| "And I wasn't well-received in the capital as the Fire Lord's mistress. There are certain ways members of the royal family are supposed to meet their future partners and falling in love as teenagers doesn't count. [...] You think the other nobles don't try to edge their rivals out or dream of having their offspring sitting on the throne? Every single family of sufficient birth has wanted to own this country since Toz. Your precious Sei'naka women would go for it if they had the strength." |
| — Lady Huazo about her life as Fire Lord Chaeryu's mistress.[1] |
The consort to the Fire Lord, who may be male or female, assumes an important position in the Fire Nation royal court accompanied by various duties and privileges. A female consort is known as Fire Lady if she is officially married to the Fire Lord, while an unofficial female lover is termed a mistress[1] or just girlfriend.[2] At least one Fire Lord, Chaeryu, was known to have had several lovers at the same time.
History[]
In his youth, Fire Lord Chaeryu fell in love with Lady Huazo of the Saowon clan and took her as a mistress, but his ministers disapproved of the relationship. They outmaneuvered Huazo by having Chaeryu meet Lady Sulan of the Keohso clan at a garden party. The Fire Lord fell for her immediately, eventually married her, and consequently tried to cut his links with Huazo. However, the latter was already pregnant with his first son, Chaejin, while Sulan died giving birth to his second son, Zoryu.[1][3] Chaeryu later took more lower-born mistresses but acknowledged none of their children as his own.[1]
Chaeryu made Zoryu his heir and the latter succeeded him as Fire Lord following Chaeryu's death, but Huazo and Chaejin eventually contested the succession in the so-called Camellia-Peony War.[4] Despite all this, neither Huazo nor Sulan ever held grudges against each other, with the former blaming Chaeryu and the ministers for the entire crisis.[1]
Centuries later, Fire Lord Taiso married Lady Hazei. They had two children, Sozin and Zeisan, involving both in their courtly schemes.[5]
Over a century later, Fire Lord Azulon married Ilah, with whom he had two sons, Iroh and Ozai. Ilah predeceased her husband.[6] Ozai was married to Ursa, but she left the palace on the same night that she concocted the poison that Ozai used to kill Azulon. After she returned to the capital during the reign of her son, she was given the title of "Lady" upon reinstatement of her royal status.[7][8]
As Fire Lord, Zuko initially maintained his relationship with Mai, although the two broke up in 101 AG.[9]
Role[]
Fire Lords and their children have traditionally taken consorts not just out of love but also often for political or spiritual reasons. In fact, relations with less prestigious individuals, born purely out of affection, were regarded with disapproval by the 4th-century BG.[1] As a result of their closeness to the ruler and their potential to be the parent of future Fire Lords, the consorts often held great power and influence.[1][3] Noble clans often attempted to have their sons or daughters become consorts;[1] however, this practice fell out of use after the Fire Lords gradually disempowered the nobles.[4]
By the late 1st century AG, it was customary that a consort leaves their birth family completely behind and cut all contact, thereby preventing the Fire Nation's rulers from being influenced by outsiders. Most notably, Ursa was forbidden from ever seeing her parents Jinzuk and Rina again after marrying Prince Ozai.[10]
Fire Lord Zuko broke with these traditions, maintaining not just his relationship with Mai out of his love for her, but also allowing her to remain in contact with her family,[9][8] although Mai's father Ukano was a public opponent of Zuko.[8]
Known consorts[]
- Huazo — mistress to Chaeryu (formerly)[1]
- Sulan — Fire Lady to Chaeryu[3]
- Hazei — Fire Lady to Taiso[5]
- Ilah — Fire Lady to Azulon[6]
- Mai — girlfriend to Zuko (formerly)[2]
Trivia[]
- Although Ozai was previously married to Ursa, she never held the title of Fire Lady or was considered a consort of the Fire Lord, as Ozai banished her prior to his ascension to the throne. He never had a consort during his reign as Fire Lord.[6]