Ilbert de Lascy

• Sire
• The Prince
• de Lascy

Background

When the Normans invaded England in 1066, many of the Kindred who ruled in France sent their Childer to take control of estates in across the Channel. Ilbert de Lascy was one of these. His Sire's mortal descendants, the de Lascys, were granted wide estates in the North of England. De Lascy established himself at York, preferring to keep his distance from Mithras and under his guidance, the English branch of the de Lascys flourished.

De Lascy was born in a time when the Feudal system was dominant across Europe. With it's ideas of servitude and fealty to an overlord, it mirrored the relationship of Sire and Childe. However, the Norman Kindred in England faced a conflict between the demands of loyalty from their Sires and from Mithras, who tolerated no rivals. Eventually, in the interests of self-preservation and personal power, most of the Kindred chose to acknowledge the supremacy of Mithras and the fief of London, as the Norman Barons eventually came to owe their primary alliegance to the English crown.

Estranged from their Sires in France, the Kindred of England divided the smaller towns amongst themselves. Although some styled themselves Princes, the majority prefered the terms Duke or Baron. Due mostly to the physical separation of his fief from the overpowering presence of Mithras, de Lascy became a leader amongst the smaller fiefs.

Over time, Mithras began to press the overlordship of the fief of London too far for the Princes of the other fiefs to accept. In league with the Brujah of the north, the smaller fiefs attempted several times to control the power of the King and thus curb Mithras influence in their fiefs. With the inborn instincts of a feudal Lord, de Lascy paid most attention to the fortunes of his mortal descendants.

In addition, another force had entered de Lascy's life. For over two hundred years after he had claimed the Princedom of York, the Guardians had watched him carefully. They had been worried by the prospect of more Kindred entering the growing fief. They feared that to simply prohibit all other Kindred from the region would lead to unwanted attention. Eventually, they decided that he was a suitable candidate to lead the fief. They met de Lascy and he was sufficiently impressed with their power to agree to take into account their wishes in his rule of the fief. In return, they would exercise their subtle influence over the fief in his favour. As their wishes were primarily for peace and strong rulership, de Lascy had no problem in agreeing.

His last active involvement in English politics came during the Wars of the Roses. De Lascy supported Richard Duke of York, who had inherited the de Lascy lands through the marriage of one of Edward III's sons to the de Lascy heiress. When Richard was killed, he transferred his support to his son Edward of York, later Edward IV. With the birth of Edward's two sons, it seemed as though the Yorkist Kings were secure on the throne.

As Richard of York assumed the protectorate after Edward's death in 1383, rumours were already surrounding the fate of the Princes. For some months after they were removed to the Tower, de Lascy worried about their fate and considered going to their aid. However, he trusted Richard and feared that the rumours were an attempt by Mithras to lure him into openly moving against the Prince of London. Too late de Lascy reponded to messages from his spies and secretly travelled to London. By the time he gained access to the Tower, the Princes' still warm bodies were being interred under the steps of the Tower.

Enraged at his betrayal and the deaths of the last heirs of the de Lascy lands, Ilbert took the bodies from Mithras' retainers and Embraced them. Fleeing back to York, he averted Mithras' wrath by promising to remain neutral in future disputes between King and Barons.

Since the end of the 15th century, Ilbert de Lascy has ruled the fief of York under the same policies of peace and neutrality. He entered Torpor after the Civil War for 150 years, during which time Prince Edward ruled as his regent. When he awoke, he found that the fief had already begun to expand as the Industrial Revolution got under way. Several Kindred had already entered the fief but all proved willing to acknowledge him as Prince. As the fief began to grow in the 18th century, de Lascy instituted the Council of York in 1820, hoping to avert conflict between the Kindred of the growing fief. He modelled the group on the old 'Great Council' which had advised the medieval Kings. At first, the council consisted of virtually all the Elder in the fief but as expansion continued throughout the Industrial Revolution, it became usual for only the eldest members of each Clan to attend.

In 1843, Prince Richard was discovered to be conspiring with the Nosferatu Elder Elisabeth Mallroye to overthrow de Lascy and take control of the fief. Although a Blood Hunt was called upon her, Elisabeth escaped. Despite calls from some members of the Council for Richard's death, de Lascy protected the honour of his family from the stain of treachery. According to de Lascy, his Childe had been manipulated into the planned treachery by the Nosferatu and therefore should be held largely blameless in the matter. However, on his sire's 'suggestion' Prince Richard left the fief for exile in France.

After this, the Charter of the Council of York was issued, which laid down the composition of the Council, including which Clans were to be allowed seats. This was modified in 1876 under the Provisions of Wakefield, when three seats were added to be occupied for 17 year terms by Elders and Ancilla of the fief. As the decades have passed, de Lascy has found it increasingly convenient to allow the council to administer the fief in his name. However, the Council continues to meet at Temple Newsham, the Prince's Haven and his presence is required for most major decisions.

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