The Britayan Royal Line

In the years before TheDude's conquest of Militiregnum, the nation of Britay experienced a turbulent political period, as the royal family split into two over a battle for the crown.

**Edward VII:**

Good king. Lad. Had, maybe, less children than everyone
would have liked, but no-one was going to complain about two healthy sons,
right?

**Edward VIII:**

The son everyone complained about. Not outrageously evil or
anything, but just kind of incompetent. He was eventually deposed by his
brother, Richard of Norgrove, who became Richard IV.

**Richard IV:**

Decent king. More suited to a life of warring than a life of
ruling, but his experience with military command and his keen negotiating
prowess meant that a large amount of people – and, eventually, he himself –
considered him a better candidate for king than his brother Edward. And, to be
fair, he was. After deposing his brother, he ruled the country efficiently
enough. Further uprisings were prevented by his competency, as well as the fact
that he was as much of a son to Edward VII as Edward VIII had been.

**Anne of Nichester:**

Also a keen negotiator. Helped to mediate the situation
between the brothers when things came to a head. Acted as an advisor to both of
them during their respective reigns.

 **Matilda of Calibus:**

Edward VIII’s marriage (as part of an alliance with Morcia).
A ferociously tough woman, she fought far harder for her husband’s right to
keep the throne than he did.

**Henry IV:**

Son of Richard IV, and a very good king. Spent time staving
off his rival for the throne, Roger of Blackwood – even if their rivalry was
more amicable than most.

**Roger Blackwood:**

The son of Matilda of Calibus and the former Edward VIII. Raised
in exile, his mother raised him on the idea that the throne was rightfully his.
He was tenacious in his attempts to take back the throne, but he was also a
noble warrior as many members of his family had been previously. Despite king
Henry IV being the representative of a family line, the two men must have
gotten along to some degree, because Roger ended up naming his firstborn son “Henry”, presumably after the king.

**Lionel I:**

Lionel was the firstborn son of king Henry IV. Taking after
his grandfather, he fancied the life of a warrior more than the life of a king,
and spent so much time fighting
abroad that it was eventually decided to crown his brother, Henry, king
instead. (Which he was honestly fine with.) However, he was forced to return to
the country by the murder of his brother, and the claiming of the throne by
Henry Blackwood (Henry VI). He rose up in rebellion, taking the throne. After a
successful rebellion, he fought to *retain* said throne from the Blackwoods. He avenged his brother, and protected what was
left of his family, but he also married a woman from a lesser family and
struggled to efficiently rule the kingdom. In the end, he was dethroned for
good when TheDude took control of Britay.

**Henry V:**

The younger son of king Henry IV. Despite coming to power at
a young age (as a result of the premature death of his father, and his brother’s
disinterest in ruling), he showed promise and potential as a strong king of the
future. However, this was cut short by his murder by Henry Blackwood, who then
took the throne for himself.

**Anne of Worath:**

Elder sister to Henry V, she blamed herself for his death
and joined their brother Lionel in efforts to take the throne back. A marriage
alliance was eventually arranged between her and a prominent Aquilan lord, in
order to provide Lionel with the army and funds necessary to return to Britay
in force.

**Henry VI:**

The son of Roger Blackwood, Henry had inherited all of the
cunning and intelligence of his father, but far less of the honour. It was his
determination to take the throne back, returning it to the splintered Blackwood
family line. He initially tried to weasel the throne out from under Henry V,
but the young king’s intelligence and boldness forced Henry to take drastic
measures (i.e. murder). Being forced off the throne by Lionel’s return only
angered him further, and the two fought until his eventual death in combat with
Lionel himself.

**Richard Blackwood:**

Younger brother to Henry VI, and steadfastly loyal to him
throughout his attempts to take the throne. He acted as something of an advisor
to his brother, but – seeing as Henry was wise enough on his own – acted as
more of a partner, someone for the man to bounce ideas off of. After Henry VI
lost the throne, he retreated from the limelight, working from the shadows. He seemed
unperturbed by his brother’s death, but faded into obscurity when the land was
overrun by TheDude.

**Ama Barrister:**

Born to a low-down noble family, Ama eventually found
herself embroiled in a relationship with king Lionel himself. Her family
suddenly found itself very much involved in court politics. Though she loved
the king, and he her, their relationship suffered scrutiny from not only those
who thought that a foreign marriage might have been more advantageous to the
king, but those who were jealous of her family. After TheDude successfully
conquered Britay, she went missing.