Blaine of Gwynedd

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In the fictional universe of the Deryni novels of Katherine Kurtz, Blaine Furstán-Festil was the tenth King of Gwynedd, reigning from 885 to 900. He was the fourth member of the Deryni House of Festil to sit upon the throne of Gwynedd.

Spoiler warning: Plot and/or ending details follow.

Blaine Godomar Radislaus Furstán-Festil was born on December 18, 842, the third son of Prince Festil III of Gwynedd and his wife, Dionysia of Esclavonia. As the third son of his father, Blaine was encouraged from an early age to pursue his religious vocation, as it was generally believed that he would never need to succeed his father as King of Gwynedd. He was ordained a priest in 860 and began a quick rise through the ecclesiastical ranks, being consecrated a bishop in 862 and elected Archbishop of Rhemuth in 867. However, as time passed, it became increasingly evident that Blaine's older brother, Prince Imre, would produce no male heirs with his wife and that the throne of Gwynedd would eventually pass to Blaine. (The children of Festil's second marriage had no dynastic rights to the throne.) Thus, with the permission of Archbishop Thomas, Archbishop of Valoret and Primate of All Gwynedd, Blaine resigned his priestly vows on June 3, 868.

Blaine was created Duke of Rhemuth in 872 upon the death of his brother Prince Imre, and he succeeded his father upon the royal throne in 885, being officially crowned as King of Gwynedd on May 1. He traveled to Torenth in August to acknowledge King Imre II as Overlord of Gwynedd, and his absence from the realm inadvertently contributed to a rebellious uprising. While the king was in Torenth, the Archbishop of Rhemuth died suddenly, and much of the city's residents demanded that his replacement be a member of the native Gwyneddan clergy. The uprising spread throughout the surrounding lands and soon expanded to include support for the restoration of the House of Haldane upon the throne of Gwynedd. The chosen Haldane heir was Baron Cathyr Carrach, who was descended from Princess Aurora Haldane, one of King Bearand Haldane's daughters. Blaine returned to Gwynedd in September, quickly organized his forces, and decisively crushed the rebellion. Cathyr and his family were executed, and Blaine ordered that Rhemuth be emptied and its cathedral destroyed.

Blaine was a stern, uncompromising king who was inspired more respect than love from his people. He was frugal with the royal treasury and known to be a hard taskmaster who retained his deep religious beliefs throughout his entire life. He always regretted renouncing his religious vocation to take up the throne, and believed that the pain of the stomach cancer that eventually killed him was a form of punishment from God. King Blaine Furstán-Festil died on February 28, 900, at the age 57. He was succeeded by his eldest surviving son, Prince Imre Furstán-Festil.

[edit] Titles

(842 - 885): Prince of Gwynedd
(860 - 868): Priest of the Holy Church of Gwynedd
(862 - 868): Bishop of the Holy Church of Gwynedd
(867 - 868): Archbishop of Rhemuth
(872 - 885): Duke of Rhemuth
(885 - 900): King of Gwynedd

[edit] Family

Married Contessa Pasqualetta di Barbarico di Torenti on September 4, 868.
- Prince Festil (died age 5)
- Prince Rubin (died age 2 weeks)
- Princess Bartolommea (died age 22)
- Princess Ariella
- Princess Laudamia (later married Autokrator Klaudios III of Byzantyun)
- Prince Imre (later Duke of Rhemuth and King of Gwynedd)