House of Bālthor

The **House of Bālthor** (Alseslang: Haus Bālthor) is the reigning dynasty of Alsesia. Founded in antiquity as a noble house of the Kylish Empire, the Bālthors became royals in their own right following their exodus from Kylan during the succession war. Although they have technically remained an unbroken bloodline since their establishment, Bālthorian rule over Alsesia is broken up into four dynasties, reflecting significant changes to the family from marriages and distant relatives being appointed to the throne.

The current head of the house is Markūs I. A list of former monarchs of Alsesia can be found here.

## Name

The name Bālthor was reportedly given to the founder by Chadlos himself. In Old Kylish, the name means "Strength of Will", a name that would be Vultor in the modern Kylish language.

## Founding

The founding member of the house is recorded in historical texts as Andru Bālthor I. Andru the First holds the distinction of being the only head of the house to ever bear that personal name. Andru the First was born around 330 BGC in a small, unknown village somewhere in the southwest of present-day Kylan. When he was approximately the age of 12, raiders from Minter sacked his village, killed his family, and sold him into slavery. He was bought by fighting pit masters and spent almost eight years in the arena.

One day, the arena masters made Andru and several other slaves fight a horde of drugged children armed with spears. Disdainful and weary of his life, Andru nevertheless fought to protect his fellow slaves, resulting in the slaughter of dozens of children, much to the joy of the crowd.

That night, enraged by what he had been forced to do, Andru gathered dozens of his fellows and staged a revolt. After escaping the pits, they fled into the wilderness, where their numbers slowly began to dwindle from starvation and injuries.

According to the annals of the Bālthor family, Andru faced with certain death, found a large boulder hanging over a precipice and was ready to jump. However, before he could do so, Chadlos himself appeared before him and his follows, restoring their vitality and ordering them to head north to safety. The escaped slaves obeyed this command, and eventually came upon the ruined walls of a damaged city: Kyris.

According to historical records, Andru Bālthor was granted a title of nobility in 297 BGC, when he would have been either 32 or 33 years old.

## Kylish Empire

In the Kylish Empire, the Bālthors were second in wealth and influence to only the Weslans. With a near-monopoly on trades through their ownership of the empire's largest trading fleets and ports, the family was respected and powerful. The support of the Bālthors was vital for any prospective emperor whenever the throne was vacant, and the family was a permanent presence in advisory matters and court-life.

After leaving Kylan amidst the war, the Bālthors conquered Soldakia Island and established the first dynasty of Alsesia.

## First Dynasty

The First Dynasty refers the rule of the Bālthors from 27 BGC to 917 AGC.

The dynasty is said to have ended with the ascent of Henri II in 917. Henri II, instead of being a direct descendant of Tomas I, was his predecessor's second cousin's fourth-born daughter's husband, although he was still an ethnic Kylyn.

## Second Dynasty

The Second Dynasty refers to Bālthor family from Henri II until 1227, when Ūnmord III took the throne. Ūnmord III was his predecessor's fifth cousin's second-born daughter's husband, and was chosen due to the unsuitability of the Czar's own children and a desire to placate an unrest in Tohoski by installing a popular, culturally Hoschyn war hero on the throne.

## Third Dynasty

The Third Dynasty was the descendants of Ūnmord III, and ruled until the death of Fredrek I in 1874 as the result of a plague. A regency government followed for two years until Skēran I, Fredrek I's youngest living grandson, ascended to the throne to form the Fourth Dynasty in 1876.

## Fourth Dynasty

The Fourth Dynasty is the current reigning dynasty of the country, consisting of the descendants of Skēran I. Markūs I is the current reigning monarch following the passing of his grandfather, Danil VII.