History of Caphiria: Difference between revisions
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This period, from 1127 to 1172, is known as the Civil War Era due to the dozen civil wars over four decades as contention for leadership and political groups vied for control over the massive and wealthy state. The most famous of these was between Marius Oratonius and Quinus Sator Alercius and the subsequent war between their successors and die-hard loyalists. The Civil War Era began as a series of political and military confrontations between Marius Oratonius and Quinus Sator Alercius, who were looking to shift Caphiria in opposite directions. Oratonius wanted to continue to become an empire and spread Latin culture to the known world, whereas Alercius wanted to bring back the politically conservative and socially traditionalist Republic. This led to the state splitting into two: a monarchy in the north and a republic in the south. To complicate things further, the spread and dominance of Christianity could no longer be shunned; until this time, the official policy towards Christianity was hostile, and at some points, simply being a Christian could be punishable by death. Oratonius used this to his advantage, officially converting to Christianity in 1079. While he isn't recognized as the first Imperator to convert to Christianity due to the circumstances, he is recognized as the first person to give it legitimacy within the Imperium. Oratonius was then seen as a man of God, a man on the right side of the war. This helped him win the minds of many who did not initially support him and ultimately gave him an edge that the elder Alercius did not have on his side, the side of the old guard. | This period, from 1127 to 1172, is known as the Civil War Era due to the dozen civil wars over four decades as contention for leadership and political groups vied for control over the massive and wealthy state. The most famous of these was between Marius Oratonius and Quinus Sator Alercius and the subsequent war between their successors and die-hard loyalists. The Civil War Era began as a series of political and military confrontations between Marius Oratonius and Quinus Sator Alercius, who were looking to shift Caphiria in opposite directions. Oratonius wanted to continue to become an empire and spread Latin culture to the known world, whereas Alercius wanted to bring back the politically conservative and socially traditionalist Republic. This led to the state splitting into two: a monarchy in the north and a republic in the south. To complicate things further, the spread and dominance of Christianity could no longer be shunned; until this time, the official policy towards Christianity was hostile, and at some points, simply being a Christian could be punishable by death. Oratonius used this to his advantage, officially converting to Christianity in 1079. While he isn't recognized as the first Imperator to convert to Christianity due to the circumstances, he is recognized as the first person to give it legitimacy within the Imperium. Oratonius was then seen as a man of God, a man on the right side of the war. This helped him win the minds of many who did not initially support him and ultimately gave him an edge that the elder Alercius did not have on his side, the side of the old guard. | ||
The Great Civil War was a fifteen-year-long politico-military struggle fought over most of Caphiria, Cartadania, Pelaxia, Talionia, and even Audonia. The culmination of the Great Civil War was the Battle of Silanus, where Oratonius' army defeated Alercius'. Oratonius sustained severe injuries in the battle and died shortly before the victory. He told his general Lucius Legarus Pius to spare Alercius if they were to capture him since he had deserted from battle after surveying the landscape and figuring he would lose. Pius assumed command and took over the army, and wasted little time in searching for Alercius. After several months of searching, they found him hiding in the Cimisi-Extressio region of Abderia, a city-state bordering the Lacio mountains. Abderia wanted no part in the war, quickly giving Alercius to Pius and, true to his word, after bringing him back to Venceia, spared Alercius' life. He did, however, strip him of his power, status, and class, effective neutering if there ever was one. Pius then exiled Alercius in 1110 and spent the next five years putting Caphiria back together after the last several decades of disarray and borderline anarchy. Pius was as intelligent in politics as he was on the battlefield and knew that the only way to solve the issues once and for all was a compromise. The stresses and strains of those years (chronic usurpations, military insurrections, simultaneous military conflicts across multiple frontiers) exposed the weaknesses in the Caphirian Republic and the Principate, forcing a radically different approach to governance. | The Great Civil War was a fifteen-year-long politico-military struggle fought over most of Caphiria, Cartadania, Pelaxia, Talionia, and even Audonia. The culmination of the Great Civil War was the Battle of Silanus, where Oratonius' army defeated Alercius'. Oratonius sustained severe injuries in the battle and died shortly before the victory. He told his general Lucius Legarus Pius to spare Alercius if they were to capture him since he had deserted from battle after surveying the landscape and figuring he would lose. Pius assumed command and took over the army, and wasted little time in searching for Alercius. After several months of searching, they found him hiding in the Cimisi-Extressio region of Abderia, a city-state bordering the Lacio mountains. Abderia wanted no part in the war, quickly giving Alercius to Pius and, true to his word, after bringing him back to Venceia, spared Alercius' life. He did, however, strip him of his power, status, and class, effective neutering if there ever was one. Pius then exiled Alercius in 1110 and spent the next five years putting Caphiria back together after the last several decades of disarray and borderline anarchy. Pius was as intelligent in politics as he was on the battlefield and knew that the only way to solve the issues once and for all was a compromise. The stresses and strains of those years (chronic usurpations, military insurrections, simultaneous military conflicts across multiple frontiers) exposed the weaknesses in the Caphirian Republic and the Principate, forcing a radically different approach to governance. | ||
Pius also granted greater autonomy to the the [[Isurians|Isurian]] nobles in the western part of the Imperium, both as a way to lessen the government's obligations there as well as a reward for backing the Oratonian faction in the earlier conflict. | |||
==The Dark Period (1172 - 1283)== | ==The Dark Period (1172 - 1283)== | ||
The Dark Period, spanning from approximately 1172 to 1283, was one of the most tumultuous eras in Caphirian history. After the Great Civil War, the splintered Imperium found itself vulnerable and weak. Its once vast territories lay in disarray, torn between internal strife and external pressures. To the south, the Sarpic barbarians took advantage of the power vacuum and began launching raids across Caphiria's southern border. Caphiria also experienced pressure in the province of [[Cognatia]] - the southwest region of the empire that includes the provinces of [[Cartadania]] and [[Pelaxia]]. [[Sebastian Pasillas|Sebastián Pasillas]], a [[Carto-Pelaxian]] politician of the [[Castrillón Estate]], had been named Consul of the region and was tasked with maintaining Caphiria's control there. However, Pasillas and his family exploited the weakened defense and diminished central authority in the area, and with the [[Santialche Estate|Santialche Dynasty]] and [[Kazofort Estate|Kazofort dynasty]], launched into full rebellion against Caphiria. With the Castrillóns already having legal control over Caphiria's western borders, the family aligned itself with the [[Darciarchi Estate]] - one of the last prominent families left in the Senate. | The Dark Period, spanning from approximately 1172 to 1283, was one of the most tumultuous eras in Caphirian history. After the Great Civil War, the splintered Imperium found itself vulnerable and weak. Its once vast territories lay in disarray, torn between internal strife and external pressures. To the south, the Sarpic barbarians took advantage of the power vacuum and began launching raids across Caphiria's southern border. Caphiria also experienced pressure in the province of [[Cognatia]] - the southwest region of the empire that includes the provinces of [[Cartadania]] and [[Pelaxia]]. [[Sebastian Pasillas|Sebastián Pasillas]], a [[Carto-Pelaxian]] politician of the [[Castrillón Estate]], had been named Consul of the region and was tasked with maintaining Caphiria's control there. However, Pasillas and his family exploited the weakened defense and diminished central authority in the area, and with the [[Santialche Estate|Santialche Dynasty]] and [[Kazofort Estate|Kazofort dynasty]], launched into full rebellion against Caphiria. With the Castrillóns already having legal control over Caphiria's western borders, the family aligned itself with the [[Darciarchi Estate]] - one of the last prominent families left in the Senate. | ||