Alexander Mervell

Alexander Mervell was born on June 27, 1829, as the slightly elder of twin brothers to Hubertus Mervell and Marie Hoff. His twin brother's name is August Mervell. Alexander was born into one of the wealthiest families in the area at their estate in the city of Lutheria. His parents were often abroad for work and handling (inter)national affairs. Alexander and his brother were, therefore, brought up by nannies and, when they got older, went to boarding school. Life at the boarding school was difficult right from the start, but Alexander proved to be an excellent student. He excelled in his exact courses and had a natural charm that allowed him to quickly form close relationships with the people he met. Alexander quickly became popular among both his classmates and teachers. He chose to master economics and law with the ambition of becoming a banker.   When Alexander was 24, he started this career in the cities of Lutheria and Alden. He acquired several funds to revive the city of Lutheria, which had fallen into disrepair. He restored many monumental buildings, funded local schools and religious institutions, and put Lutheria back on the map as a centre for religion and trade. This especially got a boost when he helped realise a train network between the cities of Alden, Lutheria and Belthem, connecting the mostly rural area of the Region of Kilden to the rest of Europe, and therefore boosting the industrialization.   Besides business, one of Alexanders' qualities was to entertain and form new relationships. While at a local masquerade ball, Alexander was introduced by his father to Mary Argos, which he found a suitable partner for his son. Mary was of nobility, her parents were successful traders, and Mary was destined to take a prominent part in her parents' business. After the dance, the couple decided to get to know each other better, and a fondness between the two started to grow. They got married on February 2, 1855, after a year of courtship. The wedding was celebrated in the town of Lutheria, and it was a grand event with the main streets decorated like a royal wedding. Despite their quick marriage, the couple proved to be a great match, both romantically and intellectually.   Three years into their marriage, the couple started thinking of having children. Their first child, Paulus, was born in 1858, and Felix was born four years later in 1862. Like his parents, Alexander was often away working. He hated that he could not be there for his children. In 1864, he therefore decided to quit his busy job and started a career as an investor, being able to spend more time at home with his children.