History of Urcea (1402-1575): Difference between revisions

Adrian III ruled during the initial outbreak of the Protestant Reformation in 1517 and, although he initially expressed interest and toleration, eventually decided to enforce religious unity and ban Protestant proselytism after the Pope promulgated ''Exsurge Domine'' in 1520. The Reformation created a relatively small Protestant minority mostly in the peripheries of the country. King Adrian spent the latter twenty years of his long reign (1492-1546) feuding with local lords and the country's neighbors, while breaking the country's alliance with the King of [[Angla]] as the latter became Protestant and the subject of an Imperial invasion. Adrian died in April of 1546 without an heir starting a minor interregnum. There was considerable dispute whether or not Aedanicus would or could ascend to the Throne. The most senior claimant beyond Aedanicus was Riordan of the [[House of Ronan]], a great-great-grandson of Niall IV; Riordan's status as a {{wp|Protestant}} made him largely unacceptable, but he managed to rally domestic support within the Archduchy as a lack of a credible alternative emerged. Considerable fighting between local factions broke out until Riordan himself seized Urceopolis and the Throne in October of 1546. As compensation for the loss of [[Urcea]] and as a potential base for later reclamation, Aedanicus was given the [[Ænglasmarch#Duchy_of_Holchester|Duchy of Holchester]] by [[Emperor of the Levantines|Emperor]] [[List_of_Emperors_of_the_Levantines#Gram_Felix_Dynasty|Conchobar III]] following the [[Nordmontaine War]] in 1554.

{{Main|Great Confessional War|The Anarchy}}

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 royal crypt.

==The Leonine revolution==

Having defeated the Ronanids and with only a few Protestant partisans left in Urcea, King Leo II now had relatively free reign to prosecute the Great Confessional War on behalf of the [[Holy League]], squarely putting the Protestant Union on the defensive. After defeating a small band of Ronanid rebels south of Cálfeld, Leo marched the Imperial Army south and besieged [[Harzenon]] by the end of 1565. The well-fortified city held out until 1567 when the Imperial Army successfully breached the walls after an extended cannon barrage. Combined with the capture of its loosely-held eastern portions, the fall of its court and capture of its King led to the total collapse of the [[Kingdom of Gassavelia]] soon suffered total and Imperial occupation, ending the Southern Levantine theater of the war. The remaining campaigns of the war were largely siege-based against Protestant cities in northern Dericania, and although the war continued for another eight years, no major Protestant power within the Empire threatened the ascendancy of the Holy League. The peace allowed King Leo II to reign in [[Urceopolis (City)|Urceopolis]] for the first time beginning in late 1567.