Geoff III of Iadria

## Geoff III

Portrait of the King (c. 6A 710)

**King Geoff III**, also known as the **Griffin King** or the **Last Son of Arvait**, was King of Iadria. He also ruled as Duke of Angarth and Lord of Ihenium, and as King of Leogoth until 6A 721. He was the second of three sons to King Edon II of Iadria and Duchess Allison of Caenleigh.

Geoff ascended to the throne following the death of his elder brother King Anselm II during the Naegiran Uprising. Much of his early reign was spent restructuring Naegirus and the affected areas of Western Iadria. Geoff's reign saw the Epherian Invasion of 6A 715, which lasted until 6A 721. His signing of the Okeqar Treaty and secession of the Holy Land of Leogoth to the Epherian Empire sparked discord in Iadria, and ultimately led to the Navinian Rebellion of 6A 723. Geoff's flight from Ihenium and the defeat of his armies in 6A 725 signified the end of the Arvait dynasty and the ascension of King Richard the Dragon of House Navine. Exiled from his homeland, Geoff led a number of loyalists into Epherian-occupied Eaddovar, where he would found the Iderum rebel order. After the onset of the Great Crusade, Arvait and his Iderum were instrumental in liberating the region, where the former monarch would choose to take the throne of a reformed Kingdom of Eaddovar.

## History

### Early Life

Geoff Alastair Arvait was born on April 29, 6A 678 in the Iadrian capital city of Ihenium. As the second son of Iadrian Crown Prince Edon Dorion Arvait and grandson of King Anselm I Arvait, Geoff was third in line for the throne after his elder brother Anselm Stephon Arvait. Late 7th century Iadria was relatively stable and prosperous, having secured naval victories over Thardoras and a new order in Celliden following the War for Kestalor. Geoff's early years were spent in luxury, training in riding, warfare, kingship and more in the Arvait's ducal lands of Angarth. The young Prince thought little, however, of the throne, as his elder brother Anselm was the chosen heir and seemed far more suited to it. The fall of Midaria to the ongoing Epherian Wars of Conquest sent shockwaves through the Western Nations in 691, the danger of the emergent Empire becoming readily apparent. Geoff's aging father was crowned Edon II the same year, naming Duke Alastair Kaden of Naegirus as his Chancellor and setting about preparations for future war with Epheria immediately. Anselm and Geoff, however, were far removed from the threat in the East, and thought little of it. Anselm's long-standing rivalry with Kaden only grew more inflamed during Edon II's reign, and as the King's health failed, the political infighting between the two Houses grew more and more ruthless. Geoff naturally took his brother's side against the Duke of Naegirus, gaining a reputation as Anselm's simple lackey among those opposed to the Arvaits.

### Naegiran Uprising and Ascent to the Throne

At the time of King Edon II's death in 6A 706, much of western Iadria had turned inward, focused on the ongoing political battle in Ihenium as the eastern Duchies warily watched the Epherian advance. Finally, in 707, the infighting became a crisis. Newly-crowned King Anselm II removed Kaden from his post as Chancellor to the King, a breach of royal norms and direct condemnation of the Duke. Further still, Anselm replaced Kaden with Geoff himself, another unusual move, and levied increased taxes on the gem mines and quarries of Naegirus. Reacting in rage, Duke Kaden retreated to his Duchy and summoned his ducal armies. While theoretically loyal only to the King, several Naigeran Royal Legions defected to their Duke's cause as well, their generals proclaiming the former Chancellor as rightful ruler. The Naegiran Uprising had begun in full.