First Trans-Mediriman War

The First Trans-Mediriman War was the first in a series of wars mainly fought between Nova-País, Tayichi and Terra Argo for control of the vital trade routes crossing the Mediriman Sea in the 18th and early 19th century. While the war initially began due to localised trade disputes within Nova-País and Tayichi, it quickly spiralled into a full-blown conflict which continued on until 1738 at the Treaty of Kurayami, signed between Tayichi and Terra Argo and then agreed upon by Nova-País later in the year. Although Nova-País was militarily successful in the conflict, they were unable to complete their ultimate aims of retaking Costeiras and they finished the war in a weaker position than they started it, laying the groundwork for bitterness and emnity which would culminate in the Second Trans-Meridiman War.

The First Trans-Mediriman War
The Sinking of the Don by Giancarlo Esposito shows the destruction of the Nova-País fleet at the Battle of Costeiras, 1737.
Date 1728 - 1738 Location Mediriman Ocean, Sukoki Gulf and Artevenian Sea Result Inconclusive, de facto Tayichian victory
Belligerents
Tayichi Nova-Pais	Terra Argo
Commanders and leaders
Emperor Watai Otani Masuyaki Funabashi Hikohira Ikejiri Michizuka King Domingo I Wanomo Hidetata Alejandro Blanco	King Leo III Nabulione Vasca Pedro Orízona Corsa Maggara Guiseppe Añema Argano Cruz
Strength
Tayichi: TBD Nova-Pais: 35 Ships of the Line 50 Frigates 450 Sloops, Skiffs and Assorted Junks	TBD

Background

The roots of the First Trans-Medirimian War lie in the origins of Nova-País and a centralised Terra Argoan state. In 1680, when the King of Terra Argo passed several laws massively restricting the power and autonomy of his nobility, his aggrieved vassals rose up in rebellion led by Duke Domingo IV of Costeiras. Within a year, the rebellion had been defeated and Duke Domingo and his don Fidalgo dynasty were sent into exile, fleeing to their far-flung colony of Nova-País. Despite his weak position, Duke Domingo never relinquished his claim to the Duchy of Costeiras and formed a bitter rivalry with Terra Argo. When the Kingdom of Nova-País was declared in 1701, Terra Argo refused to recognise the Kingdom, instead viewing it as a renegade colony led by a traitorous Duke. One of the key instigators below the surface for this rivalry was also economic concerns, as prior to the split in 1681 both Terra Argo and Sukoku had enormously benefited from their Trans-Medirimian Trade and the desire to resume trade was a significant cause of tensions which would eventually boil over into war.

Similarly, competition between Terra Argoan and Tayichican merchants within both northern Borealia and northern Amnis was a frequent instigator of tensions. The presence of Terra Argoan factories, garrisons, and naval ports within the Syo region only contributed to this tension, with its proximity to the Tayichian home isles being a consistent source of fear for the Tayichian Empire. This fear was worsened in 1701, when Terra Argoan exiles in Sukoki declared the Kingdom of Nova-País, in direct opposition to the Terra Argoan monarchy. As such, the Terra Argoan naval forces within Syo were only bolstered by this, as they feared an assault upon their holdings.

Although no military alliance was formalised until after the Trans-Meridiman War started in 1728, increasingly relations between Tayichi and Nova-País warmed, with Nova-País' King Antonio I saying in his 1725 final speech that, "The Tayichians are surely our greatest friends on this side of the globe, and share our entrepeneurial spirit." whilst Tayichian (foreign secretary) wrote to the Emperor in 1727 that "-"

Peace Treaty

Even by late 1736, before the Nova-País armada had even set off towards Costeiras, the Tayichian government had entered secret negotiations with that of the Terra Argoans in order to secure peace. For Tayichi, they had already achieved many of their war aims, having proven themselves able to protect their own trade in the western hemisphere whilst simultaneously having the ability to disrupt that of the Terra Argoans. Terra Argo, on the other hand, had been able to inflict serious damage and remain standing whilst facing the combined might of two naval powers, and emerged in a stalemate. As such, by late 1736 both Terra Argo and Tayichi were ready to simply negotiate a consensus peace deal which would be fairer for both sides and entrench trading rights. However, Nova-País was completely unwilling to accept any consensus treaty which would formalise a relationship between Terra Argo and Nova-País, since they still had desires to retake the Duchy of Costeiras. Therefore negotiations had to begin in secret in the Tayichian colony of Kurayami, on the Borealian mainland. Even before the decisive Battle of Costeiras in late 1737, the treaty had been formally written. Chief among the concerns of both sides were economic, as the war had drained the fiscal reserves of all nations involved, whilst simultaneously causing severe disruptions to their trans-meridiman trading endeavours.

Due to the treaty being only written out by Tayichian and Terra Argoan diplomats, for whom the war was almost solely motivated by trade, the treaty had no mention of territorial concessions and few discussions surrounding military disarmament or regulation. The treaty was designed to be a consenus agreement, with benefits for both sides, as opposed to one nation being acknowledged as the victor. The key points of the Treaty of Kurayami were:

- Terra Argoan traders in Syo can only deal through Tayichians, rather than going straight to the Syuans

- Terra Argoans are given full freedom to trade anywhere in the Tayichian home islands

- Tayichi shall guarantee the protection of Terra Argoan merchants in Nova-País, as well as Nova-País merchants in Terra Argo

- Both Terra Argo and Tayichi shall stand by and enforce the provisions of the treaty in case of a rejection by Nova-País

The final point in the treaty also included a secret clause, by which Terra Argo and Tayichi agreed to enter a secret defensive pact to prevent future conflict between the two nations and to contain the unpredictable Nova-País. The treaty was finally presented to a humiliated Nova-País on 11th January 1738, with it finally being accepted on 28th Febuary 1738. Nova-País was furious at Tayichi negotiating a peace treaty behind their back, however with finances suffering and the fleet in tatters after the disastorous Costeiras campaign of the previous year, they had no choice but to accept. The First Trans-Meridiman War ended on the 1st March 1738.

Aftermath

For many optimists in the Nova-País administration who hoped the war would spark a return to their old homeland of Costeiras, the war was a grim wake-up call. Although some idealists continued to believe that they may one day be able to humble their Terra Argoan nemesis, wider society began to turn away from those ideas and instead focused on expanding the reforms of King Antonio I, finishing his dream of creating a fully functional and bureaucratic government which would last, rather than simply a temporary measure for the reconquest of Costeiras. Within the National Cortes, a new faction emerged which began to advocate for reduced conflict with Terra Argo and to instead acknowledge them as brothers in arms in a fight against Borealians, whom they blamed for the defeat in the war. This faction in the Cortes eventually evolved into the radical white supremacists who dominated Nova-País politics in the decades following the Second Trans-Meridiman War and would continue to be a major force even after the Great Sukoki Revolt (1813-1817) and Third Trans-Meridiman War.

Militarily, the war prompted intense reform. Rather than the haphazard structure of native clan levies fighting alongside regular soldiers drilled in the Amnisian style, King Domingo completely reformed the military structure centered around a blend of Amnisian tactics alongside Sukoki tradition. Whilst units would fight uniformed with rifles, bayonets, and march in large drilled formations, they would utilise the large numbers which had made up old Sukoki doctrine. However, not all soldiers were treated the same. Units were segregated based on the district's allegiance to Nova-País and the don Fidalgo house, with predominantly white or Mathetist regiments being given the best equipment and granted the best combat training. By contrast, units with alternative loyalties, particularly those in western Sukoki, were given training more focused on discipline rather than actual combat power. Despite these differences, the new army was still far more cohesive and powerful than that which had fought previously, and the structure remained until the Great Sukoki Revolt (1813-1817) and post-war reforms.

For Terra Argo, the Trans-Meridiam War was a blow to its former dominance of Amnisian-Borealian trade. They failed to take back their colony Nova-Pais, and now had to go through Tayichians in order to trade in the Syo region. Despite the semi-victory in the war, and lots of glorious battles, many modern historians view this as the end of Terra Argo's 'Golden Age' as the government began diverting more resources towards war instead of trade.