King Saradoc VI

King Saradoc VI came to the throne in 1110 on the death of his father King Ranic. Despite the fact that he was very close to his father who in turn doted on him the ascension of Saradoc to the throne led to a marked change in the policies of the monarchy. Saradoc was a keen student of history and was well aware that the monarchy had lost power over the years and was also well aware of the causes of that decline of influence. Traditionally the monarchy had aligned itself with the military and nobles who in turn were much in favour of the expansion of Reetland beyond its existing borders. The guilds and the Church and indeed the population at large on the other hand had grown suspicious of military adventures which were in general far less successful than those supporting them always claimed.

King Saradoc therefore took a far more balanced view in which factions he supported in internal Reetland politics and has fostered peace with his immediate neighbours although still keeping a strong army. He has strengthened the Reetland navy which he sees as having a key role in supporting Reetland trade around the Blue Sea. He has signed a treaty with Sankhar to provide military aid for them on their eastern border. His main concern is, however, the deterioration of the political situation in Cambria and whether a civil war might erupt there.

Domestically he is hugely popular with the average citizen as well as with the merchant and craft guilds who all credit him for the current prosperity of Reetland as well as admiring him for his determination that the laws of the land should be just and applied to all. If he has made any misstep in any of his policies it is perhaps in allowing, as a sop to the military, the army (in conjunction with Honourable Fellowship of Artificers) to experiment with magical battlefield weapons which would be illegal to use under current laws. Many feel that if the experiments are successful there will be intense lobbying from the military to change the laws which restrain the use of such weapons.



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