
HIWG Document #: 3408                                  Date: 901216

From:     David Burden
          Gushemege Sector Analyst
          47 Middle St
          Brockham
          BETCHWORTH
          Surrey RH3 7JT
          UK

To:       Kevin Parry, HIWG UK
          Clayton Bush, Quadrant 1 Editor
          J Duncan Law-Green, Vland Domain Editor

Subject:  Sector Duke Kirshaam Miikadgaa and his Family

Abstract:

          A personality profile of Sector Duke Kirshaam  of
          Gushemege,  and  of key members of the  Miikadgaa
          family.

INTRODUCTION

     Duke  Kirshaam  of  Gushemege ascended to the  Sector  Duchy  in
1116,  on the death of his father,  Sirgi.  The Duke's family name is
Miikadgaa, and the family is of Vilani blood.

THE MIIKADGAA FAMILY

     The  Miikadgaa  are  a long standing  family  of  the  Gushemege
aristocracy.  They came to the nobility in 630 following Arbellatra's
accession  as  a  result  of the support  offered  to  her  by  Inesh
Miikadgaa,  at  that time a leading executive  with  Naasirka.  Since
then  the Miikadgaa dynasty has had a leading role in  the  political
development  of Gushemege,  either directly or as a power behind  the
scenes.

DUKE SIRGI ( 1002 - 1116 )

     Under  Sirgi  Miikadgaa ( ruled 1034 - 1116 )  Gushemege  had  a
peaceful  and relatively prosperous time.  Sirgi was  an  enlightened
ruler  who adopted a fairly lenient attitude to  sector  development,
allowing subcultures to more fully develop their own identities.  The
Duke   only  stepped  in   where  conflicts  threatened  to  grow  to
subsector level or where suffering was becoming widespread.

     The  Miikadgaa  and Alkhalikoi families have  always  been  good
friends.  This  friendship grew further with the establishment  of  a
recreational palace on Usdiki in 779,  by Paula II,  and  reached its
natural peak in the romance between Strephon Alkhalikoi and  Iolanthe
Miikadgaa.  Their marriage in 1067 was a cause for much rejoicing  in
Gushemege,   whose  magnitude  reflected  the  esteem  in  which  the
Alkhalikoi and Miikadgaa dynasties were held.


     Sirgi's wife,  the Duchess Laka,  died in 1114 after contracting
a rare retro-neural virus.  Her death was a tragic shock to Sirgi who
for  the last years of his rule became  increasingly  withdrawn.  The
duke died of old age and acute depression on 072-1116.

     The late Duke had a large family, 4 sons and two daughters. Most
persue  occupations  within the sector,  only the  youngest  daughter
playing the part of an aristocratic dilletante.  One son,  Lasum, was
killed  in  the Fifth Frontier War aboard the Imperial  Cruiser  Nova
Atlanto at the battle of Efate in 1107.

DUKE KIRSHAAM ( 1039 - PRESENT )

     Kirshaam  had a long time as heir apparent to the  ducal  crown.
Unfortunately  it  was time that was not generally put to  good  use.
The  Duke  is  probably the least intelligent Miikadgaa  for  a  long
time,  and no amount of computeach has been able to counter this. The
Duke  is  a keen sportsman,  but prefers individual to  team  sports.
This  has  been  taken  as indicative of  the  selfish  and  arrogant
attitude  that  his great physical strength has bred in  him.  It  is
hardly  surprising  that he should be such a  poor  leader,  and  his
leadership  of  the Duchy is still further impaired by the  court  of
sycophantic nobles with which he has surrounded himself.

     All  this  though  is not to say that the Duke  cannot  be  well
meaning.  He is fervently committed to the cause of conservation  and
has  frequently  diverted  large  amounts  of  sector  resources   to
deserving causes.  The scout service still has mixed memories of  the
"Save the Gimku" mercy mission that it was sent on in 1115.  Kirshaam
is  also   a  just  man and has been scrupulously  fair  in  all  his
dealings.  His critics maintain that this is because he is not bright
enough to be devious.

     Kirshaam's early years were spent in the Ducal court on  Usdiki.
In  1057 he joined the Sector Navy,  attending Ugnake  Naval  College
before  joining  his first ship as a midshipman.  Kirshaam  was  soon
causing problems for his minders and superiors as he got involved  in
one  fight  after  another,  and rapidly lost the  following  of  his
watch.  A  "diplomatic"  transfer  to  an  orbital  based  staff  job
followed,  where  his  scope  for trouble making  was  more  limited.
Kirshaam left the navy shortly after his marriage, and began learning
the  mechanics of the Ducal court.  After the death of his mother  in
1114,  and  Sirgi's  slip  into  senility  Kirshaam  was  effectively
requied to act as unoffcial regent from late 1115.

     At Sirgi's behest Kirshaam had married Countess Jiva  Aillto,  a
Lancian,  in  1064.  The marriage was part of an attempt by Sirgi  to
bring  the Lancian aristocracy more into the sector  line,  and  into
sector  life  in  general.  Jiva rapidly gained the  respect  of  the
Usdiki court,  and gradually that of the Gushemege  people.  Although
fiercely  loyal to Lancia she was intelligent enough to  realise  her
position,  and  the  good she could do for Lancia's standing  in  the
Sector.   Kishaam  and  Jiva  have  had  5  children.   The   oldest,
Ganidiirsi, was born in 1084.

     With  the death of Sirgi and Kirshaam's succession being  almost
immediately  followed by the news of Iolanthe's death and  Strephon's
assasination  Kirshaam's unsuitability for the Duchy was  soon  found
out.  For  weeks  he was effectively paralysed,  locked away  in  the
palace  awaiting the news reports from neighbouring duchies and  from
Capital.  As it became increasingly clear that order was not about to
be  restored  he almost indicated to the subsector duke's  that  they
should  fend for themselves,  and that his role as sector  duke,  the
Emporer's representative,  was now superflous. Duchess Jiva was quick
to  avert this though,  prompting Kirshaam to keep the sector  system
going,  and making full use of her own contacts amongst the  nobility
and  in  the moot.  The feeling generally amongst all  Gushemege  was
that they should lie low until peace was restored,  although  certain
quarters were calling for a vengence attack on Dulinor.

     Such  attitudes were however superceded when "Strephon"  arrived
secretly  on Usdiki in 1117,  and then made his public appearance  on
the  balconey  of the recreational palace.  Kirshaam  was  overjoyed,
grateful   that  Gushemege  would  now  look  to  someone  else   for
leadership, and hoping that he could bask in the reflected glory. The
Duchess  was less certain about "Strephon" and his true  nature,  but
she now rapidly lost the added influence that she had gained  amongst
non-Lancians over the last few hundred days.

     As the rebellion has continued Kirshaam has been content to look
after  the  "domestic"  affairs of an  increasingly  shrinking  Duchy
whilst  "Strephon" leads the fleets into  battle.

DUCHESS JIVA MIIKADGAA ( 1042 - PRESENT )

     Duchess  Jiva was born on Kukhun into the leading Lancian  noble
family.  Her father,  Sual Aillto, was Duke of Tansa. After schooling
Jiva attended the Lenlli Institute of Hypermedia,  where she  majored
in   the  Art of Sociopolitical  Interaction.  After  graduation  she
worked  briefly in the Kukhun Ducal Office for Sector Liaison  before
being  married  to  Kirshaam Miikadgaa in  1064.  She  was  initially
against the marriage but Sual managed to persuade her of its  benefit
to  Lancia,  and  of  the  artistic  opportunities  it  would  bring,
especially in her field of Sociopolitical  Interaction.  Begrudgingly
she  accepted,  but  with characteristic flair set about  making  the
best of her new position and influence.

     Whilst there has naturally been some overt furthering of Lancian
interests  through Jiva's position she has had the good sense not  to
be  too excessive in this.  Her natural good charm  and  intelligence
have endeared her to the moot and the Gushemege people.

COUNT GANIDIIRSI (1084 - PRESENT)

     Count Gani,  the heir apparent to the Sector Duchy,  was born in
1084.  He has so far shown himself to have inherited his mother's and
grandfather's  intelligence,  but  also his father's  bravdo.  He  is
currently  serving  with the Imperial Navy,  where he  has  won  high
marks  for both his leadership and his application of fleet  tactics.
This  has earnt him the respect of his naval  colleagues.  Nobles  at
court  and  in  the  moot  are  learning  to  accept  his   sometimes
overbearing   ways,   thankful  that  he  does  at  least  have   the
intelligence and application that his father lacks.

     With  the onset of the revolution Count Gani has,  much  to  his
chagrin,  been  called  back  from fleet duties to a  staff  post  at
Sector Fleet Headquarters on Usdiki.


THE FAMILY OF SIRGI MIIKADGAA

Name                DOB       UPP       Comment

Sirgi Miikadgaa     339-1002  A46A9F    Married   227-1024
                                        Succeeded 047-1034
                                        Died      072-1116

Laka (nee Maarshud) 035-1003  A7A57F    Wife of Sirgi
                                        Died      203-1114

Kirshaam            264-1039  CA856F    Eldest Son

Eneri               195-1045  C958BE    Son. Doctor.

Lasum               038-1047  A97B6E    Son. Naval Officer.
                                        Killed    078-1107

Iolanthe            165-1052  48BB8G    Daughter.
                                        Married Strephon 251-1067.
                                        Murdered  132-1116

Naarid              320-1055  5CBAAE    Son. Xenobiologist.

Nashu               306-1056  9A744E    Daughter. Huntress.


THE FAMILY OF KIRSHAAM MIIKADGAA

Name                DOB       UPP       Comment

Kirshaam            264-1039  CA856F    Married 352-1064
                                        Succeeded 072-1116

Jiva (nee Aillto)   281-1042  787A8F    Wife of Kirshaam

Ganidiirsi          226-1084  89ABAE    Son. Naval Officer.

Laka                179-1086  88BA9E    Twin - daughter. Diplomat.

Sirgi               179-1086  98C99E    Twin - son. Ducal Staff.

Maki                128-1091  7467AE    Daughter. Sonic Sculptur.

Lasum               140-1093  92A9AE    Son. Sophontologist.



