Jehana of Gwynedd

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In the fictional universe of the Deryni novels of Katherine Kurtz, Jehana of Gwynedd is the mother of King Kelson Haldane of Gwynedd. As Dowager Queen of Gwynedd, she remains a member of her son's Privy Council, though she has spent a great deal of time away from court since the death of her husband, King Brion Haldane.

Spoiler warning: Plot and/or ending details follow.

Jehane-Julienne-Adélaïde de Besançon was born on October 27, 1088, the second child and eldest daughter of Crown Prince Meyric II of Bremagne and his wife, Princess Rosaura. As a princess of the royal family, Jehana was educated at a convent near the Bremagni capital of Millesfleurs, where she acquired a deep hatred and distrust of the Deryni race. She met King Brion Haldane of Gwynedd during his state visit to her father's court, and they were each captivated by the other. A formal engagement soon followed, and she moved to the Gwyneddan capital of Rhemuth following their wedding in 1104. The following year, Brion defeated Hogan Gwernach, the Festillic Pretender, in a Duel Arcane. Upon learning of the magical means that her husband used to secure his victory, Jehana fled Rhemuth and went into seclusion at the Abbey of Saint Giles near Shannis Meer. She remained at the abbey until February of 1106, when Brion personally made the journey to bring her back to court. Although the king and queen were reconciled, Jehana's antagonism toward Deryni remained unabated. In particular, she focused much of her anger on Brion's closest advisor, Duke Alaric Morgan of Corwyn, whom Jehana believed had corrupted her husband with his Deryni magic.

Following Brion's sudden death in 1120, Jehana briefly served as Queen Regent of Gwynedd until her son, Prince Kelson, came of legal age two weeks later. During Kelson's coronation, the young prince was challenged by the Duchess Charissa of Tolán, the daughter of Hogan Gwernach and the most recent Festillic Pretender. Desperate to protect her son, Jehana was forced to reveal a secret that she had concealed for most of her life: that she was also Deryni. Although Jehana was unable to personally defeat Charissa, the legacy of Deryni power that she had passed to her son enabled Kelson to kill Charissa in a Duel Arcane and claim his rightful place as King of Gwynedd.

Horrified by her own Deryni heritage, Jehana returned to the Abbey of Saint Giles in 1121, dedicating herself to a life of prayer and penitence in an attempt to cleanse herself of the powers she believed to be a curse. She returned to Rhemuth in 1124, though her continued belligerence toward Deryni created a very strained relationship with her son. Her own Deryni powers enabled her to discover a plot to assassinate her brother-in-law, Prince Nigel Haldane, during Kelson's Mearan campaign in 1124, but she still viewed her powers as inherently evil. She returned to the abbey in 1125 and spent much of the next three years there, though she did make occasional visits to court. During Kelson's state visit to the Torenthi capital of Beldour in 1128, Jehana finally began to accept her Deryni heritage, and she at last began to make peace with her own true identity. Her acceptance of her heritage came about through her relationship with Barrett de Laney, a member of the Camberian Council who later became her second husband.

[edit] Family

  • Married King Brion Haldane of Gwynedd on January 6, 1104.
    • Prince Kelson (later King of Gwynedd)
    • Princess Rosane (died shortly after birth)
  • Married Earl Barrett de Laney of Barstowe on October 15, 1128
    • Countess Arÿole

[edit] Sources

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