The Kingdom of the Isles (usually shortened to 'the Kingdom') is one of the most powerful nations in the northern half of the continent of Triagia. The mainland territory of the Kingdom stretches from the shores of the Endless Sea and the Bitter Sea in the west to the Kingdom Sea (Sea of Kingdoms) in the east. Its northern reaches are bounded by the Teeth of the World and the Northern Guardians, beyond which lie the Northlands. To the south, it shares a border with the Empire of Great Kesh. Culturally and politically, the Kingdom is divided in half between the older and more populous Eastern Realm and the Western Realm, which is governed from Krondor.
History
Early Expansion
In ancient times, some seven hundred fifty years prior to the Riftwar, the island of Rillanon was united under the rule of the first conDoin king, a tribal leader named Dannis conDoin. Under the conDoin kings, the kingdom's influence grew, as it engulfed its neighboring island kingdoms. During the following two centuries, Rillanon and the rival city-state of Bas-Tyra fought trade wars for control over the Kingdom Sea.
The conDoins progressively expanded the Kingdom of the Isles through a series of wars, conquests, and annexations. Two hundred years after Dannis, Delong (the only King to be known as 'the Great') planted the banner of Rillanon on the mainland by conquering Bas-Tyra.
Growth of the Western Realm
Several centuries later, conflict between the Empire of Great Kesh and its subsidiary, the Keshian Confederation, led to the withdrawal of Keshian troops from its northernmost territories.
Nicholas conDoin, youngest son of the King, brought the Kingdom armies westward to the Keshian province of Bosania and expanded the Western Realm.
The Riftwar
The Great Uprising
The Serpentwar
Geography
Eastern Realm
- Rillanon
- Rillanon is the capital of the Kingdom of the Isles and center of power in the eastern courts. The King rules the entire kingdom from here, though only broad policy in regards to the west. Rillanon and the surrounding area are ruled by the Duke of Rillanon.
- Bas-Tyra
- Salador
- Rodez
- Ran
- Cheam
- Sadara
- Deep Taunton
Western Realm
- Duchy of Krondor
- Krondor is the capital of the western half of the Kingdom of the Isles. The Prince of Krondor is normally the heir to the throne in Rillanon while the city and surrounding area is ruled by the Duke of Krondor.
- Sarth
- A town within the Principality of Krondor, it is home to the Ishapian abbey containing the greatest collection of writings in Midkemia.
- Duchy of the Southern Marches
- A court duchy and part of Krondor, the border garrisons of Landreth and Shamata are administered by the Earl of Landreth and later, with the establishment of Port Vykor, the Duke of the Southern Marches, who carries the title of Lord Sutherland
- Barony of Land's End
- Duchy of Crydee
- Originally a part of the Keshian province of Bosania, it was captured by Nicholas conDoin I, the third son of a King. Its coastline is also referred to as the Far Coast.
- Barony of Carse
- Barony of Tulan
- Duchy of Yabon
- The Armengarians, after the destruction of Armengar by Murmandamus, largely returned to and settled in Yabon with their Hadati brethren.
- Earldom of LaMut
- The Tsurani, stranded on Midkemia after the rift from Kelewan was closed, were settled here after Magician.
- Earldom of Loriel
- Barony of Tyr-Sog
- Barony of Zun
- Barony of Hawk's Hollow
- Duchy of Stardock
- an island in the middle of the Great Star Lake, home to the Academy of Magic at Stardock
- Barony of Darkmoor
- Barony of Ylith
- Sunset Isles
- The Sunset Isles is a group of scattered islands far west of the Far Coast. Freeport is the only known city located on Sunset Isle. The island chain is now a duchy within the Kingdom of the Isles, acquired by Prince Nicholas in The King's Buccaneer.
- Pemberton
- Tilden
- Benteen
- Folson
- Mondegreen
- Morray
- Verheyen
- Bellcastle
- Belmont
- Forest Deep
- Haverford
- Ludland
- Morgan River
- Silverstown
Society
The Kingdom seldom practiced slavery, limited to convicted felons. Along the Far Coast, it was nonexistent.
Currency and Trade
The primary currency of the Kingdom is the golden sovereign. Smaller denominations are silver royals, and coppers. Trading in large amounts of currency (usually in the thousands of sovereigns) are conducted using counting houses as intermediaries, with merchants exchanging letters of credit that would allow them to withdraw that amount from their personal accounts. A less common form of currency is by using gemstones, as they often carry greater value for weight. Trading with gemstones became more popular after the first Riftwar, due to abundance of gemstones from Kelewan.
Foreign exchange with coins from different nations are usually resolved using touchstones to determine the differences in weight of the coins.
Government
Monarchs of the Kingdom of the Isles (Kings of Rillanon and Kings of the Isles)
- (in approximate chronological order)
- House of conDoin
- Dannis, k. of Rillanon (r. approximately seven hundred fifty years before the Riftwar)
- Delong 'the Great' (r. approximately five hundred years before the Riftwar)
- Borric I (r. approximately two hundred fifty years before the Riftwar)
- Jon 'the Pretender', half-brother of Borric I
- Henry III (exact time of r. unknown)
- Rodric III
- Rodric IV 'the Mad King', fourth and only surviving s. of King Rodric III
House of conDoin, Crydee stem
- Lyam I, eldest leg. s. of Duke Borric of Crydee (cous. of Rodric IV)
- Borric, eldest s. of Prince Arutha of Krondor and neph. of K. Lyam
- Patrick, eldest s. of King Borric
- Ryan, s. of Kng Patrick
Princes of Krondor
- (in approximate chronological order)
- House of conDoin
- Erland, younger br. of King Rodric III
House of conDoin, Crydee stem
- Arutha, younger br. of King Lyam
- Nicholas, youngest s. of Prince Arutha
- Patrick, eldest s. of King Borric, grandson of Prince Arutha
unnamed Princes of Krondor
- Robert, cousin of King Ryan
- Edmund, cousin of King Ryan
Ministers of the King's Court in Rillanon
Duke of Rillanon - Royal Chancellor and First Adviser to the King
- Caldric of Rillanon
- Guy du Bas-Tyra
- James of Krondor
- unnamed Dukes of Rillanon
- Vallen
- James Jamison
King's Chancellor of Finance and Exchequer
- Williamson Howell
Knight-Marshal of the Armies of the East
- Sir Lawrence Malcolm
Admiral of the King's Fleet in the East
- Karole Vykor
- unnamed individuals
- Daniel Marks
Ministers of the Princes's Court in Krondor
Duke of Krondor - Chancellor of the Western Realm
- Dulanic
- Guy du Bas-Tyra (ruled as Viceroy, having been appointed by King Rodric IV, but was never Prince or Duke of Krondor)
- Volney of Landreth (Earl of Landreth, served as acting Duke after Dulanic's resignation before his official appointment)
- Gardan of Crydee
- Geoffery of Ravenswood
- unnamed Dukes of Krondor
- James of Krondor
- Arutha Jameson, s. of Duke James
- Brian of Silden (acting Duke)
- Rufio of Rodez
- unnamed Dukes of Krondor
- James Jamison (Jameson) (also Regent of the West)
- Erik von Darkmoor
- John deVres of Bas-Tyra
Knight-Marshal of the Western Realm
- Erland conDoin, Prince of Krondor
- Duke Borric conDoin of Crydee (Knight-Marshal of the Armies of the West during the Riftwar)
- Duke Brucal of Yabon (acting Knight-Marshal of the Armies of the West during the Riftwar)
- Arutha conDoin, Prince of Krondor
- William conDoin (Knight-Marshal of the Armies of the West during the Serpentwar)
- unnamed individual(s)
- Erik von Darkmoor
Knight-Marshal of Krondor
- Dulanic, Duke of Krondor
- Gardan of Crydee
- Locklear of Land's End
- William conDoin
- Owen Greylock
- unnamed individuals
- Erik von Darkmoor
Admiral of the King's Fleet in the West
- Amos Trask
- Prince Nicholas conDoin, third s. of Prince Arutha
The military was divided into the Armies of the East and the Armies of the West.
The Armies of the East were commanded by the King.
The Armies of the West were mustered by the Prince of Krondor who was also the King's Lord-Marshall; the only ruler besides the King who may muster the Knight-Generals.
A Lord-Admiral commanded the Krondorian fleet
Arms and Heraldric Devices
- conDoin Kings: a golden lion rampant holding a sword aloft, with a crown hovering over its head, upon a field of purple (or crimson)
- Princes of Krondor: an eagle soaring above a mountain peak, silver upon the royal purple (ALSO - the yellow outline of an eagle soaring above a peak, contained in a circle of dark blue OR an eagle flying above a mountain peak, upon a circle of light blue)
- Bas-Tyra: a golden eagle upon a field of black
- Crydee: a golden gull emblazoned upon a field brown (formerly with a small golden crown above the gull)
- LaMut: a grey wolf's head on a circle of blue (upon a field of deep green?)
- Highcastle: red stone tor on white
- Carse: a field of scarlet quartered by a gold cross, a golden griffin rampant in the upper right quarter
- Darkmoor: a black raven clutching a holly branch in its beak, upon a red heater shield
- de Sevigny: a shield bend dexter, with a crouching red dragon chief on a field gold, and an upraised lion's claw in gold upon a field red
- Sethanon: golden chevrons upon a field of white and green