Lord Arthur, First President of the Republic of Lordaeron, was the first head of state of the Republic of Lordaeron.
In his youth, he was a member of the military of Stromgarde, and fought during the second and third wars. Like many he was an enthusiastic member of the Alliance of Lordaeron, opposing the Horde in the Second war, but was forced with many of his people, to abandon their lands, and flee southwards after the devastation in the Third War.
During this time, many of the humans sought an attempt to reclaim their north lands from the Scourage, and later Forsaken, however with the Blood Elves joining the Horde, this proved to be nearly impossible, with both the Blood Elves and Forsaken holding the plaguelands in their spheres of influence.
The opportunity for Arthur and his human population came in the war against the Lich King and Burning Crusades, when the Blood Elves formed the Silvermoon Empire, and later the Empire. Arthur lead many of his own people, mostly Stromgarde refugees northwards and started settling in the southern regions of the plaguelands, the only real refuge for humans in the region.
The new Blood Elf Emperors were more receptive to the presence of humans, unlike the Forsaken who were attacking them. With the rise of the Empire, and their growing independence from the Horde, the human refugees saw an opportunity to join the Empire, only to be able to re-settle in their lands. The Emperor was willing to allow races, traditionally seen as members of the Alliance, into the Empire.
Arthur himself was appointed as a local magistrate, despite being overseen by an Imperial Overseer impressed the Imperial Leadership by being a well supported leader with a practical point of mind. Arthur was not an idealist, he was a realist and knew, that for his people to survive they would have to accept the power of a foreign leader for time being.
Under the Empire[]
Arthur was granted the title of Lord, a rank of nobility that he had not acquired under human leadership but rather under Elvan leadership. The Emperor dispatched Grand Master Yimo himself, to personally appoint Arthur as Lord of the Lordaeron region, a title that was disputed with the Forsaken and caused a cold chill in diplomatic relations between the Empire and the Forsaken. The relative freedom that they enjoyed under Imperial leadership made the region attractive for humans to return.
Republic of Lordaeron[]
The Empire under Jarethan III wished to scale down their military forces. When the Undercity underwent rebellion, forcing the Horde to send troops to bring in the rebels and Varimathras. The Emperor wanted the humans to look after themselves, and willingly ceded the Eastern Plaguelands to the humans, creating thus the Republic of Lordaeron.
The Republic was an unusual creation, with no nobility and no established hereditary ruler, the Republic instead elected their own leaders.