FitzFaeren is a centuries-old nation made up of people who are half human and half faerie and have the powers of both races. Such people are also called the FitzFaeren.[1]
The FitzFaeren nation is independent of any human or faerie government. It is a matrilineal society, governed by queens who are succeeded by their daughters.[2] The only queen mentioned by name in the series is Magdalene the Third.
History
FitzFaeren was once ruled by kings who constantly desired to expand the kingdom. They fought against Hylfing and faeren strongholds but suffered terrible losses in trade and lives.[3]
After three FitzFaeren kings died on the battlefield in failed conquests, the throne was passed down to a woman who comforted and united the scattered FitzFaeren. She helped build FitzFaeren into a great nation whose artists, architects, poets, and musicians were unequaled among its neighboring nations. The FitzFaeren continued to participate in wars, but never as aggressors. Instead, they sought peace with their neighbors.[4]
Certain adventurers of the FitzFaeren people returned from their travels with twelve powerful talismans and relics. The great Halls of FitzFaeren were built around the power and under the protection of these objects.[5]
All of this was done under the rule of the first queen of FitzFaeren. When she grew old, she made her daughter heir to the throne and her sons dukes. From then on, FitzFaeren was ruled by queens who were succeeded by their daughters and whose sons were dukes.[6]
Three hundred years later, a certain queen of the FitzFaeren died leaving behind a young daughter, the Third Magdalene, and a son, Eli FitzFaeren. Eli was six years older than Magdalene and probably would have been a more capable ruler because of this, but the FitzFaeren preferred her over him because he was peaceful. They chose Magdalene to rule instead of him.[7] [8]
A ball was held in the Lesser Hall on the night of her coronation. In the same week, three of the twelve talismans—a stone, a sword hilt, and the Arrow of Ramoth Gilead—had been stolen, and the absence of these talismans made it possible for Endor to breach the walls of FitzFaeren for the first time. Witch-dogs of Endor attacked in the middle of the dance, and FitzFaeren fell to Endor that same night. This was the last of Endor's conquests before Mordecai and his brothers sealed Nimiane away.[9]
Eli and a certain human associate of his whom he had brought to the ball were suspected of stealing the talismans, and Eli was made an outcast on account of this. He was questioned many times but to no avail.[10]
After Henry inadvertantly released Nimiane, Magdalene felt the witch rising in power again and sent a dream to Hyacinth asking Caleb to come to FitzFaeren. When Caleb arrived, she asked him to make a stand with the FitzFaeren against Endor. She believed that the witch would strike at FitzFaeren first. However, Caleb returned to Hylfing believing that Endor's first blow would fall there. He invited Magdalene to go with him and make her stand against Endor there, but Magdalene declined saying, "We will stand or fall in FitzFaeren." [11]
As it turned out, the witch struck at Hylfing. During the battle, Eli died bravely at the hand of Darius, apparently trying to protect Henry from him, and was buried beneath the floor of the cathedral in Hylfing. Eli was finally honored by the FitzFaeren when Magdalene made a formal request for the right to remove his body if the Halls of FitzFaeren were ever restored.[12]
- ↑ "The FitzFaeren rose many centuries ago. We are a people first formed half human, half faerie...we had strengths of our own, the powers of both races."—Magdalene, p. 153 Dandelion Fire.
- ↑ "We have been governed by queens. The throne and rod were passed from mother to daughter, never through sons."—Magdalene, p. 153 Dandelion Fire.
- ↑ "In the early days, FitzFaeren was ruled by kings....But the kings were forever desiring expansion....They even rode out against Hylfing and various strongholds of the faeren. They lost much, in trade and in lives."—Caleb, pp. 327-328 Dandelion Fire
- ↑ "After the conquesting folly of three kings, all killed in the field, a woman inherited the rod. Under her, the scattered FitzFaeren found comfort, and they built themselves into greatness. Their artists and architects, poets and musicians were the greatest for many nations around. They still rode to ware, but never as aggressors, and they found peace with their neighbors."—Caleb, p. 328 Dandelion Fire
- ↑ "Some of their adventurers traveld out...and brought back talismans and relics, twelve of them, and around their strength, they built the Halls of FitzFaeren, protecting themsevles against every kind of enemy."—Caleb, p. 328 Dandelion Fire
- ↑ "In that queen's old age, she named her daughter her successor and made her sons dukes. And so it was for three hundred years."—Caleb, p. 328 Dandelion Fire
- ↑ "Eli was the elder brother, Magdalene was his sister, six years junior."—Caleb, p. 327 Dandelion Fire"
- ↑ "When [Eli's] queen-mother died, his sister was very young, a child really but the landed families still desired her over him. They did not care that he was peaceful."—Caleb, p. 328 Dandelion Fire
- ↑ P. 143 and 328 of Dandelion Fire.
- ↑ P. 143 and 154 of Dandelion Fire.
- ↑ P. 259 and 261-263 of Dandelion Fire.
- ↑ P. 451-452 and 460 of Dandelion Fire.