| Mezentio of Algarve | |
| Fictional Character | |
| Darkness Fantasy< | |
| Appearance(s): | Into the Darkness through Out of the Darkness† |
| Type of Appearance: | Direct |
| Nationality: | Algarve |
| Cause of Death: | Assisted suicide by stick |
| Occupation: | Monarch of Algarve |
| Parents: | King Dudone |
| Spouse: | None (apparently) |
| Relatives: | Mainardo (brother), Raniero (cousin) |
Mezentio was the king of Algarve. A charismatic political and military leader, Mezentio was completely ruthless in his ambition to raise Algarve to supreme power in the world and take revenge on rival powers who had humbled Algarve in earlier wars. His decision to take back the Duchy of Bari precipitated the Derlavaian War.
After a well received occupation and annexation of Bari by the people of the former duchy, Mezentio's armies had to face an alliance of the kingdoms of Forthweg, Valmiera, Jelgava, and Sibiu. Despite being badly outnumbered, Algarve subdued all of their enemies. Mezentio then turned westward, and initiated a war against Unkerlant. He had earlier provoked Lagoas into entering the war when he conquered Sibiu.
Mezentio initiated the use of Kaunians to fuel his army's "Special Magecraft", ordering the deaths of thousands. His country used this method to attack Yliharma, the capital of Kuusamo, in an attempt to keep them from entering the war. Instead, he ensured their entrance.
Mezentio appointed members of his close family to rule the countries his army conquered. His brother Mainardo was made king of Jelgava, and their cousin Raniero was put on the newly reestablished throne of Grelz.
When Unkerlanter armies entered Trapani, Mezentio took up a stick and defended his palace as a common infantryman. Knowing that King Swemmel of Unkerlant intended to torture him if captured alive, Mezentio asked a number of his soldiers to kill him when his capture became imminent, and Corporal Sidroc of Plegmund's Brigade was the one who honored the request.
Literary Comment[]
The name Mezentio resembles Mezentius, an allegedly bloodthirsty Etruscan king from legend, who supposedly ruled part of Italy before the founding of the Roman Republic.
Mezentio's role in the Derlavaian War mirrors that of Adolf Hitler in World War II, although his role in the Jelgava and Grelzer subplots also contain elements suggesting Napoleon I of France.
See also[]
Other fictional characters based on Hitler:
- Jake Featherston in Southern Victory.
- Faruq al-Ghaznavi in Through Darkest Europe.
- Leader of Alemania in The Case of the Toxic Spell Dump.
| Regnal titles (Darkness) | ||
|---|---|---|
| Preceded by Dudone |
King of Algarve | Succeeded by None; Mainardo as King of East Algarve Unknown as King of West Algarve |
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