Hemp Wars

The Hemp Wars, also known as the Milsboro Port Wars were a series of two conflicts waged between the Qabóri Woqalate and the Kingdom of the Fhainn during the 17th century. The First Hemp War had occurred from May 1627 to August 1632, with the the Second Hemp War following shortly after and occurring from July 1634 to December 1640. The main concern of these wars involved key ports around the Atameraw Qoyalet, which comprised of modern-day Asteria and the Betlands, in which the agreed-upon semi-independence of the vassal as defined by the Atameraw Act of 1611 between Qabór and the Woqalate of Soqweux, a Qabóri vassal, had been challenged by colonial forces from the Kingdom of the Fhainn. This primarily impacted the trade of many Qabóri/Soqweux cash crops, such as hemp, cotton, and rice, to various locations spanning the Ocean of Cathay. The wars were mainly concentrated on Inéélets Port, which was one of three ports in the Atameraw Qoyalet that connected to the Orixtal-Audonia Route, which at the time had been mainly controlled by the Qabóri Trade Company (QTC) and the Aracadó-Cathay Organization of Merchants (ACOM). Both QTC and ACOM held a tight grip on those three ports since their establishment in 1603 and 1610, respectively. The Atameraw Act of 1611 was enacted by the Qangreč as a way to ensure Qabóri sovereignty over the route's span throughout the Orixtal Sea in the wake of increased Occidental presence into South Crona.

Hemp Wars
Part of the Qabóri Decline and the Frontier Wars
Second Naval Battle of Inéélets Port, First Hemp War
Date First Hemp War: May 1627 – October 1632 Second Hemp War: July 1634 – December 1640 Location South Crona Result First Hemp War: Strategic Fhainn-Alstinian victory Milsboro Colony established Qabóri de-militarization of Atameraw Qoyalet Second Hemp War: Decisive Qabóri victory Treaty of Prisamarina Fhainn-Alstin push into Qabór halted Qabóri maritime trade in Sea of St. John's continues
Belligerents
Qabóri Woqalate ACOM Company Qabóri Trade Company Soqweux Woqalate	Kingdom of the Fhainn Midlands Company Supported by: Kingdom of Alstin
Commanders and leaders
Aphía III Sokhar I	Rethys Suthar-Màrtainn Rethys II Suthar-Màrtainn
Strength
Qabór: 21,000	Fhainn: 15,500
Casualties and losses
1,916	1,287

In July 1626, King Rethys I wished to establish a colonial presence in South Crona, due to a gradual decline of the Qabóri Woqalate's territory and the presence of many other Occidental powers, such as Burgundie and Alstin. The Woqalate had still maintained its sphere of influence over South Crona despite selling off most of its western territory to Burgundie and Alstin, and maintained stable alliances with both countries, while not interacting as much with Faneria. While Fhainn ships were allowed to sail within Qabóri waters with escorts from the Qabóri Navy, eventual naval attacks on Qabóri vessels resulted in the Woqalate denying any advances from Faneria to use the Inéélets Port as a trade hub for the Midlands Company. Faneria, along with Alstin, responded by launching the First Hemp War by sacking the port and pushing inward through Atameraw and the Betlands. Both Soqweux and Qabór responded by invading the Betlands first, hoping to intercept the Alstinian forces before they could reach Credesia, then building up to ambush the Fhainn forces in Yarmouth, at the time known as Tlal'ecta. During the first half of the First Hemp War, there were over five battles fought at Inéélets Port and the surrounding city of Inéélets (today Milsboro). Eventually, the Qabóri forces would succeed in pushing back the in the Betlands Front, but were not able to stop the Fhainn forces from moving east, where they would take the ports of modern-day Waverly and Kismet and making a deep push from all fronts. The First Hemp War was a tactical Fhainn victory, allowing for them to establish the Milsboro Colony in 1632 as defined by the Treaty of Waverly.

After a brief period of many skirmishes over the disputed city of Winnecomac from 1632–1634, both Qabór and the Fhainn would go to war once again in the Second Hemp War. Faneria had once again attempted to push through Winnecomac into Qabóri territory, while pushing with Alstinian forces through the northern plateau regions into Soqwuex and Tchanteqanee, in order to disrupt crucial QTC domestic trade routes leading to the Sea of St. John's. Qabór and the QTC responded much more quickly, ambushing the Fhainn in modern-day Sevier, and the Alstinians in Tammat. From 1637 to the war's end, Qabór would launch several coastal raids of the Milsboro, Waverly, and Kismet ports, conquering the latter two and fighting for Milsboro until the Treaty of Prisamarina was signed in 1640, officially ending the war. The aftermath of the Hemp Wars resulted in Qabór returning the Waverly and Kismet ports to the Milsboro Colony, while being allowed to dock Qabóri trade vessels for however much time is necessary to ensure a successful trip to Audonia. The wars were regarded as the starting point for the two centuries long Frontier Wars fought by Alstin against Abioic Southwest Crona and resulted in the eventual colonization of the Betlands. The Milsboro Colony would remain under the Fhainn banner until its independence as Asteria in 1836.

Background

Orixtal sea trade

Main article: Orixtal-Audonia Route

Major centers of trade in the Orixtal-Audonia Route as defined by the ACOM Company

The Orixtal-Audonia Route, which had been established in 1599 by Qabóri and Alstinian merchants, had its highest concentration of trade on the Sea of St. John's, being the location of various ports including Wheatley, Naqili, Sedem Regni, Dawsbury, Ukusaaki, and Inéélets. Inéélets, being the largest port on the Cronan mainland, had an unique a firm grip on the trade of hemp, cotton, spices, rice, and wheat extracted from western Qabór, southern Tchanteqanee, and the eastern Betlands. The Orixtal theatre of the route became a major hotbed for trade of goods from South Crona to Audonia and Kiravia. This area had been completely dominated by Alstin and Qabór, and had even brought attention from the Occident to the area of Crona which was not aligned with Varshan.

The hemp trade was considered to be one of the most valuable products traded across the Orixtal Sea. Its usage both for its psychoactive effects (as cannabis) and its use for the production of textiles, clothing, and paper. The Qabóri Trading Company and the ACOM Company had controlled a combined 75% of Qabóri hemp trade along the Orixtal-Audonia Route. Hemp was mainly grown in the foothills of the Qalhéq Mountains, mainly around present-day Ulunkheria, Alcosky, and southern Istrenya. Both ACOM and the QTC commissioned and managed thousands of massive hemp farms throughout South Crona. The movement of hemp products within Qabór to the Orixtal Sea usually involved major inland settlements such as Pacuí, Tammat, Tlal'ecta, Winnecomac, Palúúhit, and Anloiya, with hemp plants being exclusive property of its respective company until it was sold to the public.

The route had also opened relations between the Woqalate and Kingdom of Alstin, along with Burgundie, Kiravia, Thervala, Ogonkai, Oyashima, along with southern and eastern Audonia. It was considered a vital part of Qabóri trade and was one of the Woqalate's most valuable assets, with a massive percentage of its population migrating south in the late 16th century following the route's establishment.

Fhainn competition

1-2 paragraphs from Kistan here

War begins

Qabór had not approved of Faneria's expansion of the Orixtal-Audonia Route, as they were mainly concerned with Levantine competition taking over the route and challenging South Crona's control over the route. Aphía III had initially mobilized smaller Qabóri Navy ships to escort a limited number of Fhainn trade ships to regulate how much Fhainn activity occurs, however the Midlands Company bypassed this method by sailing as far as possible from a coastal area when not approaching a port, intentionally damaging their ships, and blamed it on the Qabóri Navy vessels. Rethys I would intervene as well, allowing the Fhainn trade ships to mount cannons and carry muskets as a way to deter the Qabóri Navy. In April 1627, the QTC armed merchant ship WTV Mepaarit was ambushed just 40 kilometers south of the Inéélets Port by two Fhainn galleons (fhainn ship 1) and (fhainn ship 2). Originally, Rethys I was quick to blame the Mepaarit, however they had failed to notice two Soqweux trade ships, whom both sided with the Mepaarit. In response, the Qangreč voted to sever ties with Faneria, along with banning Fhainn trade access throughout the Orixtal-Audonia Route. Rethys I was not the biggest fan of this decision, however, as he would eventually order the Fhainn Navy to strike the Inéélets Port, officially sparking the First Hemp War.

First Hemp War (1627–1632)

First battles of Inéélets Port (1627–1629)

Initial Fhainn-Qabóri naval battle at Inéélets Port

The First Battle of Inéélets Port began on May 13, 1627 with a Fhainn naval blockade of the port using 15 ships, enclosing most of the Qabóri Naval and trade ships within a 10 square mile radius outside of the port. The Fhainn ships quickly began firing cannons against the port's main trading area, destroying many Qabóri goods and dealing massive damage to the marketplace. Qabór mobilized the ships within the radius to hold the blockade until outside reinforcements arrived, while the Atameraw Cavalry provided mortar fire from the sides. The first few days saw the Cavalry and Navy being able to down three ships, providing a small passage for outside support and resources. The blockade would last until July 14, when the Fhainn ships would be completely cut off from their outside trade and support vessels. The first battle was declared a Qabóri victory, with 10 of the original 15 Fhainn ships being sunk, with another 2 sustaining heavy damage. The Fhainn ships would return to (port), where the (country) government had allowed Fhainn ships to dock regardless of purpose, right as a much larger and reinforced fleet arrived in the same spot. Meanwhile, Inéélets Port and the surrounding city had seen considerable damage after three months of nonstop cannon-fire towards the city.

The second push featured foreign support from the Kingdom of Alstin for the Fhainn Navy. On August 7, 1627, a total of 31 ships had left the port of Sedem Regni and made their way back to Inéélets. With the news of Alstinian support broke to the Atameraw public, there was a period of mass panic throughout the entire Atameraw Qoyalet. The Qabóri government had feared an invasion of the entire Atameraw Qoyalet would be detrimental to the Woqalate's trade industry, however, despite the Qabóri Navy's unique abilities and modernization for that time being able to take down a Fhainn squadron, they were at a heavy disadvantage taking on both the navies of Faneria and Alstin, with Alstin being one of the largest naval powers in the world at the time. The Fhainn squadron arrived in Inéélets Port on August 22, beginning their attack almost instantaneously, launching a much larger volume of cannonfire towards the city. The Second Battle of Inéélets featured a quick line of support for Qabór through most of the Qabóri galleons being assigned to patrol Atameraw waters after the initial attack on the port.

For about five months, the Fhainn would hold a tight grip over the shipping lanes going to and from the Inéélets Port, which had cut off the city from the rest of the Orixtal-Audonia Route, effectively cutting off the entire Atameraw Qoyalet from early global trade. No soldiers were landed into Inéélets in the Second Battle, as the Atameraw Cavalry had nearly tripled in size after a sizable mass volunteering of Soqweux and Qabóri warriors.