House of Brat
The House of Brat is named after and founded by Brat Ericson. He was one of the early leaders of those Vul that traveled south into DETMOLD during the waning years of the great wars. He settled at the mouth of the SOREL RIVER in 1083. This small settlement was named Bratvag after him. He lead his people to expand inland to farm, and encouraged others to go up river to trap in the DETMOLD FOREST, and the VORALBERG MOUNTAINS. This lead to the area quickly becoming prosperous having plenty of food and silver from the grain they grew and the furs they trapped.
With money and food he was able to resist the efforts to throw he and his people out of the area. He was able to make the now fortified town of Bratvag a fixture and to hold off the forces of the new arrivals from Ethrum. His son ARTURIS BRATSON took his place leading the Southern Vul against the newly minted Kingdom of Aachen and its King Baldwin I. In 1127 he agreed to a treaty with Baldwin I that had him recognize Baldwin as his liege Lord, and had Baldwin recognize him as the Jarl of Brat and granted his family sovereignty over most of Northwest Detmold.
Arturis would stand by Ephremere throughout her battles and was one of her foremost generals until his death in 1144. He was the first Vul to be brought into the Knights of the Unicorn. His body was returned to Bratvag and burned in his boat in the traditional Vul fashion. He had already been preceded in death by his son HOLMSTEIN BRATSON, so his grandson @GRITH BRAT succeeded him at 2 years of age.
Grith's time as leader saw him actively engage in the fur trade in the town of EICKJOLF at the mouth of the KOTSUJ RIVER. This venture cost the family, but Grith was able to convince his son KONAL BRAT that it was a wise investment. Konal accepted his father's wise advice, and by the time of his death in 1209 the northern venture was beginning to pay large dividends. This was needed for during his years of leadership SILAS MARNER's anti-Vul policies that poisoned the reign of Baldwin III meant it was needed to fund the fight. The silver they got from the trade and the men from the North that came to their aid lead ultimately to a victory that secured the rights of Vul in Aachen. But, just as his enemy Baldwin lost his life in these wars so did Konal, the two men dying within days of each other.
These deaths undoubtedly speeded up the settlements that followed. THORBERG BRAT, Konal's son and heir, worked beside CUTHBERT ELRICSON to secure the peace in AACHEN CIVIL WAR. Thorberg's son THORFAST IRONHEAD BRAT would ascend to the Jarldom in 1218 at Twelve years of age, and would see the transition form the Baldwins to the Igors. Thorberg lobbied heavily for a Navy as the family had to spend heavily in tolls and losses from the HANSE CITIES and the PIRATES OF THE BROKEN FINGERS. Baldwin IV was drawn into conflict with the ORCS OF THE VORALBERG MOUNTAINS. This would dominate the military efforts into the reign of Igor I.
However, Thorberg had made his mark and Igor I began plans for a Vul Navy. Thorberg was not able to see this come to be, but his efforts lead to his great-grandson and heir, KOTKEL BRAT, becoming the first ADMIRAL OF THE SILVER SEAS, which has become the hereditary office of the Jarldom of Brat. Kotkel played pivotal roles in the BATTLE OF THE URSAL TAL and the BATTLE OF THE URSAL STRAIGHTS. These naval victories wrested control of the waters from the Hanse Cities and were a great boon to the family as the profits from the fur trade grew. Kotkel's efforts did not stop there as he worked with Igor II to develop and execute the campaign to capture Eickjolf.
This move secured the fur trade for Aachen, but also for the Brats. Kotkel as the Admiral had a great influence on the Kotsuj policies of Aachen. Under Igor III he was able to have further resources put into the valley. With regular patrols, which aided the expansion of the Vul settlements, and the reach of the Brat trappers. Kotkel became the regent for the young King Igor IV, and when he died in 1331 his son Sturla Brat became the Jarl and Admiral, but also the regent. He was able to convince the young King once he had reached his maturity to annex the Kotsuj Valley.
This annexation was a great boon to the family and his cousin ERIC BRAT was named the 1st JARL OF KOTSUJ. Sturla having secured his families northern aspirations, was sadly killed defending them against the Hanse Cities, and so the family is now headed by Eric as Sturla's son Curlric is still in his minority.
Founding Date
1083
Type
Political, Family
Leader
Family Leader
Location
Related Species
Related Ethnicities
Brat Ericson (1056 - 1125)
ARTURIS BRATSON (1073 -1144)
HOLMSTEIN BRAT (1107 - 1136)
GRITH BRAT (1135 -1184)
KONAL BRAT (1154 - 1209)
THORBERG BRAT (1179 0 1218)
THORFAST BRAT (1206 - 1285)
IORUND BRAT (1222 - 1278)
VALI BRAT (1245 - 1282)
KOTKEL BRAT (1274 - 1331)
Sturla Brat (1296 - 1337)
Curlric Brat (1326 - Present)
Kotsuj Branch
VALI BRAT (1245 - 1282)
HIORVARD BRAT (1277 - 1315)
Eric Brat (1293 - Present)
Comments