Eleglass of Cranwyrth
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Eleglass of Cranwyrth was a historical figure born in modern-day Dunlann, Faneria responsible for crushing the Gothic tribes who had invaded the eastern Vandarch in the 6th Century in the Gothic War of 740-757.
Born 711, Council at 22 733, Prince at 24 735, king at 29 740, died 57 768
Early Life
City Council of Cranwyrth
At the age of 22, Eleglass successfully bid for a seat on the City Council of Cranwyrth, and served two years as a Councilmember, including leading the hunting down of a large bandit clan attacking trade in the region. This action brought him into political favor with the contemporary Prince of Daingean, a powerful state in west Dunlann to which Cranwyrth was a vassal. Eleglass was sent to Daingean represent Cranwyrth, and attended to the Prince on campaign for several years until he received the chance to lead an attack on an encroaching Gothic tribe from the east which was assaulting Celtic holds between Dunlann and the former heartland of The Imperium of the Vandar. This action proved extremely successful due to the Gothic forces expecting tribal militias rather than organized Ceiternn, evening the gap in capability between the two forces. Eleglass' army descended on the Goths at night, scattering them and seizing nearly two thousand horses plus other loot, which at the time made for an extremely large bounty due to controls on horse ownership by Latin conquerors in previous centuries.
Election as Prince of Daingean
The city of Daingean, rather than having a familial monarchy, had gained a tradition of having its rulers appointed and then confirmed by election during its history. When the reigning Prince died in 735, Eleglass was named his chosen successor and shortly thereafter confirmed by the city's landowners. Having been from a tributary originally, Eleglass found corralling the major factions within Daingean's hegemony fairly easy, and the collapse of the neighboring state of Glancione from a succession crisis secured the western borders and left Daingean as one of the most powerful cities of the time in the central Vandarch.
Shortly afterwards, Eleglass made a show of formally disbanding the long-defunct Ninerivers Confederation, attacking Glancione and integrating territories as far as modern-day Brynmawr. Most importantly, he focused on the development of a strong cavalry wing, pouring a great deal of wealth into the formation of the first mounted Ardceiternn units loyal to him and the City personally.
Gothic War
Later Rule
Death and Legacy
- electoral monarchy of Daingean influenced later Kingdom of the Fhainn elective monarchy