Paul Bakirdzis

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Paul Bakirdzis
Birth
7 June 1951
Death
N/A
Titles
His Most Esteemed Highness, Prince of Bilbtoria
Marital Status
Widower of Eirene Bakirdzis

Paul Bakirdzis is the reigning prince in the Principality of Bilbtoria and is in line for the Danaan Crown. He has held the title of Prince of Bilbtoria since 2005.

Prince Paul is the highest ranking Eastern Orthodox noble in the Resurgent Dream. He is well known for his generous and staunch support of the Church and its activities.

Birth

Paul Bakirdzis was born with the honorary title of Lord, the eldest son of Panagiotis and Ekaterine Bakirzis, the Duke and Duchess of Aristonople. He was baptized by the Orthodox Archbishop of Aristonople and All the Resurgent Dream. His godparents were Sir Damaskenos and Lady Maria Bakogianni.

Early life

As a great nephew of the Duke of Tasat, Paul was a well-connected member of the human aristocracy in the Resurgent Dream almost from birth. As a child, he was frequently playmates with Lord Peredur ap Cunedda, who later became Duke of Tasat, and with Lord Aaron ap Beaumayn, who later became Prince of Selinia.

Education

Paul began his education at the age of four. His education was an entirely private affair handled by his tutor, Father Christiano Palamas, an Orthodox priest, until he reached the age of sixteen. It was at this time that Paul's parents began to hire temporary tutors in specific fields in addition to the general instruction provided by Father Christiano. These included some military tutors who began Paul's martial training. After he turned seventeen, Paul's parents no longer insisted on ongoing tutelage and his formal and academic education ended then and there. He was tested for and granted a certificate certifying that he had received the legal equivalent of a secondary school education.

Created Prince of Bilbtoria

Paul was created Prince of Bilbtoria by High King Owain shortly after the tragic events of the Shattering largely threw the continuity of Danaan political structures into chaos. The investiture took place in Artisonople and was attended by almost all the Peers of Bilbtoria.

The investiture aroused considerable hostility among the extreme left in Bilbtoria. Local cadres of the Revolutionary Communist Worker's Party, DHKVD staged riots in some of Aristonople's poorer neighborhoods and many of them were subsequently arrested. Other Communist groups issued more serious threats, promising the initiate a bombing campaign. Several people were arrested for attempting to initiate such a campaign but no sucessful bombings were staged.

Romances

Prince Paul claims that he was in love with Lady Eirene Saltsidis ever since he was old enough to be interested in the ladies. However, both of his parents believed that Eirene was not a good match for their son. While she was of aristocratic birth, the connections which came from a marriage to her would have been of no real benefit to Paul's prestigious family. His parents attempted to arrange for him to wed a number of different women, including Lady Calandra Palamas and Lady Akilina Damaskinos. On his seventeenth birthday, Paul married Eirene in defiance of his parents' wishes.

Marriage

Paul's marriage was by all accounts a happy one. He and his wife seemed deeply in love and seemed to remain so throughout their lives together. Neither of them have ever been accused seriously of having an extramarital affair. They were generally together almost constantly and neither ever travelled without the other for more than two days.

Death of Eirene, Princess of Bilbtoria

On 4 July 1996, Princess Eirene had her first stroke. Although she received immediate medical attention, she never fully recovered her full brain and motor functions. She remained comfined to bed with only a small understanding of what was going on around her for the short remainder of her life. During these few months, her husband and dauighters were constantly by her side, although it was an intensely painful time for them. On 13 December of the same year, she had a second stroke and she was pronounced dead at 4:33 AM the next morning. Although her rank entitled her to an elaborate courtly funeral, her family preferred to have a private funeral limited to relatives and close friends instead.