Kara (city)

This article is about the city. For the country, see Kara (country).

Kåra is the capital city of Kåra.

History

Located in the fertile Tebbjet River valley, the land that would become Kåra has been occupied in some form for thousands of years. However, Kåra did not emerge as a distinct settlement until 853 CE, when the powerful Duke Birjer I led the construction of a castle and accompanying fortress along a bend in the Tebbjet River. The earliest records refer to the castle as Kyareh, and although the origins of the name are unclear, legend has it that Birjer named the settlement after his wife, who is variously known in records as "Katrjne", "Kjarin", or "Kreystena".

Because of its political import and physical location, the castle became an important hub for the scattered settlements of the Tebbjet valley. Over time, a significant settlement developed around the fortress as Birjer and his heirs grew in military, economic and politcal power.