Our story begins in the year the 1066; Maelsnechtan Loarn, aged 19, has recently inherited a Dukedom from his late father whose name escapes me (because I didn’t write it down). Mael is the Duke of Argyll (Scotland), Count of Sutherland, Ross and Moray. A proud, cunning man, Mael is determined to produce a male heir, so his dukedom can entailed to his son and not the son of his sister. His talent lies primarily in his scheming nature and his militaristic talent - a dangerous combination. Despite his volatile nature Mael is a pious Catholic, with a strong devotion to the Scottish king Malcolm.
After he has organised his court sufficiently, Mael begins the search for a suitable wife to bear him heirs. However the marriage market is competition – even for a duke – so Mael finds it a little difficult as the most of the women worthy of his attentions are being courted by far superior men. Eventually Mael settles on a resourceful wench named Aufrica Randolph, aged 17. Aufrica, a welcome addition to the Dukedom, is known for her generosity, fairness and economic prowess.
In September 1067, only a few months after they are married, it is revealed that Maelsnechtan and Aufrica are expecting a child. As devote as ever, Mael prays day and night for a son to inherit his vast estates. Unfortunately his sister Gruaidh already has two healthy boys; the eldest one Angus is the current heir to his entire fortune.
On June 20th 1068 a daughter is born to the Duke, she is called Eva. After this Mael wastes no time getting back into the saddle and Aufrica is pregnant again by late July. To the Duke’s delight, Aufrica gives birth to a son in April 1069, who is named Constantine.
Later that year in June, the King of Scotland commands Mael to lend him troops to deal with some local trouble. Mael reluctantly agrees because even though he detests being used in this manner, he must maintain a facade of loyalty to the king.
Things are looking bright for Argyll in 1070, farmers have recently implemented the two field system and the Duke orders the construction of a forestry. This short-lived harmony is broken with the outbreak of famine in March, which causes a peasant revolt. Reluctantly Mael must donate funds to help the peasants, as his soldiers are still in the service of the king, so there is no one to stop a peasant revolt from destroying the whole Dukedom. This act of generosity increases Mael’s standing with the church and improves his reputation. Things get worse for the peasants though with the outbreak of Dysentery in 1071, which lasts for six years. In June that year one of his sister’s five sons dies due to the outbreak. Although Mael maintains a show of mourning he is secretly grateful that the good lord saw fit to take one of the numerous threats to his son.
When deciding where Constantine shall spend his childhood, Mael shocks most of the court by stating that he will raise the child himself. This is a fairly unfashionable move, as children are understood to be a considerable burden on the temperament of their parents (much like today!)
Although Aufrica has not gotten pregnant again, to Mael’s displeasure, he cannot help but notice her diplomatic talents and offers her the position of Chancellor in his court. This causes quite a controversy, but Mael is too smart to pay attention to the blatant sexism of his courtiers and utilises his wife’s talent. Despite his wife’s new career, she still finds time to bear the Duke another daughter named Agnes (1072).
Despite the fertility of his wife, Mael goes against his pious nature and decides to seduce a young maiden visiting the court with her family in the year 1073. A scandal threatens to erupt when the young woman becomes pregnant, although Mael manages to avert the crisis and stay in his wife’s favour by sending the young woman to one of his remote estates to give birth. Ironically the child is a boy, but being illegitimate his very existence is deemed a disgrace by the church, therefore he cannot inherit anything from his father. Things remain cordial between Mael and his wife, who reluctantly understands that great men such as Mael are entitled to certain liberties. Sadly, the young woman’s short affair with Mael has left her disgraced, unmarriageable and alone, raising an ‘unholy’ child. (And that my dears is what you get for being a ho).
Keen to keep his girls modest, Mael decides to send his daughter Eva to a monastery and Agnes to a virtuous local noble. Even though his wife is excellent in her occupation as Chancellor, Mael is reluctant to encourage ambition in his own daughters as they may cause trouble for Constantine when he is Duke.
1074 is a peaceful year, with the only deliberation being that of Constantine’s education. Mael decides to send him to the court, hoping he will learn how to navigate a world of intrigue and constant plotting. In 1075, Mael and Aufrica are blessed with another son, whom they name Gillanders. The court is also impressed by Mael’s treatment of his bastard Edgar, increasing Mael’s prestige in Christendom.
As his sister’s sons grow older, Mael is dismayed to find that the eldest is a selfish boy, who appears to resent his lack of inheritance and position. Mael’s worries are further added to when his infant son falls ill. Gillander’s illness proves to be a rallying point for him and his wife to connect once again, as they pray for the life of their young son. These prayers prove futile as Gillanders dies in 1077. In the same year Aufrica gives birth to another daughter, Mor, who is born sickly and dies in the next year.
Amidst these melancholy circumstances, Mael refuses an alliance with the rebellious Count of Faereyar, who seeks to overthrow the king. It is fortunate that Mael’s spy master was able to assert Faereyar’s reasons for wanting an alliance, otherwise the Duke may have found himself on trial for treason had he offered his support. In the same year the Dysentery epidemic vanishes, taking with it many souls, both noble and peasant, including Gillanders.
In 1079, Mael completes construction on a new training ground. He’s hoping to improve the quality of his army after the king’s campaign left him with a deficit he has never fully recovered from. During this time it occurs to Mael that with three counties to bestow and only one legitimate son he is now in an awkward position. It is very likely that his nephews will try and assert a claim over these lands when he is dead, as it would be difficult for Constantine to run all three.
In the following few years it is revealed that her religious training has turned Eva into a reckless religious fanatic. The Pope demands that Mael accept a bishop that he has appointed for Argyll and Mael reluctantly accepts, knowing that his new bishop is most likely a spy. Edgar the bastard is tutored in diplomacy by a talented negotiator, which surprises many people at court. It appears that Mael wants to make the most of his bastard son, but some people - namely Aufrica - are worried that the boy could be a threat to Constantine. To parry their concerns Mael hires a skilled plotter to teach his heir the ways of politics.
As the Pope calls for a Holy crusade in 1084, Mael reluctantly commits his military to the endeavour. His piousness withstanding, Mael does not like being ordered by other people. In the same year Mael devotes a large amount of his resources and time to finding an appropriate marriage for eldest daughter Eva, who has just turned fifteen and is now on the marriage market. He knows it is incredibly important that she marry well, because if something happens to Constantine, her future son could be the next Duke. It is also a golden opportunity for the Duke to extend his power. Eventually Mael settles on the heir to the Isle of Man, which is located near his dukedom. Despite the fact that Eva finds her future husband dishonest and suspicious by nature she is forced to suppress her feelings and marry him.
In 1085 the marriage takes place and Mael is made aware that his other daughter (Agnes) has become a naive pawn of the cunning barons of court. He is dismayed to also discover that she is a lazy coward that has trouble asserting any sort of character in the face of her puppet masters. Aufrica laments the fate of her daughter and blames Mael for sending her to live with nobles at such a young and impressionable age.
Deciding to ignore Agnes’ disappointing character, Mael celebrates Constantine’s coming of age, by giving him to the title of Count of Moray. By giving him the Dukedom’s most powerful county to administer, Mael is sends a clear message to those who would claim power: Constantine is heir. However, upon spending more time with his son, Mael realises that Constantine is quite naive. It is with this discovery that Mael doubts the decisions he has made for his children, with one religious fanatic, a naive Count and a lazy, witless daughter, Mael laments his circumstances a great deal and worries for the future of all he has strived to maintain. 1085 ends with Mael endeavouring to ensure the future of his Dukedom by creating a court of Justice.
During the next few years Mael concentrates on finding good marriages for Constantine, Agnes and Edgar the bastard. The Duke exercises careful considerate when choosing a wife for Constantine, as the lady he chooses will be the future Duchess of Argyll. He seeks a wise woman that will be able to assist his naive son with his diplomatic affairs. He eventually settles on a prestigious young lady in late 1087, let’s call her Olga (because yet again I forgot to write her name down), who is not what people would call attractive, but brings honour to the Loarn dynasty. Edgar is wed to a prestigious young Countess whose scholarly talents suit his intellectual disposition well. It takes three more years to find a husband for Agnes, whose lazy disposition and unattractive features detract from her good breeding. Eventually Mael marries her to a reputable, yet proud courtier in the County of Westfriesland, who is twice her age. After the wedding, Mael appoints his talented new son-in-law as martial in his court.
With the marriages of his children now settled Mael can concentrate on state affairs (while anxiously waiting for male grandchildren naturally). In late 1091 Mael decides to make his son Edgar the Count of Sutherland. This is a decision welcome by many, as Edgar is an intelligent young man, despite his unfortunate origins. However, the decision alarms the childless Constantine, who wanted to bestow that County to his future son (much like his father).
Constantine’s fears seem well founded when in 1093 Edgar declares himself no longer a bastard. Edgar claims that his accomplishments and status have given him the right to be considered a legitimate heir of Mael. Edgar also asserts that at this point he should be declared the preferred heir, as his wife has given him two sons and Constantine has none. Enraged, Constantine demands that Edgar be dealt with. But Mael, who loves both his sons merely, assures Constantine that he is still the first heir.
In 1094 Mael’s court loses a valuable resource when Steward Alwian is diagnosed with Schizophrenia and is deposed. Externally, the Dukedom is peaceful in 1095; however even though he maintains an appearance Mael is becoming increasingly worried about Constantine’s lack of children. The Duke is growing old and he knows that if he dies when Constantine is childless, Edgar may challenge his half-brother for the Dukedom. Things are frosty at best between Constantine and Edgar, who sees himself as the rightful heir because of his intellectual prowess and healthy sons. Although Mael loves Edgar, he holds Constantine in more esteem because he was born of a holy union and not a sordid affair. Mael also realises all that he owes Aufrica, for her service as Chancellor and her success in child bearing and he wants to ensure her son (and not the son of a girl he barely remembers) inherits his fortune.
In 1096 is a tough year for Mael with his health deteriorating further and Constantine still childless. The Duke is forced to conclude that Constantine’s wife is infertile and reluctantly has her assassinated. After Constantine’s wife dies ‘mysteriously’ he remarries Rois Dunkeld, the young, beautiful niece of the King of Scotland. Sadly Count Edgar passes away later that year, Mael refuses to believe Constantine had anything to do with this, but rumours abound that the Count of Moray disposed of his irksome brother. Edgar leaves behind three sons, the eldest Robert is Constantine’s current heir.
In 1097 Mael dies at the ripe old age of forty nine, an achievement in those days. As Duke of Argyll he improved life in his provinces by constructing a forestry, training ground and a court of justice. His marriage to Aufrica Randolph created five children, but only three survived to adulthood. Cunning and some would say ruthless man; Mael was always concerned with securing prestige and fortune for himself and for his heirs.
With no half-brother to threaten his claim Constantine inherits the title of ‘Duke of Argyll’. His first action as Duke is to send a considerable amount of gold to his dead brother’s son as a peace offering.
After he has organised his court sufficiently, Mael begins the search for a suitable wife to bear him heirs. However the marriage market is competition – even for a duke – so Mael finds it a little difficult as the most of the women worthy of his attentions are being courted by far superior men. Eventually Mael settles on a resourceful wench named Aufrica Randolph, aged 17. Aufrica, a welcome addition to the Dukedom, is known for her generosity, fairness and economic prowess.
On June 20th 1068 a daughter is born to the Duke, she is called Eva. After this Mael wastes no time getting back into the saddle and Aufrica is pregnant again by late July. To the Duke’s delight, Aufrica gives birth to a son in April 1069, who is named Constantine.
Later that year in June, the King of Scotland commands Mael to lend him troops to deal with some local trouble. Mael reluctantly agrees because even though he detests being used in this manner, he must maintain a facade of loyalty to the king.
Things are looking bright for Argyll in 1070, farmers have recently implemented the two field system and the Duke orders the construction of a forestry. This short-lived harmony is broken with the outbreak of famine in March, which causes a peasant revolt. Reluctantly Mael must donate funds to help the peasants, as his soldiers are still in the service of the king, so there is no one to stop a peasant revolt from destroying the whole Dukedom. This act of generosity increases Mael’s standing with the church and improves his reputation. Things get worse for the peasants though with the outbreak of Dysentery in 1071, which lasts for six years. In June that year one of his sister’s five sons dies due to the outbreak. Although Mael maintains a show of mourning he is secretly grateful that the good lord saw fit to take one of the numerous threats to his son.
When deciding where Constantine shall spend his childhood, Mael shocks most of the court by stating that he will raise the child himself. This is a fairly unfashionable move, as children are understood to be a considerable burden on the temperament of their parents (much like today!)
Although Aufrica has not gotten pregnant again, to Mael’s displeasure, he cannot help but notice her diplomatic talents and offers her the position of Chancellor in his court. This causes quite a controversy, but Mael is too smart to pay attention to the blatant sexism of his courtiers and utilises his wife’s talent. Despite his wife’s new career, she still finds time to bear the Duke another daughter named Agnes (1072).
Despite the fertility of his wife, Mael goes against his pious nature and decides to seduce a young maiden visiting the court with her family in the year 1073. A scandal threatens to erupt when the young woman becomes pregnant, although Mael manages to avert the crisis and stay in his wife’s favour by sending the young woman to one of his remote estates to give birth. Ironically the child is a boy, but being illegitimate his very existence is deemed a disgrace by the church, therefore he cannot inherit anything from his father. Things remain cordial between Mael and his wife, who reluctantly understands that great men such as Mael are entitled to certain liberties. Sadly, the young woman’s short affair with Mael has left her disgraced, unmarriageable and alone, raising an ‘unholy’ child. (And that my dears is what you get for being a ho).
Keen to keep his girls modest, Mael decides to send his daughter Eva to a monastery and Agnes to a virtuous local noble. Even though his wife is excellent in her occupation as Chancellor, Mael is reluctant to encourage ambition in his own daughters as they may cause trouble for Constantine when he is Duke.
1074 is a peaceful year, with the only deliberation being that of Constantine’s education. Mael decides to send him to the court, hoping he will learn how to navigate a world of intrigue and constant plotting. In 1075, Mael and Aufrica are blessed with another son, whom they name Gillanders. The court is also impressed by Mael’s treatment of his bastard Edgar, increasing Mael’s prestige in Christendom.
As his sister’s sons grow older, Mael is dismayed to find that the eldest is a selfish boy, who appears to resent his lack of inheritance and position. Mael’s worries are further added to when his infant son falls ill. Gillander’s illness proves to be a rallying point for him and his wife to connect once again, as they pray for the life of their young son. These prayers prove futile as Gillanders dies in 1077. In the same year Aufrica gives birth to another daughter, Mor, who is born sickly and dies in the next year.
Amidst these melancholy circumstances, Mael refuses an alliance with the rebellious Count of Faereyar, who seeks to overthrow the king. It is fortunate that Mael’s spy master was able to assert Faereyar’s reasons for wanting an alliance, otherwise the Duke may have found himself on trial for treason had he offered his support. In the same year the Dysentery epidemic vanishes, taking with it many souls, both noble and peasant, including Gillanders.
In 1079, Mael completes construction on a new training ground. He’s hoping to improve the quality of his army after the king’s campaign left him with a deficit he has never fully recovered from. During this time it occurs to Mael that with three counties to bestow and only one legitimate son he is now in an awkward position. It is very likely that his nephews will try and assert a claim over these lands when he is dead, as it would be difficult for Constantine to run all three.
In the following few years it is revealed that her religious training has turned Eva into a reckless religious fanatic. The Pope demands that Mael accept a bishop that he has appointed for Argyll and Mael reluctantly accepts, knowing that his new bishop is most likely a spy. Edgar the bastard is tutored in diplomacy by a talented negotiator, which surprises many people at court. It appears that Mael wants to make the most of his bastard son, but some people - namely Aufrica - are worried that the boy could be a threat to Constantine. To parry their concerns Mael hires a skilled plotter to teach his heir the ways of politics.
As the Pope calls for a Holy crusade in 1084, Mael reluctantly commits his military to the endeavour. His piousness withstanding, Mael does not like being ordered by other people. In the same year Mael devotes a large amount of his resources and time to finding an appropriate marriage for eldest daughter Eva, who has just turned fifteen and is now on the marriage market. He knows it is incredibly important that she marry well, because if something happens to Constantine, her future son could be the next Duke. It is also a golden opportunity for the Duke to extend his power. Eventually Mael settles on the heir to the Isle of Man, which is located near his dukedom. Despite the fact that Eva finds her future husband dishonest and suspicious by nature she is forced to suppress her feelings and marry him.
In 1085 the marriage takes place and Mael is made aware that his other daughter (Agnes) has become a naive pawn of the cunning barons of court. He is dismayed to also discover that she is a lazy coward that has trouble asserting any sort of character in the face of her puppet masters. Aufrica laments the fate of her daughter and blames Mael for sending her to live with nobles at such a young and impressionable age.
Deciding to ignore Agnes’ disappointing character, Mael celebrates Constantine’s coming of age, by giving him to the title of Count of Moray. By giving him the Dukedom’s most powerful county to administer, Mael is sends a clear message to those who would claim power: Constantine is heir. However, upon spending more time with his son, Mael realises that Constantine is quite naive. It is with this discovery that Mael doubts the decisions he has made for his children, with one religious fanatic, a naive Count and a lazy, witless daughter, Mael laments his circumstances a great deal and worries for the future of all he has strived to maintain. 1085 ends with Mael endeavouring to ensure the future of his Dukedom by creating a court of Justice.
During the next few years Mael concentrates on finding good marriages for Constantine, Agnes and Edgar the bastard. The Duke exercises careful considerate when choosing a wife for Constantine, as the lady he chooses will be the future Duchess of Argyll. He seeks a wise woman that will be able to assist his naive son with his diplomatic affairs. He eventually settles on a prestigious young lady in late 1087, let’s call her Olga (because yet again I forgot to write her name down), who is not what people would call attractive, but brings honour to the Loarn dynasty. Edgar is wed to a prestigious young Countess whose scholarly talents suit his intellectual disposition well. It takes three more years to find a husband for Agnes, whose lazy disposition and unattractive features detract from her good breeding. Eventually Mael marries her to a reputable, yet proud courtier in the County of Westfriesland, who is twice her age. After the wedding, Mael appoints his talented new son-in-law as martial in his court.
With the marriages of his children now settled Mael can concentrate on state affairs (while anxiously waiting for male grandchildren naturally). In late 1091 Mael decides to make his son Edgar the Count of Sutherland. This is a decision welcome by many, as Edgar is an intelligent young man, despite his unfortunate origins. However, the decision alarms the childless Constantine, who wanted to bestow that County to his future son (much like his father).
Constantine’s fears seem well founded when in 1093 Edgar declares himself no longer a bastard. Edgar claims that his accomplishments and status have given him the right to be considered a legitimate heir of Mael. Edgar also asserts that at this point he should be declared the preferred heir, as his wife has given him two sons and Constantine has none. Enraged, Constantine demands that Edgar be dealt with. But Mael, who loves both his sons merely, assures Constantine that he is still the first heir.
In 1094 Mael’s court loses a valuable resource when Steward Alwian is diagnosed with Schizophrenia and is deposed. Externally, the Dukedom is peaceful in 1095; however even though he maintains an appearance Mael is becoming increasingly worried about Constantine’s lack of children. The Duke is growing old and he knows that if he dies when Constantine is childless, Edgar may challenge his half-brother for the Dukedom. Things are frosty at best between Constantine and Edgar, who sees himself as the rightful heir because of his intellectual prowess and healthy sons. Although Mael loves Edgar, he holds Constantine in more esteem because he was born of a holy union and not a sordid affair. Mael also realises all that he owes Aufrica, for her service as Chancellor and her success in child bearing and he wants to ensure her son (and not the son of a girl he barely remembers) inherits his fortune.
In 1096 is a tough year for Mael with his health deteriorating further and Constantine still childless. The Duke is forced to conclude that Constantine’s wife is infertile and reluctantly has her assassinated. After Constantine’s wife dies ‘mysteriously’ he remarries Rois Dunkeld, the young, beautiful niece of the King of Scotland. Sadly Count Edgar passes away later that year, Mael refuses to believe Constantine had anything to do with this, but rumours abound that the Count of Moray disposed of his irksome brother. Edgar leaves behind three sons, the eldest Robert is Constantine’s current heir.
In 1097 Mael dies at the ripe old age of forty nine, an achievement in those days. As Duke of Argyll he improved life in his provinces by constructing a forestry, training ground and a court of justice. His marriage to Aufrica Randolph created five children, but only three survived to adulthood. Cunning and some would say ruthless man; Mael was always concerned with securing prestige and fortune for himself and for his heirs.
With no half-brother to threaten his claim Constantine inherits the title of ‘Duke of Argyll’. His first action as Duke is to send a considerable amount of gold to his dead brother’s son as a peace offering.
Part 2 – Duke Constantine Loarn... stay tuned...
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