Difference between revisions of "James MacAlister"

Latest revision as of 14:04, 7 September 2006

James Adair Ádhamh Gille Iosa MacAlister, the Prince of Fireforge, is the first cousin of High King Owain. He is the son of Owain's aunt, Eduduwel, and the late Aed, Duke of Farquharson. He has held the title of Prince of Fireforge since the Shattering and is styled His Most Esteemed Highness. Constitutionally, he is the third in line for the Throne but the seventh in the order of precedence.

The Prince is known as something of a quiet family man and, while he does some charity work, he has never maintained a high profile outside of Fireforge. He carries out a relatively light schedule of royal duties but is often praised as a devoted husband and father.

Birth

James was born at Farquharson. His father was Lord Aed MacAlister, the son of the Duke and Duchess of Farquharson and later the Duke of Farquharson. His mother was Eduduwel MacAlister, born Eduduwel ni Cunedda, the third child and second daughter of the Duke and Duchess of Tasat. He was baptized by Rev. Gartnait Farrell of the United Presbyterian Church of the Resurgent Dream. His godparents were the Duke and Duchess of Tasat, his maternal grandparents.

Early Life

In 1971, James's father became Duke of Farquharson after the death of his own father. This entitled James to the style of Lord. Previously, James had been styled only The Honorable. James did not receive a further improvement in his formal style until the death of his father in 1991, when he became Duke of Farquharson.

Education

Like other children of his rank, James's early education was handled privately by the family. Until he was eight years old, his education was entrusted to a governess, Ciannait Paisley. From the age of eight to seventeen, he was educated by a number of specialized tutors as well as by his parents who both took a personal role in his instruction. James's education emphasized literature, Latin, Scots Gaelic, the classics, Presbyterian theology, and the military arts.

Created Prince of Fireforge

James was created Prince of Fireforge almost immediately following the Shattering in late 2005. His investiture took place at Ferguson Palace in Skypeak, Fireforge. It was a surprisingly non-controversial event with no local protests of any size.

The Prince of Fireforge, while required to assent to the will of the democratic government of the principality, is nonetheless intimately involved in affairs of state. Ever since his investiture, James has attended to these matters diligently even as he has rigorously maintained aloof from partisan politics, at least within Fireforge.

Romances

James has never been the subject of much romantic gossip in the press. By the time he obtained national prominence as the Prince of Fireforge, he had already been married for twenty years. Only the most sordid tabloids have ever suggested that James has ever had an extramarital affair.

The Prince's official biographers maintain that he was a virgin at the time of his marriage. This is a claim frequently made in the official biographies of Danaan princesses but rarely made in the official biographies of Danaan princes, leading many to accept it at face value.

Regardless of how far his relationship with her progressed, James is known to have had at least one love interest prior to De, Rossa Wakit. Wakit was a nurse stationed on in the Narich Garrison during James's military service. The relationship ended when Wakit left to pursue a graduate degree in mathematics from the University of Civic Virtue.

Marriage

James married Lady De Scobie in early 1987, after a courtship of over a year. Although both were from prominent families, their marriage was a love match. James and De, while fairly private about their relationship, still seem to show a great deal of affection for one another. Over the years, they have had two children, Prince Denholm and Princess Chantal. The family is sometimes cited as proof that a public life does not make a harmonious family impossible.

Personal interests

The Prince of Fireforge is an avid horseman and huntsman. He owns some of the finest hunting grounds in Fireforge and frequently hosts large hunts for his friends and neighbors. He also enjoys deep sea fishing in the Atlantic Ocean. James is something of an amateur taxidermist and sometimes, although not always, prefers to preserve his own prizes.

James is a great sponsor of the United Presbyterian Church of the Resurgent Dream and devotes substantial funds to the church's activities. He is also interested in the plight of widows and orphans and in the plight of troubled families and households. James is president of 11 charities. The best known is the Family Foundation which, among other things, provides counselling for troubled families who could not otherwise afford it. The Foundation also actively advocates for traditional family values, a position which has caused much controversy.

James also has a passion for geology. He is involved with the efforts of industry, labor, and community organizations to find ways to increase mine safety and decrease the negative environmental impact of mining. He also has a large collections of rare, semi-precious, and precious minerals and stones.

Military career

James was trained as an officer at Wynn's Point Army Academy. After graduation, he was comissioned with the rank of lieutenant. He served several years at the Narich Garrison where he commanded 3rd Platoon, C Company, Mists Infantry Regiment. James had a relatively uneventful military career during the long years of peace the Resurgent Dream enjoyed prior to the Danaan Civil War. By the time of the civil war itself, he had attained the rank of major and fought at the Battle of Narich as part of the headquarters company of the Western Brigade under the command of the Duke of Tasat. James was wounded in the battle and earned the Ambrosius Star.

Official residence

The Prince of Fireforge has his official residence at Caird Palace in Skypeak. By custom, he resides there for most of the year. It is in Caird Palace that he receives formal visits from royalty, Government officials, and foreign dignitaries. It is also here and only here that he meets with the Fireforge Cabinet to discuss matters of an official nature.

The Prince also has residential rights in all Danaan royal residences where no one is currently in residence. However, he does not have access to any residences outside the Resurgent Dream except by private invitation.

Principal title in use

From his birth until his father became Duke of Farquharson, James was entitled only to the style of The Honorable. From then until his father's death, he was entitled to the style of Lord. From the death of his father until his creation as Prince of Fireforge, James was known as His Grace, the Duke of Farquharson. Since his creation as Prince, he is styled His Most Esteemed Highness, the Prince of Fireforge.

In full, James is His Most Esteemed Highness The Prince James Adair Ádhamh Gille Iosa MacAlister, Prince of Fireforge, Duke of Farquharson, Great Master and First and Principal Knight Grand Cross of the Most Honorable Order of the Spear, Knight Captain of the Order of the Cup, Knight of the Order of the Gryffon, Member of His Majesty's Most Honorable Privy Council, Aide-de-Camp to His Majesty. This style is very rarely used.

Media and literature

James has very rarely appeared in the popular media. When he has, it has always been connected with children or family values. He has frequently criticized most popular media for focusing too heavily on sex and violence and for making overly sexual programs available to children and young people.

He has appeared several times on the children's program Neighbors. In one appearance, he instructed a group of children not to pick on a new boy in their class because he was different. In another, he taught a group of children who had never been out of the city before how to ride horses in the countryside.

James has also appeared on Children's Bible Hour, a religious program for children. On this program, James has read children Bible stories, mostly from the Old Testament while the stories were either acted out by puppets or portrayed in cartoons.

James is a supporter of the Danaan Family Entertainment Code, a relatively uninfluential voluntary content code for the entertainment industry, subscribed to by a few conservative and Christian radio stations, record labels, bookstores, and television stations. James advises parents to only allow their children access to entertainment officially certified as complying with this voluntary code.