We know very little on the man who is responsible for the security of the Kingdom of Chybisa:
- He is the Marshal of the Royal Guard.
- He is the son-in-law of the king, married to the kings only daughter (in 719 TR)
- He is quite young, just 25 years old.
- His families origin is not clear as no Semadin is listed among the land holding clans of Hârn.
- He proposes an enlargement of the Royal Guard.
Not much, but it’s possible to develop some intel out of this raw data.
His origin
Beside a persons competence a ruler appoints his officers on the following terms:
- his trust into this person and his loyalty,
- the ability to control him/her,
- to reward an alliance
- in due consideration of the political influence of other parties.
As the Royal Guard acts as bodyguard to the king and his family, trust and control are the main criteria in appointing the marshal. You don’t appoint someone with much power of his own, nor someone with nothing to loose.
I assume that Clan Semadin has something to loose, most likely the office of a manorial bailiff or some court position in Burzyn or Onden. If Maraks father is still alive, he would be something around 50 years old.
Noble marriages are about political alliances and status.
If we take a look on the international picture, Chybisa is placed between a rock and a hard place in regard to his neighbours Kaldor and Melderyn. A wedding of Princess Nerelin – born 701 TR – to one of these royal families would have destroyed the balance, possible resulting in another war. (Currently Verlid is strongly against a marriage between his Chamberlain and the brother of the Earl of Harden).
Kanday has strong ties to Melderyn (royal wedding in 717 TR), Emelreme is a de facto ally of Melderyn. Rethem and Orbaal are out of question. Tharda is landlocked and lost a war against Kaldor. Continental realms are to far away.
What about possible candidates from Chybisa? Only few have the status to marry the kings daughter: barons, their heirs or important officials.
- Jebril Rythal, 24, Baron of Caermel since 718: Close friend to the crown prince Balesir, therefore unpopular with the king. Married the youngest daughter of the baron of Andazyn instead (probably between 717 and 719)
- Rythalir Legith, 21 (fanon), heir to the barony of Lerenil. His uncle the Chancellor of Exchequer is married to the kings sister. Probably not to alienate the other barons because of even closer ties, no marriage was planed.
- Hurben Larles, 30, son of the Chancellor of Chybisa and Commander of the LoP Chapter House of Ulmstane: Nerelin and he are first degree cousins, so it’s a no go.
- Bjan Forsetha and Kamaen Vastair were married before the princesses coming of age.
- Nothing is said on Barain Clamyns, Constable of Burzyn, other than being renown for his wit and ugliness.
- The office of the constable of Onden apparently is held by the heir.
This leaves us the Marshal of the Royal Guard, second-line officers at court, who should have a prestigious lineage.
Clan Semadin has no fiefs of his own, so it is likely they served traditionally in important offices at court. Maybe Maraks father was Constable of Onden as long as Balesir was a minor or he was Captain of the High Guard or even Marshal.
An alternative: The princess got pregnant by a dashing young knight of the royal guard and the king appointed him Marshal of the Guard to prevent a social scandal. Possible – but unlikely, as we know from a Report to the Council (HL 6), that the chybisan crown uses swift and final solutions in regard to illegitimate claimants to the throne.
I assume that Marak Semadin was marshal of the Royal Guard before the marriage, or had an office at the royal court before (possible as Captain of the High Guard) and was appointed to marshal at the marriage.
Competence or nepotism?
King Verlids main concern is securing the independence of his kingdom. As a child he witnesses the defeat of Chybisa, his father promising (and later breaking) fealty to the king of Melderyn, the recapture of his homeland. Additionally this barbarian neighbours are a constant threat: the Hodiri twice tried to conquer Chybisa, and nearly all lands north of the Ulmerien up to the Shomos are lost to the Pagaelin – not to mention their constant harassment of the caravans on the Genin trail. He knows sometimes you need an iron fist in the velvet glove of diplomacy.
Why did he appoint Marak Semadin?
Verlid suffers no fools gladly (otherwise Kjal Forsetha could not have collected the barony of Geda as his wager). He needs a loyal follower with good military experience / talent, organising ability and some respect from the troops as a Marshal.
He didn’t choose someone from Clan Andazyn, who don’t hold any first-line positions at court and were Marshals at the recapture of Chybisa. Maybe there was no one left to this Clan but it concedes the case for talent being more important than political influence.
One other choice would have been his nephew Hurben Larles, now Reblena of the local LoP chapter. I don’t think the barons could have objected to this choice, but Verlid named Marak. The king must have had the impression that he is just as well qualified as Hurben, maybe better.
Being so young, just 25 years old, Marak must have distinguished himself during the last 10 years, first as squire and later as knight, possible during royal tournaments (melee) on border patrols and as part of the Royal Guard. Maybe his fathers status helped a little bit.
His ambitions, his Friends & Enemies
Marak wants to expand his own power base, the Royal Guard. First more new soldiers lessen the internal opposition of senior guard members (buy them with officer post or marginalize them). Second a large guard serves as counterbalance for the king against the guards and large levy of his barons, an expansion makes him even more important. And third: more followers = more prestige.
His relation to:
- The King: A loyal follower, Clan Semadin is dependent of him.
- The Crown Prince: neutral to distant. King Verlid gets on poorly with his son, he wouldn’t have elevated some friend of Balesir to Marshal.
- The barons: Neutral to distant. A larger guard weakens their military influence. Most potential for conflict is with Clan Andazyn (office of Marshal) and Clan Legith (Royal Exchequer). Possible better contacts with Clan Forsetha.
- Order of the Lady of the Paladins: probably neutral. On the one hand a stronger Guard lessens their influence on the local nobility and might curtail royal subsidies, on the other hand it takes away some pressure guarding the borders. On the personal level Marak und Hurben could be anything from rivals to allies, fighting over money and access to the king as well as minor nobles and military leaders being in league against the barons and possible Prince Balesir.
- Minor nobility: Depends on personal experience (tournaments, summer campaigns, positions at court) and subinfeudation. Possible better than of the barons, the royal guard offers jobs for younger sons.
- Yeomen: “Double the number of Low Guard Companies? Where do I sign?”