Battle of Eldham

Battle of Eldham
Part of Vionnan Anarchy (1398 - 1411)
Date October 12 1398 Location South of Cunaris, Cunaris Result Vionnan Alliance Victory
Belligerents
Vionnan Alliance Duchy of Larkinge	Kingdom of the Riverland
Commanders and leaders
Duke Henry Forrest	Stephen of Cunaris (WIA)
Strength
Around 13,000 Men	10,000 Men
Casualties and losses
Light	Between 2,000 and 3,500

The Battle of Eldham, so called as it was fought just west of the Gnostic Monastery of Eldham, was the first battle of the Vionnan Anarchy. Fought between the Cunard forces of Earl Stephen of Cunaris and the invading Larkingens under Duke Henry Forrest, the battle was a decisive victory for the Vionnan Alliance and Duke Forrest was able to go on to besiege the city of Cunaris itself. Earl Stephen lost his left hand during the battle.

Background

The Battle of Eldham was the first battle of the Vionnan Anarchy and decided the course of the early parts of the war. The quick duration of the battle and lack of any known chroniclers or clergymen meant that there is very little information to be found on tactics and the actual course of events. Only archaeological evidence and a few documents from the nearby Monastery of Eldham exist to inform present-day historians.

Battle

On the 12th of October 1398, at around midday, Duke Henry Forrest and his army of 13,000 Larkingen Knights, Men-at-Arms and infantry met with the army of Earl Stephen of Cunaris and his army of Cunard infantry and archers with light cavalry support.

Both sides drew out into lines of battle and the Cunard archers fired many arrows at the Larkingen line but due to their heavy armour and the lack of good quality arrows few Larkingens were actually killed. Both sides advanced towards each other just after midday and a charge took place. Much of the ensuing fighting was between the infantry of both sides and the bloody battle lasted almost two hours. Larkingen cavalry finally broke the resolve of the Cunard forces and inflicted heavy casualties but disorganisation amongst Larkingen forces meant Earl Stephen, whose hand had been mangled in the brutal melee and was later amputated, managed to slip away with the rest of his battered army back to Cunaris.

Aftermath

Duke Forrest received reinforcements from Ballaeter and marched on Cunaris, putting it under siege the following month. The light casualties on the Vionnan side are remarkable and put down almost entirely to their heavily armoured knights and men-at-arms. The Cunard forces of Earl Stephen were just outnumbered but were conventionally armed and armoured and thus were at a disadvantage. The battle is scheduled to appear in dramatised form in a prequel series to NDS's Krigen that will be released in 2019.