Zingara was one of the main naval and commercial powers of the Hyborian world, though second to its main rival Argos. As part of their rivalry, Zingara once organized a group of Freebooters. They were supposed to serve as licensed privateers and perform the patriotic duty of disrupting foreign trade. The attempt backfired as most Freebooters became regular pirates with only nominal affiliation to Zingara. Self-interest won over any patriotic feelings they may have had. Stygia was a secondary rival to Zingaran interests.[1]
History
Origin[]
After the Great Cataclysm, the Valley of Zingg was the first home of the ancestral Zingarans,[2] the Zingg Valley folk, a people possibly of Shemite origin.[3] The Valley of Zingg fertile land where they existed as farm dwellers.
Before or early in the Hyborian Age, invading Picts merged with the farm dwellers Zingg, which would lead to the foundation of the kingdom of Zingara.[4] Hyborian tribes also mingled with the Zingarans, who were mostly included among the Hyborian peoples.[3]
Age of Conan[]
When it was visited by Conan, Zingara was a divided kingdom south of the Pictish Wilderness and west of Argos, where a civil war between the Easterners, aided by Argos, and the Westerners, supplied by Aquilonia, was being fought for the shipping rights off the Western Sea. As Conan, Delmurio and Tetra were approaching the city of Sadoria, they were attacked by a band of children of war. Marshall Barabbus suddenly appeared and scattered the children away, escorting the newcomers to Sadoria.[5]
Sancho's rule[]
In the days Conan was a Barachan captain, King Sancho ruled Zingara. He entered an alliance with Argos to purge the Barachan Isles from its pirate population, and a the nobleman Lindoro tattooed a treaty on his belly, to deliver under threat of death for Lindoro and his family. Helped by the the Zingara sorcerer "Ziostes", in fact Tritus, the Sea God, the Barachans slaughtered the joint fleets.[6]
Count Villarios, the Minister of Justice and secretly a sorcerer, conducted a cruel inquisition. After the thief Conan was accused of wrongly slaying Count Rodrigo, Baron Vargas interceded to King Sancho in Conan's favor. Villarios collaborated with the demon Molub as part of his fanatical worship of Mitra, and even intended to use Molub on King Sancho if he interfered, and even to purge all of the Hyborian Kingdoms afterward. Under Vargas' counsel, King Sancho ordered the release of Conan and other Inquisition's prisoners.[7]
Monarchless Zingara[]
As the throne of Zingara remained vacant vacant, Pantho, Duke of Guarralid, intended to claim it, pushed either by bribery or sorcery by the Stygian sorcerer Thoth-Amon (who intended to use him as diversion to get Conan away from Tarantia). Pantho started by conquering the western reaches of Argos, then had his army invade Poitain, southernmost province of Aquilonia (possibly to secure his rear before attacking Kordava thought Conan). In Poitain, Pantho was defeated and pushed back across the Alimane River where many of them were killed, including the Duke whom Conan splat the skull, some yielded and a few escaped.[8]
Chabela's and Olivero's rule under Aquilonian overlordship[]
Conan decided to push into Zingara to set a puppet leader on Zingara's throne and stop Zingara dynastic infighting, and was informed by Diviatix, chief druid of Pictland, that Thoth-Amon was behind Pantho's actions. In the morning, he sacred Princess Chabela and her consort Olivero as queen and king of Zingara, under the over-lordship of Aquilonia, and sent them to Kordava with a troops of his knights.[8]
Sancho's second rule[]
The circumstances in which Sancho returned to power remain unrevealed, and it is possible that this isn't the same king Sancho.
Sancho returned (or another king name Sancho ascended) as king of Zingara. A weak king, he welcomed and took under his protection King Xanthaus of Argos and Queen Leora of Ophir, until he was their prisoner.
As King Conan's army surrounded Kordava and his enemies Xanthaus and Leora, they ordered the destruction by fire of the city and fleet. They and scaled priest Crassus had King Sancho, along his wife and children, to sacrificed (for good wind for his escape), leaving Zingara without succession and prone to civil war.[9]
Protectorate of the Aquilonian Empire[]
Under Zingaran noble Karim Fez's counsel, Conan annexed Zingara as a protectorate of the new empire, promising that his heirs would retun its sovereignity one day. He named Karim Fez governor of Zingara.[9]
Aquilonian rule after Conan[]
The Zingarans were easily annexed by Conan's successors, but often rebelled. Eventually, the Zingarans regained their independence as the Aquilonian Empire was distracted by wars with Nemedia.
Zingara was later invaded by Picts, themselves ousted by the Nordheimr who fled southward before the glaciation.[3]
Legacy[]
Some of the culture and language of the Romany came from the Zingarans and Zamorans.[10]
Fact[]
Economy[]
The economy was not solely placed on naval trade. Zingara produced and exported sugar, wine, leather goods, and tin. Zingarans had their own style of swordsmanship and had produced renowned sword-fighters and teachers.[1]
Languages[]
The Zingaran used Zingaran hieroglyphics as written language.[6]
Politics[]
The kings ruled from the capital, Kordava, but royal authority was actually limited. Wealthy and influential nobles often had their own agendas and the funds to hire private military forces. Rivalries among such ambitious nobles resulted in a long series of civil wars.[1]
Religion[]
The festival of Mitra was held at Kordava, while a cruel inquisition led by Count Villario, Minister of Justice, plagued the city. Each year, an effigy of Molub was built for the Festival of Mitra in Kordava, capital of Zingara.[7]
Zingaran sailors invoked in whispers the name of Aqueon, an angry goddess of the abyss fearfully worshiped by the ancient Atlanteans.[11]Points of Interest
- Black River
- Kordava - Capital
- Castle of Villagro
- Inn of the Nine Drawn Swords
- Palace of Zingara
- Kordava - Capital
- Burundi Hill
- Castle Tamar-Shar-Khun
- Citadel
- Guarralid
- Jerida
- Karnemet
- Korzetta
- Place of Skulls
- Sadoria
- Shar
- Thunder River
- Valley of Zingg
- Yorkin
Residents
- Zingarans
- King Phehemenes
- King Ferdrugo
- Duke Villagro
- King Sancho
- Duke Pantho of Guarralid
- Queen Chabela and King Olivero - Monarchs under overlordship of Aquilonia[8]
- Karim Fez - Governor of Zingara as protectorate of the Aquilonian Empire
Notes
- Zingara was created by Robert E. Howard, and was mentioned in his Conan the Barbarian stories.[3] It was partially based on Spain.[citation needed]
See Also
- 33 appearance(s) of Zingara
- 1 appearance(s) in handbook(s) of Zingara
- 1 minor appearance(s) of Zingara
- 75 mention(s) of Zingara
- 1 mention(s) in handbook(s) of Zingara
- 3 image(s) of Zingara
- 9 article(s) related to Zingara
- 12 citizen(s) of Zingara
Links and References
References
- ↑ 1.0 1.1 1.2 Handbook of the Conan Universe #1 ; Zingara's profile
- ↑ Savage Sword of Conan #42 ; A Gazetteer of the Hyborian Age, Part IX: Zingg, Valley of's entry
- ↑ 3.0 3.1 3.2 3.3 Savage Sword of Conan #42 ; A Gazetteer of the Hyborian Age, Part IX: Zingara's entry
- ↑ Conan the Adventurer #5 ; The Hyborian Age
- ↑ Conan the Barbarian #174
- ↑ 6.0 6.1 Savage Sword of Conan #129 ; The Sea Mage's Daughter
- ↑ 7.0 7.1 Savage Sword of Conan #185 ; Masque of the Demon
- ↑ 8.0 8.1 8.2 King Conan #2
- ↑ 9.0 9.1 Conan the King #41
- ↑ Blockbusters of the Marvel Universe #1 ; Great Cataclysm's profile
- ↑ Conan Saga #97 ; Bestiairie of Thoth-Amon