Centuries War Period
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The Centuries War Period was a period of Cacertian history of near-constant civil war, social upheaval, and political intrigue lasting almost three centuries from 1422 until the start of the industrial revolution in 1719.
The period was initiated by the Cornaro Civil War in 1422 among Padovan Empire satrapies in the island of Sarissita. Weakened after an extended period of economic and political decline, the Padovan Empire could no longer maintain control over large portions of its territory against increasingly powerful minor houses and clans. The lack of Padovan oversight in northern Cacerta created a power vacuum that dozens of factions fought over to control.
Concurrently, a succession crisis led to the collapse of the Venetio Governate and resulted in the Venetio Civil War in the south between the ruling Marik family and its Carignan cadet branch. The conflict was so extensive that it also involved the neighboring Duchy of Abruzzo and its hereditary leaders in House Quintilian, House Altoviti, and House Ruspoli. Central Cacerta was heavily influenced by the events of both the north and south. House Viareggio, which had long ruled from their seat of power in the city of their namesake, struggled to maintain control as factions rallied behind House Borgia. Several violent encounters eventually kicked off the Borgia Rebellion in 1450.
The Lombardo Matriarchy of western Cacerta managed to resolve many of its internal political struggles peacefully with the ruling House Davion maintaining control over its territory through concessions made with both its retainer minor houses and the local peasantry. This allowed House Davion to focus on improving and expanding its economy and take advantage of its various naval trade routes to bolster its strength. An emphasis on the development of its already superior navy allowed the Matriarchy to focus on exploration efforts that led to the expansion and growth of many of its extra-Cacertian trading posts throughout the region. Although largely unaffected by the wars that were being waged across the archipelago, conflict was inevitable and on several instances the Matriarchy had to beat back attempted invasions and destroy various privateers. The Lombardo Matriarchy, however, emerged as the largest and most powerful of the Cacertian nation-states by the 1700s as a result of a combination of a strengthened economy and strong military.
The Centuries War Period is considered to have ended with the Siege of Carrera in 1719 that resulted in the destruction of the original Quintilian family. A short period of peace followed during Cacerta’s industrial revolution until the Wars of Unification that began in 1864.