Ludovar Trial

The Ludovar Trial was a judicial trial held in the Royal courtroom of the Kingdom of Haense on the 14th of the Sun's Smile, 1707, against former Duke of Kvasz and Prince of Ulgaard, Lord Jakob Ludovar. Ludovar was being persecuted by an alliance of nobles led by Lord Marius Baruch, on account of many crimes the nobleman had committed in late Atlas and early Arcas. Lord Justiciar Swithun acted as judge of the trial, Ludovar's lawyer was the Haensetian banker of Illatian descend, Fabius Bracchus and Lord Marius Baruch was backed up in his persecution by Lord Henrik II Amador and Lady Maria Kovachev among others. Ludovar was found guilty of all charges and punished severely.

Charges

Initially, during the planning of the trial, the persecution was planning to charge Ludovar with a dozen crimes (list A), later though, due to various complications, this list was compacted to 7 crimes (list B), some of the initial crimes being deemed fit to be dealt with seperately by appropriate authorities like the stewardry. The second list shows the charges as they were presented on the formal published 'call to trial' notification.

List A (initial charges):

• Impersonating an agent of the state (claiming Count of Mondstadt title)
• Extortion
• Unpermitted construction
• Defamation
• Incitement
• Tax Evasion
• Claiming government property
• Disturbing the peace
• Bribery (two accounts)
• Treason (both against Haense and the Empire)
• Adultery
• Domestic Abuse

List B (definite charges):

• Bribery (two accounts)
• Extortion
• Defamation
• Impersonating an agent of the state (claiming Count of Mondstadt title)
• Incitement
• Adultery
• Disturbing the peace

Note: Both Adultery and Domestic Abuse were committed against Ludovar's wife, Elisabeth Maria Preussens, who later objected to the Domestic Abuse charge being included in the trial.

Participants

The participants of the trial were, divided into three factions, as mentioned before:

Judge

• Lord Justiciar Swithun

Prosecutor

• Associate Justicar, Marius Karl Baruch

Defense Council

• Defendant Jakob Marius Ludovar (Former Prince of Ulgaard, Duke of Kvasz and Patriarch of House Ludovar)
• Lawyer Fabius Bracchus

Witnesses

• Lady Maria Kovachev, First Maer of Reza, Baroness of Turov
• Lord Henrik II Amador, Count of Mondstadt
• Lord Charles-Louis Preussens,
• Carolus Baruch, Baron of Gant
• Otto Kortrevich, Captain in the Haensetian Royal Army
• Elisabeth Maria Preussens, Countess of Osterland, wife of the Defendant
• Petyr Karl Ludovar

Verdict

What follows is the verdict as given upon the Royal Bulletin of the Justiciary of Haense, issued on the 14th of the Sun's Smile, 1707.

• Lord Ludovar is to be castrated shortly after the trial.
• Lord Ludovar will be subject to a fine of 10,000 minas (1707 inflation rates) to be paid to the Crown at his earliest possible opportunity.
• The Principality of Ulgaard title will be revoked from Lord Ludovar and returned to the Crown.
• The County of Mondstadt title will be revoked from House Ludovar and returned to House Amador.
• All other titles held by Lord Jakob Ludovar are to be passed down to his cousin, Ser Henrik Ludovar.
• Lord Ludovar's marriage to Lady Elisabeth Maria Preussens is annulled.