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Siège de Lille 1792.JPG

The Capture of Zarthalin was the culmination of the First Siege of Zarthalin, a major action early in the War of the Velaran Succession. Forty thousand soldiers took part in the siege, which saw the key port city, Retikh's capital, fall to the pro-Trellin armies of Kenti of Ja'ekha after a six-week siege.

Zarthalin was a staunchly Miróist city; even before the death of Queen Tarien its political elite had denounced the union of the Trellinese and Velaran crowns and petitioned to be granted independence. The commander of its garrison, Atnas Laidakon, was the most senior commander in Velar's mainland territories and had pledged to defend Zarthalin against any effort to deprive it of its unique civic liberties. Zarthalin was also regarded as the most strategically important city in either Retikh or Pelna and was thus the main target for Grand Duke Kenti's campaign.

Miróists in Parthenope and Txir hoped that a lengthy siege of Zarthalin would buy them time to land armies in their mainland provinces and prosecute a counter-offensive. To their horror, Kenti captured the city in less than six weeks, when all had expected it to last at least six months. Laidakon abandoned the citadel while street-fighting continued, acquired reinforcements and began his own siege of Zarthalin. This attempt to recapture the city was repulsed after two months; his second attempt, assisted by general Kúfet Heruyel, was similarly rebuffed. A fourth and final skirmish the following year was the last Velaran attempt to retake the Retikan capital before the province was abandoned. (See more...)

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