Cyng of Talor

Talor functions via an elective monarchy. The dozen recognised 'royal houses' each put forth a candidate for the throne, and the lesser houses of the city of Eorlsburh vote on their new Cyng. The elected rules until death or abdication - though the latter has only been the case once before, with Cyng Ekkehard the Thunderbolt. Monarchs are called Cyngs if male, and though there has never been a female monarch it is generally agreed that the feminine form of Cyng is Cwynn.
Upon ascension, the Cyng discards his surname in favour of an epithet describing some aspect of his character. These epithets can change over time, when new events cause the Cyng to be popularly seen in a different light for better or worse. The adoption of this epithet is meant to symbolise the Cyng's new responsibilities - he cannot afford to be partial to his blood relatives. This is an act poorly disguised, however. For the last hundred years or so, the throne has been dominated by House Fylning and their close allies in House Hardwalden, mostly due to the Cyngs throwing their weight around to rig the next elections.
Name 	Epithet 	House 	Reign 	Notes
Horik 	Cyngmaker 	Norrhelm 	403 - 410 	First Cyng of Talor, established the monarchy
Byrnhorn 	Ironhands 	Norrhelm 	410 - 418 	Expanded the Cyngdom to its largest size during the Ironhands Wars
Beohrtsige 	Bellringer 	Gothelm 	418 - 422 	Epithet gained by ringing a bell in Fenwich to warn of a raiding party
Eomer 	Bonespear 	Ricfriding 	422 - 433 	Rumoured to have defeated the Cwylboar using a short spear of dragon bone
Seaxwulf 	of the Waves 	Ricfriding 	433 - 437 	Led several naval expeditions far up the Spurnian river
Cyneheah 	Boarslayer 	Herewulf 	437 - 472 	Said to have killed the Cwylboar
Taetwulf 	Sunhammer 	Gothelm 	472 - 482 	Wielded a warhammer of pure gold
Maerleswein	Bearstrider 	Wiccsteg 	482 - 505 	Allegedly outran a bear as a child; that same bear killed his parents during a hunting trip
Allnoth 	the Wall 	Eorlfric 	505 - 510 	Died in battle holding a bridge against Varholdian deserters
Aethelhere 	Strongmace 	Eorlfric 	510 - 538 	Avenged his father by razing the deserters' headquarters of Jyltheim
Aelfgeist 	Oathsworn 	Norrhelm 	538 - 549 	
Dagheard 	the Welcoming 	Atheling 	549 - 556 	Welcomed the Fallen Company to Talor
Ekkehard 	the Thunderbolt	Atheling 	556 - 592 	Epithet gained through his skill with the javelin
Wictred 	the Bowman 	Herewulf 	592 - 614 	Defeated Ekkehard in a ranged target contest to win the throne
Thursteinn 	the Anvil 	Fylning 	614 - 623 	Alleged to have turned a wooden sword to steel with his bare hands; this sword, the Talorian Fang, currently hangs above the Cyng's throne
Eored 	Fisherking 	Leodwalding	623 - 627 	Nothing of note happened during Eored's reign; his epithet is a caustic jab at his family's heritage
Oslaf 	the Lacrivian 	Heidael 	627 - 649 	First foreign Cyng; a Lacrivian descendant of the Fallen Company
Guthmaer 	Bloodswan 	Hardwalden 	649 - 668 	
Ceolnoth 	Goldenhelm 	Fylning 	668 - 680 	
Leof 	Redbeard 	Hardwalden 	680 - 704 	Unusually for Talorians, Leof had red hair and his epithet reflects this
Aegelwine 	Greymane 	Wiccsteg 	704 - 708 	Aegelwine was sixty-five when crowned, boasting a fine head of grey hair
Heremaen 	the Hearty 	Hardwalden 	708 - 722 	
Aildred 	the Marked 	Fylning 	722 - 739 	Supposedly consorted with a witch to win the throne. Because of this, he was unlucky in every endeavour; it is said the witch had marked him for bad luck
Ackwulf 	Straightaxe 	Fylning 	739 - 751 	
Ceolhelm 	the Brilliant 	Fylning 	751 - Present	
Category:Talor
Category:Titles