Edward of Arlington

Duke Edward of Arlington was a Detinan Duke from southern Parthenia Province. There he had a sprawling estate worked by serfdom}serfs, despite his apparent sympathy toward the plight of blonds. Edward was a longtime officer in the service of Detina's armies and, when eleven northern provinces, including Parthenia, rebelled against King Avram's succession to the throne, Avram offered Edward command of Detina's loyal forces. Edward felt that his loyalty was to Parthenia and instead threw his lot in with Grand Duke Geoffrey, the leader of the rebellion. Edward rose to become commander of the Army of Southern Parthenia and won a series of victories against the Southron generals sent to oppose him and threaten the Northern capital of Nonesuch. These victories were quite impressive; his victory over Fighting Joseph at Viziersville was an act of military genius. These victories established for Edward and his army a reputation of invincibility. (They also won him the favor of Geoffrey, which spared the Army of Southern Parthenia the political wrangling which so hampered its sister army, the Army of Franklin.) Unfortunately for Edward, the front he established was north of his duchy of Arlington, which was confiscated by Avram's forces.

Despite his aura of invincibility, Edward was finally defeated by the Mead Drinker at the Battle of Essoville. The following year, he faced a renewed Southron offensive under Marshal Bart and was steadily driven north from the Jungle all the way to Pierreville, where he was besieged.

Edward is very closely based on Confederate General Robert E. Lee, who commanded the Army of Northern Virginia during the American Civil War.