Kelson Haldane (Gwynedd)

Kelson Haldane of Gwynedd is a fictional character in the Deryni series of historical fantasy novels by Katherine Kurtz.

Kelson Cinhil Rhys Anthony Haldane is the twenty-sixth King of Gwynedd, ascending to the throne in the year 1120. He is the twenty-first member of the House of Haldane to wear the crown of Gwynedd, and the fifteenth consecutive Haldane to be king since the end of the Festillic Interregnum.

While Kelson's forename is not a previously-established royal name in Gwynedd, two of his three middle names honor his royal ancestors. The name Cinhil is borne by two previous kings (King Cinhil I and King Cinhil II) as well as several princes of the royal family. In addition, Rhys was the forename of the first Cinhil's youngest son, King Rhys Michael. Kelson's third middle name, Anthony, is also the middle name of Duke Alaric Morgan, the closest friend of his father, King Brion Haldane.

Kelson's primary motivation throughout the novels in which he appears is the protection and well-being of his realm. His efforts to secure and preserve the safety of his lands and his subjects often take precedence over his own personal desires.

Kelson is determined to stop the persecution of Deryni in Gwynedd. Not only does he seek to overturn the secular and ecclesiastical laws that limit the legal rights of Deryni, he actively seeks to restore Saint Camber to a place of honor and rebuild the ancient Deryni institutions of learning. Additionally, he seeks to secure a lasting peace with both Torenth and Meara.

The first Deryni novel, Deryni Rising, establishes several recurring conflicts for Kelson, some of which plague him repeatedly over the course of the following novels. Multiple opposing characters attempt to seize the throne of Gwynedd or large portions of the kingdom itself, most notably the Festillic Pretender Charissa Furstána-Festila in Deryni Rising, King Wencit Furstán of Torenth in High Deryni, the Mearan Pretender Caitrin Quinnell in The King's Justice, and Kelson's cousin, Conall Haldane, in The Quest for Saint Camber. Charissa and Wencit are also part of ongoing tension with the neighboring kingdom of Torenth, a conflict that continues throughout the series until its resolution in King Kelson's Bride. Similarly, the conflict of Kelson's strained relationship with his mother, Queen Jehana, reappears multiple times throughout the series. As Kelson ages through the course of the novels, he is forced to deal with the increasing pressure of his family and advisors to find a wife and produce an heir.

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