High King of the Alliance

High King of the Alliance is the title of the current leader of the Grand Alliance. Towards the end of the Cataclysm, the Alliance leaders met and granted the position to the King of Stormwind, Varian Wrynn. Following his death, it fell upon the shoulders of his son, Anduin Wrynn.

History

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When the Alliance of Lordaeron was created, Sir Anduin Lothar was given the title of Supreme Commander to signify his role of leadership over the several other kingdoms under the banner of the Alliance. Under Lothar, the Alliance fought off the Orcish Horde as they attempted to invade and sack Lordaeron and their allies as they did to the Kingdom of Azeroth before it. Unable to overcome the Alliance, the Horde and their allies were defeated, and the orcs thrown into interment camps after a vote of the Alliance leaders came forth.

After the collapse of the Alliance of Lordaeron during the Third War, most of the former member states reformed under the Grand Alliance. Arguably the strongest and most prominent of its members was the Kingdom of Stormwind, its population bolstered by the influx of human refugees from the lost nations of the north. While initially the Grand Alliance had no true "leader," the events of the Cataclysm prompted its member states to elect King Varian Wrynn of Stormwind to lead it in the Alliance-Horde War against Garrosh Hellscream.

Trials of the High King

In the Alliance-Horde War in Pandaria, Varian faced various circumstances that would shape his legacy as High King. The first of which was the retaking of the Red Crane temple following Horde aggression that had forced the temple's inhabitants out of their homes. Under King Varian's personal leadership, along side Priestess Tyrande Whisperwind, the Horde were defeated through clever traps and reinforcements by local allies of the Alliance in the area, namely the Dwarves, Pandaren, Night elves, Gnomes and Jinyu.

By demonstrating patience, much to the praise of the Red Crane celestial Chi-ji, Varian was able to avoid the death of possibly hundreds of Alliance soldiers by assaulting the temple head on, rather they suffered minimal casualties and the temple was eventually reclaimed and returned to the servants of the Red Crane, earning his favor for the Alliance.

Invasion of the Burning Legion

With the beginning of the Third Burning Legion Invasion of Azeroth, High King Varian Wrynn fought alongside the Alliance at the brutal Battle of the Broken Shore. In an effort to save a gunship being attacked by a suddenly summoned Fel Reaver, Varian sacrificed himself to slay the demon. After the coronation of his son, Prince Anduin, as King of Stormwind, Anduin was soon also made High King.

Gallery

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Infographic of the first High King, Varian Wrynn

The current High King, Anduin Wrynn