Jonas I

Jonas was born into a family of diverse merchants, with his Father being born in Hadebrand and his mother being born in Carano. He quickly acquainted himself with the trade guilds and by the age of 16, he became a regular trader on the Northern routes. Historians disagree on what happened off the coast of Neuss in 362, but the most accepted version of the story is that Jonas had saved the life of a guild leader and his daughter while fending off brigands. In return, the guild leader agreed to take Jonas under his wing which catapulted him into the government scene. After a few years of bravado and skillful management, Jonas was sworn in as the Protector of the Free City of Konigshaven. This position however, was short lived. He appointed himself Baron just one week later, guaranteeing the rights of the guilds to control much of everyday life. There were minor incidents between Jonas and the guilds but ultimately, Jonas coerced the guilds into recognizing his son, Fynn I, as his successor. In return, Jonas commissioned the Hadebrand Merchant Fleet which would dominate maritime commerce well into the eighth century.