Seven Kingdoms

The Seven Kingdoms were the human states that became sovereign after the disintegration of the Empire of Arathor, approximately 1,200 years before the First War.

History

The seeds of the kingdoms of men were Arathorian city-states. First among them was Strom, a mighty fortress city of the Arathi tribe located in the regions south of Quel'Thalas. This bastion became the capital of the nation of Arathor, which saw its number grow as humans from all over the land traveled there to the protection and safety of Strom.<ref>Arathor and the Troll Wars</ref>

After the Amani defeat at the end of the Troll Wars and the death of Thoradin, the Arathorian king, the younger generations of Arathor — then an empire — sought to expand beyond the borders of the lands surrounding the capital. Among them, a group of magi journeyed north because they felt fettered by the strict laws governing magic in Strom. On the southern shore of Lordamere Lake, these fledgling spellcasters founded Dalaran, the second Arathorian city-state.<ref>The Guardians of Tirisfal</ref>

During the following centuries, other city-states arose across the continent. Among them were the militaristic Gilneas and Alterac (both strong supporters of the empire), whose mighty armies explored the mountainous southern lands of Khaz Modan and made first contact with the dwarves. On an island south of the imperial capital, Kul Tiras was built and developed a prosperous economy based fishing, shipping, and commerce. Meanwhile, Dalaran became the chief center of learning for magicians throughout the land. Although the four city-states had their own customs and commercial workings, they all held to the unifying authority of Strom, which acted as the central hub of the expansive empire.<ref name="TheSevenKingdoms">The Seven Kingdoms</ref>

As the economy of Arathor flourished, its strongest elements began to disintegrate. The nobles of Strom, seeking lusher lands, purity, and enlightenment, decided to leave the arid surroundings of the imperial capital against the arguments of the royalty. Far to the north of Dalaran, the greater citizenry founded a city-state named Lordaeron, from which the entire continent would take its name, which became a mecca for religious travelers and all those who sought inner peace and security.<ref name="TheSevenKingdoms" />

Left within the crumbling walls of ancient Strom, the Arathi descendants decided to travel south past the rocky Khaz Modan. After many long seasons of journey, they settled in the southern region of the continent they would name Azeroth and founded the kingdom of Stormwind, which quickly became a self-sufficient power in its own right.<ref name="TheSevenKingdoms" />

Meanwhile, in the almost silent Strom, the few warriors still left decided to remain and guard the ancient walls of their city. As Strom was no longer the center of the empire, the soldiers developed it into a new martial nation known as Stromgarde. Though each of the seven city-states became prosperous in its own right, the empire of Arathor had effectively disintegrated. As each nation developed its own customs and beliefs, they became increasingly segregated from one another and humanity lost the unity achieved during the rule of King Thoradin.<ref name="TheSevenKingdoms" />

Among the history books in Medivh's library, some mentioned references of genocides, assassinations, and massacres between humans of the seven kingdoms, using claims of nobility, heritage, and honor to justify their conflicts.<ref>The Last Guardian</ref>

Before the Second War began, King Terenas Menethil II of Lordaeron formed a council of delegates from each of the seven kingdoms, after which the Alliance of Lordaeron was founded.<ref>Warcraft II: Tides of Darkness manual, A Brief History of the Fall of Azeroth, The Alliance of Lordaeron</ref>

Post-Arathorian kingdoms

• Azeroth
  Azeroth
• Lordaeron
  Lordaeron
• Kul Tiras
  Kul Tiras
• Gilneas
  Gilneas
• Stromgarde
  Stromgarde
• Dalaran
  Dalaran
• Alterac
  Alterac

Demonyms

Demonym is a term for the residents of a locality and is usually, though not always, derived from the name of a locality.

The known demonyms for the Seven Kingdoms' residents are:

• Alterac = Alteraci.<ref name="TheFirstGreymane">The First Greymane</ref><ref>Bogdan Novak#Quotes</ref>
• Dalaran = Dalaranian<ref name="TheFirstGreymane" /> or Dalarani.<ref>Dalarani Conjurer's Hat</ref><ref>Huey Stafford#Quotes</ref>
• Gilneas = Gilnean.<ref name="TheFirstGreymane" />
• Kul Tiras = Kul Tiran<ref>Kul Tiran Exploratory Fleet</ref><ref>{{#ifeq:-|-||Template:Sort}}{{#ifeq:-|-||Template:Sort}}[[File:{{#switch:alliance|alliance=Alliance|boss=Boss|combat=Combat|hostile=Combat|horde=Horde|aldor=Aldor|scryers=Scryers|kirin tor=Kirin Tor|rare=Rare|elite=Elite|both=Both|kyrian=Kyrian|necrolord=Necrolord|night fae=Night Fae|venthyr=Venthyr|neutral|#default=Neutral}}_{{#switch:small|xlarge=64|large=32|small=15|#default=32}}.png|{{#switch:alliance|alliance=Alliance|boss=Boss|combat=Mob|hostile=Mob|horde=Horde|aldor=Aldor|scryers=Scryers|kirin tor=Kirin Tor|rare=Rare|elite=Elite|both=Alliance & Horde|kyrian=Kyrian|necrolord=Necrolord|night fae=Night Fae|venthyr=Venthyr|neutral|#default=Neutral}}|link={{#switch:alliance|alliance=Alliance|boss=Mob|combat=Mob|hostile=Combat|horde=Horde|aldor=Aldor|scryers=Scryers|kirin tor=Kirin Tor|rare=Rare mob|elite=Elite mob|kyrian=Kyrian Covenant|necrolord=Necrolord Covenant|night fae=Night Fae Covenant|venthyr=Venthyr Covenant|both|neutral|#default=Faction}}]] [16] Kul Tiran Provisions: Food</ref><ref>{{#ifeq:-|-||Template:Sort}}{{#ifeq:-|-||Template:Sort}}[[File:{{#switch:alliance|alliance=Alliance|boss=Boss|combat=Combat|hostile=Combat|horde=Horde|aldor=Aldor|scryers=Scryers|kirin tor=Kirin Tor|rare=Rare|elite=Elite|both=Both|kyrian=Kyrian|necrolord=Necrolord|night fae=Night Fae|venthyr=Venthyr|neutral|#default=Neutral}}_{{#switch:small|xlarge=64|large=32|small=15|#default=32}}.png|{{#switch:alliance|alliance=Alliance|boss=Boss|combat=Mob|hostile=Mob|horde=Horde|aldor=Aldor|scryers=Scryers|kirin tor=Kirin Tor|rare=Rare|elite=Elite|both=Alliance & Horde|kyrian=Kyrian|necrolord=Necrolord|night fae=Night Fae|venthyr=Venthyr|neutral|#default=Neutral}}|link={{#switch:alliance|alliance=Alliance|boss=Mob|combat=Mob|hostile=Combat|horde=Horde|aldor=Aldor|scryers=Scryers|kirin tor=Kirin Tor|rare=Rare mob|elite=Elite mob|kyrian=Kyrian Covenant|necrolord=Necrolord Covenant|night fae=Night Fae Covenant|venthyr=Venthyr Covenant|both|neutral|#default=Faction}}]] [16] Kul Tiran Provisions: Special Goods</ref> or Tirassian.<ref>Derived from the Tirassian wind-runner.</ref>
• Lordaeron = Lordaeronian<ref>The Silverpine Wars</ref><ref>The Silverline Raven</ref> or Lordaeroni.<ref>{{#ifeq:-|-||Template:Sort}}{{#ifeq:-|-||Template:Sort}}[[File:{{#switch:neutral|alliance=Alliance|boss=Boss|combat=Combat|hostile=Combat|horde=Horde|aldor=Aldor|scryers=Scryers|kirin tor=Kirin Tor|rare=Rare|elite=Elite|both=Both|kyrian=Kyrian|necrolord=Necrolord|night fae=Night Fae|venthyr=Venthyr|neutral|#default=Neutral}}_{{#switch:small|xlarge=64|large=32|small=15|#default=32}}.png|{{#switch:neutral|alliance=Alliance|boss=Boss|combat=Mob|hostile=Mob|horde=Horde|aldor=Aldor|scryers=Scryers|kirin tor=Kirin Tor|rare=Rare|elite=Elite|both=Alliance & Horde|kyrian=Kyrian|necrolord=Necrolord|night fae=Night Fae|venthyr=Venthyr|neutral|#default=Neutral}}|link={{#switch:neutral|alliance=Alliance|boss=Mob|combat=Mob|hostile=Combat|horde=Horde|aldor=Aldor|scryers=Scryers|kirin tor=Kirin Tor|rare=Rare mob|elite=Elite mob|kyrian=Kyrian Covenant|necrolord=Necrolord Covenant|night fae=Night Fae Covenant|venthyr=Venthyr Covenant|both|neutral|#default=Faction}}]] [60] The Sword Master</ref>
• Stormwind = Stormwindian.<ref>Breman Hartford#Quotes</ref>

Current status

King Anduin Wrynn is the current ruler of Stormwind, having been crowned in absence of his father, Varian Wrynn. Stormwind maintains its position as one of the last bastions of humanity and the most powerful nation in the Alliance.

King Liam Greymane is the current ruler of Gilneas, succeeding King Genn who died during the Gilnean civil war at the height of the tyranny of the Regent-Lords Harlow.

Archmage Ansirem Runeweaver is the current leader of Dalaran. After its destruction by the Scourge in the Third War, Dalaranian forces continue trying to rebuilt the city, protected by a big magic dome, and the mages and archmagi fight everyday in effort to bring back glory to their destroyed city.

Led by the Lord Admiral, Kul Tiras maintains diplomatic relations with the Alliance, having established the embassy of Davenburg in Stormwind Harbor.

Prince Galen Trollbane, the crown prince of Stromgarde, fights with his forces in the ruins of the Stromgarde Keep, rebuilding slowly the city as they fight against the Syndicate, the Ogres and the Horde.

The Kingdom of Alterac continues its existence mostly in the form of the Syndicate, its members still hostile to both factions, although Alterac Valley was contested between the Frostwolf clan and the Stormpike Guard, as well as most recently other Alliance and Horde forces in the region.

After the Third War, the Kingdom of Lordaeron was left in ruins, small remnants still fight to recover the former glorious lands of the human kingdom, but currently it remains in the hands of the Undead Forsaken, with their main settlement located in the catacombs of the old Capital City.