Crest of the Royal Family
Crest of the Royal Family is a shōjo manga by Chieko Hosokawa. It has run in the monthly magazine Princess since 1976. In 1991, it received the 36th Shogakukan Manga Award for shōjo. As of 2006, the collected volumes had sold 36 million copies in Japan, making it the third best-selling shōjo manga ever. The manga has been adapted into 2 drama CD's released in 1990 by Pony Canyon and an anime OVA produced by Toei Animation. It was adapted into a stage musical in 2016.
Story
The main character is Carol, a blonde-haired, blue-eyed American teenager from a wealthy family with an interest in Egyptology studying in Cairo. When her mentor discovers the tomb of a young pharaoh, a curse is put on the excavation team and Carol. The curse sends her back in time to ancient Egypt, where she becomes embroiled in the affairs of Egypt and other ancient countries such as Assyria and Babylonia. Carol meets Memphis, a handsome young pharaoh whose tomb she excavated in modern times. Despite his headstrong, at first violent nature, they fall deeply in love. This angers Memphis's half-sister, the Priestess Isis, who has longed to marry him. Carol, due to her exotic looks and curious ability to tell the future, becomes a major player in ancient history.Characters
Main Characters
- Carol Reed
- Memphis
- Isis
Supporting Characters
Modern Days
- Ryan Reed: eldest brother of Carol. He cares about her more than anything. Ryan is depicted as a clever young man and he manages his father's company after his death.
- Rody Reed: second eldest brother of Carol.
- President Reed: father of Carol. He died from being bitten by a cobra controlled by Isis, because he broke into the Royal Grave.
- Mrs. Reed: mother of Carol. She loves her much and always has her best interests at heart.
- Maria: the old joyful nanny of Carol.
- Professor Brown: grandfather of Jimmy Brown, he wants to take Carol as his granddaughter-in-law. A brilliant archaeologist who found the tomb of Memphis with Carol and her friends.
- Jimmy Brown: A childhood friend of Carol. He is in love with her and wants to marry her.
- Ahmad: the young son of an Arabian oil tycoon.
Ancient World
Kingdom of Egypt">Ancient Egypt">Kingdom of Egypt
- Nefermaat: the deceased father of Memphis and Isis. He was named after the historical Nefermaat.
- Thali: the second wife of king Nefermaat, formerly a princess of Nubia. She murdered her husband to marry his son, but failed to do so.
- Imhotep: the prime minister of Egypt with a bright and calm personality. He was named after Imhotep.
- Minue: a general of Egypt, he is loyal to Memphis and in love with Isis.
- Naptera: a female official. She is the mother of Minue.
- Unas: personal guard of Memphis and later Carol. Born into slavery, young Memphis took him into his service on a whim while the prince was still a little boy rampaging outside of imperial palace.
- Ruka: a loyal servant of [|Prince Ismir] who is sent- undercover- to Egypt to protect Carol, and to bring Carol to Ismir whenever possible. He and Carol form a close friendship.
- High Priest Gupta: the philogynist priest of Egypt. He harbors less than pure interest in Carol. He is obsessed with gold, and an golden haired goddess would be his most valuable piece of collection.
- Teti: a loyal confident of queen Carol.
- Hassan: a young merchant traveling across deserts. He is also a doctor. He used to help his uncle Careb kidnapping Carol from Hittite to Assyria.
- Careb: an old greedy merchant.
- Ari: confident of princess Isis.
- Nebamen: the imposter prince of Egypt. He was Nemen, a prisoner under sentence of death. Using the items of a secret grave of a daughter of King Nefermaat in the desert, he counterfeits the evidence to become a royalty.
- Berto: the former jailmate of Nebamen.
- Mekmek: an ambitious woman who was sent to the Egypt palace by Kapta as a palace maid.
Kingdom of the [Hittites]
- King of the Hittites: a cruel and perverted king. He is philogynist.
- Queen of the Hittites: Ismir and Mitamun's mother.
- Ismir
- Mitamun: the younger sister of Ismir. She fell in love with Memphis, who seemed to also be interested in her. Isis imprisoned and killed her by jealousy.
- Mula: the nanny of prince Ismir. She has a close relationship with the prince and seems to love him as her own son.
- Gidantash: Ismir's cousin.
- Uria: the princess and younger sister of the King. She is Gidantash's mother.
- Mira: the fiancee of prince Ismir.
- General Hasas: a military leader of the Hittites.
Empire of Assyria">Assyrian Empire">Empire of Assyria
- Algon
- Jamali: Algon's favorite concubine. She travels to Egypt and follows her emperor's order to seduce Memphis.
- Shar: the brother of emperor Algon.
Empire of [Babylonia]
- Ragash: the emperor of Babylonia. He proposed to Isis and made her his bride with the condition "Kill Carol". Ragashu breaks his promise to Isis and instead of killing Carol, he imprisons her in the Tower of Babel.
- Omri: the confident of emperor Ragash.
- High Priest Rimusin: an official and the high priest of Babylonia.
- Garuz: the son of high priest Rimusin.
Kingdom of Minoa">Minoan civilization">Kingdom of Minoa
- Minos: the king of Minoa. He has a weak health before Carol goes to Minoa and makes him healthier. Minos then falls in love with Carol. He is possibly named after Minos, the king of Crete from Greek Mythology.
- Atlas: the prince of Minoa and elder brother of Minos. Because of his strange appearance, his mother hid him in a deep cave of the Empire. She usually visits him and tells him what happens in the Empire. His name and appearance are based on the Greek Titan Atlas and the ox-like creature Minotaurus.
- Queen Dowager: the mother of king Minos and Atlas. She is also the bright regent who helps her son rule over Minoa.
- Iouktas: the general of Minoa. A powerful warrior.
- Photia: daughter of an official. She is one of the royal handmaidens in Minos' palace.
- Morione: a noble lady from Athens who became a handmaiden to the Minoans.
- Kirke: a witch who helps Prince Ismir take princess Carol into his custody. Her name and character is loosely based on Circe from Greek mythology.
Other factions
- Queen of the Amazones: the beautiful queen of the Amazones. She adores Carol. She kidnaps prince Ismir to save her sister, whose life in turn is saved by Carol.
- Hulia: sister of the queen.
- King of Libya: father of princess Kafra.
- Kafra: the princess of Libya. She fell for Memphis and set many traps to eliminate Carol. She is proud of her dark-skinned and plump-faced beauty.
- Massharhiqhi: the blue prince of the empire. He was imprisoned by Memphis's soldier and punished heavily by Memphis by mistake.
- Eirene: the maid serving prince Massharhiqhi.
- Arshama: The King of Media. He hid his true identity to know more about the Egyptian palace's situation. He gave Carol a rare Chinese silk.
- Sindhu: prince of the Ancient Indus.