Boda II

**Boda II** (b. 140, d. 204), also known as Boda the Merry, was King of Mon Altrya from 158 - 204 AD. Boda became the first Altryanese King to commonly refer to himself by his family name, as Boda of House Martyl. This was to begin a tradition of common usage of family names being used.

## Early life

Boda was the second born son of Maluthis I and was said to have been extremely close to his older brother, Kolgrim

Kolgrim was crowned King at the age of 19 after the death of his father, Maluthis I in 148 AD. Kolgrim spent his nine-year reign between the capital and Borgadia where he fought in the Second Borgadian War. In 155, aged 15, Boda accompanied his brother in Borgadia and had his first taste of battle.

In 157 AD Kolgrim suffered a terrible defeat in Borgadia and only narrowy survived the battle only to die three days later. Kolgrim died without an heir and Boda, aged 17 was captured by Ban Tary in battle. With Kolgrim dead and Boda imprisoned, it was their uncle, Drunida I, who claimed the Altryanese crown. Drunida’s reign was to last little more than a year before he died under mysterious circumstances.

Boda's maternal uncle, Sava Montaigne, claimed the throne on his nephew's behalf as regent of Altrya. Sava, a senior commander in the Altryanese army assumed command of the armies and led the Altryanese to victory after victory. The Borgadian War was going so well for the Altryanese that by 161 AD, Sava accepted the surrender of the Ban Tarywith terms of the surrender, that Boda would be released.

As a royal, Boda’s four years in captivity was served in relative luxury and he was treated well by his Ban Tary captors. Upon his release at the age of 21, he left the Ban Taryan court having been newly married to Cadalla, the niece of the Ban Tary King, who he had grown close to in captivity. The Ban Tary court felt that the marriage, would soften the recent defeat in Borgadia and ensure peace.

## King of Mon Altrya

After his release from captivity, Boda returned home to Altrya, beside his new wife, his uncle, Sava Montaigne and his commanders. In the capital he received a hero’s welcome. The townsfolk welcomed Boda as the defender of the realm and Victor of the Second Borgadian War, despite the fact he had seen very little action in the war.

Boda was officially crowned King in the summer of 161 alongside his wife. His first action was to declare, Sava Montaigne, his new Crown Chancellor and during his early years as King, he left the governing of the realm to his uncle, whilst he toured the Kingdom alongside the Queen.

Boda spent more time touring the realm than he did in the capital and he began to receive a reputation of being a crowd pleaser. Everywhere he visited with the Queen he would receive a hero’s welcome and many nobles quietly muttered that he was no hero.

His touring of the realm was bought to an abrupt end in 175 AD, when news arrived that the Ban Tary King had been overthrown and the new King was preparing for war with Mon Altrya. Boda returned to the capital to oversee the preparations of the army, but when the time came to depart, he chose to place Sava Montaigne in command and Boda remained in the capital.

The Third Borgadian War lasted six years, ending in 181 AD, with a resounding victory for Mon Altrya. Sava's success in the war elevated him to god like status in Mon Altrya. This frustrated Boda immensely and by 185 AD, he informed Sava that his services were no longer required as Crown Chancellor and he was replaced with Boda's close friend and ally, Lentin Ameno. Lentin was no grand military mastermind, like his predecessor, Sava Montaigne, however he was a shrewd and efficient statesman. Sava's services were required one last time in 190 AD, when Boda dispatched him the quell a rebellion in northern Kellodia. Sava, now 74 years-old returned home a year later, once more victorious. This was to be the last taste of war for Sava and he died two years later.

## Later reign

Boda's long reign as King saw many conflicts, however he interfered little in any of them and allowed his Lords and commanders to oversee battles. He also had little interest in politics and allowed his Crown Chancellor almost complete running of the realm. By the late 190's corruption in the Kingdom had become widespread and many nobles and military commanders had become sick of Lentin Ameno, who raised taxes steeply and rewarded those close to him with honours and titles, overlooking the Lords of senior nobility and war heroes.

It was in 196 AD that one of these senior nobles and a decorated war hero, Denux Lecinth, challenged Chancellor Lentin's rule in the royal court and Lentin ordered Lecinth be seized and imprisoned. Many in the court were furious, including the Crown Prince, Kolgrim, who just shy of 30, had become a proven military commander. Kolgrim appealed to his father, the King, to overrule Lentin and immediately release Lecinth, but the King failed act, only offering his son vague promises. Kolgrim decided to take matters into his own hands and had Lecinth released, which when Chancellor Lentin found out, was furious. He announced that Lecinth be re-arrested, alongside Prince Kolgrim and his conspirators. This was unprecedented, for never before had a Crown Chancellor attempted to imprison a Crown Prince.

In response to the Chancellor's warrant of arrest, Prince Kolgrim and Denux Lecinth presented themselves to the gates of the city in Altrya, however at the head of an army. The city guards were at a loss whether to allow the Crown Prince and his army access to the city or to bar the gates. They chose the first option and fled their positions. Kolgrim marched his army to Aldarra Palace, the Crown Chancellors residence. Here the Chancellors guards did indeed bar the gates and forbade the Prince entry. When the King was notified of the stand-off occurring at Aldarra palace he chose to not intervene, despite his senior nobles requesting a decision on which side the King wanted them to take. After 5 days, Kolgrim's men stormed the Chancellors Palace and detained him. He was stripped of his fine robes by the princes' men and dragged to the dungeons of Hammer Hall, where Kolgrim demanded that the Alderman Council decide on the Chancellors fate.

Now the King did attempt to intervene. There was uproar in the court when the King requested Lentin be released and had no case to answer. He did not realise what little support he commanded in the Alderman Court and the Crown Prince had become a popular figure amongst the nobles. The supporters of the Prince demanded that Lentin be executed for treason and corruption, whilst the more conservative members of the court argued that he should be banished from the capital. Lentin did however command a section of support within the court and after days of bargaining, all sides agreed that banishment from the capital would be an adequate solution to the dilemma.

The next major decision was selection of a new Crown Chancellor. The Crown Prince was by the most popular candidate, but Kolgrim refused to be considered, which many believe to be down to the lack of faith he had in the King. After weeks of negotiating at court the final two candidates were Uthdane Gundon, a senior noble of immense standing at court, and Olynber Torgyl, the Patriarch of Mon Altrya, an elderly but popular religious figure in the court. The eventual winner of the ballot was Torgyl, sought the permission of the High Patriarch of Adeleya, to be de-selected as Patriarch of Mon Altrya, so that he could take up his new position as Crown Chancellor. The High Patriarch was agreeable to this and felt it would be advantageous to Adeleya, to have such a pious man in such a senior position.

Olynber Torgyl proved to be a fine selection and despite his advanced age of 81 years, he was a competent Chancellor. The King was rarely seen in the capital by 200 AD and chose to spend his later years in his summer residence in Anderium. The Crown Prince continued to play a senior role at court and was a well-respected voice in Hammer Hall.

Upon the death of Olynber Torgyl in 202 AD, Uthdane Gundon was elected to be the next Crown Chancellor and as a senior military commander was seen as a close ally of the Crown Prince. Two years after the death of Torgyl, news arrived at court that the King has passed away in his sleep at the age of 74.