Prince Svenald, Count of Hearth
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Svenald Staunton is a Courlandic noble who served his younger brother, King Tobias Staunton on his Privy Council, as Lord Chancellor of the Kingdom of Courland. Sven still claims the title of Count of Hearth, a title he inherited in 1572 within the Archduchy of Lorraine-Kaedrin. Svenald currently resides within the County of Hearth.
Biography
Early life
Sven Staunton was born to Duke Alexander Staunton and Princess Philippa Maria of Alstion in the Duchy of Courland in 1558. Sven was born just before the Riga War. After the disastrous Battle of the Curon Forest and the following Siege of Kraken’s Watch, Sven was moved to the safety of the Grand Kingdom of Urguan with Edward Staunton, his great uncle. After the Courlandic victory at the Battle of Westmark and the subsequent creation of the Kingdom of Courland, Sven attempted to return to Courland as per request of his father, however before he reached the Duchy, a successful coup of Aleksander Staunton and his followers took place. Edward, Sven and his younger siblings remained in exile in the Grand Kingdom of Urguan for 13 years, however after the signing of the Treaty of Anpalais in 1567, the House of Hearth, a newly created cadet branch of House Staunton, was welcomed back into Oren under the Arch-Duke of Lorraine.
Coalition War
For several years Sven held the county of Hearth, situated in the northern plains of the Archduchy of Lorraine-Kaedrin, striking a strong bond with the archduke, John d'Amaury. Following the return of his younger brother Tobias Staunton, who sought redemption for the Riga War and his titles returned to him, Sven left with Tobias to the castle of Ostwick, where they plotted and created their own cabal against the Imperial State.
Through an alliance with the Dwarven Kingdom, the forces commanded by Tobias led a surprising victory at the Battle of the Gorge, crippling the central Imperial army. Using this alarming, crushing blow against the Empire, Sven successfully convinced the Prince of Savoy (and with him, the Archduke of Lorraine-Kaedrin, John d’Amaury) to support the overthrow of the Emperor and take the titles claimed as theirs.
Service to Courland
After the Fall of Johannesburg in 1595, Sven was elevated by his brother (now proclaimed as King of Courland) to the position of Lord Chancellor.
In 1600, Sven's last surviving son Meric was assassinated en route from a peace assembly between both the Kingdom of Courland and the Kingdom of Hanseti-Ruska. Added to the later abduction of the Princess Annabelle of Courland (Sven's daughter) by Hansetian marauders, tensions between both kingdoms reached a breaking point. Under orders of his brother, Sven was left in head of raising the levies and coordinating the landing site for an army on the mainland, in response to the raised force stationed at the Hansetian fortress of Metterden. Both armies would clash at the Battle of Elba, with Sven commanding the cavalry group throughout the majority of the conflict and successfully leading to a victory of Courlander forces. The army would again see success at the Battle of Vasiland, routing the central Hansetian army back deep into the Rothwood.
Between 1603 and 1604, Sven served as regent to his brother when bedridden with illness after returning from the campaign. While achieving an alliance with the Grand Kingdom of Urguan in the Treaty of Aleksandria of 1604, his failure in the peace meeting between himself and the party of High Pontiff Owyn II and Prince Peter, Duke of Marna-Mardon led to prolonged conflict that was only resolved a year later in the THE MARDON-COURLAND TREATY of 1607.
After the death of his brother, Tobias I, in 1608, Sven retired to the County of Hearth, away from the court of Curonburg.
Issue
| Name | Birth | Death | Marriage | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Stephan Hearth | 23rd of the First Seed, 1573 | 1580 | Unwed | N/A |
| Edith Hearth | 23rd of the First Seed, 1573 | Unknown | Viktor Kovachev | Presumed dead. |
| Meric Staunton | 7th of the Suns Smile, 1575 | 10th of the Amber Cold, 1599 | Unwed | Killed by a Hansetian dissenter during a political mission at the court of King Marius of Hanseti-Ruska. |
| Cassandra Staunton | 19th of the Suns Smile, 1580 | Alive | Glendon Stafford | Currently the Countess of Cheshire. |
| Annabel Staunton | 12th of the Grand Harvest, 1582 | Alive | Unwed | N/A |
