Carthane
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In the fictional universe of the Deryni novels of Katherine Kurtz, Carthane is a small earldom in the southern region of the Kingdom of Gwynedd. It was originally an independent land ruled by a sovereign lord, but it has been an integral part of Gwynedd since the fifth century, with a status that has varied from county to barony to earldom.
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[edit] Geography
The Earldom of Carthane occupies a narrow stretch of land between the Eirian River, the Carthane River, and the Lendour River. Directly to the north lies the Crown Duchy of Haldane, while the Duchy of Carthmoor runs along its eastern and southern borders. Across the Eirian River, which forms the western border of Carthane, are the lands of the United Kingdoms of Howicce and Llannedd. The capital of the earldom is the city of Nyford, which stands at the southern tip of Carthane at the junction of the Eirian and Lendour Rivers.
[edit] History
The lands of Carthane were conquered by Autokratór Basileios I of Byzantyun in the third century, and he established Carthanus Province in the year 249. When the Byzantyun forces withdrew from the area in 444, the land was divided up among the local lords who remained. In 466, Lord Isik of Nyford conquered several of his neighbors and declared himself Count of Carthane. However, the sovereignty of Carthane lasted less than two centuries. In 645, Count Rubik was defeated by Count Augarin II of neighboring Haldane, who then annexed the lands of Carthane into the newly-formed Kingdom of Gwynedd. King Augarin then bestowed the lands of Carthane to his first cousin, Lord Aunan Haldane, and the title was later inherited by Aunan's eldest daughter, Riona. Riona married Augarin's son, Llarik Haldane, in 674, and the title was passed to her son, Prince Jestyn, after her death in 697. After Jestyn's death two years later, the title reverted back to the Crown.
Several years later, King Llarik divided the land into a collection of smaller baronies, one of which retained the previous name of Carthane, and he created Lord Murvyn the first Baron of Carthane in 705. Murvyn's descendants retained the title until the Festillic Coup of 822, at which time Baron Urbic was attainted by Festil I Furstán, the new King of Gwynedd. However, King Festil did not create a new lord of Carthane in his place, and the title remained in abeyance throughout the Festillic Interregnum. After the Haldane Restoration of 904, Urbic's great-grandson, Lord Murdoch, successfully petitioned King Cinhil I Haldane for the restoration of his family's lands and title. Murdoch was appointed Baron of Carthane in 905, and was promoted to Earl of Carthane on December 1, 907. Murdoch's family retained control of Carthane for two generations, until Murdoch's grandson, Baron Cashel Murdoch, was attainted in 948, and the lands once again reverted to the Crown.
In 953, King Uthyr Haldane resurrected the title of Earl of Carthane and bestowed it upon his youngest son, Prince Cluim Haldane. Cluim retained the title until his ascension to the throne of Gwynedd in 985, at which point he passed the title to his youngest son, Prince Michael Rhys Haldane. In 1009, Michael Rhys renounced his hereditary right to the throne of Gwynedd and moved to the Kingdom of Howicce, leaving the title of Earl of Carthane to his second son, Earl Godwyn Pirek-Haldane. Godwyn's descendants have ruled Carthane without interruption for over a century.
[edit] Counts of Carthane
- HOUSE OF CRESCENS
- (466 – 480): Isik Crescens
- (480 – 509): Clarent Crescens
- (509 – 528): Bernin Crescens
- (528 – 555): Julin Crescens
- (555 – 570): Alkim Crescens
- (570 – 602): Marcelin Crescens
- (602 – 608): Emerit Crescens
- (608 – 645): Rubik Crescens
- HOUSE OF HALDANE
- (645 – 676): Auran Haldane
- (676 – 697): Riona Haldane
- (697 – 699): Jestyn Haldane
[edit] Barons of Carthane
- HOUSE OF MURDOCH
- (705 – 733): Murvyn
- (733 – 756): Dann
- (756 – 788): Murfree
- (788 – 798): Oswy
- (798 – 822): Urbic
[edit] Earls of Carthane
- HOUSE OF MURDOCH
- (905 – 921): Murdoch
- (921 – 948): Richard Murdoch
- (948): Cashel Murdoch
- INTERREGNUM
- HOUSE OF PIREK-HALDANE
- (953 – 985): Cluim Michael Reginaud Haldane
- (985 – 1009): Michael I Rhys Pirek-Haldane
- (1009 – 1036): Godwyn Pirek-Haldane
- (1036 – 1046): Maximilian Pirek-Haldane
- (1046 – 1077): Arthyr Pirek-Haldane
- (1077 – 1098): Innis Pirek-Haldane
- (1098 – 1100): Quintin Pirek Haldane
- (1100 – 1130+): Michael II Cluim Kermit Pirek-Haldane
- Heir Apparent: Count Cluim Haldane (eldest son of Earl Michael II)
[edit] Sources
- Katherine Kurtz and Robert Reginald, Codex Derynianus, ISBN 0-89370-011-8
- Katherine Kurtz and Robert Reginald, Codex Derynianus (Second Edition), ISBN 1-877424-96-2
