King CONAN, son of blacksmith

King CONAN has been overcome by sorcery and his army defeated. As his enemies approach his tent, his aides urge him to surrender and save his life.

"But your majesty!" cried the squire in great perturbation. "The battle is lost! It were part of majesty to yield with dignity becoming one of royal blood!"
"I have no royal blood," ground CONAN. "I am a barbarian and the son of a blacksmith."

From "The Hour of the Dragon"
Page 732. The Complete Chronicles of CONAN.

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

CONAN enjoys his varied career.

After kidnapping, then losing, then rescuing Devi Yasmina from evil wizards, she falls in love with CONAN and asks him to stay with her. He refuses saying,

I was born in the Cimmerian hills where the people are all barbarians. I have been a mercenary soldier, a corsair, a kozak and a hundred other things. What king has roamed the countries, fought the battles, loved the women and won the plunder that I have?

From, "The People of the Black Circle"
Page 350-1 "The Complete Chronicles of CONAN"

So... Born on a battlefield?

CONAN.

"I was born in the midst of battle," he answered, tearing a chunk of meat from a huge joint with his strong teeth. "The first sound my ears heard was the clang of swords and the yells of slaying..."

From "Black Colossus"
Page 115-6. The Complete Chronicles of CONAN.

Start as you mean to continue I guess.

 Artwork displayed with the kind permission of the artist, Liam Sharp .
Please check out his Deviant Art  page HERE for more of his work.