Soleil Dynasty VI

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The last 200 years or so of the Soleil dynasty were turbulent times. Marked by both one of Aodh’s greatest rulers in King Solaris, and by the greatest and most unfortunate extremes the herd had ever faced in King Mishal. Many of the Kings are controversial, having been loved by some and hated by others in a much greater extent than many previous monarchs.

These Kings are still fresh in the memories of many Aodhians, and their actions, good and bad, still affect the lives of many.

## Calida Soleil (1539-1583)

### Color

Bay

Regulated the Crucible, abolishing fights to the death (sans Crowning Day). Made legislation on the treatment of Pit Fighters. Crushed major criminal organizations.

### Early Life

Calida was the firstborn of Azar, and was personally tutored in leadership by her grandparents, Kings Ursula and Kai.  It was not immediately obvious to others what the twins saw in her, for Calida was not the most vibrantly talented student, nor was she a great talent in the arts, or a natural socialite.

No, she was something better: she was driven by an indomitable will, and she would try until she succeeded. Unafraid and relentless, Calida was from her youth a woman of big pictures - a true stateswoman, rather than a mere political schemer.

### Reign

Calida ascended the throne at age 34, and made the Crucible her life’s mission. Given a political match from the notable Aelius house, Calida had the monetary backing to go after the corrupt organization. At the time, the Crucible was run by a syndicate of corrupt nobles and downright criminals, completely unregulated and without royal control. Calida wrestled control of the operations, declawing or destroying the criminal organizations that ran it.

Brought under the Crown control, Calida began to tax the Crucible, making it one of the Crown’s most profitable revenue streams. This not only made her the richest King to date, but also one of the most unpopular. This was not helped by her abolishing fights to the death (outside the Crowning Day Tourney), and pushing through legislation that protected Pit Fighters. Among these was the age limit (no fighters younger than 18), and forbidding the use of underhanded modifications on fighters (such as sharp dental implants or spiked horseshoes).

The constant danger to the lives of not only herself, but her family, kept Calida away from large meetings or public life unless absolutely necessary. She was a powerful ruler, and used her Advisers as her eyes and ears around the city. Calida was ruthless when necessary, and put more than a few treasonous traitors to the flame in her years as monarch. Outside the Crucible, her reign was stabile and unremarkable for most common people.

### Issue and Death

Calida’s ambitions for the Crucible led to her barely dodging two assassination attempts; the second one succeeded in killing her First Consort. Her oldest child was also assassinated, leading to the less equipped Mishal becoming Crown Prince. The third and final attempt in 1583 was successful, although the initial injury did not seem life-threatening. Calida was 78 and had reigned for an impressive 44 years at the time of her death.

## Mishal Soleil (1583-1593)

### Color

Chestnut

Inquisition; outlawed the worship of any God other than Ignacio. Destroyed Vatros and Enya.

### Early Life

Mishal was the second child of King Calida and her First Consort, Prisca Aelius. In his early years he received an education designated more towards becoming an Adviser, rather than a King, with a focus on internal affairs rather than global politics. He was considered a somewhat fragile child.

When Mishal was an older teenager, an attempt was made on the life of King Calida, and although the King survived, Mishal became anxious and paranoid. This might have been just a passing phase had his older sister not been murdered in 1568. Young Mishal was left traumatized, and turned increasingly to Ignacio. The now Crown Prince found no answer to his prayers - the god was silent.

After Prisca was killed in the second attempt on Calida’s life in 1577, Mishal’s world became filled with enemies. Filled with fear and rage Mishal began to assemble trusted friends, becoming convinced that the sorrows on his family were caused by heretics.

### Reign

Upon the death of King Calida from a third, and successful, assassination attempt in 1583, King Mishal took to the throne. Many had low expectations of the King who had already surrounded himself with a pack of sycophants, but none expected what happened: a full blown inquisition, making the worship of any god other than Ignacio illegal and punishable by death. King Mishal elevated radicalized Chevaliers into positions of power, and was often seen with his hoof-picked and unusually brutal personal guard.

His Inquisition was brutal, and lasted his whole ten year reign. Victims included the entire Sanctums of Vatros and Enya (purged by King’s order in 1584), several noble houses known for worshipping other gods, as well as some prominent artisans. Commoners were not safe, either, for Mishal’s vision of Aodh had no room for anyone who did not bow to the god of fire - the one true god. Thousands were burned while the King watched.

More and more would die as Mishal chased the approval of a silent god. The state affairs were left largely unattended or handled by his Advisers, with the King too busy tracking down imaginary enemies.

### Issue and Death

Mishal only had one legitimate child, Edna, and several bastards, most of whom he was not aware of. He died in 1593 of a sudden, violent stroke, aged only 49. Mishal’s legislation changes were all torn down during Edna’s reign.

## Edna Soleil (1593-1641)

### Color

Smoky black

Utter destruction and dismantling of the Inquisition. Religious freedom - worship of Alya made legal for the first time since the reign of Titus. Reconstruction of Enya and Vatros Sanctums. Allocated funds into science and education.

### Early Life

Edna was born before her father became King, and her early childhood was uneventful, even happy. She had the usual early tutoring, and was largely kept sheltered from the outside world, mostly having slaves and children of servants as her mates. As a child she greatly admired her grandmother King Calida, both her strong presence and indomitable will and perseverance.

During the reign of her father Edna was rarely seen in public due to Mishal’s increasingly unreasonable and extreme paranoia which saw enemies everywhere. The daughter of the King lived in isolation. Her teachers praised her great intellect and innovative skills, and showed mild concern for her cold and calculating nature.

Shortly after Edna turned seventeen Mishal died suddenly of what seemed like a stroke. Many suspected Edna of poisoning her father, but no one could prove it, although many said that her cool indifference to the news and immediate reforms spoke for themselves. Freed from her father’s tyranny Edna set her capable mind to fixing the state of Aodh.

### Reign

Her first actions as King showed that she was just as passionate as Mishal, but instead of emotional and religious fervor and temperamental bursts, she had absolute, cold and brutal efficiency. Systematically she pursued, persecuted and executed the culprits of the Inquisition with thoroughness that did not look into status or name. Her work to reform the religion in Aodh took many years, as Edna was intelligent, and although she was terribly efficient, she knew how to bring permanent change, rather than enact sudden and brittle policies.

She reinstated religious freedom, and made Alya worship legal for the first time in a near millenia. She personally oversaw the rebuilding of Enya and Vatros, and reinstated the other gods in the great temple of Fernos. Edna made a conscious point of praying to all gods, and visited Vatros, Fernos and Enya exclusively, never stepping into the Ignacio dedicated Ignis or Azar - not even for her coronation.

After the early years of her reign, Edna dedicated money to the advances of science - including the first prototypes of a railroad - and education. She personally handed out accolades to esteemed scientists, doctors and lecturers, a tradition which Solaris later continued.

Edna was known as a good yet frightful King. She was coldly logical and had a scientific mind with a distinct lack of empathy, but valued education, intelligence and integrity. Her reign increased the esteem of teachers and scientists, and these changes, as well as the projects yielded from them, were generally well received. Her religious views, however, were as divisive as her father’s - those who had been persecuted by Mishal loved her, while those who had followed him feared and hated her. To her enemies, Edna was merciless.

### Issue and Death

Her personal life was quiet, and she kept it private. Edna picked her own consorts, preferring Houses that her father had persecuted, and had two legitimate children. Her firstborn, a daughter born in 1601 was stillborn.  Her second born, Remiel, became the heir apparent upon his birth. The third born, another daughter, was sent to Talori.

Edna reigned until her already ailing health forced her to withdraw from power in 1641, aged 65. According to some sources, she lamented her illness - not because it might kill her, but because her son was unfit to rule over what she had created. After abdicating the throne, Edna lived for 16 years in a peaceful retirement in Bloom, although she reportedly sent her son many scalding letters on his governing of the nation. Her death at the age of 81 was peaceful, and she died in her home in Bloom.

## Remiel Soleil (1641-1676)

### Color

Smoky cream

First railroads. Economically and socially stable reign. Further tax reductions and general preferential treatment for nobility.

### Early Life

Remiel was born during a tumultuous time in Aodh’s history - his mother, Edna, was still curbing out remnants of religious intolerance, and reforming Aodh in her image. Remiel was given the highest education available, as befitted the crown Heir. He was not a particularly excellent student; competent, certainly, not necessarily lacking talent, but he had little eye or interest in politics or art of diplomacy. As he grew, he showed a similar disinterest in state affairs, which his mother detested, and the two had a cold relationship at best. Their relationship only got worse as Remiel grew older, and showed that his passions were with parties and social gatherings, rather than his studies and duties as the crown Prince.

### Reign

When Remiel finally did become King - although he wasn’t historically old for the position - there was a sense of anticipation in the courts and among commoners alike. Edna had been a good King, but also a ferocious one. Many expected Remiel to be a similar powerhouse of change.

They were disappointed.

Remiel showed only the most minimal interest and effort in running affairs of the state, preferring to send his First Consort to deal with things in his stead. He kept afloat projects already started by his mother, but did not put in any effort towards improvement otherwise, and instead focused his interest into befriending and socializing with nobility.

Compared to Edna, or even Mishal, Remiel was extremely classist, and made his preference for the nobles, especially the Great Houses, obvious with both his legislation, and his public appearances. Remiel took several consorts and lovers, all from Great Houses, and smoothed over many hurt feelings left by Edna. His reign made Aodh stable, but stagnant.

### Issue

His firstborn came unusually late, as the King was already fifty when Solaris was born. His second and final legitimate child, Lilith, was born in 1665, almost ten years later, mostly due to the necessity of a marriage arrangement with the Talori. It is said he had bastards with some of his lovers, but the King never commented on the matter.

### Later Years and Death

As soon as Solaris was considered prepared for leadership, Remiel retired, leaving Aodh with an unusually young King once more. He retreated completely from public life to the Opulence estate of one of his consorts, to where he moved his personal entourage in its entirety. King Remiel never intervened with political matters of his daughter, and only returned to New Valore for parties and to attend the Royal Presentations of his grandchildren.

King Remiel died in 1689 at the age of 83 as the result of a prolonged illness.

## Solaris Soleil (1676-1699)

### Color

Palomino

Aodh’s golden age. Public railroad. Slave rights improvement. Prosperous trade with War Forged.  Equality laws. Curbing corruption. Improved relations with Serora and Breim.

### Early Life

Solaris was born unusually late into her father’s life - Remiel was already 50 at the time. From a young age Solaris was educated by the very best Aodh had to offer, as well as some teachers imported from Breim. In her adolescence she was already well learned, and would often act as regent while Remiel was away. Although the young Prince was admired and well-loved by the people, she was less so by her father, with whom she often clashed - a result of her passion and his desire for safety colliding, sometimes rather violently.

### Reign

Ascending to the throne at only twenty years of age, Solaris quickly proved herself a remarkable and strong leader. She started her reign with several public projects, most notably massive railroad construction efforts to connect all of Eithne in an efficient network for travel and commerce, while driving down the price of tickets to make the luxury of train travel available to all. Her other interest was foreign politics, and during her reign War Forged became a closer ally and trade partner than they had ever been, owing in part to the close personal relationship between their leaders. She also laid down the footwork for a closer relationship with Breim and Serora, both of which were later squandered.

Her other achievements were laws to protect labor slaves from overworking, laws to make the legal system and taxation less punishing on the poorer sections of the population, and removing corruption from the cogs of the government machine. Her passion for improving the lives of *all* her subjects was immense, and she personally gave out grants for promising academics to improve the society and sciences of Aodh. She was beloved by the people, and hers was considered a golden age. Among the nobility she was more divisive, especially after the preferential treatment given to them by Remiel, but most agreed that she was the King Aodh needed.

### Personal Life

Her personal life was eventful, and not always happy. Solaris didn’t have a close relationship with her father or half-sister. Instead she found allies in her consorts, of which she had four. Additionally she had several lovers, notably War Lord Hira of the War Forged - although this was never exactly public.

With her consorts Solaris had four children: The oldest, Alduin, with her first consort Lucillius Aelius, Marcellus with her second consort (scandalously of Lesser House origin), and finally Amadeus and Merril with her third consort, who was rumored to be a love-match. She also doted on her extended family, including the cousins of her children, and Alduin’s half-brother, Aleksei. It has later been commented that she might have been too much of a mother to be able to raise an heir to match her in skill.

Much woe was brought to her by her younger sister, Lilith, who was the betrothed of the Talori emperor, but instead caused a diplomatic dispute between the two nations, forcing Solaris into an agreement that altered the bi-generation exchange pattern, assigning her own daughter as the bride to the much older emperor rather than her sister.

### Issue and Death

Her glorious reign ended in years of great sadness. As 1696 gave way to 1697, before the strike of a new year, Alduin and Marcellus, as well as Solaris’ first and third consort and many other members of the court, were murdered. While the assailants were caught and executed, it was of little comfort to those who had lost loved ones in the senseless violence. Solaris herself put her remaining strength into preparing Amadeus for the throne - a task still wholly unfinished in 1699 when a sudden, violent illness took her life. Solaris was only 43 years old at the time of her death.

Solaris’ passing was mourned by all of Aodh, and she is remembered with great fondness. Even in the poorest and most wretched districts of New Valore, one can find monuments to her life and achievements.

## Amadeus Soleil (1699-1700)

### Color

Cremello

Destroyed an alliance with Breim. War with Serora. Branding of all slaves. They hold the questionable honor of the second shortest reign in Aodhian history.

### Early Life

Born sickly and small, raised with the gentlest hoof, Amadeus was never meant to be King. Her delicate constitution made her sheltered, and although receiving the best education money and connections could buy, she hardly had the temper of a Prince.

### Reign

An unlikely successor, Amadeus ascended to the throne at 16 after the untimely death of both of her older siblings, and her mother. She was virtually unknown both to her people and her court, having spent so much of her life under the careful watch of slave caretakers and tutors. Her reign was short, but catastrophic; in less than a year Amadeus, although well intentioned, had managed to destroy a tentative alliance with Breim that her mother had laid down. Her reign also saw an increase in dangerous Vindicator activity, including a devastating raid on the Crucible during the new years festivities.

Although endearing to those closest to her, Amadeus was the most universally disliked king Aodh had seen in centuries - her incompetence often chalked up to malice. She was rarely seen in public, and her questionable choices and weak leadership led many to question the state and might of Aodh.

### "Death" and Exile

Amadeus survived an attempt on her life in autumn 1700, but had to flee Aodh, and has since lived in exile. None in Aodh are aware that she yet lives. She arrived in Breim in late 1700, but soon left, hoping to link up with her mother’s friend War Lord Hira for help. She was captured en-route, and is currently a member of the Vindicators. Her exact whereabouts are unknown.