View source for Andor

{{Template:NationInfo
|BannerImage=VAndor.jpg
|Nation=Andor
|Capital=[[Caemlyn]]
|Sigil=A rampant white lion; the White Lion 
|Banner=A white lion rampant on a field of red.
|Ruler=[[Elayne Trakand]]
|Throne=The Lion Throne
|Crown=The Rose Crown
|Palace= The [[Royal Palace]]
}}
{{compmore}}

Pronunciation: AN-door

==General==
'''Andor''' is a wealthy [[Nations of the New Era|nation]] with exports such as wool, precious metals, ironwork, tabac, and grain. It has a strong army that consists mainly of the [[Queen's Guard]]. The capital city, [[Caemlyn]], is said to be second only to Tar Valon in beauty. The New City was built more than two thousand years ago by human effort alone. The Inner City, however, is ancient with much bearing the mark of [[Ogier]] stonemasons. Most of the official perimeter of the city is encircled by a great fifty-foot wall of silver white, broken only by tall round towers flanking massive arched gates. The Palace, which sits atop the highest hills in the Inner City, is the seat of government for the nation of Andor. 

Although the Queen's rule is not strong in the more distant parts of the nation, the mines in the Mountains of Mist are vital to the economic health of Andor. The control over the area exists mainly in that there are no export routes other than through the rest of Andor. The town of [[Baerlon]] is responsible for much of the refining of the ore. The [[Two Rivers]] is so remote that most of the inhabitants are unaware they are part of a larger kingdom and ruled by a Queen. [[Rand al'Thor]], [[Perrin Aybara]], [[Matrim Cauthon]], [[Egwene al'Vere]] and [[Nynaeve al'Meara]] all come from [[Emond's Field]], in the Two Rivers. It is during [[Moiraine]] Sedai's visit to Emond's Field that the local inhabitants learn their land was once known as the nation of [[Manetheren]], lost two thousand years before.

==History==

===Formation===
{{info|{{guide|27}}}}
Andor is not only the largest nation of the land, it is also one of the oldest, with its formation as a nation occurring soon after the death of [[Artur Hawkwing]]. The first Queen of Andor was [[Ishara]], daughter of Hawkwing's governor [[Endara Casalain]] and granddaughter of the last king of [[Aldeshar]]. She joined with [[Souran Maravaile]], Hawkwing's greatest general, taking control of the province from her mother and turning it into a nation. It was during the reign of Queen Ishara that Andor's traditional allegiance with the [[White Tower]] was formed. Her marriage to Souran Maravaile gave her his army and broke the siege of [[Tar Valon]]. Queen Ishara's eldest daughter was sent to study in the Tower and [[Aes Sedai]], and [[Ballair]] became the first Aes Sedai to be advisor to the Queen of Andor. Unlike many of the other nations that formed in the early days of the [[War of the Hundred Years]], Andor expanded slowly, only claiming what they could actually control. The town of [[Four Kings]] dates from the period, when four of the other kings sent armies against [[Maragaine]].

The tradition of only a Queen, never a King, sitting upon the Lion Throne and wearing the Rose Crown also stems from this period, when the male heirs would often be killed in battle.

===Historical Rulers===
{{info|{{Guide|13}}}}
*[[Ishara]]: FY 994 - FY 1020
*[[Alesinde]] (FY 1020 - FY 1035)
*[[Melasune]] (FY 1035 - FY 1046)
*[[Termylle]] (FY 1046 - FY 1073)
*[[Maragaine]] (FY 1054 - FY 1073)
*[[Astara]] (FY 1073 - FY 1085)
*[[Telaisien]] (FY 1085 - FY 1103)
*[[Morrigan]] (FY 1103 - FY 1114)
*[[Lyndelle]] (FY 1114 -- ??? [ruled for fifty-one years]) 
*[[Modrellein]] c300NE ({{tdr|16}})

The eldest daughter is named Daughter-Heir while the eldest son is called First Prince of the Sword, sworn to protect and defend his sister with his life. By law, the Daughter-Heir is sent to the Tower to study. The most recent Daughter-Heir to study in the White Tower is [[Elayne Trakand]].

==Geography==
[[image:Andor-on-the-map.png|500px|right|alt a map of the continent, outlining the position of Andor in the center]]

===Relation to Previous National Borders===
During the time of the [[compact of the Ten Nations]], parts of [[Manetheren]] and [[Coremanda]] made up what is now Andor. Following the [[Trolloc Wars]], the nations of [[Farashelle]], [[Aldeshar]], [[Caembarin]], [[Nerevan]], and [[Esandara]] occupied the land.

===Borders===
Andor is bordered by [[Cairhien (Nation)|Cairhien]] to the east and [[Murandy]] and [[Ghealdan]] to the south. The [[Mountains of Mist]] mark the western border. To the north are [[Saldaea]] and [[Kandor]], though the land between the nations is largely uninhabited. 

===Geographical Features===
;Bodies of Water
*[[River Arinelle]]
*[[River Cary]]
*[[River Erinin]]
*[[River Manetherendrelle]]
*[[River Reisendrelle]]
*[[River Storn]]
*[[River Taren]]
*The [[Winespring Water]]

;Hills and Mountains
*[[Chisen Mountains]]
*[[Sand Hills]]
*[[Hills of Absher]]
*[[Mountains of Mist]]
*[[Tunaighan Hills]]

;Miscellaneous
*[[Braem Wood]]
*[[Tower of Ghenjei]]
*[[Westwood]]

===The Two Rivers===
{{Main|The Two Rivers}}
The Two Rivers is a region in the far west of Andor that has long been out of the control of the central government, so much so that most people there do not even know they are part of Andor. They had lived without nobles for generations until their people chose [[Perrin Aybara]] as their lord after he led them to successfully defend against a [[trolloc]] incursion ({{tsr|56}}). This was later confirmed by Elayne, who agreed to keep the status of the Two Rivers much as it was before, except that the land would be granted to the [[Dragon Reborn]] ({{Tom|47}}).

==Government==

===The Throne===
Andor is ruled by a queen, whose daughter, known as the Daughter Heir, will follow on her death. If there is no Daughter Heir, the throne will pass to the noble with the most direct lines to Ishara ({{guide|27}}). The passing of the throne to the daughter heir is usually a formality, but does require the assent of a majority of the Great Houses. The office and throne are commonly known as the Lion Throne.

====Wars of Succession====
Occasionally, there is no daughter heir and no clear individual with the strongest claim. In such situations, several houses may try and claim the throne, and this can result in civil war between the rival claimants. There have been several incidences in Andoran history, but two have particular significance.

;Morgase's Succession
After [[Tigraine]] and [[Luc]] both disappeared in 972 and 971 NE, [[Mordrellen]] was left without an heir. When she died, several houses claimed the throne. Eventually, house Trakand, led by Morgase, who was just 15 at the start of the war, was victorious.

;Elayne's Succession
{{Main|Elayne's Succession}}
Late in Morgase's rule, Andor was on the verge of rebellion, with many people feeling that [[Elaida]] had too much influence. This feeling was compounded when [[Rahvin]] took over and made Morgase mistreat and exile many of her supporters, such that many nobles no longer wanted to see a Trakand on the throne.  The great houses coalesced into three groupings, one behind Elayne, a second supporting [[Arymilla Marne]], and a third neutral faction. Following Arymilla's defeat at the siege of Caemlyn, those of her supporters that were not irreversibly committed, declared for Elayne and shortly after, the majority of those who had remained neutral did so also ({{ref}}). The houses that had led opposition to her, Arawn, Marne, and Sarand were stripped of land and titles, with their estates given to [[Cairhien (Nation)|Cairhien]]in nobles to bind them to Elayne ({{tom|50}}).

===Nobility===
{{main|List of Andoran Nobles}}
;The Great Houses
There are nineteen Great Houses:
*Anshar
*Arawn
*Baryn
*Candraed
*Caeren
*Carand
*Coelan
*Gilyard
*Haevin
*Mantear
*Marne
*Northan
*Norwelyn
*Pendar
*Renshar
*Sarand
*Taravin
*Traemane
*Trakand

;Lesser Houses
Many lesser houses are known:
*Ankarin
*Armaghan
*Avarhin
*Aybara
*Branstom
*Gilbearn
*Layden
*Janevor
*Maran
*Matherin
*Martan
*Pensenor
*Raened
*Sharplyn
*Traehand
*Vordarian

===Military===
The Andoran elite military has been the [[Queen's Guard]]. They have gained access to weapons powered by gunpowder ({{tom|19}}), which they intend to keep out of the hands of other nations, giving them a large advantage.

===Cities, Towns, and Villages===

;Cities, towns, and villages in Andor
*[[Caemlyn]]: the Capital
*[[Arien]]
*[[Baerlon]]
*[[Breen's Spring]]
*[[Buryhill]]
*[[Carysford]]
*[[Cullen's Crossing]]
*[[Damelien]]
*[[Deven Ride]]
*[[Emond's Field]]
*[[Forel Market]]
*[[Four Kings]]
*[[Harlon Bridge]]
*[[Jornhill]]
*[[Kore Springs]]
*[[Market Sheran]]
*[[New Braem]]
*[[Taren Ferry]]
*[[Watch Hill]]
*[[Whitebridge]] - One of the best known. The town is named for the snow-white bridge which spans the [[River Arinelle]]. The bridge itself is believed to date from the [[Age of Legends]].

==Relations and Trade==

==People and Customs==

===Feasts and Festivals===
Many [[Feasts and Festivals]] are celebrated in Andor. These include Amaethon, [[Bel Tine]], the Feast of Abram, Feast of Fools, Feast of Light, Feast of Maia, Feast of Nemen, Shaoman, [[Shearing]], [[Sunday]], and [[Winternight]] ({{guide2|31}}).

The Queen distributes the [[Queen's Bounty]] to beggars at the Royal Palace on High Days ({{teotw|39}}).

===Appearance, Clothing, and Dress===
The clothing of Andor is not known to have any distinguishing features. Similarly, the people do not have namy common traits, though they are usually pale skinned. In some regions, such as the Two Rivers, hair and eyes are dark, but this is not the case everywhere ({{guide2|27}}).

===Food===
{{main2|Food#Andor|Andoran Food}}
Many foods are known to be eaten in Andor.

===Expressions===

===Characters from Andor===
{{Main|Andoran Character List}}

==Future==
During [[Aviendha]]'s second trip through the [[Glass Columns]] in [[Rhuidean]], one of her visions of the future is in an Andor that is at war against the [[Seanchan]], around fifty to seventy years after the [[Last Battle]], when Queen [[Talana]] ruled.  Aviendha's granddaughter [[Oncala]] persuaded the Andorans that the Seanchan were planning to attack them and by that convinced them to join with the Aiel against them.  They were defeated after this ({{tom|49}}).

[[Category:Nations]]