Charles Contoire, Count of Westmore

"'Difficult to love; impossible to hate.' – Count of Esgair, describing the late prince."Charles Contoire, Count of Westmore, was a Breton prince. He was the eldest son and heir apparent to Archduke Louis VI of Glorinel.

Biography
Charles of Westmore was born on 3rd Evening Star 3E 244. He was the eldest son of Prince Louis, Count of Westmore, himself the son and heir apparent to Archduchess Elisabeth of Glorinel. From birth he was accorded the rank of prince. On his grandmother's death in 3E 251, the seven year old Charles was invested as Count of Westmore by his father - now Archduke Louis VI.

The tutors of the Archduke's son and heir - engaged at great expense - recognised that the young prince was  'unburdened by the tribulations of wisdom'. He was, in short, unintelligent. Worse still, Charles demonstrated little diligence to his studies in order to compensate this lack of natural ability. The Archduke therefore encouraged his son's friendship with his precocious ward: Ernoul Morlac, son of the Count of Esgair.

This friendship certainly blossomed, although it did not have a discernible impact on the prince's education. The two became inseparable and, by their mid-adolescence, their intimacy was thought to have become romantic. The Archduke, intent on securing a prestigious and advantageous marriage for his heir, encouraged and sponsored Morlac - now considered a distraction - to study at the universities of High Rock for several years. When Morlac returned to Glorinel in 3E 266, Charles secured his knighthood. In 3E 269 the prince's favourite was once again sent away from court, as emissary to the Emperor. The Archduke would later regret this.

Separated from his prudent friend, the Count of Westmore sought the companionship of  'reprobate flatterers' who introduced the prince to a dissolute lifestyle of gambling, drinking and whoring. Several illegitimate children were attributed to him, although he refused to acknowledge any bastard.

After several years of negotiation, the Archduke succeeded in betrothing his thirty year old heir to Princess Kintyra Septim, daughter of the King of Wayrest and niece of Emperor Cephorus II. This was acclaimed as the most prestigious marriage in Glorinel's history, and greatly augmented the House of Contoire. The wedding, taking place in the Temple of Glorinel on 30th Mid Year 3E 275, was an extravagant celebration. The following winter, the princess gave birth to the couple's only child: a son named Louis.

Though married - and in spite of the admonishment of the Archduke and the Count of Esgair - the prince continued to indulge his profilgacy. On 10th Hearth Fire 3E 278, the drunken Charles passed out in a squalid alleyway following an evening of merrymaking at a tavern. There he was bitten by sewer rats before the Archduke's guards retrieved the rogue prince and returned him to his palace chambers.

The Count of Westmore was notoriously bad-tempered after heavy drinking, and his servants knew better than to disturb his febrile slumber. As a result the infected rat bites on the prince's body were not discovered until it was too late; not even the Archmagister could heal him. Charles, the future Archduke of Glorinel, died in the early hours of 13th Hearth Fire 3E 278.