First Bandhaśēka Rebellion

First Bandhaśēka Rebellion
Tulotairi artillerymen at the Second Battle of Rangpur
Location Benaajab Result Nuk Nahob Victory Treaty of Jodhor Creation of the Yajawal of Kumar Creation of the Yajawal of Kath End of the Senior Zhuz State End of the Second Zhuz State End of the Sororal Republic Destruction of Great Kath Creation of the Ten Honorable Principalities Reinstallation of the Supreme Susurrant
Belligerents
Mutul Susurrant State	Senior Zhuz Second Zhuz Sororal Republic
Commanders and leaders
TBD	TBD
Strength
TBD	TBD
Casualties and losses
TBD	TBD

The First Bandhaśēka Rebellion was a military conflict in Southern Ochran between the Mutulese traders, associated in Nuk Nahob (Mutli : Great Houses) and the Nadipathan Coalition, a loose alliance of kingdoms, principalities, and monasteries in Nadipatha who opposed the growing influence of the Nuk Nahob. It lasted from the expulsion of the Mutuleses from Jerukhom in 1646 to the Treaty of of Jodhor in 1650.

The Rebellion found its origin in the economic crises that touched Southern Ochran after the end of the Open Gate Policy by Tsurushima and the abandon of Spice Islands to foreign influences. This political change greatly favored the Mutul, and the flux of goods circulating through the Trans-Makrian Exchange grew exponentially. The unfortunate consequence was the ruin of Nadipathan speculators: princes and aristocrats in modern day Benaajab who monopolized access to Oxidentalese goods, and saw the prices of their investments fall from direct Oxidentale competition. Kingdoms such as the Junior Zhuz or Middle Zhuz lost control over vast swaths of their territories when their aristocracy was pushed to sell their rights over the collection of taxes and tributes in an attempt to repay their debts. The Junior Zhuz kingdom even had to declare bankruptcy. The Nuk Nahob sent economic advisors to the Middle Zhuz, unofficial authorities who quickly absorbed the powers of Zhuz Courts: organising political life; nominating the ministers; and taking charge of the Treasury. Zhuz Khagzuuns depended on they Mutul administrators to participate in international trade and to collect sales taxes in their own nations.

In the rest of Benaajab, the Nuk Nahob installed themselves in all important trade-hubs and managed to either integrate into their system or destroy local merchant organizations. Power of the Nuk Nahob became clear when protests organised by the Mutuleses traders forced the Second Zhuz's Khagzuun to abdicate the throne in favour of his brother, who supported the policy reforms of the merchant class. His death in 1639, and the rise to power of his nephew, a student of the Matron Elephant School, was one of the factors that led to the revolt.

In 1642, the Khagzuun of Second Zhuz married the daughter of the Senior Zhuz King. This alliance soon gathered around it a network of monasteries, princes, aristocrats, and other political or religious figures who opposed the Nuk Nahob. In 1646, after years of difficult negotiations amidst deteriorating relations, the Second Zhuz banished the Nuk Nahob from their markets, followed by the rest of the alliance.

The Revolt continued for 4 years, with important campaigns being the First March on Ragpur, the Suchkosong Campaign, the Gedthalay Front, the Defense of Kulangpanta, the Second Battle Ragpur, and finally the Siege of Jodhor.

The Treaty of Jodhor, signed by the two Yajawob in the name of the K'uhul Ajaw, and by the Kings of Senior and Second Zhuz, is considered to be the end of the rebellion. What would follow is a period of trial for all the leaders of the rebellion and their lieutenants which, once found guilty, were offered the now famous choice; Cuxtal ayel Came "Life or Death" offering the decision between a life in exile or an honorable death on the altar that would restore their, and their family's, honor.

Beyond the the administrative changes that created the One-Two-Ten (1 Susurrant, 2 Yajawals, 10 Principalities) system, with borders close to those of modern day Benaajab, the legal changes pushed by the Nuk Nahob to all the Yajawals and Principalities were also some of the most important reforms ever established in the country: the end of the underslave class; a code of laws clarifying the rights and duties of slaves and their owners toward one another; the end of all border taxes between Benaajabi principalities; the end of feudal taxes. The agrarian reforms built on the division of the lands taken as war reparations from the rebels lead to a surge of popular support toward the Nuk Nahob allowing the Assemblies of merchants to keep their political powers over all of Benaajab, no matter the official administrative divisions. Their influence would only grow from there.

Background

The Kirishtan Revolt

Main article: Tsurushima

As the spread of the syncretic Kirishitan catholic faith from the southernmost island to the interior is influenced by Fabrian Catholic missionaries from the Latin Empire, the Fabrians inevitably convert some of the major powerbroker clans in the region and begin to coordinate a favorable takeover of the 'pagan islands'. The Kirishitan Uprising soon grows out of their control, however, as a zealous crusade causes considerable damage throughout the countryside, with pillaging and forced conversions, and earns a far-ranging condemnation of all Belisarian faiths in Tsurushima from the Shogun. The Isawa manage to muster an army to subdue the Kirishitan Crusade and repay the barbarism inflicted by the Kirishitans by beheading the major instigators (including the Latin missionaries). This serves to isolate Tsurushima proper from world trade and calls into question the Open Door policy and, by proxy, the authority of the Isawa. A new civil war resolves with the Isawa deposed and the installation of the traditional-minded Kakita Shogunate which will be the last of Tsurushima. During this period, Tsurushima is closed outright to Fabrian Catholics and has limited access to foreigners in general.

The Mutul was but a minor trade partner of Tsurushima during the 16th century, far outshined by the economical and political influences of the Belisarians Legations. However, during the Uprising, the Mutulese Legation was the only one to side with the Shogunate and pagan forces. Because of their non-abrahamic faith and their reputation for human sacrifices and body modifications, Mutuleses were also victims of the Uprising, and the Siege of the Mutulese Legation lead to the creation of Mutli-Tsurushimans militias that fought alongside the Shogun’s armies and supporters.

Mutulese Economic expansion

Main article: Holhun Lak'atunab

The origins of the Holhun Lak’atunab are various. Following the Belfrasian and Xaman crusades, the Mutul started reforms of its religious institutions and culture, trying to unify the heterogeneous beliefs that were found thourought the country. This desire of centralization and reformation of the kingdom by the Divine Throne pushed it to seek out new scholars and talents, and to financially support them in their works, something which the K’uhul Ajaw had rarely done before. The printing press and many other inventions appeared at the start of the period, and stared their own revolutions in the practices and customs of the Mutul. Soon, a critical mass was reached and despite the Divine Throne slowly pulling out its support to innovation, new discoveries and changes continued to happen.

The Kirishtan Rebellion and the end of the Open Gate Policy by the Kakita Shogunate changed the balance of powers in the region. the Mutul was the last economic force allowed to trade with Tsurushima, who slowly abandoned its authority over the Spice Islands. Buying or even occupying lands in these archipelagos, Mutuleses traders obtained a decent economic strength that allowed them to obtain vast shares in the spice trades.

The Kirishtan Rebellion’s aftermath was felt even in Nadipatha, where Mutuleses traders had become more and more common in the past century, to the point of having “Mutuleses” enclaves and legations in some kingdoms. Chocolate, spices, weapons, paper books, and other manufactured goods or luxury goods from Oxidentale became the new fashion in the Nadipathans kingdoms. Mutuleses merchants organised themselves in corporations, the Nuk Nahob, which obtained more and more prerogative in their ports. By the 1600s, cities where the Nuk Nahob were present had market places built and organized in a Mutulese fashion, temples dedicated to Mutuleses gods, and even ballcourts for games of Pitz, gladiatorial games, or public ceremonies.

17th Century Crisis

Main article: Mutulese Ochran

With the acceleration of trans-Makrian exchanges in the 1600s and 1610s, Nadipathans speculators saw a sudden fall in price of their investments, in cocoa, Oxidentale spices, cotton clothing, and especially manufactured goods sold by Mutuleses traders which until then had a certain rarity to them that made them valuable. Most of these speculators were part of the Nadipathans aristocracy and the whole country knew a vast crisis as they ended up unable to repay their debts.

To clear themselves, speculators had to sell their lands, their properties, and even their rights, such as the ability to collect taxes. Nuk Nahob had to organize themselves and recruited small militias to go and collect debts from aristocrats unwilling to pay. A mission that proved to be far easier than expected as the traditional armies of the nobility were in open revolt now that their salaries weren’t paid. In fact, most of the Mutuleses militias were staffed with ex-Nadipathans soldiers. The same militias would then go on to become the general enforcers of the Mutuleses, collecting taxes, fighting bandits, and maintaining order and justice in the markets. A parallel organisation formed up, as the Nuk Nahob obtained de facto control of what would be known as Benaajab.