The House Leuvaarden

The **House of Leuvaarden** or the ***Direct Leuvaardens*** (Valoise: *Leuwaarden-Uissen*), also called the **House of Neuvalon** (*Uisse Neuuwallonar*), sometimes referred to as the **Twelve Kings**, when one was speaking about the monarchs of Neuvalon, or simply **the Leuvaardens**, were a noble family that ruled over the **Kingdom of Neuvalon** from 3515 to 3899 TC. They were the most senior branch of the Vaarden dynasty, formed in 3350 TC when Bel-Coenn Vaarden, the youngest brother of King Ter-Estain III was rewarded for his heroism in the Battle of Nan Chuil. When asked by his elder brother what he wished as a reward, Bel-Coenn stated his wish was to form own House. Thus, he took on the name Leuvaarden, thereafter basing his family in the city of Merendil. They remained a powerful entity on Tor Vallon, for the next two centuries, but far-removed from political happenings.

When the Time of Knives and the Great Kin-slaying occurred, Ter-Beren Leuvaarden, a respected general and politician, called upon many of his compatriots to join him in an exodus to the far east, away from the treachery of the elves and what he had believed were hostile Avaline influences. The exact numbers that had gathered under him were never precisely determined; historians' estimates ranged between several thousand, to over three hundred thousand people following him and his closest across the sea in a year-long journey.

Upon landing in what he had later named the Bay of Eris, he had reportedly uttered an oath to lead those who had followed him, then journeyed further inland, founding the city of Leuvaarden on the shores of lake Tryw. Soon after, he was crowned king of the newly-founded Kingdom of Neuvalon. His descendants would go on to rule for over three centuries, with the direct patrilineal line terminating with the death of Han-Calimir. After his passing, the rule of Neuvalon would pass to a cadet branch of the main line, the House Leuvaarden-Hergenfurt, which itself descended from Ter-Beren's younger sister, Nir-Lyra.

## Neuvalon

### The Twelve Kings

The Twelve Kings was a blanket term referring to the first twelve monarchs of Neuvalon who were part of the Leuvaarden lineage.

Their line consisted of the following:

1. **Ter-Beren I**, called the Exalted, who ruled between 3515 and 3533 TC.
2. **Han-Willem I**, who ruled between 3533 and 3570 TC.
3. **Ac-Telarmir**, who ruled between 3570 and 3598 TC.
4. **Ter-Marendir**, who ruled between 3598 and 3606 TC.
5. **Gen-Surion**, called the Builder, who ruled between 3606 and 3659 TC.
6. **Aec-Arjen**, who ruled between 3659 and 3698 TC.
7. **Han-Willem II**, who ruled between 3698 and 3759 TC.
8. **Ahala-Samair**, who ruled between 3759 and 3781 TC.
9. **Han-Eris I**, who ruled between 3781 and 3814 TC.
10. **Han-Eris II**, called the Restorer, who ruled between 3814 and 3821 TC.
11. **Han-Willem III**, who ruled between 3821 and 3846 TC.
12. **Han-Calimir**, who ruled between 3846 and 3899 TC.

As Han-Calimir himself had lost his only son and heir to disease in 3897 TC, there was no man of pure Leuvaarden blood to succeed him upon his death. Those who had contented for the throne became embroiled in a bitter civil war, with Han-Calimir's distant cousin Beren becoming king in 3899 TC, six months after his death.