Castle Welute
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| Castle Welute | |
|---|---|
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| General information | |
| Type | Royal palace |
| Location | Archduchy of Urceopolis |
| Country |  Urcea |
| Renovated | 1907-1909 |
| Owner | King Riordan VIII |
Castle Welute is a royal residence situated on the Urce River in Westglen, and it serves as the primary home and administrative center of the monarchy of the Apostolic Kingdom of Urcea. It also serves as the primary birthplace of children of House de Weluta, especially in the Royal line. Since the 14th century, it has served as the ancestral home of the House de Weluta, and prior to the 18th century it was an important fortification in the defensive network around Urceopolis. It has served as the semi-permanent residence of the Apostolic King since the reign of King Aedanicus VIII. The outer walls were removed during the 19th century as many had begun to collapse. The outer portions of the Castle are open to visitors, and contain shops and stalls for local agriculture.
History
The granite outcropping on which Castle Welute is built was likely the site of human settlement since the stone age, and archaeological evidence has been found suggesting Gaelic ringforts on the site prior to the arrival of Adonerii settlers in Levantia. Easily fortified, the site was inconsistently settled until the 800s BC, when it apparently became the seat of a series of petty Gaelic kings. Gaels were driven from the area in the 700s BC and the hill was largely forgotten as the surrounding area became wooded, and it remained a forest for the Great Levantia period. Conflicting historical and archaeological evidence suggests that the Latin League fought a major battle against Gallawa either at or near the current Castle site in the 750s, and a legend maintains that Saint Julius of the Caeline himself conducted the battle against Gallawa sitting atop the hill, a claim that would give a kind of increased prestige and moral authority to House de Weluta, although the claim is subject to a great deal of scholarly debate.
Pre-Welute period
Castle constructed
Early modern period
The military value of Castle Welute became apparent to military and Royal figures during the latter half of the 17th century. Though its fortifications remained largely medieval, the Castle sat upon one of the most dominating geographical features of the Upper Urce, making it a vital position to hold in the northern Valley if the Northgate was breached. Consequently, major reconstruction efforts began in the early 18th century as part of a broader effort to make Urcea more resilient in the face of military conflict. The keep and medieval curtain walls were retained as the center point of the fortress, but a series of sprawling star fortifications were constructed radiating out of the medieval castle. As the Castle sat on the west bank of the river and would be vulnerable if an army were to surpass the new outer fortifications by crossing to the east bank, several batteries and fortifications - collectively dubbed Castle Leo - were built along the east bank. Warehouses for siege supply were built as was a major supply depot intended to support operations of the Royal and Imperial Army in the northern section of the Valley. The resulting set of fortifications were impressive, and only came under serious threat once during the century they were operational. During the Second Caroline War, advanced forces of the Imperial Army skirmished with pickets around the castle, and Imperial reconnaissance suggested it would be too difficult to take without a prolonged siege. This played a major role in the failure of the Imperial Army to advance on Urceopolis, setting the stage for later victories over the Imperial Army by Ionian forces loyal to House de Weluta.
Transition to Royal residence
Contemporary history
Major structures
Royal Chapel
The Royal Chapel, officially the Chapel of St. Michael the Archangel, is the Catholic chapel serving the people living in and around Castle Welute. It is primarily intended for use by House de Weluta and their retainers, but is open to a limited public audience (primarily those of the Marketeer Quarter) during various Catholic holy days. The first Royal Chapel was built along with the original Castle and was likely a small room no more than twenty feet long, but in subsequent construction the Royal Chapel became the most prominent structure within the Castle. Its steeple and tower are often the most closely-identified part of the Castle.
The current Chapel was built in a Levanesque style. Following the ascension of the first de Weluta Apostolic King in 1402 led to significant new investments in the interior of the Chapel, giving it its modern appearance.
First wall
Marketeer Quarter
At the ground level of the Castle lay the "Marketeer Quarter", a town-like arrangement built into the Castle's hillside. The Quarter arose at some point during the earliest decades of the Castle's use as an informal gathering of merchants that was eventually enclosed within the Castle walls following the construction of the second wall. During its use as a major military fortification and medieval castle, the Marketeer Quarter was the permanent home to about 200-300 people who owned and operated various shops at the base of the hill inside the walls. These shopkeepers were primary responsible for procuring and storing various foodstuffs for the people and some of the guards, but were otherwise free to pursue economic enterprises as they saw fit. In the mid-18th century, the entire quarter's residents were bought out by the government as the Castle was transformed into a more extensive military fortification and centralized supply depot. The Quarter remained in military possession until 1930, at which time it was transferred to the Crown. The Crown owns all property within the Quarter but leases out all the homes, shops, and restaurants. After 1960, veterans of the Second Great War were given preferential treatment when competing for Castle leases, and as of 2030 veterans or descendants of veteran families make up the vast majority of the 273 people living within the Quarter. The Quarter's shops and restaurants are a popular tourist destination, both in their own right as well as for those visiting the Castle grounds.
Second wall