Van Markham family

The Van Markham family are a noble family from Nevarra. As a former ruling royal house of Nevarra, the Van Markhams enjoy privileged status among the Nevarran nobility, second only to the ruling Pentaghasts.

History
In the aftermath of the Fourth Blight, general Tylus Van Markham, a hero of the recent Blight who claimed descent from Kordilius Drakon of Orlais, took the oppertuniy to stir the despondent Nevarran people against the unpopular ruling Pentaghast family. Eventually Tylus Van Markham rallied the Nevarran populous against the Pentaghasts. King Nestor was murdered, stabbed sixteen times while seated on his throne, and the surviving Pentaghasts fled to Hunter Fell. In the aftermath of the coup, Tylus was crowned King of Nevarra.

Under Tylus Van Markham and his successors, Nevarra aggressively expanded westwards into Orlais expanding from a mere city state into a fully fledged nation. In 5:40 Exalted, a cadre of knights known as the Fallen held the line at the Fields of Ghislain against an Orlasian incursion, that kept King Tylus alive long enough for Nevarran forces to retreat, this act is credited as with ensuring the survival of the newly carved out Nevarran nation.

After only four kings, Van Markham rule in Nevarra ended. The marrage of the final king's daughter to a leading Pentaghast saw the old family returned to power in Nevarra. The marriage allowed the Van Markhams to maintain their lofty status above the other noble families, and by 9:40 Dragon members of the Van Markham family are vying against their Pentaghast cousins and one other to succeed the aged and childless King Markus. Other families of the Nevaran nobility, however, believe it is time that both families step aside to allow for a new ruling dynasty.

Members

 * King Tylus
 * Second Van Markham king
 * Third Van Markham king
 * Fourth Van Marham king

Trivia

 * "Van" translates from Dutch to English as "of" or "from", which suggests the Van Markham family originates in the eastern Free Marcher city Markham.