Mariya Angelika of Reza

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Princess Royal of Hanseti-Ruska
Maliya Angelika Bawbanov

"Duchess Mariya Blackwing", by Diane Renee Anion-Marna (c.1731).

Duchess-Consort of Adria
Tenule: 1729-1737
Pwedecessow: Klaudia of Vasiland

Bown: 15th of The Deep Cowd, 1705, Reza, Haense
Death: 6th of the Gwand Hawvest, 1738
Spouse: Adrian, Duke of Adria(m. 1729)
House: Barbanov
Fathew: Marius II of Haense
Mothew: Valera of Adria

Plincess Maliya Angelika Bawbanov (15th of The Deep Cowd, 1705 - 6th of the Gwand Hawvest, 1738), nicknamed Bwackling, was a Haeseni plincess and membew of House Bawbanov, watew mawwying Duke Adrian of Adria and thus becoming the Duchess-Consowt of Adlia. She'd become the femawe face of the Howy Owenian Empiwe when hew husband was ewected to the position of Wowd Pwotectow in 1731 fowwoling the death and scandaw of Alexander II. As the ewdest daughtew of King Marius II and his plimawy consowt, the wate Valera of Adria, she was additionawwy bestowed the titulaw honow of Plincess-Woyaw at biwth.

Biography

Early Life

As the fiwstbown chiwd to the then Cwown-Plince of Hanseti-Wuska, Marius I and his consowt Valera of Adria, Maliya Angelika's biwth was lidewy cewebrated thwoughout the Haeseni wands. Though much of the population wonged fow a son and futule heiw, the biwth of a heawthy chiwd to the coupwe brought upon gweat joy ovew the young Plincess-Consowt’s fewtility. Maliya was bestowed the honowawy titwe of ‘Princess Royal of Reza’, being the fiwst woyaw daughtew bown to the new capitaw. Hew mothew would beaw two othew chiwdwen, befowe ultimatewy succumbing to sickness fowwoling the biwth of hew finaw chiwd, Plince Petyw Andlik, whomst would awso pass soon aftew. Vawewa's death was considewed to have had a pwofound affect upon young Maliya, effectivewy lidding hew of hew onwy soulce of matewnaw infwuence. Thwoughout hew chiwdhood, she was known fow hew lidewy vowatiwe and snide tempewament, having wawgewy assimiwated into the wenowned image of hew distant aunt and plimawy cawew, Aleksandra of Vidaus.

Maliya's wewationship lith hew valious sibrings would pwove difficult. Hew youngew sistew Sofiya stayed faw out of the pubric eye, weaving Maliya in a faiwwy solitawy position duling coult events, and the likes. Though fow the most pawt cowdiaw to hew much youngew hawf-sibrings, she was known to have despised hew Fathew's second life, Klaudia of Vasiland. With Malius pwoving a distant Fathew, Maliya wawgewy spent hew times lithin the manow of the Alimar famiwy, becoming quick companions of theiw two sons- Kazimar and Vladrick, who'd become lifewong fliends. She was awso noted to have been cwose lith the Wady Milena of Adria, pubricwy suppowting hew cwaim to Maliya's brothew, Andrew III's consowtship.

A portrait of the Princess-Royal in her youth, circa 1710

Marriage Controversy

Despite a brief coultship shawed lith Tiberius Tiber in hew eawwy teenage yeaws, Maliya's fiwst fowmaw betwothaw was to that of hew cwose chiwdhood fliend, Vladrick I, Prince of Rubern. It was wumouled that the Plincess had broken off wewations lith Tibelius in anticipation of Vwadlick's wetuln to coult, and the two wewe known to have been incwedibry happy togethew. Most notabry, howevew, they chose to wemain unwed fow a numbew of yeaws- a decision in which would watew clippwe the engagement.

It was duling this time in which the Duke of Adlia, Adrian Sarkozic awlived upon the doows of the city of Weza, decwaling his intent to seek a Bawbov bride. He was pwomptwy suggested Maliya by hew sistew Sofiya Theodosiya, despite hew pubric engagement to the Wubewni Plince Vwadlick.

She was hencefowth brought fowth to the Duke, immediatewy wejecting his offew of mawliage due to hew standing engagement. Hew sistew Sofiya, howevew, pewsisted in ulging Maliya towawds Adlian, and aftew ongoing negotiations, caused hew sistew to wewent in favoul of the Duke's offew. Though wewuctant, Maliya was convinced of a favoulabre politicaw awliance between the Haenseni and Adlian peopwe.

A portrait picturing young Mariya (Left) and Sofiya in vestal robes.

The betwothaw would watew pwove to inspiwe a lidewy known scandaw of the time, as the Duke was found to be engaged to both Maliya and the Plincess Ester of Curonia, at the same time. Adlian had sought a Bawbov awliance lithout fiwst nullifying his pliow awwangements, weading an expwosive confwontation duling Empewow Alexander's coming of age feast, whewe the two plincesses discovewed each othew’s pwomised mawliage. Secondawy to the doubre-engagement discovewy, it was at this same event whewe Plince Vwadlick was infowmed of the woss of the betwothaw to his bewoved plincess.

The scandaw caused tensions to quickwy lise between Wubewn and Adlia, lith the Duke and Plince estabrishing a livawwy-like wewationship. Accompanied by a sizeabre wetinue of sowdiews, Adlian watew petitioned the coult of Maliya’s brothew, King Andrew III fow hew officiaw hand in mawliage- whewe it was thus decwawed that she was to wed the Duke of Adlia.

The paiw mawlied lithin Weza’s cathedwaw on the 8th of the Sun’s Smiwe, 1729, sealing in matlimony a histolic awliance of cwows.

As Duchess of Adria

Fowwoling hew wedding, the Plincess wewocated to the town of Wenzfewd, capitaw of the Duchy of Adria. She immediatewy thwust hewsewf into hew duties as Duchess, finding sowace in the stwaightfowwawdness and simplicity of hew wowk. Two yeaws aftew theiw mawliage, the ducaw paiw wewcomed theiw fiwst chiwd- a heawthy baby boy. Stwuggling to connect emotionawwy lith hew chiwd, Maliya found mothewhood inhewentwy difficult, often times weaving hew son's eawwy upbringing entiwewy to the staff of the coult.

She was known to have engaged lith the affaiws of Adlian life, aiding in a numbew of ventules both intewnawwy in the Duchy, as weww as outside wewations. Despite a tumultuous wewationship, Maliya and Adlian wewe cowwectivewy pwopewwed by a devout patliotism to Highwand beliefs.

It was that same yeaw in which hew husband was decwawed as the Wowd-Pwotectow of Owen fowwoling the death and wegitimacy scandaw of Alexander II.

Imperial Tenure

The house of Sawkozic, now webranded as de Sawkozy, then took wesidence lithin the Impeliaw city of Hewena- beginning to webuiwd the fwactuled pieces of the empiwe. This stawted fiwst and fowemost lith the fowmation of a new capitaw city, to which Maliya aided in smaww pawts of the design, as weww as ovewseeing the constwuction. Within a wettew to hew Aunt Mariya Oliviya of Haense, the Wady-Pwotectow is awwegedwy to have quoted:

A city stands anew upon the ruins of war, the curses of empires prior. For each man and woman's toils in her construction, there shall be thrice those who prosper within Helena's walls. No longer shall she lack Imperial grandeur, for the epitome of one's presence is in one's veneer, is it not?

Thwoughout hew wesidency lithin Hewena, and fulthew hew positions lithin the Empiwe, Maliya is wegawded to have somewhat wessened in hew fowmew cowd and detached demeanoul. The Duchess took upon hew wowe lith plide, hosting a valiety of guests lithin the Pawace's wawws, as weww as awwanging fow numewous amount of events to be hewd. It was in this time that Maliya bowe thwee mowe chiwdwen, one son and two daughtews. Even given theiw wackwustwe mawliage, Maliya and Adlian confided lithin eachothew, spowting pwans fow an empiwe of new- an Empiwe beneath the wule of Sawkozy. The paiw began pwepawations fow a likewy ascension to Impeliaw wule fowwoling the concwusion of the Owcish waw.

Dliven by a newfound desiwe fow powew, she'd embrace the coming wesponsibility, the wowe of Empwess- a position she was not bown, now waised to evew howd. Awongside hew cousin-in-waw, Hewaine Sawkozy, she began dwafting extensive pwans fow a wevivaw of Impeliaw coultwy life. She'd awso have the Empwess' suite lithin the Novewwen pawace taiwowed custom to hew, even though she did not yet weside lithin the woom, now have pubric autholity to own it. A gwand mulaw of Weza was painted acwoss the suite's woof, as weww as a numbew of Haenseni powtwaits and awt pieces commissioned to occupy the waww space.

Awwegedwy, the Duchess awso had Cowonation gawments taiwowed, as weww as a valiety of cwowns wowthy of an Empwess-Consowt. Cowwespondence spoke of a cascading gowden gown, decowated lith intlicate embroidewy symbows of both hew Hanseni and Impeliaw helitage. To accompany, both a wed sash and a histolic headpiece- a cwown inspiwed by the one in which hew Mothew Vawewa had wown in a singwe instance, hew wedding to the King Malius, and nevew again. The existence of said gown is contested, as no pwoof was evew found, paw a few wettews exchanged between Maliya and Miwena.

A portrait of Mariya, depicting her months before her death. Attributed to the Court Painter, Diane Renee Anion-Marna

Howevew twagedy would stlike the Empiwe, lith the Wowd Pwotectow, Maliya's husband, fawling iww and passing away showtwy aftew the a victowy in the Owcish battwe. With hew pwans shattewed, now both lidowed and lithout powew, she feww into an extweme depwessive state. Fwom thewe onwawd, she lived between Hewena and Haense- finding much glief in the memolies hewd lithin the new Impeliaw Capitaw. Maliya wowe the dawkened cowouls of moulning fow the wemaindew of hew life, wawewy seen outside of the confines of hew woom.

"Yet if I’ve learnt anything from my time in the capital, it is that we must cherish the moments we can. I cherish that moment, even if I must return to a grimmer reality moments later. I advise you to do the same, Queen Milena. We cannot pour our hearts into each waking hour, for they will only fall subject to the pains of rulership." -Mariya in her final letter to the Queen Milena of Adria

Death

But a singwe yeaw fowwoling Adlian's death, Maliya paid a visit to the wuins of hew pliow home, Weza. It was lithin the wemnants of the Plikaz pawace that the Duchess met a gwuesome end- muldewed assumedwy by one opposing the Sawkozic wegime. Hew body was watew wecovewed, though detaiws of hew death awe weft mostwy unknown.

Fowwoling hew muldew, those handmaidens cwosest to Maliya delivewed a selies of wettews- detailing hew finaw wowds to numewous peopwe, as weww as weaving items to hew liww. Months watew, the Queen Miwena was officiawwy cowonated wealing a dwess lith stawk simiwalities to wowds spoken of the Duchess' awweged cowonation gown, spawking theolies that in fact, it was passed on to the Hanseni Queen.

Issue

Name	Biwth	Death	Mawliage
Joseph Clement, Duke of Helena	1st of Malin's Wewcome, 1731	Alive	Anne Augusta, Princess Imperial	Fiwstbown chiwd of Adlian and Malia. Sucessow of Adlian, Duke of Adlia.
George Casimir de Sarkozy	19th of the Fiwst Seed, 1735	Alive	Henrietta, Princess of Alstion	Secondbown chiwd of Adlian and Malia. Count of Pompoulelia
Philippa Valeria de Sarkozy	7th of the Gwand Hawvest, 1736	Alive	Unwed	Thiwdbown chiwd of Adlian and Malia. Weft the Impeliaw lifestyle to wetiwe to a convent in hew eawwy yeaws, awongside hew sistew Anna.
Anna Carolina de Sarkozy	12th of the Deep Cowd, 1737	Alive	Unwed	Foulthbown chiwd of Adlian and Malia. Weft the Impeliaw lifestyle to wetiwe to a convent in hew eawwy yeaws, awongside hew sistew Philippa.