Andrea
From Almeopedia
Andrea [an ˈdrɛ a] was Queen of Verduria from 3296 to 3301, the fourth ruler of the Eleďe dynasty. Her short reign was mostly noted for her travels, not only to nearby allies, but more unusually, to Telarsanië and Xurno. Her disappearance on one of these ventures ended the dynasty, but for Eleďi made her into legend.
Early life
Andrea was born in 3268 to queen Elena and her consort, Savel beom Urys. She was made šoha Kaino or crown princess at the age of 12, in preference to her younger brother Martino.
She was a beautiful and charming princess, sought after by princes from across Eretald; but she was more interested in riding and swordsmanship. Many a man had the experience of condescendingly accepting a bout, finding that he had severely unnderestimated her, and getting injured-- at which point she would very sweetly apologize. She spent much time with the Knights of Dévora, an all-female Eleďe military order.
To prepare her for affairs of state, Elena made her a judge before she was twenty; she soon achieved a reputation for intelligence and wisdom. In her most famous case, she dismissed a suit for libel, on finding that the defendant's published statements were justified; Oresta řo e nikagdá travët, she declared: "Truth is never a crime."
In 3287 she visited Telarsanië, the iliu enclave west of Verduria; this was an unusual honor for a human, even a princess, and more so in that she was invited to the Secret Mansion there, which no human had seen since the fall of Cuzei. The experience seemed to change her; some of the vigor and grace of the ilii seemed to envelope her ever afterward.
Reign
The events of her five-year reign are quickly told. She made Lukano Ihtüec, her mother's cousin, prime minister, and brought back Petro Erakilo from retirement to head the War Ministry. In 3297 Erakilo made a show of force off Lädau that was enough to persuade the Kebreni to open the port to Verdurian trade. The same year, Andrea made a state visit to Érenat that cemented its alliance with Verduria and charmed that nation as well; she and Elena are the only Verdurian monarchs to have streets named after them in Avéla.
In 3299 she took a large fleet of ships and a respectable contingent of the court to Inex-- the first time a Verdurian monarch had travelled to the south of Ereláe. The purpose of the expedition was twofold. First, it was to counter the Xurnese tendency to see the Northern powers as small barbarian statelets, though with an inexplicable aptitude for technology, and to treat their representative accordingly. In this she succeeded: the top of the line iron-clad Verdurian warships, larger than any Xurnese vessel, made quite an impression.
Second, Andrea sought an alliance against Dhekhnam, which only a few years below had conquered Irscondro, the last free state of Sarnáe, as well as most of the Monkhayu. The Council promised to keep an eye on the ktuvok empire, though the Xurnese had a hard time accepting the threat as real, since the Dhekhnami never seemed to penetrate south of the mountains.
Andrea returned through Xazno and southern Eretald, shoring up relations with the southern kingdoms and Ctésifon-- though Ctésifon, heartland of Caďinorian paganism, maintained its reserve.
Her courtiers pointed with increasing desperation at the available princes in each of the nations they visited. Andrea was in her thirties and unmarried; this was beginning to be worrisome.
Final journey
In cuéndimar of 3301, she set sail again, taking the Gintro Elreë, her flagship on the Xurnese expedition, and one of the Navy's fastest ships. She brought along an experienced crew, her brother Martino, and several Knights of Dévora. She travelled to Syxesteer, where she was received hospitably by the flaids-- and then sailed northeast, never to be seen again by men.
The kingdom was nonplussed. After a month, Erakilo sent out ships to make inquiries; but there was no record of her in any port past Syxesteer. The flaids reported that she had been noncomittal about her final destination, but that her ship was outfitted for a long journey. There were rumors-- partially confirmed by the ilii-- that Andrea had responded to a plea for help, perhaps even involving other worlds. Magicians were consulted; they could only respond that some "evil greater than Dhekhnam" had approached and was now receding.
Some pagans sneered that her ship was simply lost at sea; but the common people generally took the rumors at face value: their Queen and Knight had been summoned, and had responded without hesitation. If other realms had need of anyone in Verduria, it would be Queen Andrea.
Meanwhile the world, in its mean way, plodded on. The idea of choosing a new monarch was brought up, rejected, reconsidered. In froďac the Esčambra began serious deliberations. Andrea's uncle Ihano was considered, without much enthusiasm. There was more interest in Lukano Ihtüec, till he inconveniently died. Her father Savel was still alive, but he was only a baron and Zeiri to boot, most unacceptable.
New elections at the start of 3302 brought the Caďin party to power; this almost ensured that a pagan would be chosen, and relatively quickly. In early reli, the Esčambromi had settled on Mëranac cont Abolineron.
| Preceded by: Elena | Andrea 3296-3301 | Succeeded by: Mëranac 1e |
