Aquitaynian War of Independence

Aquitaynian War of Independence
Date September 27, 1734 – December 8, 1741 (7 years, 2 months, 1 week and 4 days) Location Aquitayne Result Treaty of Wennavua House Reich claims the Aquitaynian throne from House Kon'rei Territorial changes Aquitaynian independence from Exponent. Exponent retains control over Castineos and several smaller islets off the Aquitaynian coast. Aswickan independence from Empire of Exponent and Aquitayne
Belligerents
Aquitayne Aswick Berique	Empire of Exponent Loyalists Uli Schwyz mercenaries
Commanders and leaders
Augustus I Ser Vaer Lothreg, Baron Kemp Jack Stonebridge Alexander Jones	Turcellius Adventus
Casualties and losses
Pablo	Literally all of them

The Aquitaynian War of Independence, also known as the Aquitaynian Revolution, Independence of 1734, and The First Exponential Civil War, was a political upheaval and conflict fought between 1734 and 1741 between the then Territories of the Lands of Aquitayne, the Imperial Holding of Aswick, and the Exponential Empire. In it, Aquitaynian rebels of the Territories of the Lands of Aquitayne rejected Exponentalian monarchy, the false governance of the House Kon'rei, the Aquitaynian aristocracy, and secured the severance of the Aquitaynian people from the Exponential Empire and created the Constitutional Monarchy of Aquitayne.

Causes

Taxes and Trade

The Exponential Empire began restricting the influx of goods to Aquitayne around 1728 with the Poliarch Decree, named after the economist - James Poliarch, who authored the doctrine. The creation of the document was in response to weakening economic treaties with foreign nations across the Mare Ferum and Lorecia, and was an effort by the Emperor to reserve Exponential economic prowess in Astyria during the time. The document forbade the territories, merchants, privateers and landowners from buying, selling, transporting or otherwise exchanging goods for mutual benefit with any nation, territory, native peoples, or individuals that were not a part of the Exponential Empire or holding Imperial Citizenship. All exchanges were henceforth required to be stamped andnotarized by an Imperial Notary to officiate the exchange and by law legalize it, as well as collect the per-unit 20% Imperial Tax on traded goods. The Poliarch Decree would lead to massive increases in smuggling throughout the territories, especially between individuals who sought to bring their wares outside of the Empire.

After this decree was made into law, the Emperor put a per-unit sale on the territories' main export: lumber. Aquitayne had quickly become the Empire's largest supplier of lumber and their shipwright in Ordana proved the reliance on Aquitaynian lumber. The Empire was, by far, the largest buyer of Aquitaynian lumber in all of Astyria, and in order to decrease the cost of maintaining and constructing new ships, the Emperor signed into law an act which reduced the price of the lumber to its weight in tons divided by the length of the trunk to be paid in silver credits.

Dispute in the Houses

See also: War of the White Rose

Pictured is Augustus I, leader of the House Reich and first monarch of modern Aquitayne.

One of the leading factors to the outbreak of the uprising against the Empire of Exponent was the discontent between the royal families in Aquitayne. After the House Kon'rei defeated the House Reich at the Battle of Treian Hills in 1653, most of the family was imprisoned as traitors to the crown. Notably, Augustus I's father, Kendrick the Lionhearted, was imprisoned at the Royal Palace from the age of 3 as a hostage. Son of the brother of the last King, as his cousin was brutally murdered in 1647, he was the only remaining family member who carried the direct lineage of the paternal line dating back to 1366. Thus, his security was of the utmost importance to the family.

In 1698, at the age of 48, Kendrick Reich was released from prison as payment for the House Reich agreeing to supply the Empire of Exponent and House Kon'rei with grain and arms in perpetuity. Ten years later, in 1708, Augustus I would be born. Six months after his birth, the House Kon'rei seized the child Augustus from his family home and claimed him as hostage like his father. Attempts were made by House Reich to secure Augustus' release, including secret missions to infiltrate the Royal Palace. Though Augustus was imprisoned, throughout his childhood he was given almost free reign throughout the palace and was educated by Exponent teachers and philosophers.

In 1728, the House Kon'rei demanded that Augustus renounce his familial roots, swear fealty to the Empire of Exponent, and be re-christened Andromedus Kon'rei. Augustus refused, and was placed under house arrest. Not long after, Augustus employed the help of a young Kon'rei woman to assist in his escape from the palace. It is rumored the two were lovers, but no supporting evidence has ever been found. On his escape, Augustus made his way to his family home where he learned of his father's death and became the new de facto head of the family. Augustus quickly demanded the release of all Reich prisoners from Exponent prisons and the immediate return of seized familial lands. In spring of 1731, Augustus reneged on the deal that was made to secure his father's release and ended all grain and arm shipments to Telora and Paradise City. The Empire of Exponent assembled a small force with the help of Kon'rei militia in an attempt to seize back the farmlands and smitheries, but were repeled by a much larger Reich force. The Exponents backed down before bloodshed was spilled, but this is often seen as the first victory of the war for independence by some historians.

Further arguments over taxation, trade, representation and imprisoned members of the family would ultimately lead to Augustus' famous Demands Charter in 1733, which formally demanded the Empire of Exponent's withdrawal from Aquitayne and the returning of the crown to House Reich. The war would begin 10 months later in September 1734.

Executions

On August 18th, a group of forty two well known anti-Kon'rei revolutionaries were brought to the center of Telora, and before a massed crowd of several thousand, hung in groups of six. This action was undertaken in an attempt to discourage the local population from participating in any further actions against the House of Kon'rei or against the Imperial Exponential government, and before each group was executed a proclamation was read aloud, labeling the men as traitors and listing the various actions that each had committed against the crown.

This mass execution is widely believed to have lead to a severe blowback against the Exponential government and the House of Kon'rei, as many who witnessed the scene saw it as an act of barbarity, and rather than being driven away from further revolutionary activities were instead now being drawn to it.

First Phase

Outbreak of the War

Telora

Ser Vaer Lothreg, an educated lesser Aquitaynian noble, frequently hosted secret gatherings in his home to discuss whether it was better to obey or to revolt against a tyrannical government, as he defined the Imperial colonial government in Aquitayne. In 1734 Lothreg concluded that a revolt was needed and the executions of August 18th had been the last offense that the people of Aquitayne would bear.

Lothreg was in Eyrarfell on 27 September 1734, with other rebel leaders including the local commander Guri Asbjorn, when they learned their conspiracy had been discovered. Lothreg ran to the nearby church, calling for all the people to gather, where from the pulpit he called upon them to revolt. They all shouted in agreement. The people were a comparatively small group, and poorly armed with whatever was at hand, including sticks and rocks. On the morning of 28 September 1734, Lothreg called upon the remaining locals who happened to be in the market, and again, from the pulpit, exhorted the people of Eyrarfell to join him. Most did, and Lothreg had a mob of some 600 men within minutes.

With their newfound force assembled, Lothreg and Asbjorn marched their little army through towns including Skalamyrr and Krossholar, where the angry rebels killed all the Imperial officials they found. Along the way they adopted the white rose as a symbol of their allegiance to House Reich. When they reached the town of Rooreksgil on October 7th, they found the small local Imperial garrison barricaded inside the public granary. Among them were some 'forced' Imperialists, locals who had served and sided with the Empire. By this time, the rebels numbered 30,000 and the battle was horrific. They killed more than 500 Imperials and local sympathizers, and marched on toward Telora.

As news of the growing rebel forces reached the capital, the Viceroy quickly organized a defense, sending out the Imperial legate Turcellius Adventus with 1,000 men, 400 horsemen, and 2 cannons - all that could be found on such short notice. On October 30, Lothreg's army encountered the first real military resistance at the Battle of Crucifix Hill, fought them, and achieved victory. When the cannons were captured by the rebels, the surviving Imperialists retreated back to Telora.

Despite having the advantage, Lothreg retreated, against the counsel of his advisors. This retreat, on the verge of apparent victory, has puzzled historians and biographers ever since. They generally believe that Lothreg wanted to spare the numerous Aquitaynian citizens in Telora from the inevitable sacking and plunder that would have ensued. Others hold strong to the belief that Lothreg was firmly convinced that, after showing the Imperial forces the Aquitaynians were a force to be reckoned with, the Viceroy might give in to rebel demands without further bloodshed. This retreat is considered Lothreg's greatest tactical error.

The insurgent forces next planned a defensive strategy at a bridge on the Tanz River, pursued by the Imperial army. In January 1735, Imperial forces fought the Battle of the Tanz and defeated the insurgent army, forcing the rebels to flee towards the Falkasian-Aquitaynian border, where they hoped to escape.

A large number of the rebels, however were intercepted by the Imperial army en route. Lothreg and his remaining soldiers were captured just a few miles from the safety of Falkasia, and all of the rebel leaders were found guilty of treason and sentenced to death, except for Marius Albright. He was sent to Hesperidesia to serve a life sentence in prison. Lothreg, Asbjorn and Gulbrandr were executed on 26 June 1735, shot in the back as a sign of dishonor. Their heads were then preserved and hung from the belltower of the church in Eyrarfell as a warning to those who dared follow in their footsteps.

Second Phase

In order to supplement their troop strength, the Exponential Empire hired on mercenaries, including the Uli-Schwyz Regiment. The Neu Engollian Mercenary unit was led at the time by General Augustus Raedler. The Uli-Schwyz were garrisoned in Ordana, a central port city of Aquitayne, and helped to administer a good portion of the province of Thaunica, of which, Ordana was the capital. As trouble brewed throughout the province, Raedler had his troops crack down, as ordered by his Exponential masters. Uli patrols were ambushed and supply convoys of wagons were raided and the rebels had some success against the foreign mercenaries in the countryside.

Soon, the Uli-Schwyz found themselves bottled up and besieged in Ordana.

Aswickan Theater

Main article: Aswickan Campaign

Expulsion of Imperial Officials

When the war in Aquitayne broke out, Aswick was quick to declare its own independence. The only significant Imperial force is Aswick was stationed in the city of New Atlieum, though this force would evacuate within a few months of the war. Patriots across Aswick were quick to establish a new revolutionary government with the Prince of Aswick, crowned as King of Aswick at its head. Imperial viceroys and Kon'rei loyal governors and officials found themselves powerless to stop the rebellion and were forced to flee several cities. In many places the Patriots were energetic and were backed by angry mobs while the Loyalists were too intimidated or poorly organized to be effective without the Imperial army.

Loyalist writings throughout the conflict persistently claimed that they were the majority, and influenced Paradise City officials to believe that it would be possible to raise many Loyalist regiments. As late as 1740 the Loyalists were deceiving themselves and top Imperial officials about their supposedly strong base of support.

Military Campaigns

Siege of New Atlieum

Main article: New Atlieum Campaign

The New Atlieum Campaign was a military campaign in the opening stages of the Aswickan theatre of the Aquitaynian war of Independence. It was the first campaign where a unified Aswickan Army fought a foe. After almost a year of besieging the town of New Atlieum, the Aswickan Army emerged victorious, after the Exponentials evacuated a large part of their force from the peninsula.

Capture of Jamestown

Main article: Battle of Jamestown

After the Imperial army evacuated New Atlieum, General Alexander Jones correctly guessed that the next target for the Empire's forces would be the city of Jamestown. In just a short time, Jones had marched a large portion of his army to the city. Upon arrival he strengthened the batteries that guarded the harbor and constructed forts to prepare for the coming storm.

Within weeks, an Imperial force under Legate Lucius Vetus arrived, supported by a massive armada, and made camp just outside the citiies defenses. Under the cover of darkness, several Imperial columns began to move out, making their way to the flanks of the Reichist positions and laying in wait for their signal to strike. At daybreak the following day, the full body of Vetus' force fell upon Battery Hill, one of Jones' most fortified postions, while the flanking force slammed against the right flank of the enemy. Within hours, the Patriot army was forced to retreat, leaving the city firmly in Imperial hands for the remainder of the war.

Battle of Jefford's Junction

Main article: Battle of Jefford's Junction

As the Army was defeated at Jamestown, the Aswickan forces retreated and marched to their winter refuge. On the way, the Imperial forces caught up, and a detachment of militia and regulars commanded by Colonel Mercer of the Third of Foot fought a delaying action.

Faced with the whole of the Imperial Guard, the Aswickans though defeated and losing over two thirds of the detachment, succeeded in delaying the Imperial forces long enough for the main force to slip away. Further, the battle resulted in the decimation of the Imperial Guard. The loss of so many of its men knocked the corps out of contention for the remainder of the war.

River Tyde

Main article: River Tyde

River Tyde was an encampment in a valley and on the banks of the river Tyde. Though not the only winter encampment to be used by the Aswickans, it is perhaps the most important. Historians agree that this is where the Aswickan leadership solidified, and is by many considered to be the birthplace of the modern Aswickan Army.

Endgame

Ordana Campaign

Battle of Espus

Main article: Battle of Espus

Battle of the Castineos Strait

Main article: Battle of the Castineos Strait

Hesperidesian Campaign

Main article: Battle of Pontelorium