Imre III of Furstán-Festil

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In the fictional universe of the Deryni novels of Katherine Kurtz, Imre III Furstán-Festil was the fourth Festillic Pretender, claiming the title of King of Gwynedd from 985 to 1024. Known as "The New Pretender," his claim to the throne of Gwynedd coincided with the legitimate reigns of King Cluim Haldane (985–994) and King Urien Haldane (994–1025).

Imre Festil Nimur Furstán-Festil was born on January 4, 972, the firstborn son and heir of Prince Mark-Imre and his wife, Countess Maryam of Tsereteli. His father was killed at the Battle of Grecotha on August 3, 984, leaving Imre as his grandfather's direct heir to the Festillic claim to the throne of Gwynedd. In 985, his grandfather, Prince Imre II, proclaimed Imre III to be of legal age one year early, and sent him to Torenth to recruit volunteers for the continuing invasion of Gwynedd. However, the elder Imre was defeated and killed in July, and the younger Imre immediately took up his family's cause, remaining in Torenth and seeking the support of King Kyprian II. He inherited the title of Duke of Tolán upon his grandfather's death and, on January 1, 986, he was officially recognized as the legitimate King of Gwynedd by the Torenthi Patriarch Archelaos I. Following the death of King Cluim Haldane in 994, Imre raised a force to invade Gwynedd, but the severe heat of the summer of 995 halted the invasion. King Kyprian eventually redeployed the Torenthi forces, and did not provide any further assistance to Imre for the next thirty years.

In 1024, Kyprian agreed to participate in a joint invasion of Gwynedd with Sovereign Prince Jolyon II of Meara the following year. However, as the price of his participation, Kyprian forced Imre to renounce his claim to the throne of Gwynedd in favor of his son, Prince Marek II. Imre agreed, and he formally abdicated his right to the crown on December 31, 1024. The invasion of Gwynedd was launched in the spring of 1025, but the element of surprise had been lost, and the army of Gwynedd was prepared for the assault, led by King Urien Haldane's son and heir, Prince Cinhil II. The Torenthi army captured the city of Rengarth on May 20, and Imre's son was proclaimed King of Gwynedd. Imre personally led the Tolan levies into northern Eastmarch, and joined forces with the main Torenthi army on June 11. The armies of Torenth and Gwynedd met at a river crossing called Killingford on June 15, and three days of brutal slaughter and death began. Untold thousands of men died during the savage stalemate, but the Gwyneddan army finally emerged victorious. Imre, his son Marek II, and his grandson Festil were all killed on the final day of the battle. Imre's younger grandson, Marek III, was captured and executed one week later. Prince Imre III Furstán-Festil died on June 17, 1025, at the age of 53.

[edit] Family

• Married Princess Torvalla of Torenth on May 31, 989.
  • Prince Marek II (later the Festillic Pretender)
  • Prince Adolphus (died in 1025)
  • Prince Konstantiné (died age 22)
  • Princess Agrafena (died age 11)
  • Princess AriEmilia (died age 5)

[edit] Sources

• Katherine Kurtz and Robert Reginald, Codex Derynianus, ISBN 0-89370-011-8

Preceded by Imre II Furstán-Festil

The Festillic Pretender 985 - 1024

Succeeded by Marek II Furstán-Festil