King Romel II Notre Roi Béni
King of Tiranar and Lord of the Halsats Romel Merobaud-Du Palais (a.k.a. Notre roi béni (Our Blessed King)
Eldest son and successor of his father King Hugh the Tall, King Romel II was a charming and likable ruler who presided over "La grande époque" or "The Great Era" of Halsat dominance in Areul as well as cultural dominance over much of the Ecclesial world. His epithet, Our Blessed King, was given to him posthumously during the reign of his son Rousel III.
Physical Description
General Physical Condition
Despite his father's known athletic prowess, Romel was plagued during his life with bouts of serious illness that often left him incapacitated for days on end. These illnesses are for whatever reason, claimed as the cause of his later slip into madness during his last years.
Mental characteristics
Personal history
Born on the familial estate of Agevine to the reigning King Hugh the Tall and his loyal and loving wife Ariel de Carnigan. Romel was named for his paternal great-great-grandfather Romel I who was the first of the Merobauds to crown themselves Kings of Tiranar. Romel quickly became known in the court of Caistnac for his charismatic and likable demeanor and for his close relationship with his father Hugh. Hugh raised his eldest son very close to the way Hugh himself was raised by his mother Aliénor de Marteau, with a very heavy emphasis on the arts like mathematics, rhetoric, astronomy, linguistics, economics, and history. Romel became a well-learned prince very early in his life and ascended the throne of Caistnac with a heavy heart after the death of his long-ruling father in 604 A.E.
Romel set out arranging a royal marriage for himself, setting a precedent later on as he arranged a royal marriage between himself and the Iziq Grand Prince Rahman which saw Romel marry the Grand Prince's sister Princess Urrace which produced an ally in the Stracian state. This ally would prove reliable during Romel's military campaign into the Haklan highlands where, after several years, he managed to gain the vassalage of the highland tribes and finally formalize his father's conquests in the area and create the Haklan March which solidified the southern Tiranar border.
Romel was not an inactive King and was noted for his royal visits around the domains of his vassals with an especially large entourage. Romel met and engaged with his southern vassals in Powyar and Haklan when in 610 A.E, a tremendous revolt erupted, spurred on by local nobles. This revolt was conducted and led by the group known as the Buissoni or "Bushmen" because of their frequent attacks and banditry coming from groves and forests. The Buissoni were members of a fanatical sect of believers who called for the trial and execution of members of the Ecclesial clergy as well as the overthrow of the monarchy in favor of a written charter guaranteeing the rights of the common folk from being unlawfully prosecuted, levied and generally harassed by nobles. The leader of the Buissoni was a peasant woman named Beatrice who claimed divine visions proclaimed the end of the world was arriving soon and needed to be prepared by the peasant folk. The Buissoni were a real threat to Tiranar rule in its southern lands and in Marne and Asturia due to their aid given by nobles in these lands, they were a constant danger as they took to brutal banditry and other roguish practices.
Seeing the banditry occurring inside his supposed domains, Romel called his lords together and invited foreign landless nobles to Caistnac and gathered them together in an effort to form an army to root out the Bruissoni. Romel's motive for this was shrewd, the lords of Marne and Asturia had long been largely autonomous under his reign and that of his predecessors and in massing an army and restoring peace there, Romel could reclaim their lands for the crown and expand his own power. In 616 A.E, Romel marched out with his holy army and rode south for the town of Albigen where he encamped personally while spreading his army out over a large area. Shortly after this, reports reached the king of bandits robbing and killing his soldiers and the King soon declared that suspected Buissoni allies would have their property confiscated by the king and be declared outlaws.
This decree saw some Marne and a large number of Asturian nobles have their lands taken and unlanded in the process of rooting out the Buissoni. Romel then decreed he would bestow these former lands to any proper Halsat knight and nobleman who ventured to the Southlands and restored the king's order to the area. This 2nd decree saw a migration of nobles from the north descend on the south and slaughter began to ensue of any suspected Buissoni or Buisson supporters. One notable massacre occurred when a large group of disgruntled peasants and freedmen petitioned the ruling Count Balduin de Tanièreto to relieve them of their harsh new taxes and stern policing. These petitioners marched on the lord's castle and prompted him to call for assistance from an Apalatori mercenary captain named Amaury Trevcavel who rode out to the castle in the night. When the mercenaries arrived, they witnessed a supposed mob of peasants attempting to storm the lord's castle and rode through the mob, cleaving and hacking the unarmed petitioners and causing them to flee.
The Massacre of Fulek would be a stain on the rule of Romel and an act that caused the fervor of the Buissoni crusade to come to a close. In the end, Romel had greatly expanded his personal power back into the area of Marne and Asturia but this had come at the cost of nearly 250,000 men, women, and children being displaced from their homes or killed. During his time, Romel received just condemnation for his actions and was derided as "Le Roi des Mutts" or "The King of Mutts". However, this condemnation did not survive after Romel's death as the tragedy of the Buissoni episode of his reign was largely forgotten and he instead came to be remembered as "Notre Roi Béni" or "Our Blessed King" typified for his role as a slayer of heretics and rebels.
During the final years of Romel's reign, the King underwent a serious mental decline, brought on by the disappearance of his favorite child, his daughter Princess Aliénor. The Princess had seemingly vanished in the night and was never seen again by any in the court of Caistnac. After months, a funeral was finally held and the King is said to have collapsed at the sight of his daughter's empty grave. Romel soon reclined himself exclusively to his palace and according to rumor, is said to have gone mad in grief. Stories of Romel's final years in the palace prove shocking as he is said to have brought hundreds, if not thousands of nearby peasant girls from around Vaseau and beyond and inspected them personally to see if they bore a resemblance to his lost daughter. Romel is also said to have had long fits of manic crying only to stop abruptly and stare blankly outside his window for hours after. According to accounts by servants, the king became unrecognizable in his final years as his once carefully groomed hair became matted, his face became sullen and bearded and his hands began being unable to grasp or hold items due to their sporadic movements. Despite all these stories, others exist of the King's sudden bouts of lucidity, days when he would talk and engage with his servants and chamberlain as if nothing was wrong, only for a long look to begin to come over his face as he desperately realized he was slowly slipping back into madness.
In 636 A.E, the suffering King finally died, some say from his illness yet others say he pleaded with one of his servants to smother him in his sleep, nevertheless, the crown passed to Romel's capable son Rousel, and the realm would remain strong under his rule.
Romel set out arranging a royal marriage for himself, setting a precedent later on as he arranged a royal marriage between himself and the Iziq Grand Prince Rahman which saw Romel marry the Grand Prince's sister Princess Urrace which produced an ally in the Stracian state. This ally would prove reliable during Romel's military campaign into the Haklan highlands where, after several years, he managed to gain the vassalage of the highland tribes and finally formalize his father's conquests in the area and create the Haklan March which solidified the southern Tiranar border.
Romel was not an inactive King and was noted for his royal visits around the domains of his vassals with an especially large entourage. Romel met and engaged with his southern vassals in Powyar and Haklan when in 610 A.E, a tremendous revolt erupted, spurred on by local nobles. This revolt was conducted and led by the group known as the Buissoni or "Bushmen" because of their frequent attacks and banditry coming from groves and forests. The Buissoni were members of a fanatical sect of believers who called for the trial and execution of members of the Ecclesial clergy as well as the overthrow of the monarchy in favor of a written charter guaranteeing the rights of the common folk from being unlawfully prosecuted, levied and generally harassed by nobles. The leader of the Buissoni was a peasant woman named Beatrice who claimed divine visions proclaimed the end of the world was arriving soon and needed to be prepared by the peasant folk. The Buissoni were a real threat to Tiranar rule in its southern lands and in Marne and Asturia due to their aid given by nobles in these lands, they were a constant danger as they took to brutal banditry and other roguish practices.
Seeing the banditry occurring inside his supposed domains, Romel called his lords together and invited foreign landless nobles to Caistnac and gathered them together in an effort to form an army to root out the Bruissoni. Romel's motive for this was shrewd, the lords of Marne and Asturia had long been largely autonomous under his reign and that of his predecessors and in massing an army and restoring peace there, Romel could reclaim their lands for the crown and expand his own power. In 616 A.E, Romel marched out with his holy army and rode south for the town of Albigen where he encamped personally while spreading his army out over a large area. Shortly after this, reports reached the king of bandits robbing and killing his soldiers and the King soon declared that suspected Buissoni allies would have their property confiscated by the king and be declared outlaws.
This decree saw some Marne and a large number of Asturian nobles have their lands taken and unlanded in the process of rooting out the Buissoni. Romel then decreed he would bestow these former lands to any proper Halsat knight and nobleman who ventured to the Southlands and restored the king's order to the area. This 2nd decree saw a migration of nobles from the north descend on the south and slaughter began to ensue of any suspected Buissoni or Buisson supporters. One notable massacre occurred when a large group of disgruntled peasants and freedmen petitioned the ruling Count Balduin de Tanièreto to relieve them of their harsh new taxes and stern policing. These petitioners marched on the lord's castle and prompted him to call for assistance from an Apalatori mercenary captain named Amaury Trevcavel who rode out to the castle in the night. When the mercenaries arrived, they witnessed a supposed mob of peasants attempting to storm the lord's castle and rode through the mob, cleaving and hacking the unarmed petitioners and causing them to flee.
The Massacre of Fulek would be a stain on the rule of Romel and an act that caused the fervor of the Buissoni crusade to come to a close. In the end, Romel had greatly expanded his personal power back into the area of Marne and Asturia but this had come at the cost of nearly 250,000 men, women, and children being displaced from their homes or killed. During his time, Romel received just condemnation for his actions and was derided as "Le Roi des Mutts" or "The King of Mutts". However, this condemnation did not survive after Romel's death as the tragedy of the Buissoni episode of his reign was largely forgotten and he instead came to be remembered as "Notre Roi Béni" or "Our Blessed King" typified for his role as a slayer of heretics and rebels.
During the final years of Romel's reign, the King underwent a serious mental decline, brought on by the disappearance of his favorite child, his daughter Princess Aliénor. The Princess had seemingly vanished in the night and was never seen again by any in the court of Caistnac. After months, a funeral was finally held and the King is said to have collapsed at the sight of his daughter's empty grave. Romel soon reclined himself exclusively to his palace and according to rumor, is said to have gone mad in grief. Stories of Romel's final years in the palace prove shocking as he is said to have brought hundreds, if not thousands of nearby peasant girls from around Vaseau and beyond and inspected them personally to see if they bore a resemblance to his lost daughter. Romel is also said to have had long fits of manic crying only to stop abruptly and stare blankly outside his window for hours after. According to accounts by servants, the king became unrecognizable in his final years as his once carefully groomed hair became matted, his face became sullen and bearded and his hands began being unable to grasp or hold items due to their sporadic movements. Despite all these stories, others exist of the King's sudden bouts of lucidity, days when he would talk and engage with his servants and chamberlain as if nothing was wrong, only for a long look to begin to come over his face as he desperately realized he was slowly slipping back into madness.
In 636 A.E, the suffering King finally died, some say from his illness yet others say he pleaded with one of his servants to smother him in his sleep, nevertheless, the crown passed to Romel's capable son Rousel, and the realm would remain strong under his rule.
Employment
Tiranar Crown Prince
King of Tiranar
King of Tiranar
Accomplishments & Achievements
Further strengthened his land holdings via confiscations during the Buissoni affair
Secured southern allies in Marne and Asturia
Expanded the royal academies of Synath and Edierton
Instituted a more comprehensive tax system that increased the crown's treasury
Oversaw the first stage of "La grande époque"
Secured southern allies in Marne and Asturia
Expanded the royal academies of Synath and Edierton
Instituted a more comprehensive tax system that increased the crown's treasury
Oversaw the first stage of "La grande époque"
Failures & Embarrassments
Derided for his failure to control violence in the south and for the Massacre of Fulek
Bore the brunt of dissatisfaction among his nobles for the crisis of the Buissoni affair
Bore the brunt of dissatisfaction among his nobles for the crisis of the Buissoni affair
Mental Trauma
Suffered a severe mental decline after his daughter's disappearance
Intellectual Characteristics
Inquisitive and Ponderous
Personality Characteristics
Motivation
Rule a prosperous and united Kingdom
Virtues & Personality perks
Charming
Affable
Diligent
Studious
Commanding
Affable
Diligent
Studious
Commanding
Vices & Personality flaws
Arrogant
Wrathful
Stubborn
Lacking Empathy
Wrathful
Stubborn
Lacking Empathy
Social
Family Ties
Son of King Hugh the Tall and Queen Ariel de Carnigan
Father of King Rousel II, Amaury, and Aliénor Merobaud
Grandfather of Romel III and Teralt Merobaud
Brother of Hiltrude Merobaud
Uncle of Redald de Marteau
Father of King Rousel II, Amaury, and Aliénor Merobaud
Grandfather of Romel III and Teralt Merobaud
Brother of Hiltrude Merobaud
Uncle of Redald de Marteau
Religious Views
A pious and scholarly man, despite a general preference for peace, Romel would not see much of it during his tumultuous reign. He aggressively snuffed out the Buissoni movement in the south which challenged his Ecclesially appointed right to rule. Romel did finance education, which can be seen in his expansion of the royal academies in Synath and Edierton which was presided over by Patriarch Henri who was a dedicated intellectual and student of the natural sciences.
Social Aptitude
An extremely likable man personally, King Romel's greatest gift was his ability to communicate with those around him and form a united vision of what the realm should be. He was a gifted speaker, and a rhetorician, and via his educated background, was able to understand the inner workings of the Kingdom better than almost any of his predecessors or successors. He had a flair for the dramatic and seems the spiritual successor of his grandmother Aliénor de Marteau as he brought the Court of Love in Hailen to the court at Caistnac.
Relationships
Ethnicity
Date of Birth
9th of Modia
Date of Death
12th of Laris
Life
584 A.E
636 A.E
52 years old
Circumstances of Birth
Firstborn son of King Hugh the Tall and his Queen Ariel de Carnigan
Birthplace
Agevine, Vaseau
Place of Death
Caistnac, Vaseau
Family
Spouses
Queen Urrace
(spouse)
Siblings
Children
Gender
Male
Eyes
Dark Brown
Hair
Long, Straight, Dark Blond
Skin Tone/Pigmentation
White
Height
6'1
Weight
175 lbs
Quotes & Catchphrases
"My apologies sir, I was watching the setting sun." -Alleged last words to a servant before dying in his sleep
Belief/Deity
Mundana Ecclesia
Aligned Organization
Other Affiliations
Lakic
Salic
Character Prototype
King Charles VI
(Blessed Patriarch Henri, Patriarch for both Romel and his son Rousel and a towering figure for the ecclesia during the Buissoni and Hurrite crises)
(The Buissoni, the Bushmen who terrorized southern Tiranar during Romel's reign)
(Depiction of the Massacre of Fulek, an event that earned Romel the sobriquet of "King of Mutts")
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