County of Harz
When Baldwin I declared himself King of Aachen his next act was to elevate his chief lieutenant GURCON MARNER to the title of Count of Harz.
Gurcon spent little time in his new office as he was still heavily involved in the ongoing wars that Baldwin and Ephremere were engaged in. Finally weary of battle he passed away in 1135. He had been preceded in death by his son PETROCK MARNER, and was suceeded by his Grandson WELLA MARNER.
Wella, though only a lad of 15 took to his duties naturally. Unfortunately he would die in a scaffolding collapse while inspecting work on the city walls. The walls of EDENBERG had been heavily damaged in the assault on the Imperial Administrator that was holding out there in 1123. Fortunately he had had a son who at one became the new Count.
Enyon Marner, would complete the wall rebuilding that his Father had started. He became quite an engineer, and also worked on the expansion of Aachen Castle. He was a confidant of Baldwin II and John.
SILAS MARNER, his son, inherited not only his title, but also his position at court. When Baldwin III ascended to the throne as a minor Silas was able to secure the regency. He was an unscrupulous man and was not worthy of the trust placed in him. He poisoned the mind of the young King and got him to turn against the Southern Vul. This lead to what is known in the South simply as Baldwin III's campaign against the migrants. But elsewhere is remembered as the AACHEN CIVIL WAR.
The war cost much treasure and blood in Aachen as the Vul were determined to keep their lands. In the end the leadership of the House of Brat proved to be a solid foundation for the Vul. The fur money that the Brat had at hand matched the King's taxes and allowed them to fight Silas to a standoff. When he was relieved of his duties as regent he found himself regarded as an enemy of all the men of Aachen. This lead him to try to sieze the throne for himself by ambushing his former protégé in the field. This disastrous coup in 1200 left him dead and Baldwin III still on the throne. Disgraced and with no direct heir Baldwin III awarded the title to the HOUSE OF QUINTA. PASCO QUINTA was one of his most loyal and able commanders.
Pasco as the first Count had little time to make a mark on HARZ as the war continued. He was succeeded by his Grandson JORI QUINTA. Jori was an active and able commander and was with Baldwin when he fell in battle in 1209. He became a chief ally of ARTHUR AACHEN Baldwin's brother, who stepped in as regent for the infant King Reginald, and was able to broker the peace with the Vul's that restored peace to the Kingdom. His aid in those times of trouble allowed him to work with Arthur when he was again regent for Baldwin IV. He was able to advance his Great-Granddaughter Ellena Quinta to be the bride of the young King. And her son would reign from his birth as Baldwin V.
Jori was not interested in the regency due to his age, so he put forward the boys Grandfather (Jori's Grandson) MORDECAI QUINTA. Unfortunately Mordecai was did not have the strength of his ancestors and proved to be a weak regent. Yielding to other opinions and afraid to commit when major issues arose. This lead to a restart of the migration of Vul into the north of the Kingdom. Mordecai could not stop it, and was able to slow it only by making an arrangement for young Baldwin to wed CORA MAELDITTOR the daughter of the Vul Jarl MAEL IGORSON. When his regency ended in with his death in 1260 the hope was that Baldwin V would be able to unite the Kingdom. Unfortunately it was not to be Baldwin's task, as he then died in 1261 in a hunting accident.
His infant son Igor I became King and the regency was given to his maternal grandfather Mael Igorson the JARL OF NORTHBERG. BRANOK QUINTA became the 8th Count of Harz. Branok was again a man more dedicated to his family and lands. He was jealous of the wealth the Brat's were accumulating with their adventures into the Kotsuj Valley. Determined to beat them He turned his eye south and west, and began to enlarge the families activity in the woolen trade, and shipping cloth to the lands of Ethrum. He established strong ties with Avignon, the KINGDOM OF MAINE, the Kingdom of Kayomar, Brindisium. In these lands the rich cloth was highly prized and Edenberg began to show the effects of the money flowing into its coffers. He was seldom at court, but when the time came for a bride for Igor I to be selected he went and took his young daughter LOWENNA QUINTA. Although at 14 one of the younger candidates, her charms and Branok's connections and wealth won through and she was selected. In 1279 Branok was pleased to see his grandson Igor II born. He would live to see the young man crowned King in 1291.
Igor II would need a regent, but the old Count did not feel the desire to go to court at his age. However, his son and heir BELDIN QUINTA was prepared for the challenge and as his uncle he was a great candidate. His still being the heir himself it left him free to apply himself to the needs of the Kingdom. Beldin had a major impact when he kept the pressure on the HANSE CITIES and was able to gain their recognition of Aachen's rights to the eastern half of the STRAIGHTS OF URSAL. Then in what he thought would be a blow against the Brat, he lead a force north to take the town of Eickjolf. Thus compromising the Brat base of operations in the North. He left his nephew with a Kingdom richer and better off than his Father had left him. In 1197 he withdrew to Edenberg and to take up his office as Count of Harz with the death of his father that same year.
Beldin's gambit to take Eickjolf had limited the growth of the Brat's power, but in 1320 when his nephew died while breaking the siege of that town, Igor III relinquished all control to the Brat. This was further compromised when he married Lonida Bratvag the daughter of Sturla Brat. Having lost out in his gamble in the North, Beldin turned the same energies into growing his own lands in the South. He has established trade posts on the Southern coast West of the RHODOPE MOUNTAINS.
Founding Date
1127
Predecessor Organization
Leader
Leader Title
Parent Organization
Related Ranks & Titles
Controlled Territories
Notable Members
Related Species
Related Ethnicities
House Marner
Gurcon Marner (1057 - 1135)
Wella Marner (1120 - 1138)
Enyon Marner (1137 - 1181)
Silas Marner (1162 - 1200 (Regent 1183 - 1198))
House of Quinta
Pasco Quinta (1122-1202)
Jori Quinta (1161 - 1251)
Mordecai Quinta (1209 - 1260 (Regent 1242 - 1260))
Branok Quinta, the Younger (1242 - 1297)
Beldin Quinta (1262 - 1349 (Regent 1291 - 1297))
Talan Quinta (1288-Present)
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