Gerhard of Vitep

Lord of the Honas (395-431VC)
 Predecessor: Laugs Hônas
 Succesor: Milo of Brymburk
 
 
 Lord of the Horaks (429-431VC)
 Predecessor: Gurtred of Glostok
 Succesor: Andrej of Hlucy
INTRO
Gerhard of Vitep (366-431VC) was a Joran statesmen, Lord of the Honas family and crucial contestant during the Loren Succession crisis of 417-431. During this time he supported claimant Prokop the Bad of Nidyitz to the throne of Lorenvald.
EARLY LIFE
Gerhard was born in 366 to Laugs Hônas and Mathilda of Aam. Gerhard spent a large amount of his childhood in a castle near Prodso called Hrad Pallenburk, being privately tutored by Matz of Kelau, a monk and chronicler of Vechtese origin. Gurtred, his older brother, accompanied Laugs in a number of campaigns whilst Gerhard was taught and fought in competitions. In his teenage years, he met a slightly younger man named Ulrich Jehnidy who excelled in hand to hand combat. The two formed a friendship that would go on to define an era of Jehnidy-Hônas domination of Joran politics at the expense of Loren influence. 
REALM
Under Laugs the Hônas realm had expanded rapidly however upon his death the realm would be split between Gerhard and his brother Gurtred. Gurtred would go on to form the Hôrak line independently. Gurtred's death in 429 briefly re-united the great houses however upon Gerhard's own death in 431, the two lines would split permanently. 
Gerhard's realm included a number of notable cities, such as Brymburk, Podiŝanitze, Prodso, Ŝanik and Prynof nad Orat. His namesake was the small Hrad Vitep located on the Orat river near Prynof where he spent his summer hunting trips. 
SUCCESSION CRISIS
The death of Jan the Wise in 417 left Joraje in an unstable predicament. Jan's two sons, Ankred and Chenek were both too young to assume the role of duke and so a regent named Bruno of Rund ruled for 6 years. During this time, Prokop the Bad, brother to Jan the Wise, contested the claim of both Bruno and his nephews to the silver seat, winning the Battle of Vernberk and capturing Bruno in 422. Gerhard and the Ulrich Jehnidy of Mibram supported Prokop in his contest. The declining Loren family could be wiped out once and for all and the true power behind Joraje, the great houses, rule under the figurehead of Prokop. Gerhard's luck would change however, as in 423, Bruno died and the limbo of rulership ended with a 17 year old Ankred Loren firmly establishing himself as duke. Prokop lead a number of unsuccesful campaigns against his nephew and was crucially defeated at the Siege of Sahnbroch in 429. Confidence in Prokop was declining between Gerhard and Ulrich, however the death of Gurtred supplied the funds for Prokop the Bad to succesfully siege the Loren seat of Lorenvald in 430. However, the 65 year old Gerhard would die the following year of a fever. The division of his lands between his succesors ended Hônas involvement in the Loren succesion crisis, and Ulrich's death in 433 would see an end to Prokop the Bad's destructive attempt to assert power over his Nephews.
Category:Characters of Juhnvechteya