Waldemar Selig
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In Jacqueline Carey's Kushiel's Legacy series, Waldemar Selig is the self-made King of the Skaldi. Selig seeks glory and wants to be a ruler of a civilized nation, namely Terre d'Ange.
He is a large, broad-shouldered man in his mid-thirties with hazel-green eyes and tawny brown hair. Selig was born Waldemar Berundson, but has taken the name Selig, meaning "Blessed" in Skaldic. His totem animal is the white wolf and his personal guards are named the White Brethren. Selig speaks a little d'Angeline and near-fluent Caerdicci. Selig was once married to a girl out of the Suevi tribe of the Skaldi, but she died in childbirth not long after they were wed.
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[edit] Mythos
Selig quickly becomes a mythical figure to the Skaldi, as the truth of his history becomes elaborated into legend: it is said that when his mother died, a supernatural wolf with pure white fur nursed him; that he traveled disguised in his youth and defeated every man he challenged; that he freed an owl from a trapper which then turned into a wizard who made Selig proof against steel; that a witch made him proof against poison; that he was taken prison by the Skaldi Vandalii tribe and fought their champions one by one until he was declared their leader.
[edit] Events in Kushiel's Dart
Selig first appears at the Allthing, which he has called to persuade the other Skaldi tribal leaders to declare war on Terre d'Ange. At the festivities he remains sober when the rest get roaring-drunk with the idea of proving himself wiser and more rational than his fellows and perhaps that he has a better alcohol tolerance indicating strength. He is gifted two beautiful d'Angelines, Phèdre nó Delaunay and Joscelin Verreuil, by the tribal leader Gunter Arnlaugson.
Waldemar Selig instructs the thanes (tribal leaders) that they will wait until the spring thaw to march on Terre d'Ange; showing his education by reading in Hellene and Tiberian texts how best to plan an invasion.
We learn that Selig wrote to the Duke of Milazza to ask for his daughter's hand in marriage. This was refused but, in doing so, Selig alerted the city-states of Caerdicca Unitas that the Skaldi had a great leader with aspirations of empire-building. In response many of the city-states formed military alliances with each other and made efforts to strengthen their borders.
We also learn that Selig sought out an alliance with Isidore d'Aiglemort of Camlach. Isidore offers to let the bulk of the Skaldi fighting force through the two southern passes in the Camaeline Mountains, to draw the Royal Army there, while a smaller unit including Selig himself would come through the northernmost pass, to parlay with Isidore and the Allies of Camlach. The terms would be that the Skaldi must withdraw in exchange for trade, possession of the flatlands north of Azzalle, acknowledgement of Selig as the King of Skaldia, and that d'Aiglemort will gain the throne of Terre d'Ange. After his resounding support at the Allthing, Selig feels that he can defeat Terre d'Ange on his own and takes all his fighting force through the mountains.
Selig has help in betraying d'Aiglemort from Melisande Shahrizai, who in a letter from her leads him to believe she will marry him so that she can be the Queen of Skaldia and Terre d'Ange and to help bring Selig legitimacy. This letter is seen by Phèdre nó Delaunay and is the impetus for her escape.
When the invasion begins, Selig sends some fifteen hundred men to attempt to cross the Rhenus River in Azzalle, thus tying up the Azzallese forces and keeping them from reinforcing the D'Angelines at Troyes-le-Mont. At Troyes-le-Mont his men build Caerdicci siege towers and begin their siege on the now isolated city.
During the Battle of Troyes-le-Mont, Selig catches Phèdre climbing one of these siege towers trying to tell the D'Angelines something. Selig does not learn what Phèdre was doing and so tortures by beginning to skin her alive. This is done publicly also as a message to Queen Ysandre of Terre d'Ange.
The reader knows that Phedre managed to warn those inside the city that the forces of Alba and Eire, lead by Queen Ysandre's betrothed Drustan mab Necthana, will join the battle the next morning, attacking from the rear of the Skalidi forces. She has also managed to convince Isidore d'Aiglemort that he has been betrayed and that, if he fights, he may yet be a hero of the realm and not tried for treason.
Joscelin Verreuil appears and challenges Selig to the holmgang (a formal Skalidi duel), stopping him from skinning Phèdre. Selig agrees. The duel provides the city with enough time and enough of a distaction for them to mount a small combat part to rescue Phèdre and Joscelin, who are swiftly taken into the city and before the Queen.
In the morning, the Alban and Eiran forces plus those of the Allies of Camlach attack as planned, in conjunction with the forces of Troyes-le-Mont. During the battle, Selig fights Isidore d'Aiglemort. Isidore takes seventeen wounds, but his sword finds Selig's heart. With Selig's death, the Skaldi loose their fighting cohesion and flee.
[edit] After Kushiel's Dart
While the memory of Selig lives on with the Skaldi, the Skaldi cease their war efforts and try to make peace with Terre d'Ange and prosper through trade.
In Terre d'Ange the poets and bards have written a short humorous verse about Waldemar Selig:
''Waldemar Selig was a warlord,
Waldemar Selig had a big sword.
But his plan fell apart,
Thanks to Kushiel's Dart,
And Waldemar Selig got Isiodore'd."
[edit] Historical Information
Waldemar may come from a German surname meaning "forest man", Waldmann.
Selig in German means "blessed".
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