Elena
From Almeopedia
Elena [ɛ ˈlɛ na] was Queen of Verduria from 3266 to 3296, the third ruler of the Eleďe dynasty. Perhaps even more than her father Tomao, she created Verduria as we know it: waging wars against Kebri to establish Verduria as the leading naval power; reforming the Esčambra to reflect the new power of the bourgeois; even creating the present-day Verdurian orthography.
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Early life
Elena, born in 3244, was Tomao’s oldest child; but when Tomao died in 3264 her younger brother Ihano was made king. Elena had three strikes against her: she was a woman; she was considered silly and flirtatious; and she was too strongly Eleďe. (Ihano had no great virtues, but no great negatives either.) Elena was disgusted with the decision, and used her position to offer a steady stream of criticism of her brother.
The first Kebreni war
Kebri and Verduria had been headed toward war for decades, though Ihano and his Lord of the Exchequer, Belneár Culán, marquis of Irvesi, did their best to avoid it. Their hands were forced when the Kebreni attacked the Verdurian naval base at Gulagór off the coast of Ismahi, on 13 vlerëi 3266. (Kebri's casus belli was that Verdurian privateers were attacking its shipping— which was true, though Kebreni freebooters were even more active— but the real cause was the revival of Verdurian trade under the new dynasty, which threatened Kebri's command of the sea.)
For more than a month the Kebreni systematically destroyed what there was of the Verdurian navy, while Irvesi dithered. The Esčambra even offered to raise taxes— long a sticking point— but Irvesi seemed unable to adapt to the new situation. On 24 calo, the Palace announced that Ihano had abdicated his throne, and his sister Elena was now Queen.
In peacetime this would have been considered a usurpation; now Verduria clamored for war, and it was relieved to have a queen who promised to wage it. The Esčambra quickly ratified her accession and confirmed the dismissal of Irvesi, which Elena had ordered before she was even crowned. Elena replaced Irvesi with Adriano Melondan, a rich merchant, and accepted the Esčambra’s offer to raise taxes.
The Kebreni, unimpressed, blockaded the Verdurian coast. The new Fleet Commander (culso) of the Navy, Mihel Barbúl, had no more strategic vision than Irvesi; he would build ships and send them against the Kebreni, who would sink them. Meanwhile the Kebreni sent ships up the Eärdur and the Serea, attacking towns far inland. Armies were landed that marched round Verduria province burning crops, and the Kebreni burned the Arcaln Bridge, then the only bridge connecting Verduria city to Arin island.
The winter brought a brief respite. Barbúl began talks with Érenat about an alliance. The Érenati, old enemies of the Kebreni, were open to the idea in principle, but were reluctant to join the losing side in the war. They did agree to close their ports to Kebreni shipping.
The spring campaign went no better. The Navy’s shipyards had not even restored the ships lost last year; the Kebreni again harrassed the coast and the major rivers. Elena dismissed Barbúl, then his successor Caiem Foriy, to no avail.
In recoltë 3267 the Verdurians sued for peace. The terms were harsh. Verdurian ships were forbidden to trade with Kebri, the Little Kingdoms, Xurno, and Moreo Ašcai. The Verdurians promised to restrain their pirates, and their vessels were subject to arbitrary searches by the Kebreni navy. The protectorate over the Ismaîn coast passed to Kebri. And even Érenat was penalized for its small defiance, by being forced to allow Kebri to build a naval base on Melloin island near Avéla.
Contemporary opinion did not blame Elena for the loss; she was considered to have managed the war with zeal and energy. It was obvious that the kingdom had been unready for war, and it was in a mood now to make up for lost time. Later historians have suggested that Elena chose the undistinguished Barbúl precisely to ensure that the war was lost, precisely to build support for a program of naval expansion. However, there were not better commanders to choose; at this time they were all undistinguished.
Elena’s Esčambra
Furious at Verduria's humiliating loss, the Esčambra impeached Melondan, the new War Minister Petro Erakilo, and every culso (commander) in the Navy, demanding that the queen replace them with its own choices. It also voted to rescind the tax increases, on the grounds that the war was over. Elena was gratified to find that these moves were widely condemned as foolish, even treasonous.
Her response was bold: in želea 3267 she dissolved the Esčambra and redesigned it, creating 25 new peerages, 56 new urban districts, 10 seats for petty barons, and no less than 119 elected seats for rural districts (šanî). The seats for pagan clergy were reduced from 50 to 18, and 15 seats for Eleďe clerics were created. Moreover, the franchise was extended to all males worth more than 100 ořulî a year, and unmarried females worth more than 500.
The Biyetora was also abolished; the monarchy was now to be hereditary, but the Esčambra would decide in the absence of a clear heir.
The vast majority of these new seats, of course, went to Elena's supporters. In the long term, however, Elena had created a more democratic and thus more authoritative body, and empowered the burgeoning middle class. Elena got what she wanted— money and support for rebuilding the armed forces, taxation on nobles for the first time, confirmation that ministers could be dismissed by the monarch alone— but no subsequent ruler was able to dominate the Esčambra to the same extent.
Rebellion in Sereor
Sereor had been lost during the Gray Years, and its nobles rather liked it that way. They were nominally loyal to Tomao, but sensing the weakness of his son Ihano, they rebelled. Ihano sent an army into the province, but it simply disappeared when its salaries went unpaid. Elena had severely criticized her brother; it was now time to show that she could do better.
Her War Minister's first move, in 3268, was to occupy Ervost and Leďear, the province's largest cities. These had no great love for the nobles, were easily co-opted by extending the electoral reforms to them, and served as bases for separating and harrassing the rebels. (It's also alleged, without clear proof, that Erakilo encouraged the Caizurans to raid the southern portion of the province, to remind the rebellious nobles of the advantage of a strong central state.)
The total forces of the two sides were still comparable, but by occupying the cities and key estates, Erakilo prevented the rebel forces from concentrating. During the next year and a half, his growing army made lighning raids against the ringleaders of the rebellion. This not only reduced the effectiveness of the rebels, but sent the message that he was not after the small fry. The remaining rebels made a last stand at Endi Ervostei in cuéndimar 3269, and were overwhelmed. The ten highest-ranking rebel nobles who had not been killed were tried; six were executed for treason, the rest merely stripped of their titles and estates. Erakilo was named the new surcont of Leďear, but other titles were filled from the local gentry.
The second Kebreni war
The country was intent on avenging its humiliation, and poured resources into the army and navy. In recoltë 3271 Elena felt strong enough to declare that any seizures of Verdurian ships would be taken as an act of war. On 14 recoltë a merchantman proceeding through the Straits of Kebri was stopped by a Kebreni man of war; smoke signals were sent to two waiting Verdurian warships, which came in and destroyed the Kebreni ship.
It was just four years since the last war; the Kebreni were unprepared, and at first the Verdurians did very well. Érenat had agreed to an alliance, and joint Verdurian and Érenati forces retook Melloin island, and then the strait islands, Gaḣta and Meḣta. Erakilo's new ships protected the Verdurian rivers, and most boldly, he landed a thousand men on the northeastern shore of Kebri, and they rummaged around the Pabadu valley, burning the vineyards and terrorizing villages.
The most striking Verdurian victory of the war, however, took place 4000 km away: culso Ekezkël Mesti encountered 11 Kebreni ships at Moreo Ašcai, sunk six, and captured the rest, losing just one of his own ten ships. He took 300 Kebreni sailors prisoner.
The winter proved more difficult. The Verdurian army had to be rescued, and this required directly attacking the Kebreni fleet; the final battle off Nekunoḣa was a disaster; to pick up the remaining 800 Verdurian soldiers, 400 sailors were lost. Then the prince of Ismahi, annoyed at having his littoral contested by foreign powers, sided with Kebri, which threatened to give Kebri a land base from which to attack Verduria.
In the spring of 3270 Kebri retook the strait islands, and managed to prevent a second landing on its coast. There were a number of sea battles, large and small, but few had any clear victor, though the trend favored the more experienced Kebreni.
The war began to become unpopular at home. Elena instructed Erakilo to wait till he had a strategic advantage, and then negotiate. In calo the opportunity presented itself: a Kebreni ship, by accident, sunk a Floran vessel off Cyr. The flaids were infuriated, refused to accept that the attack was mistaken, and threatened to join the Verdurian alliance.
The Kebreni accepted Erakilo's offer to talk. Negotiations took the rest of the year— neither side was so exhausted that it was entirely unwilling to return to fighting. Nonetheless a treaty was worked out and signed in Syxesteer in šoru 3270. By its terms Kebri renounced its searches and seizures, its base on Melloin island, and the restrictions on Verdurian trade, except that Verdurians were still not allowed to trade on Kebri.
Verdurians had reason to be pleased: the restrictions on its trade were largely removed, its navy had performed well, and Érenat was now a firm ally. The Kebreni, however, now had the friendship of Ismahi— and, truth to tell, the Verdurians had lost two-thirds of their new navy. Erakilo and Elena believed that their work was not done.
Elena at home
Elena married in the midst of the first Kebreni war, in 3266. Her new consort was Savel baron of Urys, a Zeiri noble and one of her military advisors. The court was unhappy-- why did she not marry a foreign prince? Very likely she did not want a partner who might be tempted to act like a king. She made it clear that Urys had no political authority.
She bore a daughter, Andrea, in 3268, and in 3270 a son, Martino. Unusually, she insisted on naming Andrea rather than Martino her heir.
Explorations
Erakilo continued building ships, and sent them around the world, finding routes, establishing relationships, and creating charts. A Navy expedition traced the Eärdur to its source, over 2000 km from Verduria city, in 3276. The source of the Meuna was traced in 3281; for the first time it was realized that the Meuna was longer than the Svetla (measuring upstream from their confluence).
The merchant marine followed, quickly establishing trade routes with Nan, Šura, Čeiy, and Xurno. Of these, Xurno most excited the Verdurian imagination; Verdurians were crazy for things Xurnese, from clothing to oil paintings to medicines to perfumes. Plays such as Belgobán's So Haleza and novels such as Gal's Lädeca im Ahuenain ('Departure for Xurno'), still read today, attest to the fashion, as does the new Admiralty building, which borrows from the architecture of Inex.
The spelling reform
In 3272, at the request of the Eleďi booksellers, Elena guided through her new Esčambra an act to reform Verdurian orthography. She asked the University of Verduria to perpare an authoritative dictionary, following the pronunciation in Verduria city.
Many considered the new spellings barbaric-- especially the pagans. But there was no competing standard; existing orthography was chaotic, with a mixture of Caďinorized and phonetic forms, a plethora of inscrutable manuscript abbreviations, and enormous individual variation. Printers especially appreciated the simplified standard-- except for those specializing in Caďinorian pagan works, which didn't adopt the reform for another century.
In 3290 Elena established a university in Vyat, the first to be created in almost three centuries.
Party politics
The modern party system originated during the Kebreni wars. Elena charged her Minister of Trade, Pavel Sofuit, with shepherding appropriations bills through the Esčambra; he organized a group of keys supporters, which became the core of the fako i Navirora or Navy Party. Its major components were the armed forces, ocean-trading merchants, Eleďi, and manufacturers.
In the 3270s the Drukî dalui or King’s Friends were organized, composed largely of conservative nobles; many were old Acorns from Tomao’s reign. Urban pagans and clerics were found in the fako Enäronei or Enäron Party; finally, provincial bourgeois were enrolled in the Cumonora Mažulië or Towns League.
These divisions were not as yet clear-cut; it was not unusual for a member to belong to more than one party. The three minor parties held a majority of the seats, but did not form an opposition, as coalitions were formed issue by issue, and Sofuit was adept at forming ad hoc majorities for any given bill. There was not yet much of an idea that the Esčambra could pursue policy objectives on its own, especially in opposition to the monarch.
The third Kebreni war
The pretext for the third war was the barony of Harum, just east of Zeir. Elena advanced one argument after another: the barony was ancient Zeiri territory; it spoke Verdurian rather than Ismaîn; Verdurian traders were being oppressed; the city of Rašid was fouling the river and poisoning the city of Zeirdan. None of these was very believable, but they fired up public opinion, and when the prince of Ismahi invited the Kebreni to help defend the barony in cuéndimar of 3285, Elena ordered her troops to invade.
The fighting soon stalemated. The Verdurians soon learned why Harum was part of Ismahi: cannonades and cavalry charges down the mountains were devastating. But the Verdurians blocked the Efrat valley, leaving no effective way for the Kebreni and Ismaîn to attack Zeir.
Elena and Erakilo decided to extend the war to the Ismaîn coast, blockading the fortress of Gulagór, and to Kebri, landing 3000 men at Nërona Altea on the north coast, which was expected to be less well defended. It was, but it also lay across the mountains from Kebropol, he could harrass the Kebreni this way but hardly win the war.
In calo, Erakilo boarded his invasion force back onto his ships and sailed for the Ismaîn coast. He attacked island after island; in yag Gulagór fell, and he occupied Koto after its prince refused to let him use its port of Cuni as a base for attacking Kebropol. Finally he occupied the Strait islands. He neglected to inform the Queen of any of this till he was readying his attack on the Kebreni capital.
When she was informed, Elena was furious-- she had about decided to end the war, and Erakilo had gone far beyond his orders. She recalled him, intending to try him for insubordination; seeing the acclaim he received in the city, she gave him a peerage and a hasty retirement. Whent he Kebreni sued for peace in išire, she asked the duke of Sereor to negotiate.
The treaty was signed in Zeirdan by the end of the year. The duke largely squandered Erakilo's advances. Ismahi lost two thirds of its littoral: the western portion including Gulagór was ceded to Verduria; the middle third became independent as Denisovič (which however was effectively a Verdurian protectorate). Harum was acknowledged as Ismaîn territory; Kebri lost no territory at all, unless you count the fact that it "forever renounced" any claim to Koto. Naturally the war turned Ismahi into a firm Kebreni ally. Verdurian merchants would henceforth be allowed to trade in Kebropol and the Strait Islands, but nowhere else.
Nonetheless the Verdurians were satisfied, because the war established the supremacy of the Verdurian navy. Twenty years before Kebri was able to monopolize trade and humiliate the Verdurians; now the Verdurians could do as they pleased.
Elena's personality
Elena tends to be pagans’ favorite among the Eleďe monarchs; they understand her goals and her methods. There was no questioning her patriotism, and she left Verduria richer and stronger than she found it. Some Eleďi have their doubts about her, finding her too worldly and too flirtatious— as Eleďne Margiteya said, though her virtue was preserved in the highly adulterous world of the nobility, “this was but barely.”
She had a fiery temper and a sharp tongue, and hated not getting her way. On the other hand, as with the retirement of Erakilo, she was generally able to see sense before doing something foolish. She greatly enjoyed court life, royal ceremony, and meeting her subjects, but also had a taste for theological debate; though it was noted that she grew bored with a discussion if she was not a participant.
As Ihano Debere put it, “The queen is careless of others’ opinions of her, with the result that people usually think well of her.”
Elena died in 3296, of a heart attack; she was succeeded by her daugher Andrea.
| Preceded by: Ihano | Elena 3266-96 | Succeeded by: Andrea |
