Eldred Orsini; known as "the Usurper," was a ruthless Erindari noble, from the Barony of Easthaven; located in far-eastern Erindar. He, along with many other Erindari vassals, fought against Sorimmar's hordes in the War of the Cataclysm.
Lord Eldred was present at the horrific Battle of Harkalad, when the Erindari King, Erin IV was slain. The death of King Erin threw Erindar into chaos, and presented an opportunity for the ambitious and unscrupulous Eldred. Shortly after the Cataclysm ended, and the subsequent collapse of the Ravinian Empire; Eldred and other members of the House of Orsini began plotting against Erin's widow; Queen Elwyn.
Soon thereafter, Eldred began the long and bloody War of Succession, which resulted in the forced abdication of Queen Elwyn and the division of Erindar into two new kingdoms; Erindar and Elyria.
Upon his coronation in the year 32/6, Eldred became the first monarch of the Orsini Dynasty.
In an ugly act of betrayal, King Eldred ordered the murder of Margrave Hayden Norwald of Redmark. He then appointed a political lackey named Lucius Brevoy to rule the city in his stead.