Richard the Haberdasher was a Detinan earl. He was the brother-in-law of Grand Duke Geoffrey and a relative of King Zachary the Rough and Ready. He served in Geoffrey's army as a general during the Detinan Civil War. He was given command of the remnant of the Army of Franklin that managed to extricate itself from Bell's failed invasion of Franklin Province. Richard took command in an impossible situation. Nevertheless, he maintained order in his army as well as he could. He impressed Ned of the Forest, who was famously hostile to aristocrats whom he suspected of rising through the ranks by nepotism.