Sigswald
The Kingdom of Sigswald (Tearvin Sigswaldny Gimár, Vuscovi Žigs'zabay'felke, lit. "Outer-Sigser-Land") is an elector state of the Holy Gilder Empire.
Sigswald is regarded as the unifier and strongman of the Empire, holding the largest economy and standing army of any Imperial Prince, and the longest list of reigning Emperors. Sigswald is also one of the two Kingdom-rank states of the Empire - the other being Gairovald - a title held in honour of its innumerable deeds in its defence and history of significant interventions beyond its borders.
Structure
Sigswald is a constitutional monarchy ruled by King Regent Leon Ferdand, who serves as Head of State, with a large degree of political affairs being co-handled by its chancellor, Count Adalwolf Usben.
Public Agenda
Following the disappearance of their Emperor Rupert, the Sigswalder court has been primarily concerned with preserving their influence over the Empire while bringing the boy's kidnappers to justice. With the reign of House Alven in interregnum, it was Leon Ferdand - the Duke of Sigser, economic advisor to the crown and the King's uncle - who assumed the title of regent, and now juggles the difficult task of defending the Imperial City of Kronach from the forces of bandits and pretenders alike, all while keeping it quiet enough to discern the perpetrators of the crime and perform a proper investigation.
History
Sigswald's (as Two Sigsers) earliest myths begin in the late Kingdom of Gilder, a time shared with the fall of Great Altea in the second century pre-Radiant Dawn, with it said to have been born from the marriage of the Warrior-King Haldert of Sigser to Queen Prida the Maiden of Stendiry, their shared nation declared as Sigswald, or "Sigser-sword", in reference to laying down a sword in triumph of the final defeat of the ancient foe.
Sigswald's claimed peak lies during the reign of Bengwaz Alven, who founded the Holy Gilder Empire and, after winning the throne the Two Sigsers, and declared his son Rupert as ruler of Sigswald and inheritor of the Alven name. Though no longer the sole power of the Empire, Sigswald remains as one of its chief deciders, resting on the benefits of its self-sufficient economy and military, permanent elector status, myriad ties to other gilder noble families, and long history of ruling emperors.
With the laws of Holy Gilder Empire disallowing a regent from occupying the place of a Prince-Elector, the once vast imperial authority of Sigswalder has shrunk, as has its armies, forcing the Kingdom to rely heavily on mercenaries to keep its old hegemony - and control over Kronach - intact. As the costs have mounted, and with the coffers of the White Hall dwindling, the Sigswalder Court has since become increasingly dependent on loans from the Santori's of Ludvico.
Sigswald nevertheless has managed to weather the economic collapse that has beleaguered many of the Holy Gilder Nations involved in the civil war, with its large spans of productive farmland, direct access to the Eternal East trade routes beyond the icebound Sunquench Sea, and leading industrial sector allowing it to maintain itself beyond the borders of the Holy Gilder Empire, securing its border with the Wolf-adherent Vaskja to the west, all while staking a serious claim in the rising conflict in Emeria.
First Amongst Many
Founding Date
130 PRD
Type
Geopolitical, Kingdom
Alternative Names
Sigswaldny Gimár
Demonym
Sigswalder
Government System
Monarchy, Constitutional
Parent Organization
Notable Members
Related Ethnicities
Comments