Freya I of Arendaal

Freya I of Arendaal ("Freya the Beautiful") (1898 - 1945) was the Queen Regent of Arendaal and Götarike (Suionia) between 1917 and 1945. She was the eldest child of King Niklaas IV of Arendaal and Karolina of Franken, and is the grandmother of the current Aren King, King Edvard V of Arendaal. Freya I was famous in her own time as "the most beautiful woman in Europe". Even today, she is upheld as a standard of beauty, grace, style and regal poise and remains one of the most celebrated beauties of the 20th century. Both literally and metaphorically, Freya was the epitome of a "fairy-tale princess"; beautiful, elegant, and impossibly glamorous. She remains beloved in Arendaal for her many charitable foundations and for championing the cause of the disadvantaged.

Early Life and Wedding
Freya I was born in the Aren city of Trondheim, the eldest child of Niklaas IV of Arendaal and Princess Karolina of Franken. The young princess grew up to be well spoken, intelligent and well informed. Though she was critisized early on in her reign for "coldness", she eventually earned an image of compassion and elegance due to her public persona and charitable works. Her beauty made her famous in her own age, and her image as a kindhearted Queen has allowed her legacy to continue to endure today.

In early 1917, when she was still Crown Princess of Arendaal, Freya married Prince Jean of Montelimar in a lavish ceremony attended by Heads of State and Royals from across Europe. Freya's Cartier engagement ring featured a 10.47-carat emerald-cut diamond and two baguette diamonds mounted in platinum. Her wedding dress consisted of a rounded collar, full skirt of ivory peau de soie, and a fitted bodice made from Loire lace embroidered with seed pearls. The lace was over a century old and had flower designs in it. On her wedding day, Freya gave new meaning to the word icon. Her whole look, from the regal veil to the feminine lace details and the embriodered gown, made her an ageless bride. The couple had a successful marriage and several children; all of Freya's daughters married Crowned heads of Europe.

Queen Regent (1917 - 1945)
In late 1917, tragedy struck when Freya's father, King Niklaas IV, suddenly died. The then 18 year old Princess became Queen Regent. Her early contributions to the political life of Arendaal were minimal, although she was considered to perform her ceremonial duties well.

Gradually, the Queen began to cultivate an image of poise and permissiveness, at once striking a perfect balance between elegance and liberal permissiveness. She set the fashion for girls and women of the early 20th century: she wore her hair short, she listened to jazz music, she smoked, she drove automobiles and flouted many social conventions of the 19th century and the first decade of the 20th century.

Freya was ardently admired for her beauty as for her charitable work, particularly in the wake of economic stagnation and corresponding hardships of the early 1930s (see Depression Era).

In 1924, she founded the Queen Freya Foundation with the aim of helping those with special needs for whom no provision was made within the ordinary social services. The Foundation still exists, and the current Queen of Arendaal Laura of Franken is its honourary chairman.

Freya I represented the best of the "modern woman", demonstrating a new kind of independence and empowerment while simultaneously performing her Royal duies with the poise and grace expected of an Aren Queen.

Legendary Beauty and Legacy
Freya was admired throughout her life as a great beauty. In Arendaal she was often likened to the Renaissance Queen, Madeleine I, whose legendary beauty inspired works by artists like Botticelli, and to the medieval Queen Alix I, who was reputedly the most "beautiful woman in the world". Freya was often called the "the unparalleled one.", as Queen Madeleine had been. The epithet is incribed on her tombstone in Loire Cathedral.

However, despite her undoubted fame for her beauty, her best loved feature by those around her was her kindness and compassion, and it was for this that she is best remembered by the Aren people.

Her son, Sven V gave the eulogy at her funeral, saying: "It was impossible not to love my mother. Not because she was a Queen, not because she was beautiful, but because she was the nicest person you could ever hope to meet.". Freya herself once said: "I would like to be remembered as a decent human being and a caring one"

In 1984, as part of the celebrations for his wedding to Laura of Franken, Freya's grandson, King Edvard V of Arendaal inaugurated a public rose garden in Emyn Arnen in Freya's memory. The conotation of a rose in Arendaal is with perfect beauty (for instance, Alix I of Arendaal was called the "Northern Rose")

Family, Marriage and Children
Queen Freya I of Arendaal married Prince Jean of Montelimar. Their children included:
 * Sven V of Arendaal (1918 - 1980) - who succeeded his mother as ruler of Arendaal in 1945
 * Eliska of Arendaal, Queen of Cambria (b. 1919) - Consort of King Owain IV of Cambria
 * Helena of Arendaal, Queen of Great Engellex (b. 1922) - Consort of King Edward II of Great Engellex
 * Marie of Arendaal, Empress of the Talemantine Empire (b. 1930) - Consort of Emperor Waylon X of the Talemantine Empire. Mother of the current Crown prince
 * Alienora of Arendaal, Queen of Eiffelland (b.1934) - Consort of King Heinrich IV of Eiffelland. Mother of the current King Albrecht IV

Siblings

 * Louise of Arendaal, Queen of Anglyn - sister. Consort of Alfred VI of Anglyn, mother of the current King Roderick IV
 * Magnus, Grand Duke of Stockholm - Freya I's brother

Other Royal Relations

 * Agneta of Suionia, Queen of Arendaal - daughter-in-law
 * Emperor Friedrich Wilhelm II of Wiese - Freya I's first cousin. Current Emperor of Wiese
 * Madeleine of Arendaal, Empress of Wiese - aunt. Consort of Emperor Karl III of Wiese
 * Eliana of Arendaal, Queen of Great Engellex - greataunt. Consort of King Edward I of Great Engellex
 * Charlotte of Arendaal, Queen of Montelimar - greataunt. Consort of King Louis XI of Montelimar
 * King Edvard V of Arendaal - grandson. Current King of Arendaal
 * Rikissa of Arendaal, Sultana of Hajr - granddaughter. Consort of Sultan Huseyn ibn Saad of Hajr
 * Varik, Prince of Arendaal - grandson
 * Lena of Arendaal, Archduchess of Wiese - granddaughter. Consort of Archduke Franz of Wiese
 * Georgiana, Queen of Great Engellex - granddaughter
 * King Albrecht IV of Eiffelland - grandson
 * Prince Cecilio of the Talemantine Empire - grandson

Ancestors
's ancestors in four generations: