Timeline of Captains of the Miltona Watch
Captains
Pero Entenza (1381 - 1407)
see main article Pero Entenza
Pero Entenza was the founder and first Captain of the Miltona Watch. Having taken an interest in military affairs while schooling in Donderstad he had pushed for a military force from 1373, finally achieving his vision in 1381. As Captain of the Watch Entenza commanded the defence of the town in 1388 and 1407, and was responsible also for it's expansion to 50 men. He facilitated the rise of Philippe Cadron through the ranks, which may have been to his own demise. He died in 1407, apparently of wounds sustained during the defense of Miltona.
Philippe Cadron (1407 - 1452)
see main article Philippe Cadron
Philippe Cadron was arguably the most influential Captain of the Watch. Initially taking the position in 1407, he was forced to resign after becoming Mayor in 1408. After the death of Alfons due to a training injury, he retook the position, becoming both Mayor and Captain. From this position of power he ruled Miltona until 1452 when, at the age of 70, he retired from the Watch, installing his favourite Calisto Calasanz (Great-Great-nephew of Pietro Calasanz) as his successor.
Alfons (1408)
Hero of the Siege of Miltona, Alfons was vocal in his calls that the newly formed position of Mayor remain separate from the position of Captain of the Watch. After Philippe resigned from the Watch in order to become Mayor, Alfons was chosen Captain unopposed. Only a few months into his tenure he died due to a severe injury recieved in a training accident.
Calisto Calasanz (1452 - 1468)
see main article Calisto Calasanz
Calisto was, unlike the rest of the Watch Captains, chosen by a predecessor rather than elected, due to the huge power that Philippe held. It was assumed by many, including Calisto himself, that this meant that Philippe was preparing him to be the next ruler of Miltona, following his approaching death. Calisto was shocked when a close to death Philippe announced that the position of Mayor should be elected following his death, and kept seperate from the position of Captain of the Watch. He was further dismayed when Philippe endorsed a long time critic - Frederico Mas - for position of Mayor. Despite this upon Philippe's death in 1456, Calisto ran for mayor, but lost. Remaining bitter he rigged the next election (in 1461) so that his younger brother Antoni would win, using the Watch (who managed the election) to remove unfavourable votes and add some favourable votes. In 1466, when the time came for reelection his brother and him tried to prevent elections from taking place. Eventually in 1467 Frederico Mas led the people in demanding and election, which he won. The next year the now unpopular Calisto was forced out of the watch by the dashing Rafael Navarro.
Rafael Navarro was a dashing young man and skilled fighter and quickly became popular with both the people and the watch after he joined in 1461, aged 16. By 1466 he had become vocally opposed to the Calasanz rule and in the 1467 riots he led a small group of younger watchmen to join the rioters. He then ran in the 1467 Mayoral elections, losing to Frederico Mas but humiliating the Calasanzs by beating Antoni. Following these actions Calisto attempted to remove him from the watch, but when swords were drawn it was Rafael who had the support of the watch. Calisto resigned as Captain of the Watch and Rafael was elected unopposed. In 1482 he considered running for mayor when Frederico Mas retired, but decided to remain Captain of the Watch. In 1501 a large group of pirates attacked Miltona. Rafael valiently and intelligently led his men, but the pirates far outnumbered and outgunned the defenders and after 9 days of siege the walls were breached. The town was sacked and Rafael and his Lieutenant were killed.
Cancio Torquelles (1501 - 1522)
see main article Cancio Torquelles
Following the death of Captain Rafael and his Lieutenant, as well as the majority of the Watch, Second Lieutenant Cancio Torquelles was quickly elected head of the Watch. Cancio moved to strengthen the Watch, a move met with popular support. He pushed new Mayor Franco Vilagrass to ask the King of Brunant for funds to rebuild the city and the watch and to the surprise of many, the King granted significant aid in return for a re-pledge of allegiance. Cancio used a large portion of the funds to reequip the Watch and hire mercenaries until he could return the Watch to its previous strength of 100. Mayor Blasco Mas increasingly came into conflict with Cancio over the funds and power gained by Cancio, but Cancio's moves to strengthen the Watch make him popular with the post-1501 population. In 1517 Cancio led a successful defense of the town against pirates, and expanded the Watch. The move brought him into conflict with Mayor Blasco Mas who was forced to call an elction which he lost to Cancio backed Franco Vilagrass. In 1520 Cancio led yet another successful defense of the town. At the age of 48 Cancio retired from the Watch to run for Mayor in the 2022 elections, leaving his son Penya to become Captain.
Penya Torquelles (1522 - 1538) (1539 - 1551)
see main article Penya Torquelles
Penya had been groomed to be his father's heir from a young age. When Cancio retired from the Watch to run for Mayor, he used his popularity with his men to ensure that Penya was elected the next Captain of the Watch, creating a Torquelles dynasty and dual-rule. As Captain of the Watch Penya mostly followed his father's orders and example, becoming respected but not loved by the men. Following his father's death he elected to run for Mayor, but refused to step down while running, stating he would do so once he became Mayor. After failing to become Mayor the Watch voted to remove him from power anyway, replacing him with Florenzo Navarro, grandson of Rafael Navarro, but he was still respected enough to be given the position of Lieutenant. In 1539 the town was again attacked by pirates. While successful, the defense of the town revealed Florenzo's weakness as a leader and Penya was re-elected Captain of the Watch. For the next 12 years Penya Captained the Watch as he had before, until in 1551 he retired at age 56.
Florenzo's term as Captain of the Watch was the second shortest in Watch history. In order to remove Penya from Captain, the watch needed to unite behind someone. As most of the Lieutenants were loyal to Penya, the position fell to Sergeant Florenzo Navarro, mostly due to the prestige gained from being the grandson of the great Rafael Navarro, than due to any actual ability. In 1539 Navarro poorly led a successful defense of the town and was therefore replaced by Penya at the behest of the men of the Watch.
Rolan Bandres (1551 - 1558)
Ballandan Torquelles (1558 - 1573)
In 1558 the young Ballandan gained the title Captain of the Miltona Watch mostly due to his family name - Penya and Cancio were both remembered fondly by the watch. Unlike his relatives however, Ballandan was not a strong or active leader of the Watch. Under his command the level of skill, training and equipment of the Watch dropped, as did its numbers. When in 1563 Mencio Latorre campaigned for Mayor on reducing Watch spending, Ballandan not only did not oppose him, but rather endorsed his friend. Following Latorre's election the level of the Watch fell even further. While subordinates raised the issue with Ballandan, he argued that the Watch was no longer critical. Pirate attacks had not happened for years, and he claimed that the now strong and prominent Brunant army was preventing them, and would continue to protect Miltona. Thus in 1573 the Watch was unprepared for the attack that came. They were overrun and massacred, the town burned almost to the group. Ballandan died in the attack and was forever remembered as Ballandan "the Unready".