Henry I of Wyrsia

***“**I have reorganized the army, this is true. However, mastering the sword is no excuse to point it at one's neighbor immediately after, to wage pointless wars, and to waste lives for naught.**”***
— Henry I

**Henry I**, also known as **Henry the Healer**, born **Henry Mitthel**, was the King of Wyrsia from 707 AW until his death in 736 AW. A renowned theologian and doctor, as well as a Branch Master of the Kymelian Order, Henry I is regarded as one of Wyrsia's greatest monarchs.

## Biography

### Early Life

Born to Tristan Mitthel, the soon-to-be heir to the Wyrsian throne, Henry grew up as a child that would hate chivalry and the art of war. Disgusted by tales of battles and duels, the young prince developed a curiosity about medicine and healing, later becoming an apprentice at the Woodhall Military Hospital.

He later became a volunteer in the Wyrsian branch of the Kymelian Order, where he became a trained doctor. His father took the throne in 701 AW and proved to be woefully unprepared to be a ruler. As a result, many of the crown's duties fell onto Henry. This heavily increased his workload, yet the prince managed to power through by creating his own herbal remedies to deal with stress and lack of sleep.

In 707 AW, Tristan suddenly died of an unknown illness. However, many believe that he was poisoned by Henry in a bid for the throne. While this has never been confirmed, it would have been possible, as Henry had access to poison due to his connections in the Kymelian Order. Nevertheless, he was crowned Henry I the same year and began his reign.

### King of Wyrisa

As the King of Wyrsia, Henry I spent the first few years retaking powers of the crown delegated to the nobility under Tristan. Once that was finished, he began to refocus his attention on his medical career. This does not mean he neglected his duties as king, however, and Henry proved to be a competent and wise ruler.

When the Master of the Wyrsian branch died in 715 AW, Henry was handpicked by Kymelia herself to lead the Wyrsian Order. However, something about meeting the Goddess of Health must have inspired Henry, as he began a third career as a theologian.

He would find a way to combine all three by implementing widespread military reforms across Wyrsia's armies. He made the use of field hospitals mandatory, implemented new sanitation standards, and created the Wyrsian Guild of Battlefield Doctors in Woodhall, an organization dedicated to training skilled doctors to serve in the Wyrsian army that continues to operate to this day. All these changes would make Wyrsia's army tougher to defeat, as wounded soldiers could simply be healed and returned to the battlefields at a later date if needed.

Besides military reforms, Henry also funded many new temples – most dedicated to Kymelia – as well as hospitals across all of Wyrsia. The price of simple herbal remedies plunged and became more easily accessible across Wyrsia. At one point, there was even a surplus of available medicine, causing Wyrsia to become an exporter to neighboring countries. Under the reign of Henry I, the life expectancy of an average Wyrsian increased by five years.

However, despite the earlier military reforms, Henry I saw the military as a necessary evil and despised all forms of bloodshed. Much of the Wyrsian high nobility, as well as the army, were greedily looking at the Freehold of Innyria around the 730s, as it was deemed a weak state that could be easily conquered. While Wyrsia would eventually go to war with Innyria, it was after his death, as Henry I refused to declare war against Innyria – or any nation for that matter.

Ultimately, Henry I would die in 736 AW in his sleep, leaving the Wyrsian throne to his son, also named Henry. Henry II would take Wyrsia down a much more violent direction than his father.

## Career

Kingdom of Wyrsia

* Prince of Wyrsia (667-701 AW)
* Medical Apprentice (680-682 AW)
* Heir Apparent of Wyrsia (701-707 AW)
* King of Wyrsia (707-736 AW)

The Kymelian Kingdom

* Wyrsian Kymelian Order
	+ Apprentice (682-690 AW)
	+ Junior Doctor (690-700 AW)
	+ Doctor (700-710 AW)
	+ Veteran Doctor (710-715 AW)
	+ Master (715-736 AW)

## Awards

* Kymelian Order Service Medal - The Kymelian Kingdom
* Kymelian Order Veteran Medal - The Kymelian Kingdom
* Kymelian Order Master Medal - The Kymelian Kingdom
* Champion of Life Medal - The Kymelian Kingdom
* Hero of Wyrsia Medal - Kingdom of Wyrsia (awarded posthumously by Henry II)

## Personality

Henry I is described as a calm and caring man, friendly to those close to him and patient to those who wronged him. He valued all forms of life to the point of having trouble with punishing criminals. Yet, he was no soft monarch and had a strong sense of justice. He dedicated much of his later life to following the tenets of Kymelia Worship and trying to invent new remedies for notorious diseases, such as the Plagues of Ihyll.