Bjørn dynasty
| Bjørn | |
|---|---|
| Country | Vakrestrender |
| Founded | 1730 |
| Founder | Herleifr Bjørn |
| Current head | Jørgen Bjørn |
| Members | 1 |
| Religion | Akuanism |
| Motto | En Bjørn Styrer Alene (Bjørns' Rule Alone) |
The Bjørn Dynasty is the royal family of Vakrestrender and the owners of the Bjørn Trust, depending on financial perspective it could be considered either one of the largest Trusts in the world or one of the largest Conglomerates in the world. The noble family descended from the original fleet captain of a Norgsveltian deportee fleet, Herleifr Bjørn. The deportee fleet was forced out of Norgsveldet by orders of King Gustaf II, the fleet being made up of various Concordian Akuan ethnic groups and Herleifr Bjørn a close friend of the king. Bjørn before being deportee, he was a bodyguard of the king in addition to being a close friend of Gustaf II. His reason for being deportee as due to suspicion of him being a Akuanist, however even at the time the evidence was considered to be near non-existent and is mostly like due to pressure on Gustaf II from his advisers for historically debated reasons. The fleet originally was suppose to be headed towards Nyveldet, to establish a new baron in the colonial project, however the fleet was lost at sea and settled on Vakrestrender. To much surprise of the Norgsveltian King, his council and to himself as well. He believed he was somewhere off the coast of Gondwana, rather than being off the coast of Aurora. One of the reasons why the fleet of ships was lost, was due to Herleifr believing that navigation tools, such as compasses or maps was unnecessary and for cowards. It should be noted, Herleifr Bjørn never commanded a fleet before nor captain a ship.
Herleifr Bjørn settled the fleet on Vakrestrender, and conquered the native orc population. He declared Vakrestrender to be Jarldom under the Norgsveltian crown, and crowned himself as the Jarl. Akuan and Valkyr historians insist that Herleifr Bjørn was not a Akuanist by any means, neither ethically or religious. Norgsveltian historians disagree, citing his reasons of deportee. Though both historians agree he didn't act as a Akuanist would. Namely, being a violent, drunkard and as Valkyr historian, Jessica Ny'ilsen put it "man completely driven by his vices." Outside of that, he married a daughter of a merchant Ingunn Grande and estimated twenty to thirty men. He was not well liked in Norgsveltian nobility due to him personally killing roughly 259 nobles in duels, which does not include his 'Surprise Non-Consensual Duels' nor his fights against the orc natives.
Herleifr Bjørn only held one child, Adrian Bjørn. Adrian Bjørn is generally considered when the Bjørn Dynasty became fully Akuan, as he was primary raised by his mother away from his father and his husbands. He was tutored in administration, economics and in Akuanism. He established the formal traditions of the royal house, stripped power from his father's surviving husbands, and fully formally Bjørn dynasty as a proper noble family, repaired the strained relationship with the Norgsveltian nobility. He himself only had only one child, Magnus Bjørn. Magnus was the head of the family and the Jarl of Vakrestrender during the Great War, famously the Bjørn Dynasty was held under house arrest. He led Vakrestrender through the Akuan Atrocities, despite his daughter, Solveig dying in the atrocities. After the lost of his daughter, his son Kristofferson became the de-facto Jarl. After the Great War, Magnus and Kristofferson went on a numerous trips around the world trying to gather investment for the country. Kristofferson had three children.
The Red Crown Terrorist Attack, almost completely murdered the royal family exception of Jørgen Bjørn.
History
Herleifr Bjørn
Herleifr Bjørn, also known as Jarl Bjørn, the first or sometimes referred as 'Hel's Son' in Norgsveldet is the founder of the dynasty. His legacy is extremely controversy for plethora of reasonings, such as if he was a actual Akuanist, having the highest record for duels to the death in Norgsveltian history, one-man genocide against the native population, and various other things. It is generally considered by Valkyr and Akuan historians that he wasn't a Akuanist, having no family record in any Akuan shrines and not living according to any Akuan principles. Norgsveltians historians refute that claim by stating he was deportee because he was a Akuanist, though they do agree he didn't live according to Akuan principles nor law. He commanded the fleet that landed in modern day Vakrestrender despite him suppose to be in Nyveldet to establish a barony there. According to some accounts, Herleifr Bjørn raided various settlements across the Urth and conducted piracy during the fleet's travel to Vakrestrender. This claim is disputed by Valkyr historians, as there is no direct evidence of the events taking place. Regardless of being loss, he founded the Jarldom of Vakrestrender under the the Norgsveltian crown.
He believed that the native orc population was proof he was in Nyveldet, despite the trip taking far long than it was suppose too and that the region of Gondwana they was in should have been Tiefling natives rather than orcs. Herleifr Bjørn settled the isles, having driven the orc natives onto a single island allegedly by himself though historians debate it. Believing more-so that it was more of a strategic retreat and centralization rather than out of fear of Herleifr Bjørn. Though there are eye witness testimonies and written statements from Akuan merchants trying to speak with the orc natives that referred to Herleifr Bjørn as 'Sea's Wraith.' As well a few accounts of the natives refusing to fight at the sight of him, with some historians believing that the natives thought Herleifr Bjørn as a some-sort of monster rather than a person.
Norgsveltian King Gustaf II and Herleifr Bjørn had a close bond together, with eye witness accounts recording that Gustaf II became a recluse after Herleifr was deported from Norgsveldet. On hearing word that Herleifr's fleet didn't arrive to Nyveldet, the king allegedly cried at the lost of his good friend. Giving a decree that no parties or 'act of joy' will be held in Osfjord for six months. When King Gustaf received word of Herleifr Bjørn settling in Vakrestrender and he was still alive, the king promptly threw a lavish party to celebrate the success of founding a new subject of the crown. Through their two lives, they sent each other various letters, gifts and portraits of each other of various levels of quality. While majority of the letters and portraits are held by the Bjørn's family being kept away from the public view. They have released a few letters, on request of the Norgsveltian Royal History Institute which some historians believe to imply a romantic relationship between the two. Requests for further release of letters have been met with refusals by both the Bjørn family and Norgsveltian Royal History Institute.
Surprise and Non-Consensual Dueling
Herleifr Bjørn passed a law in 1750, that would allow him to surprise and non-consensual duel nobility. Herleifr created the law due to various exiled nobles arriving to the jarldom and refusing to duel him because of his reputation. Through the law, he would 'duel' nobles by first announcing he is dueling them and then promptly killing them after. He used various weapons in his duels, including a case of a shark teeth wrapped around a glove to punch-stab a man. It is small subject of historic debate how many nobles was taken part of the unorthodox duel, and for non-nobles no record was kept who took part of the duel either. The law would include that the winner of the duel, would seize all the belongs and assets of the loser. The duel also made it that only Bjørn family members can declare surprise and non-consensual duels. While the law was never repealed, Herleifr Bjørn was the only Bjørn to carry out the law.
In popular culture, there has been various memes online and a common recurring joke in various talk shows that Jørgen Bjørn would duel transphobic individuals if they came to Vakrestrender. Jørgen Bjørn making a Pigeon post about it in 2024, stating that the jokes was highly inappropriate and that violence is not a subject that should be taken lightly. The post from the Jarl, only increased the amount of online commentary and memes about it but main-stream media have stopped bring the recurring joke up.
Dueling
Herleifr Bjørn still maintains the record for the highest duels to the death participation in the combined history of the Norgsveltian Crown Realm, including the whole history of the Queendom of Lapérouse. Having recorded 259 duels to the death with nobles, all of which was not part of his surprise non-consensual dueling. The true number of duels he taken part in, which that doesn't include surprise non-consensual dueling is unknown with numbers ranging from between 400 to 600 duels. As only duels with nobles was fully recorded, with other duels with various individuals that was not part of nobility not being recorded. Valkyr Historians and the Bjørn family themselves disagreeing with the number of duels Herleifr Bjørn participated in, stating that majority of the duels didn't have substantive evidence for it. Going further to state that 259 duels, are the only ones fully recorded and majority of those records are debatable.
Relationship with Gustaf II
His relationship with the Norgsveltian King Gustaf II has been subject of some debate, with some LGBTQ+ historians stating that the two was lovers. This is due to reading of the released letters given by the Bjørn family by request of the Norgsveltian Royal History Institute, could be read as implying a romantic relationship between the two. As well a few historic accounts of the two interacting and the distraught nature of Gustaf when Herleifr was missing after being deported. Furthermore, giving him status of a baron in Nyveldet despite being deported as a Akuanist and his quick acceptance of Herleifr declaring himself to be the Jarl of Vakrestrender.
Adrian Bjørn
Adrian Bjørn is generally considered accepted when the Bjørn family became fully Akuan by historians. Adrian Bjørn was raised up by his mother, away from his father and his many husbands. Growing up in the traditional Akuan lifestyle, being education in administration, economics and in Akuanism. Most Valkyr view him positive leader in the modern day, having establish not only the Bjørn family traditions but traditions of Vakrestrender as a whole. He established a elective body, one for general population and another to represent each island in the Jarldom. He as well, repaired relationships with Norgsveltian nobility and established a merchant guild for Akuanists. The merchant guild was directly owned by the Bjørn family, which assisted in developing the early Valkyr economy. Much of his rule was focused on establishing a effective administration across the isles and building up the Valkyr merchant fleet.
Post-Great War
In the early 1900s, the Bjørn family fortunes changed. After the great war, Jarl Bjørn the III and his son Kristoffer Bjørn went on a series of business trips to gather investment for Vakrestrender. Starting in Rikevaarland after which they went to Norgsveldet, originally focusing on the loose financial regulations on Vakrestrender while still being part of Norgsveldet. Notably, Prince Kristoffer invited the bankers to stay at the castle. Starting a tradition of hosting influential and royalty persons into the castle during their stay at Vakrestrender. In addition to bringing financial institutions to Vakrestrender, they secured funding and investments into Valkyr tourism and sponsored an ad campaign. The tourism trade proved to be far more profitable to the family than banking. To this day, the Bjørn family has a reserved seat on several large banking firm’s boards. While mostly a ceremonial seat, it shows the level of collaboration between the Bjørn family and the banking institutions of Rikevaarland and Norgsveldet.