My take:
Yes - they were called the "Elevens" because they were beyond normal DH
society. I have it from Greg that they were composed of a mix of criminals
and Shargashi. (GROY often mentions that the Elevens were full of criminals
and "Fanatics".) Note that Shargashi may be considered normal in Alkoth,
but probably not in Raibanth, where both GROY and FS were likely written.
(Perhaps the criminals were Raibanth and Yuthuppa's way of contributing to a
war effort... or an Alkothi way of quickly finding cannon-fodder?)
> The Elevens overthrew Manimat in a coup and appeared to have installed
Kazkurtum instead.
Installed Kazkurtem? Interesting theory - will re-read. As an initial impression, I don't think the Elevens would be into installing Emperors of any sort. I thought K just filled a void.
>Since the only other person to have used such untrustworthy troops after
this is:
Anirestyu [who] sends them to aid Nysalor in his last battle.
Actually, FS describes a DH army going to Pelanda or Naveria to fight the Carmanians in one of the earlier wars. Easily dispatching the western barbarians, they turn on the local countryside and ravage the land, unable to be called off by Raibanth. Sounds like the Elevens to me. And then there's all the spontaneous redecorating of Darjiian periodically done be Alkoth - enough to get Shargash temporarily ousted from Yelm's family by the later solar theologians. I think the Elevens were/are alive and well, though generally a small Alkothi phenomenon.
>which says it all IMO. For those of you not in the know (not having
read the Fortunate Succession), Anirestyu is somewhat despised by the
later Chronicles.
I thought he was despised for sending all the "officers" (Runies?) and the Elevens to help Nysalor instead of defending Dara Happa.
>Incidentally the Chroniclers deprived him of his status as Emperor of
Dara Happa, because he did not use the Shargash Priests of Alkoth to
witness his enthronement. Anirestyu appears to have used the Elevens
instead (compare the resemblences to Elevens and Shargash).
Interesting - I'll have to look for that one again. If so, the Shargashi priests would likely have left Anirdavu's fat to fry.... because one of the conditions of Eusibus' alliance with Kordavu - one of the foundations of the empire - was that Alkoth get a say in the crowning of emperors. (Empire has always been a Raibanthi dream - not a particularly Alkothi one.) Heck, the Shargashi way have decided that the whole empire needed a spruce-up, and thrown in with Sh'Arkat.... (I don't recall - did Alkoth suffer much from the invasion?)
Still catching up -
Pam
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