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[[File:Illumination of Henry IV (cropped).jpg|thumb|left|150px|Most of the reign of Lucás II, the "barracks King" (reigned 1402-1431), and his successors was spent rebuilding the nation after decades of destructive civil war.]] | [[File:Illumination of Henry IV (cropped).jpg|thumb|left|150px|Most of the reign of Lucás II, the "barracks King" (reigned 1402-1431), and his successors was spent rebuilding the nation after decades of destructive civil war.]] | ||
King Lucás II inherited a country torn by decades of division and armed conflict and the inattention clearly showed: the great plains to the east of Urceopolis that once served as the breadbasket of the continent were wastelands and the site of frequent battle, Urcean ports were treated with scorn by traders globally due to the prevalence of conflict-based piracy, and the once mighty road system built by [[Great Levantia]] found itself largely destroyed from years of overuse and neglect. Lucás, called the "barracks King" both for his popularity among soldiers but also for his humble roots (relative for a King) prior to taking the Throne, spent a considerable part of his 29-year reign attempting to rebuild the country figuratively and literally. The King invited great scholars from across Christendom to engage in discussion about what might today be considered a kind of very primitive proto-economics. As part of this effort to solicit advice on how to reconstruct the nation's wartorn economy, the King convened a council of all of the [[Guilds (Urcea)|guilds]] of Urcea, the [[Gildertach]], for the first time in 1407. Serving initially as an advisory board on trade and trade conditions, it has continued to meet intermittently through the present. While contemplating changes to the Kingdom's economy, Lucás II implemented sweeping legal reforms that, among other changes, formally brought about the end of the [[Great Landsmeet]], which had not met since 1243. The King's legal reforms also included streamlining local succession laws, uniting the laws by which the succession of the [[Urceopolis (Archduchy)|Archduchy of Urceopolis]] and [[Harren|Grand Duchy of Harren]] functioned, thereby preventing a future occurrence of what occurred during the earlier Great Interregnum. Among the series of economic reforms implemented, King Lucás II most famously intentionally debased the currency to help farmers and merchants cancel debts from the war they couldn't repay. Despite the considerable gamble, records seem to indicate the move worked and the Urcean economy was in considerably better state upon Lucás's death in 1431 than it was when he came to the throne some 29 years earlier. | King Lucás II inherited a country torn by decades of division and armed conflict and the inattention clearly showed: the great plains to the east of Urceopolis that once served as the breadbasket of the continent were wastelands and the site of frequent battle, Urcean ports were treated with scorn by traders globally due to the prevalence of conflict-based piracy, and the once mighty road system built by [[Great Levantia]] found itself largely destroyed from years of overuse and neglect. Lucás, called the "barracks King" both for his popularity among soldiers but also for his humble roots (relative for a King) prior to taking the Throne, spent a considerable part of his 29-year reign attempting to rebuild the country figuratively and literally. The King invited great scholars from across Christendom to engage in discussion about what might today be considered a kind of very primitive proto-economics. As part of this effort to solicit advice on how to reconstruct the nation's wartorn economy, the King convened a council of all of the [[Guilds (Urcea)|guilds]] of Urcea, the [[Gildertach]], for the first time in 1407. Serving initially as an advisory board on trade and trade conditions, it has continued to meet intermittently through the present. While contemplating changes to the Kingdom's economy, Lucás II implemented sweeping legal reforms that, among other changes, formally brought about the end of the [[Great Landsmeet]], which had not met since 1243. The King's legal reforms also included streamlining local succession laws, uniting the laws by which the succession of the [[Urceopolis (Archduchy)|Archduchy of Urceopolis]] and [[Harren|Grand Duchy of Harren]] functioned, thereby preventing a future occurrence of what occurred during the earlier Great Interregnum. Lucás began the long process of [[Housing_in_Urcea#Land_ownership_and_availability_of_land|land reform]] by dramatically increasing the size of Crown-owned land by seizing large estates whose ownership had become disputed during the Saint's War. Among the series of economic reforms implemented, King Lucás II most famously intentionally debased the currency to help farmers and merchants cancel debts from the war they couldn't repay. Despite the considerable gamble, records seem to indicate the move worked and the Urcean economy was in considerably better state upon Lucás's death in 1431 than it was when he came to the throne some 29 years earlier. | ||
Lucás conducted a series of efforts to rebuild the nation's infrastructure and trade, a proactive policy applauded by many modern historians as a pioneering use of state power during the early Renaissance. Most ancient Great Levantine roads had their broken ancient bricks removed, as in many cases the conditions allowed for plain dirt roads which better suited the level and type of traffic of 15th century commerce; the military-oriented limestone roads were no longer necessary, and the broken stones were often an impediment to travel. Roads were also cleared of many obstructions which had developed over the centuries, ranging from landslides to simple fallen trees. New aqueducts were constructed for the first time in nearly a millennia to irrigate the abandoned fields and support the cities. Lucás's efforts also focused on ending piracy in Urcea which had become common during the [[Saint's War]] in an effort to restore the Kingdom's reputations with foreign traders. While he had no regular navy at his disposal, in the summer of [[1406]] Lucás waged a land campaign up and down the coast of the [[Archduchy of Urceopolis]] and [[the Cape (Urcea)|the Cape]], where many secret pirate bases had been located. The so-called "Pirate Campaign of 1406" had the intended effect; most pirates were cleared out, and the ones who the army could not reach found the climate inhospitable and either stood down from piracy or relocated abroad, in some cases as far as [[Vallos]]. | Lucás conducted a series of efforts to rebuild the nation's infrastructure and trade, a proactive policy applauded by many modern historians as a pioneering use of state power during the early Renaissance. Most ancient Great Levantine roads had their broken ancient bricks removed, as in many cases the conditions allowed for plain dirt roads which better suited the level and type of traffic of 15th century commerce; the military-oriented limestone roads were no longer necessary, and the broken stones were often an impediment to travel. Roads were also cleared of many obstructions which had developed over the centuries, ranging from landslides to simple fallen trees. New aqueducts were constructed for the first time in nearly a millennia to irrigate the abandoned fields and support the cities. Lucás's efforts also focused on ending piracy in Urcea which had become common during the [[Saint's War]] in an effort to restore the Kingdom's reputations with foreign traders. While he had no regular navy at his disposal, in the summer of [[1406]] Lucás waged a land campaign up and down the coast of the [[Archduchy of Urceopolis]] and [[the Cape (Urcea)|the Cape]], where many secret pirate bases had been located. The so-called "Pirate Campaign of 1406" had the intended effect; most pirates were cleared out, and the ones who the army could not reach found the climate inhospitable and either stood down from piracy or relocated abroad, in some cases as far as [[Vallos]]. | ||
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[[Emperor Leo III of the Holy Levantine Empire|Leo de Weluta]], eldest son of Prince Aedanicus, assumed the mantle of leadership of the [[House de Weluta|Velucian faction]] upon his father's death. Leading a small force comprised mostly of Catholic troops from his [[Ænglasmarch#Duchy_of_Holchester|Duchy of Holchester]] and mercenaries given to him by the Emperor, Leo launched a surprise attack on the city of Roekdorse in modern [[North Ionia]] and took the mostly-Catholic city, overcoming the small Royalist garrison. Soon, Leo began to call upon the avowedly Catholic Ionian Highlanders, who viewed "''Auld Royal Leo''" as their King, to flock to his banner, which they did. With the victory, the Pope proclaimed in 1563 that Leo was rightful heir to the Kingdom and gave him a Papal grant of the Kingdom stating as much, making Leo the de facto leader of Catholic Urcean forces. Reorganizing the shattered rebel forces and consolidating the Imperial-given forces, the Ionians, and the rebels into a new army, Leo began a march southwest to Urceopolis, besieging Protestant-aligned cities as he made his way down the river valley. The Protestant King Donnchad and his Gassavelian allies had to abandon the siege of Cana and march the two armies northeast. Leo and Donnchad's armies met for the first time in the northeastern plateau and engaged in a series of skirmishes for a year. Donnchad was continuously assured that a Protestant offensive from the Electorates of Lucarnia and Hollona would relieve him and attack the Imperial army from the rear, and continued to draw back his army in a series of bloody retreats in order to draw the Catholic forces in for a fight in which the allied armies would be able to strategically entrap the Imperial army. No reinforcements came, and Donnchad made the decision to continue the retreat on to Urceopolis in an attempt to draw the Catholic army into a siege of the well-defended city and potentially destroy them by sallying the Protestant forces forth. Leo managed to flank Donnchad with a detachment mostly comprised of cavalry and light infantry, positioning troops between Donnchad and Urceopolis, forcing the Protestant armies to stand and fight near Drumfree. At the Battle of Drumfree, which occurred on April 9th, 1565, both sides seemed deadlocked for nearly eight hours of fighting before Donnchad was mortally wounded by a primitive form of grapeshot, leading to the Protestant forces fleeing. Donnchad, abandoned by his troops, was then speared hundreds of times and his mangled corpse thrown into a ditch. | [[Emperor Leo III of the Holy Levantine Empire|Leo de Weluta]], eldest son of Prince Aedanicus, assumed the mantle of leadership of the [[House de Weluta|Velucian faction]] upon his father's death. Leading a small force comprised mostly of Catholic troops from his [[Ænglasmarch#Duchy_of_Holchester|Duchy of Holchester]] and mercenaries given to him by the Emperor, Leo launched a surprise attack on the city of Roekdorse in modern [[North Ionia]] and took the mostly-Catholic city, overcoming the small Royalist garrison. Soon, Leo began to call upon the avowedly Catholic Ionian Highlanders, who viewed "''Auld Royal Leo''" as their King, to flock to his banner, which they did. With the victory, the Pope proclaimed in 1563 that Leo was rightful heir to the Kingdom and gave him a Papal grant of the Kingdom stating as much, making Leo the de facto leader of Catholic Urcean forces. Reorganizing the shattered rebel forces and consolidating the Imperial-given forces, the Ionians, and the rebels into a new army, Leo began a march southwest to Urceopolis, besieging Protestant-aligned cities as he made his way down the river valley. The Protestant King Donnchad and his Gassavelian allies had to abandon the siege of Cana and march the two armies northeast. Leo and Donnchad's armies met for the first time in the northeastern plateau and engaged in a series of skirmishes for a year. Donnchad was continuously assured that a Protestant offensive from the Electorates of Lucarnia and Hollona would relieve him and attack the Imperial army from the rear, and continued to draw back his army in a series of bloody retreats in order to draw the Catholic forces in for a fight in which the allied armies would be able to strategically entrap the Imperial army. No reinforcements came, and Donnchad made the decision to continue the retreat on to Urceopolis in an attempt to draw the Catholic army into a siege of the well-defended city and potentially destroy them by sallying the Protestant forces forth. Leo managed to flank Donnchad with a detachment mostly comprised of cavalry and light infantry, positioning troops between Donnchad and Urceopolis, forcing the Protestant armies to stand and fight near Drumfree. At the Battle of Drumfree, which occurred on April 9th, 1565, both sides seemed deadlocked for nearly eight hours of fighting before Donnchad was mortally wounded by a primitive form of grapeshot, leading to the Protestant forces fleeing. Donnchad, abandoned by his troops, was then speared hundreds of times and his mangled corpse thrown into a ditch. | ||
Using his cavalry, Leo trapped and annihilated the Protestant armies the next day, clearing the way for him to Urceopolis. Marching towards the city and then establishing camp outside the city, he felt himself unworthy to enter first, and sent for the Pope. The Pope and Leo entered the city on May 14th, 1565 at which point the Pope crowned Leo as King Leo II, ending the War of Religion and sending the [[Great Confessional War]] into its second phase as well as restoring the House de Weluta to the Throne. Following his coronation, the new King sent for the remains of his father and interred them at the | Using his cavalry, Leo trapped and annihilated the Protestant armies the next day, clearing the way for him to Urceopolis. Marching towards the city and then establishing camp outside the city, he felt himself unworthy to enter first, and sent for the Pope. The Pope and Leo entered the city on May 14th, 1565 at which point the Pope crowned Leo as King Leo II, ending the War of Religion and sending the [[Great Confessional War]] into its second phase as well as restoring the House de Weluta to the Throne. Following his coronation, the new King sent for the remains of his father and interred them at the [[Caeline_Basilica#Crypt|Leonine Crypt]]. | ||
====Fate of the Ronanids==== | |||
After Leo seized Urceopolis, the remaining members of the [[House of Ronan]] in Urcea - including the children of the recently killed King Donnchad - mostly disappear from the historical record. A letter from Leo to an official in the Imperial court in [[1571]] makes passing reference to former Prince of Halfway Caelian Ronanid "enjoying...a comfortable imprisonment for the benefit of the realm", but no further mention in his papers or court records exist of any of the remaining Ronanids. A majority of historians believe that Leo imprisoned most of them for a time and then had them killed once the [[Great Confessional War]] concluded in [[1575]]; this opinion is based on typical contemporary practice and political calculus, but no direct evidence exists for it. A minority of historians believe that most of the Ronanids had fled the city before Leo's arrival and went on to live in anonymity; this theory is plausible, but many historians point out that it seems unlikely these individuals would not travel abroad to [[Alstin]] to historically documented members of the family living there. | |||
The fate of the family was as unclear to contemporaries as it is to modern historians. In [[1590]], a [[Derian identity|Derian man]] claiming to be Prince Caelian issued a proclamation in [[Dericania]] calling for a revolt of the supposed hidden Protestant masses against the [[Holy Levantine Empire]]. Pseudo-Caelian attracted a small following but was captured after a short rebellion in October 1591; he recanted his claims following torture. Rumors and legends of the "true Caelian" circulated throughout [[Levantia]] until around [[1615]]. | |||
==The Leonine revolution== | ==The Leonine revolution== | ||
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[[Category: History of Urcea]] | [[Category: History of Urcea]] | ||
[[Category: Urcea]] | [[Category: Urcea]] | ||
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