Kolgrim III

**Kolgrim III** (b. 167, d. 215), was King of Mon Altrya from 204 - 215 AD.

## Early years

Kolgrim was born in 167 AD in Altrya, the only son of Boda II. Kolgrim spent his early years under the tutorship of his great-uncle, Sava Montaigne and under the watchful of Sava, become a competent military tactician. At the age of 20 he became a familiar face in Altrya and was entrusted with a senior position within the Altrya City Paladin Guards where he served for three years. In 190 AD, Kolgrim accompanied his Great-uncle, when he was dispatched to quell a rebellion in northern Kellodia. Kolgrim was said to be deeply effected by the death of Sava Montaigne in 193 AD, as he was a father figure to him.

King Boda's long reign as King saw many conflicts, however he interfered little in any of them and allowed his Lords and commanders to oversee battles. He also had little interest in politics and allowed his Crown Chancellor almost complete running of the realm. By the late 190's corruption in the Kingdom had become widespread and many nobles and military commanders had become sick of Crown Chancellor Lentin Ameno, who raised taxes steeply and rewarded those close to him with honours and titles, overlooking the Lords of senior nobility and war heroes.

It was in 196 AD that one of these senior nobles and a decorated war hero, Denux Lecinth, challenged Chancellor Lentin's rule in the royal court and Lentin ordered Lecinth be seized and imprisoned. Many in the court were furious, including Crown Prince Kolgrim, who just shy of 30, had become a proven military commander. Kolgrim appealed to his father, the King, to overrule Lentin and immediately release Lecinth, but the King failed act, only offering his son vague promises. Kolgrim decided to take matters into his own hands and had Lecinth released, which when Chancellor Lentin found out, was furious. He announced that Lecinth be re-arrested, alongside Prince Kolgrim and his conspirators. This was unprecedented, for never before had a Crown Chancellor attempted to imprison a Crown Prince.

In response to the Chancellor's warrant of arrest, Prince Kolgrim and Denux Lecinth presented themselves to the gates of the city in Altrya, however at the head of an army. The city guards were at a loss whether to allow the Crown Prince and his army access to the city or to bar the gates. They chose the first option and fled their positions. Kolgrim marched his army to Aldarra Palace, the Crown Chancellors residence. Here the Chancellors guards did indeed bar the gates and forbade the Prince entry. When the King was notified of the stand-off occurring at Aldarra palace he chose to not intervene, despite his senior nobles requesting a decision on which side the King wanted them to take. After 5 days, Kolgrim's men stormed the Chancellors Palace and detained him. He was stripped of his fine robes by the princes' men and dragged to the dungeons of Hammer Hall, where Kolgrim demanded that the Alderman Council decide on the Chancellors fate.

Now the King did attempt to intervene. There was uproar in the court when the King requested Lentin be released and had no case to answer. He did not realise what little support he commanded in the Alderman Court and the Crown Prince had become a popular figure amongst the nobles. The supporters of the Prince demanded that Lentin be executed for treason and corruption, whilst the more conservative members of the court argued that he should be banished from the capital. Lentin did however command a section of support within the court and after days of bargaining, all sides agreed that banishment from the capital would be an adequate solution to the dilemma.

The next major decision was selection of a new Crown Chancellor. The Crown Prince was by the most popular candidate, but Kolgrim refused to be considered, which many believe to be down to the lack of faith he had in the King. After weeks of negotiating at court the final two candidates were Uthdane Gundon, a senior noble of immense standing at court, and Olynber Torgyl, the Patriarch of Mon Altrya, an elderly but popular religious figure in the court. The eventual winner of the ballot was Torgyl, sought the permission of the High Patriarch of Adeleya, to be de-selected as Patriarch of Mon Altrya, so that he could take up his new position as Crown Chancellor. The High Patriarch was agreeable to this and felt it would be advantageous to Adeleya, to have such a pious man in such a senior position.

Olynber Torgyl proved to be a fine selection and despite his advanced age of 81 years, he was a competent Chancellor. The King was rarely seen in the capital by 200 AD and chose to spend his later years in his summer residence in Anderium. The Crown Prince continued to play a senior role at court and was a well-respected voice in Hammer Hall.

Upon the death of Olynber Torgyl in 202 AD, Uthdane Gundon was elected to be the next Crown Chancellor and as a senior military commander was seen as a close ally of the Crown Prince. Two years after the death of Torgyl, news arrived at court that the King has passed away in his sleep at the age of 74.

## King of Mon Altrya

The coronation of King Kolgrim III in the summer of 204 was a joyous occasion. Kolgrim was not only a competent military man, but also a proven politician. Of further reason to celebrate was birth of Kolgrim's first child a week after the coronation, a son, Venedict.

Kolgrim, unlike his father before him, chose to immerse himself in the running of every aspect of the Kingdom. He was said to attend minor and major councils and meetings alike and would be working from dawn until late into the night. He had grand plans for his reign and alongside Crown Chancellor Uthane Gundon worked hard to implement many changes.

One of Kolgrim's first actions was to expand the Alderman council, with Guild masters and religious clerics being invited to court. The Crown Court was now four sided, with military commanders, nobles and Alderman, clerics and Guild Masters having a say on the royal council, the four sides would come to be known as the Warrior wing, the Nobility wing, the Guid wing and the God's wing.

The King also called for the creation of numerous new Guilds, such as the Guild of Historians and Records Keepers, the Guild of Medicine, the Guild of Herbalists, the Guild of Healers, the Guild of Sanitation and the Guild Miners. He also financed the construction of public baths and educational colleges. The King also spent heavily on improved roads between settlements, with the grandest project being a stone road spreading from Altrya east and west to both coasts. This project would not be complete during Kolgrim's reign and would later become known as the 'Great Eastern Kolgrim Road' and the 'Great Western Kolgrim Road.'

Kolgrim passed a law, on the request of the God's wing, to make the seventh day of the week, Suns Day, a day of rest, dedicating the morning to religious observations and the afternoon, to family, leisure and sporting entertainment time. Kolgrim was a keen horseman and called for the creation of horse racing events which would be held across the capital on a Suns Day. A further law was passed for an annual festival to be observed in late winter, which would be known as Wyntertyde, a public holiday devoted to celebrating the God's. A further annual holiday was set in Autumn, to be known as the Harvest Moon Festival, celebrating the end of the main harvest season and thanking the God's for what they had provided.

Scholars observed that the King rarely slept and by the end of his reign would hold meetings throughout the night, constantly planning and organising, so much so, that by 210 his health was beginning to suffer. The King had only passed his 40th birth day, but is recorded as looking as old as a man twice his age. On the King's 46th birthday, he passed away after a short bout of illness, which many attribute to stress. Many found this ironic that a King that had devoted so much time and finance to the betterring of the health of the people, would pass from the world far too early.

## Legacy

Kolgrim III was dearly beloved by the nobles and citizens alike. His dedication and service to the realm was later marked with the unveiling of many grand statues, Two of most importance were built, one outside Hammer Hall and the second in Wynter Square, Altrya, where the main Wyntertyde celebrations would be held.

## Issue

Kolgrim married Katerdur Armond, a daughter of or a high ranking noble family, in 187 AD.

Issue:

* Bastian - a boy born 191, died of illness 195
* Helwyn - a boy born 196, died two days after birth
* Zentina - a girl born 198
* Venedict - born 204
* Dorustyn a boy born 206
* Destyna a girl born 206 and twin of Dorustyn