Gróf Rhédey István

Brief history of the Rhédey family

Brief description

The history of the Rhédey family goes back a long way, although there are several theories regarding its exact origins. What is certain, however, is that they originate from the central region of Selvaris, where they have lived for at least 200 years. No older sources have been found as of yet, but the earliest records date back to when "az Rhedey familia" was mentioned in several commerce-related documents among the Vends, the local population living off livestock farming and grazing. It is likely during this period that they acquired greater economic influence. They built up their capital by driving other people's livestock for a fee and using that money to purchase more land, quickly becoming the leaders of the local economy. The local Vend population of the surrounding villages holds the Rhédeys in high regard, as they provide military protection from the local bandits (called labancok in Vend) as well as assistance with construction and food supplies during harder times. Since there is no serfdom among the Vends and everyone is a free peasant, no one is officially subordinate to the noble Rhédey family; however, de facto, due to the high proportion of agricultural proletarians, the majority are economically exposed to the Rhédeys and rely on their support. The center of the Rhédey family is their estate near the settlement of Szeges, from which the head of the Rhédey family manages the region and attends to the affairs of the people.

István Rhédey
Titles	Count
Ethnicity	Vend
Gender	Male
Age	27
Date of Birth	Era Vetus, July--August, Year 20
Nationality	Vend
Nation	County of Szabadi
Occupation	Head of the town of Szabadi
Religion	Agapist
Languages	Vend
Character Type	Primary Character
Player	Szevaszte
Status	Alive

Life of István Rhédey

Early life

Count István Ferenc Rhédey was born on July 5 in the 20th year of the Era Vetus. His father was the former count, Ferenc József Rhédey, and his mother was Margit Stefkovics, who belonged to the Bunjevac minority among the Vends, hailing from the southern coastal zone. His mother's family was involved in shipbuilding, and his father met his business partner's daughter during a business trip, falling in love at first sight. They had three children: István has an older sister, Alexandra, and a younger sister, Anna, who is 18 years old. Unfortunately, the loving family lost their mother early, as pneumonia took her when the children were still young. Their father passed away two years ago; until now, natural causes were suspected, but during a conversation between István and Herr Stutz the doctor of Szeges village did not rule out poisoning, raising cause for suspicion. The family has no public enemies in the area, as the local people like them, which makes the situation particularly strange and troubling. Lately, however, István has not had much time to dwell on this, as his father's legacy: developing the region and resolving its issues has fallen entirely upon his shoulders.

He was raised with a religious and moral worldview: his father taught him to respect others and admire the beauties of nature, while his mother instilled in him love and patience. He was educated by a private tutor, a certain Elemér Balogh, who was well-versed in the sciences and had traveled extensively across the world. It was he who first introduced the young István to Khemeti culture, and István fell in love with this distant, mystical civilization at first sight; since then, even studies written by his own hand on the country adorn his bookshelves.

Despite his mother's upbringing, he himself is less patient, driven by a desire to know everything and resolve matters as quickly as possible, a trait that defines his management style as well. He works in a constant fever of revolutionary zeal to improve the lives of the people; the region's backwardness affects him deeply on a personal level, and he often finds himself exhausted since he began visiting the locals' homes more frequently. Conscientious and inquisitive, he looks up to the technological advancement of Koperdam and draws inspiration from there, having also studied in the city.