Count Francis d’Autun was born in Autumn of 253 to an ancient and noble family. He spent much of his childhood touring the great courts of his time with his wealthy parents, who had wisely invested in the Hallerbos Trading Company. As an adult, he was called into the court of Maximilian IX, King of Ostwald to serve as an advisor on foreign affairs. There, he witnessed first hand many of the events that shaped the continent for centuries to come.
Having inherited the throne at the age of 23, Maximilian was a reckless and inexperienced ruler. Not only did he loathe the kings of the neighboring Sonnenreich for their political and economic dominance, he also resented Archduchess Rosalia, the most senior member of his own House Ravensburg, for dictating policy without his consent. By surrounding himself with advisors from among the upper nobility and the wealthy merchant houses, it seems, Maximilian hoped to break his great aunt’s hold on his house and the Sonnenreich’s hold on continental politics.
Unfortunately for both Maximilian and Francis, the story told in these memoirs is one of loss. Despite his efforts, Maximilian proved too easily manipulated and too shortsighted to effectively defend himself against what, to Francis, was an obvious enemy waiting within his court.
This text has been abridged to focus on the most interesting parts of the count’s time in court. Others have already written excellent translations of his full memoirs for those interested in an unabridged copy. Where necessary, I have included commentary of my own to clarify matters. For the most part, however, I have striven to preserve the original text’s meaning and even to retain Francis’s own voice. To that end, I have left most of the memoirs in first person.
It is my hope, dear readers, that you will find this volume most illuminating.
-Linnaeus von Roslin