Eirik I, Duke of Valwyck
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Eirik Matyas Baruch (Common: Eric Matthias; Ayrian: Eiric Maiteas), known formally as the Duke of Valwyck, or referred to simply as Eirik, was the sixth Duke of Valwyck, succeeding his father. He was the first and only son of Duke Ruslan Baruch and Marjorie Baruch. He was the thirty-second Lord Palatine of Haense, assuming the position in 1849.
Early Life
Eirik Matyas Baruch was born on the 10th of Horen’s Welcome, 1825, as the firstborn child of Ruslan Baruch and his second wife, Marjorie Ruthern. He was the only son of his father, and the second child out of four. He had an older half-sister, Eleanora Baruch, from his father’s marriage to Elisabeth Novellen, and two younger sisters, Margot and Annabel.
Eirik had a comfortable upbringing in Valwyck, primarily based around his tutors, whilst also having time for leisure activities, such as fishing. Regardless, this childhood was primarily known for his friendship (or rivalry, depending on the source) with Princess Anastasya Bihar, this culminated in the announcement that the two would be betrothed in 1837.
While the specifics of it are unknown, Eirik entered a period of isolation during the years of 1837 to 1842, where he was believed to been in a state of deep depression, barely leaving his bed or his chambers, and devoting what little time he spent outside of it to the study of history and finishing his tutoring.
He returned to public life in 1842, around the same time that it was revealed that his father had cancer. Despite the fact that no declaration of regency was issued for the period, it was Eirik who managed the day-to-day affairs of the Duchy, and also oversaw the 1842 session of the Royal Duma on his father’s behalf (Rhys var Ruthern, the future Lord Speaker, oversaw the 1843 Royal Duma session). Ruslan died in 1844, and Eirik succeeded him as Duke of Valwyck, becoming the sixth Duke of Valwyck.
Duke of Valwyck
Inheriting the Duchy of Valwyck at the age of 19, Eirik began the process of settling into his new responsibilities as Duke. Having had a passion for architecture since his youth, he began making renovations to the family keep of Lichtestadt, overseeing the construction of a ballroom extension in 1844, and having the entire main keep expanded further in 1850.
For the inaugural ABA season in 1844, he founded the team the Valwyck Bears, which, due to their small stature, made their debut in the Amateur Division of the ABA, and finished 2nd in that season. However, the ABA has not since resumed, due to the Sinners’ War, though it is rumoured that the Valwyck Bears will graduate from the Amateur Division when it resumes once again, due to heavy investments made by the Duke of Valwyck while the tournament has been postponed.
The village of Lollybroch was also expanded during his reign. The main industries of Valwyck had previously been their shipwrights and farmers, though his reign saw an emphasis on animal husbandry, which saw a rise in meat production, such as lamb, chicken, and beef. Additionally, more housing was constructed, allowing for an inconsistent flow of immigrants to settle periodically in the village, though such efforts were eventually overshadowed by the Sinners’ War, which forced most of the population of Valwyck to take refuge in Karosgrad for their own safety, whereafter most chose to stay in the capital.
Towards the end of the Sinners’ War, construction began on a large fortification in Valwyck, which came to be known as Mount Whiff. It was to be the home of the Ducal Guard, called the Greyguard, which saw significant recruitment efforts in the wake of the war, as the war had proven that defence of local lands should also be a priority, so that locals would not have to be evacuated to Karosgrad in the case of another war.
The biggest passion project of the Duke, was, however, the expansion and maintenance of the Tomb of the Bears, the crypts that lay beneath Lichtestadt. It initially only held tombs for the former Patriarchs of House Baruch, though through his expansions it saw growth to include significant family members who did not rule, and individuals associated with the family, such as Terrence May, Lauritz Christiansen, Konrad Lauritsen, and Fionn Castaway.
In 1874, he published his magnum opus, a translation of an ancient Ayrikiv work detailing the origin and history of their people called the Chronicle of the Ayrikiv (or the Deeds of Aijer’s People). That year also marked the thirtieth year of his reign as Duke of Valwyck, and he abdicated shortly after his publication, in favour of his eldest daughter, Isabel.
Lord Palatine of Haense
Having served as the Deputy Palatine to Kaustantin Baruch since 1845, Eirik ascended to the position in late 1849 upon his predecessor’s resignation, though he was not officially bestowed the Golden Bulava until early 1850. At the time, his appointment had seemed obvious, as the Palatial Office had very few people in it, and he was the only one that particularly stood out.
Upon the time of his ascension, the realm was mainly plagued by matters of foreign diplomacy, the downfall of Emperor Philip II and the succession of Philip III to the Imperial Throne, followed by the combined effort of Oren and Savoy to overthrow High Pontiff Everard VI. Eirik was personally present during the schism attempt, and ordered the successful evacuation of the High Pontiff. These events would eventually culminate in the start of the Sinners’ War.
As the war took the attention of Sigismund III and Eirik, domestic matters were given less emphasis, though Eirik nevertheless saw to develop a functional ward system for the Palatial Office, to which he managed to recruit a large number of the next generation, whom he taught lessons and gave Palatial Ward Points (a service in which they could redeem favours from him, it is known that, for example, Konstanz Barclay received keys to the Lord Palatine’s Office) for attending lessons, completing tasks, and generally being a presence within the Kingdom.
He was one of the primary supporters of the Karenina Accord, having been present at the meeting where the initiative for the Accord was started, and he frequently attended rallies and protests in favour of the Accord. He was the one to pen the Karenina Law, which passed unanimously in the Royal Duma, and brought upon a new age of Women’s Rights in Haense, now that women would inherit on the same terms as men.
He also attempted to implement a position called Palatial Liaisons, which were meant to be individuals assigned to communicate specifically with another Aulic Office, but due to a lack of engagement from the Aulic Councillors regarding the establishment, he had to resort to simply hosting meetings of the Aulic Council more frequently, especially as such had rarely been held since the tenure of Konstantin Wick.
Due to his aptitude for history, Eirik also revived the tradition of Chancellor’s Reports, which had last been done during the tenure of Terrence May, over a hundred years before Eirik’s own appointment. He published four Chancellor’s Reports during the war, where three of them mostly pertained to the Sinners’ War, and the last to the death of Sigismund III. He resigned in 1873, a month into the reign of Karl III. He was succeeded as Lord Palatine by his daughter, Isabel.
Personal Life
Eirik had been betrothed to his childhood friend, Princess Anastasya, since 1837, and the two married in the Basilica of St. Henrik in 1847, ten years after their betrothal. Before their wedding, they had gone on an international tour, visiting Oren, Urguan, Nevaehlen, Elysium, Yong Ping, and Vortice. The two went on to have five Isabel, Saoirse, Margrait, Eileen, and Freya.
In 1866, Eirik elevated Anastasya to be Duchess of Valwyck in her own right, making her the first female Duchess of Valwyck, in a Ducal Edict released on the day of Isabel’s hauchmetvas, where he also elevated Isabel to be titular Viscountess of Voron. Anastasya would pass away in 1870, having accidentally consumed a walnut, to which she were deathly allergic. Her passing left Eirik stricken with grief, and he devoted majority of his time to his hobbies, writing histories and building an aviary in Valwyck, which would eventually grow to become the first aviary in all of Almaris capable of sending birds throughout the entire continent.
Issue
| Name | Birth | Death | Marriage | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Isabel I, Duchess of Valwyck | 4th of the Amber Cold, 1848 | Alive | Maric Ruthern | Firstborn daughter. |
| Saoirse Aila Baruch | 11th of the Sun's Smile, 1850 | Alive | Unwed | Secondborn daughter, twin to Margrait. |
| Margrait Floireans Baruch | 11th of the Sun's Smile, 1850 | 7th of Malin's Welcome, 1907 Haense |
Mikhail Ruthern, Duke of Vidaus | Thirdborn daughter, twin to Saoirse. |
| Eileen Marcella Baruch | 24th of the Grand Harvest, 1852 | Alive | Borris Kortrevich | Fourthborn daughter, twin to Freya. |
| Freya Lyall Baruch | 24th of the Grand Harvest, 1852 | Alive | Unwed | Fifthborn daughter, twin to Eileen. |
