duke of Whentii, on 10 December 1444; though, they had been betrothed for nearly a decade prior. The marriage ultimately produced four children, including the next King of Emerstari, Erik V Georg. Private letters from throughout his life indicate that he had a keen interest in religion, history, hunting, and equestrianism. Georg funded the creation of the Kuingskeorkester in 1497. Today, it is the orchestra of the Emerstarian government, the Royal Court and Royal Family of Emerstari, and the Kuingsketietre.

Early Life

Georg, born on 7 August 1426, likely grew up and spent his adolescence around Midtenborg, where his father, Karl Gustaf Eirikr, often held court as the Duke of Flodland. His mother, Maude van Zeite was the daughter of a Canarian nobleman, Erker van Zeite, Duke of Middelland; as a result, a was fluent in Canarian as well as Emerstarian from an early age. Through his education, he would also learn Rhenish and Etrescan, but letters of his written in Etrescan show that he never had a thorough understanding of it, possibly owing to the fact the former three are all Scanian languages whereas Etrescan is another group. One of his tutors, Per Frederik Olkenholm, a fellow converter to Lutheranism, later became the first Lutheran Bishop of Rensulier. At the age of nine, he was bethroted to the daughter of Anders Elbrekt Leijonhuvud, Duke of Whentii, and they were to be married in 1438. Due to the War of the Emerstarian Succession, which Georg participated in, however, the two did not wed until 1444, fifteen days before Georg's coronation.Anders Elbrekt Leijonhuvud, Duke of Whentii.

War of the Emerstarian Succession

Georg rallying his supporters in Marland.

As he was only twelve at the outbreak of the war and was the son of the claimant, Karl Gustaf Eirikr, Duke of Flodland, he was initially not involved to a great extent. According to the Eirikskronikke, a history of Emerstari from its unification until 1470, by Per Frederik Olkenholm, Georg's father took a break from campaign in 1440 and returned to Midtenborg to levy a new army, and on his new campaign, he enlisted Georg, now fourteen, as a squire. Among all of the battles Georg would have seen, he noted the Battles of Elgsberg, Ljosse, and the Siege of Ljunde in letters to Olkenholm (his father's regent during his various campaigns) and his mother respectively. On the Battle Elgsberg, he sought religious advice on war from Olkenholm, writing of fear he felt when the Eirikrian left flank was broken by a charge of Aldburgian cavalry and during the subsequent retreat. Alternatively, he wrote of the great success of his father found at Ljosse and Ljunde to his mother.

As Claimant for the Eirikrians

Georg's helmet at the Battle of Sorensburg's Bend.

In 1442, Georg, now eighteen, was no longer serving as his father's squire; rather, he was engaging in battle himself as Commander of a detachment of cavalry alongside the more experienced Olaf Jakob Sverrer, Duke of Marland, whom Karl Gustaf trusted to teach his son of war. On 4 September, a Potoisian force under the command of Henri de Potois, Count of Gervouin, was spotted southeastward, across the Valper River, where it bends by Sorensburg, giving rise to the battle's name, the Battle of Sorensburg's Bend. The Eirikrian force set up camp, holding the village itself, and remained their for the night. At dawn, the Potoisian army was no longer in view, and Karl feared they were en route towards Ernsby, where the river is shallows considerably, but he feared if he attempted a pursuit, the Potoisians would reach Sorensburg before he caught up to them, so he remained there. On 7 September, Henri de Potois's force was again spotted, this time westward. Karl rounded up a small amount of cavalry under the command of Donner Lorens Leijonhuvud, the heir to the Duchy of Whentii and Georg's future brother-in-law, to harass the Potoisian right flank while the Eirikrian forces formed up. Ultimately, Henri's right flank was brought around to surround the Eirikrian cavalry between it and the vanguard, forcing Donner to call a retreat as his horses refused to advance.

On 8 September, the main part of the battle commenced as Henri learned that a second Eirikrian force was only several days away. In the heat of battle, Karl was knocked off his horse and killed, supposedly by Henri himself, who broke his shoulder with a mace. Karl likely severe trauma to the brain after falling and died sometime before the battle ended. Olaf Jakob Sverrer, Duke of Marland, who saw this, reportedly recovered Karl's horse and body and returned them to Georg afterwards, pledging his loyalty and service. The two sides ceased the fighting that night, and upon the arrival of the second Eirikrian force two days thereafter, the Potoisian force surrendered; Georg took them as prisoners, returnig them after Louis IX of Marseile renounced his claim to the Emerstarian throne.

Defeat of the Aldburgians

The Battle of Mettesfeld.