House Valmont has been the ruling imperial house of Orlais since the end of the Exalted Age.
Background[]
House Valmont Sigil
House Valmont first rose to prominence during the Exalted Age when Lambert Valmont, a young captain in the Orlesian army, distinguished himself during the Battle of Ayesleigh in 5:24. Lambert is said to have disregarded his orders and went to the aid of the beleaguered Antivans, saving them from absolute destruction (some say this was motivated by his infatuation with an Antivan camp follower, though this has never been confirmed). The Antivan force had been led by King Azar Adalberto Campana himself, and the King thanked his saviour by elevating him to noble rank and giving him one of his daughter's hand in marriage. Lambert adopted the lion as his symbol, a creature native to Eastern Thedas. When Lambert returned to Orlais the Emperor felt obligated to follow suit and granted him a Marquisate. Jealous nobles gave him the nickname of the Swaggering Lion, a nickname which Lambert embraced.
House Valmont rose to royal status with Lambert's son, Alphonse, who led the civil war against the supposed usurper Xavier Drakon. He killed Xavier in single combat, giving rise to the great Orlesian legend of The Lion Slaying the Dragon and putting an end to the Drakon dynasty.[1] As of Emperor Florian's reign, House Valmont consisted of the main royal branch and four cadet branches.[2] In addition to their Antivan royal ancestry, the family is related to Nevarran nobility, Ander nobility, and the Orlesian noble houses of Chalons, de Montfort,[3] and de Ghislain through marriage.[4] They were also related to the Nevarran royal Pentaghast family in the late Storm Age, through Emperor Etienne Valmont I's marriage to Princess Sotiria Pentaghast. Etienne's decision to divorce his wife and marry his mistress, Yvette, after the marriage failed to produce any children notoriously soured all further relations between the two great royal families and their respective countries.[5]
Empress Celene Valmont I ascended to the throne in 9:20 Dragon after the death of her uncle Emperor Florian.
Known Valmonts[]
Statue of a Valmont Emperor slaying a dragon, symbol of the preceding Drakon dynasty
- Marquis Lambert Valmont – known as "the Swaggering Lion"
- Emperor Alphonse Valmont – the first Valmont Emperor
- Duke Isidore d'Arlesans – younger brother of Emperor Alphonse[2][6]
- Duke Yvon of Savrenne – younger brother of Emperor Alphonse[2][6]
- Duke Stephan of Val Montaigne – younger brother of Emperor Alphonse[2][6]
- Divine Amara III – sister of Emperor Alphonse; elected Divine in 5:71 Exalted
- Empress Merise Valmont – ruled from 6:19 - 6:43 Steel[7]
- Emperor Freyan Valmont – abolished the law preventing women from becoming Chevaliers upon succeeding his father as emperor in 7:44 Storm[8]
- Emperor Cyril Valmont – ruled during the liberation of Kirkwall from the Qunari in 7:60 Storm[9]
- Emperor Etienne Valmont I – presided over the Exalted March against the Qunari; strengthened trade with Orzammar; father of Reville and Gratien Valmont
- Emperor Reville Valmont – better known as "Mad Emperor Reville"
- Grand Duke Gratien Valmont – Emperor Reville's twin brother
- Emperor Etienne Valmont II – eldest son of Emperor Reville; was assassinated four years into his rule by dissatisfied nobles[10][11]
- Grand Duchess Leontine Valmont – daughter of Emperor Reville[12]
- Emperor Judicael Valmont I – youngest son of Emperor Reville; rebuilt the Winter Palace at Halamshiral
- Emperor Judicael Valmont II – eldest son of Emperor Judicael I[13]
- Emperor Florian Valmont – Ferelden regained independence during his reign
- Grand Duke Reynaud Valmont – youngest son of Emperor Judicael I[14]
- Grand Duchess Melisande Valmont – youngest daughter of Emperor Judicael I[15]
- Verene – granddaughter of Grand Duke Gratien; rumored to have escaped the massacre that killed her family at the age of eleven[16]
- Camille – granddaughter of Grand Duke Gratien; she was massacred with her family at the age of eight months[17]
- Crown Prince Etienne Valmont III – elder twin son of Emperor Judicael II; he died in infancy during the Hundred Days Cough of 8:77[18]
- Crown Prince Leopold Valmont – younger twin son of Emperor Judicael II; he died in infancy during the Hundred Days Cough of 8:77[18]
- Princess Evangeline Valmont – daughter of Florian; she died in infancy during the Hundred Days Cough of 8:77[18]
- Comte Alphonse Valmont – murdered by the Ben-Hassrath operative known as Tallis[19]
- Empress Celene Valmont I – daughter of Grand Duke Reynaud Valmont and Duchess Clarisse de Montfort; current ruler of Orlais (9:41 Dragon)
Family tree[]
| Marquis Lambert Valmont | Campana princess | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Emperor Alphonse | Duke Isidore d'Arlesans | Duke Yvon of Savrenne | Duke Stephan of Val Montaigne | Divine Amara III | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| multiple generations | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Unnamed first wife | Princess Sotiria Pentaghast | Emperor Etienne I | Marquise Yvette | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Emperor Reville | Grand Duke Gratien | Unnamed wife | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Emperor Etienne II | Emperor Judicael I | Duchess Catrin of Hossberg | Grand Duchess Leontine | Three children and six grandchildren | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Emperor Judicael II | Baronessa Emilia Campana | Emperor Florian | Margravine Justinia of Hunter Fell | Grand Duke Reynaud | Duchess Clarisse de Montfort | Grand Duchess Melisande | Duke Theodore de Chalons | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Crown Prince Etienne III | Crown Prince Leopold | Princess Evangeline | Empress Celene I | Lady Calienne de Ghislain | Grand Duke Gaspard de Chalons | Grand Duchess Florianne de Chalons | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Codex entries[]
Codex entry: Emperor Florian- Codex entry: Empress Celene I of Orlais
- Codex entry: Empress Celene Valmont
- Codex entry: Emprise du Lion
- Codex entry: Halamshiral
- Codex entry: The Lion of Orlais
- Codex entry: Mad Emperor Reville
- Codex entry: Miroir de la Mère, Reville's Folly
- Codex entry: Superstitions of the Royal Family
- Codex entry: Winter Palace
Note texts[]
Trivia[]
- The Valmont heraldry is a golden lion on a purple field.[20]
- The blood of Queen Asha of Antiva runs in House Valmont.[21]
- The Valmonts have a fascination toward the occult. Emperor Reville believed in ghosts, Emperor Judicael I was fascinated by all things ancient and arcane, Grand Duke Reynaud collected carvings of halla and Empress Celene employed Morrigan, an apostate mage who was never part of the Circle of Magi, as an arcane advisor.[14]
- Ser Michel de Chevin wears armour that bears the crest of House Valmont.
See also[]
Gallery[]
.jpg "Emperor Etienne I (true).jpg (266 KB)")
.jpg "Emperor Etienne II (true).jpg (282 KB)")
References[]
- ↑ Codex entry: The Lion of Orlais (Inquisition)
- ↑ 2.0 2.1 2.2 2.3 Codex entry: Winter Palace
- ↑ Note: Halamshiral Investigation - Clues (Grand Library)
- ↑ Dragon Age: The Masked Empire, pp. 67–68
- ↑ Codex entry: The Perendale War
- ↑ 6.0 6.1 6.2 Note: The Lions of Orlais
- ↑ Codex entry: Three Little Empresses
- ↑ Codex entry: Aveline, Knight of Orlais
- ↑ Note: Victory and Shade
- ↑ Note: The Valmont Emperors (Etienne II)
- ↑ Codex entry: Council of Heralds
- ↑ Codex entry: Judicael's Crossing
- ↑ Note: The Valmont Emperors (Judicael II)
- ↑ 14.0 14.1 Codex entry: Superstitions of the Royal Family
- ↑ Dragon Age: The World of Thedas, vol. 2, p. 280
- ↑ Dragon Age: The World of Thedas, vol. 2, p. 23
- ↑ Codex entry: Mad Emperor Reville
- ↑ 18.0 18.1 18.2 Note: Halamshiral Investigation - Clues (Grand Library)
- ↑ Dragon Age: The World of Thedas, vol. 2, p. 188
- ↑ Dragon Age: The Masked Empire, Chapter 1
- ↑ Dragon Age: The World of Thedas, vol. 1, p. 93
