Valkory family

Valkory family
Famille Valkory

Coat of arms of the Valkory family
Origin:	Alexandria
Founded:	c. 1670 AN (in  Alduria)
Founder:	Étienne Valkory
Current head:	Louis Valkory
Ethnicity:	Alexandrian
Seat:	Villa Étienne, Punta Santiago
Branches:	Valkory of Punta Santiago Valkory of Fontainebleau
Associated with:	Federal Humanist Party Valkory Industries Riviera Holdings

The Valkory family is a prominent Alexandrian family of Alduria and Nouvelle Alexandrie, notable for its contributions to law, politics, industry, and the judiciary. The family traces its presence in Alduria to 1670 AN, when the merchant Étienne Valkory arrived in Punta Santiago among the first wave of Alexandrian settlers following the collapse of Alexandria in 1651 AN.

The family rose to prominence in the late seventeenth and early eighteenth centuries through three distinct paths: Daniel Valkory, a founding parliamentarian who authored the Cortes Federales Act, 1694; Henri Valkory, an industrialist who built a fortune in petroleum services, real estate, and gaming; and François Valkory, who served as Governor of Alduria for the Federal Humanist Party from 1718 AN to 1729 AN. The third generation now leads the family's business and political interests, maintaining its position among Alduria's social and economic elite.

The Valkory family is closely associated with the Federal Humanist Party, which it has supported since the party's founding in 1692 AN. Family members have contributed substantially to FHP campaigns and affiliated causes over generations. The family's business interests, consolidated under Valkory Industries and Riviera Holdings, span petroleum services, real estate development, hospitality, and gaming, with particular concentration along the Southern Aldurian Riviera.

Origins

Étienne Valkory

The Valkory family's presence in Alduria began with Étienne Valkory (c. 1632 AN–1702 AN), a merchant from the Empire of the Alexandrians who had operated a trading house in the port city of Triegon before the flu pandemic of 1650–1651 devastated the empire. Like many survivors of the Alexandrian collapse, Étienne spent nearly two decades in a precarious existence within the Alexandrian diaspora, working as a factor for Natopian trading concerns and accumulating modest capital.

When news reached the diaspora that a new Alexandrian nation was being established in Eura, Étienne was among the early settlers who arrived in Punta Santiago in 1670 AN, shortly after President Alejandro Campos proclaimed the Republic of Alduria. He brought with him his wife, Marie-Claire (née Beauchamp), and their three sons: Henri (aged 12), François (aged 9), and Daniel (aged 5).

Étienne established a general trading business in Punta Santiago, supplying goods to the rapidly growing settler population. The business prospered during Alduria's formative years, providing the foundation for his sons' later endeavours. He died in 1702 AN, having lived to see Henri's business empire take shape, François enter regional politics, and Daniel begin his legal career.

Marie-Claire Valkory

Marie-Claire Valkory (née Beauchamp; c. 1638 AN–1711 AN) was Étienne's wife and the mother of the three Valkory brothers. Born into a minor Alexandrian merchant family, she survived the collapse of Alexandria as a young woman and married Étienne during the diaspora years. Family tradition credits her with instilling in her sons the ambition and discipline that characterized their careers. She outlived her husband by nine years and spent her final years at the family home in Punta Santiago, dying shortly before François's election as Regional Governor of Alduria.

Second generation

The three sons of Étienne and Marie-Claire Valkory each achieved distinction in different fields, establishing the family as one of Alduria's most influential dynasties by the early eighteenth century.

Henri Valkory

Henri Valkory, aged 1; 1659 AN.

Henri Valkory outside of the Valkory Industries headquarters; 1720 AN.

Henri Valkory (1658 AN–1740 AN) was the eldest son of Étienne Valkory and the founder of the family's industrial fortune. Often called the "Wildcatter of Alduria" or the "Phantom of the Riviera," Henri built an empire in petroleum services, real estate, and gaming that made the Valkory family one of the wealthiest in Nouvelle Alexandrie.

Early career in petroleum

Henri came of age during Alduria's oil boom. When the Transitional Government nationalized oil and gas resources in 1670 AN and established the Aldurian Oil Company, it created enormous demand for equipment, expertise, and services that the state-owned enterprise could not provide internally. Henri recognized this opportunity. In 1682 AN, using capital inherited from his father's trading business, Henri founded Valkory Petroleum Services, a company that provided drilling equipment, replacement parts, and engineering consulting to the Aldurian Oil Company. Unlike competitors who merely imported equipment from Natopia or Constancia, Henri invested in understanding the geology of Alduria's oil fields and developed specialized drilling techniques suited to local conditions.

By 1695 AN, Valkory Petroleum Services had secured contracts to supply approximately 40% of the drilling equipment used by the Aldurian Oil Company and had established a reputation for technical excellence. Henri expanded the business to include pipeline construction, refinery maintenance, and geological surveying. The company, reorganized as Valkory Industries in 1702 AN, became the largest private contractor to the state oil company.

Expansion into real estate and gaming

With his petroleum fortune secured, Henri turned his attention to the emerging Southern Aldurian Riviera in the 1710s. The coastal region south of Punta Santiago, blessed with mild climate and scenic beaches, had begun attracting wealthy visitors from across Alduria and beyond. Henri saw potential for large-scale development. Beginning in 1714 AN, Henri acquired extensive coastal properties through a series of transactions, some of which were later alleged to have involved questionable pressure on smaller landowners. He founded Riviera Holdings to manage these acquisitions and began constructing the first purpose-built resort hotels on the Riviera. The Grand Hotel Valkory in Fontainebleau, completed in 1718 AN, was the largest and most luxurious hotel in Alduria at the time, featuring 420 rooms, formal gardens, and a private beach.

In 1722 AN, Henri obtained a license from the Parliament of Alduria to operate gaming establishments on the Riviera. His first casino, the Casino des Étoiles in Fontainebleau, opened in 1724 AN and became a magnet for wealthy visitors from across Nouvelle Alexandrie and the Raspur Pact. By 1730 AN, Riviera Holdings operated three casinos and seven hotels along the coast, employing over 3,000 workers.

Personal life and eccentricities

Henri never married and left no acknowledged children. His personal life was the subject of intense speculation during his lifetime and remains poorly documented. He was known to maintain relationships with several women over the years, including the actress Céleste Marchand and the singer Rosalind Fontaine, but avoided public appearances with romantic partners.

From approximately 1728 AN onward, Henri became increasingly reclusive. He moved from Punta Santiago to a private compound near Fontainebleau, where he reportedly maintained obsessive routines regarding cleanliness and security. He communicated with his business managers primarily through written memoranda and rarely received visitors in person. Stories circulated of bizarre requirements imposed on staff, elaborate security precautions, and extended periods during which Henri would not leave his private quarters.

Despite his reclusion, Henri remained actively engaged in business decisions through correspondence. He continued to expand Valkory Industries and Riviera Holdings throughout the 1730s, demonstrating a keen strategic mind even as his personal behavior grew more eccentric.

Henri died on 12.VII.1740 AN at his Fontainebleau compound. The cause of death was recorded as heart failure, though the circumstances were not made public. His will, which ran to over 200 pages, distributed his fortune among various relatives, charitable foundations, and business associates, with the bulk of Valkory Industries and Riviera Holdings passing to his nephew Louis Valkory.

François Valkory

François Valkory (1661 AN–1732 AN) was the second son of Étienne Valkory and served as Regional Governor of Alduria from 1718 AN to 1729 AN.

Political career

François studied law at the University of Punta Santiago before entering public service. He served in various administrative positions in the Aldurian regional government during the 1690s and was elected to the Parliament of Alduria in 1698 AN as a member of the newly formed Federal Humanist Party.

François rose quickly within FHP ranks, serving as Deputy Speaker of the Parliament from 1704 AN to 1708 AN and as leader of the FHP caucus from 1708 AN to 1718 AN. His political success was aided by his brother Henri's growing wealth, which provided substantial financial support for the party and for François's campaigns.

In 1718 AN, François was elected Regional Governor of Alduria on the FHP ticket. His eleven-year tenure spanned a period of significant growth and development in Alduria. François oversaw the construction of new roads, the expansion of the port of Punta Santiago, and the establishment of public hospitals and schools.

Critics accused François of using his position to benefit his brother's business interests. The gaming license granted to Henri's Riviera Holdings in 1722 AN was particularly controversial, with opposition politicians alleging improper influence. François denied any wrongdoing, and no formal charges were ever brought, but the allegations contributed to his decision not to seek re-election in 1729 AN.

Later years

After leaving office, François retired to the family estate in Punta Santiago. He died on 3.IV.1732 AN, three years after the end of his governorship. He was survived by his wife, Marguerite (née Thibodeau), and their three children: Louis, Élisabeth, and Jean-Claude.

Daniel Valkory

Daniel Valkory in his study for a feature in The Aldurian after his retirement; 1743 AN.

Daniel Valkory (1665 AN–1746 AN) was the youngest son of Étienne Valkory and the most celebrated member of the second generation for his contributions to constitutional law and parliamentary procedure.

Daniel pursued an academic career in law, earning dual doctorates from the University of Punta Santiago before entering politics. Elected to the Federal Assembly in 1693 AN as an FHP Deputy for Alduria, he served continuously until his retirement in 1738 AN, a span of forty-five years.

Daniel authored several foundational pieces of legislation, including the Cortes Federales Act, 1694, which established the procedures and powers of the federal legislature, and the Regional and Local Government Organization Act, 1699, which organized governance below the federal level. He served as Chair of the Committee on Constitutional Affairs from 1706 AN to 1718 AN and was instrumental in the admission of Boriquén as the eleventh Region of the Federation in 1718 AN.

Unlike his brothers, Daniel was known for personal modesty and scholarly temperament. He married Isabelle Marchand in 1690 AN and had three children: Daniel Jr., Catherine, and Philippe. He died on 8.IX.1746 AN and was interred at the Cemetery of Our Lady of Grace in Punta Santiago.

Third generation

The children of the three Valkory brothers now lead the family's interests in business, law, and public service. As of 1751 AN, six members of the third generation remain living.

Louis Valkory

Louis Valkory (born 1688 AN) is the eldest son of François Valkory and the current head of the Valkory family. Upon his uncle Henri's death in 1740 AN, Louis assumed control of Valkory Industries and Riviera Holdings, consolidating the family's business interests.

Louis lacks his uncle's entrepreneurial flair but has proven a capable administrator. He has maintained the family's petroleum service contracts with the Aldurian Oil Company and expanded the Riviera hotel portfolio cautiously. Under his stewardship, the family businesses have provided steady returns without the dramatic growth or controversy of Henri's era.

Louis married Constance Beaumont in 1715 AN and has four children. Now aged 63, he has begun delegating day-to-day management to his eldest son, Henri II, while retaining overall strategic direction of the family enterprises.

Élisabeth Valkory

Élisabeth Valkory (born 1692 AN) is the daughter of François Valkory and one of the first women to serve as a judge in Alduria. After studying law privately (women being barred from the University of Punta Santiago at the time), she was admitted to the bar of Alduria in 1718 AN through special petition to her father, then serving as Governor.

Élisabeth practiced law in Punta Santiago for over a decade before being appointed to the Aldurian Regional Court in 1731 AN, one of only three women to hold such a position in the Federation at that time. Now aged 59, she continues to serve on the court, where she has earned a reputation for meticulous legal reasoning and independence from family political connections.

She has never married, dedicating herself entirely to her legal career.

Jean-Claude Valkory

Jean-Claude Valkory (born 1695 AN) is the youngest child of François Valkory. He pursued a military career, serving in the Federal Forces of Nouvelle Alexandrie and rising to the rank of Brigadier. He commanded Aldurian units during the early phases of the Wars of the Dispossessed and retired from active service in 1748 AN.

Now aged 56, Jean-Claude resides at the family estate in Punta Santiago and serves on the boards of several charitable organizations associated with veterans' welfare.

Daniel Valkory, Jr.

Daniel Valkory, Jr. (born 1694 AN) is the eldest son of Daniel Valkory and a rising figure in federal politics. After a career as a lawyer in Cárdenas, he was elected to the Federal Assembly in the 1749 general election as an FHP Deputy for the Federal Capital District.

Daniel Jr. gained national attention in 1751 AN when he co-introduced the Honorary Citizenship (Kaiser Mondo) Act, 1751 with DSP Deputy Isabela Restrepo-Fuentes, a bipartisan measure to grant honorary New Alexandrian citizenship to Kaiser Mondo Etzeterra of the Mondosphere.

Now aged 57, Daniel Jr. is widely regarded as the family's leading political figure and a potential candidate for higher office within the FHP.

Catherine Valkory

Catherine Valkory (born 1697 AN) is the daughter of Daniel Valkory. She married Gérard Fontaine, a shipbuilder from Punta Santiago, in 1719 AN and has five children. The Fontaine-Valkory branch of the family has become prominent in Aldurian maritime commerce.

Now aged 54, Catherine manages several family properties in Punta Santiago and is active in civic organizations.

Philippe Valkory

Philippe Valkory (born 1700 AN) is the youngest son of Daniel Valkory. He followed his father into law, serving as a judge on the Punta Santiago Municipal Court since 1735 AN.

Now aged 51, Philippe continues to serve on the municipal bench and is considered a likely candidate for elevation to the regional court.

Fourth generation

The fourth generation of the Valkory family is now entering adulthood and beginning to assume positions of responsibility.

Henri Valkory II

Henri Valkory II (born 1720 AN) is the eldest son of Louis Valkory and heir apparent to the family's business empire. He has worked in management positions at Valkory Industries since 1742 AN and increasingly handles day-to-day operations as his father reduces his involvement. He married Suzanne Delacroix in 1745 AN and has two young children.

Other members

Louis Valkory's three younger children, François (born 1723 AN), Marie-Thérèse (born 1726 AN), and Charles (born 1729 AN), are variously pursuing careers in law, the arts, and the military. The children of Catherine Valkory and Gérard Fontaine are engaged in the family shipbuilding business.

Philippe Valkory has one son, Daniel III (born 1728 AN), who is studying law at the University of Punta Santiago.

Business interests

Valkory Industries

Valkory Industries remains a significant contractor to the petroleum sector, though its market share has declined from Henri's era due to increased competition. The company has diversified into construction and engineering services over the past decade. As of 1750 AN, the company employs approximately 2,400 workers and maintains contracts with the Aldurian Oil Company valued at an estimated NAX€45 million annually.

Riviera Holdings

Riviera Holdings continues to operate hotels and casinos on the Southern Aldurian Riviera, including the historic Grand Hotel Valkory and Casino des Étoiles, both of which have been substantially renovated under Louis Valkory's management. The company now operates four casinos and nine hotels along the coast, employing over 4,500 workers during peak season.

The family's business interests are managed by a board of directors drawn from various branches of the family, with operational control increasingly delegated to professional managers as the founding generation passes.

Political involvement

The Valkory family has remained closely associated with the Federal Humanist Party throughout its history. Family members have served in the Parliament of Alduria, the Federal Assembly, and various appointed positions. The family continues to donate substantially to FHP campaigns and affiliated organizations.

Daniel Valkory, Jr.'s election to the Federal Assembly in 1749 AN marked the first time a Valkory held federal office since his father's retirement in 1738 AN, a gap of eleven years.

Family properties

The Valkory family maintains several properties in Alduria and the Federal Capital District:

• Villa Étienne, Punta Santiago: The original family residence, built by Étienne Valkory in the 1680s and substantially expanded by subsequent generations. Currently serves as the official seat of the family and the residence of Louis Valkory.
• Château Valkory, Fontainebleau: Built by Henri Valkory in the 1720s as his private residence. Now owned by Riviera Holdings and operated as a luxury hotel.
• The Valkory Townhouse, Cárdenas: Residence of Daniel Valkory, Jr. and the Cárdenas branch of the family since the 1720s.

The family vault at the Cemetery of Our Lady of Grace in Punta Santiago contains the remains of Valkory family members since Étienne's death in 1702 AN.

Coat of arms

The Valkory family coat of arms, adopted by Étienne Valkory after his arrival in Alduria, features a silver chevron on a blue field, charged with three gold mullets (five-pointed stars). The crest depicts a falcon rising, and the motto reads Fidelitas et Labor ("Fidelity and Labour").

Notable members

Name	Birth	Death	Significance
Étienne Valkory	c. 1632 AN	1702 AN	Founder of the family in Alduria; merchant
Marie-Claire Valkory	c. 1638 AN	1711 AN	Matriarch; mother of the founding brothers
Henri Valkory	1658 AN	1740 AN	Industrialist; founder of Valkory Industries and Riviera Holdings
François Valkory	1661 AN	1732 AN	Regional Governor of Alduria (1718 AN–1729 AN)
Daniel Valkory	1665 AN	1746 AN	Parliamentarian; author of the Cortes Federales Act, 1694
Louis Valkory	1688 AN	Living	Businessman; current head of family; heir to Henri Valkory
Élisabeth Valkory	1692 AN	Living	Judge on the Aldurian Regional Court
Daniel Valkory, Jr.	1694 AN	Living	Deputy for the Federal Capital District (1749 AN–present)
Jean-Claude Valkory	1695 AN	Living	Brigadier (ret.), Federal Forces of Nouvelle Alexandrie
Catherine Valkory	1697 AN	Living	Civic leader; matriarch of the Fontaine-Valkory branch
Philippe Valkory	1700 AN	Living	Judge on the Punta Santiago Municipal Court
Henri Valkory II	1720 AN	Living	Businessman; heir apparent to Valkory Industries

See also

• Daniel Valkory
• Daniel Valkory, Jr.
• Henri Valkory
• François Valkory
• Valkory Industries
• Riviera Holdings
• Southern Aldurian Riviera
• Federal Humanist Party
• Cemetery of Our Lady of Grace