House Heltharn

• Current patriarch:
  • Technically King Liam von Doin-Heltharn
  • de facto Duchess Sambryl Heltharn
• Heir apparent: Prince Gabriel Heltharn
• Current lord of the Conclave: Idriane Heltharn

Living Members

Recently Deceased Members

Notes

• The most recent common relative of all of the above is King Imphras II (1190-1225).
• The von Doin-Heltharn claim traces through King Lashilmbrar (1190-1294, reigned 1225-1294) as its most recent male ancestor.
• Sambryl's claim comes from her father King Rilimbrar, whose claim is superior to any female descendants of Lashilmbrar. However, by Impilturan law, she can only retain the throne for the rightful male heir of the house until he comes of age, which, given the deaths of Soarimbrar and both princes Imphras, means Liam von Doin-Heltharn.
• The matter is actually quite complex, as the laws of succession are not governed by Impilturan law, but by the traditions of the Great Houses. The southern houses, including Heltharn, hold to male dominance of the throne, while the northern houses merely prefer a male heir, allowing a woman to reign as High Lord in her own right if no other male heir exists.
• The question of the hour is this: by the house's own traditions, Liam must be the patriarch of House Heltharn. But then, is it still a southern house? The house of his father, von Doin, holds to male preference, not dominance. Both north and south consider the male line to determine a house's identity, and therefore its traditions. But he needs the Heltharn name to lay claim to the throne, and he needs the southern traditions to claim preference over Sambryl.
• Many argued fiercely over his accession, demanding lengthy trials to determine the exact law of the matter. These efforts, largely organized by southern lords who opposed Liam's takeover of the royal line, did not proceed far in the high courts; the Conclave, the realm's highest court of law, chose not to hear the case. The matter slowly cooled off as Sambryl aged--though she was always too old to ever bear another heir, she is now old enough that it seems unlikely she could do much to sway politics before inevitably passing the throne back to Liam. In any case, she publicly ceded her claim to him on the day of his coronation, and has denied any intention ever to contest his claim to the throne.
• But if that would seem to be that, there is one more twist: Liam has ceded patriarchy of House Heltharn to Sambryl in all but name. Most assume this is a passive attempt to distance himself from the dying house, which has no male heirs, and some would claim it is an act of kindness to a bested rival, with little risk on his part. But there are female heirs of the house, and they could yet bear male heirs, so it would behoove the house of von Doin-Heltharn to rein them in.