Ratharkin

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In the fictional universe of the Deryni novels of Katherine Kurtz, Ratharkin is a duchy that occupies the eastern half of the province of Meara in the Kingdom of Gwynedd. It is named after the city of the same name, which was the second-largest city in the former Principality of Meara.


Spoiler warning: Plot and/or ending details follow.

Contents

[edit] Geography

The Duchy of Ratharkin occupies the eastern half of the ancient lands of Meara, which lie to the west of Gwynedd. It is bordered to the north by the Duchy of Cassan, and its eastern border touches the Earldom of Kierney, the Earldom of Culdi, and several lesser baronies and estates. The lands of The Connait lie directly to the south, while the Duchy of Laas stretches along its western border. The city of Ratharkin stands on the western shore of Lake Tharkane, located in the hills of the highlands that rise up throughout much of the duchy.

[edit] History

For much of the history of the Sovereign Principality of Meara, the city of Ratharkin was second only to the capital city of Laas in size and population. The authority of the Princes of Meara rarely extended far beyond the coastal region around Laas, so Ratharkin and the other border highlands enjoyed a state of semi-autonomy for many generations. Meara was annexed by the Kingdom of Gwynedd in 1025, after the eldest daughter of the last Prince of Meara married King Malcolm Haldane. Many Mearan nobles refused to acknowledge the authority of the Gwyneddan king, and they supported a rebellion to regain their independence. However, Malcolm invaded Meara in 1027 and succeeded in defeating the Mearan rebels in a battle near Ratharkin in June of that year. The following year, in an effort to further assert his authority in Meara, Malcolm moved the administrative capital of the region from Laas to Ratharkin, which was significantly closer to the Gwyneddan capital of Rhemuth.

In 1123, another Mearan rebellion was launched by Princess Caitrin Quinnell, the Mearan Pretender descended from the ancient Princes of Meara. Caitrin's supporters captured Ratharkin late in the year, though a lightning raid in December by King Kelson Haldane succeeded in capturing her two youngest children. Kelson marched into Meara the following spring to put down the rebellion, and Caitrin was forced to flee to Laas when her military commanders decided to burn Ratharkin to prevent Kelson from capturing it. Caitrin's army was defeated a short time later, and the Pretender herself was eventually captured at Laas. The next year, in 1125, a rebuilding program was begun to restore the ancient city.

Seeking to establish a permanent peace with Meara, Kelson arranged a series of marriages between his family and the House of Ramsay-Quinnell, the last surviving cadet branch of the old Princes of Meara. In 1128, Noelie Ramsay-Quinnell married Kelson's first cousin, Prince Rory Haldane. Additionally, Kelson not only formed the Duchy of Ratharkin and bestowed it upon his cousin, but he also appointed Rory Viceroy of Meara, granting the province a state of near-autonomy that appeased many of the Mearan traditionalists. By further joining the Houses of Haldane and Ramsay-Quinnell, the King of Gwynedd hoped to prevent any future rebellions in Meara.


[edit] Dukes of Ratharkin

  • HOUSE OF HALDANE
    • (1128 - 1130+): Rory Werril Bertald Bearand Haldane
      • Heir Apparent: Prince Bearand Bertald Ewan de Traherne Haldane (son of Prince Rory)


[edit] Sources

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