History of Urcea (1575-1798): Difference between revisions

Jump to navigation Jump to search
mNo edit summary
mNo edit summary
Line 13: Line 13:
With the death of Emperor-King Aedanicus VII, the Collegial Electorate abrogated its earlier selection and instead elected Louis, the Grand Duke of Verecundia. Newly-minted King Leo IV initially accepted the decision, but the newly-elected Emperor Louis IX began a policy of open antagonism with regards to Urcean ambition. In 1743, the last male-line [[Grand Duchy of Carolina|Grand Duke of Carolina]] died and left King Leo as his heir. Despite this, Emperor Louis IX exercised his Imperial prerogative and issued a Pragmatic Sanction, denying the Urcean inheritance. King Leo would not accept another breach of faith from the Empire, and on July 4th, 1745, the Royal Army of Urcea crossed through the Northgate and invaded Carolina. The Emperor declared King Leo an outlaw and called the Empire to arms against him, beginning the [[War of the Caroline Succession]], also known as the ''First Caroline War''.
With the death of Emperor-King Aedanicus VII, the Collegial Electorate abrogated its earlier selection and instead elected Louis, the Grand Duke of Verecundia. Newly-minted King Leo IV initially accepted the decision, but the newly-elected Emperor Louis IX began a policy of open antagonism with regards to Urcean ambition. In 1743, the last male-line [[Grand Duchy of Carolina|Grand Duke of Carolina]] died and left King Leo as his heir. Despite this, Emperor Louis IX exercised his Imperial prerogative and issued a Pragmatic Sanction, denying the Urcean inheritance. King Leo would not accept another breach of faith from the Empire, and on July 4th, 1745, the Royal Army of Urcea crossed through the Northgate and invaded Carolina. The Emperor declared King Leo an outlaw and called the Empire to arms against him, beginning the [[War of the Caroline Succession]], also known as the ''First Caroline War''.


The invasion of Carolina was completed without much resistance by the end of the summer of 1745; many cities opened their gates and fortresses to King Leo's forces, recognizing the legitimacy of his claim. Leo and the Royal Army would winter in Carolina before invading the [[Kingdom of Dericania]] in 1746, defeating the Imperial Army at the Battle of Mt. Cara that August. The Royal Army would fight to a draw in 1747, but in 1748 King Leo would lead his armies on a pillage and sack of the Grand Duchy of Verecundia, the Emperor's home. Following a few close defeats in which Leo was able to retreat in good order to begin 1749, he met the Imperial Army near the Abbey of St. John, some twenty five miles outside of the Imperial Capital of [[Corcra (City)|Corcra]]. The Urcean 48,500 - lead by the elite shock corps, the Royal Fusiliers - totally annihilated the Imperial Army at the Battle of St. John's. The road to Corcra lay open, and King Leo took the city in April of 1746. The Emperor and his largest allies in the Empire surrendered, and King Leo accepted Emperor Louis's abdication on May 1st. The Grand Duchy of Verecundia was dissolved into its constituent parts, and King Leo assumed the Imperial throne on May 3rd. As part of the terms of peace at the Treaty of Martinsburg, the [[Grand Duchy of Carolina]] was recognized as an integral part of the Urcean Crown. More shockingly, now-Emperor Leo demanded the concession of guaranteed hereditary succession of the Holy Levantine Empire, which the Imperial Diet had no choice but to accept. The decades of hereditary rule, and the attempted centralization of the [[Holy Levantine Empire]], had begun.
The invasion of Carolina was completed without much resistance by the end of the summer of 1745; many cities opened their gates and fortresses to King Leo's forces, recognizing the legitimacy of his claim. Leo and the Royal Army would winter in Carolina before invading the [[Kingdom of Dericania]] in 1746, defeating the Imperial Army at the Battle of Mt. Cara that August. The Royal Army would fight to a draw in 1747, but in 1748 King Leo would lead his armies on a pillage and sack of the Grand Duchy of Verecundia, the Emperor's home. Following a few close defeats in which Leo was able to retreat in good order to begin 1749, he met the Imperial Army near the Abbey of St. John, some twenty five miles outside of the Imperial Capital of [[Corcra (City)|Corcra]]. The Urcean 48,500 - lead by the elite shock corps, the Royal Fusiliers - totally annihilated the Imperial Army at the Battle of St. John's. The road to Corcra lay open, and King Leo took the city in April of 1749. The Emperor and his largest allies in the Empire surrendered, and King Leo accepted Emperor Louis's abdication on May 1st. The Grand Duchy of Verecundia was dissolved into its constituent parts, and King Leo assumed the Imperial throne on May 3rd. As part of the terms of peace at the Treaty of Martinsburg, the [[Grand Duchy of Carolina]] was recognized as an integral part of the Urcean Crown. More shockingly, now-Emperor Leo demanded the concession of guaranteed hereditary succession of the Holy Levantine Empire, which the Imperial Diet had no choice but to accept. The decades of hereditary rule, and the attempted centralization of the [[Holy Levantine Empire]], had begun.
 
A war was fought between [[Kiravia]] and [[Urcea]] during the Caroline Succession known as the [[Cronan Beaver War]]. The conflict, a primarily naval campaign, was resolved in 1748 as part of an effort to exchange concessions to foreign powers in exchange for recognition of Leo's Imperial claims. As part of this agreement, Urcea ceded a string of colonies in [[Crona]] known as the [[Julian Belt]] which had largely fallen into neglect. It retained the [[New Archduchy]] colony as part of the peace terms.


During the war, King Leo required huge sums of [[Taler|Talers]] in order to keep the army on its feet, and while on campaign he asked the [[Concilium Daoni]] to raise taxes. The Daoni agreed to do so in exchange for concessions in the form of general consent of the Daoni for Royal appointments to the [[Concilium Purpaidá]], the ministry. The Daoni also asked as part of concessions that the King's judicial appointments had to be confirmed by the Purpaidá, and further that all districts of the Daoni be elective rather than the mixed elective-appointive system. This latter proposal was offered as not only a demand of the Daoni but as an offering of benefit to the King, as it allowed him to take the final steps in destroying the power of landed vassals. King Leo received these demands in 1747 after several inconclusive battles that pointed to a long, expensive war. In absentia, he agreed to the concessions. This agreement, called the Concession of 1747, was among the first major developments towards the modern [[Constitution of Urcea]], and following the war Emperor Leo agreed to permanently uphold this concession.
During the war, King Leo required huge sums of [[Taler|Talers]] in order to keep the army on its feet, and while on campaign he asked the [[Concilium Daoni]] to raise taxes. The Daoni agreed to do so in exchange for concessions in the form of general consent of the Daoni for Royal appointments to the [[Concilium Purpaidá]], the ministry. The Daoni also asked as part of concessions that the King's judicial appointments had to be confirmed by the Purpaidá, and further that all districts of the Daoni be elective rather than the mixed elective-appointive system. This latter proposal was offered as not only a demand of the Daoni but as an offering of benefit to the King, as it allowed him to take the final steps in destroying the power of landed vassals. King Leo received these demands in 1747 after several inconclusive battles that pointed to a long, expensive war. In absentia, he agreed to the concessions. This agreement, called the Concession of 1747, was among the first major developments towards the modern [[Constitution of Urcea]], and following the war Emperor Leo agreed to permanently uphold this concession.