Gregory Benson

* Basic Info
* Relations
* Occupations

Died M10-26 31 ASB

## Biography

### Early life and imprisonment (55 BSB - 18 BSB)

Gregory Benson was born on M5-22 55 BSB in the city of Vundarf to a government official named David Benson and his wife Geonia Benson.

On M1-06 33 BSB Gregory's father was made the Native Governor of the Province of Vooncharia.

On M1-17 21 BSB a report came in claiming that the Estuarian Empire's capital Aestuarium had been destroyed, many including Gregory Benson's father and the province's Estuarian Governor Anticfle Barthli did not believe the report. The Empire of Shale arrived at Vundarf on M10-03 21 BSB, the city was unprepared for conflict and surrendered to the attacking force. The Benson family and the Barthli family were imprisoned within the city's fortress.

On M12-20 18 BSB, the Empire of Shale ended their invasion and placed part of their territory under the control of native vassals and another part under direct control of the former King of Ryevornia Pied I. On M12-27 18 BSB, Pied I had the Benson family released and elevated as the House of Benson. He gave David Benson the newly created Duchy of Vooncharia to rule in his name.

### Noble (18 BSB - 7 BSB)

David Benson died on M5-02 7 BSB, Gregory succeeded him as the Duke of Vooncharia.

### Duke of Vooncharia (7 BSB - 45 ASB)

On M1-16 7 BSB Benson married a commoner named Matilda Aim who took the name Benson.

On M2-30 7 BSB the Duchy of Frothfryke launched an invasion of Vooncharia in the name of the Northern Rebellion. Benson ordered his armies raised but did not give orders for them to march right away. Benson knew that Pied I had his forces based near the border with Frothfryke and correctly assumed that they would try and hold back the Frothfryker forces whilst keeping his own men from becoming involved. Benson's sympathy to the Northern Rebellion influenced his decision. The Duchy of Iron lake began occupying the southernmost portions of Frothfryke the day after the initial invasion. Benson ordered his forces to move on On M3-26 7 BSB after Pied I accused him of holding back. On M5-05 7 BSB a deal was struck between Benson and the Duke of Frothfryke Wayne Henderson, the fighting would cease between the two and Benson would cede a plot of land to Henderson and agree to join the Northern Rebellion, the day following Benson launched an invasion of the pro-Shale Duchy of Pinevile.

On M2-20 5 BSB the last forces of the Duchy of Pinevile were overrun by the Duchy of Vooncharia's forces. Benson had no intention to let stop at this victory and ordered his deployed forces to march on the Duchy of North Vetchinia which was already fighting against the Northern Rebellion. On M7-15 5 BSB the Emperor of Shale were captured by the Emperor's vassals, four days later the Duchy of North Vetchinia surrendered and joined the Northern Rebellion albeit with much less of its initial territory. Gregory Benson attended the conference in Osilicat which lasted from M8-12 4 BSB to M9-10 4 BSB where the situation of Clayistan following the Northern Rebellion was decided. Gregory's son Harold Benson was born on M8-25 4 BSB in Vundarf whilst Gregory was in Osilicat. The last forces who supported Pied I were defeated in eastern Clayistan on M8-11 3 BSB, a day later the independent duchies now numbering twelve recognized each other's independence and the end of the Northern Rebellion.

On M7-04 7 ASB the Kingdom of Clayistria invaded the Duchy of North Vetchinia and the Duchy of Jianshore, Gregory Benson along with his fellow former leaders of the Northern Rebellion condemned the invasion though all opted against military action due to certainty that Clayistria would win against any singular duchy. The Duchy of North Vetchinia surrendered to Clayistria on M8-30 7 ASB and the Duchy of Jianshore surrendered on M9-23 7 ASB.

On M6-27 12 ASB the Kingdom of Clayistria launched an invasion of both the Duchy of Eastpike and the Duchy of Iron Lake. At first Benson did nothing other than condemn the invasions but by M8 of 12 ASB the forces of Eastpike and Iron Lake had began pushing into Clayistria. On M8-03 12 ASB Benson had the Duchy of Vooncharia join the war in support of the two duchies in an attempt to capitalize on the recent victories, this was followed on M8-08 12 ASB with the Duchy of Terracotta joining the war against Clayistria and by M2 of 13 ASB all of the independent duchies of Clayistan were moving against Clayistria (this did not include the two independent duchies based in the Purple Isles).

By 14 ASB the advance of Benson and his allies had slowed down and in some areas been pushed back, this was due to the lack of unity between the various armies, a conference was held in Jarnvattan on M4-04 14 ASB to address the issue, the conference concluded on M4-12 14 ASB it resulted in the formation of the Unified Clayistan Army (UCA) which had the Duke of Iron Lake Ebony Basil as its supreme commander and the various dukes as its field marshals.

A ceasefire was negotiated between the duchies and Clayistria on M1-22 16 ASB, the issue then came up on how to divide the land that was presently occupied by the UCA, the debate lasted over four months and ended on M5-28 16 ASB when the dukes came to an agreement. The UCA would be split in two with one half continuing to serve as the UCA and the other half being further split in seven, two sevenths would be given to the Duchy of Iron Lake and the remining five sevenths would be distributed to the other duchies save for the Duchy of Eastpike. Ebony Basil would resign as the supreme commander of the UCA in favour of Ethan Gilbert, Basil would then become one of the UCA's field marshals to replace Ethan Gilbert. All eight independent duchies would cease to be independent and would unify into the Kingdom of Clayistan with Ebony Basil serving as the first King of Clayistan, the duchies from that point on would be Clayistan's internal regions. The agreement took into effect the next day, with Ebony Basil becoming Argilla I after the Estuarian Emperor who created the position of Native Governor.

On M7-18 20 ASB Gregory's granddaughter Amelia Benson was born.

Gregory's grandson Max Benson was born on M6-26 23 ASB

On M3-22 31 ASB King of Clayistan Victory I left Jarnvattan in a convoy for the Count of Ackanalund Usman Mosley's palace in the Kingdom of Clayistria he brought with him his wife Karen Basil, his son Hector Basil and the Chief Advisor of Clayistan Barchairi Splintle among others, his brother Brett Basil was to be radioed daily of the convoy's progress as he would be the highest ranking capable member of the House of Basil in the country. Communications between Brett and the convoy stopped on M3-28 31 ASB, Brett traveled to Jarnvattan the next day on the possibility that something horrible had happened and that he would have to take over the country as its regent. On M4-10 31 ASB a single soldier from the convoy arrived at Jarnvattan and revealed that Victory I had been ambushed and killed and that the next in line to the throne Hector Basil had been executed. such an action was a violation of everything taught in Clay society.

The day after this news was received Benson was contacted over radio by Brett Basil who asked for his support in naming Victory I's infant son Lorenzo Basil King of Clayistan. Benson told Brett that the Kingdom of Clayistan was created to protect the duchies from outside threats and that putting an infant on the throne defeated the purpose of the Kingdom.

On M8-26 31 ASB Brett Basil made a public announcement to the dukes of Clayistan where he told them that he had recaptured Jarnvattan from Victory I's corrupt court and went on to say that on that day he would declare himself the King of Clayistan and have his armies march on the Kingdom of Clayistria to "both avenge [his] brother and to recover his body" he went on to state that he cared very little about whether or not the holy men supported his. Later that day Brett Basil declared himself King of Clayistan as Claysius I and ordered his armies to march on the Kingdom of Clayistria. On the day of the announcement Benson recognized Claysius I as king and ordered his forces to march under the leadership of Harold Benson. By M8-30 31 ASB all of the dukes of Clayistan had recognized Claysius I as their king.

On M10-26 31 ASB during the Second Clayistria-Clayistan War a sudden shift in the front lines led to the Kingdom of Clayistria shelling the officer's camp belonging to Harold Benson, killing him. Also killed in the camp was Harold's son Max who he had brought with to observe military procedure. Gregory Benson was now without a male heir, on M10-28 31 ASB he publicly addressed this by announcing that his heir was now his granddaughter Amelia Benson and went on to announce that all of her children would be of the House of Benson. Gregory was now in charge of educating his granddaughter.

Gregory Benson died on M5-21 45 ASB.