Captain of the Berham Guard

The Captain of the Berham Guard is a position in the Berham Guard, a unit of city guardsmen committed to the defence of the eponymous city between the Great Gap and the Sack of Berham.
The Captain was the absolute commander of the guard, and reported directly to the Grand Marshal of Faramond between 403 and 648, or the Marshal of Dunfleasel between 648 and 660. This put him at the same political level as the generals of the field armies in both command structures. It was also traditional that the Captain received an automatic knighthood upon assuming the position.
The position was hereditary in the Bardell family from 574 until its destruction, being passed from father to eldest son when the former became head of the family. The Captaincy was never officially hereditary; it was rather an unspoken tradition. The Captaincy was officially decided through a vote drawn from Berham's noblemen, but the Bardells had enough influence inside the Guard that opposing votes were often 'lost'.
The Captain of the Guard at its most critical moment was Sir John Bardell, the Captain during the Sack of Berham. He performed sensibly during the siege, assuring that the King of Dunfleasel and his court had an escape option until late during the sack. 
== Notable Captains of the Berham Guard ==
* Sir John de Rancine (r. 403 - 421) - First known Captain of the Guard
* Sir Emery Bardell (r. 574 - 580) - First Bardell Captain of the Guard
* Sir John Bardell (r. 650 - 660) - Last Captain of the Guard
Category:Titles
Category:Faramond
Category:Dunfleasel