Alexei I

Life of the Grand Duke

Birth & Early Life

Son of Mikhail Shimano and Grand Duchess Tatiana, first heir to the throne of the Grand Duchy. Alexei I was born in the Lemur Palace in Dahon on the anniversary of the defeat of the barbarian invasion, which was taken as a sign of his right to rule after his father. His education was overseen by his father and a series of tutors. During his youth he maintained a separate household from his parents, which set the standard for Heirs to come. Before he was declared “of age” at 13, he was rarely present at the Grand Ducal court, and then only on ceremonial occassions. The Heir was taken on a progress of the country at age 15, at which time he was fully expected to keep up with his father in all things (including riding and drinking).

Grand Duke

Alexei I ascended the throne after the sudden death of his father when Alexei was 25. Shortly thereafter the Grand Duke ordered the first improvements to Cradenza, beginning with construction of the ornate Shimano Mausoleum on the grounds of the Lemur Palace. The mausoleum is widely regarded as the first truly "architectural" building in Cradenza and has survived more or less undisturbed to the present day. The construction of the Mausoleum set off a flurry of building, and Alexei I is widely regarded as the father of Cradenzian architecture.

When not designing and supervising construction of new landmarks, Alexei I was a great traveller. It is said that he completed a circuit of Cradenza every two years of his reign. In his second year as Grand Duke, the citizens of Jadek rebelled and he took not only the bulk of his army but also his entire court, including his pregnant wife, to Jadek to personally put down the rebellion. He took up residence in the Jadeko Palace, put down the rebellion, conducted personal executions of the rebels, and then presented his newborn son to the people as their new Grand Duke.

Marriage and Children

Duke Alexei was married at age 16 to an heiress (Grand Duchess Xenia) in order to secure her fortune for use by the State. Despite being dissimilar in temperment and having little in common, the marriage was a success and produced four children. When Xenia died, after 40 years of marriage, the Grand Duke plunged the entire court in to mourning, which was only lifted after his own death, five years later.

Personality

Raised by an uneducated, autocratic father and a gentle, loving mother, Alexei I was the first Grand Duke to gain any sort of royal eduation. His father impressed on him early the right of the Grand Duke to maintain his power, and it was a lesson he would never forget. After the short-lived Jadek Revolution, he personally tried and executed the leaders of the rebellion for “traitorous usurpation of the Grand Ducal prerogative”. He was, at times, overcome by rages in which he sometimes killed those nearest him; on one memorable occasion, he beat the Minister of Justice to death with his riding crop.

Death of the Grand Duke

Alexei I died at age 61 at the Lemur Palace in Dahon. He was interred beside his father in the Shimano Mausoleum and succeeded by his eldest son, Grand Duke Peter I.