Michael I of Iadria

King Michael I Valendel, also styled as the Lion of Edos or the Protector of the Crown, was King of Iadria. He originally served as Lord-Commander of the Knights Jareche before coming to power following the deposition of Richard I Navine. An uncompromisingly loyal follower of the Holy Crown and close friend of King Geoff III, Lord-Commander Valendel led the Knights Jareche in defense of Leogoth during the Epherian Invasion, and later fought as an ally to the King in the Navinian Rebellion of 6A 723. After the defeat of King Geoff by Richard I of Iadria, Valendel was removed from his position as Lord-Commander and sent to the Ucorian Reach to serve as a Knight-Captain in the ongoing border conflicts with the Epherian Empire. During his time in far eastern Iadria, Michael communicated with the exiled Geoff, who had come to lead the Iderum in guerrilla war against the Epherian occupation of the near-eastern Kingdoms; he also remained in constant contact with Gavin of Teldrin, his former squire and current Lord-Commander of Jareche. When King Richard launched the Great Crusade, Michael fought loyally for the Iadrian cause, but nonetheless continued to consolidate the movement against Richard’s rule in secret. While Michael intended to restore Geoff Arvait to the throne, Valendel was unaware that Geoff’s true intention was to see the former Lord-Commander as King of Iadria. Following King Richard’s capture by Epherian forces in the aftermath of the disastrous Battle of Sestacia, Michael, Geoff, and Duke Royce Haywood of Blackbriar assumed control of the Iadrian armies, forming a ‘holy triumvirate’ in the absence of the King. Once over a year had passed and Richard had been declared dead by Epherian authorities, however, the shaky triumvirate failed to last. Under intense political pressure from the Iderum and Knights Jareche, and in the absence of a suitable Navinian heir, Michael Valendel was selected by the patriarchs of Leogoth as the heir to the Holy Crown. He was crowned in the Citadel of Light in 6A 734, a brief respite from years on campaign. While Valendel had assumed the Crown and the Triumvirate was technically at an end, Geoff Arvait and Royce Haywood continued to exercise immense power in warring Iadria; the latter continuing in his role of governing the home Duchies while the new King campaigned against the Epherians.