Friedrich I

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Frederick I (1659-1729), also known as Frederick Balkronn, was the first King of Brasland and the founder of the House of Balkronn, the dynasty that has reigned in the country for more than three centuries.

He was born as the second son of Hercules Balkronn and his wife, Maria von Reitzenstein. The Balkronns were a very old family that belonged to the lower nobility of Brasland. Their ancestral seat, Balkronn Castle, had been in the family for about four hundred years by the time of Frederick's birth. Unlike most noble families, they did not bear the prefix 'von' before their name, which has led to wrong assumptions by some historians that the family was not noble. The oldest document mentioning the Balkronn family dates back from the XIVth century, when a Johannes Balkronn, imperial knight, is mentioned as receiving lands in eastern Brasland.

As his older brother was expected to inherit the family's modest possessions, Frederick enlisted in the Imperial Army, and served abroad for many years. He returned to his country as a skilled strategist, known for his bravery in the battlefield. During the rebellion against the empire, Frederick took an active role and became the de facto leader of the Braslanders, while Count Ulrich von Henslen kept the nominal leadership. After the victory over the empire, the army demanded that Frederick be crowned as king, passing over Henslen's ambitions to bear the crown. Since many other generals supported Balkronn, Henslen reluctantly accepted. In order to ensure the Count's loyalty and that of his followers, before his coronation Frederick married Henslen's daughter, Caroline. They were crowned together as King and Queen of Brasland at the Cathedral of St Nikolaus.

During his reign, Frederick strenghtened the Armed Forces, promoted trade, favored good relations with the Catholic Church (the official church in the country) and ordered the building of palaces, libraries and monuments. He also promoted good relations with the neighboring margraviates of Ostmark and Nordmark, as they were natural buffers to protect the kingdom against the eastern nomads. Frederick relied extensively on the advice of his younger brother, Lazarus Balkronn, who was his Minister of State.

As King, opposition to his rule was still alive among some noble factions. Count von Henslen continued to plot against him in the shadows. The most famous and significant attempt to depose him was in 1714, when a plot was discovered to murder him and his eldest son. The leader of the plan, Count Hieronymus von Meissenfeld, was imprisoned, tortured and executed. During his torture, he mentioned Ulrich von Henslen as the man behind the plot. Although several noblemen were executed over this incident, Henslen's involvement was silenced, as he was the Queen's father. Instead, he was exiled to one of his estates (the official excuse was that he wanted to retire from public life), which was kept under the watch of the King's guards.

Frederick and Caroline had ten children: Frederick II (born 1700), Princess Maria (1701-1718), Princess Eleonore (b. and d. 1703), Prince Adam (1704-1707), Princess Caroline (born 1706), Prince Ulrich (1707-1741), Princess Marie Therese (born 1709), Princess Antonia (born 1711), Princess Elisabeth (b. and d. 1712), Prince Adam (b. and d. 1713).

He died in 1729, and was succeeded by his eldest son, Frederick II.