1891 Nobleman Insurrection

1891 Nobleman Insurrection
Disarmament of Forelis Insurrectionists after their surrender in late 1891
Date February 12th, 1891 - March 4th, 1892 Location Mainland TECT Result Imperial Victory, End of Noble Domain Rule within Mainland TECT Territorial changes End of Noble Domains within Mainland TECT
Imperial Government-Nobleman Insurrectionists
The Empire of Common Territories	Neuenried Confederation
Commanders and leaders
Emperor Charles I Duke Grutmen Duke Rothenberg Duke Ackermann Imperial General Wolfgang Hendrik Wägner General Wulf Gilbert Beitel General Tiedemann Sigimundaz Burgstaller General Fulcher Leuthar Schmidt Admiral Rudericus Wenilo Beltz Hermanus Körbl Yount Dietrich Autchar Kron	Count Ortwin Baldo Braune Florian Valentin Eckstein Anzo Audawakrs Knopp Diederich Raginald Voss † Fulbert Lanzo Michaelis Micha Norman Wolff †

Braune Countdom forces laying siege to the Imperial Branch Palace in Neuenried, Forelis Province.

The 1891 Nobleman Insurrection, or often reflected upon negatively as the "2nd Nobleman Rancor," was a short-lived unsuccessful military revolt lead by Count Ortwin Baldo Braune and several other moderately ranked secessionist Nobleman Families (and their allies) against the Imperial Government in Reichsstadt. Noblemen from the northwestern Forelis Province officially revolted on February 12th, 1891, with Count Braune leading several surrounding realms in declaring a state of rebellion; on that same day, the combined armies of Count Braune and his allies launched surprise attacks on all Imperial facilities and garrisons within their reach. In the prelude of the uprising, Count Braune dispatched hundreds of letters beginning at the start of the month directly addressing the Emperor along with hundreds of other Nobleman Families. Each letter contained a series of declarations that would later go on to be known as the "Letters of Declarations." In the Letters, Count Braune passionately made his case to the recipient, often including personal letters addressed to the recipients, and outlining his plan of action in the months to come. In one of the paragraphs outlining his plan of action, the Count addressed himself as "King" of the new "Kingdom of Braune," declaring that his kingdom and its allies planned to secede from the Empire because "repairing its declining health internally is no longer a viable option." The Letters also encouraged other noble realms to join their cause and stated their end-goal was to "emancipate the Empire their forefathers built from the reigns of filth who've irrevocably perverted Imperial Authority and Noble Rule." In an attempt to assassinate the Emperor and send a clear message, Count Braune's Letter to Emperor Charles I supposedly contained an unknown poisonous powder. Believed to be the recently synthesized poison Ricin, the Emperor's Secretary was the first casualty of the Insurrection, almost immediately becoming violently ill after flipping through the documents. The envelope never reached the Emperor and the staff who responded to the calls for help were treated - the Emperor's Secretary was less fortunate and died. Before destroying the contents for decontamination, a handwritten note was supposedly discovered with only one sentence written on it: "Ich hoffe Du verreckst, Schmore in der Hölle!" Translated to English the message means, "I hope you died, Burn in Hell!"

Prelude To Secession

At its core, the central conflict leading to the 1891 Nobleman Insurrection were the historical disputes held by a significant faction of Noblemen which argued that Imperial Authorities had eroded the legitimate rule of Noble Dynasties stemming as far back as 1453, decades prior to the 1502 Nobility Civil War or "1st Nobleman Rancor". Nobleman back then argued that Imperial Authorities, namely the Emperors of the time, had begun unfairly burdening the Nobleman Class while also abrading privileges enjoyed by their forefathers for generations. Modern Noblemen argued that not only were their predecessors proven correct in their assessments in the immediate aftermath of the civil war, but that the swift reckoning of Imperial Authorities post-civil war had been so harsh that noblemen had little reason but remain scornful of Imperial rule.

The Feud Between Nobility and Royalty

Nobleman depicted in the early 17th Century feuding with each other in Parliament.

Much of the Nobleman Class' ire originates from Imperial governmental reforms throughout history, the first of which occurred prior to the 1502 civil war. Emperor Kaufmann Albert Walherich saw that corruption among the nobleman was not only pungently abrasive but had grown so egregious that noblemen had even began openly dealing with foreign adversaries south of the Empire. Believing a firm hand cowers the weak and inspires the strong, Emperor Walherich instituted a number of reforms in 1453 aimed at restoring not only public order but also putting fear in the hearts of would be traitorous nobleman. Emperor Walherich personally punished numerous nobles along with instituting wide-ranging reforms in order to send a message to those within the Nobleman Class who continued to subvert Imperial Authority. Aside from several noblemen being stripped of everything, including their lives in some cases, reforms to oversight and installing new rules regarding nobleman financial decisions on their populace were enacted. Although this made the Emperor very popular among the average family, the Nobles (namely the land ruling ones) were exceptionally enraged by the reforms. Generating wealth was largely needed during the time as minor conflicts with neighboring nobles was common. Living a life of luxury was also important to most nobles, some of which had no need to fear conflict and instead wished to amass great wealth for personal reasons; between owning properties, buying luxury items, forcing lower classes to serve them as if they were slaves, all that and more required Nobleman to enact unfair taxation and regulations that steadily became common in the lower realms of the Empire. In the following years after Emperor Walherich's reforms, minor protests and revolts occurred ranging from full-blown wars with Imperial Authorities to some nobles outright declaring their intent to rebel in some extreme scenarios; a few realms, such as the former Dresdner March, went as far as pledging their allegiance to the Empire's neighbors before facing Imperial wrath. Although Emperor Walherich's reforms are sometimes called into question for how effective they truly were at stemming corruption, historians mostly agree that Emperor Walherich's reforms were the point of origin for the longstanding feud held between Imperial Authorities of the Reichsstadt and the historically influential Nobleman Class. In the long run, historians often credit Emperor Walherich for helping to quell Imperial instability, increase Imperial authority while it was at its weakest, and generally improve the quality of life of citizens within the Empire.

Between 1504 and 1890 were a number of events that gradually if not exponentially reduced the influence and authority nobleman held within the Empire. Reforms enacted in 1504 by Emperor Walherich's grandson, Emperor Jochim Reiher Walherich, severely impacted the Nobleman Class' authority within the Empire. Although advertised as Imperial Government reforms intended to repair the country as a whole, Emperor Jochim's reforms post-civil war (with his predisposition against nobleman since childhood) was clearly intended to punish and defang the Nobleman Class according to historians. In a moved aimed at ripping away their powerbase, the Empire's internal borders were redrawn and a new provincial system was implemented. This process not only required the redistricting of Noble Realms a great deal, it lead to the dismantling and creation of numerous Nobleman Houses. Duke Anselm Pankraz Schultheiss' Dukedom was the greatest to be affected. Given its position as the leader of the rebels during the civil war, the Schultheiss Dukedom was completely dissolved and replaced under the direct rule of the Royal Family's 3rd Prince, Prince Hartwin Theudoricus Walherich. Under the new Imperial Province System, and under the authority of the newly created "Walherich Principality," the former Dukedom's ruling class was spared no quarter. On the local level, Prince Hartwin became the Empire's personified retribution to the northeastern nobles, continuing to not only punish and execute disloyal nobleman who hadn't been dealt with yet, but also stamping out the deeply engrained anti-Imperial culture that had began to flourish within the last two decades. Prince Hartwin is noted by historians for being ruthless with his regime's predecessors, believing them to often not live up to their responsibilities and ultimately resulting in their systematic cleansing. Over time a number of policies and revitalization efforts put in place by the Prince to refranchise the people along with installing perceivably righteous nobleman steadily reversed the disloyalty seen throughout the province's citizenry. Prince Hartwin believed the realm could be healed and reintegrated peacefully into the Empire over time, and so spent his life working to make that belief a reality until his death in 1546. Imperial reforms, namely the Provincial System, brought with it a number of changes to the Empire's decentralized governance. Provinces would be governed, not ruled, by Dukes or their betters (such as Prince Hartwin). These provinces would be overseen by Imperial Officials known as Viceroys, whom were appointed by the Emperor himself to act as an Imperial overseer. Regardless of reasoning, inter-Imperial warfare was now outlawed unless the noble could prove it was out of self-defense. Oversights intended to combat corruption and degradation of the population also proved effective at hampering the Noble Classes' powerbase. Ultimately, these and other reforms were made into Imperial Law through the Empire's newly drafted constitution.

Prelude To 1891's Insurrection

Emperor Landebert Konrad Thorsten's "1865 Reformation Law" is historically recounted as the root cause of the Nobleman Class' revitalized outrage prior to the 1891 Insurrection. Although significant reforms to the Imperial Government were put in place during the last three centuries, most of these reforms slowly degraded Nobleman Authority over time and revolts against them were successfully put down. Nobleman, even the non-land ruling Class, were far from being uninfluential and retained significant power even though much of their autonomy had been withered away when compared to nobleman autonomy in 1504. Since the end of the Hartwin Principality and rise of the Rothenberg Dukedom, Forelis Province has experienced the brunt of Imperial and Duchy reforms aimed at curbing nobleman authority to abuse their citizenry. The back-and-forth clashes between the Nobleman Class' historically relevant ruling powers and the Emperor's cultural and constitutional powerbase came to a head often, but none were as heated as the 1865 Reformation Laws.

Briefly explained, the 1865 Reformation Laws enacted by Emperor Thorsten once again revisited the authority nobleman, especially land governing nobles, had when administrating their territories. The most controversial Law within the Laws was the dismantling of nobleman controlled standing armies within the Mainland, meaning nobleman realms on Mainland TECT could no longer retain military forces that could hope to resemble that of a standing army. Although policing forces were exempted, in the same section they're exempted from the law, a strict list of guidelines prevented abuse using loopholes that would allow for militarized police units. If that weren't bad enough, the Laws made it all but illegal to ignore the civil rights now promised to citizenry by those of higher class, namely the Nobleman Class. Imperial Supreme Court decisions on the matter already upheld that citizens held rights outlined in the TECT Constitution regardless their standing in society, and that discrimination by Class (without legal justification) was illegal. All these new Laws made Nobleman question what exactly did they have left as leverage within the Empire. If earning an income is becoming even more difficult, if privileges enjoyed since the Empire's foundation have eroded away, and if nothing is stopping the Empire from enforcing its will upon the Nobleman Class by gunpoint, what made Nobleman different from regular citizens?

Historically speaking, by this point in Imperial history, the Empire had united the entire continent under its banner. Although some resistance remained in the newly annexed southern regions, the Empire had finally reached its greatest triumph. Now nearly a century later, newly patriated citizens and those born after unification had at least reached some equilibrium thanks to the Empire's stabilization efforts with everyday citizens. In fact, many Emperors dating back to Walherich I realized the same thing Maximus Forelis did almost three millennia's ago: Nobleman may govern empires, but the citizenry are what make up empires. Historians believe this viewpoint is what eventually led to the four century long conflict between the Empire and its own Nobleman Class. So although the Imperial Family may have been greatly disliked and lost much trust with many if not most nobleman, popularity among the masses, even in more newer territories, soared to new heights. As nobleman continued to swipe back in any way possible, their popularity with their own people declined. So much so that in some extreme examples, nobleman faced mobs of angry citizens each time a new policy negatively effecting them was passed within the realm - something unheard of four hundred years ago. The power struggle among nobleman became fiercer as many swapped their allegiance to the Empire for not only survival but also to hold onto what power they had left. Others continued unrelenting to the new trends, resisting Imperial Authority until the bitter end. Bitter ends happened frequently with many stepping down due to their lost authority or wealth, others removed by force for breaking Imperial Law, and some outright cashing out and giving up their claims to territory in order to strive for different goals. As the staunch conservative faction of nobleman continued to dwindle, so too did their options, leading to desperate measures.

Braune v. HRIM Thorsten (1885)

2nd Imperial Court District 2 depicted during Count Braune's oral arguments.

In what is said by historians to have been the final peaceful attempt by disenfranchised nobleman at refuting perceived injustices in Imperial Law, Count Ortwin Baldo Braune filed a lawsuit against the Imperial Government, namely the Emperor, in the Empire's 2nd Imperial District Court. Count Braune, in the opening section of his lawsuit, accused the Imperial Government of violating the rights and privileges held by Nobleman, some of which were found within the TECT Constitution. Filed on April 3rd, 1885, the case was first argued in front of a panel of five Forelis Provincial Judges whom vetted the lawsuits merits in both the Provincial setting and the Imperial District setting. Count Ortwin Braune's case was found to be of merit by all five judges, arguing that the case not only belonged in Imperial Court but was also of considerable standing to be heard. Writing the Opinion, Judge Wandal Thälmann wrote, "Count Braune's arguments, which do take aim at Provincial Authorities and the laws they have passed previously, sets its true aim at Imperial Authorities for whom the accused offenses originate from. Furthermore, arguments regarding rights of citizens upheld in the Imperial Constitution in this circumstance are unique. Never before has there been a more concise and thought provoking challenge to the Empire's Constitution in this court's history."

A month later on May 12th, Count Ortwin Braune's case was heard before another panel of judges, this time in 2nd Imperial District Court. Arguing his case alongside his team of lawyers, Count Braune made several key points the center of his legal challenge to not only the 1865 Reformation Laws, but also brought into doubt how the Imperial Constitution viewed Nobleman. Among his challenges brought before the court, the Count argued the prohibition of nobleman retained militaries was a violation of his and his realm's civil rights, arguing that their right to bare arms and right to self-defense were violated. Taxation and lower realm autonomy was brought into question as well, with one of Count Braune's lawyers arguing that although Imperial law supersedes Realm or Provincial Law, the Imperial Constitution delegates local powers and taxation to local authorities, namely the Provincial Dukedom or the lower realms. Imperial Authorities outlawing or micromanaging the Province's or even the Countdom's taxation methods would be unconstitutional if the Count's lawyer was to be believed. Although a longshot, Count Braune also argued that Nobleman Authority has been unrightfully disturbed or even eroded, using Decrees from Emperors as far back as Maximus' Household to prove his argument.

Arguing for the Defense was the Ministry of Justice's legal team alongside the Emperor's own personal legal counsel. Although the Emperor could have halted any court case with a swipe of the pen, doing so would present terrible political optics and thus was avoided for the time being. Ministry lawyers immediately dismissed the arguments made by Count Braune and his legal team. Their argument was that while Nobleman weren't referenced by name within the Imperial Constitution, realms were covered within Article Two under Provincial & Local Jurisdictions. Arguing the rights of Nobleman as if they were the Realm they represent was, according to the MOJ's lead lawyer, "An act of self-preservation for illegal activities designed to make murky Imperial Law and confuse the court on the perception of whether the man in front of you is human (like the rest of us) or the land he governs." As for the right to bare arms and self defense, the MOJ's third lawyer argued that not only did Realms/Provinces lack said rights, but even if they did have said rights, those rights had not been violated. "The fundamental right to bare arms - protected by the Constitution and the Emperor's Decree - explicitly states that citizens are guaranteed these rights. Although the Count is a citizen and his rights to self-defense have not been challenged in the least, it is the opinion of the Defense that Count Braune only utilizes his civil rights in convenient arguments and not in terms of the Law itself. Even if the Realms had these specific rights, which it does not but rather authorities, these rights were not violated given that the 1865 Reformation Laws outlined militarized units were no longer needed and only policing forces were required for a Realm or Province's security. Security of the Realms and Provinces have not been degraded in any way shape of form given that no foreign nation exists to attack them, and inter-Imperial warfare has been illegal for centuries." Lastly, the Emperor's own lead counsel chimed in, stating "His Imperial & Royal Majesty the Emperor, according to his birthright, to our very culture and Constitution, reserves the power to make law and Decree as he pleases. And in his Constitution it is clearly written where the separation of powers begin and end. Imperial overstep, as explained by my Ministry colleagues, has not occurred nor have these accusations been proven to be true."

2nd Imperial District Court, in a 5-1 vote, found in favor of the Imperial Government on all but one count. The panel of judges found that the Imperial Government in one specific scenario overstepped the Province's authority when it came to establishing its taxation codes. Writing the opinion for the majority in the 2nd Imperial District Court was Chief Judge Ekkehard Höfler who shoots down the all but one of Count Braune's arguments. "It is the opinion of this court that Count Braune's legal arguments fail to meet this court's low-bar when considering the legality of the Imperial Government's powers under the Imperial Constitution. Although justified in seeking relief, and held in respect for the brilliant legal challenges presented, Count Braune's arguments run afoul of the Imperial Constitution, namely its second article. Article Two of the Imperial Constitution articulates the powers relegated to the Realms and their Lords - beginning with the central authorities within the Empire, Provincial Dukedoms, and their Lower Realms. This court rejects the Count's argument that Realms hold the same rights as individual citizens posses, and refers back to Article Two which clarifies actions conducted by Lords in official capacities - or other stately duties - are not the same as one's personal cognizance. Rights outlined in the Imperial Constitution's Third Article are not the same as the authorities/powers outlined within the Imperial Constitution's Second Article. However, this court finds in favor of Count Braune in arguments challenging Imperial Government overstep into Provincial matters of law. In (once more) Article Two, Provincial Dukedoms are the supreme central authority with delegated governmental authority. Taxation falls within the scope of their abilities, and unless in violation of Imperial Law or His Majesty's purview, the Imperial Government is restricted from altering Provincial Tax Code. Although the Imperial Government can impose its own tax code, and universally the Emperor has the innate authority to Decree/Issue taxation as well, the Imperial Government itself cannot modify Provincial Tax Code without legal justification to do so. Doing so is a violation of the separation of powers outlined in Article Two which clarifies the duties, powers, and responsibilities of Provincial Governments and the Imperial Government."

Count Braune's defeat in Imperial District Court was largely expected, yet it still sent shockwaves to supporters of the Nobleman Class as well as Provincial Dukedom Governments. Predictably, what remained of Count Braune's legal case was appealed to the 2nd Imperial District Court's Appellate Court a week after the previous court verdict. Once more Count Braune was defeated in court with 2nd Imperial District Court's Appellate Court Judge Michi Meyers writing for the majority, "2nd Imperial District Court is found to have ruled correctly in this case. This court sees no error the previous ruling didn't already rectify." Distrought, Count Braune and his supporters were left with little to no choice but appeal to the Imperial Supreme Court, who could at least rule in their favor and potentially the decision could convince the Emperor not to overturn that verdict. The Supreme Court of The Empire of Common Territories accepted the emergency case and on July 5th heard the first oral arguments from Count Braune's legal team. Throughout the next two weeks, both Count Braune and the Imperial Government argued their cases to the nine Supreme Court Justices. Historians, including courtroom/legal researchers, describe the significance of the legal battle as one full of both legal dueling and emotional outbursts. In one famous moment of oral arguments with both parties present, Count Braune had a verbal outburst against a rarely seen female Imperial Government lawyer, Irene Haberkorn, whom he accused of offending him by disrespecting his title and honor. "Wench! You dare address me in such casual manner even though you know full-well whom you speak of!? You should have never stepped into this institution to begin with, but now you mock your betters?! I will not standby as this whore dares to defame my honor!" Depicted in the courtroom's official trial painting, Count Braune is seen being held back by his team of lawyers while he shouted. Supposedly, in the immediate moment after the verbal abuse, the Count was escorted from the courtroom by Royal Guards and Capitol Police after he climbed over the railings surrounding his legal team's seating and quickly approached the Defense's seating with his cane raised to a position above his head ready to strike. Similar heated outbursts from even Count Braune's own legal team continued until the final day of oral arguments. On July 26th, a week after deliberations began, the Imperial Supreme Court found in favor of the Imperial Government on all arguments in a 7-2 vote. In his majority opinion, Chief Justice Fulchard Arne Grünberg wrote, "This court, in its long deliberations, finds the Imperial Government acted accordingly and is not in breach of Imperial Law. In agreement with 2nd Imperial District Court's original opinion, this court concludes that the Imperial Constitution's Second Article articulates the powers and responsibilities held by all governing entities within the Empire. The explination from the 2nd Imperial District was the correct one, which stated Article Two of the Imperial Constitution clarifies the powers held in which order from the Imperial Government, down to its Provincial Dukedoms, and concluded in that Imperial Duke's Realm. Imperial Government bodies were not found to be in violation of the law purely because Imperial Nobleman whom govern their respective territories cannot be personified nor defined as the Realm itself according to Article Two's wording. Furthermore, Article Three, which articulate the rights of citizens, also dictates whom are citizens and whom aren't. Lastly, in Article One and Two, His Majesty the Emperor holds supreme authority in matters of State and Government. The Imperial Laws passed by His Majesty were Decrees by nature even if they were sent to the Imperial Parliament for corrections and ratification."

Reactions to the monumental case from both sides were almost immediate. Imperial Government officials and even the Emperor applauded the decision as a "victory for the rule of Imperial Law and Order." Average citizens, who celebrated the verdict, held large festivities throughout the Empire - this celebration would not last long however. Count Braune, his supporters, and the staunch supporters of the Nobleman Class, were furious. Protests within territories aligned to the Nobleman Class' cause sprung up overnight, often becoming violent even though limited to certain jurisdictional pockets. In many cases local authorities refused or even supported the protests, forcing Imperial or Provincial authorities to act. Immediate consequences of the ruling were felt all over the Empire. Setting Supreme Court Case Law, Nobleman throughout the Empire were now forced to accept the definitions that separated them from their titles and Lands. Before, Nobleman enjoyed privileges associated with their titles that essentially allowed them to live daily not as the man named after a territory but the territory named after the man - they were not men but the Realm itself. Although this ruling technically protected their civil rights, this new separation of powers case law put an end to Nobleman conflating their authorities in personal matters - essentially one huge hierarchal demotion. Taxation from Nobleman in their Realms was protected in Lower Realm governance by the ruling as well. Unless the Provincial Duke did or say otherwise, Realms could make changes to their own tax code at will; this ultimately resulted in tax codes changing quickly with some parts of the Empire being heavily taxed in response to the ruling. The elimination of Realm militaries also went into affect, making it illegal for Nobleman to control personal militaries, regardless if it served the Realm or them personally. Although Nobleman successfully attempted to find loopholes around this part of the ruling, the practice itself would (mostly) officially end after the 1891 Insurrection. Most importantly, the long-term consequences of the ruling was that Count Braune, along with his supporters, realized they were left with no other choice than to resort to their last desperate option if they were to sustain their way of life. That last resort was rebellion.