Valdemar Wiki
Don't have an account?
Register
Valdemar Wiki
Advertisement
Register
in: History, Timeline

Timeline

View source

Please note: This information was originally compiled by MerlynPrime. His latest timeline version (undergoing revamp, wiki is best version since 5 July 2022) is at https://www.murcray.com/valdemartimeline.html Most of the dates are assigned or estimated rather than being directly from the books: such dates are footnoted as "Hypothetical date."[1] Other dates may be based on such dates, and are marked accordingly.[2] The notes marked ♘ are MerlynPrime's.

All events in Valdemar are dated from the founding of the kingdom, which was set down as the year 0. The letters "BF" mean Before the Founding, AF meaning After the Founding.

The official timeline for the world of Velgarth covers more than two thousand years, starting over a thousand years before the founding of Valdemar, and continuing up through "modern" Valdemar in the reign of Queen Selenay, which is still ongoing after 1400 AF.

There is an important interval in the history of Valdemar. Using magic was once a natural activity, but this was not true in the years from 813 AF to 1401 AF. The modification of the Web-Spell effectively made magic "unusable" in Valdemar, and the condition lasted until it was finally taken down.

Pre-history circa 1000 (BF)

Main article: Pre-history

The prehistoric period in the history of Velgarth encompasses the tumultuous events of the Mage Wars and the Cataclysm.

During this era, events of the following works occur:

Founding of Valdemar (0 AF)

Main article: Founding era

Baron Kordas Valdemar and his people flee the Eastern Empire and come to a new land far to the west. They found the kingdom of Valdemar. The first companions materialize in the Sacred Grove in Companion's Field.

During the Founding era of Valdemaran history, the following works occur:

Reign of King Kordas Valdemar (10 AF)

See Founding era.

Reign of King Restil (estimated 55 AF)

See Founding era.

Reigns of unknown monarchs (gap #1, magic works in Valdemar)

In addition to unnamed monarchs, these monarchs are known to have ruled sometime before the reign of King Tyrdel, either because magic was explicitly still working in Valdemar, or because Mags read about them in school:

Chronological period unidentified

There are monarchs mentioned whose eras are not identified. They may fit into some of the unknown monarch slots:

Reign of Queen Terilee

Reign of King Tavist

King Tavist was the son of Queen Terilee and the father of Queen Leshia.[7]
    Event information: Magic's Pawn, Chapter Four

Tavist's reign was a quiet one, a reign devoted more to studied diplomacy than the kind of deeds that made for ballads.[7] The Arvale Annexation took place during this time, thanks to the Arvale-Zarmon negotiations, leading to further negotiations with Rethwellan.[7]

Reign of Queen Leshia

There is no information indicating whether King Tyrdel is her son or not. A gap of unknown rulers is presumed.

Reign of unknown monarchs (gap #2, magic works in Valdemar)

This era may or may not include rulers listed in the previous gap.

Reign of King Tyrdel

The Reign of King Tyrdel, including two events that lead up to the Vanyel era, is included on the page for the Reign of Elspeth the Peacemaker.

Reign of Elspeth the Peacemaker (750 AF)

Main article: Reign of Elspeth the Peacemaker

The Last Herald-Mage begins during Queen Elspeth's reign.

The events of the following books will occur:

Reign of Randale (798 AF)

Main article: Reign of Randale

The Last Herald-Mage continues through King Randale's reign.

The events of the following will occur:

Reign of Treven and Jisa (813 AF)

Main article: Reign of Treven and Jisa

The events of the following stories and miniseries will occur:

Reign of King Chalinel (hypothesized)

See Reign of Treven and Jisa

Chalinel's exact position in the succession is hypothetical. However, he was on the throne when his son, the great-great-grandson of Queen Elspeth the Peacemaker, went out on circuit.[8]
    Note: "Vanyel Ashkevron had made his terrible sacrifice decades ago; Queen Elspeth was Alain's great-great grandmother."
    Hypothesis: Chalinel may be the son of King Treven and Queen Jisa

During the Reign of King Chalinel, the following work occurs:

Reign of Kiril

Main article: Reign of Kiril

Note that the Official Valdemar Timeline provided in the books does not give a specific date for Kiril's rule. It is hypothesized that he succeeded King Chalinel, great-grandson of Queen Elspeth the Peacemaker.[8]

The events of the following books will occur:

Notable Events:

  • Before the new Heralds' Collegium is finished, Bard Stefen, Herald-Mage Vanyel's lifebonded, dies.[9]
  • As a spirit, Stefen convinces Vanyel's spirit to suppress the idea of magic in "modern" Valdemar.[10]
  • The Chronicles stop mentioning magic in Valdemar. It becomes impossible to think of or talk about magic, except in the historical sense. Nobody is aware of the limitation.[11]

Reign of Sedric

See Reign of Kiril

The "timeline" for the Reign of King Sedric is currently included on the page for the Reign of Kiril. No specific dates for his rule have been provided, only estimated. Sedric takes the throne when his father abdicates in his favor, over a year after Sedric's fourth child, Prince "Kee," is born.[12]

The events of the following books will occur:

Sedric has fathered at least six children.[13]

  • Heir - Herald-Prince Trey is his firstborn child and likely succeeds him

Reign of unknown monarchs (gap #3, magic does not work in Valdemar)

In addition to unnamed monarchs, this era, or the next gap, may have included this ruler:

Additionally, this era may or may not have included rulers with unidentified chronological time periods.

Events leading up to the Lavan Firestorm era

The page for the Reign of Theran includes events occurring under an unknown previous monarch that lead up to the Lavan Firestorm era.

Reign of King Theran (1077 AF)

Main article: Reign of Theran

The events of the following works will occur:

King Theran's Heir:

  • Firstborn child - Prince Clevis

Reigns of unknown monarchs (gap #4, magic does not work in Valdemar)

This era may or may not have included rulers listed in the previous gap.

1204 AF Charliss, future emperor, is born in the Eastern Empire[2][15]
    Note: at the end of Storm Breaking, he was "a man who had lived two centuries"
    Date source: Storm Breaking: Chapter Ten
    Note: Alternatively, a "century-and-a-half" after Charliss "became the successor to Emperor Lioth at the age of thirty," he will send Tremane to Hardorn
    Date source: Storm Warning, Chapter One
    Hypothesis: Charliss is born between 180 and 200 years before the Mage Storms era.
    Date source: Storm Warning: Chapter One

1234 AF Emperor Lioth selects his son Charliss, age thirty, as his heir.
    Note: "become the successor to Emperor Lioth at the age of thirty"
    Date source: Storm Warning, Chapter One
    Hypothesis: The time gap from here to Hardorn could be as much as 170 years rather than 150 due to the "two centuries" remark.

Charliss begins ten years of training to be Emperor.[1][16]
    Hypothesis: This is assumed as standard, because in the future, Tremane is expected to train for ten years.

1244 AF Charliss ascends to the Iron Throne as the Nineteenth Emperor when his father, Emperor Lioth, retires[2]
    Hypothesis: After ten years of training.
    Date source: Storm Warning: Chapter One

1247 AF Lioth, former emperor of the Eastern Empire and father of current Emperor Charliss, dies[2]
    Note: Lioth survived three years after retiring
    Date source: Storm Warning: Chapter One

Events leading up to the Vows and Honor stories

The page for the Reign of Co-consorts Arden and Leesa includes some additional pertinent events leading up to the Vows and Honor stories

Reign of Co-consorts Arden and Leesa (1270 AF)

Main article: Reign of Co-consorts Arden and Leesa

When The Vows and Honor series takes place.

The events of the following books and stories will occur:

Reign of Roald (1315 AF)

Main article: Reign of Roald

The events of the following stories will occur:

Roald's reign includes very minor events, such as various births, that lead into stories in Sendar's reign.

Reign of Sendar (1355 AF)

Main article: Reign of Sendar

The Tedrel Wars happen in the last four years of Sendar's reign.

The events of the following books and stories will occur:

Reign of Selenay (1376 AF)

Main article: Reign of Selenay (1376 - 1385)
Also Reign of Selenay (1386 - 1395) (Talia through second Hardorn War)
And Reign of Selenay (1396 - ) (Mage Winds and onward)

Numerous Valdemar novels, series and stories take place during Queen Selenay's reign. Some examples:

Unidentified time period in Selenay's Reign:

Notes from MerlynPrime

Progress on this timeline sometimes stalls. However, I still continue to jot down notes for this timeline and will be updating this. Thank you for your patience and I hope you are enjoying this trip through Velgarth history.

Feel free to leave a Comment to let me know if there is a favorite book/story that you would like to see me include sooner.

Special Note: I would also like to mention that this timeline is being endorsed and encouraged by Mercedes Lackey and Larry Dixon personally!

With that said, I welcome any volunteer help in updating and expanding this timeline.

References

  1. ↑ 1.0 1.1 Hypothetical date
  2. ↑ 2.0 2.1 2.2 2.3 Based on other hypothetical dates.
  3. ↑ 3.0 3.1 Sun in Glory and Other Tales of Valdemar: "Rebirth" by Judith Tarr
  4. ↑ Changes, Chapter 4, Mags has read a good book about King Bedwyn
  5. ↑ Redoubt, Chapter 4, mentioned in Mags's class. There were a lot of massive snowstorms during his reign.
  6. ↑ 6.0 6.1 Arrows of the Queen, Chapter 9, mentioned by Talia
  7. ↑ 7.0 7.1 7.2 Magic's Pawn, Chapter Four
  8. ↑ 8.0 8.1 Masters of Fantasy, "Out of the Deep" by Mercedes Lackey
  9. ↑ Magic's Price: Epilogue
  10. ↑ Winds of Fury, Chapter Five
  11. ↑ Winds of Fate, Chapter 7
  12. ↑ The Hills Have Spies, Chapter 1
  13. ↑ Spy, Spy Again
  14. ↑ Finding the Way and Other Tales of Valdemar: "In Burning Zones We Build Against the Sun" by Rosemary Edghill and Denise McCune. Karse demons could not cross into magic-protected Valdemar, so it was after Bard Stefen died in King Kiril's reign.
  15. ↑ Storm Warning: Chapter One
  16. ↑ Storm Warning, Chapter 1

See Also

The Books by chronological order list includes only the novels and stories written by Mercedes Lackey.

The Chronological Order of Books: Expanded Edition includes all of the books and stories, sorted out by year/reign as much as possible, but with a list of the numerous "unplaced" anthology stories at the end.

Community content is available under CC-BY-SA unless otherwise noted.
Advertisement