Howicce and Llannedd
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In the fictional universe of the Deryni novels of Katherine Kurtz, the United Kingdoms of Howicce and Llannedd are a pair of kingdoms located southwest of the Kingdom of Gwynedd. Although each kingdom is a sovereign and independent state, they are currently ruled by the same person. Due to the different laws of succession in each realm, these two lands may be ruled by separate monarchs in the future.
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[edit] Geography
Howicce and Llannedd are located at the southwestern tip of the northern region of the continent that is home to the Eleven Kingdoms. Howicce stands to the west of Llannedd, and the two kingdoms are separated by the natural borders of the Mughdorna Mountains and the Maigh River. The lands of The Connait lie to the north, while the Kingdom of Gwynedd stretches along the northeastern and eastern borders of Llannedd. South of the two kingdoms lies the open stretch of the Southern Sea, and the vast expanse of the Atalantic Ocean occupies the western horizon. The capital of Llannedd is the city of Kilgruff, located on the southeastern coast of the kingdom, and the capital of Howicce is the city of Morganvawr, which stands at the mouth of the Maigh River near the southeastern border between the two kingdoms.
[edit] History
[edit] History of Howicce
The Kingdom of Howicce was formed by Aed MacFaolan on June 1, 651, after he successfully conquered several of the smaller states in the area. His successors spent the next century stabilizing the borders of the new kingdom before making several attempts to further expand the realm. King Bresal I conquered the lands of The Connait in 792, but lost control of that land twelve years later in 804. A number of subsequent attempts to reclaim the region were made, but none of these were successful for any extended period of time. During the mid-ninth century, Howicce mounted several expeditions into both Llannedd and southwestern Gwynedd, but they were unable to make any significant gains at the expense of their neighbors.
In 1099, the youngest son of King Cluim Haldane of Gwynedd, Prince Michael Rhys Haldane, relocated to Howicce and renounced his hereditary rights to the throne of Gwynedd for both himself and his descendants. He married Lady Mithradita, the heiress to the Duchy of Pirek, and changed his surname to Pirek-Haldane. Michael Rhys' second son remained in Gwynedd as the Earl of Carthane, but his other descendants have retained the Howiccian title of Duke of Pirek ever since, including the current successor, Duke Rhys Cinhil Pirek-Haldane.
[edit] History of Llannedd
The nation of Llanned was established on May 3, 677 by Cadell ap Gruffud, the first sovereign prince of the land. In 729, on the fifty-second anniversary of Llannedd's formation, Cadell's son, Prince Cynan I, declared himself King of Llannedd. During the eighth century, Llannedd suffered from repeated invasions by Moorish raiders along its southern coast. The capital city of Kilgruff was sacked and burned on several occasions, but it was quickly rebuilt after each disaster. In the following century, a series of military conflicts broke out when neighboring Howicce attempted to invade Llannedd, but each of these invasions was quickly repelled and the Howiccian forces were driven back across the border. Over the centuries, Llannedd has occasionally attempted to move north and conquer the lands beyond the Llanarfon River, but the armies of Gwynedd proved too strong and all of the campaigns were ultimately unsuccessful.
Unlike many of the lands in the Eleven Kingdoms, the laws of inheritance in the Kingdom of Llannedd allow for a woman to directly inherit a title, providing that no male heirs can legally claim it. As a result, Llannedd is one of the few lands that has been ruled by a sovereign queen in her own right. The first came to the throne in 905, when King Cynan II was succeeded by eldest daughter, Queen Elen. Elen's reign lasted only two years, and she was succeeded in 907 by her younger sister, Queen Gwenlian. Gwenlian ruled jointly with her husband, King Reith, after her marriage in 910, and the throne eventually passed to their son, King Cystennyn, after Gwenlian's death in 944. There would not be another sovereign queen for almost a century, until Queen Gwenaël succeeded her father, King Madawc, in 1041.
[edit] The United Kingdoms
In 1055, Queen Gwenaël of Llanned married King Colman I of Howicce, uniting the two royal thrones within a single royal family. However, each sovereign retained supreme authority within their own realms only. In the kingdoms of their spouses, Gwenaël and Colman wielded only the authority of a royal consort. The two kingdoms remained separate states, and the governments of the two realms were operated independently of each other. However, the two crowns were united in a single person when their son, King Illann II, succeeded his father in 1071 and his mother 1082. Although Illann ruled both kingdoms, Howicce and Llannedd each retained their sovereignty. The governments, churches, peerage, and armies remained separate, with the only unifying element being the fact that the crowns of both lands were held by a single individual.
Illann was the first King of the United Kingdoms of Howicce and Llannedd, and his direct male line has retained both thrones for over four decades. However, due to the differing laws of inheritance in Howicce and Llannedd, the possibility remains that the two crowns may become separate once again if Illan's male line becomes extinct. In fact, that event may occur following the death of the current monarch, King Colman II. Since he has no children to serve as his direct heirs, Colman's crowns would currently pass to two different relatives. In Llannedd, Colman's legal heir is his younger half-sister, Princess Gwenlian. Meanwhile, in Howicce, the more traditional laws of inheritance would pass the crown to Colman's eldest male cousin, Prince Cuan.
[edit] Kings of Howicce
- HOUSE OF MacFAOLAN
- (651 – 677): Aed I MacFaolan
- (677 – 703): Illann I MacFaolan
- (703 – 718): Ronan I MacFaolan
- (718 – 720): Rodrick MacFaolan
- (720 – 735): Cuan MacFaolan
- (735 – 766): Becc MacFaolan
- (766 – 788): Madagan MacFaolan
- (788): Aed II MacFaolan
- (788 – 789): Daigh MacFaolan
- (789 – 821): Bresal I MacFaolan
- (821 – 859): Aed III MacFaolan
- (859 – 860): Braon MacFaolan
- (860 – 888): Ronan II MacFaolan
- (888 – 906): Aed IV MacFaolan
- (906 – 944): Ronan III MacFaolan
- (944 – 946): Cormac MacFaolan
- (946 – 949): Carlus I MacFaolan
- (949 – 955): Aed V MacFaolan
- (955 – 966): Roen MacFaolan
- (966 – 971): Finghin MacFaolan
- (971 – 998): Gosbert MacFaolan
- (998 – 1016): Carlus II MacFaolan
- (1016 – 1028): Bresal II MacFaolan
- (1028 – 1047): Fergus MacFaolan
- (1047 – 1071): Colman I MacFaolan
[edit] Kings and Queens of Llannedd
- HOUSE OF GRUFFUD
- (677 – 706): Cadell I ap Gruffud
- (706 – 732): Cynan I Gruffud
- (732 – 744): Coel Gruffud
- (744 – 766): Cador Gruffud
- (766 – 784): Caswall Gruffud
- (784 – 811): Crydion Gruffud
- (811 – 840): Casnar Gruffud
- (840 – 868): Lludd I Gruffud
- (868): Catwallawn Gruffud
- (868 – 889): Maredudd Gruffud
- (889 – 905): Cynan II Gruffud
- (905 – 907): Elen Gruffud
- (907 – 944): Gwenlian Gruffud
- (910 – 931): Reith Gruffud (ruled jointly with his wife Gwenlian)
- (944 – 956): Cystennyn Gruffud
- (956 – 991): Lludd II Gruffud
- (991 – 1009): Cadell II Gruffud
- (1009 – 1033): Llary Gruffud
- (1033 – 1041): Madawc Gruffud
- (1041 – 1082): Gwenaël Gruffud
[edit] Kings of the United Kingdoms of Howicce and Llanned
- HOUSE OF MacFAOLAN-GRUFFUD
- (1071/1082 – 1099): Illann (II) MacFaolan-Gruffud
- (1099 – 1119): Ronan (IV) MacFaolan-Gruffud
- (1119 – 1130+): Colman (II) MacFaolan-Gruffud
- Heir Apparent (Howicce): Prince Cuan (cousin of King Colman II)
- Heir Apparent (Llannedd): Princess Gwenlian (half-sister of King Colman 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
