The Origins of Elliot Markham

[Elliot Markham]

Elliot Thadeus Markham (language of origin: English) was born in Byzantia, Illumination County, House Mortis, Shireroth to Emma Lou Elisabeth Barrister Markham and Jacob Smythedale Markham. His family were entirely of Albionish descent, but they all spoke the Illumination dialect of Shirerithian at home. At the age of three, he and his parents relocated to southwestern Albion (then called Lower Phedodah) in Antica. He entered the public grammar school at Woden where quickly excelled in academics. He was also a distinguished athlete.

In high school, an essay he wrote on Antican politics won him First Prize in the Junior Category from the Antican Literary Society. At the awards banquet in Nafticon City, he met many dignitaries, such as Dinarch Augustus, Dinarch Octavius, and Emperor Aryeztur of Aryez Province. Dazzled by the sights of Nafticon City, he enrolled in Nafticon City University where he attended for one year until financial difficulties forced him to leave and work at his uncle's shipping business in Aryez province. While in Akhilec City, he rose from dockworker to Director of the Port Authority. At 29, he was appointed Customs Officer for Akhilec City. At 34, he transferred to Nafticon City to become its Customs Officer. There he enrolled in the prestigious State Academy of Antica and completed Bachelor's and Master's degrees in Economics, both magna cum laude.

After serving some time in the Antican government in a variety of high and lofty roles, including Treasury Minister, Speaker, and Assistant Inquisitor, he returned to western Antica to help develop a newly annexed land: Samudra. He eventually was elected as its Provincial Governor at 42, and successfully campaigned to eliminate its "Wild West" ways. The Haversham Gang, a group of highway robbers in Central Samudra, once bombed his motorcade while he was traveling through the area. While he was unharmed except for a bruised elbow, two of his closest advisers were killed.

With Samudra's growing economic and political clout came jealousy from neighboring provinces, including from some of Markham's old allies in Akhilec. Without warning to Markham and with the support of the Antican central government, Lower Phedodah Province and Aryez Province both sent their divisions of Antica's military to invade Samudra. At this point, Markham decided to make arrangements for exile to Batavia. Today, Markham divides his time between Batavia and Illumination, Shireroth.

Other personal data:

His hobbies include rugby, military history, and traveling.
His favorite food is tea and crumpets.
His favorite book is Just So Stories by Rudyard Kipling.
His favorite political figure is Benjamin Disraeli.
He has been married for 4 years to Emeralda Melang Markham, an Akhilecian-Melangian. They have no children.
He is currently a self-employed business man trying to join the Shirerithian bar in order to practice law for a living, and is quite anxious because his savings may soon run out.

He strives to be the perfect English gentleman: gregarious yet polite, honorable, benevolent, and quick witted. However, his time working in the docks at Akhilec have given him the perspective of the common man, however. Also, secretly, he resents the fact that his Albionish family were not royal, and that he hence carries no royal title. In fact, if anyone brings up the fact that he is not of noble birth, he becomes prone to sulking and poor tempers (so says his wife). Finally, he dislikes Antica for its invasion of Samudra yet he only continues to bring it up from time to time for the Shirerithians to humorous effect, as the rivalry between the two nations is entertaining and Shireroth is his new home.

[AryezturMejorkhor]

This is very well done. Kudos! Though were you not higher than just a port authority in Aryez.....the Prime Minister for a while?

[AryezturMejorkhor]

With Samudra's growing economic and political clout came jealousy from neighboring provinces, including from some of Markham's old allies in Akhilec. Without warning to Markham and with the support of the Antican central government, Lower Phedodah Province and Aryez Province both sent their divisions of Antica's military to invade Samudra.

I dispute jealousy was involved. Also, there was warning.
Other than that, I think this is a charming profile.

[Elliot Markham]

Well, I suppose my time as Aryez's Prime Minister can be easily explained as thus. Basically, during the last two years of my tenure as Akhilec's Customs Officer, Emperor Aryeztur appointed me to fill a vacancy after the death of the previous Prime Minister. I was initially to serve only until a native Aryezi could be appointed, but ended up serving until I left for Nafticon City. Apparently, my temporary role as Aryez's Prime Minister has been well remembered by the Aryezi populace. I greatly appreciate the Emperor's kind comments, and out of gratitude I will ignore the urge to argue at this time over the two details he mentioned regarding the invasion of Samudra.

[Malliki Tosha]

Perhaps you shouldn't have tried to rule a province of the Republic as a state?