War of the Habstrian Succession
| War of the Habstrian Succession | ||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
 Battle of Switz-Gloschlick | ||||||||||
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| Belligerents | ||||||||||
 Kingdom of Panedonia Kingdom of Wurveria Kingdom in Macklenover Electorate of Runesburg |
 Kingdom of Habstria Duchy of Gloschlick |
 Peastants Militia | ||||||||
| Commanders and leaders | ||||||||||
|
Friedrich II Alexander I George II |
Heinrich I Rudinger von Ausburg Alois II |
People's councilJohan Tapp | ||||||||
The War of the Habstrian Succession was a military conflict between most of the great powers of Dolchland, lasting between 1795 and 1797. It marked the beginning of Pax Panedonia, an era lasting about a century in which the Kingdom of Panedonia ruled Dolchland with relitive peace.
The conflict began following the death of King Leopold III of Habstria, who had no sons. Immediately after word of his death spread two major factions formed around two possible heirs, Heinrich, Duke of Gloschlick, the nephew of King Leopold through his sister Josephine, and Francis of Ausburg, Leopold's grandnephew through his brother Albert. Habstrian succession law was unspecific and having died unexpectedly Leopold left no will. It was debated heavily in the Habstrian Royal Estate whether an heir could pass through a female relative, or through a solely male line.
Francis of Ausburg was only 16 when his great uncle died, and resided with his mother Theresa of Wurveria, the half sister of King Alexander of Wurveria. Upon heraing of Leopold's death Theresa declared that Francis was the rightful heir, however Heinrich had already sought support from several powerful Habstrian nobles along with the central army. Heinrich succeded with many Habstrians as he played up fears that Theresa would force her son to renounce his Ausburg name, and become a member of the House of Wurveria. Heinrich, whose mother and father were cousins and thus both members of the House of Ausburg, had inherited the Duchy of Gloschlick, a very wealthy province with a sizable levy that could be used to seize power quickly in Morthal. The young Francis and his mother moved to Rotcassel Palace soon after hearing of Heinrich's intentions. Two months after the death of Leopold, Heinrich had himself crowned king in Morthal Cathedral, and soon after dispatched a force to capture Francis and Theresa, which they did and transported them to Alberhof Palace. Upon hearing of his half sister and nephews kidnapping, King Alexander of Wurveria declared war on the new Habstrian regime and declared Heinrich illegitemate. Alexander soon called his ally Panedonia into the war, and soon the conflict became less about the succession of the Habstrian crown, but about power within the Empire.