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Fief

A fief was an area of land ruled by a Baron.

In Araluen, it possessed its own population, Battleschool, and Craftmasters. Each fief had one, usually central, castle or fort where the Baron resided. However, there were occasionally other smaller keeps or castles with their own lords within the fief, as well as numerous villages and hamlets. Araluen Fief and Gorlan Fief were the only fiefs that had no baron, since Araluen's governor was the King and Gorlan's territory was split between two neighboring fiefdoms after Morgarath's rebellion.

There were fifty fiefs in Araluen; each was assigned a Ranger.

However, fiefs were not unique to Araluen and both Gallica and Teutlandt were split into an unknown number of fiefs.[1] Unlike in Araluen, where advancement depended on performance and loyalty, in Gallica and Teutlandt, fiefdoms were commonly sold to the highest bidder.[2]

Araluen Fiefs


Contested Araluen Fiefs

These fiefs have never been explicitly named and therefore may not canonically exist. Instead, their names have been extrapolated from various locations and people.

  • Amarle Fief - derived from "Lady Gwendolyn of Amarle" [25]
  • Bannock Fief - derived from "MacNeil of Bannock"[26]
  • Belconnen Fief - derived from "Wallace of Belconnen"[27]
  • Gort Fief - derived from "Lord Farrell of Gort" [28]
  • Mollegor Fief - derived from "Castle Mollegor" [29]
  • Sandalhurst Fief - derived from "Lady Georgina of Sandalhurst" and Sandalhurst Wood
  • Spa Fief - derived from "Lord Anthony of Spa"[30]
  • Steden Fief - derived from "Lorriac of Steden"
  • Taft Fief - derived from "Baron Naylor of Taft"[31]
  • Wildriver Fief - derived from "Sir Eammon of Wildriver"[32] and Castle Wildriver

Gallican Fiefs

It is mentioned on multiple occasions that the territories ruled by Warlords are fiefs, although they are ruled in a very different way.

  • Château Montsombre - although the name of the fief was unknown, Lord Deparnieux had ruled his fief from this castle.[33] It was later handed over to Philemon by Halt after Deparnieux's death.
  • Château des Falaises - though, like Château Montsombre, the name of the Chateau's fiefdom is unknown, it was initially adjoined with another barony before being separated by the Gallican King at the time due to the power it possessed. The fief was ruled by Baron Joubert de Lassigny.[34]
  • Château La Lumiere - Château La Lumiere serves as King Philippe's seat of power and, despite its beautiful appearance, like Montsombre and Falaises, La Lumiere serves as a powerful fortress with strong defences.

Contested Gallican Fiefs

  • Tourles Fief - derived from "Egon of Tourles" [35]

Teutlandic Fiefs

Contested Teutlandic Fiefs

  • Starkhaus Fief - derived from "Sir Wilhelm of Starkhaus" [36]

References

  1. ↑ The Siege of Macindaw, chapter 26 - "'Once I've put enough money together, I'll be heading for Gallica, or Teutlandt, where I can buy a fief of my own.'"
  2. ↑ The Siege of Macindaw, chapter 26 - "It was common practice, she knew, for the kings of Teutlandt and Gallica to sell baronies to the highest bidders. In Araluen, of course, advancement was dependent on performance and loyalty."
  3. ↑ A New Beginning, chapter 1 - "'The Wyvern Inn in Anselm Fief.'"
  4. ↑ 4.0 4.1 Death of a Hero, chapter 2 - "It was formed from a conglomerate of Seacliff, Aspienne and Culway fiefs, and because the three fiefs were all about the same size, there was no clear leader among them."
  5. ↑ The Burning Bridge, chapter 4 - "'I certainly wanted to continue, and my father is Sir David of Caraway Fief, so I suppose I was given some leeway in the matter.'"
  6. ↑ The Kings of Clonmel, chapter 7 - "Dependable and trustworthy rather than brilliant, he had been badly injured in a battle with Iberian pirates some years previously and appointed to the small, sleepy fief of Coledale while he recuperated."
  7. ↑ The Ruins of Gorlan, chapter 7 - "'True. But I would have thought Cordom Fief was a little far west for bears.'"
  8. ↑ The Tournament at Gorlan, chapter 9 - "'He's in Dacton Fief, and that's in the northwest.'"
  9. ↑ The Burning Bridge, chapter 22 - "He recognized Crowley, the Ranger Corps Commandant, and Baron Arald and two other senior Barons of the realm—Tyler of Drayden and Fergus of Caraway."
  10. ↑ The Tournament at Gorlan, chapter 23 - "They were currently in Eagleton Fief and had spent the past two days inquiring about one of the dismissed Rangers--a man named Samdash."
  11. ↑ The Tournament at Gorlan, chapter 26 - "'And twelve once we speak to Truscott, from Eisel Fief,' Halt added."
  12. ↑ The Ruins of Gorlan, prologue - "Morgarath, planning a revolt against the Kingdom of Araluen, had left Gorlan Fief to seek them out."
  13. ↑ The Burning Bridge, chapter 13 - "'Evanlyn Wheeler, from Greenfield Fief,' she said."
  14. ↑ The Inkwell and the Dagger, chapter 2 - "'It was a raid on a well-guarded caravan of pay wagons in Highcliff Fief, carrying silver and gold to pay the garrisons in outlying castles.'"
  15. ↑ The Hibernian, chapter 1 - "Hogarth Fief was remote and difficult to reach, and news of what was happening in the country as a whole was intermittent at best."
  16. ↑ The Tournament at Gorlan, chapter 39 - "One however, raised a hand in doubt. 'Sir David of Holder and Morris of Norgate are on the blue side', he pointed out. 'Aren't they our allies in the melee'"
  17. ↑ The Tournament at Gorlan, chapter 21 - "'I'm Norris, former Ranger of Holsworth Fief.'"
  18. ↑ The Kings of Clonmel, chapter 7 - "'So,' he said, eyes down and reading at breakneck pace as if he wanted to get through the entire matter as quickly as possible, 'you, Clarke of Caraway Fief, and you, Skinner of wherever it is you come from ... yes ... hang on a minute, where is it . . . Martinsyde Fief, of course ... have completed all aspects of your training and are ready to be inducted as full members of the Ranger Corps.'"
  19. ↑ The Ruins of Gorlan, chapter 23 - "'Will, this is Gilan, my former apprentice and now Ranger of Meric Fief--although what they did to deserve him is beyond me.'"
  20. ↑ The Sorcerer in the North, chapter 11 - "'Very well,' Halt began, 'in the first place, we're talking about Norgate Fief—'"
  21. ↑ The Ruins of Gorlan, chapter 1 - "They were orphan children raised by the generosity of Baron Arald, the Lord of Redmont Fief."
  22. ↑ The Sorcerer in the North, chapter 1 - "That was why he had been assigned to the Fief of Seacliff."
  23. ↑ A New Beginning, chapter 28 - "'It’s in Trelleth Fief,' he said."
  24. ↑ The Kings of Clonmel, chapter 7 - "Alun was the Ranger of Whitby Fief."
  25. ↑ The Sorcerer in the North, chapter 20 - "Lord Orman, may I present Lady Gwendolyn of Amarle"
  26. ↑ The Burning Bridge, chapter 3 - "'You don't mean the MacNeil? MacNeil of Bannock?'"
  27. ↑ The Tournament at Gorlan, chapter 38 - "'Wallace of Belconnen,' came the reply."
  28. ↑ The Sorcerer in the North, chapter 33 - "The lady is a guest in this castle, the fiancé of Lord Farrell of Gort"
  29. ↑ Duel at Araluen, chapter 11 - "He smiled knowingly. I've been in the army a long time, my lady. I was at the siege of Castle Mollegor with your father many years ago. Before you were born, that was. Served with the artillery then, as a matter of fact"
  30. ↑ The Icebound Land, chapter 6 - "Lord Anthony of Spa, Duncan’s chamberlain for the past fifteen years, stood to one side of the throne and several steps below it."
  31. ↑ The Tournament at Gorlan, chapter 42 - "Baron Naylor of Taft strode out to a position halfway down the tilt, and stood facing the western grandstand."
  32. ↑ The Tournament at Gorlan, chapter 8 - "To Sir Eammon of Wildriver, from Morgarath, Baron of Gorlan Fief, Lord of the Realm."
  33. ↑ The Icebound Land, chapter 32 - "'You challenge my right to command in my own fief?'"
  34. ↑ The Missing Prince, chapter 3 - "'His name is Lassigny, Baron Joubert de Lassigny. His castle is the Chateau des Falaises. It's a powerful fortress,' Philippe told them"
  35. ↑ The Missing Prince, chapter 23 - "'My name is Egon of Tourles,' he said unhappily. 'I am under orders to follow you and observe you'"
  36. ↑ Escape from Falaise, chapter 25 - "'I am Sir Wilhelm of Starkhaus!' he bellowed. 'A knight of the Teutlandic court! How dare you address me like that? You will call me Sir Wilhelm, or sir. Or my lord!'"