History of Urcea (1098-1214): Difference between revisions

The '''History of Urcea from 1098-1214''', sometimes also called the '''Early Kingdom Period''', consists of period of time proclamation of the [[Golden Bull of 1098]] to the rise of the House of Cónn in 1214. This period saw the new Kingdom establish itself as a major power in the southern [[Levantine Empire]], expanding its holdings and acquiring a coveted vote in the [[Collegial Electorate]]. Characterized by the relative peace and stability under the House of Harren, the fall of the house ushered in dynastic uncertainty that would lead to generations of conflict after the ascension of the House of Cónn in 1214. The period also saw the reign of King Niall I, who some historians call Urcea's "first excellent ruler", who instituted expansion and legal reforms which make up key parts of the modern [[Constitution of Urcea]].

Much of the period is characterized by the rule of the Julio-Harren Dynasty - [[Urcea]]'s first dynasty - which was notable among contemporaries for their progeny; Riordan II had fourteen children, and his son, Niall I, managed six. The realm remained stable during the reign of these early Kings, providing an important source of manpower for the Emperor and an equally important "check" on Imperial power, contributing to emerging political precedent for a limited role of the [[Emperor of the Levantines|Emperor]] in the individual affairs of the Princes of the Empire. The borders of the Kingdom remained stable under this period as well; the Kings valued the then-status quo position of the realm within the Empire, though some small gains were made - most notably extending the realm south to the Callan River, acquiring what is today known as the province of [[Callan]]. The Kingdom's aggressive posture with regards to its southern boundaries began to put it directly in conflict with the Duke-Elector of [[Canaery]], which it eventually incorporated. Urcea also looked westward towards the [[Creagmer republics]], which came increasingly under its sway. As it established dominance over the course of the [[Urce River]], the Urcean crown came into increasing animosity with the [[Pope]] and [[Papal State]], culminating in the excommunication of King Seán I in [[1174]] and brief creation of an {{wp|Antipope}}.

Not unlike the revolt in 1098, the [[Emperor of the Levantines]] called on the [[Apostolic King of Urcea]] once again in 1143, as the so-called "''Caenish League''" was formed in revolt under the leadership of the Elector of Canaery in an effort to expand the [[Collegial Electorate]] to a greater number of Princes within the Empire. The rationale for the Elector siding with the league are not well understood, given that it would reduce Canaery's influence, but it is thought by a consensus of historians that many of the league members - those who would stand to benefit - were viewed by the Elector as marriage prospects for his many daughters, thus potentially increasing his power. Whatever the case may be, again like in 1098, the Emperor decided to incentivize participation in the conflict by offering the Apostolic King a prize for his participation in the revolt; the prize the Julio-Harrens had been seeking for decades, the [[Electorate of Canaery]], was offered as spoils for King Niall I's participation in the war. Niall launched a sea invasion of Canaery using his newly won ports, with his forces landing in [[Cana]] in February 1144 and deposing the sitting Elector following a short siege. The reign of Niall I proved to be the high water mark for the dynasty; his predecessors had successfully maneuvered for Niall to have a relatively strong claim on the Electorate of Canaery, so his ascension in the Electorate was viewed with additional legitimacy once the Emperor granted it to him in 1144 upon the conclusion of the war. Niall was the first King-Elector of Urcea, though for the next several hundred years, the Kingdom and the Electorate would be administered as separate realms with a common ruler. After the war, in 1146, the King and [[Great Landsmeet]] were at an impasse over expenses incurred as a result of the conflict. King Niall desired to levy a tax to pay back what he owed for large army of mercenaries called upon during the war. As part of the disagreement, the King and Great Landsmeet eventually decided to convene a new body which would be comprised entirely of [[Social class in Urcea|privilegiata and freemen]], known as the "Common Council" - the [[Concilium Daoni]] in its earliest form. The Common Council was convened to create independent compromises between the King and Great Landsmeet as a kind of impartial arbitrator between the two, and was comprised of designees from each Estate of the freemen and privilegiata rank. In its earliest form, the total number of representatives from each Estate was inconsistent, ranging from fifteen to forty. The King designated his [[Procurator|Royal Treasurer]] as responsible for organizing meetings of the Common Council, creating the role of "President of the Common Council" that the [[Procurator]] still nominally holds today. The new Common Council - the [[Concilium Daoni]] - ruled in the King's favor, and the Great Landsmeet begrudgingly agreed to the tax.

[[File:Weltchronik Fulda Aa88 321r detail.jpg|thumb|right|200px|The two "boy-kings", Riordan II (1146-1147) and Niall III (1147-53), as depicted in the 14th century, brought about the end of the House of Harren.]]

Seán's reign primarily involved solidifying his own position on the Throne, particularly isolating or exiling other potential claimants as well as putting down a revolt of local nobles in the newly acquired Electorate of Canaery, which had been in open revolt during the Interregnum of 1153. He spent much of his reign feuding with the Pope, culminating in his excommunication from 1174-77. His son, Seán II, began Urcea's first forays in non-Levantine foreign affairs, sending small armies to [[Sarpedon]] to aid in the conflicts of various [[Catholic Church|Catholic powers]] in the [[Crusades]]. Seán II's reign also involved complex long-distance trade missions to [[Crona]], beginning in 1201 and continued by his successors. Seán II's successor Niall III took the Throne in 1202 and was the first of the Kings of Urcea to be elected as [[Emperor of the Levantines]], though Archduke Adrian was elected in 1002 to that position. Niall, who reigned as Emperor Niall I, oversaw a successful campaign to restore the integrity of the Empire, fully utilizing the strength of the Kingdom to disinherit and imprison seditious [[Holy Levantine Empire|Imperial]] vassals, some lands of which were then appropriated to the Kingdom. Emperor Niall I also issued the Golden Bull of 1207, which expanded the Electorate from 9 to 18, adding 9 Bishop-Electors, as a show of magnanimity to the Church. Niall often feuded with the local magnates in the Kingdom and was unpopular among several of the vassals of the Empire, but despite this, the [[Collegial Electorate]] announced its intention to elect his son Donnchad to succeed him, recognizing the stabilizing effect Emperor Niall had on the Empire. Upon Niall's death in 1214, his son Donnchad was passed over in favor of a distant descendant of the Julio-Harren King Aedanicus II (through one of his daughters) named Cónn of Holmfilth, a powerful Count Palatine from the northern heartlands of the Kingdom in the modern province of [[Westglen]]. Crowned King Constantine I later in 1214, this succession became the opening events of the multi-generational dynastic [[Saint's War]], which would last nearly 200 years.