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For others with the same surname as her mother, see Bashere.

Her Illumined Majesty, Tenobia si Bashere Kazadi, Shield of the North and Sword of the Blightborder, High Seat of House Kazadi, Lady of Shahayni, Asnelle, Kunwar and Ganai was Queen of Saldaea.

She was niece to Davram Bashere and thus cousin to Faile.

Appearance[]

Ethenielle believes Tenobia managed to be "pretty if not beautiful despite a nose that was overbold at best". She also thinks she is "tall for a woman."[1] The Companion is less kind, describing her as having "a large nose, a wide mouth and large tilted eyes of a dark deep blue that was almost purple." She had a narrow waist, a round bosom and a high voice. Her height is given as 5'7" or 170 cm.[2]

Activities[]

Tenobia was born in 975 NE and came to the throne of Saldaea in 991 NE.[2] Tenobia was touchy about anything that she perceived as a threat to her reign, and only trusted her council of soldiers.

The White Tower under Elaida's leadership sends Memara Sedai to Saldaea to keep Tenobia under control[3]. Queen Tenobia writes to the Amyrlin Seat asking that the White Tower stop meddling in her affairs.[4] In her disapproval, Elaida ordered a kidnapping of Tenobia, but it never came to pass.

Tenobia wished to marry a man who was a poet, philosopher, and warrior of the finest degree. Her subjects thought that her expectations were so high that she would never find someone suitable for her. Instead, she made a political match by marrying her uncle, Lord Kalyan Ramsin, to Queen Ethenielle of Kandor.[2]

Finding the Dragon[]

Tenobia met with the other Borderland rulers, Ethenielle Kirukon Materasu, Paitar Nachiman and Easar Togita, and made a blood pact with them before setting out and leaving the Borderlands to look for Rand al'Thor[1]. Tenobia has brought five Aes Sedai with her, while Paitar has brought seven of them.

The army travels to Braem Wood in Andor where it camps down for the winter. She and the rest of the rulers meet with Elayne Trakand. They agree with her to carry on moving south towards Murandy in exchange for Elayne not raising a hostile hand against them as they travel. She seems intent on finding her uncle again.

When Rand finally agrees to meet with the Borderlanders outside of Far Madding, Tenobia and the other rulers of the Borderlands arrive there. One by one the rulers smack Rand in the face as part of an ancient Arafellin prophecy, however preceding the kingdom of Arafel. Tenobia used her left hand to hit Rand.

When talking about his past actions, Rand demands the monarchs swear loyalty to him. A matter Tenobia had great difficulty with, as she found her loyalty should lie with the people of her nation. She and the others are left to discuss the offer of Rand marching to Shayol Ghul to break the remaining Seals on the Dark One's prison.

Tenobia and her force Travel to the Field of Merrilor, where she is one of the rulers arguing in Rand's defense on why everyone should sign the Dragon's Peace. With the timely arrival of Moiraine Damodred, she manages to finally convince everyone that this needs to be done quoting the Karaethon Cycle. To the Borderlander rulers she quotes:

"He call upon the mountains to kneel"

All the rulers finally sign the document.

The Last Battle[]

Tenobia is in attendance at Elayne Trakand's initial war-council, where it is decided that the army will fight on four fronts led by the four Great Generals. The Borderlander rulers join the Last Battle at Tarwin's Gap, where Agelmar Jagad, as a Great Captain, is the head of the command structure. Tenobia keeps arguing with Agelmar about not being aggressive enough and taking the fight into the Blight. During the Borderlander army retreat through Shienar, Tenobia begins to ride with her men into battle.

On orders from the Dark One, Hessalam manipulates the dreams and thoughts of Lord Jagad, causing him to make decisions that benefit the Shadow instead of the Light. Tenobia's elite guard is surrounded by Trollocs, and Tenobia is killed, effectively making her cousin Faile Queen of Saldaea, following her father, Bashere's death.

Parallels[]

Tenobia echoes the magnificent Zenobia, queen of the Palmyrene Empire in the third century, whose life became legend.[5]


Notes

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