Andrik III of Haense
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Andrik Lothar Barbanov, (8th of The Amber Cold, 1710 -Present) is the current King of Hanseti-Ruska as the oldest living son of Marius II of Haense and Klaudia of Vasiland. Upon his birth he was made the Grand Prince of Kusoraev, the honorary title given to all crown princes of the dual monarchy, and ascended to the throne after his father's assassination in 1719. With his first years as a monarch under a strict regency until that he came of age in 1724.
Contents
Early Life
Andrik Lothar Barbanov was born to King Marius and Klaudia of Vasiland in the Prikaz Palace in Reza in 1710. As the oldest living son of the King, he was designated as the crown prince and granted the title of 'Grand Prince of the Kusoraev'. Throughout his childhood in Reza, the young prince was known for his gregarious and rather reckless attitude. An active youth, the young prince would often be found climbing out through windows, climbing up trees and causing general mischief around the town, much to the dismay of his assigned guards.
The Prince would often be forced by his father and guardians to study, though he did not take his lessons kindly. Andrik was often commended for having an astute mind but, due to his general playfulness and issues with concentration, would only show this if he was bribed with sweets or the promise of playing. He was assumed to be left-handed as he'd often swap between both hands when writing or practicing swordplay, but due to the superstitions at the time surrounding left-handed people, he was forced to learn how to primarily use his right hand.
Early Reign
Andrik's reign began after his father was assassinated in the courtyard of the Prikaz by Hektor Barrow, a disgruntled Barbanov bastard who had served under King Marius directly. Andrik ascended the throne as Andrew III shortly after but, due to his young age, control of the Kingdom resided largely with the regency council headed by his uncle and Lord-Palatine Prince Georg Stannimar and later on Lord Lerald Vyronov until he came of age in 1724. Early stages of his reign can be defined by a troubled period after the devastating War of the Two Emperors which forced the young King to do plenty of reforms, strengthening the monarch's power in return for a stronger military.
War of the Two Emperors
- Main Article: War of the Two Emperors
During the early years of Andrew's reign, the War of the Two Emperors raged on and, despite his council's efforts to withdraw Haeseni forces from the war, the Empire of Renatus continued their march towards Reza. Treaties signed by the Princedom of Fenn and Ves left Haense and their Reiver mercenaries to fend for themselves following the collapse of Joseph I's empire. Two disastrous defeats at the Silversea and Koengswald forced the Haeseni troops to retreat back to Reza and prepare for the coming siege. His reign was dealt another major blow when his regent Georg and uncle Godfric were both captured by Renatian forces and brought to Helena where they were executed.
The Palatine-Aspirant and Lord-Speaker Lerald, Count of Graiswald quickly assumed the role of regent and was made Lord-Palatine. The new Lord Palatine arranged a series of diplomatic missives and meetings with Renatian diplomats and the war was ended with the treaty of Reza [1], making Haense a vassal to the Holy Orenian Empire under Godfrey II. For many, this treaty was hailed as a great success for Haense and the King even though under regency received praise for what was deemed a salvation of the realm in a time where many had given up hope.
Pax Orenia
Shortly after the end of the War of the Two Emperors, the new imperial administration led by the regent Prince Achilius established a treaty between all human nations, referred to Pax Orenia which in practice was a full-on military alliance of all human nations. This by many was considered a response to rising tensions between the Under-Realm of Urguan and the Holy Orenian Empire but also functioned to stop any more infighting between humans. In its early days, the treaty functioned well and even though tensions between the nations of mankind was still high the treaty stood firmly in place.
Not long into the signing of the treaty Emperor Godfrey II abdicated his throne to his brother Achilius who ascended to become Emperor John VII in the year 1724. During the same year, Andrew came of age and was officially crowned King in a small ceremony by the Archbishop of Jorenus. The newly crowned emperor had a warm relation with Andrew and considered one another as friends. One example of their trust in one another came when an attempt on the emperor's life was made in Helena and John escaped to Reza where he resided for a month under the watch of Haense in order to stay safe.
It was during the Pax Orenia that lady Milena Carrion-Tuvyic was introduced at the Haeseni court by Henry Sarkozic, an old squire of Haense who had fought alongside Andrews father during the War of the Two Emperors. The King was at this time already betrothed to Lady Katharina of Vyronov however with an old agreement decided by a Crowsmoot in 1701 Andrew had his betrothal with Lady Katharina broken and instead took Milena as his betrothed, in order to fulfill his father's wish to unite the two Carrion houses and further solidify his claim to the Ruskan throne.
Andrew took the peace that Pax Orenia had brought to the realm and used it to issue reforms, almost half the kingdom had died during the War of the Two Emperors due to sickness and famine and its military had been severely weakened. He quickly issued a new law document to engrain the Haeseni culture into its laws and also abolished the Royal Army in favor of re-establishing the Brotherhood of Saint Karl. It ranks quickly began to swell and in 1725 the Haeseni military numbers were at a higher level then it had been before the start of the war.
Just a year after John VII had ascended the throne the Pax Orenia and Urguan went to war against one another after tensions had risen further. Andrew once more showed his fierce temper as he rallied his men after the declaration of war had been announced and with the recent army reform, the confidence of the Haeseni people was once more risen. The Kingdom still struggled to pull in new settlers and trade but the war was seen as the perfect opportunity to blooden the brotherhood and even though no major battles took place in what is known as the Three Months War the Brotherhood still saw the war as a minor success after taking on an offensive raid against Urguan and successfully routing dwarven legionaries and mercenaries of the Phoenix Band in Haense's first offensive undertaking since the Siege of Helena.
Three months after the start of the war. In what can only be described as a fit of madness John VII suddenly issued a new succession law, declaring the empire essentially a democracy and abdicated the imperial throne and at the same time naming the regent and King of Helena to his distant relative Tiberius Tiber. Thrusting the human lands into what would be known as The Troubles.
The Troubles
Just hours after John VII had abdicated the throne two claimants appeared, the first was Adrian I, Holy Orenian Emperor who laid claim to the throne with his Carrion legacy and with the support of Urguan he quickly seized the city of Helena. However, in what some call the Midnight Coup Charles Edward, Prince of Alstion, another claimant through his Horen legacy retook control of the imperial capital and two camps formed. One supporting the claim of Adrian and the other supporting the claim of Charles.
Haense with its still freshly formed brotherhood was within hours being courted by both sides, promises being made in regards to what Haense would gain from joining either side such as an autonomous rule. Andrew who was not eager to throw his nation into another civil war, with the War of the Two Emperors still fresh in mind withdrew his troops from the frontlines and increased the Brotherhoods presence in the Haeseni lowlands whilst discussing their options with his council. The meeting between his councilors was brief and Andrew declared for Adrian as the first Human King to do such. Not long after Haense declared for Adrian many others did the same or opted for neutrality and a strong coalition was formed to place Adrian on the Imperial throne.
After passed as both sides prepared for what would by most accounts be another bloody conflict within the empire the High Pontiff summoned all the human monarchs and great lords to the palace Varoche to resolve this crisis of the Imperial Throne. Andrew traveled to Ves to participate in the Diet of Varoche alongside Emperor Adrian, Emperor Charles, Pierce I of Curonia, Adrian I of Kaedrin, High Pontiff Daniel VI and all their respective retinues. During this Diet, the High Pontiff urged all the human lords to lower their banners and to once more unite to avoid more infighting. As a compromise, he presented to the kings and lords the young boy Alexander and asked the men to vote to elect him as emperor with a regency council composed of representatives of all Kingdoms and House of Sarkozic. The vote was cast to avoid another civil war and it was unanimous in favor, Alexander ascended the throne as Alexander II, Holy Orenian Emperor effectively ending the troubles and ushering the Empire into the Johannian Era. In return of submitting their claims on the imperial throne, Emperor Adrian was granted the Duchy of Adria and Emperor Charles was bestowed the title Prince of Alstion.
Johannian Era
With the War of the Two Emperors, the Three Months War and The Troubles in recent memory a strong Haeseni patriotism had grown and the people's trust of Heartlanders and the Imperial regime were at an all-time low. Especially by what was known as the war generation, those who had grown up during the War of the Two Emperors. Some Aulic councilors such as the Lord Justiciar, Ser Gerard the Bear opted for complete isolationism from the rest of the Empire however it was deemed impossible to do such by Andrew. He instead opted to the extent necessary work with the Imperials but first and foremost further the interest of the Haeseni realm and other Carrion vassals and realms such as Adria and the Principality of Rubern rather then to take part in the Imperial politics of the newly formed Johannian Dynasty.
The Lotharingian Crisis
On the 16th of Sigismund's End, 1727 the Imperial Throne issued letters of the vassalage to Leufroy House d'Amaury and the newly reformed Duchy of Lorraine. The Duchy was landed on the eastern border of the Imperial Crownlands bordering both Adria and Rubern. Many issues were raised about this as many of the men in Adria were descendants of men that had died during the Dukes' War. The two duchies landed holdings were just on each side of the Emperor's Road and it only took a few saint's days before tensions had began to arise between the two duchies.
Both sides quickly began accusing one another of agression and Lorraine was accusing Adria of hiring mercenaries and paying bandits to serve within their ranks. Even coming to the point where Adrian and Lotharingian men clashed with one another at a few ocassions. It is unclear if any of the accusations actively took place but in response the Imperial throne issued the Edict of Reprobate in order to hopefully calm both sides and travel warnings were issued around the Imperial roads. However as the emperor was away no affirmative action was taken which only furthered resentment of the Imperial administration in Haense.
Whilst this temporarily decreased tensions in the Imperial Crownlands another conflict was brewing between Hanseti-Ruska and Kaedrin after Kaedreni soldiers had frequently travelled to Haense and caused problems with citizens in Reza. Andrew ordered his officers to arrest any man causing problems and shortly after this order was issued a Kaedreni soldier was arrested for slandering of nobility and had his tongue cut out as punishment. This furthered the rift between Haense and Kaedrin to the point that Haeseni men were openly assaulted by Kaedreni at the streets of [Ves].
Whilst these two conflicts were brewing in the east and the west of Haense the King's half-sister Princess Mariya Angelika of Reza was married to Duke Adrian of Adria, affirming the alliance between Haense and Adria in a controversial affair after Princess Mariya had at first been betrothed to Vladrick I, Prince of Rubern but broken it in favour of Duke Adrian. Shortly after the pairs wedding tensions once arose between Adria and Lorraine during the Sun's Smile of 1729 when reportedly a Lotharingian footman had assaulted an Adrian farmer and stolen his crops. The Adrians called on their Haeseni allies and together with a host of 1200 men Andrew marched to Adria and rendevouzed with his allies. After around a saint's hours of negotiations a battle was averted and the Haensemen marched back to Reza however after the sudden display of force word quickly spread to the Imperial capital of Helena.
During the Royal Duma of 1729 the Empress Mother Cesarina Louise arrived in Reza and stormed into the halls shouting, demanding to meet the King. Normally Andrew did not attend Duma but this session he had decided to attend to observe and the interruption of the Duma by Cesarina angered him greatly and he got into an heated argument with the woman in front of the Duma, ordering her to leave and after a short while she walked to the Prikaz and waited an audience with Andrew there, allowing the Duma to finish. Once the Duma had concluded he and the duma members marched over towards the Prikaz and he met with Cesarina in the royal court. The empress mother demanded the cessation of hostilities against Lorraine from Haense and called Andrew a warmonger and the Haeseni people barbarians to which Andrew as a response openly declared support for Adria and mocked Cesarina and to an extent the entire Imperial throne in front of the court. After the woman had departed the court Andrew was noted calling her a vile hag and whore to the Prince of Rubern. And later remarked in a private discussion with Lord Simon Basrid that the fact that he could ridicule the Emperor's mother and not a single man or woman batted an eye showed how fragile the Imperial throne was.
The Lotharingian Crisis culminated later that month after Kaedreni men had openly drawn swords against the Lords Erich of Stayr and Sigmar of Baruch in Rubern. The two Haeseni lords managed to flee and ran back to Reza where they informed Andrew who ordered the Lord Erich to quickly inform the Prince of Rubern that Kaedreni men had openly tried to attack men in his lands. Once word had reached the Prince the banners of Rubern and Haense were called and not long after the banners of Adria as well. The Three Crows of Barbanov, Alimar and Sarkozic marched together with an army of consisting 3200 infantry and 800 cavalry towards Ves. Most of the cavalry being Reiters. Amongst the men were renowned soldiers and swordsmen such as the King's uncle Otto Tuvic of Barbanov and Brutus af Vrakai. Shortly after crossing the bridge into Guise they were accompanied by the Imperial arch-chancellor Ser John D'Arkent who intended to mediate between the Haeseni and Kaedreni.
When the host arrived at Ves the infantry quickly formed up in front of the city's outer pallisades whilst the cavalry protected the rear with scouts led by Otto Tuvic roaming the countryside and scouting for any flanking parties whilst the arch-chancellor alongside some delegates from the Haeseni, Adrian and Rubern met with the Kaedreni. There it was quickly uncovered that the Kaedreni men that had attacked the Haeseni were part of a group of dissidents that had allied themselves with Lorraine and tried to cause conflict to pressure Kaedrin to join the conflict on Lorraine's side. One of them men that arrived to parley outside the walls was the Lotharingian commander Lewis of Lorraine who with a small group of men had travelled to Ves to assist the dissidents in strongarming the King. He was swiftly arrested by the host on orders from D'Arkent and order was restored in Ves by the Kaedreni loyalists. Effectively ending all conflict between Kaedrin and Haense.
Lewis was brought to Reza and swiftly executed for his crimes against both Haense and Kaedrin, after being beheaded the Haeseni knight Ser Khroll cut out his eyes and tongue and his head was granted to Rubern. Whilst his torso was put on display outside of Reza, his legs sent to Ayr and Nenzing and his arms to Freising and Carnatia. Whilst the execution took place, the cavalry rode to Lorraine and Andrew along with Vladrick, Otto Tuvic and Duke Adrian rode up to the gates of the castle and taunted the Lotharingians, declaring them outlaws and brigands and trying to goad them into a fight. However the Lotharingians remained within their walls and started shooting arrows down on the men so they swiftly decided to depart and ride back to Reza. Shortly after an imperial decree was issued outlawing Lorraine and calling Duke Leufroy to stand trial for treason in front of a jury consisting of King Andrew, King Pierce of Curon and King Adrian of Kaedrin. Afterwards the Lotharingian exiles continued to bandit the imperial roads but the crisis was official over after the Emperor came back from his absence and affirmed the decree by his arch-chancellor.
The Lotharingian crisis was by many seen as a sudden resurgence of Haeseni military prowess and afterwards the number of recruits began to increase and the Brotherhood of Saint Karl became a prominent figure in patrolling the Imperial roads from the Lotharingian hedge knights and bandits remaining. The crisis effectively cemented an unofficial alliance between the Carrion houses and affirmed their loyalties to one another, as proven that a month after the crisis was over the first Crowsmoot in almost 30 years was called.
Character and personality
As a child, Andrew was seen as a very gregarious and playful boy. He had no issues conversing with others and would often play with the other noble children however, the boy was cursed with a fiery temper and often make reckless and violent decisions. He also had a hard time concentrating and when forced to study would often wander off in thought. The boy did, however, show an early prowess in combat after learning how to fight with a sword at the age of eight.
After the death of his father, the now, king's temper would be more apparent as he would hold vigorous speeches regarding the Haeseni war effort in the inherited War of the Two Emperors. However, as his regency came to an end Andrew's temper had become much more controlled. He'd still have bursts of rage such as shown between a loud argument between Andrew and Ser Thomas Raleigh and could often have a very brash and blunt nature in how he handled affairs. However, it was often shown that when Andrew understood the gravity of a situation he'd act kingly and be able to control his temper for the sake of the realm. After court and long meetings, he could often be found in the courtyard, either sparring or cutting wood to ventilate his frustration or anger.
Titles, Styles and Honors
Titles and Styles
- 8th of Amber Cold, 1710 - 12th of Malin's Welcome: His Royal Highness The Grand-Prince of Kusoraev
- 12th of Malin's Welcome, 1719 - Present: His Majesty The King of Hanseti-Ruska
Full title as King of Hanseti-Ruska
The titles of Andrew III is: His Royal Majesty, King Andrew III of Hanseti and Ruska, Grand Hetman of the Army, Prince of Kusoraev, Dules, Ulgaard, Lahy, Sorbesborg and Slesvik, Grand Duke of Vanderfell, Duke of Vidaus, Margrave of Rothswald, Count of Karikhov, Baranya, Kvasz, Kavat, Karovia, Kovachgrad, Torun, Turov, and Kaunas, Baron of Valwyk, Venzia, Esenstadt, Krepost and Kralta, Lord of Alban, Reza, Markev, Lord of the Westfolk, Protector of the Highlanders, etcetera
Issue
| Name | Birth | Death | Marriage | |
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| Andrik Petyr, Grand Prince of Kusoraev | 9th of Malin's Welcome, 1729 | Alive | Unwed | Firstborn child of Andrew III and Milena of Adria. Heir to the Kingdom of Hanseti-Ruska. |
Ancestors
| Ancestors of Andrik III of Haense | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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