Dardianazăr Tăndi
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Dardianazăr Tăndi | |
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| Born | 7 May 1515 Kastero Region, Ranaella Province |
| Died | 26 October 1573 (aged 58) Töröm, Dukedom of Volonia |
| Cause of death | Execution |
| Criminal charge(s) | Grand piracy (18x); grand treason (1x); dessertion of the Legion (1x); dessertion of the Imperium (1x); immoral and indecent behavior (14x) |
| Piratical career | |
| Allegiance |
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| Years active | 1531-1573 |
| Base of operations | Lake Duranis |
Dardianazăr Tăndi (7 May 1515 - 21 October 1573) was a Caphiran pirate leader, privateer, and former military commander of the Imperial Legion during the 16th century. Born in the southern border province of Ranaella, Tăndi would join the ranks of The Legion at age 16 and devote 6 lustra (30 total years) of his life fighting primarily against Sarpic barbarians in and around Duranis Lake. During a routine patrol, Tăndi witnessed a pirate group pillage a nearby village and goes to intervene. The pirates however, had paid off most of the legionaries prior and were confused at the lone soldier defying them. Tăndi was surrounded and taken captive by the pirate group, who then tortured him until he agreed to join their ranks.Tăndi would then spend the next decade engaging in all acts of piracy against Caphiria.
In 1572, a small naval force led by Észükséges of Volon on behalf of Caphiria found Tăndi and a dozen of his men stationed at Töröm, a port town in the western part of the Duranis controlled by the Duchy of Volonia. In a twisted irony, Tăndi's ship had been disabled by a traitor who had been giving information to Észükséges, who cast molten lead into the links of the chain which controlled the ship's rudder. Tăndi and his crew were captured and brought to the nearby Duchy of Volonia, where they were tried for piracy. According to legend, Tăndi offered a chain of gold long enough to enclose the whole of Volonia in exchange for his life and freedom. However, Tăndi and all of his 28 companions were sentenced to death and were beheaded in Töröm.
The most famous legend of Tăndi relates to the execution itself. Tăndi is said to have asked the Duke of Volonia to release as many of his companions as he could walk past after being beheaded. Following the granting of this request and the subsequent beheading, Tăndi's body arose and walked past eleven of his men before the executioner tripped him with an outstretched foot. Nevertheless, the eleven men were executed along with the others. The Duchess asked the executioner if he was not tired after all this, but he replied he could easily execute the whole of the ducal court as well. For this, he himself was sentenced to death and executed by the eldest son of the Duke.