Austral War
| The Austral War | |||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
 Oil painting of a clash between the navies of Exponent and Cassonne | |||||||||
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| Belligerents | |||||||||
Template:Country data Seraphic Empire Cadenza |
 Empire of Exponent | ||||||||
| Commanders and leaders | |||||||||
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Template:Country data Seraphic Empire Frédéric I Template:Country data Seraphic Empire David Quebodeaux Template:Country data Seraphic Empire Julien Reaume Template:Country data Seraphic Empire Gaston Amirault |
Titus VI Octavius Albus Marcellus Antonius Bracchus Tiberius Flavius | ||||||||
| Casualties and losses | |||||||||
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Template:Country data Seraphic Empire 12,250 304 dead, 793 wounded |
15,780 | ||||||||
The Austral War was a major war of the early nineteenth century which pitted the Empire of Exponent against the Seraphic Empire. The war was largely fought at sea and came to centre around possession of the island of Valle Crucis, first settled by Exponential colonists in the first millennium. Cassonnaise military strategists saw the eviction of Exponent from the island as essential to achieving dominion in southern Astyria.
Cassonne was aided in this war by its circumstantial ally the Republic of Cadenza, the expertise of whose commanders was vital in the conquest of the island.
I dunno, BC, I'm making this all up on the spot. Ye probably wrote it down somewhere yourselves.
Background
Valle Crucis had first been settled by Exponential colonists in the early fourteenth century. Under the Principatus system that was utilized by the Empire of Exponent at the time, the settlers were granted near total autonomy on condition that they pay taxes to the imperial court and allow imperial warships to dock in their ports, and in return they would be entitled to Imperial military protection. It functioned thereafter effectively as an independent city-state. This arrangement was largely uncontested by any of the southern Teudallic maritime powers, excepting some unsuccessful attacks by Kelonnan forces in the late sixteenth and early seventeenth centuries. In 1614, the city-state of Monsa was attacked by Cadenza as part of the War of the Magpie and the Dragon, a tumultuous conflict between Cadenza. This, and the failure of Exponent to protect its colonies in Scottopia and Kamalbia, led to Monsa and Valle Crucis deciding to withhold taxes from the imperial exchequer. Relations between the colonial and imperial courts quickly deteriorated and, after some back-and-forth, in 1660 (unless this year doesn't suit) Valle Crucis was reoccupied by Exponent. Direct rule was forcibly imposed on the island, which was thereupon governed directly as a colony. This greatly disturbed the balance in the region, and led Exponent's ambitious rivals to consider Valle Crucis as a target for conquest.
In March of 1812, the Emperor Maximinius V passed, with his son Titus VI inheriting the title of Emperor of Exponent. Almost immediately upon taking the throne, Titus VI made it clear that he had no intentions of pressing any attacks against Beriquois forces in Cote d'Cuivre - a decision seen as one of weakness by regional rivals.
In June, 1812, Cassonnais forces attack Valle Crucis.