Makedonian-Acrean War

Makedonian-Acrean War
Acrean (maroon) and Makedonian (purple) holdings before the war.
Date 553-566 CE Location Chihon, Zhongguo, Sundering Sea Result Peace Treaty Makedon seizes most of Chihon and Zhongguo Acrean retains control of coastal holdings
Belligerents
Makedonian Empire	Acrean Empire
Commanders and leaders
Deinokrates II	Athanaric IV
Strength
5,000,000 (contemporary sources) 300,000 (modern estimates)	3,000,000 (contemporary sources) 250,000 (modern estimates)
Casualties and losses
Unknown, presumed heavy	Unknown, presumed heavy

The Makedonian-Acrean War (Makedonian: Μακεδονία-Ἄκη μάχαιρα) was fought between the Makedonian Empire and the Acrean Empire from 553-566 CE.

Acrean presence in north-east Siduri could be traced back to conflict with the Sabrian Empire which by the 4th Century CE had resulted in the conquest of much of Zhongguo by Acrea. Acrean rule gradually spread to cover much of north-east Siduri, including Chihon. The Makedonian Empire meanwhile had struggled through a turbulent 4th and 5th Centuries, owing to economic uncertainty following the collapse of the Hannashka Empire and the Zobethos Civil War. The regin of Alexarchus succeeded in stabilizing the Makedonian Realm and by the 6th Century the Empire had re-asserted itself as a major power. Having established peaceful relations with the Rideva Empire to the south and expanded the empire's borders into central Siduri, Kansdeon, and Tam Mau, the Makedonians were free to turn their attention eastwards. Relations between Acrea and Makedon had been largely cordial prior, but Makedonian desires to reach the rich provinces of Quenmin demanded that the Empire's northern flank be secured prior.

The war began in the spring of 553 CE when Deinokrates II invaded Chihon with the Makedonian army. The Makedonians defeated the Acreans in several battles inland, compelling the Acreans to withdraw to their coastal holdings and ports. Makedonian efforts to besiege the Acrean holdings proved largely unsuccesful, primary due to the inablity of the Makedonian navy to secure control of the eastern Sundering Sea. Deinokrates expanded the fighting into Zhongguo with similar results; the Makedonians were able to push the Acreans out of the countryside, but were unable to eliminate Acrean control of the extensive coastline of north-east Siduri. After eight years of heavy losses and extended, bloody sieges, the two sides agreed to a peace treaty in the summer of 566 CE.

The treaty largely fell in line with the conduct of the war. The Acreans remained in control of nearly 50 different settlements and ports along the Siduri coast, while most of the interior of Chihon and Zhongguo came under Makedonian domain. In exchange for a tribute of 12,000 kilograms of gold, the Makedonians agreed to limit their naval presence east of the Arkoennite coast to 50 ships, ensuring Acrean naval dominance would continue in the eastern Sundering Sea. The war devestated much of Chihon and Zhongguo, with the population not recovering for nearly 200 years. Despite continued tensions between the two powers, the war was the only instance of direct conflict between the two empires. Not long after Acrean attention would have to be shifted west to deal with rebellious elements in western Eracura, while Makedonian expansion into Quenmin led to conflict with the Sabrian Empire in what became known as the Sabrian Wars.