Maris Ulbrecht al'Ramar is the eldest son of the late King Robert Isaac al'Ramar. At his birth in 1798 IE, it seemed unlikely that Maris would ever be King of Aequor. His father was the brother of a King who already had an heir, the Crown Prince Alphonse al'Ramar. So Maris grew up largely being trained as a warrior. Still, Maris was a bright young man, and while he enjoyed his lessons in warfare and did well at them, he also showed a surprising interest in matters of stewardship, often accompanying his father on diplomatic trips and keeping keen watch while he attended to the business of both their King and their house. His was a tight-knit family, but above all they doted upon the youngest daughter of the family, a lovely young lady named Andrea.
At age 12, Maris was squired to another of his uncles, Prince Stephen al'Ramar, where he continued his education with an eye towards Knighthood. For a time, Maris strongly considered one day pledging himself to one of the Holy Orders, but in 1817 IE, tragedy caused him to suffer a crisis of faith. His beloved young sister Andrea fell from her horse, striking her head upon the cobblestone walkway she had been riding along. She lingered for three days before passing…she was only 13 years old. Andrea's death was a major blow to Maris' family, and though they remained close and supportive, a noticeable pall settled upon the household. Matters did not improve when a year later, the young King Alphonse died of a fever only 72 days after taking the throne. With Alphonse having no heir, and his only surviving sibling being a sister who had been wed to the Prince (now King) of Galenthia a few years prior, it fell to Maris' father Robert to take the throne, as the eldest surviving sibling of the late King's father. Unfortunately, the King of Galenthia now claimed Aequor was his by right, as to his mind, the inheritance should have fallen to his wife. Thus did the War of Thirty Years begin.
Maris was Knighted quite early in the war, at the age of 20. He had proven himself a capable if not spectacular combatant, and showed a knack for command, and particularly the management of logistics and personnel. He soon found distinction upon the battlefield, as well, winning battles in both the North and the South over the next several years. While none of his victories were spectacular routs or large enough to shift the tide of Aequor's two separate wars, by that time the war-weary people of Aequor were quite happy to hear of ANY victory. Perhaps more significantly, in the areas where Maris was assigned, the soldiers rarely lacked for food and basic supplies, as Maris developed more efficient systems of transporting and distributing supplies to the Galenthian front in particular. While it's unlikely to be recorded in the history books, it was quite likely Then-Prince Maris' influence that helped Aequor keep fighting considerably longer than it otherwise might have, and at the very least maintain the tenuous stalemate with Galenthia in the south, though his success was more limited in the North, where the terrain and climate made everything more difficult.
While Prince Maris' competent command and management of the Southern Armies did garner him much respect from his fellow commanders, the man himself did not engender great love. He had always been an emotionally reserved young man, and as he grew to adulthood it made him appear cold and forbidding to most who met him. Possessed of an icy, piercing gaze and a baritone voice that could fill a room, Maris cut quite an imposing figure. He was known to brook no foolishness and had a reputation as a harsh disciplinarian (well deserved). Put bluntly, his abilities were admired, but he did little in the way of fostering camaraderie, and with few real friends save his younger brother and a few childhood companions, he became increasingly isolated.
Perhaps seeing the signs in his son, and with Maris having been so occupied with the war for so long that he had gone well beyond the usual marrying age, King Robert set out to find Maris a wife. King Robert pulled him from the front lines for a time, and sent him to Rikton, to discuss possible marriage alliance with the wealthy noble families of the city-state. Being the Crown Prince of Aequor, the noble houses paraded their daughters before him, but after a few weeks of meeting with many ladies of House al'Demense, Cantire, and Teleko, Maris grew discouraged. He was more than perceptive enough to see that there was little genuine admiration from the ladies he was introduced to. His authoritative personality was off-putting, though of course many of the ladies pretended otherwise for the hope of a crown. He was staying in the home of House Cantire one night, unable to sleep for worry that he was going to fail in what seemed a very simple task, when he decided to take a walk in the courtyard gardens…and that was where he met her.
As he strolled, the sound of song reached his ears…a sad and sweet melody sung to such perfection that tears welled in his eyes. As he rounded the great fountain that dominated the center of the courtyard, he saw her. A young, beautiful, golden-haired young woman bathed in moonlight, seated on the edge of the fountain while she sang. Faced with such a vision, it was a moment before he noticed her dress was not-so-fine as many of the other ladies he had seen, and for a moment he feared her a simple servant. Thankfully, this notion was quickly disabused when he introduced himself, and then the pair of them sat at the edge of the fountain and simply spoke with each other until dawn's light started to creep across the courtyard. They spoke of their lives, and their hopes, and their pains. He told her of losing his young sister, she spoke of a beloved elder brother who had perished fighting in the north. Her name was Lady Cynthia Cantire, the youngest daughter of one of the poorest cadet branches of the Cantire family. Even though she was just past half his age, he felt a connection to the young Lady that he'd not shared with any beyond his family, and after just a few hours, his decision was made.
Cynthia had not been invited to meet the visiting Prince because it was already assumed she would devote her life to the Faith. Needless to say, both Cynthia's father and the Lord of House Cantire proper were more than a bit astonished when Maris and Cynthia went straight to them in the morning and Maris announced his intention to marry the young lady. If that astonished them, they were dumbstruck when Cynthia herself announced that she would forgo her prior wish to enter the service of the Faith and gave her full consent to the notion of marrying Crown Prince Maris. Not that her consent was necessary, but it removed any conflict from the minds of the gentlemen in question. More than willing to handle matters of dowry for his cousin's daughter if it meant a strong alliance with the King of Aequor, the Lord of House Cantire concluded negotiations with Maris quickly, with Maris securing the generous infusion of wealth into House al'Ramar's coffers that his father desired to keep funding the war, and securing a young wife to help secure the al'Ramar dynasty.
Maris and Cynthia were wed in 1831 IE, to much fanfare. Two years later, she would give birth to Maris' first son, Jean-Paul. He would not be the last, though, and over the course of the next twenty years Princess (and later Queen) Cynthia would give Maris several treasured children. She would be his strongest supporter, his trusted confidant, and both lover and closest friend forevermore. By the time Maris inherited the throne in 1845 IE, theirs was a bond that nothing could rend asunder, and a source of strength that would serve King Maris well in the trying years to come.
By the time both wars that he had inherited came to a close in 1851 IE, Aequor was very nearly in ruins. The vassals were upset because land had been ceded to Four Corners (and their gains in the north obliterated). The royal coffers were nearly empty from decades of war. House al'Callenta, The military backbone of the Kingdom, had nearly been broken by House Tarris of Galenthia. Fortunately, King Maris had a new ally in the soon-to-be Cardinal Lucien Ramius. Ramius was insightful and had a true genius for politics, and became fast friends with King Maris, as well as the Queen's personal confessor.
Despite all the adversity that faced him, King Maris embarked on a long-term rebuilding plan. Sadly, while his plans would indeed start bearing fruit within just a few short years, many of the vassals and certainly the common folk didn't seem to realize that things were getting better. House al'Callenta replenished its' forces swiftly (though its' morale was longer in coming). The coffers of both the royal house and the vassals began to fill once more, but not so quickly as many would have liked. When King Maris chose to avoid invading Galenthia while it was in the midst of its' own Succession War, accusations of weakness and cowardice dogged the King. Still, with his queen by his side and his friend the Cardinal working behind the scenes, Aequor continued to strengthen…quietly…patiently.
King Maris did take some comfort in being invited to attend the official coronation of Queen Melisande Romante of Galenthia. While surprised that the invitation was extended, he and Queen Cynthia accepted, and during the several days that they were guests in Firen, Maris and the young queen engaged in long and productive diplomatic discussions, once again opening some of the trade routes between their nations and de-escalating some of the tensions that lingered between them. As a King that had become quite weary of war, the prospect of peace was a most welcome one. It surprised both monarchs that by the time they parted ways, they both carried a mutual respect for one another.
Unfortunately, recent years have not been good to King Maris. A rift has brown between himself and Prince Jean-Paul, borne partially from the Prince's reputation for lechery and drunkenness, as well as the Prince's distrust of Cardinal Ramius. Making matters worse, Maris' sharp mind has started to fail him. He appears less and less in public, while the influence of Cardinal Ramius grows. What's worse is that on the days he is lucid, King Maris is aware of the terrible fate that is befalling him, and realizes that he is running out of time….