Zachary I of Wyrsia

***“**Some are quick to credit me with ending the Red Dove menace. Yet, it was you — the Wyrsian people — who can feel proud for this. It shall be you, that restores this nation to greatness after a century of neglect!**”***
— Zachary I of Wyrsia

**Zachary I**, sometimes called **Zachary the Great**, born **Zachary Mitthel**, was the king of Wyrsia between 652 and 679 AW. He was the first Wyrsian monarch that belonged to House Mitthel and is credited with ending the puppet rule of the Order of the Red Dove after deposing Edward III.

### Biography

Zachary Mitthel was born in Thorne in 592 AW. His minor house served as vassals to the ruling House Manbew. Zachary received military training from a young age with the intention of making him a knight. He ended up as a squire under his father and eventually a proper knight, yet didn't show too much talent when it came to the art of chivalry.

In fact, Zachary would more often sneak off and hide amongst the ordinary soldiers, who were more to his liking. While the court of Thorne disapproved, this did make the young noble popular with the local retinue. By 612 AW, he was made a captain in the retinue. Under normal circumstances, the story of Zachary Mitthel would have ended on that note.

However, nearly 40 years later, the Red Dove puppet king, Edward III, declared war on Great Skull after a series of brutal raids by the tribe. Needing somebody to lead his armies to victory, he picked a well-established yet relatively unknown captain to win the war, drawing much criticism from the higher nobility in Woodhall. Yet, the reasoning for this seemingly arbitrary decision was that House Mitthel was low enough that they wouldn't even dare try to undermine Edward, whereas the higher nobility at court would try to get delusions of power.

Zachary had been put in charge of the Army of Woodhall and went to war with Great Skull. Here, he won every last battle he fought, even while outnumbered. This is mostly due to his troops being both motivated and loyal, thanks to Zachary's willingness to level with them.

When Zachary returned to Wyrsia victorious, he found himself suddenly being a national celebrity, with much of the low nobility and the peasantry preferring him over the ruling monarchy. However, the Red Dove was well aware of this and sent multiple assassins after the general, who managed to evade most of them. By the early 650s, much of the nobility stopped paying their taxes to the crown and instead supported Zachary as the new monarch. What followed was a power struggle until Zachary marched on Woodhall in 652 AW, deposing Edward III and being crowned Zachary I.

Obviously, the Red Dove was not keen on this sudden change of power, as they lost control over the Wyrsian crown practically overnight. However, with almost all of Wyrsia united against them, trying to get rid of Zachary became hopeless. They begrudgingly conceded before the Red Dove was internally couped and purged by Kayara Akey.

Now crowned Zachary I, the first Wyrsian monarch not influenced by the Red Dove for over a century, Zachary began the lengthy and challenging task of trying to regain control over a weakened Wyrsia. Most of Zachary's reign involved trying to save the stagnated economy and rein in the autonomous nobility. To this extent, Zachary's reign was very successful. When he died in 679 AW, the Wyrsian crown peacefully passed to his son Edward. What Edward ended up inheriting was an economically and politically stable modern nation.

## Career

Kingdom of Wyrsia

* Squire (606-610 AW)
* Knight (610-612 AW)
* Knight Captain (612-650 AW)
* Knight General (650-652 AW)
* King of Wyrsia (652-679 AW)

## Military Career

* Wyrsian Invasion of Great Skull
	+ Battle of Fioll - Victory
	+ Battle of Taragha - Victory
	+ Battle of Cnoc Iar - Victory
	+ Second Battle of Taragha - Victory
	+ Battle of Torenlegh - Victory
	+ Siege of Cnoc Cain - Victory

## Awards

* Service Medal - Kingdom of Wyrsia
* Chivalry Medal - Kingdom of Wyrsia
* Great Skull Victory Medal - Kingdom of Wyrsia
* ~~Red Dove Honor Medal - Kingdom of Wyrsia~~ (revoked)
* Hero of Wyrsia Medal - Kingdom of Wyrsia

## Personality

Zachary Mitthel was a true man of the people, even after he took the Wyrsian crown. He often elevated practical nobodies, listening to their ideas and applying them in some cases. No Wyrsian monarch knighted as many commoners as Zachary. He is often described as a calm gentleman, even when dealing with his enemies. Yet, the man was clearly a military genius, as he would often defy the odds on the battlefield. This is also due to his relationship with his troops, which motivated them to fight harder and remain unwavering.

## Relationships

* Edward Mitthel - My son is my pride and joy. He reminds me of myself when I was younger. I've seen him turn from a bumbling squire into a royal guard and expert archer. I could not wish for a better heir to succeed me.
* Kayara Akey - The new Red Dove grandmaster blows new life in a defunct and corrupt order. While I do not agree with her on every issue, she seems to be a good person at heart. I may not agree with her, but I do respect her.

## Stories

*Main Article: Stories*

* Story: Zachary I of Wyrsia - Liberation