Timeline of the History of the Hayford Duchy
The Hayford Duchy is made up of the lands East of
The Hespeak Mountains. Its Northern side borders on
The Bay of Glass, its Eastern and Southern sides border
The Mirror Sea. On its Western side it borders the lands of the
Southbay Duchy, House
Southbay itself across the
The Conbridge River in the South-West and
House Brume of The Green in the North-West.
House Locke of Riverfoot, a Blackbar
Vassal, is located to the North-East of the Duchy. The Duchy is bisected by water, with
Eastlake in the centre and the Rivers Tayach and Stiv feeding from
Eastlake to the sea in the North and the South respectively.
The Hespeak Mountains have been home to
House Hayford of Haycastle since long before
The Unification of Somercrag, when they were known as the Hay Kings. Even the name of the mountain range is derived from them, being once known as the "Hay's Peaks", and gradually evolving to the current name.
ser Jorrel Hayford, last of the Hay Kings, was the first noble to bend the knee to King
Soren Somercrag in his campaign to unify
The Kingdom of Somercrag. The rest of the region soon followed, either following the newly appointed Duke Jorrel's lead, or being conquered by the combined forces under King Soren's command.
The early incorporation of the Duchy meant that the armies of the various Hayford Vassals saw considerably more conflict than the other Duchies, leading to them both winning more glory and suffering more losses than others. This, combined with the supply of valuable metals from
Quarrystone, has meant that the Hayford Duchy has a strong martial culture, with some of Somercrag's most storied knights coming from the region.
During the campaign to end
The Irogonie Aggression Duke Brennar led the forces of the Duchy against the Irogonians. He was supported by his
Marshal ser Edam Bracks, a man whose treachery is detailed elsewhere.
Following the war the Hayford Duchy was rewarded for their service with the wedding of Duke Brennar's sister,
Lady Ophelia Hayford, to
ser Newall, the Hero of Starfield, and the creation of
House Foxworth of Fairstrand as their vassal within the lands seized from Irogonie.
The Hayford Duchy was also the site of the events that led to the death of
ser Sola Somercrag and eventually the Somercrag Revolution of 441KS, resulting in, amongst other unfortunate effects, the death of Duke Brennar Hayford and the extinction of two Hayford Vassals.
The Duchy is now ruled by
ser Edgarth Hayford, Duke Brennar's son. He is young for the position, but is advised not only by a
Council of his own vassals but by the close friendships he has established with houses outside his own lands - particularly
House Southbay of Southbay and
House Conklyn of The Clerewood, with Edgarth having spent much time travelling in the company of ser Allon and ser Carreth.
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