#fantasy royals

This is the kingdom that my WIP dark fantasy story, Out Of Torment, is set in. I hope to share more details about this world building in the near future!

Elie Saab Spring 2023 Couture

We usually write royal families based on the modern or medieval ones of history. We almost always fall into the trap of Male to Male succession because... that's usually what is done. We get confused over who is next when you kill off a cast of characters or have a strong female lead and we fall into a whole. But no longer. Here are some succession systems you can use in your fantasy setting.

Male to Male Primogeniture

This is when the firstborn son inherits everything outright from his dad. His son will inherit after him followed by his grandson and so on so forth. This is our main system of succession in real world history and fantasy. This can be an easy one to work off since there are so many examples. However, just as the real world is run by genetics, so will your fantasy land. There is a 50-50 chance of having a daughter or a son. You can't always bank on having a son. And if you have a surplus of sons, it can lead to trouble down the road.

Female to Female Primogeniture

There are some cultures that are strictly matrilineal, with inheritance passing to mother to daughter to granddaughter and so on. This can be another easy line to follow as it is basically the system up above just gender reverse. Examples of this succession can be found in Africa such as the role of Rain Queen where only females are eligible to take the throne and the Undangs of Negeri Sembilan in Asia. There are the same kind of issues such as the possibility that a daughter may not be born.

Tanistry

This is a Gaelic system for passing on titles and lands. The Tanist/ Tánaiste is the title bestowed upon the candidate chosen to inherit the throne who acts as a second in command. The eligible candidates would arrive at a chosen place and there would be a grand discussion on who gets to be named the heir. The candidates don't have to be a blood relative or even an ally of the current ruler. This was practised in Ireland, Scotland and the Isle of Mann and was also sort of practised in the Holy Roman Empire. The Vatican uses this to some extent though they might forgo all the drink... OK probably they do. There is no real issue with this, the best candidate is chosen and everyone has a say. Of course in politics, some force might be used in order of specific favourites to succeed but hey its nothing more than what's going on in modern politics.

Agnatic Seniority

This is another patrilineal inheritance system only this one is slightly more confusing. In this system, the succession goes from monarch to their younger brothers and then the monarch's own sons. The monarchs children don't inherit until the older generation have all died. Agnatic seniority bars all female descendants and their descendants from the throne.

The Ottoman Empire's Version of the Hunger Games (or just what siblings are like)

The Ottoman Empire had a fun succession order. Oh, perhaps not order. You see when a Sultan dies, his sons fight over who gets to be the next Sultan. The Şehzades (the male issue of the Sultan) will turn on one another, often having all their brothers and half brothers massacred by guards armed with bowstrings. This fratricidal system did work in the Sultan's favour as his throne was safe from claims of rivals. Yet if you get rid of all your heirs and you can't sire one and you die... well bye bye dynasty. The Şehzade who usually comes out on top will be the one who is backed by the military. This practise became less awful as years went by and the brothers of the Sultan were imprisoned in the harem in chambers called the Golden Cage or kafes. Some went insane and some actually succeeded the Sultanate.

Roman Adoption

The Romans didn't follow blood but rather the surname. Like the tanistry, a Roman noble/emperor would take stock of their relatives or even perhaps acquaintances and pick the best one. They would be given everything in the will including the right to inherit. Julius Caesar picked his great-nephew Octavian and in turn Octavian, now Augustus Caesar, chose his step-son Tiberius. If you go back through the Judo-Claudian dynasty you will see that most the heirs were adopted and not all came from the same bloodline.

Royal families are just one big chain of flaws and strengths. All dynasties have their issues. When writing your royal and noble families in your fantasy works, it is best to study some archetypical royal families.

The Wealthy

Some dynasties keep their power by money, splashing the cash in ways their counterparts cannot.

The Medici: The Medici began as simple bankers. Through the years they rose through the ranks, from merchant class to obtaining power in the Florence government and then becoming one of the most powerful families in Italy, perhaps Europe. The Medici remained at the forefront of all arts and finance, as well as intrigue. They were the richest banking family, backing other dynasties and kingdoms in their ventures.

House of Romanov: The Romanovs were a relatively unknown noble family until the reign of Ivan the Terrible. When Ivan died without an heir, the nobles of Russia chose young Michael Romanov to be the new king. The Romanovs were autocrats, building a vast empire on the backs of serfs and their expansive powers. Some Romanovs were brilliant (Catherine the Great, Peter the Great, Alexander II, Elizabeth I, Alexander I) and some less so (Nicholas I, Nicholas II, Peter III, Paul I). But all were fucking loaded. The Romanovs were the richest royal family for many generations. Their palaces were the grandest and their jewels were to die for. The Romanovs came to a violent end in the Russian Revolution, for a list of reasons but chief among them being the extravagant and lavish lifestyle they had lived while Russia suffered.

The Treacherous

You can choose friends but not your family. Some families backstab each other so much its a wonder their arms don't present as a bloody dagger.

Ptolemy: The House of Ptolemy was founded by the Macedonian general Ptolemy, friend and some say half brother to Alexander the Great. When Alexander died, his generals divided up the empire. Ptolemy was granted Egypt. The Ptolemys wed one another for centuries, uncle to niece, sister to brother, daughter to father. The Ptolemys were a treacherous bunch. They betrayed one another for the crown, murdered family members. Just look at the last four monarchs of the dynasty. Blood, incest, betrayal, fratricide, suicide, battles, beheadings. It's Game of Thrones on acid.

House Of York: The House Of York ruled over England for 25 years. Edward IV had two brothers, George and Richard. They had a cousin called Warwick, the Kingmaker. Edward married a woman not of Warwick's liking. Warwick deposed Edward, marrying his daughter to George. When the nobles refused to make George king, Edward regained the throne. In a second effort, Warwick and George crossed over to the enemy House of Lancaster. Warwick wed his daughter to the Prince Edward of Westminster. George betrayed Warwick and went back to his brothers, leaving Warwick to die on the battlefield. George was constantly betraying Edward, even hiring a wiseman to predict Edward's death. George was drowned in a vat of wine. Edward died a few years later and Richard became protector of the kingdom, Regent for the young princes. He seized the throne for himself, disobeying his brother's last wishes.

Julio-Claudian Dynasty: To say the Julio-Claudians were treacherous would be an understatement. The Roman Emperors were volatile. Even the wise Augustus is no exception, having exiled his owned daughter because she was promiscuous. His adopted son Tiberius may have poisoned him as well as the much loved . Tiberius then imprisoned Germanicus's wife and let her starve to death. He then murdered all but one of the sons of Germanicus. Tiberius then adopted the boy, Caligula. Caligula then may have had Tiberius smothered. Caligula then had the other nephew of Tiberius killed. Caligula was killed by his guards and his uncle Claudius became Emperor. Claudius then named his stepson Nero as heir after his son Britannicus was poisoned possibly by Nero or his mother, Agrippina. Claudius was then poisoned and Nero ascended the throne. Nero chafed at his Mother's influence had tried to kill her by sinking her ship. When she crawled ashore, a guard was sent to kill her. Nero was driven to suicide.

The Unhappy Family

Some royal dynasties are nothing more than unhappy families. Whether it be strained relationships between parents and children or between siblings, some families do not get along.

Plantagenet: The Plantagenets were never a happy family. Begin at the start. Henry II married Eleanor of Aquitaine and they had five sons. Henry II fought with his sons over ceding over any control over the empire. The sons went to Henry's enemy for help in their rebellion. Eleanor rode to join them but was captured. She was held prisoner until Henry died. Later down the line we have Richard II who was a bit of a tyrant. He hated his nobles and made their life hell. He had one uncle killed and conspired against his cousins. While he was in Ireland, his cousin Henry Bolingbrook stole his throne (haha serves the dickhead right. Karma is a bitch dickie). Henry imprisoned Richard in a cell where he starved to death.

House Of Windsor: Was there ever a dynasty with such destructive tendancies as Windsor? First we have George V who argued with his son David. David loved an American divorcee named Wallis Simpson and was not exactly the model royal. When he ascended the throne as Edward VIII, he gave it up to marry his love leaving his brother Albert or George VI to be king. George died after the strains of WWII and the remainder of the royal family blamed David for his death. Elizabeth II ascended the throne. Princess Margaret loved a palace aide and asked to marry him. The Church refused to allow the wedding to go ahead and allow Princess Margaret to keep her royal status. In the end, Margaret chose her royal status. She later went on to have an unhappy marriage with Anthony Armstrong-Jones. Elizabeth II's eldest son Charles loved an unsuitable woman, Camilla and was pressured into marrying a more appropriate bride, Diana. The marriage was terrible and they divorced. The cycle of unhappy marriages and family relations still play out before us even today.

House Of Hanover: The House Of Hanover never got on. George I imprisoned his wife for infidelity and fought with his son because he was more popular and stole his children. George II fought with his son and daughter in lawn. George III went mad and had to suffer his sons. George IV shagged and ate his way through the kingdom as Regent, before becoming king at sixty. His daughter died, the last legitimate heir. His brothers married to sire an heir, only producing one, Victoria. Victoria fought with her son, blaming him for her husband's death. The Hanoverians had issues.

The Incestuous & Problematic

These are the houses that have serious issues. As opposed to the last heading, these families love each other a little too much.

House Of Hapsburg: The Hapsburgs didn't begin as incestuous. As their empire began to stretch across Europe covering most of the German and Austrian states as well as Spain, they began to wed the two branches of the House together, the Austrian and the Spanish. These uncle-niece and first cousin-first cousin marriages resulted in deformity. Children born of these incestuous matches were stricken with the infamous jaw deformity, the Hapsburg jaw which made the lower half of the mouth stick out.

"We're not supposed to see each other before the wedding."

Cade didn't have to turn to know King Lucan had entered the room - he would have recognised the feel of his power anywhere. His breath fogged the window as the air edged immediately icy, blocking his view of the city gates.

"Prince Cadewynn," Lucan merely greeted. His voice was warm, honeyed velvet against the temperature drop. "You clean up well."

Cade's jaw clenched. "I'm sure that shocks you."

"Not at all," Lucan said.

Cade felt the king move closer and then he had to turn, because it wasn't in him to keep his back to the enemy. Even if that enemy was soon, disgustingly enough, to be his husband. The smallest hint of a smirk curled the corners of Lucan's cruel and handsome mouth. It made Cade want to bite him.

"This is bad luck," he said instead. "I think we have enough bad luck already being stuck with each other, without you adding to it, don't you?"

Lucan laughed softly. He stopped in front of Cade, looking up at him. He reached out and Cade recoiled back, before he could touch, hitting the cool stone behind him. Lucan raised an eyebrow.

"We're not married yet," Cade said, "so keep your cursed hands to yourself."

"Your tie is crooked. I can help."

"I thought I cleaned up well."

"It doesn't take much work to polish a gem, admittedly. You are inclined to shine."

"It also takes surprisingly little to rip a man's tongue and fingers off."

The words simply made Lucan laugh again; but then, Cade supposed, Lucan found most people laughable. The cold could kill a man so easily. His head tilted, his expression oh so indulgent as he considered the long line of tension Cade's body had suddenly become.

"So when we are married, I can touch you?" Lucan's voice was teasing. "Good to know."

Cade bristled.

"I suppose if you're feeling brave, I can't stop you."

"No," Lucan said. "You can't. Glad we agree."

Cade's eyes flashed, a snarl catching in his throat. His hands curled into fists. "You are not supposed to be here."

"My palace. I can be where I like."

"Tradition-"

"-Your tradition," Lucan said. "Are we calling it a tradition? I would consider it more of an adorable little backwater superstition, really. The idea that us seeing each other is enough to dictate our marriage is savage. Honestly."

Cade didn't think he'd ever wanted to hit anyone quite so badly in his life, and he'd decked his fair share of people. He placed his hands on the window sill behind him to ward off the temptation, nails digging in, drawing in a few steadying breaths.

He half expected Lucan to labour the point by reaching out again to fix his stupid, impractical tie, but the ice king merely softened his smirk to a sunny smile. Cade preferred the smirk, horrible and triumphant as it was. At least it was honest.

He said nothing. Maybe if he said nothing, King Lucan would simply get bored and leave. That could be a tolerable marriage; one spent in separate rooms, entirely bored with each other.

Lucan did not look bored. His gaze was far too appreciative, too propriety, as it assessed Cade's body like a battlefield map.

Despite the thick furs Cade had been given since arriving to Lucan's kingdom, he felt abruptly naked. He straightened his spine, glad for his solid foot of height advantage. Lucan didn't so much as blink at his looming. Bastard.

"No," Lucan mused, idle. "It doesn't shock me that my colours suit you. You are mine, after all. Or you will be soon enough. And I've got a proven track record of taking savage things and perfecting them, haven't I? You-"

Cade hit him.

Or, well, Cade went to hit him.

In an instant, Lucan's eyes turned an eerie blue, and ice ripped all of the way up from Cade's fingers to his shoulders, freezing him in place an inch from Lucan's nose. It was bitterly, painfully, cold. He could have launched another attack but common sense caught up with him a moment later - fear to douse the heat of his fury.

Lucan sighed. "Such a solider boy, aren't you? You just can't help it. It's weirdly hot." Lucan's gaze roamed over him again, as if those words in his mouth weren't just weird. "Maybe save the passion for the bedroom though."

"Go screw yourself on an icepick, you supercilious-"

"-I suppose I should tell your parents and your kingdom that the deal is off and the fight is on."

Cade stopped talking. He squeezed his eyes shut. Bile burned up his throat.

"I'm sorry," he said. "I shouldn't have tried to hit you."

That time, he felt Lucan's fingers - cold, so cold - brush his throat. Cade's eyes snapped open, heart hammering like a war drum as Lucan fixed his tie with a few neat gestures.

His arm was starting to go numb. He could imagine his fingers turning black, like he'd seen on some of the men, doomed to never ever be able to pick up a sword again. Maybe to not have a hand at all if the frostbite got bad enough.

"Lucan," he hissed. His stomach twisted.

Lucan chucked him amicably beneath the chin.

"Tell me to screw myself on you later," he said. "Tell me that's everything you want."

Cade's face burned, despite the fact that he could feel his teeth beginning to chatter.

"You don't want this fight either," he said. "If you did, you would never have agreed-"

"Cadewynn."

The honey was gone from Lucan's voice in an instant. All that was left was the cold; the monster that Cade had faced across countless fields already, as if it mattered how brilliant a warrior he was against something like him.

Cade dropped his glare.

"No," Lucan said.

Cade looked up, drawing in a shuddering breath. His free hand flexed. He felt the ice creep a little further over his skin, like a palm down his back. The parody of a lover's caress.

"You can go screw yourself on me later," Cade said, voice hoarse. "Wedding night and all."

He thought, for a moment, that Lucan would push more. He could, after all. Maybe he'd tell them that the marriage would stay, but actually he wanted the heir, not the spare. Cade couldn't allow that. How could he have been so stupid? He'd been trying to work on his temper, but Lucan was just so-

Lucan smiled again. The ice melted like spring. Cade yanked his hand back to his chest with a gasp, cradling it to the scant remainder of his body heat. He was distantly aware that he was shaking. Pathetic. Warriors didn't shake, not even in the face of monsters.

"You've gone and got the arm of your attire all wet," Lucan said. "I'll have someone come by and fix that so you don't embarrass yourself. More, I mean."

Despite himself, despite everything, Cade glared again. Unfortunately it only seemed to please the king.

Lucan dipped his head, oh so polite and oh so proper, and took Cade's hand in his to press a kiss to his knuckles.

Cade didn't flinch. He forced himself not to flinch.

Ok story time! A story how my OC Heidi came to be. Check it under the cut if you're interested, otherwise enjoy these sketches of a fantasy royal family.

Warnings: infidelity, infertility