Early history of Urcea: Difference between revisions

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During this period, significant upheaval was the norm for more than two thousand years prior to the establishment of [[Great Levantia]]. Arrivals of [[Gaelic people]], Istroyan people and then [[Latinic people]] lead to massive demographic changes in the modern territory of Urcea, as the earliest human societies were displaced by semi-nomadic Gaelic tribes that introduced agriculture to the region. The Gaels were displaced in the millennium BC by [[Latinic people]], while Istroyan people settled the southeastern shore of the country. These groups came together to an extent in the foundation of [[Great Levantia]], which eventually collapsed due to economic failure, social upheavel, and pressure from outside groups, such as the Goths. From the foundations of Great Levantia came the [[Latin League]] and [[Urceopolis (City)|Urceopolis]] alongside the early origins of feudalism. The Latin League was swept away by the new [[Holy Levantine Empire]] in the 8th century, but Urceopolis was spared from destruction due to the leadership of Saint Julius of the Caeline, who elevated Urceopolis's position within the Empire by cooperation with Emperor Conchobar. By the time of his death, his dynasty ruled more than a third of Urcea's modern territory, creating the foundations for the later establishment of a single country.

It was during this period that the [[Pope|Papacy]] began to emerge as a truly independent political actor, though the Pontifical office had been influential throughout late Great Levantia. The Duchy of Urceopolis's authority remained within the city itself, and did not extend across the [[Urceopolis_(City)#Geography|Esquiline River]] which divides modern Urceopolis into northern and southern segments. Accordingly, the Pope began to emerge as the primary political leader in the land to the south of the Esquiline given the location of the Vatican and [[St. Peter's Archbasilica]] in that part of what was the city of Urceopolis. By the early 7th century, the Pope had emerged as the {{wp|de facto}} ruler of the lands east of the Urce River and south of the Esquiline River for dozens of miles, although his "rule" was tenuous, taking the form of allegiance of various fortified manor lords.  

== Beginning of the Julian dynasty ==  

[[Gaius Julius Cicurinus]] was, in 749, elected from the marginal Julii family following an impasse in the tribal assembly between the Neronii and the Scipii families. Julius's ascendant career was based on his steady command and fighting prowess against Hištanšahr as well as other eastern non-Christian raiders as part of a Latin League army. Many major victories in a lesser command of [[Latin League]] armies over Hištanšahr earned him the agnomen "''Usdenicus''". Through his early reign, the two polities cooperated in wars against Levantine pagans and the various victories brought the new Dux not only prestige but loot recovered from the raiders as well, which allowed the Dux to fund further campaigns and rebuilding efforts in Urceopolis. Besides his military commands, the Julii were well known supporters of the full integration of [[Gaelic people]] into Urceopolitan society. Though most of the residents of the Duchy by this time were [[Urcean people|Latino-Gaels]] as described previously, the nobility of the city retained the typical proud [[Latinic people|Latinic heritage]] despite being part ethnically Gael themselves, as Julius was. Consequently, people of patrilineal Gaelic descent were excluded from membership in the tribal assembly. Julius spent much of the first four years of his reign reforming the Duchy by fighting rebellious river magnates as well as disgruntled nobles in the city who opposed his so-called "Gaelicization" project. Forming a strong relationship with the Pope and marrying the daughter of the most powerful Neronii magnate in the city, Duke Julius ultimately outmaneuvered his rivals and assumed near-total control over the city by 753 AD and had subdued most of the river magnates by 755 despite being on campaign elsewhere for much of the preceding years. During these critical years of his early reign, Julius successfully integrated twenty five tribes of [[Gaelic people|Gaels]] into what is now known as the [[Estates of Urcea]], establishing the Estate rolls that are still in place today. While the Estates had assumed something resembling their familiar feudal form by this point, they were still an important source of client-patron power for the Dux, and this move guaranteed the victory of the Julii in potential future elections for Dux in the tribal assembly. It was additionally during this period that the future Saint established several monasteries in the city but especially in the Urce Valley that would later form the basis for great monastic estates that would become the nucleus of the suburban cities of Urceopolis. His Neronii wife died in 756 AD, leaving the Dux in mourning; historians tend to see the politically savvy marriage as a generally happy one.

The Dux began to prepare the defenses of the city and army as several of the noble families fled or fought the Gaels in losing pitched battles along the river, and many local magnates were brought to heel while many others saw their castles destroyed and their patrimony shattered. Inversely, the fortunes of the [[Latin League]] were reversed almost immediately as Julius was sent away, and streams of Latinic refugees began to flood into [[Urceopolis (City)|Urceopolis]], bringing about a major surge in population that brought the city back to demographic prominence after it was depopulated as a result of the sack in 434. As Gallawa drew closer in 759, the Duke was approached by the [[Pope]], who counseled that, rather than fight, the Duke should submit. Julius would later write that he found himself “greatly troubled, but St. Joseph appeared in a dream”, stating that Duke Julius should “neither fight nor flee like the Holy Family to Egypt, but rather submit to the men before you, for they are good Christian men; Our Divine Savior will not permit suffering to befall you or your city”.