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Early history of Urcea: Difference between revisions
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== Beginning of the Julian dynasty == | == 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. | [[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. | ||
[[Gallawa]] began its campaign in 750 against the former heartland of [[Great Levantia]] with the ascension of [[Conchobar I, Emperor of the Levantines|Conchobar]] as its King. Swiftly conquering outlying Latin areas, the [[Latin League]] began to assemble and elected [[Gaius Julius Cicurinus|Julius]] its head given his military successes. With the Gaelic tribes integrated, Julius began to raise huge levies of Latino-Gaelic tribal soldiers to accompany the armies of the Latin League. Julius won several major victories against [[Conchobar I, Emperor of the Levantines|Conchobar]], culminating with the Battle of Beldra in 755, where the well-disciplined Latino-Gael army of more than 45,000 defeated an army of Gallawa of about 125,000, although modern scholars believe these numbers to be greatly inflated. Realizing that Levantia could not be overcome without first unseating Julius, Conchobar ultimately set his eyes on the “crown jewel of Levantia”, [[Urceopolis (City)|Urceopolis]], beginning their march against it in 756 AD. The cities and nobles of the Latin League, however, had long been disgruntled with having to accommodate Gaels, whom they regarded as their enemy in the war. They unceremoniously voted to replace Julius in 757 and sent him home. | [[Gallawa]] began its campaign in 750 against the former heartland of [[Great Levantia]] with the ascension of [[Conchobar I, Emperor of the Levantines|Conchobar]] as its King. Swiftly conquering outlying Latin areas, the [[Latin League]] began to assemble and elected [[Gaius Julius Cicurinus|Julius]] its head given his military successes. With the Gaelic tribes integrated, Julius began to raise huge levies of Latino-Gaelic tribal soldiers to accompany the armies of the Latin League. Julius won several major victories against [[Conchobar I, Emperor of the Levantines|Conchobar]], culminating with the Battle of Beldra in 755, where the well-disciplined Latino-Gael army of more than 45,000 defeated an army of Gallawa of about 125,000, although modern scholars believe these numbers to be greatly inflated. Realizing that Levantia could not be overcome without first unseating Julius, Conchobar ultimately set his eyes on the “crown jewel of Levantia”, [[Urceopolis (City)|Urceopolis]], beginning their march against it in 756 AD. The cities and nobles of the Latin League, however, had long been disgruntled with having to accommodate Gaels, whom they regarded as their enemy in the war. They unceremoniously voted to replace Julius in 757 and sent him home. | ||
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”. | 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”. | ||
===Creation of the Archduchy=== | |||
The next day, Julius told the [[Pope]] of this then departed the city towards the siege camp of the King of Gallawa, [[Conchobar I, Emperor of the Levantines|Conchobar]]. Julius met Conchobar in the field between the camp and the city, and to the latter’s surprise, Julius bent the knee and submitted himself to Conchobar as his subject. The King of Gallawa embraced Julius and, according to legend, told Julius of a vision of St. Joseph he had received that Urceopolis would be part of a great Christian Empire without so much as a drop of blood being shed. King Conchobar entered the city then asked Julius to marshal his forces and march on Harren, which fell to the combined armies in the span of a month. Following the conquest of south [[Levantia]], King Conchobar reorganized the political landscape by establishing new duchies and political units which would aid in his future administration of the area. The [[Urceopolis (Duchy)|Duchy of Urceopolis]] was reorganized into the [[Urceopolis (Archduchy)|Archduchy of Urceopolis]] embracing most of the land of the [[Urce River]] inland, whereas a new extensive [[Harren|Duchy of Harren]] was created to the southeast. A number of counties were established in the [[Ionian Plateau]] and former mercantile cities which were members of the [[Latin League]] on the coast were consolidated into a few powerful republics under Gallawa overlordship known as the [[Creagmer republics]]. Later, following the subjugation of [[Greater Canaery]] in 767, a new [[Canaery|Duchy of Cana]], later elevated to Electoral status in the [[Holy Levantine Empire]], was created to the far south to help contain [[Hištanšahr]] in addition to several {{wp|march|marches}} in the [[Urcean frontier|Southern Wilderness]]. Conchobar establishes other so-called "original duchies" in the region as well, particularly the Duchy of [[Callan]]. While most of the traditional social hierarchy was left alone, a number of Gael nobles were settled on the southeastern side of the [[Urce River]] in what would eventually become the [[Duchy of Transurciana]]. These settled nobles would prove to be later more loyal to the [[Pope]] than the Archduke as had been the custom dating back to the 6th century, creating division within the Archduchy during the medieval period. | The next day, Julius told the [[Pope]] of this then departed the city towards the siege camp of the King of Gallawa, [[Conchobar I, Emperor of the Levantines|Conchobar]]. Julius met Conchobar in the field between the camp and the city, and to the latter’s surprise, Julius bent the knee and submitted himself to Conchobar as his subject. The King of Gallawa embraced Julius and, according to legend, told Julius of a vision of St. Joseph he had received that Urceopolis would be part of a great Christian Empire without so much as a drop of blood being shed. King Conchobar entered the city then asked Julius to marshal his forces and march on Harren, which fell to the combined armies in the span of a month. Following the conquest of south [[Levantia]], King Conchobar reorganized the political landscape by establishing new duchies and political units which would aid in his future administration of the area. The [[Urceopolis (Duchy)|Duchy of Urceopolis]] was reorganized into the [[Urceopolis (Archduchy)|Archduchy of Urceopolis]] embracing most of the land of the [[Urce River]] inland, whereas a new extensive [[Harren|Duchy of Harren]] was created to the southeast. A number of counties were established in the [[Ionian Plateau]] and former mercantile cities which were members of the [[Latin League]] on the coast were consolidated into a few powerful republics under Gallawa overlordship known as the [[Creagmer republics]]. Later, following the subjugation of [[Greater Canaery]] in 767, a new [[Canaery|Duchy of Cana]], later elevated to Electoral status in the [[Holy Levantine Empire]], was created to the far south to help contain [[Hištanšahr]] in addition to several {{wp|march|marches}} in the [[Urcean frontier|Southern Wilderness]]. Conchobar establishes other so-called "original duchies" in the region as well, particularly the Duchy of [[Callan]]. While most of the traditional social hierarchy was left alone, a number of Gael nobles were settled on the southeastern side of the [[Urce River]] in what would eventually become the [[Duchy of Transurciana]]. These settled nobles would prove to be later more loyal to the [[Pope]] than the Archduke as had been the custom dating back to the 6th century, creating division within the Archduchy during the medieval period. | ||
===A new Urceopolis=== | |||
In exchange for his loyalty, [[Conchobar I, Emperor of the Levantines|Conchobar]] granted Julius the title of [[Archduchy of Urceopolis|Archduke of Urceopolis]] and also granted the new [[Grand Duchy of Harren|Duchy of Harren]] to Julius’s brother, Aedanicus. Critically, Conchobar's grant of the Archduchy was to Julius and his descendants, abolishing the early elective system of the [[Duchy of Urceopolis]]. Later, in 761, Conchobar was crowned [[Emperor of the Levantines]] in [[Urceopolis (City)|Urceopolis]] by the Pope, forming the [[Holy Levantine Empire|Levantine Empire]]. Archduke Julius remained a loyal vassal of the Emperor and continued to defend the Imperial frontier against non-Christians to both the north and south, eventually working to convert large groups later in life by sponsoring important missionary trips. His son, also named Gaius Julius Cicurinus, would lead the Julian realms' collective campaigns against [[Hištanšahr]], winning several victories against them; he would take the name "''Usdenicus Maximus''" as an {{wp|agnomen}}, a name by which he would be commonly known as. | |||
As Archduke, Julius introduced multiple reforms, most notably further integrations of Gaelic and several forms of the bastardized hybrids of Gaelic and Latin as government languages of the Archduchy, changes that eventually lead to the official adoption of [[Lebhan language|Lebhan]] as the official language of state and commerce by the Kingdom of Urcea several hundred years later. His project of elevating the Latino-Gaels - the [[Urcean people]] - into full integrated status within the Archduchy gave him the legacy of being the "founding father of [[Urcea]]." | |||
In [[780]], the Archduke invested his son, Usdenicus Maximus, as {{wp|coregency|coregent}}, beginning a troubled two decades of relations between father and son. Julius died in [[800]] and was canonized by the Church in [[1097]], forming an important basis for the arguments that eventually lead to the issuance of the [[Golden Bull of 1098]], in favor of the Saint’s descendants. | |||
[[Category: History of Urcea]] | [[Category: History of Urcea]] | ||
[[Category: Urcea]] | [[Category: Urcea]] | ||
[[Category:IXWB]] | [[Category:IXWB]] | ||