| Thorey IV | |
|---|---|
| |
| Thorey IV | |
| Queen of Álengiamark | |
| Reign | 24th October, 1570 - 13th May, 1591 |
| Predecessor | Thorey III |
| Successor | Brynja II |
| Born | 1st February, 1558 Viðmótsþýðridalur, Unamiland Fylk, Álengiamark |
| Died | 13th May, 1591 Ferð, Atsayonmark, Álengiamark |
| Spouse | Marthen Birgirsson |
| Issue | Haflína Marthensdottír Leiknir Marthensson |
| Full name | |
| Thorey Eymundursdottír | |
| House | Eiriksdottír |
| Father | Eymundur Eadvardsson |
| Mother | Elin Jökullsdottír |
Granddaughter of Thorey III, Thorey IV would have the rare enjoyment of succeeding a direct relative to the Álengsk throne. She would reign over Álengiamark for two decades of the later 16th century.
With the Leifian War of Religion still raging as Thorey III lay on her death bed the Álengsk nobles suggested a swift and painless transfer of authority was required, and rather than fight amongst themselves to promote one of the daughters or sisters to the throne promoted Thorey III's eldest granddaughter (she had outlived all of her own children) instead. Thorey was young, well-known in Margirhaedeyja and, importantly, married to one of the war's most successful commanders, Marthen Birgirsson, Lord of Atsayonkmark.
Arguably the war was winding down however, and Birgirsson's inevitable appointment as General merely made the earls indifferent and led them to begin to make their own agendas once more. The massive Portuguese army which had attempted to force its way into Vinland in 1569 had been defeated by hunger, disease and vicious weather, and its supporting navy had been wrecked by storms so the remaining core made its way back to St. Hafdiss. Birgirsson tried to use these to retake the fortress of Kaater, currently in Lutheran hands, but could not find the funds to pay for the additional troops. Many would end up settling, whilst others made their way back to Europe by any means.
In 1574 the Peace of Niskayuna was signed, though this had little to do with either Thorey or Birgirsson. It was clear they were being side-lined. She neither had her grandmother's contacts nor her political instinct to build on the promise of her election to the crown. In 1576 the Mayor of the Palace (in reality the real governor of the Royal Domain), Þórður Egillsson, effectively gave her a large pension to leave St. Hafdiss. The Althing, strengthened during Thorey III's reign fell into disuse once more. Neither did she have any leverage on religious matters; the church simply carried on its most important task; restoring the 'lost' lands to Catholicism, without the crown's blessing.
Shorn of political power Thorey and her husband at least tried to uphold the semblance of royalty. With her 'pension' and income from estates the couple rebuilt their Atsayonkmark manor into a fine palace and harboured a cultured, if financially burdensome, court.
On the whole Álengiamark returned to business as usual; trading with the Taino and Carib islands, and Africa, made merchants wealthy whilst the first probing voyages were made to India. No individual merchant or earl however could bare the actual cost of regular voyages despite the potential riches. The earls and cities found other avenues of revenue elsewhere too, making their militias available for use against the regular Mexic raids against the nations of southern Leifia.
Thorey would attempt to have her daughter Haflína recognised as her heir but the nobles and Althing were uninterested in this and on her death in 1591 would revert to the old template. Brynja of Nanticokeland was declared queen and the crown sank ever further into political obscurity.
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