War of Union

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War of Union
File:Pending Pending Information
Date April 25, 1887 – August 16, 1893 (6 years, 3 months, 3 weeks and 1 day) Location Modern day Fillicia and Montesardo-East Adanzi Result The Kingdom of Montesardo is dissolved Fillician and Lubyakan Victory Peace of Puledra, later the Treaty of Almendrados Defeat of the Nine Families Montesardi Navy is docked Start of Montesardi-Danzan Alliance Territorial changes Cession of West Adanzi and Alarillas Islands to Fillicia Cession of Ilan to Lubyak Danzan Isthmus Region and city of Numorg ceded to Fillica Island of Tamvod returned to Fillician administration
Belligerents
Montesardo Kingdom of Montesardo Republic of Nevarro Auroviel Central Fleet	Fillician Empire Grand Fillician Herd Caudillos of the Steppes
Montesardi-Danzan Alliance Kingdom of Montesardo Republic of Nevarro Auroviel	Fillician-Lubyakan Coalition Fillician Empire Lubyak
Commanders and leaders
Diamond Ambegetti  † Zorillas Atilano Sermon di Grijalba	Galant Clawsburg Caos Eterno  † Butterscotch Cream Johann Aleksyana Jan von Dopplebruck
Strength
Montesardo and Adanzi •Central Army: —  232,000 (at start of war); — 1,800 (at war's end) •Nevarro Republican Army: 23,049 •Stratzhoof Family: 212 * •Montesardi Navy,   Dominque Trade Fleet	Fillician Confederacy •Fillician Guard: —  293,000 (at start of war); — 99,394 (at war's end) •Fillician Armada
Casualties and losses
216,492	217,399
*  Some of the families engaged personally in defence of their estates.  † Killed in action

Template:History of Montesardo-East Adanzi The War of Union was a conflict primarily between the Fillician Empire and Montesardo that began in 1887 and ended in 1893, although it later expanded to include intervention by other regional powers, most notably the Dominion of the Lubyak. The war began as a result of tensions between Fillicia and Montesardi over rights to the island of Ilan. The war began with a Montesardi invasion of the island.

The majority of the war took place on the continent of Foronna, although naval actions took place in the surrounding seas and across the region as a whole. The war can generally split into three distinct phases: the Montesardi Invasion of Ilan and Fillicia, the Danzan entry into the war and subsequent invasion of Fillicia, the Lubyakan intervention, and the joint Lubyakan-Fillician invasion of Montesardo. While initially successful, the Montesardi invasion of Ilan soon bogged down and was completely repulsed by the large scale intervention of the Dominion of the Lubyak, as was the Danzan invasion of northeastern Fillicia. Following the expulsion of the Montesardi from Ilan, the Lubyakans and Fillicians launched an invasion of the Montesardi province of Adanzi.

The war ended in 1893 with the capture of New Puldera City by the Lubyakans. Peace talks had been ongoing ever since the end of the Ilanian campaign, but only formally concluded after the fall of New Puledra. The Peace of New Puledra —finalised in 1894— was a resounding defeat for the Montesardi state as a whole. The western portion of Adanzi was lost to the Fillician Herd, and the weakness of the Montesardi armed forces as a whole had been soundly demonstrated. However, the Fillicians were not entirely victorious as the war had drained the Fillician treasury, and their new province of West Adanzi was devastated by the war. Furthermore, as part of the Peace of Puldera, Fillicia ceded Ilan to the Dominion of the Lubyak, while making only minor gains from the Danzan isthmus region.

Background

Relations between the Montesardi and Fillicians were never warm. The formation of the Fillician Empire and the constant border conflicts between Montesardi city states and the Fillicians kept relations sour. While the newly united Montesardo was unprepared for full out war, the Montesardo had a notable naval superiority over the Fillicians. This superiority convinced high-level officers of the Royal War Council; that the Fillican Empire's Ilanian province was vulnerable to attack.

The intervention of the Dominion of the Lubyak rests on longstanding Lubyakan hopes to contain Montesardi influence, especially over trade in northern Borealia. The resurgence of Charnea had made it clear that the Dominion would soon lose its hold on the Charnean territories. The Dominion had long supported the declining Fillican Empire, in order to contain the threat of a dominant Montesardo. The Dominion had also had a long interest in expanding its naval presence in northern Borealia, and Montesardi control of the island was unacceptable.

The classic history of the War of Union tends to describe the Montesardo invasion of Ilan as a spurious move, but more modern research has led to significant revisionism. The current consensus is that it was a carefully planned strategic decision from numerous members of the Royal War Council, based on outdated information on the capabilities of the Fillician military, and the strength of the Lubyakan-Fillician alliance. Nonetheless, Fillicia's army was still largely formed by old military castes, primarily the janissaries, who still held significant control over the political aspects of the empire. It was estimated that Fillicia was roughly twenty years behind the Montesardi in terms of land forces and over fifteen in naval forces.

Ilanian Campaign (1887-90)

Ilan was regarded as a key strategic interest for the Montesardi. The island controlled several key sea lanes and boasted a significant agricultural sector. The mostly mountainous areas of the nation sought to expand towards the much more level plains of southern Ilan. With the decision to go to war already made and the Montesardi firmly believing in their naval superiority, Ilan was an obvious target.

The War of Union began on April 24th of 1887 with no formal declaration of war with wide spread assaults and bombardments of the numerous Ilanian port cities and coastal fortifications. The initial attacks crippled much of the Fillician Navy's forward deployed units and caused severe damage to the outdated fortifications of the island. Fillician counter attacks with their remaining fleet units resulted in the disastrous First Battle of the Laighin Sea, which utterly destroyed the Imperial Illanian Fleet, the most well trained and equipped Fillician formation. Although Fillician forces attempted to resist the Central Army's landing, they failed, and most of the Ilanian plains were quickly taken, with surviving Fillician force retreating to the Conmare Mountains.

Tazurain Fields

Tazurian Fields was a decisive Lubyakan-Fillician victory against the final Montesardi defending force at Fort Redcree. Facing overwhelming odds, the Montesardi defenders mounted a last stand, ultimately ending in the death of almost all the defenders. It is said that only five out of the ten thousand managed to survive, which resulted in a severe increase of war weariness on the Montesardi side. It did manage to inspire others to overcome the odds, but the war was already decided. The battle determined the turning point of the war, ultimately concluding the prospect of a dominant Montesardi empire on Foronna and abroad.

Conclusion

The Montesardi were successfully expelled from Ilan by January 5th, 1891, after the Battle of Tzaurain Fields, with the defeat of the Central Army, but only after a historically last stand that inspired efforts for the Montesardi to modernise against the leading empires in Borealia. Nonetheless, the defeat in Ilan meant that the Montesardi now immediately focused on the defence of Adanzi, where a stalemate was held. Successful naval campaigns against the Lubyakans delayed the full-scale invasion for some time, but the destruction of the Ilan fleet left the Montesardi with little ability to fully repel the Lubyakans.