Hansrich Campbell

Official Portrait of Duke Hansirch Campbell, circa 1950

Duke **Hansrich Campbell** was a Polmarian military officer who served as the Duke of Haense from 1907 to 1957, following the overthrow of the local government loyal to the Polmarian Triumvirate. He was incredibly loyal to the Calano Dynasty- particularly to King Lucas Calano- and is considered a monarchist by most historians, although a more moderate one.

Duke Hansrich's fifty year tenure as the leader of Haense was considered the country's most prosperous era, during which the country was able to utilize its vast deposits of amethyst, iron, diamond, topaz and emerald while also ensuring that the mining took place at a sustainable way while causing little damage to the environment. His popularity was such that after his death in 1957, the capital city of Haense was renamed to Hansrichstadt.

## Life

### Early Life

Hansrich was born in 1874 in a small town near the First Kingdom of Polmaria's capital city of Karfalo, during the reign of Queen Maria Calano. The Campbell family was poor and destitute, and was struck with tragedy early on. Hansrich's mother died of 'Elf Pox'- a disease thought to be spread by Elves, a claim that later turned out to be untrue- in 1881 when Hansrich was merely seven years old. Hansrich's father would die in 1903 by Polmarian grenadiers while protesting outside Queen Maria's palace.

Despite having bad experiences with the Calano Dynasty in the past, Hanrich joined the royal army in 1893 as a way to pay the bills. As time went on, King Lucas Calano ascended the throne, and the sweeping reforms that came with the new King instilled a sense of patriotism in the previously apathetic Hansrich, who began to take pride in his service and applied to become an officer soon after.

Early on in his career, Hansrich was stationed to the Polmarian colony of Haense in western Merelaux. Although he became an officer- a halb-leutnan- Hansrich was overlooked for many promotions and by 1907 was still a lowly halb leutnan at the age of 32. Many considered him a lost cause.

All these assumptions went up in flames when Haense lost contact with mainland Polmaria in Helinska due to the Cataclysm shaking the world in 1907. The government of Haense- headed by Aidan Kavka- was loyal to the Polmarian Triumvirate. However, many soldiers in Haense were still loyal to King Lucas Calano, Hansrich among this group. Being one of the few officers among the rebel group, Hansrich quickly climbed the ranks and became a leading figure in the loyalist movement.

Following this, Hansrich and the rebels led a long and bloody campaign- known as the Haensean Civil War- against the Triumvirate, but ultimately his faction ended up victorious. However, the rebel faction had lost thousands of troops, as well as most of their upper leadership. With no clear ruler, the Haensean people looked to Hansrich- one of the last surviving rebel leaders- for direction.

Although initially reluctant, Hansrich was convinced by his colleagues to attempt to become Duke of Haense. The choosing of the new monarch was left to a referendum- which Hansrich ended up winning in an absolute landslide, with 78% of the vote in his favour. In the waning days of 1907, Hansrich swore a public pledge of loyalty to King Lucas, and became the Duke of Haense.