Sigurd the Mage-Hater

Born: 403 WK, Crowned 421, Died 423.

Sigurd Eirikirsen ascended the throne on the death (by mysterious disease) of his father Eirikir , firmly believing his father's death to have been caused by their enemies through the use of baleful magics.

Unable to find the persons directly responsible for the king's death young Sigurd issued a proclamation that came to be known as the Black Edict. The proclamation outlawed within the borders of the kingdom all "wiccecræft and wÇ£rlogaia, necyomancy, dæmonology, astrology, alkemie, occultism, herbalism, mummery, and all other yfel magicks and unholy powers" on the pain of death to their practitioners.

Sigurd charged the Church, and especially the Inquisition -- both now fully under the crown's control and with many loyal northerners in positions of authority -- to enforce the ban, granting them wide ranging powers to investigate, detain, and interrogate anyone in pursuit of "traytours and practicians of yfel".

Historians estimate that over the next two years or so some 10,000 people, ranging from skilled magical adepts to hedge witches, plus many alchemists, apothecaries, astrologers, healers, midwives, charlatans, jugglers, troubadours, and street theater performers were executed for crimes against the kingdom under the Black Edict, and Sigurd acquired his epithet the Mage-Hater.

In 423 a coup led by southern nobles (and it is rumoured backed by Alfheim) overthrew Sigurd and installed Albert Vladislav (a cousin of the late king Frederick Aladar) on the throne. Sigurd died during the coup (probably during fighting in the palace, although reports of the time vary), but his children escaped back to northern lands assisted by Sigurd's fanatically loyal Norden bodyguards.