William Fredericks-Henry Stollenbach Hocksfriedrickburg III

Born into the Patrician House of the Stollenbach Merchant Dynasty, William holds the position of Grand Mayor of the Free City of Vaanunder, as well as the position of Margave of the Region - an accompanying title that signifies his position as the designated protector of the area surrounding the City.

Having held the Rank of Grand Mayor for two election periods, he is currently the second longest standing member of the Aldermans Council to hold the office, and has served the Galatheon nation for most of his adult life. With his parents both dedicated to the basic duties of their trade, William took up a life of a junior scholar during his childhood, learning the ways of diplomacy, trade and the art of war, setting him in good stead to continue the work of his parents upon the occasion of his father's death.

Inheriting the title of Patriarch of the House of Stollenbach at the age of sixteen, and furthermore inheriting the modest flotilla of barges and international shipping contacts that came with such a title, he began to enact his teachings into everyday life, and heading at once for the court of King Alexius V of Alendron to renew his vows of loyalty. Aligning himself heavily with the more traditionalist Pro-Galatheon elements of the Cities Council of Alderman, he became the favored elector for the position of Grand Mayor at a young age, only to be skipped when he volunteered to serve in the Army of the King against the Cassians in the War.

Taking up the rank of ‘Stadtholder’ - an emergency rank used in times of war in the City, the young Patrician, then only twenty years old - commanded the cities mercenary companies, marines and ‘Market Guard’ with great effect in a series of conflicts on the rivers and canals, harassing Cassian supplies and taking his worth of gold, and other resources for the crown and the City.

Returning to his lands, he took on the title of Margave, awarded him by a grateful Monarch, and set about earning his fortune as a Privateer for his Majesty King Alexius V at the helm of a small Carrack that bore his families name. Soon he was batting considerably above his means in terms of wealth and social status, and when the election of Grand Mayor came up some five years later he secured the position with ease.

Once in office he enacted sweeping financial reforms, to better serve the military and economy of the City, minimising the impact of the Cities Government to enable the small trading city to punch way above its weight in military matters, with a fully funded and professional army of 10,000.00 men backed up by mercenaries when the occasion called, boasting in total 30,000.00 men when fully mustered.

With his reputation on the rise, the Margave made sure to have his presence felt more and more in the courts of the Princess Aelin, knowing that she would one day be Queen, and thus Mistress and Lady-Protector of the City he himself served. In doing so he joined the board of the Worshipful Company of Vaanunder, which did wonders to cement his own fortune through the investment in the companies ships, as well as political standing and further cement his authority as Leader of the City.

Now secure in his position within the City, William turned his gaze on wider politics, and began to reach out to other nations and Nobles...