Torenth
Encyclopedia
Torenth is a fictional kingdom in the Deryni series
of historical fantasy
novel
s by Katherine Kurtz
. It lies to the east of the Kingdom of Gwynedd
, and the rulers of the two kingdoms often oppose each other, with the Torenthi monarchs serving as antagonist
s to the Haldane
kings that are the primary protagonist
s of the novels.
. Much of northern Torenth in bordered by the wild and untamed Norselands, but the northwestern edge of Torenth gives way to the Gulf of Normarch and the Northern Sea. East of Torenth are the distant lands of Érskeburg and West Veskitsa, while the Beldour River forms Torenth's southern border with the Principality of Orsal and Tralia. To the west of Torenth is the Kingdom of Gwynedd
, which lies on the far side of the Coamer Mountains and the Rheljan Mountains. Torenth's western border primarily touches three Gwyneddan estates: the Duchy of Corwyn, the Earldom of Eastmarch, and the Earldom of Marley. The capital of Torenth is the city of Beldour, which is located near the junction of the Beldour and Argent Rivers in south-central Torenth.
The kingdom is divided into a collection of smaller estates, the rulers of which form the nobility and peerage of the realm. The largest of these estates are duchies
, which include Arjenol, Arkadia, Jándrich, Lorsöl, Marluk, Nördmarcke, Östmarcke, Sasovna, Tolán, and Truvorsk. In addition, there are numerous smaller counties
, which include Brustarkia, Czalsky, Fathane, Gwernach, Komnénë, Kulnán, Medras, and Sostra.
monarchy
, similar in structure to the kingdoms of medieval
Europe
. The head of state is a hereditary monarch which descends through the senior male line of the royal family. Women are strictly forbidden from inheriting the crown of Torenth. The titles of the nobility are also based on hereditary inheritance, but the monarch reserves the authority to change the standard rights of inheritance under certain circumstances (such as attainting the family of a convicted traitor). Additionally, the monarch has the power to create new nobles and new titles when necessary. The monarch has nearly-absolute authority in all secular matters throughout the realm, and each noble wields significant power within their own lands. The primary administrator in the realm is a powerful minister known as the Grand Vizier.
The ruling family of Torenth is the House of Furstán, a line of powerful Deryni
adepts who are often described in the novels as being ambitious and ruthless. Throughout the centuries, the Furstán kings have ensured that Deryni, although a minority of the population, still wield a significant amount of political and ecclesiastical power in Torenthi society. The contrasts between the Furstáns of Torenth and the Haldanes of Gwynedd, as well as the differing treatment of Deryni in the two lands, often serves as a point of conflict between the two lands in the series.
The King of Torenth, or padishah, is formally invested as the rightful monarch in a ceremony known as the killijálay. The killijálay usually takes place on the New Year's Day immediately following the accession of a new king, but extenuating circumstances have occasionally forced that tradition to be broken. The ceremony is performed by the Patriarch of Beldour and All Torenth, who girds the new king with Sword of Furstán and infuses him with the legacy of arcane power established by the first King of Torenth.
faith which pre-dates the creation of the kingdom itself. Unlike Gwynedd, where the resident faith is based on the Roman Catholic Church
, Torenthi Christianity is more closely based on the Eastern Orthodox Church
. The Torenthi church is hierarchal in structure, with ranks including parish priests, abbots, itinerant bishop
s, metropolitan bishop
s, and archbishops. The church is led by the Patriarch of Beldour and All Torenth, who is elected by the Holy Synod. In addition to the Christian church, an unknown number of Torenthi citizens practice a religion that is closely based on Islam
, but the specifics of this faith have never been detailed in the novels.
. After the Byzantyun withdrawal in the 5th century, the rulers of Beldour embark on a campaign to conquer the neighboring lands, and Duke Furstán III Torenthály declares himself the first King of Torenth in 545. Over the next century, the borders of Torenth slowly expand to the south and west, occupying much of the fertile lands surrounding the Beldour River. Torenthi forces make excursions into Gwynedd in the mid-7th century, but the invasions are unsuccessful and result in the death of King István Zsolt Furstán. István's death sparks a five-year civil war for the Torenthi throne that is eventually won by King Tamás Termöd Furstán in 657. Tamás' descendants are known as the House of Furstán Tamásy, or the Second House of Furstán.
rules Gwynedd for the next eight decades, during which time Gwynedd is a vassal state to Torenth and every King of Gwynedd is required to travel to Beldour and acknowledge the supremacy of the King of Torenth. Gwynedd regains its independence in 904, when the last survivor of the House of Haldane, Prince Cinhil Haldane, deposes the last Festillic king, Imre Furstán-Festil, and ascends to the throne of Gwynedd. Imre's cousin, King Nimur I Zsigmond Furstán, supports an attempt to retake Gwynedd in 905, but the effort is unsuccessful.
Arion's grandson and successor, King Malachy II Miklós Furstán, joins the invasion of Prince Imre II Furstán-Festil in 984, leading the Torenthi army into Gwynedd itself. However, King Jasher Haldane defeats the Torenthi forces at the Battle of Grecotha on August 3, and both Malachy and his eldest son, Prince Nimur, are slain in combat. Malachy's second son, Károly II, dies the following week from his wounds, leaving the throne of Torenth to Malachy's third son, King Kyprian II Könyves Furstán.
Kyprian waits four decades before supporting another invasion of Gwynedd, but he eventually agrees to engage in a joint attack of Gwynedd. In 1025, Torenth attacks Gwynedd with the support of its allies, Sovereign Prince Jolyon II Quinnell of Meara and Prince Marek II Furstán-Festil, the Festillic Pretender. However, the Mearan forces are quickly routed by Prince Cinhil II Haldane's Gwyneddan army, which then turns to meet the combined Torenthi and Festillic forces. The decisive battle occurs when the two armies meet at Killingford on June 15, 1025, engaging in three days of bloody carnage that result in thousands of casualties on both sides. When the battle finally ends on June 17, the Gwyneddan army emerges victorious, and the Festillic Pretender is killed with his father and son. Disgraced by the utter defeat of his army, Kyprian leads his surviving troops back to Beldour and abdicates the throne on July 21 in favor of his eldest son, Arkady II Arpád Furstán.
Torenth and Gwynedd fight a series of minor border conflicts throughout the remainder of the century, but these incidents never escalate into formal warfare. Though the antagonism and enmity between the two kingdoms remains firmly in place, the Battle of Killingford has taken a serious toll on the armies of both lands and neither Gwynedd nor Torenth has sufficient military strength to seriously threaten the other. When another Festillic Pretender, Prince Hogan Gwernach Festil-Furstán, attempts to claim the throne of Gwynedd in 1105, he receives the blessing and approval of King Nimur II Dénes Furstán, but virtually no troops or military support. Like his ancestors before him, Hogan fails to win the Gwyneddan crown, and he dies in personal combat with King Brion Haldane.
Hogan's daughter, Princess Charissa, marries the son of King Károly III, Prince Aldred, and both she and her husband are suspected of eventually being responsible for Károly's death in 1110. King Aldred II reigns for only a very brief period, as his cruel despotism inspires his own family to revolt against him. After Aldred has his pregnant wife brutally beaten for his own amusement, Charissa joins with Aldred's uncle, Prince Wencit, to remove him from the throne. Aldred is deposed on April 15, 1110, and Wencit ascends to the throne as King Wenzel II Furstán. While Wencit moves to secure his position on the throne, Charissa spends the next decade plotting her revenge against King Brion Haldane, and eventually succeeds in murdering him in 1120. However, her attempt to claim the throne of Gwynedd is thwarted when she is slain by Brion's son and heir, King Kelson Haldane on November 15, 1120. Upon her death, the Festillic claim to Gwynedd passes to Wencit, and the King of Torenth quickly plans an invasion of Gwynedd to press his claim. Wencit leads a Torenthi army into Gwynedd in 1121, but he is defeated and slain by King Kelson in July of that year. Following Wencit's defeat, Kelson becomes Overlord of Torenth, and Torenth becomes a vassal state to Gwynedd. In addition, the House of Furstán d'Arjenol ascends to the throne of Torenth as the Third House of Furstán.
The second edition of the Codex Derynianus includes several additional events that occur after the conclusion of King Kelson's Bride
. In November 1128, Liam is betrothed to Princess Eirian Haldane, the daughter of Kelson's uncle, Prince Nigel Haldane. In addition, Liam's sister, Princess Stanisha, is betrothed to Nigel's youngest son, Prince Payne Haldane. Both marriages are intended to further solidify the growing good relations between Torenth and Gwynedd. The following year, Liam's traitorous and exiled uncle, Teymuraz Furstán, issues a proclamation claiming the thrones of both lands, but his pretensions generate no significant support in Torenth.
Deryni novels
The Deryni novels are a series of historical fantasy books written by American-born author Katherine Kurtz. The first novel in the series to be published was Deryni Rising in 1970, and the most recent novel in the series, Childe Morgan, was published on December 5, 2006...
of historical fantasy
Historical fantasy
Historical fantasy is a sub-genre of fantasy and related to historical fiction, which makes use of specific elements of real world history. It is used as an umbrella term for the sword and sorcery genre and sometimes, if fantasy is involved, the sword-and-sandal genre too...
novel
Novel
A novel is a book of long narrative in literary prose. The genre has historical roots both in the fields of the medieval and early modern romance and in the tradition of the novella. The latter supplied the present generic term in the late 18th century....
s by Katherine Kurtz
Katherine Kurtz
Katherine Kurtz is the author of numerous fantasy novels, most notably the Deryni novels. Although born in America, for the past several years, up until just recently, she has lived in a castle in Ireland...
. It lies to the east of the Kingdom of Gwynedd
Gwynedd (Fictional)
The fictional Kingdom of Gwynedd is the primary setting of the Deryni series of historical fantasy novels by Katherine Kurtz.There had been a historical Kingdom of Gwynedd, an important part of Wales with a long history of its own...
, and the rulers of the two kingdoms often oppose each other, with the Torenthi monarchs serving as antagonist
Antagonist
An antagonist is a character, group of characters, or institution, that represents the opposition against which the protagonist must contend...
s to the Haldane
House of Haldane (fictional)
The House of Haldane is a fictional royal family in the Deryni series of historical fantasy novels by Katherine Kurtz. For most of the series, the Haldanes are the ruling family of the Kingdom of Gwynedd, and members of the family most often serve as primary or secondary protagonists in the plots...
kings that are the primary protagonist
Protagonist
A protagonist is the main character of a literary, theatrical, cinematic, or musical narrative, around whom the events of the narrative's plot revolve and with whom the audience is intended to most identify...
s of the novels.
Geography
The Kingdom of Torenth is one of the largest realms in the Eleven KingdomsEleven Kingdoms (Fictional)
The Eleven Kingdoms is a fictional collection of nations that serve as the primary setting of the Deryni novels of Katherine Kurtz. Although the exact number of sovereign kingdoms varies through the literary history of the novels, the term remains in use throughout the series.-Bremagne:The Kingdom...
. Much of northern Torenth in bordered by the wild and untamed Norselands, but the northwestern edge of Torenth gives way to the Gulf of Normarch and the Northern Sea. East of Torenth are the distant lands of Érskeburg and West Veskitsa, while the Beldour River forms Torenth's southern border with the Principality of Orsal and Tralia. To the west of Torenth is the Kingdom of Gwynedd
Gwynedd (Fictional)
The fictional Kingdom of Gwynedd is the primary setting of the Deryni series of historical fantasy novels by Katherine Kurtz.There had been a historical Kingdom of Gwynedd, an important part of Wales with a long history of its own...
, which lies on the far side of the Coamer Mountains and the Rheljan Mountains. Torenth's western border primarily touches three Gwyneddan estates: the Duchy of Corwyn, the Earldom of Eastmarch, and the Earldom of Marley. The capital of Torenth is the city of Beldour, which is located near the junction of the Beldour and Argent Rivers in south-central Torenth.
The kingdom is divided into a collection of smaller estates, the rulers of which form the nobility and peerage of the realm. The largest of these estates are duchies
Duchy
A duchy is a territory, fief, or domain ruled by a duke or duchess.Some duchies were sovereign in areas that would become unified realms only during the Modern era . In contrast, others were subordinate districts of those kingdoms that unified either partially or completely during the Medieval era...
, which include Arjenol, Arkadia, Jándrich, Lorsöl, Marluk, Nördmarcke, Östmarcke, Sasovna, Tolán, and Truvorsk. In addition, there are numerous smaller counties
County
A county is a jurisdiction of local government in certain modern nations. Historically in mainland Europe, the original French term, comté, and its equivalents in other languages denoted a jurisdiction under the sovereignty of a count A county is a jurisdiction of local government in certain...
, which include Brustarkia, Czalsky, Fathane, Gwernach, Komnénë, Kulnán, Medras, and Sostra.
Government
Torenth is a feudalFeudalism
Feudalism was a set of legal and military customs in medieval Europe that flourished between the 9th and 15th centuries, which, broadly defined, was a system for ordering society around relationships derived from the holding of land in exchange for service or labour.Although derived from the...
monarchy
Monarchy
A monarchy is a form of government in which the office of head of state is usually held until death or abdication and is often hereditary and includes a royal house. In some cases, the monarch is elected...
, similar in structure to the kingdoms of medieval
Middle Ages
The Middle Ages is a periodization of European history from the 5th century to the 15th century. The Middle Ages follows the fall of the Western Roman Empire in 476 and precedes the Early Modern Era. It is the middle period of a three-period division of Western history: Classic, Medieval and Modern...
Europe
Europe
Europe is, by convention, one of the world's seven continents. Comprising the westernmost peninsula of Eurasia, Europe is generally 'divided' from Asia to its east by the watershed divides of the Ural and Caucasus Mountains, the Ural River, the Caspian and Black Seas, and the waterways connecting...
. The head of state is a hereditary monarch which descends through the senior male line of the royal family. Women are strictly forbidden from inheriting the crown of Torenth. The titles of the nobility are also based on hereditary inheritance, but the monarch reserves the authority to change the standard rights of inheritance under certain circumstances (such as attainting the family of a convicted traitor). Additionally, the monarch has the power to create new nobles and new titles when necessary. The monarch has nearly-absolute authority in all secular matters throughout the realm, and each noble wields significant power within their own lands. The primary administrator in the realm is a powerful minister known as the Grand Vizier.
The ruling family of Torenth is the House of Furstán, a line of powerful Deryni
Deryni
The Deryni are a fictional race of humans who possess a variety of psychic and magical abilities in the Deryni series of historical fantasy novels by Katherine Kurtz...
adepts who are often described in the novels as being ambitious and ruthless. Throughout the centuries, the Furstán kings have ensured that Deryni, although a minority of the population, still wield a significant amount of political and ecclesiastical power in Torenthi society. The contrasts between the Furstáns of Torenth and the Haldanes of Gwynedd, as well as the differing treatment of Deryni in the two lands, often serves as a point of conflict between the two lands in the series.
The King of Torenth, or padishah, is formally invested as the rightful monarch in a ceremony known as the killijálay. The killijálay usually takes place on the New Year's Day immediately following the accession of a new king, but extenuating circumstances have occasionally forced that tradition to be broken. The ceremony is performed by the Patriarch of Beldour and All Torenth, who girds the new king with Sword of Furstán and infuses him with the legacy of arcane power established by the first King of Torenth.
Religion
The primary religion of Torenth is a ChristianChristianity
Christianity is a monotheistic religion based on the life and teachings of Jesus as presented in canonical gospels and other New Testament writings...
faith which pre-dates the creation of the kingdom itself. Unlike Gwynedd, where the resident faith is based on the Roman Catholic Church
Roman Catholic Church
The Catholic Church, also known as the Roman Catholic Church, is the world's largest Christian church, with over a billion members. Led by the Pope, it defines its mission as spreading the gospel of Jesus Christ, administering the sacraments and exercising charity...
, Torenthi Christianity is more closely based on the Eastern Orthodox Church
Eastern Orthodox Church
The Orthodox Church, officially called the Orthodox Catholic Church and commonly referred to as the Eastern Orthodox Church, is the second largest Christian denomination in the world, with an estimated 300 million adherents mainly in the countries of Belarus, Bulgaria, Cyprus, Georgia, Greece,...
. The Torenthi church is hierarchal in structure, with ranks including parish priests, abbots, itinerant bishop
Bishop
A bishop is an ordained or consecrated member of the Christian clergy who is generally entrusted with a position of authority and oversight. Within the Catholic Church, Eastern Orthodox, Oriental Orthodox Churches, in the Assyrian Church of the East, in the Independent Catholic Churches, and in the...
s, metropolitan bishop
Metropolitan bishop
In Christian churches with episcopal polity, the rank of metropolitan bishop, or simply metropolitan, pertains to the diocesan bishop or archbishop of a metropolis; that is, the chief city of a historical Roman province, ecclesiastical province, or regional capital.Before the establishment of...
s, and archbishops. The church is led by the Patriarch of Beldour and All Torenth, who is elected by the Holy Synod. In addition to the Christian church, an unknown number of Torenthi citizens practice a religion that is closely based on Islam
Islam
Islam . The most common are and . : Arabic pronunciation varies regionally. The first vowel ranges from ~~. The second vowel ranges from ~~~...
, but the specifics of this faith have never been detailed in the novels.
Early history
The area of Torenth, originally known as Beldour, is first conquered by the Byzantyun Empire at the beginning of the 2nd century, eight hundred years before the events of Camber of CuldiCamber of Culdi (novel)
Camber of Culdi is fantasy novel by American-born author Katherine Kurtz. It was first published by Ballantine Books on June 12, 1976. It was the fourth novel in Kurtz' Deryni novels to be published, and the first book in her second Deryni trilogy, The Legends of Camber of Culdi...
. After the Byzantyun withdrawal in the 5th century, the rulers of Beldour embark on a campaign to conquer the neighboring lands, and Duke Furstán III Torenthály declares himself the first King of Torenth in 545. Over the next century, the borders of Torenth slowly expand to the south and west, occupying much of the fertile lands surrounding the Beldour River. Torenthi forces make excursions into Gwynedd in the mid-7th century, but the invasions are unsuccessful and result in the death of King István Zsolt Furstán. István's death sparks a five-year civil war for the Torenthi throne that is eventually won by King Tamás Termöd Furstán in 657. Tamás' descendants are known as the House of Furstán Tamásy, or the Second House of Furstán.
Conquest of Gwynedd
Torenth continues to grow over the next century and a half, as the Furstán kings push the borders of the realm to the Northern Sea and the Purple March. Border conflicts with Gwynedd become increasingly more common, and Torenth succeeds in gradually eroding the defenses of its western neighbor. In 822, Prince Festil Furstán, the younger son of King Kálmán II Imre Furstán, invades Gwynedd and overthrows King Ifor Haldane in a coup supported by his father's armies. Festil is proclaimed King of Gwynedd, and he swears fealty to his father as Overlord of Torenth. The House of FestilHouse of Festil (fictional)
The House of Festil is a fictional royal family in the Deryni series of historical fantasy novels by Katherine Kurtz. Throughout the novels, various members of the family occasionally serve as primary and/or secondary antagonists of the plot, most notably in Camber of Culdi, Saint Camber, The...
rules Gwynedd for the next eight decades, during which time Gwynedd is a vassal state to Torenth and every King of Gwynedd is required to travel to Beldour and acknowledge the supremacy of the King of Torenth. Gwynedd regains its independence in 904, when the last survivor of the House of Haldane, Prince Cinhil Haldane, deposes the last Festillic king, Imre Furstán-Festil, and ascends to the throne of Gwynedd. Imre's cousin, King Nimur I Zsigmond Furstán, supports an attempt to retake Gwynedd in 905, but the effort is unsuccessful.
Festillic invasions
Although Torenth loses control of Gwynedd, King Nimur I succeeds in expanding Torenth's eastern borders by conquering the lands of Arjenol, Vorna, Lorsöl, and Vechta. Despite occasionally being plagued by barbarian raids, Toreth's borders remain secure for the next two centuries, allowing the Torenthi kings to focus much of their attention on Gwynedd. Torenth rarely makes any formal move against their western neighbor, but several Torenthi kings support the ambitions of the Festillic Pretenders, the descendants of the House of Furstán-Festil who still claim the throne of Gwynedd. In 948, King Arion I Mátyás Furstán provides mercenaries and financial support for an invasion led by Prince Marek I Furstán-Festil, but Marek is defeated by King Uthyr Haldane.Arion's grandson and successor, King Malachy II Miklós Furstán, joins the invasion of Prince Imre II Furstán-Festil in 984, leading the Torenthi army into Gwynedd itself. However, King Jasher Haldane defeats the Torenthi forces at the Battle of Grecotha on August 3, and both Malachy and his eldest son, Prince Nimur, are slain in combat. Malachy's second son, Károly II, dies the following week from his wounds, leaving the throne of Torenth to Malachy's third son, King Kyprian II Könyves Furstán.
Kyprian waits four decades before supporting another invasion of Gwynedd, but he eventually agrees to engage in a joint attack of Gwynedd. In 1025, Torenth attacks Gwynedd with the support of its allies, Sovereign Prince Jolyon II Quinnell of Meara and Prince Marek II Furstán-Festil, the Festillic Pretender. However, the Mearan forces are quickly routed by Prince Cinhil II Haldane's Gwyneddan army, which then turns to meet the combined Torenthi and Festillic forces. The decisive battle occurs when the two armies meet at Killingford on June 15, 1025, engaging in three days of bloody carnage that result in thousands of casualties on both sides. When the battle finally ends on June 17, the Gwyneddan army emerges victorious, and the Festillic Pretender is killed with his father and son. Disgraced by the utter defeat of his army, Kyprian leads his surviving troops back to Beldour and abdicates the throne on July 21 in favor of his eldest son, Arkady II Arpád Furstán.
Torenth and Gwynedd fight a series of minor border conflicts throughout the remainder of the century, but these incidents never escalate into formal warfare. Though the antagonism and enmity between the two kingdoms remains firmly in place, the Battle of Killingford has taken a serious toll on the armies of both lands and neither Gwynedd nor Torenth has sufficient military strength to seriously threaten the other. When another Festillic Pretender, Prince Hogan Gwernach Festil-Furstán, attempts to claim the throne of Gwynedd in 1105, he receives the blessing and approval of King Nimur II Dénes Furstán, but virtually no troops or military support. Like his ancestors before him, Hogan fails to win the Gwyneddan crown, and he dies in personal combat with King Brion Haldane.
Hogan's daughter, Princess Charissa, marries the son of King Károly III, Prince Aldred, and both she and her husband are suspected of eventually being responsible for Károly's death in 1110. King Aldred II reigns for only a very brief period, as his cruel despotism inspires his own family to revolt against him. After Aldred has his pregnant wife brutally beaten for his own amusement, Charissa joins with Aldred's uncle, Prince Wencit, to remove him from the throne. Aldred is deposed on April 15, 1110, and Wencit ascends to the throne as King Wenzel II Furstán. While Wencit moves to secure his position on the throne, Charissa spends the next decade plotting her revenge against King Brion Haldane, and eventually succeeds in murdering him in 1120. However, her attempt to claim the throne of Gwynedd is thwarted when she is slain by Brion's son and heir, King Kelson Haldane on November 15, 1120. Upon her death, the Festillic claim to Gwynedd passes to Wencit, and the King of Torenth quickly plans an invasion of Gwynedd to press his claim. Wencit leads a Torenthi army into Gwynedd in 1121, but he is defeated and slain by King Kelson in July of that year. Following Wencit's defeat, Kelson becomes Overlord of Torenth, and Torenth becomes a vassal state to Gwynedd. In addition, the House of Furstán d'Arjenol ascends to the throne of Torenth as the Third House of Furstán.
Recent history
Wencit's nephew, Alroy Arion II, inherits the throne as a twelve-year-old boy, but he dies under suspicious circumstances shortly after attaining his legal majority in 1123. His successor, Liam Lajos II, spends four years at the Court of Gwynedd, where King Kelson attempts to train the young king in the skills of statecraft while bridging the cultural gap between the two lands. Liam returns to Torenth after reaching his legal majority in 1128, and he is forced to immediately deal with the notoriously dangerous Torenthi political scene when two of his uncles attempt to murder him. However, Liam survives the attack with the assistance of King Kelson. Following the killijálay, Kelson releases Liam from his vassalage, allowing Torenth to become an independent nation once again.The second edition of the Codex Derynianus includes several additional events that occur after the conclusion of King Kelson's Bride
King Kelson's Bride
King Kelson's Bride is a historical fantasy novel by American-born author Katherine Kurtz. It was first published by Ace Books in 2000. It was the thirteenth of Kurtz' Deryni novels to be published, and the only novel in the series that was not part of a trilogy...
. In November 1128, Liam is betrothed to Princess Eirian Haldane, the daughter of Kelson's uncle, Prince Nigel Haldane. In addition, Liam's sister, Princess Stanisha, is betrothed to Nigel's youngest son, Prince Payne Haldane. Both marriages are intended to further solidify the growing good relations between Torenth and Gwynedd. The following year, Liam's traitorous and exiled uncle, Teymuraz Furstán, issues a proclamation claiming the thrones of both lands, but his pretensions generate no significant support in Torenth.
Kings of Torenth
Since the foundation of the Kingdom of Torenth in the mid-6th century, there have been over thirty members of the House of Furstán to sit upon the throne. However, only a few of those kings have appeared directly in the course of the novels, and most of them are only mentioned in passing (if at all). The following table lists the reigning King of Torenth at the time of each of the Deryni novels.| Novel | Years | King of Torenth |
| Camber of Culdi Camber of Culdi (novel) Camber of Culdi is fantasy novel by American-born author Katherine Kurtz. It was first published by Ballantine Books on June 12, 1976. It was the fourth novel in Kurtz' Deryni novels to be published, and the first book in her second Deryni trilogy, The Legends of Camber of Culdi... |
903 – 904 | Nimur I Zsigmond Furstán |
| Saint Camber Saint Camber Saint Camber is a historical fantasy novel by American-born author Katherine Kurtz. It was first published by Ballantine Books in 1978. It was the fifth of Kurtz' Deryni novels to be published, and the second book in her second Deryni trilogy, The Legends of Camber of Culdi... |
905 – 907 | |
Camber the Heretic Camber the Heretic Camber the Heretic is a fantasy novel by American-born author Katherine Kurtz. It was first published by Ballantine Books in 1981. It was the sixth novel of Kurtz' Deryni novels to be published, and the third book in her second Deryni trilogy, The Legends of Camber of Culdi... |
917 – 918 |
|
| Arion I Mátyás Imre Furstán | ||
| The Harrowing of Gwynedd The Harrowing of Gwynedd The Harrowing of Gwynedd is a historical fantasy novel by American-born author Katherine Kurtz. It was first published by Del Rey Books in 1989. It was the tenth of Kurtz' Deryni novels to be published, and the first book in her fourth Deryni trilogy, The Heirs of Saint Camber... |
918 | Arion I Mátyás Imre Furstán |
| King Javan's Year King Javan's Year King Javan's Year is a historical fantasy novel by American-born author Katherine Kurtz. It was first published by Del Rey Books in 1992. It was the eleventh of Kurtz' Deryni novels to be published, and the second book in her fourth Deryni trilogy, The Heirs of Saint Camber... |
921 – 922 | |
| The Bastard Prince The Bastard Prince The Bastard Prince is a fantasy novel by American-born author Katherine Kurtz. It was first published by Del Rey Books in 1994. It was the twelfth of Kurtz' Deryni novels to be published, and the third book in her fourth Deryni trilogy, The Heirs of Saint Camber... |
928 | |
| In the King's Service In the King's Service In the King's Service is a historical fantasy novel by American-born author Katherine Kurtz. It was first published by Ace Books in 2003. It was the fourteenth of Kurtz' Deryni novels to be published, and the first book in the fifth Deryni trilogy, the Childe Morgan trilogy... |
1082–1091 | Nimur II Dénes Kyprian Károly Furstán |
| Childe Morgan Childe Morgan Childe Morgan is a fantasy novel by American-born author Katherine Kurtz. It was published by Ace Books on December 5, 2006. It is the fifteenth of Kurtz' Deryni novels to be published, the second book in the fifth Deryni trilogy, the Childe Morgan trilogy... |
1093–1096 | |
| Deryni Rising Deryni Rising Deryni Rising is a historical fantasy novel by American-born author Katherine Kurtz. It was first published by Ballantine Books as the nineteenth volume of the celebrated Ballantine Adult Fantasy series in August, 1970, and was reprinted at least ten times over the next three decades... |
1120 | Wenzil II "Wencit" Zsubit Furstán |
| Deryni Checkmate Deryni Checkmate Deryni Checkmate is a historical fantasy novel by American-born author Katherine Kurtz. It was first published by Ballantine Books as the forty-sixth volume of the celebrated Ballantine Adult Fantasy series in May 1972, and has been reprinted a number of times since. The author released a revised... |
1121 | |
| High Deryni High Deryni High Deryni is a historical fantasy novel by American-born author Katherine Kurtz. It was first published by Ballantine Books as the sixty-first volume of the celebrated Ballantine Adult Fantasy series in September, 1973, and has been reprinted a number of times since. A revised and updated... |
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| The Bishop's Heir The Bishop's Heir The Bishop's Heir is a fantasy novel by American-born author Katherine Kurtz. It was first published by Ballantine Books in 1984. It was the seventh of Kurtz' Deryni novels to be published, and the first book in her third Deryni trilogy, The Histories of King Kelson... |
1123–1124 | Liam Lajos II Lionel Lászlo Furstán d'Arjenol |
| The King's Justice The King's Justice The King's Justice is a historical fantasy novel by American-born author Katherine Kurtz. It was first published by Ballantine Books in 1985. It was the eighth of Kurtz' Deryni novels to be published, and the second book in her third Deryni trilogy, The Histories of King Kelson... |
1124 | |
| The Quest for Saint Camber The Quest for Saint Camber The Quest for Saint Camber is a historical fantasy novel by American-born author Katherine Kurtz. It was first published by Ballantine Books in 1986. It was the ninth of Kurtz' Deryni novels to be published, and the third book in her third Deryni trilogy, The Histories of King Kelson... |
1125 | |
| King Kelson's Bride King Kelson's Bride King Kelson's Bride is a historical fantasy novel by American-born author Katherine Kurtz. It was first published by Ace Books in 2000. It was the thirteenth of Kurtz' Deryni novels to be published, and the only novel in the series that was not part of a trilogy... |
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Sources
- Katherine Kurtz, Camber of CuldiCamber of Culdi (novel)Camber of Culdi is fantasy novel by American-born author Katherine Kurtz. It was first published by Ballantine Books on June 12, 1976. It was the fourth novel in Kurtz' Deryni novels to be published, and the first book in her second Deryni trilogy, The Legends of Camber of Culdi...
, ISBN 0-345-24590-3 - Katherine Kurtz, Saint CamberSaint CamberSaint Camber is a historical fantasy novel by American-born author Katherine Kurtz. It was first published by Ballantine Books in 1978. It was the fifth of Kurtz' Deryni novels to be published, and the second book in her second Deryni trilogy, The Legends of Camber of Culdi...
, ISBN 0-345-27750-3 - Katherine Kurtz, Camber the HereticCamber the HereticCamber the Heretic is a fantasy novel by American-born author Katherine Kurtz. It was first published by Ballantine Books in 1981. It was the sixth novel of Kurtz' Deryni novels to be published, and the third book in her second Deryni trilogy, The Legends of Camber of Culdi...
, ISBN 0-345-33142-7 - Katherine Kurtz, The Harrowing of GwyneddThe Harrowing of GwyneddThe Harrowing of Gwynedd is a historical fantasy novel by American-born author Katherine Kurtz. It was first published by Del Rey Books in 1989. It was the tenth of Kurtz' Deryni novels to be published, and the first book in her fourth Deryni trilogy, The Heirs of Saint Camber...
, ISBN 0-345-33259-8 - Katherine Kurtz, King Javan's YearKing Javan's YearKing Javan's Year is a historical fantasy novel by American-born author Katherine Kurtz. It was first published by Del Rey Books in 1992. It was the eleventh of Kurtz' Deryni novels to be published, and the second book in her fourth Deryni trilogy, The Heirs of Saint Camber...
, ISBN 0-345-33260-1 - Katherine Kurtz, The Bastard PrinceThe Bastard PrinceThe Bastard Prince is a fantasy novel by American-born author Katherine Kurtz. It was first published by Del Rey Books in 1994. It was the twelfth of Kurtz' Deryni novels to be published, and the third book in her fourth Deryni trilogy, The Heirs of Saint Camber...
, ISBN 0-345-33262-8 - Katherine Kurtz, Deryni RisingDeryni RisingDeryni Rising is a historical fantasy novel by American-born author Katherine Kurtz. It was first published by Ballantine Books as the nineteenth volume of the celebrated Ballantine Adult Fantasy series in August, 1970, and was reprinted at least ten times over the next three decades...
, ISBN 0-345-01981-4 - Katherine Kurtz, Deryni CheckmateDeryni CheckmateDeryni Checkmate is a historical fantasy novel by American-born author Katherine Kurtz. It was first published by Ballantine Books as the forty-sixth volume of the celebrated Ballantine Adult Fantasy series in May 1972, and has been reprinted a number of times since. The author released a revised...
, ISBN 0-345-22598-8 - Katherine Kurtz, High DeryniHigh DeryniHigh Deryni is a historical fantasy novel by American-born author Katherine Kurtz. It was first published by Ballantine Books as the sixty-first volume of the celebrated Ballantine Adult Fantasy series in September, 1973, and has been reprinted a number of times since. A revised and updated...
, ISBN 0-345-23485-5 - Katherine Kurtz, The Bishop's HeirThe Bishop's HeirThe Bishop's Heir is a fantasy novel by American-born author Katherine Kurtz. It was first published by Ballantine Books in 1984. It was the seventh of Kurtz' Deryni novels to be published, and the first book in her third Deryni trilogy, The Histories of King Kelson...
, ISBN 0-345-31824-2 - Katherine Kurtz, The King's JusticeThe King's JusticeThe King's Justice is a historical fantasy novel by American-born author Katherine Kurtz. It was first published by Ballantine Books in 1985. It was the eighth of Kurtz' Deryni novels to be published, and the second book in her third Deryni trilogy, The Histories of King Kelson...
, ISBN 0-345-31825-0 - Katherine Kurtz, The Quest for Saint CamberThe Quest for Saint CamberThe Quest for Saint Camber is a historical fantasy novel by American-born author Katherine Kurtz. It was first published by Ballantine Books in 1986. It was the ninth of Kurtz' Deryni novels to be published, and the third book in her third Deryni trilogy, The Histories of King Kelson...
, ISBN 0-345-31826-9 - Katherine Kurtz, King Kelson's BrideKing Kelson's BrideKing Kelson's Bride is a historical fantasy novel by American-born author Katherine Kurtz. It was first published by Ace Books in 2000. It was the thirteenth of Kurtz' Deryni novels to be published, and the only novel in the series that was not part of a trilogy...
, ISBN 0-441-00732-5 - Katherine Kurtz, The Deryni Archives, ISBN 0-345-32678-4
- Katherine Kurtz and Robert Reginald, Codex Derynianus (Second Edition), ISBN 1-887424-96-2