Children of the Light
In the
fictional world of
Robert Jordan's
fantasy series
The Wheel of Time, the
Children of the Light, disparagingly called
Whitecloaks for their characteristic white cloaks, are a
military organization based in the city of Amador in
Amadicia with the stated goal of rooting out
Darkfriends. Detractors of the Children of the Light regard their methods as extreme and also question whether those the Children accuse of being Darkfriends are actually guilty. The Children are often at odds with the protagonists of the series.
The Children of the Light believe in the destruction of Darkfriends. They believe that all
Aes Sedai are Darkfriends.
Once the Children of the Light makes an accusation against a person of being a Darkfriend, the person's guilt is assumed, and the person is
tortured until the person either dies or admits guilt.
Founding and development
The Children of the Light were founded by Lothair Mantelar in FY 1021, amidst the War of the Hundred Years. Originally founded just to preach against Darkfriends, during these violent times the Children of the Light became increasingly militaristic, eventually evolving into the organization in its modern form. The Children were successful in taking over the political structure of
Amadicia.
Recent events
Some forty years before the start of the series, the Children of the Light became engaged in a
quasi-war against
Illian that lasted nearly twenty years. These skirmishes were known to the Children as the Troubles, but was called the Whitecloak War by other nations. It ended in a stalemate, with no conclusive victory for either side.
Up until recently, the Children of the Light were led by Lord Captain Commander
Pedron Niall. Niall was assassinated in the prologue of
A Crown of Swords. Eamon Valda then became Lord Captain Commander. Later in
A Crown of Swords, the
Seanchan wrested control of Amadicia from the Children. Finally, during the prologue to
Knife of Dreams, Eamon Valda was killed in a duel with
Galad Damodred. There are about seven thousand well trained regular cavalry men and ten Lord Captains led by Lord Captain Commander Galad Damodred. The Children were originally housed in Amador, capital of Amadicia, but they lost their base, the Fortress of the Light, to the Seanchan invasion, They are currently in northwestern Altara and moving north towards western Andor.
A few thousand Children, including Asunawa and the Questioners, remain with the Seanchan.
The Children of the Light are led by the Lord Captain Commander. A powerful branch of the Children, the Hand of the Light, is led by the High Inquisitor.
The Children of the Light bear resemblances to
medieval religious knightly orders such as the
Knights Templar.
The methods of the Children of the Light resemble those of the
Inquisition.
The founder Lothair Mantelar has a similar name to
Martin Luther.
