Where was CONAN from?

CONAN King of Aquilonia faces defeat after being lured into a trap,

In this stress all the venner of civilazation had faded; it was a barbarian who faced his conquerors. CONAN was a Cimmerian by birth, one of those fierce moody hillmen who dwelt in their gloomy, cloudy land in the north. His saga which led him to the throne of Aquilonia, was the basis for a whole cycle of hero-tales.

From "The Scarlet Citadel"
Page 46. "The Complete Chronicles of CONAN"

There's Nothing quite like slaying to build up a thirst.

After beating of a group of 20 attackers and some sort of demon thing, a wounded King CONAN, sits down to recover,

"Wine!" gasped the king from the couch where they had lain him. They put a goblet to his bloody lips and drank like a man half dead with thirst.
"Good!" he grunted, falling back, "Slaying is cursed dry work."
They had staunched the flow of blood, and they innate vitality of the barbarian was asserting itself.

You can't fault a guy for liking his wine :-)

From "The Phoenix on the Sword"
Page 41 "The complete Chronicles of CONAN"

Artwork displayed with the kind permission of the artist, Nicolas Bournay.

Please check out his web page HERE for more of his work.

The First mention of CROM

King CONAN of Aquilonia is discussing the people of the north with his adviser Prospero, he says of them,

Their gods are CROM and his dark race, who rule over a sunless place of everlasting mist, which is the world of the dead.

I'm curious to see how CROM evolves through the stories, since apart from his use as an expletive, he's not getting mentioned very much so far.
But hey, now I play a waiting game!

From "The Phoenix on the Sword"
Page 29 "The complete Chronicles of CONAN"

CONAN on the importance of the arts.

King CONAN of Aquilonia recognises the value and longevity of art. When an adviser tells him he should hang Rinaldo, an artist whose songs are rowsing the people agianst King CONAN, he replies,

...he's beyond my reach. A great poet is greater than any king. His songs are mightier than my scepter; for he has ripped the heart from my chest when he chose to sing for me. I shall die and be forgotten, but Rinaldo's songs will live for ever.

 From "The Phoenix on the Sword"
Page 28 "The Complete Chronicles of CONAN

 I was quite surprised to read this passage, perhaps unfairly, because CONAN is always described as being intelligent. He sees the futility of trying to censor the arts, but it all get's put in perspective a few page turns later when CONAN kills Renaldo,  albeit reluctantly,

"Rinaldo!" his voice was strident with desperate urgency. "Back!" I would not slay you-"
"Die, tyrant!" screamed the mad minstrel, hurling himself headlong on the king. CONAN delayed the blow he was loth to deliver, until it was too late. Only when he felt the bite of steel in is unprotected side did he strike, in a frenzy of blind desperation.
Ronaldo dropped with his skull shattered...

  From "The Phoenix on the Sword"
Page 38 "The Complete Chronicles of CONAN.

A vote for CONAN is a vote for low taxes!

After being defeated in a particularly sneaky way underhanded way, CONAN King of Aquilonia is taunted by his captors. He goads his captors by pointing out what a better job he had done looking after things than the hereditary monarch he killed to capture the kingdom had.

The land was torn with wars of the barons, and the people cried out under suppression and taxation. Today no Aquilonian noble dares maltreat the humblest of my subjects, and the taxes of the people are lighter than anywhere else in the world.

From "The Scarlet Citadel"
Page 50. "The Complete Chronicles of CONAN"

 Artwork displayed with the kind permission of the artist, Loopydave .
Please check out his web page HERE for more of his work.