Derrick Black

Derrick Black
Derrick Alexander Black [August 13th, 1842 - May 2nd, 1907] commonly known as Emperor Derrick was the Emperor of Bearstin from 1874 until his death in 1907. His reign was rather uneventful, and he wasn't considered a good Emperor until after the reign of his son. He was thought to be one of the many reasons his son succeeded on the throne. The most notable parts of his reign included, rising tensions with the Carinian Empire, putting down the short lived Cardinalo Rebellion, and strengthening trade deals.

He was portrayed as a kind leader, and many commented on how well he instructed Darius, his son. One nobleman wrote, "Derrick is a better teacher than ruler. One only hopes Darius will benefit from his teachings." Derrick, on the behest of his wife, signed many actions that improved life for those that were in poverty.

Derrick was fond of music and poetry, and in his free time could often be found working on a poem. Derrick wrote a total of three hundred poems, all of which can be found in the Bearstinian Royal Library.

Early Life
Derrick was born on August 13th, 1842 to Nicholas Ward, a nobleman and Catherine Black, Empress of Bearstin. When he was a year old, his father was murdered in the 1843 Night stabbings, and Derrick grew up without a father. It is said because his father hadn't been there for him, he made sure to always be there for his son Darius.

When Derrick was three, he started his schooling in the Bearstin Royal Academy where he met Elle Geoff at an early age. He was married to her by the age of nineteen.

At the age of seventeen, Derrick began to accompany Catherine on diplomatic missions, but he was mostly sent to study foreign politics or research economic trends. He was very intelligent, and knew five different languages, and was said to have very good study habits.

When Derrick was thirty years old, Elle gave birth to Darius. His first year or so of being a father was spent in the palace, preparing for his ascension to the throne as his mothers health declined.

Emperor of Bearstin
When Derrick was thirty-one, he was crowned Emperor of Bearstin, and his workload grew. He now found less time with Darius and more time with his office. His solution was to work with Darius next to him. At first, it was distracting, but he taught Darius discipline and respect. He even let Darius sit in Elle's throne, "addressing the noblemen" and watching the royal court.