Edward the Benevolent

From King's Quest Omnipedia

King Edward the Benevolent was the monarch preceding King Graham. Although he is well known for many disasters happening to Daventry during his reign, and for losing the three great treasures of Daventry, Merlin's Mirror, the Shield of Achille, and the Chest of Gold., he was known for his earlier benevolence and good rule.

He was a strong leader, and during the early years of his rule he had consolidated the present kingdom of Daventry, increasing its size severalfold. He built the great Castle Daventry—both as a gift for his bride, Maylie, and as the defensive and administrative center of the realm.^[1] After he had put the kingdom in order, King Edward founded the Royal University of Daventry, in order to train the keenist, sharpest minds in the world^[2]. It is said that his love for Maylie is what drove him to perform the great and heroic deeds that created the kingdom. It is also said that it was her death that drove him to the mistakes that almost destroyed it.

He and Queen Maylie lived happily together for many long years. With the passing of time, they became sad because they had no children to inherit the throne. A powerful sorcerer appeared to the couple, offering to cast a spell so they can have a child, with Merlin's Magic Mirror which had served Daventry's Kings and Queens for over 200 years as his reward. The couple retired to their chamber to discuss the issue but after seeing an image in the Mirror of a young king, they relinquished the Mirror to the sorcerer.

Months passed and the Queen did not conceive a child and for the first time in 400 years, Daventry lost the harvest to an early autumn rain, because they did not have the mirror to foresee. Famine struck Daventry and the Plague attacked. Queen Maylie fell ill for three Days, and on the fourth day, a figure appeared to Edward, offering a cure for the Queen in exchange for the Magic Shield of Achille, which had the ability to protect it's bearer and the army that supported the bearer from any mortal harm. And it had served Daventry in war for over 500 years. King Edward relinquished the shield, but to no avail: Queen Maylie died. The news of the loss of the Shield spread and Daventry was attacked by armies from other kingdoms and weakened.

Years later King Edward saved the Princess Dahlia of Cumberland from a pack of wolves and they got married, but Queen Dahlia, revealed to be a wicked witch and stole the Magic Chest of Gold from Edward.

Without any of the magic treasures, the Kingdom of Daventry grew weaker and weaker. King Edward then called on Sir Graham, his bravest Knight, to find the treasures with the promise that he would rule once Edward died.

[edit] Real Life

King Edward is believed by some to be The Wanderer (q.v.) in his youth, who rescued and married Priscilla. However official lore says otherwise.

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