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| skyss:chars:daels:ruary [25 Mar 2026 17:10] – created james | skyss:chars:daels:ruary [25 Mar 2026 17:31] (current) – [History] james |
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| ===== History ===== | ===== History ===== |
| | The fall of the Ruary dynasty, also known as the "Red Kings," was a transformative and violent period in Daelian history that spanned nineteen years of conflict following the death of the last male monarch in 528. While the dynasty's end is often summarised as a simple lack of an heir, the histories reveal a complex web of internal betrayal, secret plots, and foreign intervention. |
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| ==== The Death of Ruaridh X ==== | ==== The Death of Ruaridh X ==== |
| The dynasty came to a formal end in the male line in 528 with the death of Ruaridh X. Having produced no male heir, his passing left the throne vacant and the kingdom without a clear successor. This vacuum plunged the realm into a period known as the "dark days," characterised by internecine warfare and tribal raiding as various factions vied for control. | The dynasty formally ended in the male line with the death of Ruaridh X in the spring of 528. While some records suggest a natural end to the line, others indicate a more sinister collapse. The Sioltach family (the Earls of Duffjord) played a significant, though largely secret, role in the dynasty's downfall. Warned by the Fae that the Ruary era was ending, the Sioltach began funding alliances and supporting pirates on the Eastern Isles to undermine royal authority. They eventually supported a group of plotters who successfully deposed the old King. To avoid an immediate civil war, the Sioltach then turned on the very plotters they had supported, ensuring they were punished for the deposition. |
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| ==== Foreign Intervention and Civil War ==== | |
| Following the dynastic collapse, King Edmund I of Berenicia—himself a cousin of the Ruary kings—attempted to intervene in the succession. This intervention eventually united many Dael Riatans against the Berenician threat, though the internal conflict between noble houses lasted for nearly two decades (528–547). | |
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| ==== The Role of Iain Gilruary ==== | ==== The Role of Iain Gilruary ==== |
| The transition to the Ranald dynasty was made possible by the defection of [[:skyss:chars:daels:gilruary|Iain Gilruary]], a younger son of Ruaridh IX. Prior to the wars, Iain had served as the Chancellor of the [[:skyss:places:dalreoch:university|University of Dalreoch]]. His marriage to the third daughter of the old King provided the necessary legitimacy for the coalition being built by Fearchar Ranald. | A pivotal factor in the dynasty's fall was the defection of [[:skyss:chars:daels:gilruary|Iain Gilruary]], a younger son of Ruaridh IX. Before the wars, Iain was a prominent figure in the royal household and served as the Chancellor of the [[:skyss:places:dalreoch:university|University of Dalreoch]]. When Fearchar Ranald began building a coalition to claim the throne, he recognized that he needed Ruary legitimacy to succeed. He persuaded Iain Gilruary to join his cause. Iain’s support was particularly valuable because he was married to the third daughter of the "old King", providing a direct link to the dying dynasty. |
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| | In exchange for his support and the legitimisation of the Ranald claim, Iain Gilruary was created the first Earl of [[:skyss:places:dalmuir|Dalmuir]] and granted lands that had previously belonged to the Sithech clan, who had refused to support the Ranald claim. This created the House Gilruary, the only surviving cadet branch of the Ruary line. |
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| | ==== Foreign Intervention and Civil War (529-547) ==== |
| | Following the dynastic collapse the vacuum left by the Ruarys triggered a foreign crisis. In the autumn of 529, King Edmund I of Berenicia, a cousin of the Ruary kings, invaded Dael Riata to press his own claim to the throne. This intervention sparked the nineteen year long Wars of Independence. The threat from Berenicia served as the catalyst that eventually united the Dael Riatans. Fearchar and Alasdair Ranald successfully unified the warring tribes and noble houses against the southern invaders. During this time, other powerful families joined the Ranald coalition; notably, Malcolm Murchadh (the 1st Earl of Uisdean) allied with the Ranalds in 530 in exchange for the legitimisation of his status. |
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| In exchange for his support and the legitimisation of the Ranald claim, Iain Gilruary was created the first Earl of [[:skyss:places:dalmuir|Dalmuir]]. This created a cadet branch of the Ruary line that survives into the present day, though they no longer hold the crown. | |
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| ==== The Rise of the Ranalds ==== | ==== The Rise of the Ranalds ==== |
| Fearchar Ranald and his brother Alasdair successfully consolidated power by 547, ending the wars of independence. Most of the ancestral Ruary lands went directly to the Ranalds as the new Sovereign line. Other families who supported the coalition, such as the [[:skyss:chars:daels:sioltach|Sioltach]] and [[:skyss:chars:daels:murchadh|Murchadh]], were rewarded with earldoms and lands previously held by Ruary loyalists. | Fearchar Ranald and his brother Alasdair successfully consolidated power by 547, ending the wars of independence. Most of the ancestral Ruary lands went directly to the Ranalds as the new Sovereign line. Other families who supported the coalition, such as the [[:skyss:chars:daels:sioltach|Sioltach]] and [[:skyss:chars:daels:murchadh|Murchadh]], were rewarded with earldoms and lands previously held by Ruary loyalists. While the male line was gone, Ruary blood continued through the female line. The daughters and granddaughters of the Ruary kings were married into the noble families of the Ranald coalition to further legitimise the new order. |
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| ===== Relationships ===== | ===== Relationships ===== |
