Master Patriarch
The Patriarch or Matriarch serves, nominally, as the primary ruler and governor of a City of Sigmar, as well as the highest authority of the Grand Conclave. Though Master Patriarch[1a] is the most well-known title, others have been known to be used. Such as Chancellor[7a], Matriarch[7a], and Landgrave[5a].
Role and Responsibility
The High Patriarch, or whatever a city's equivalent may be, is the ultimate authority and ruler of their Free City and the nominal head of the Grand Conclave. Though there are many known cases where their power is limited or comes with many dangers.[1a][7a] During meetings they lead the proceedings, and in some cases serve as final authority on decisions but many matters are put to a majority vote.[2][6][8][15a]
Occasionally the title and responsibilities are hereditary, passing from one member of a famed lineage to the next. Such a system was present in both Arbitrium and Edassa.[5a][12a]
Alternative Titles
Many Cities of Sigmar are known to eschew the use of the title of Master Patriarch and instead use their own local titles. These include:
- Chancellor used in Brightspear.[2a]
- Governor of Uliashtai.[16a]
- Grand Matriarch or Grand Patriarch used in Excelsis.[8][13a][14a]
- High Matriarch or High Patriarch used in Anvilgard and Greywater Fastness.[2][15a]
- Landgrave of Arbitrium.[5a]
- Lord of the Colonnade.[10a]
- Queen or King used in Edassa.[12a]
- Regent Militant used in Draconium.[9a]
Known Governors
- Bettrum of Uliashtai: A Governor, who hailed from a noble Azyrite line, of Uliashtai who was assassinated.[16a]
- Etred Ridark: The first Landgrave of Arbitrium.[5a]
- Gorring Ivarsson: The elderly High Patriarch of Greywater Fastness, well-known for being a patriot.[15a]
- Maxiom Rencalte: The Master Patriarch of the Phoenicium.[11]
- Oten Ridark: The great-grandson of Etred Ridark and last Landgrave of Arbitrium.[5]
- Raemora: The Grand Matriarch of Settler's Gain during the Godsbane crisis.[14a]
- Selvador Mathenio Aranesis: The Regent Militant of the Free City of Draconium.[9a]
- Sevastean Mench: The Master Patriarch of Hammerhal during the Time of Tribulations.[6]
- Tarvilla Etain: The High Matriarch of Anvilgard before it was annexed by Morathi.[2]
- Tarvynde: The Lord of Colonnade.[10a]
- Yarga-Sjuhan: The Grand Matriarch of Excelsis.[8]
Sources
- 1: Battletome: Cities of Sigmar (2019)
- 1a: Ancient Grandeur, pg. 9
- 2: Soulbound: Brightspear City Guide
- 4: Soulbound: Anvilgard City Guide
- 4a: Chapter One: Anvilgard
- 5: Bonereapers (Novella)
- 5a: Chapter One
- 6: The Great and the Good short story on the Malign Portents website
- 7: Soulbound: Champions of Order
- 7a: Chapter Three: Archetypes
- 8: Premonitions
- 9: Gloomspite (novel)
- 9a: Chapter Two: Omens
- 10: A Dynasty of Monsters
- 10a: Chapter Three
- 11: White Dwarf October 2021
- 12: Soulbound: Artefacts of Power
- 12a: Chapter Three: Ancient Relics
- 13: Broken Realms: Kragnos
- 13a: From A Dark, Unholy Union, Pg. 29-30
- 14: Godsbane (Novel)
- 14a: Chapter Twenty-One
- 15: Soulbound: Blackened Earth
- 15a: Chapter Two: Greywater Fastness
- 16: Conquest Unbound
- 16a: Fangs of the Rustwood