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Zacarias, Duke of Mountbatten (Zacarias Felipe Maekar; born 6 July 2946), commonly referred to as The Lord Maekar, is a senior Balancin nobleman and political figure who has been the Prime Minister of the Balancín Kingdoms since the New Year of 3024. He is also the head of the House of Maekar and has been since the death of his father in 2969. Maekar is the paternal grandfather of Queen Mary and was one of the loudest proponents of her rule. During the War of the Balancin Succession, Maekar financed the initial military support for the Queen's claim, before being propped up by the Lancastrian Royal Army. Maekar was initially touted as a potential regent for his granddaughter. However, Maekar himself opted for Prince Antony to serve in the official capacity as Prince Regent, given his royal credentials.
Maekar is widely considered to be the most powerful nobleman in the Kingdom, with the Duchy of Mountbatten having control around 40% of Balancía's land area and 80% of its agricultural farmland. The Dreadford, which is the seat of the Duchy, was a major military installation during the War of the Balancin Succession and today remains the home and seat of Maekar.
Duke of Mountbatten (2969-present)
Zacarias was born as the second son of Tristan, Duke of Mountbatten. During his father's reign over the Duchy (2931-2969), the Duchy became so influential as to rival the Royal House itself. Tristan, however, felt steadfast in his duty to the crown. In this capacity, he served as Lord Privy Seal to Queen Isabel and later as Lord President of the Council to King Philip III. When his elder brother, George, died in 2960, Zacarias was elevated to the heir to the Duchy and, upon his father's death in 2969, became Duke himself. Zacarias did not automatically inherit his father's title of Lord President of the King's Council, with that position becoming taken by Prince Charles (later King Charles VI). However, his station was immense among the Balancin nobility and he often held audiences with the King and Duke of Talaga himself.
His early rule of the Duchy was clouded by his marriage. Upon his ascension as Duke, Zacarias was still unmarried and his ascension made his eventual marriage even more important. A number of noble houses contended for Zacarias's hand, with even the King attempting to fix a match between Alfonso and his newborn granddaughter, Matilda. However, opposition in Court, especially from the Duke of Talaga (Matilda's father), made the match unlikely. In addition, many saw Zacarias's advanced age compared to Matilda a likely factor in
Alfonso has ruled over the Duchy continuously for 54 years, making him the longest serving Duchy-head in Balancin history. While his position was significantly diminished during the republican years, the restoration saw his status grow higher than ever before.