Olivenna

Olivenna the Strategist

The Leading Lady

Neirada Narclair

Very bright

Pragmatic

**Olivenna** was the first Queen of the Heartland since the conception of the Kingdom of Lihanna in 47 AGC. She ruled for an exceptionally long period, and died at the formidable age of 99. She had inherited the throne from her father Giacaumo II after her two older brothers had died. Unlike the other kingdoms of Nuimucand, women could also inherit the throne when they were the oldest or first willing in line of birth.

Olivenna was particularly known for her cunning and her beauty. She was tall for a woman, had a good shape and stunning red hair. Even when she was an old woman, she didn't lose any of her charisma and persuasive qualities.

Olivenna ruled from 129 AGC for 83 years, and died from influenza in 213 AGC. She had outlived her son, and because he had fathered no children, the direct line stopped with Olivenna, and passed on to a distant cadet branch. This rendered Borbas I the successor of Olivenna.

## Reign

Olivenna's reign was a turbulent one, like her father's. She dealt with a lot of internal problems, like the decadent position of a lot commanders and officers in the army. After her rigirous reforms, a part of the army revolted. A stable core stayed loyal to her however, and crushed the rebellion. This incident is called the Diamond Rebellion, which took place in 135 AGC.

The next rebellion took place when Olivenna refused to let her son Alec marry to a girl from a lower clan. Their family wouldn't have gained anything from it. This family did however bear the support of lots of bannermen, and stormed the castle. This situation was called the Mistletoe Upheaval, and came to pass in the waning months of 151 AGC.

In 163 AGC she faced the Second Eshabiddi Invasion. 52 years after the first one, another, even greater drought rages through the Eshabid Steppes. This time, the Eshabid Sands even got a little bigger as a consequence of the event, to illustrate the dire circumstances. Even more throngs of people poured into the eastern fringes of Lihanna this time. They didn't only completely ravage the border post in the Bashakid Pass, but they also came through a very treacherous pass to the south, the Saviav Gates. Olivenna had to consult with her generals how to avoid getting caught in a pincer move by two armies on horseback. The Lihannese army was still mostly on foot, even though their ranks of horseriders was growing exceptionally during her rule (another one of her military reforms).

Her armies were able to push most of the splintered groups back into the mountains, but just when they had another horde took them by surprise from the north. Just in time, Grand Vizier Maccalas came from Moava to help the Lihannese army relieve the stress on the former Eshabiddi troops, so Olivenna, her generals and the remainder of the army could concentrate on the north. Together, they crushed the invading armies, and drove back those they hadn't killed or taken prison. Both Lihanna and Moava had mutual interest in their military cooperation, since a small part of Moava was also exposed to mountain passes that lead from the Steppes into their country.

In 166 AGC Lihanna, Moava and Juddauril signed the Treaty of Lassul in the Moavan capital of Lassul, that ensured that all three countries would come to each others aid in case of an invasion, war with another country, etc. One of the three signatures on one of the most important post-Collapse documents still present in the Tower Library on display (approx. 1000 AGC) was that of Olivenna.

In 169 AGC, Matteio (her husband) died. She wore black for the rest of her life. Their marriage was for pragmatic reasons, but by coincidence they really fitted well together, and she was heartbroken to lose him. His death didn't break her spirit, but she was more dour as a person after she lost him.

In 172 AGC, Alec finally married (to an Ulladon woman, much to his mother's delight). In 173 however, she bore a stillborn child. After a few other attempts it was clear that she had become barren, and Alec wasn't very potent either. This worried Olivenna to a great extent, because he would be without an heir.

The period between 172 and 198 AGC was a stable one. Only minor military disruptions occurred. In the meantime Olivenna fortified her borders to the northeast and east. She reinforced all the forts in the Saviav Mountains, and the one in Bashakid Pass was almost a city in its own right when she was done with it.

In 198 AGC Moava and the southern Kingdom of Musumenna clashed. The First Pepper War took a lot of lives, and went on for almost five years. The reason for the war was that spice merchants from Musumenna had to pay extra taxes in the cities that were considered part of Moava. This was always the case, but because the High Council had raised the taxes anywhere it was also felt by foreign merchants. Borders were not sharply defined near the end of the 2nd century AGC, because kings, queens and leaders in general weren't powerful enough to have a rigidly consolidated state with their limited resources. Because of this, Musumenna was ceding several towns in the area where their spheres of influence clashed. This went against a treaty the two states signed half a century earlier, and this sparked the conflict. Olivenna sent a another large detachment to Moava to support her allies, and together with a Moavan and Juddauran army they completely crushed the present army in the Battle of Lassul. The Musumennese actually managed to breach the walls of the city, but were pushed back by Lihannese men. The war would linger on for almost four years, but a battle that didn't involve Lihannese troops crushed the final threats in 203 AGC.

In 209 AGC her final challenge posed itself. The Third Eshabiddi Invasion had new, massive armies march into the Easternwood from the direction they also took the last time. This time, it was their only way of entry. The amount of raiders on horseback was so formidable, that they almost sacked the capital in the Siege of Adalborno in 210 AGC. Moavan, Lihannese and Juddauran forces together pushed back the Eshabiddi forces, and drove them towards the northeast. From the higher ground, volleys of arrows decimated entire flanks of the Eshabiddi raiders. The battle took six days, but almost the entire army of the enemy was destroyed, and the remaining raiders fled northward.

Olivenna ordered a fortification to be built, deep within the Easternwood, to fend off future invasions. During the reign of Borbas I, the Forest Wall would be completed.

## Death

In 213 AGC, Olivenna died peacefully in her sleep, after a life of military expeditions and meticulous planning. She was interred in the family mausoleum, and has the second most elaborate tomb, after Giacaumo the Founder. Her far cousin Borbas I inherited the throne.