Aurelian

Duke  was the last of the Dukes of Varuz. Described by Clara Oswald as "square and strong and obvious", he was a strong ruler and a fierce warrior.

Aurelian came to be Duke by way of inheritance, as his wife Guena was the daughter of the previous Duke. He ruled over Varuz at a time of great chaos, spending much of his reign dealing with the impending invasion of a neighbouring nation's Duke, Conrad. Despite the protests of many of his allies and advisors - including his close friend Lord Bernhardt, his nephew-in-law Mikhail, and the Twelfth Doctor - Aurelian refused to surrender to Conrad's advances, or to negotiate a peace treaty for Varuz.

Following Lancelot's arrival in Varuz, Aurelian became enamoured with the idea of tracking down the Holy Grail; however, this dream never came to fruitition. The pressure of this newfound obsession, coupled with the realisation that his wife and Bernhardt were romantically involved with one another, placed Aurelian under great stress; he banished Clara Oswald, Emfil, and Mikhail from Varuz in a short space of time, accusing them all of plotting against him.

Aurelian eventually marched his army into battle against Conrad's men, in a desperate attempt to protect Varuz from invasion. He was slain by Mikhail, who had in fact turned traitor against him. (PROSE: ''Royal Blood