Jaliye d'Ashina

Jaliye d'Ashina (c. 948-16 June 1015), Countess of Khunsamondu, was a Balish Turk who was a descendant of the Ashina family, a ruling family of Turks. She was known for her identity of the first imperial mistress to Balish Emperor Hsinpalay IV the Great, playing the role of Balish empress at early years of Hsinpalay's tenure, with great influence over the court due to the bad relationship between the emperor and his wife, Galandaph of Inmey. The possible marriage of Hsinpalay and Lebinreina the Elder was mainly prevented by her. In 979, after the long-term relationship with the emperor of 11 years, she fell into disfavor and transferred her status in the court to the emperor's new mistress, Ashiga Shiye de Gibahantbho. Then she returned to her husband, and died in 1015.

Early life
Jaliye d'Ashina was a descendant of the Ashina family as a Balish Turk, whose ancestors moved to and settled down in Northern Baland about 300 years ago. She was born to Joan d'Ashina, Viscount of Soxij, and Sumanee de Gubicalonso, the second cousin to Anne of Bolgne, Duchess of Salin. She grew up and received education in Salin court, then served as a lady-in-waiting of Anne and her daughter, the heiress of Salin, Lebinreina the Elder. The accurate relationship between her and Lebinreina at that time was not recorded. In Salin court, she met Kyantalin de Naïs, Count of Khunsamondu, who was considered matching her, so they get married in March 966. Jaliye's status was higher in Salin court as she was now Countess of Khunsamondu.

In July, Kyantalin got the position to serve as an imperial bodyguard of Prince Hsinpalay (later Hsinpalay IV) in Nanwa. Considering that she may have a brighter future in the imperial court than in Salin, Jaliye decided to follow her husband to Nanwa. Before leaving, Anne of Bolgne wrote a recommendation letter for her in order that she could find a position in Nanwa court as soon as possible. Anne may never predicted that it was Jaliye who stopped her daughter from becoming the Balish empress a few years later.

Jaliye soon became a lady-in-waiting of Princess Pinthinah upon her arrival at Nanwa. Pretty, well-spoken and elegant, she was admired by Pinthinah. Pinthinah was betrothed to King Iven IV of Maharapura at that time, but she didn't go to Maharapura where the plague stroke. With a close relationship and deep affection, her brother, Prince Hsinpalay usually visited her because he wanted to stay with his sister more when she was still in Baland. Jaliye and Hsinpalay may produce affection in this period of time.

Emperor's mistress
In 968, 21-year-old Prince Hsinpalay succeeded the throne as Balish Emperor Hsinpalay IV. After a while, Jaliye's husband was sent out to work in Myubo, while Jaliye herself usually showed on public with the emperor, and her residence in the palace was arranged close to the emperor's chamber. Although Jaliye was still a maid of Princess Pinthinah in name, people knew that she was in fact the mistress of the emperor, so respected her far more than before.

Hsinpalay IV and his wife Galandaph had separated for several years after the birth of their only son Jakigan due to in a long-term estrangement. Hsinpalay IV even didn't want to crown his wife after his accession when Galandaph was not in Nanwa until she came back to defend her position. Galandaph just had a title of the empress without any matched treatment and power even if she lived in Nanwa. In most of time, the empress's political power was wielded by dowager empress Muztal Sultan Begum, as for power in the court, in hand of Jaliye. It was rare that a mistress got great power though there were always mistresses around Hafra emperors, among whom only Kedhuri Para (mistress of Minsi II), Renee de Forle (mistress of Kanaunt II), and Hsinpalay's two mistresses--Jaliye d'Ashina and Ashiga Shiye de Gibahantbho had got the power over the court and politics.

After Pinthinah's wedding in 970, Jaliye was appointed to be the chief lady-in-waiting to the empress in name, with her annuity soared. However, her main income was not annuity, but from her position and power, which dissatisfied Muztal, who didn't like Jaliye and her family. Jaliye's family got its position improved attributed to Jaliye in power. The Ashina family was once the ruling family of Turks, but one of its clans had to flee to Baland by the decline of Turks. This clan was in an awkward and unimportant position, until now it had chance to become dominant again by proximity to the center of power. Pitifully, Jaliye's relatives had no ability to seize this opportunity. Hsinpalay once nominated them some duties, but they failed to prove they were competent. The Ashina family was just a flash in the pan in Balish history, vanishing soon after Jaliye's downfall.

Defense of her status
It's not easy to be an imperial mistress. Although powerful and wealthy, imperial mistress faced many threats: many empresses were not easy to get along with, and other prettier and younger court ladies always sought for possible chances to replace them, so imperial mistresses often took actions to defend their status. For Jaliye d'Ashina, among all threats she had faced in 11 years, two mattered and the last one ended her mistress career.

Lebinreina the Elder, Duchess of Salin
In 974, Oraj II, Duke of Salin, died, leaving his only daughter, Lebinreina the Elder, who succeeded her father to be Duchess of Salin. Unmarried Lebinreina was favored by royal families of other contries. To take control of Salin, Hsinpalay IV brought her to Nanwa court in name of her safety. Lebinreina was beautiful, elegant and optimistic, attracting Hsinpalay, handsome and energetic Hsinpalay was captivating for Lebinreina as well. They soon fell in love and making Lebinreina pregnant in January 975. Hsinpalay IV had only one son with his wife by that time, and there was few possibility to produce other male babies with Galandaph that they hated each other. Many people suggested the emperor divorced his wife, and wedded Lebinreina. If so, Lebinreina's upcoming baby will rule Salin, meaning the total control of Salin by the Hafra dynasty, and the emperor may have more sons to secure the succession. It made sense in Hsinpalay's view; later, he arranged Lebinreina to live in the Great Dome, where Hafra empresses should live, which was a sign that the emperor had a great possibility to divorce Galandaph and marry Lebinreina soon. To avoid her son to become an illegitimate son, Lebinreina also promote this.

Jaliye was strongly against this, as she knew the absence of Galandaph made her powerful. Once Lebinreina who was loved by the emperor became the empress, she had to give up her power and wealth. She immediately told this to Galandaph and her father Nanjamin, Count of Inmey, then subsidized and incited Salin separatists secretly; she also overstated it to Jakigan that he'd be abandoned by his father because of Lebinreina and her upcoming child. Besides, Jaliye often stopped Hsinpalay's visit to Lebinreina.

Lebinreina couldn't deal with so many oppositions, especially when the situation in Salin got worse, several riots breaking out, rumors spreading that Lebinreina degenerated into prostitute. Under desperation, Hsinpalay IV gave up the marriage with Lebinreina, and allow her to return to Salin to stabilize the situation.

Ashiga Shiye who caused her downfall
In 979, Ashiga Shiye, daughter to the Baron of Gibahantbho, became a court lady. She entered the palace with the purpose of having a relationship with the emperor and gaining some benefits for her family. Ashiga Shiye, widely considered beautiful since she was a child, drew Hsinpalay's attention shortly after, and got her position elevated in the court, alarming Jaliye, now over 30, not young and pretty as Ashiga Shiye, and not attractive for the emperor as previous. But she was not willing to give up her possessions in the court; just like before, she decided to fight for her status.

Jaliye primped herself more gorgeous than before, sometimes exaggerated. In public, she usually held the emperor's hand tight and was not more than a step away from him to show off, especially to Ashiga Shiye. She noticed Hsinpalay's daily life more frequent, and when she heard that the emperor was with Ashiga Shiye, she'd be furious, even tried to ruin their date. She increasingly tended to be temperamental, resulting that she was less popular in the palace than before, and her exaggerated makeup and clothing became the laughing stock of nobles.

After a few months of straggle, she reluctantly realized she lost her appeal to Hsinpalay no matter what attempts she had done. Her era was end after 11-year of dominance. She chose to exit with dignity, instead of falling into disfavor and being kicked out of the palace.

She left Nanwa on an August morning in 979, leaving two letters, one for Hsinpalay IV, in which she thanked his love and gave him a bless, the other for Ashiga Shiye with only one sentence-- My today will be your tomarrow.

Later years
Jaliye returned to her husband after leaving Nanwa. To thank her quit, Hsinpalay IV ordered her annuity remained, which was cancelled after Jakigan's enthronement however.

There were not so much records about her later life. She gave her husband a son, Oraj de Naïs, who inherited his father's title as Count of Khunsamondu upon Kyantalin's death in 1002. It's unknown whether she had more children.

Jaliye died on 16 June 1015.