King Kivthern

**King Kivthern** (Borovian: Kivthirne Kysther) (23rd October 1104 3E - 7th April 1164 3E) was the first Borovian King of Arthien, reigning from 1134 until his death in 1164. A descendent of Borovian tribesmen from northern Vinghjel and a member of the Vinghjel house of Barvaal, he was in control of the mercenary army of Theyelem from 1129 onward. After several years of warring with King Ohename, he successfully conquered the Arthenian capital of Haruna in 1134 3E, renaming it to Thyrgrin, and forcing Ohename to surrender.

Kivthern was coronated by Veohu II, patriarch of The Church of Theyelem, on the 3rd of August. Most of King Kivthern's reign was plagued by civil wars and struggle to maintain stability in Arthien. He was succeeded by his son Thervae I.

## Life in Vinghjel

### Early Life

Kivthern was born in a village in Vinghjel; most likely close to the bay of Thel, on the 23rd of October 1104. The identity of his parents are unknown, although he might have been a descendant of Bytharpe II. According to Thymvel, most of his youth was spent hunting and fishing. He was a proficient archer by age 18 and joined the mercenary army of Theyelem in 1125 3E. Because Borovians were considered skilled warriors, Kivthern quickly rose through the ranks and eventually became Grand General of Theyelem in 1128 after defeating an Enyrian invasion at the Battle of Thornhaved.

### Grand General

Kivthern's name became widely known in Vinghjel and Theyelem after the victory at Thornhaved. Leading several raids on Arthenian lands, Kivthern became infamous in Arthien, his name eventually reaching King Ohename in Haruna. Because of his involvement in the War of the Oceans in Bavel-He, Ohename had decided transfer most of the troops stationed near the border of Vinghjel to participate in the war, leaving much of northern Arthien undefended. Kivthern temporarily stopped conducting raids against the Enyrians to quell the rebellion at Khivhaved in 1131.

## Conquest of Arthien

Around 15 January 1134, Kivthern and his army of around 14,000 men, consisting of mercenaries from Theyelem and warriors from Vinghjel crossed into Arthien near the village of Elbei-Enturi. The Enyrians suffered heavy casualties because of the lack of warriors garrisoned in the area. On 4 March King Ohename signed the Treaty of Umun-He, ending the War of the Oceans and allowing his warriors to return to Arthien to fight Kivthern.

### Battle of Bopros

On 3 April 1134 Kivthern encountered an Enyrian army, led by Lord Tuvia Ionecas, about 2 kilometers west of the ancient Enyrian fortress of Bopros. Although outnumbered, Kivthern and his men fought fiercely, eventually defeating the Enyrian army. Kivthern's men had been marching south across the northern Arthenian grassland, whereas Ionecas' men had just emerged from the Tijonor swampland, leaving them exhausted and starved. Being the first major Enyrian defeat since 694 3E, the Battle of Bopros is considered a major turning point in the Conquest of Arthien. According to Thymvel, Lord Tuvia Ionecas fled the battle when he realized defeat was unavoidable, disguising as a fisherman and settling in Theyelem, where he lived until his death in 1141 3E.

### Siege of Haruna

In June 1134, Kivthern laid siege to the city of Haruna. Not much is known about the siege or its length. In Thymvel it is written that the siege lasted a full month, in other sources it is written that Kivthern captured the city in only two weeks. After Kivthern broke through the gates, King Ohename and the leading Enyrians exiled from Arthien and sent westwards, where they eventually resettled in Tavileibe.

### Coronation

On 3 August 1134, after successfully destroying the last battalions of Enyrian loyalists, Kivthern was crowned king of Arthien by Veohu II, the Patriarch of the Church of Theyelem. The coronation took place in the Temple of Etherli, which had been renovated to remove any Enyrian icons. The Arthien population accepted their new Borovian king, after years of Ohename's corrupt rule.

## Reign

Despite initially defeating the remaining Enyrian loyalists, new rebellions soon showed up in western Arthien. Some of these rebellions consisted of mercenaries hired by Enyrian sympathisers, most notably Lord Keral-Ev of Bavel-He, who had fought with Ohename in the War of the Oceans. Shortly after Keral-Ev's death in 1136, it was revealed that Keral-Ev was planning to invade Arthien and install a puppet government, using the mercenaries as a distraction. King Kivthern forgave Keral-Ev's son, Viln-Ev IV. Peace between Arthien and Bavel-He was maintained until the War of Fire in 1835 3E. Kivthern's reign between 1136 and 1143 3E was largely uneventful.

### Third Arthien Civil War

*Main article: Third Arthien Civil War*

In 1143 3E, a militia named Thaavel Bakersha was founded in the east-Arthien city of Tral. Led by Pravaal Bakersha, its goal was to reinstate the house of Bakersha as the rulers of Arthien, after 1200 years had passed since the last Bakersha King, Bershuel III. The uprising started in the Vargrinder Mountains with the Battle of Garbamn, which ended in a pyrrhic victory for the Thaavel Bakersha. After the battle, Thaavel Bakersha was in control of several areas west of the Vargrinder Mountains, especially around the upper Kytheng river. Between 1144 and 1147 3E, areas under control of the Thaavel Bakersha slowly grew. During this time, they sent out scouts to areas in Arthien with many Bakershans in order to recruit them. Most Bakershans did not support the Thaavel Bakersha, although as many as 5,000 Bakershans joined the militia during the uprising.

In 1148 3E, the Thaavel Bakersha launched a major offensive against the city Kythergn. The city was captured, but Pravaal Bakersha was killed in the battle. As Kivthern fell ill after the battle and could not fight in the rest of the war, Thervae I assumed control of the military. Pravaal Bakersha's son, Bershuel Bakersha IV, assumed control of the militia. In the wake of the battle, a Bakershan man loyal to Kivthern, known as Shav'edam Bakersha Veosht, joined the Thaavel Bakersha in order to infiltrate the militia.

By 1151 3E, Shav'edam had became a trusted member of the Thaavel Bakersha, and on 15 May 1152 3E he convinced Bershuel's wife, Ymthes, who was at the time pregnant with Bershuel's son, to run away and surrender to Kivthern. She did so and was granted amnesty. On 16 May, Shav'edam told Bershuel what his wife had done, and killed him. The ensuing power struggle between generals of the Thaavel Bakersha incapacitated the militia. After a series of defeats and significant loss of territory, Eshmaa Yudin Bakersha assumed control over the Thaavel Bakersha; despite this, the Thaavel Bakersha continued to be pushed back until Tral was surrounded by Arthien forces on 9 December 1153 3E. The Thaavel Bakersha achieved one last strategic victory at the Battle of Tralstund. On 18 December, the Thaavel Bakersha was defeated as Arthien military stormed the city. Eshmaa was captured before managing to commit suicide. He was put on trial and executed.

Shav'edam Veosht Bakersha was knighted by Kivthern for his actions. Shav'edam helped end negative stigmas and stereotypes that were held about Bakershans after the war. Bershuel Bakersha IV's son, Nodin Bakersha, distanced himself from the views and actions of his forefathers. Damages done during the war were not fully repaired until 1162 3E.