Alain I of Cattala

King Alain I of House Celestine was the third King of Cattala and the son of King William I and grandson of the monarchy's founder, King Roger Celestine. His reign led to the returning of wide-ranging powers to the former royal houses in the kingdom, through a feudal system that became known as the Seven Principalities. He is regarded as one of the weakest of the early Kings of Cattala.

Early Life
Born one year into his father's reign as King, Alain was seen as a requirement to his father, not as a son. The steely desire of his father to conquer all of Cattala and build the grand capital city, Celestine, meant that young Alain was cut off from his father, who paid little attention to the need for a well-raised heir. William was determined to conquer the whole island within his lifetime and dedicated little thought to the continuing stability after his death.

Alain was raised in the burgeoning capital but grew up as a paranoid and nervous child, traits he carried into adult life. His mother was known to spend most of her time in Calleas, away from court and away from her son. Alone and afraid, Alain's childhood had a resounding impact on his actions as an adult.

Crown Prince
The heir to the throne did not follow his father into the military line of leadership. He spent much of his time as Crown Prince in Celestine, overseeing the construction of royal quarters. He was married to his second cousin, Lady Felicia Aroe, at the age of 19 after being ordered to by his father. After marrying the quiet but intelligent daughter of Lord Aroe, Alain and his new wife began travelling overseas, where the Crown Prince visited feudal societies like Britain and France for the first time. Their 26-year marriage didn't yield a single son until Roger in 1053, 12 years after the wedding. They had four daughters.

Unlike his father, Alain spent a considerable period of time as Crown Prince. After returning from Europe, he dedicated himself to studying with the assistance of his wife. His mother's death in 1051 shattered the future King, despite their cold relationship. The Bishop of Calora at the time wrote that Alain locked himself away for six weeks and was seen by nobody but his wife. He did not attend the funeral in Calleas. William also failed to attend the funeral, after falling out with Queen Estella's brother about where she should be buried.

At the age of 42, Alain's time as Crown Prince came to an end when his father died in the Citadel of Celestine. Upon hearing the news, he was seen weeping by his 8-year-old son, the future King Roger II. At his father's funeral, the new Crown Prince comforted his father, who bishops and monks in attendance described as looking like a "man who had never slept".

Reign
For much of his time as King, Alain struggled with a weakening strength and personal struggles. The death of his wife three years after his coronation devastated the inexperienced monarch, who relied upon his advisers and courtiers for assistance. On his fiftieth birthday, the King struggled to walk to the altar to receive Mass from the Bishop of Celestine, and rumours circled that he was close to death. He stopped travelling and issued commands from the Citadel of Celestine. He made just two national tours during his time as King, but on both signified major shifts in royal policy.

King Alain feared the royal houses he visited rebelling against the Celestine's and granted nine of them the positions of Royal Houses and made their most powerful members the Princes of Cattala. Alain had created the early system of Cattalian feudalism which would eventually narrow down to the "Seven Principalities" system that would last until the 16th century. This new feudal Cattala was based on the system that he had encountered whilst travelling in France and Britain. It was deplored in Celestine, especially by his son and heir, yet he pushed through the measure in an effort to secure the Crown's future for centuries to come.

Death
In 1082, Alain was struck down with a fever that came close to killing him. For the next six years, he made no appearances outside of the capital and in Lessito province, rumours regularly circulated that the reason he had never visited was because he was close to death. In reality the King had lost control over most policy to his son and heir who ran the country in the name of the King for the final years of his ill father's life. It's believed now that Alain may have been suffering from dementia or Alzheimer's, which left him incapable of ruling.

Alain died in the early days of January 1088 in the Citadel di Celestica, his father's pride and glory. Even on his deathbed, Alain lived in the shadow of his father, whose tomb was on prominent display in the centre of the cathedral. His death was announced by the tolling of bells in the citadel. Alain's funeral was orchestrated by the new King, Roger II, and featured a display of military triumph and might that had no relevance to the reign of the "ill king". But it did signify what was to come.