Bjárni II

**Bjárni II** (Full name: *Bjárni Finnlaugur Ingvaldur Arnbjörn Nordmann*; 22 August 1870 – 26 November 1967) was the first King of the Velkanian Isles since the restoration of independence in 1966, ruling from 1966 until his death in 1967. Additionally, Bjárni reigned as Duke of the Velkanias from 1900 until 1966. Born into the House of Oskársdætr, the royal house that has ruled the Velkanian Isles since the 8th-century, Bjárni was the eldest child of Bjárni I and Hansína Freyjdís, Duchess of the Velkanias.

Bjárni ascended to the throne upon his father's death on 18 May 1900. In 1907, Bjárni married Úlfhildur Ljósálfursdætr, a Velkanian noblewoman and socialite. With Úlfhildur, he had three daughters: Ragnhildur III, Princess Dóróthea, and Princess Lýdía. Bjárni's reign as a monarch brought upon great change for the Velkanian people. Beginning his reign as Duke of the Velkanias, he reigned over the Velkanian Duchy, an autonomous overseas territory of the Kingdom of Forsland. During the 1950s and 1960s, an independence movement in the Velkanian Duchy began gaining traction, leading to a successful 1965 independence referendum. After the restoration of Velkanian independence came into effect on 1 January 1966, Bjárni became the first King of the Velkanian Isles in more than three centuries.

Towards the end of his life, Bjárni began struggling with increasing health problems. He was hospitalized on 23 November 1967, following a heart attack, and later died of a second heart attack three days later. Following his death, his daughter Ragnhildur took the throne as Queen of the Velkanian Isles.

## Early life

Bjárni was born on 22 August 1870 at Krúningárathjálla Palace in Naríthjábæk as the first child of Bjárni I and Hansína Freyjdís, Duchess of the Velkanias. His father was the second son of Thórlaugur VI, while his mother was of the Velkanian nobility. At the time of his birth, the Velkanian Isles was a constituent country of Forsland, operating under the name of the Velkanian Duchy. His father was reigning as the Duke of the Velkanias, which was a title he was expected to inherit himself.

When Bjárni was one-and-a-half years old in 1872, his younger sister Princess Hjörfrídur was born. His youngest sister Princess Ísbjört was later born in 1880, when Bjárni was ten years old. Bjárni spent a brief portion of his early life residing in Ísafdur House on the grounds of Krúningárathjálla Palace, but later moved into the main residence of Krúningárathjálla Palace when his father took the throne as Duke of the Velkanias in 1872.

## Heir apparent

### Education

Bjárni began his education in 1876, attending Naríthjábæk Primary School for Boys, a private primary school for boys. In primary school, Bjárni was reportedly shy and struggled with making friends. Nevertheless, he was a gifted student and high academic achiever. He went on to graduate from primary school in 1886. After finishing his primary school education, Bjárni enrolled in Naríthjábæk Junior College, to study a social sciences program. According the press, Bjárni was unpopular while in high school, and was often ridiculed by his classmates for his introversion, clumsiness, and large frame. In 1902, Bjárni referred to his time at school as "generally unpleasant."

He graduated from high school in 1889, and afterwards moved to Munbach to enroll in the Faculty of History and Literature at the University of Munbach, graduating with a degree in Eurean history in 1892. Enjoying his time in Munbach, Bjárni reenrolled in the university, later receiving a second bachelor's degree and a master's degree, both in Helvarian literature, from the Faculty of History and Literature in 1895 and 1897, respectively. He returned to Naríthjábæk and enrolled in the University of Velkania, where he received a doctorate in Helvarian literature in 1905.

## Reign

### Ascension

On 18 May 1900, Bjárni I died after a lengthy battle with tuberculosis. Immediately following his death, Bjárni II was crowned the new Duke of the Velkanias.

### Marriage and children

In October 1905, Bjárni was introduced to Úlfhildur Ljósálfursdætr while attending a state dinner at Krúningárathjálla Palace; Úlfhildur was there as a guest of her father, as her father was a prominent member of the Velkanian nobility. Bjárni was instantly smitten with her, and decided to romantically pursue her; at age 35, many wondered if Bjárni would ever marry or bear children, as they felt he was running out of time to court a respectable wife. Úlfhildur reciprocated Bjárni's advances, and they eventually began a romantic relationship.

Upon beginning their relationship, Bjárni and Úlfhildur became a fashionable couple in Velkanian media. In August 1906, Bjárni and Úlfhildur became engaged, and the news of their engagement quickly swept through the nation. They went on to wed on 20 April 1907 in Naríthjábæk. Following their marriage, Úlfhildur received the title *Her Highness* Duchess consort of the Velkanias. Following their marriage, Úlfhildur moved into Krúningárathjálla Palace.

Úlfhildur gave birth to their first child, Ragnhildur, on 14 February 1910; Ragnhildur went on to become the first-ever Queen of the Velkanian Isles. Their second child, Dóróthea, was born on 1 June 1912, while their third and final child, Lýdía, was born on 20 February 1915. As they had no sons and the Velkanian monarchy practiced a system of male-preference primogeniture, this meant that Ragnhildur was set to become the first female monarch since Ragnhildur II in the 18th-century.

## Personal life

Apart from living in Ísafdur House for two years at the beginning of his life, Bjárni was primarily raised in the main residence of Krúningárathjálla Palace. In addition to his native Velkanian, Bjárni was also fluent in Forsish, Helvarian, and English, while he could also understand Hart.

A history buff, Bjárni was an amateur historian and archivist throughout his life. He kept a daily journal for more than 50 years, which he kept preserved and donated to the Velkanian Historical Society on his deathbed.

## Death

After the death of his wife in 1963, Bjárni's health also began rapidly declining. He suffered a stroke in June 1964, although he ultimately made a complete recovery. From 1964 to 1967, Bjárni was hospitalized on numerous occasions for various ailments, and began receiving dialysis treatments in 1966. On 23 November 1967, Bjárni suffered a massive heart attack which landed him in the hospital. While he generally recovered, he suffered a second massive heart attack three days later, which he died from. After his death, Ragnhildur III was officially declared as Queen.

## Family

The King had three children and three grandchildren at the time of his death in 1967. Since his death, his great-grandchildren and great-great-grandchildren have since been born.

* Ragnhildur III (born 14 February 1910). Ragnhildur married Velkanian noble and barrister Helgi Jóhannsson in 1935. They had one child together. Ragnhildur died of complications associated with a stroke on 13 June 1999.
	+ Hrafnhildur III (born 15 January 1938). Hrafnhildur married Velkanian commoner and sociology professor Jóhann Eiríksson in 1965. They have two children together.
* Princess Dóróthea (born 1 June 1912). Dóróthea never married nor bore any children. She died of an accidental drowning due to alcohol intoxication on 15 January 1965.
* Princess Lýdía (born 20 February 1915). Lýdía married Hartish noble and business executive Karl-Henrik av Heimlig in 1940. They had two children together. Lýdía died of complications associated with a stroke on 14 November 2005.
	+ Prince Eyríkur (born 29 October 1943). Eyríkur married Velkanian commoner and interior decorator Vagnbjörg Ísaksdætr in 1969. They have two children together.
	+ Princess Lífdís (born 14 August 1945). Lífdís married Velkanian commoner and record executive Viktor Valdórsson in 1978. They have two children together, and later divorced in 1990. She then married Velkanian commoner and lawyer Ósvald Leiknir Geirhjörtursson in 1995.

## Titles

* **22 August 1870 – 14 Septemebr 1872**: *His Highness* Prince Bjárni of the Velkanias
* **14 Septemebr 1872 – 18 May 1900**: *His Highness* Crown Prince Bjárni of the Velkanias
* **18 May 1900 – 1 January 1966**: *His Highness* Duke Bjárni II of the Velkanias
* **1 January 1966 – 26 November 1967**: *His Majesty* King Bjárni II of the Velkanian Isles