Valashar was a short-lived kingdom within the Shoon Empire.[1][2]
Geography[]
At its founding, Valashar extended from the highlands near the start of the Sulduskoon River north to the headwaters of the Amstel River. On the west, it bordered the halfling kingdom of Meiritin[1][2] and the Tejarn Hills.[5] At its height, the country extended north to the Troll Mountains and far beyond into even the High Moor, pushing east even toward the western borders of Cormyr[1][5] and west to the Sword Coast.[5]
Government[]
Valashar's only ruler was its founder, King Ashar Tornamn,[1][2] though he was only considered a nazir by the Shoon Imperium.[2]
Defenses[]
A wooden fortress, later named Fort Ilbratha, defended the northernmost region of Valashar. It was located in the eastern foothills of the Troll Mountains.[6]
History[]
Valashar was founded in 361 DR[note 1] by Lord Ashar Tornamn, a prince and the fourth nephew of King Karaj Tiiraklar II of Tethyr.[1][2] As only fourth in line to the throne of Tethyr, Ashar sought another means to power.[1] Over fifteen years, he slowly built up an army and continuously spread the territory under his control, all in the name of the Shoon Empire.[1][2]
The largest territorial expansion came during Ashar's March, when King Ashar marched in a fifteen-month campaign,[2] without orders from either the Emperor or the king of Tethyr,[5] north as far as the High Moor by the end of summer,[5] 376 DR.[2][note 1]
Unknown to most, it was the secret machinations of Emperor Shoon VI and his advisors that orchestrated these events. They hoped to eventually conquer Cormyr.[2] The Twisted Rune also tried to manipulate matters in this short-lived country.[7]
It was because of the constant expansion of Valashar and the demands for taxes along the Sword Coast[5][2] that Crown Prince Azoun I of Cormyr had the magic sword Ilbratha forged.[1][5] Wielding the blade, Cormyr's heir apparent waged a valiant campaign against Valashar and the Shoon Empire. In 376 DR, Cormyr wiped out the army of Valashar in a great battle on the Fields of the Dead before marching into Tethyr and sacking the city of Ithmong.[1][5][2]
King Ashar was executed that same year by the Shoon Empire for antagonizing King Azoun.[5]
Most of the territory of Valashar was absorbed into the kingdom of Cortryn, another short-lived kingdom, in 491 DR.[4]
Appendix[]
See Also[]
Notes[]
- ↑ 1.0 1.1 1.2 1.3 The chronology around the founding of Valashar, Ashar's March, the war with Cormyr, the forging of Ilbratha, and associated events is rather confused, with various sources giving no less than three different dates, twenty to forty years apart. That is, Lands of Intrigue places these events over 321–336 DR; Empires of the Shining Sea and Sea of Fallen Stars choose 361–376 DR. The Grand History of the Realms uses a mixture of both dating schemes and also introduces 356 DR as another key date. These errors have been attributed by author Steven E. Schend as confusion between Cormyr Reckoning and Dale Reckoning in his works, and by George Krashos as a missed editorial deadline for the fix in the Grand History, and Brian R. James says the 356 date in Grand History is an unexplained error, all as discussed here. This article adopts the agreed 361–376 DR date, which is supported by all associated lore.
References[]
- ↑ 1.00 1.01 1.02 1.03 1.04 1.05 1.06 1.07 1.08 1.09 1.10 Steven E. Schend (August 1997). “Book One: Tethyr”. In Roger E. Moore ed. Lands of Intrigue (TSR, Inc.), p. 30. ISBN 0-7869-0697-9.
- ↑ 2.00 2.01 2.02 2.03 2.04 2.05 2.06 2.07 2.08 2.09 2.10 2.11 2.12 2.13 Steven E. Schend, Dale Donovan (September 1998). Empires of the Shining Sea. Edited by Julia Martin. (TSR, Inc.), p. 31. ISBN 0-7869-1237-5.
- ↑ 3.0 3.1 Steven E. Schend, Dale Donovan (September 1998). Empires of the Shining Sea. Edited by Julia Martin. (TSR, Inc.), p. 44. ISBN 0-7869-1237-5.
- ↑ 4.0 4.1 Steven E. Schend (August 1997). “Book Two: Amn”. In Roger E. Moore ed. Lands of Intrigue (TSR, Inc.), p. 21. ISBN 0-7869-0697-9.
- ↑ 5.0 5.1 5.2 5.3 5.4 5.5 5.6 5.7 5.8 Steven E. Schend (August 1997). “Book Two: Amn”. In Roger E. Moore ed. Lands of Intrigue (TSR, Inc.), p. 20. ISBN 0-7869-0697-9.
- ↑ Steven E. Schend (August 1997). “Book Two: Amn”. In Roger E. Moore ed. Lands of Intrigue (TSR, Inc.), p. 35. ISBN 0-7869-0697-9.
- ↑ Steven E. Schend (August 1997). “Book Three: Erlkazar & Folk of Intrigue”. In Roger E. Moore ed. Lands of Intrigue (TSR, Inc.), p. 20. ISBN 0-7869-0697-9.