The Kingdom of Galland

The Kingdom of Galland is a minor hereditary monarchy in the Macropa region of the Southern Hemisphere of Telus. It is bordered by the Duchy of Halecroft, Das Reich der Zwerge (The Kingdom of the Dwarves), the South Macropan Sea, the Magna Draconis Spina (Great Dragon Spine) mountain range, and the Tal der Verdammten (the Hills of the Damned). It is presently ruled by King William of Galland.

## History

### Pre-Conquest

Prior to the establishment of the Kingdom of Galland, the region was known as Camusrigh. Camusrigh was made up of a loose collection of petty chiefdoms ruled chiefly by halflings that were generally inimical to one another, uniting only against outside threats. These tribes ruled agrarian communities from motte-and-bailey keeps that were the predecessors of the manorial fiefdoms which now make up Galland. Tapestries and other pieces of art from pre-conquest Galland suggest that Camusrigh existed in a form similar to this for hundreds of years prior to the invasion of Gallus in 0 AG.

Little remains of the culture of Camusrigh, although some of the ruling families of Camusrigh still persist in the Kingdom of Galland, most notably the family of Eorl Gruffyd "the Halfling" of Caerfydd. Aristocratic and common halfling households have kept alive some of the traditions of Camusrigh, including the festival of Céilíde Mhór, the superstitious belief in the existence of "wee folk", and folktales such as the legend of Cian.

### The Conquest of Camusrigh

The conquest of Camusrigh by Gallus occurred in 0 AG. Gallus was a skilled and ambitious leader who had amassed a considerable following in the Free City of Cittàlibera. In his quest for power and glory, Gallus set his sights on the fertile lands of Camusrigh, which was known for its bountiful harvests and its strategic position at the crossroads between the Kingdom of Marseau and the Kingdom of the Dwarves.

Gallus assembled a formidable army of soldiers, mercenaries, and adventurers from Cittàlibera, and launched a surprise attack on the unsuspecting people of Camusrigh. The halfling tribes that ruled the region were no match for Gallus' well-trained and disciplined troops, and were quickly defeated in a series of brutal battles. The pivotal battle in the war between Gallus and the people of Camusrigh took place at a location known as Dun Aengus, which was a strategically important hill fort near contemporary Grimsford. The defenders of the fort, led by the chief of one of the largest tribes in Camusrigh, put up a fierce resistance against Gallus and his army. However, Gallus was able to outflank the defenders by scaling a nearby cliff and launching a surprise attack from the rear. Despite their valiant efforts, the defenders were eventually overwhelmed, and Dun Aengus fell to Gallus. The battle at Dun Aengus was a turning point in the war, as it demonstrated Gallus' military prowess and broke the morale of the defenders, leading to the eventual conquest of Camusrigh.

Despite the initial resistance of the united tribes of Camusrigh, Gallus was eventually able to subjugate the entire region, and declared himself the king of the newly-formed Kingdom of Galland. Gallus imposed his own laws and customs on the people of Camusrigh, and established a system of feudalism that has lasted for 378 years. Following the conquest of Camusrigh by Gallus, the region was called Galland in honour of its conqueror. The people of Galland began to use a new calendar, the Gallii calendar, which sets its starting point as the year that Camusrigh was conquered by Gallus.

### The Gallander Dynasty

After conquering the land of Camusrigh, Gallus created the feudal Kingdom of Galland and established the Gallander dynasty which would rule Galland for the next 344 years. He established the seven Eorldoms of Galland to assist him in the administration of the newly formed Kingdom, and appointed trusted allies to be his Eorls.

After the death of Gallus in 24 AG, his nephew Aethelstan was crowned as the second king of Galland. Aethelstan was a just ruler who expanded the borders of the kingdom through diplomacy and trade. He also built many new castles and fortifications, which helped to secure the borders of Galland.

Aethelstan was succeeded by his son, Eadmund the Great, who ruled Galland from 53 AG to 92 AG. Eadmund was a skilled warrior who fought against many enemies of Galland, including raiders from the sea and neighbouring kingdoms. He was also known for his patronage of the arts and his support for the spread of Leguinism throughout the kingdom.

Eadmund was followed by his son, Aelfred the Wise, who reigned from 92 AG to 121 AG. Aelfred was a learned king who was known for his love of books and his support for education. He founded many schools and libraries throughout Galland, and his reign is remembered as a time of great intellectual and cultural flourishing.

Aelfred was succeeded by his son, Eadgar the Just, who ruled from 121 AG to 158 AG. Eadgar was a fair and just king who was known for his reforms of the legal system of Galland. He also supported the growth of trade and commerce, which helped to make Galland a prosperous kingdom.

Eadgar was followed by his grandson, Godfrith the Unready, who reigned from 158 AG to 189 AG. Godfrith was an indecisive king who faced many challenges during his reign, including internal unrest and an invasion of goblinoids from the Tal der Verdammten. Despite his shortcomings, he is remembered for his efforts to improve the lives of the common people of Galland.

Godfrith was succeeded by his son, Godfric the Confessor, who ruled from 189 AG to 218 AG. Godfric was a pious king who was known for his support of the church of Leguin and his efforts to build many new churches and monasteries throughout Galland. He was also a patron of the arts, and his reign is remembered as a time of great cultural and religious revival.

Godfric was followed by his son, Edgar, who reigned from 218 AG to 250 AG. Edgar was a brave and skilled warrior who fought many battles to defend Galland from its enemies. He is perhaps best remembered for his valiant defence of the kingdom against the invasion of the Kingdom of Marseau, which he repelled in a series of heroic battles.

Edgar was succeeded by his son, Gallus II, who reigned from 250 to 267 AG. Little of note was accomplished during his reign.

Gallus II was succeeded by his nephew, Alfred, who reigned from 267 to 299 AG. Alfred spent much of his reign struggling with internal strife as the Eorls of Galland chafed under the monarchy and agitated for more decentralised authority.

Alfred was succeeded by his cousin, Gallus III, who reigned from 299 to 340 AG. His reign was marked by stability and relative prosperity. He continued his predecessors' policies of strengthening the central authority of the monarchy and maintaining good relations with neighbouring kingdoms through diplomacy and trade. Gallus III was also known as a patron of the arts and sciences, and he established several new institutions of learning throughout Galland.

During his reign, there was a flourishing of literature, music, and art in Galland, and his court became renowned throughout the region for its cultural achievements. Gallus III was also a devout follower of Leguin, and he supported the church throughout his reign, funding the construction of many new churches and monasteries. He died from pneumonia in 340 AG at the age of 83.

### The First Gallander Civil War and the Collapse of the Gallander Dynasty

Gallus III was succeeded by his first son, John. On the 18th of January, 343 AG, King John died suddenly of smallpox aged 63, and was succeeded by his only child, Adalbert, then only 10 years old.

As a minor, Adalbert was incapable of directly ruling the Kingdom, and his uncle Ecgbert was appointed as his regent. The nobles of Galland repeatedly agitated at court for lowered taxes or increased local authority, but Ecgbert and his younger brother William were able to play the nobles against each other and maintain the status quo.

In the winter of 344 AG, Bertram "the Wolf", Eorl of Grimsford, claimed that he had discovered documents demonstrating that King Gallus III, the father of King John and grandfather to King Adalbert, was in fact a bastard child, and that his own deceased father, Eorl Alfred of Grimsford, had in fact been the rightful heir to the throne of Galland. Based on these documents, Bertram claimed the the throne of Galland as his own. At the beginning of Spring, he marched upon Sollust, the Kingdom's capital, with a force of 3,000 men, primarily mercenaries. Ecgbert attempted to raise the levies of the realm, but the fractured relationships between the crown and the Eorls prevented him from raising a substantial force. He attempted to block Bertram's passage to Sollust at the bridge of the River Weale with a force of 1,000 men but was roundly beaten and forced to retreat. Before he could regather his forces, Bertram stormed the keep of Sollust and seized King Adalbert.

Bertram then declared himself to be the rightful King of Galland and offered peace to Ecgbert, threatening to have Adalbert beheaded if they declined. Begrudgingly, Ecgbert accepted Bertram's claim, ending the Gallander dynasty.

Bertram moved the capital of the realm from Sollust to his own keep at Grimsford and reneged on his promise to release Adalbert, instead imprisoning him in the dungeons of Grimsford as a hostage.

### The Reign of the Wolf

After ascending to the throne, Bertram spent much of his reign securing the borders of Galland against the Reich to the south, the goblinoid tribes to the north and west, and the indomitable Duke of Halecroft to the east. After several failed incursions into Halecroft, Bertram turned his energies inwards, spending vast sums of silver building and upgrading a network of roads and canals around Grimsford and its satellite towns.

In 373 AG, the 29th year of his reign, Bertram was betrothed to Beate, a daughter of the König of the Zwerges Reich. They were married in 377 AG, creating a marriage alliance between Galland and the Reich.

### The Second Gallander Civil War

In 378 AG, the 34th year of Bertram's reign, the Kingdom began to fall into strife. The once safe lands of Galland began to suffer repeated incursions by orcs and goblinoids, and the highways began to be plagued by bandits. Alice, the young daughter of Eorl Ecgbert of Sollust, was assassinated, heightening the already mounting tension between Bertram and the Gallanders. When Bertram raised his army and attempted to march upon Anglson in a punitive expedition against the Black Hand, Ecgbert raised his army and refused the King's army passage across the bridge over the River Weale, leading to the Second Battle of Sollust and the beginning of the Second Gallander Civil War. The King's forces were defeated and driven back to Grimsford.

After their disastrous defeat at Sollust, the King's forces retreated to Grimsford and joined with the army of Prince Alfred. The Sons of Rorik and the Second Sons were driven from the field and began rampaging through Central Galland. The forces of the King then marched south to Hereston to demand the support of Eorl John of Hereston. Unfortunately for the King, the Eorl was persuaded to join the side of the Gallanders after being confronted with the combined forces of Ecgbert, William, Ælfwith of Hessburg, and Gruffyd the Halfling. The combined forces of the Gallanders and John of Hereston routed the King's army and killed Bertram the Younger.

The King's men retreated to the city of Grimsford with the Gallanders in close pursuit. The army of the Gallanders overcame the defences of Grimsford, driving the King's men back to the keep. A sudden and ferocious assault led by Lord Tadhg of Boughshire captured the keep on the 11th of November, 378 AG. During the chaos, Bertram and his sons Alfred and Alan were slain.

Bertram was succeeded as King of Galland by Eorl Ecgbert of Sollust. However, Ecgbert's reign would prove to be short-lived, as he was assassinated at his coronation on the 18th of November. Ecgbert was succeeded by his younger brother, Eorl William of Anglson, who took the throne as King William I of Galland.

## Civil Administration

Galland is a hereditary feudal monarchy with agnatic primogeniture succession. Its head of state is the King of Galland. The realm is divided into seven Eorldoms ruled by Eorls who swear fealty to the King. These Eorldoms are further divided into petty fiefs or manors which are ruled by aristocratic lords who swear fealty to their local Eorl.

The Eorldoms of Galland are:

* The Eorldom of Grimsford, at present held by King William of Galland;
* The Eorldom of Merthryn, at present held by King William of Galland;
* The Eorldom of Caerfydd, at present held by Eorl Gruffyd;
* The Eorldom of Hereston;
* The Eorldom of Hessburg, at present held by Eorl Ælfwith;
* and the Eorldom of Anglson, at present held by Eorl Tadhg.