Naturally, since having their ruler become the Phoenix King
enhances the prestige of a kingdom, the selection of the new ruler
of Ulthuan is a process fraught with diplomatic manoeuvring as the
interests of various political factions have to be
juggled.
Since
the king controls the foreign policy of Ulthuan the character of
various Phoenix Kings defines periods of history. An
isolationist king means that the land of Ulthuan can turn in on
itself for a thousand years or more. The current king, Finubar
the Seafarer, is from the trading state of Eataine which accounts
for Ulthuan's renewed and vigorous interest in distant lands.
Since most foreigners know only of the Phoenix King and the
pre-eminence of Eataine they tend to assume that Ulthuan is a far
more homogeneous bloc than in fact it is. |