The Kingdom of the Isles
The Kingdom of the Isles is a fictional nation on Midkemia, a world created by a fantasy role-playing group and popularized by Raymond E. Feist. The Kingdom of the Isles, or simply The Kingdom lies to the north of The Empire of Great Kesh on the continent of Triagia. Most of Feist's books are based in this Kingdom.
History
In ancient times, Rillanon was the foremost nation of a small group of islands in the Kingdom Sea, which after years of war with the neighboring city-state of Bas-Tyra eventually expanded on the mainland. Several centuries later, after Kesh had been wracked by civil war, and abandoned its northernmost territories, the Kingdom of the Isles expanded into the Western Lands around the Bitter Sea, with a second capital at Krondor. Given this expansion, most people shorten the name to simply "The Kingdom" in common usage, though the formal name remains in some documents.
The Kingdom is a late medieval/early renaissance society, with a charter that defines the rights of men and nobles, as well as the limitations of government. Slavery is not unknown in the Kingdom, but is mostly used for criminals. There is a Congress of Lords, but their exact role is unspecified.
The ruling family of the Kingdom are the conDoins.
Geography
The Eastern Realm of the Kingdom
- Duchy of 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 with only broad policy in regards to the west. Rillanon and the surrounding area are ruled by the Duke of Rillanon.
- Earldom of Vencar - an estate on the island of Rillanon, its title was passed to the family of Duke James of Krondor when the old earl died without an heir
- Duchy of Sadara
- Duchy of Bas-Tyra
- Barony of Gyldenholt
- Barony of Calry
- Squire of Marlsborough
- Duchy of Salador
- Duchy of Rodez
- Earldom of Tarloff
- Duchy of Ran
- Duchy of Cheam
- Duchy of Euper
- Earldom/Duchy of Romney
- Earldom/Duchy of Timons
- Earldom/Duchy of Silden
- Barony/Earldom of Dolth
- Barony of Sethanon
- Barony of Tiburn
- Barony of Cavall
- Malac's Cross - the city marking the westernmost boundary of the Eastern Realm
- Duchy of Deep Taunton
- Earldom of Mukerlic
- Earldom of Mallow Haven
- Barony of Viztria
- Barony of Corvis
- Valina
- Wolfgar's Hold
- Pointer's Head
The Western Realm of the Kingdom
- Principality 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.
- Barony of Land's End
- 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
- 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
- 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
Provinces and Other Regions
- Border Baronies - although part of the Kingdom of the Isles and charged with defending the passes to the Northlands from the moredhel and goblins, the three barons swear their allegiance only to the King, though this has been a matter of debate when the Prince of Krondor is present (A Darkness at Sethanon)
- Highcastle
- Northwarden
- Ironpass
- Inonia
- Kinnochaide
Mountain Ranges
- The Great Northern Mountains
- The Teeth of the World
- Northern Guardians
- Thunderhell Steppes
- The Grey Range
Forests and Woodlands
- The Green Heart
- Yabon Forest
- Edder Forest
- The Blackwood
- The Dimwood
Waterways
- Sea of Dreams
- The Great Star Lake
- The River Crydee
- The River Rom
Bordering Nations
- Elvandar - Forest city and home of the Elves known in their own language as Eledhel (People of Light) and later remnants of the Eldar, Glamredhel (People of Madness) and Ocedhel (People of the Sea) as well as some 'returned' Moredhel (People of Darkness). Located within the Kingdom, North of the Green Heart and near to Crydee.
- The Grey Towers Dwarves - These Dwarves live in various small villages located in the Grey Towers mountain range, between Yabon Forest and The Green Heart.
- The Stone Mountain Dwarves - The Dwarves that live on and in Stone Mountain, separated from the Grey Towers by the Lake of the Sky.
- The Empire of Great Kesh - The largest nation in Midkemia, made up of numerous constituent nations and ruled by the 'True Blood' Keshians from the city of Kesh. Located to the south of the Kingdom. The border is disputed but falls somewhere within the Vale of Dreams.
- The Kingdom of Roldem - An island Kingdom in The Sea of Kingdoms, seen as the forefront of fashion and culture in the region.
- The Kingdom of Queg - Located on the island of Queg, in the Bitter Sea, Quegians see themselves as the 'true' heirs to the Empire of Great Kesh, of which they were once a part, and are a significant naval power in the region.
- The Free Cities of Natal - A loose confederacy of independent city states along the northern coast of the Bitter Sea, in the southwest of the Kingdom.
- The Eastern Kingdoms - A fractious, ever-changing collection of independent states to the East of The Kingdom.
- Stardock - Made up of Stardock Academy and Stardock Town in the Vale of Dreams, between The Kingdom of the Isles and The Empire of Great Kesh. Formerly the Duchy of Stardock, now an independent magical academy and town.
Government
Monarchs of the Kingdom of the Isles (Kings of Rillanon and Kings of the Isles)
(in approximate chronological order and with consorts, where known)
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), conquered Bas-Tyra, extending the Kingdom to the mainland
- Borric I (r. approximately two hundred fifty years before the Riftwar)
- Jon 'the Pretender', half-brother of Borric I, killed by him during the Kingdom's last civil war
- Henry III (exact time of r. unknown)
- Rodric III
- Beatrice
- Janica
- Rodric IV 'the Mad King', fourth and only surviving son of King Rodric III
- Lyam, eldest legitimate son of Duke Borric of Crydee, cousin of Rodric IV
- Magda of Roldem
- Borric II, eldest son of Prince Arutha of Krondor and nephew of King Lyam
- Yasmine
- Patrick, eldest son of King Borric
- Francine of Silden
- Ryan, son of King Patrick
Princes of Krondor
(in approximate chronological order and with consorts, where known)
House of conDoin
- Erland, younger brother of King Rodric III
- Alicia of Timons
- Arutha, younger brother of King Lyam
- Anita of Krondor, daughter of Prince Erland
- Nicholas, youngest son of Prince Arutha, Admiral of the Kings fleet in the West.
- Patrick, eldest son of King Borric, grandson of Prince Arutha
- Francine of Silden
unnamed Princes of Krondor
- Matthew, son of King Ryan
- Robert, cousin of King Ryan
The Royal Succession
The Congress of Lords elects the King, although this is a matter of tradition as the heir to the throne is always elected unless there is no clear successor.
The Eastern Realm
Ministers of the King's Court
- 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
- King's Chancellor of Finance and Exchequer
- Williamson Howell
- Knight-Marshal of the Armies of the East
- Sir Lawrence Malcolm
- Knight-General of the King's Royal Household Guard
- Caldric of Rillanon
- Admiral of the King's Fleet in the East
- Karole Vykor
- unnamed individuals
- Daniel Marks
Dukes of Salador
- Kerus
- Richard of Dolth
House of Laurie (conDoin)
- Laurie of Tyr-Sog
- Carline conDoin, daughter of Duke Borric of Crydee and sister of Duke Martin, King Lyam, and Prince Arutha
- name unknown, son of Duke Laurie
- Duncan (de Salador or Laurieson), grandson of Duke Laurie
Dukes of Bas-Tyra
House of Bas-Tyra
- Guy du Bas-Tyra
House of Sevigny
- Armand de Sevigny
The Western Realm
Ministers of the Prince's Court
- 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, son of Duke James
- Brian of Silden (acting Duke)
- Rufio of Rodez
- unnamed Dukes of Krondor
- James Jameson (also Regent of the West)
- Erik von Darkmoor
- Knight-Marshal of the Western Realm
- Prince Erland 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)
- Prince Arutha of Krondor
- William conDoin, son of Pug and royal cousin by adoption (Knight-Marshal of the Armies of the West during the Serpentwar)
- unnamed individual(s)
- Erik von Darkmoor
- Knight-Marshal of Krondor
- Dulanic
- Gardan of Crydee
- Locklear of Land's End
- William conDoin
- Owen Greylock
- unnamed Knights-Marshal
- Erik von Darkmoor
- Admiral of the King's Fleet in the West
- Amos Trask
- Prince Nicholas conDoin, third son of Prince Arutha
Dukes of Crydee
House of conDoin - though part of the royal family by blood, the Dukes of Crydee after Martin are ineligible for the throne due to his refusal of the crown in order to avoid a potential civil war at the end of the Riftwar
- Nicholas conDoin I, third son of a King of the Isles
- name unknown,son of Nicholas
- Borric, grandson of Nicholas
- Lyam, eldest legitimate son of Borric (duke upon his father's death, but never confirmed in the title before his accession as King)
- MartinConDoin, also known as Martin Longbow, illegitimate eldest son of Duke Borric
- Marcus, son of Duke Martin
- Duchess Abigail of Carse
- Robert conDoin, grandson of Martin
Dukes of Yabon
- Brucal
- Vandros der LaMut, son-in-law of Duke Brucal
- Duchess Felinah, daughter of Duke Brucal
- unnamed Dukes
- Carl
Ranks of the Kingdom Army
Officers
- Lord-Marshal of the Eastern Realm
- Lord-Marshal of the Western Realm
- Knight-Marshal of the Armies of the East
- Knight-Marshal of the Armies of the West
- Knight-General of The Kingdom
- Knight-Marshal of Rillanon
- Knight-Marshal of Krondor
- Knight-General
- Swordmaster
- Knight-Commander
- Commander
- Knight-Captain
- Captain
- Knight-Lieutenant
- Lieutenant
Other Ranks
- Sergeant-Major
- Sergeant
- Corporal
- Soldier
It should be noted that the ranks of Knight-Marshal of the Armies of the East and Knight-Marshal of the Armies of the West are wartime appointments, usually given to a person with a rank of Knight-General or greater, and the rank will be rescinded at the end of the war. While the Lord-Marshals of the Eastern and Western Realms (The King and The Prince of Krondor respectively) have the right to this rank themselves they will generally appoint a subordinate to the position, while they continue with the necessary governing of the realm.
Arms and Heraldic 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