House of Staunton
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The House of Staunton (Common: Staunton; High Imperial: Santonia) is a Heartlander family of original burgher origins, founded in 1476, most notable for their substantial rise from ignoble merchants to a ducal coronet, ruling their given Duchy of Courland under five consecutive lords, which later became the Kingdom of Courland under Tobias Staunton (also known by his regal name Tuvya I).
History
Athera
The Staunton family, before their rise to the upper stratum of nobility, were wine merchants of Heartlander origins, famous for their vineyards and wine production. Both numerous in number and rich in purse, the Staunton family came to be a true minor power within the fractured Oren of the time, using their privileged wealth and position to their advantage. When in need for stewards of his lower valley, the Duke Basil of Vanaheim (bearing the Staunton's family eventual ducal title years later) offered the clan an entrance into the elite nobility in exchange for their loyalty and tribute. Given the new title of the Barony of Eastcliffe, the family served as vassals to the Duchy of Vanaheim, though with a noticeably strained relationship between the two familes of Staunton and Vanir.
Vailor
House Staunton became the Barons of Fjordham and served the Vanirs of Vanaheim up until the Duke’s war. After removing the Staunton’s just before the Duke’s War, the Stauntonite levy lead by Percival Staunton travelled south to the Orenian capital. Shortly after the war Percival Staunton was named the first Staunton Count, following his efforts in aiding the Savoyard Crown against rebellious Vanir and Barbanov forces. However following the death of Guy de Bar, Percival supported John Horen’s claim to the throne, and in turn, became one of the founders of the fifth Orenian Empire, serving as its first Duke of Courland and the first Lord Treasurer. Percival maintained a large and respectable force forming the backbone of the Empire up until his death in 1537, and founded the first city of Riga, the largest and most popular metropolitan trading hub of Riga. Under his eldest son, Richard, Courland, whilst respectable and large in magnitude and influence dwindled. Richard was able to bring in some military reforms, forming the Eagle’s Vigil, House Staunton’s military that protected the city of Riga and the surrounding Duchy. House Staunton reached its peak under Duke Aleksander Staunton, briefly King Aleksander I of Courland.
Following the coup of Alexander Staunton and the end of the war against the Empire, House Staunton was stripped of its titles and exiled from the Holy Orenian Empire. In summer of 1967 the Emperor saw fit to allow the Stauntons under Sven Staunton to become House Hearth, in the treaty of Anapalais. In exchange the Hearths were to reaffrirm their loyalties to the Empire and adhere to a long list of statutes. After the Treaty of Anapalais it was specified that House Staunton no longer existed and those that bear the name would be charged with treason by the Holy Orenian Empire.
Axios
Under the rule of Tobias Staunton, House Staunton led a successful rebellion against the Holy Orenian Empire, inspired by the Empire's mideeds against former allies of House Staunton and his own accumulated wroth, stemming from the Empire's slaughter of his families' subjects in Courland some 30 years prior. Tobias went on to establish the Kingdom of Courland from the remnants of the Empire.
Notable Figures
Percival Staunton - The founder of House Staunton, the son of a wealthy wine merchant and first Duke of Courland.
Richard Staunton - The second Duke of Courland who brought in many highly relevant and long lasting military reforms, which laid the foundations for his son to create the largest single military and civilian population in Valior.
Andrew Staunton - The third Duke of Courland, controversial for granting the House of Vanir their former land back.
Alexander Staunton - The fourth Duke of Courland and the protector of the North. He is considered to be one of the most powerful Staunton patriarchs, second only to his son, Tobias.
Percival Staunton II - The fifth Duke of Courland, under the rule of a regency council for the duration of his reign.
Tobias the Conqueror - The leader of the Eagle's Rebellion uprising against the Holy Orenian Empire, becoming the second King of Courland and sixth Duke of Courland, he was the restorer of House Staunton, famed for capturing vast swathes of territory from both the Holy Orenian Empire and the Kingdom of Haense.
Joseph Staunton - The third King and seventh Duke of Courland, he is the current reigning monarch.
Edward Staunton-Hearth - The founder of the cadet branch of House Staunton, House Hearth, who attained the titles of Counts within the Duchy of Lorraine.
Sven Staunton - The Arch-Chancellor of the Kingdom of Courland and the reviver of House Hearth.
Jacque Staunton - Famous for forming the mercenary guild "the Felsen Watch" and providing assistance to Tobias Staunton during the rebellion against the Empire. He is also the founder of House de Felsen, later House Giordano.
