Valoret

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In the fictional universe of the Deryni novels of Katherine Kurtz, Valoret is the second-largest city in the Kingdom of Gwynedd. In addition to occasionally serving as the capital of the kingdom, Valoret is the seat of the Archbishop of Valoret and Primate of All Gwynedd, the highest-ranking priest in the Holy Church of Gwynedd.


Spoiler warning: Plot and/or ending details follow.

Valoret stands atop the western foothills of the Lendour Mountains, situated on the southern bank of the Eirian River in central Gwynedd. It was originally founded as a military fort named Castrum Valloretum, built by the invading forced of the Byzantyun Empire in 258 to protect the northern border of Carthanus Province. A village soon grew up around the walls of the castle, and it expanded and thrived over the following two centuries. When the Byzantyun forces withdrew from the region in 408, they left behind well-developed political, economic, and religious systems, which were quickly adapted by Halbert the Dane when he conquered the land three years later. On June 30, 411, Halbert declared himself Comes Valoreti (Count of Valoret), or Haldani (The Haldane). His successors later changed the name of the realm to Haldane to honor their illustrious ancestor. After conquering the southern lands of Carthane, Count Augarin II declared himself High King of Haldane in 645. Augarin placed the capital of his new kingdom in Valoret, though he changed the name of the realm to Gwynedd in 647. In 674, Augarin's son, King Aidan Haldane, moved the capital of Gwynedd to the city of Rhemuth, where it remained for the next century and a half.

Although the political center of the kingdom had been moved, Valoret remained the religious center of the realm. The Holy See of Valoret was the senior of Gwynedd's two archbishoprics, and the Archbishop of Valoret also bore the title of Primate of All Gwynedd, the sole leader of the entire Church. Additionally, Valoret continued to thrive in the absence of the royal court. As the largest city in the northern part of the kingdom, it was a bustling hub of commerce and trade that was well-known for it many fine examples of classic architecture.

In 822, Prince Festil I Furstán of Torenth successfully invaded the capital city of Rhemuth and overthrew King Ifor Haldane. Shortly thereafter, Festil moved the center of government back to Valoret. Not only was Valoret geographically closer to Torenth, but Festil also hoped to reduce the importance of Rhemuth and further distance himself from the Haldane kings. Valoret continued to serve as the capital of Gwynedd for the next eight decades, throughout the duration of the Festillic Interregnum. Following the Haldane Restoration in 904, King Cinhil I Haldane maintained the capital in Valoret, but began to make plans to move the royal court back to Rhemuth. The move finally occurred shortly after Cinhil's death, when his son, King Alroy Haldane, relocated the court in 917. Rhemuth has remained the capital of the kingdom since that time.

Although it is no longer the seat of temporal power in Gwynedd, the old Royal Palace has occasionally served as the summer residence of the sovereign and his family, when the cooler temperatures in Valoret provide a welcome respite from the heat of the southern lands. All five of the Festillic Kings of Gwynedd are buried at the palace, as well as numerous members of their families. Additionally, the deceased Primates of Gwynedd are interred in the tombs of Valoret. The seat of the Primates, the magnificent All Saints' Cathedral, was first commissioned by King Augarin Haldane and his brother, Archbishop Aurelius Haldane, in 646, and it was dedicated four years later, on September 3, 650. Several additional buildings have been added on to the cathedral over the centuries, but, despite its age, it still remains one of the most impressive houses of worship in the Eleven Kingdoms. The city is also home to the Great Library of Valoret, the Archives of State, the Hall of Kings, and the Cloaca Magna Valloreti, which is viewed by many as one of the engineering marvels of the known world.


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