Herzog Albrecht of Aquila
(born Königburg 758, ruler of Aquila Michaelmas 805).
Albrecht Schwarzrotgold is the eldest son of the late Duke Frederick III of Aquila, and much older half-brother of King Ulric of the Western Kingdom.
A child from Duke Frederick's first marriage to the Altgräfin Isentrud von Hochburg, Albrecht was mainly raised in his mother's lands in far northern Aquila, and assumed the title of Altgraf von Hochburg upon her death in 781. Duke Frederick involved him little in foreign politics, and he is very much a pro-Aquilan conservative.
Albrecht prefers to speak only Reichspiel, and revived that language's form of the ducal title, being invested as Herzog Albrecht. He enjoys considerable support from the northern nobles, but many in the more cosmopolitan south and east are less than pleased to have such a strong nationalist in the ducal seat and fear rising tensions within the kingdom.
There are also continuing stories of insanity in his mother's family (and various colourful and unbalanced characters in the family tree). These rumours being given more weight by some of the Herzog's actions since ascending the ducal throne.
Plans for the Army
In Autumn of 806 Albrecht announced a "bold and dramatic plan to expand and modernise the Aquilan military", partially in the wake of Dark Circle defeats and partially to silence critics who claimed him an untutored rustic poorly equipped for the grueling demands of his new office. Albrecht commissioned Graf Spangler Hohenlohe-Bassenheim to be the premier architect of his new military machine and promised enormous financial backing for the project. The appointment of Graf Spangler, a senior member of der Maschine Aufbauakademie, caused grave concern as to the viability and practicality of any designs arising from the project, and the unveiling of Aquila's new War Tubas seemed to bear out those concerns.
Sumptuary Laws
New rumors flared in winter of 807 as Albrecht enacted sweeping new sumptuary laws in the Duchy concerning the ownership of musical instruments, and the ranks required for particular instruments. Under the new laws Grafs were permitted a Hélicon, Barons a Flügelhorn, and Knights a Sackbutt. The comprehensive laws specified instruments for all levels of society, down from the highest nobles, through the gentlefolk and aldermen (who may own a Krumhorn) and middle classes, into the lower echelons, where a ploughman may possess a Gämshorn, and a Rat-Catcher a clay Ocarina, (with no more than four tone holes).
Even more oddly, rumours persist that the Herzog was only barely convinced by his council not to make the possession and mastery of the specified instruments mandatory, with severe punishments for those without the ability to play the instrument of their social station.
Marriage
Herzog Albrecht married Brydget Montpellier of Graunzeger (b765), daughter of Count Johan Montpellier of Graunzeger in 792wk
