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The '''History of Urcea from 1214-1402''', sometimes also called the '''Saint's War Period''', consists of period of time from the rise of the [[House of Cónn]] in 1214 to the end of the [[Saint's War]] in 1402 with the rise of [[House de Weluta]]. This period saw the Kingdom descend into generations of dynastic civil war between the House of Cónn and [[House of Aleckán]] but also saw considerable legal and social reforms take place. The [[Great Landsmeet]], the descendant of the ancient tribal assembly of [[Great Levantia]] met for the last time as the [[Concilium Daoni]] rose to prominence. The instability and uncertainty of war lead to major demographic changes that weakened the system of feudal contracts and greatly disturbed the existing system of [[Social class in Urcea#Social%20class%20in%20the%20High%20Medieval%20Period|social class in Urcea]]. The end of the war was characterized by the rapid ascent of [[House de Weluta]], which has intermittently ruled [[Urcea]] since.
The '''History of Urcea from 1214-1402''', sometimes also called the '''Saint's War Period''', consists of period of time from the rise of the [[House of Cónn]] in 1214 to the end of the [[Saint's War]] in 1402 with the rise of [[House de Weluta]]. This period saw the Kingdom descend into generations of dynastic civil war between the House of Cónn and [[House of Aleckán]] but also saw considerable legal and social reforms take place. The [[Great Landsmeet]], the descendant of the ancient tribal assembly of [[Great Levantia]] met for the last time as the [[Concilium Daoni]] rose to prominence. The instability and uncertainty of war led to major demographic changes that weakened the system of feudal contracts and greatly disturbed the existing system of [[Social class in Urcea#Social%20class%20in%20the%20High%20Medieval%20Period|social class in Urcea]]. The end of the war was characterized by the rapid ascent of [[House de Weluta]], which has intermittently ruled [[Urcea]] since.


== The Cónnocracy ==  
== The Cónnocracy ==  
The ascension of Constantine to the Throne lead to the relatively non-noteworthy and peaceful rule of the House of Cónn for nearly forty years, primarily remembered for a series of construction programs to build and fortify trading routes and trail throughout the ever expanding Kingdom, including increased legal conformity of the [[Electorate of Canaery]] with the rest of the Kingdom, though full legal integration was not achieved for many centuries.
The ascension of Constantine to the Throne led to the relatively non-noteworthy and peaceful rule of the House of Cónn for nearly forty years, primarily remembered for a series of construction programs to build and fortify trading routes and trail throughout the ever expanding Kingdom, including increased legal conformity of the [[Electorate of Canaery]] with the rest of the Kingdom, though full legal integration was not achieved for many centuries.
[[File:Weltchronik Fulda Aa88 239r detail.jpg|thumb|left|250px|King Constantine I (1214-31) gave the Concilium Daoni additional legal powers; he is depicted with them here in a 14th century miniature.]]
[[File:Weltchronik Fulda Aa88 239r detail.jpg|thumb|left|250px|King Constantine I (1214-31) gave the Concilium Daoni additional legal powers; he is depicted with them here in a 14th century miniature.]]
The reign of Constantine I saw the [[Concilium Daoni]] assume the same force of law as decisions of the [[Great Landsmeet]]. While this decision was aimed at increasing the flexibility of Royal administration, it had the effect of making the Landsmeet obsolete and decreasing the power of the nobility.
The reign of Constantine I saw the [[Concilium Daoni]] assume the same force of law as decisions of the [[Great Landsmeet]]. While this decision was aimed at increasing the flexibility of Royal administration, it had the effect of making the Landsmeet obsolete and decreasing the power of the nobility.
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== Great Interregnum ==
== Great Interregnum ==
Unlike the inconsistent dynastic feuding that characterized the first 125 years of [[Saint's War|the conflict]], the Great Interregnum brought 63 years of civil war and national division. Not only did the Great Interregnum occur because of the relatively even power bases of the two halves of the [[Julian dynasty]], but also due to succession laws. When there was a crowned [[Apostolic King of Urcea]], the holder of the Julian Crown was legally held to succeed to both the [[Urceopolis (Archduchy)|Archduchy of Urceopolis]] and [[Harren|Grand Duchy of Harren]], effectively overriding local succession laws. With the lack of a consensus King and power evenly divided, however, succession defaulted back to local laws which had not been used since before the [[Golden Bull of 1098]]. In the Archduchy, the Archducal title, when no clear heir was available, defaulted to whomever held the headship of the [[Estates of Urcea|Estate]] of the [[Julii (Estate)|Julii]], but Harren instead employed an absolute primogeniture tie based on kinship. Accordingly, Cónn loyalists managed to have their line of claimants recognized in Harren without incident, but tried and failed to seize the initiative in August 1339 in the [[Urceopolis (Archduchy)|Archduchy]], as Aleckán loyalists killed potential threats and seized critical castles, forcing most local magnates to fall in line behind the Aleckáns. With no King, the two titles diverged from another, granting a kind of political and legal legitimacy to the final stage of the Saint's War.
Unlike the inconsistent dynastic feuding that characterized the first 125 years of [[Saint's War|the conflict]], the Great Interregnum brought 63 years of civil war and national division. Not only did the Great Interregnum occur because of the relatively even power bases of the two halves of the [[Julian dynasty]], but also due to succession laws. When there was a crowned [[Apostolic King of Urcea]], the holder of the Julian Crown was legally held to succeed to both the [[Urceopolis (Archduchy)|Archduchy of Urceopolis]] and [[Harren|Grand Duchy of Harren]], effectively overriding local succession laws. With the lack of a consensus King and power evenly divided, however, succession defaulted back to local laws which had not been used since before the [[Golden Bull of 1098]]. In the Archduchy, the Archducal title, when no clear heir was available, defaulted to whomever held the headship of the [[Estates of Urcea|Estate]] of the [[Julii (Estate)|Julii]], but Harren instead employed an absolute primogeniture tie based on kinship. The death of Adrian II inaugurated a civil war within the Cónn family that lasted between his death in August 1339 and December of that year. Accordingly, the Aleckáns, who had held Custóirship of the Estate, took control of the Archduchy, but could not legally claim Harren, which had strong Cónn sympathies even if they could. The civil war between the Cónns resolved in December of [[1339]] with a man named Caelian Cónn taking [[Cálfeld]]. Subsequently, the Cónn anaged to have their line of claimants recognized in Harren without incident,


During the Great Interregnum, the Aleckán faction held the territory of the [[Urceopolis (Archduchy)|Archduchy of Urceopolis]] and other western portions of the Kingdom, though not the city of [[Urceopolis (City)|Urceopolis]] itself; the burghers and local landed nobility revolted and established the Pope as the temporal ruler of the city and the surrounding areas so as to prevent violence befalling the city as had happened previously during the Saint's War, an arrangement which was said would end upon the final conclusion of the conflict. The resulting rule of the [[Pope]] over the city lead to the high water mark of [[Papal State|political Papal authority]] and the last resurgence in power of the [[Duchy of Transurciana]]. The Cónn faction ruled over the [[Harren|Grand Duchy of Harren]] and the [[Electorate of Canaery]]. The House of Cónn took the unusual decision of establishing its court northwest of the [[Magnag]] in the [[Urcean frontier|southern wilderness region]] with the newly constructed castle of [[Cities_of_Urcea#Ardricampus_2|Ardricampus]], which took its name (''"King's Fort"''), from the conflict. This castle, an impressive structure built atop an oasis in arid shrublands, not only provided protection and resources for the defender but gradually sapped the besiegers of their resources, making it a formidable defensive position. The castle, with its well developed infrastructure exploiting the oasis, grew into a major city with the same name, around which developed the modern province of [[Ardricampus]]. The Aleckán faction ruled from several castles near Urceopolis, but did not dare attempt to dislodge the Pope from the city. The [[Imperial Kingdom of Urcea]], tied to the [[Apostolic King of Urcea]], remained vacant, though in practice its duties continued to be exercised by a regent directly appointed by the [[Emperor of the Levantines]]. Apart from the Saint's War, the fate of the regency during this period was a source of fierce political disagreement between the Emperor and the [[Pope]] over who exercised control over [[Urcea]] during a crown vacancy, a question that was not clearly solved with the end of the war in the 15th century.
During the Great Interregnum, the Aleckán faction held the territory of the [[Urceopolis (Archduchy)|Archduchy of Urceopolis]] and other western portions of the Kingdom, though not the city of [[Urceopolis (City)|Urceopolis]] itself; the burghers and local landed nobility revolted and established the Pope as the temporal ruler of the city and the surrounding areas so as to prevent violence befalling the city as had happened previously during the Saint's War, an arrangement which was said would end upon the final conclusion of the conflict. The resulting rule of the [[Pope]] over the city led to the high water mark of [[Papal State|political Papal authority]] and the last resurgence in power of the [[Duchy of Transurciana]]. The Cónn faction ruled over the [[Harren|Grand Duchy of Harren]] and the [[Electorate of Canaery]]. The leader of the House of Cónn, Caelian Cónn, took the unusual decision of establishing its court northwest of the [[Magnag]] in the [[Urcean frontier|southern wilderness region]] with the newly constructed castle of [[Cities_of_Urcea#Ardricampus_2|Ardricampus]], which took its name (''"King's Fort"''), from the conflict. This castle, an impressive structure built atop an oasis in arid shrublands, not only provided protection and resources for the defender but gradually sapped the besiegers of their resources, making it a formidable defensive position. The castle, with its well developed infrastructure exploiting the oasis, grew into a major city with the same name, around which developed the modern province of [[Ardricampus]]. The Aleckán faction ruled from several castles near Urceopolis, but did not dare attempt to dislodge the Pope from the city. The [[Imperial Kingdom of Urcea]], tied to the [[Apostolic King of Urcea]], remained vacant, though in practice its duties continued to be exercised by a regent directly appointed by the [[Emperor of the Levantines]]. Apart from the Saint's War, the fate of the regency during this period was a source of fierce political disagreement between the Emperor and the [[Pope]] over who exercised control over [[Urcea]] during a crown vacancy, a question that was not clearly solved with the end of the war in the 15th century.


The 1340s saw the brief reappearance of the [[Creagmer republics]] in reduced form. With tacit support from the [[Philaridon Republic]], prominent merchant families in western [[Urcea]] overthrew local garrisons, disavowed the agreements made with Riordan IV, and attempted to reassert the independence of the mercantile city-states, especially given the harmful influence the war had on trade in the region. In 1344, the Aleckán [[Urceopolis (Archduchy)|Archduke]] launched a campaign to try and reestablish dominance over the cities, but failed and soon made an agreement to tacitly recognize their independence within the [[Imperial Kingdom of Urcea]] in exchange for financing future Aleckán campaigns. This agreement brought the republics into an uneasy alliance with the Aleckán faction, and both factions in the [[Saint's War]] internally planned to quickly subjugate the area once they managed to defeat the other party.
The 1340s saw the brief reappearance of the [[Creagmer republics]] in reduced form. With tacit support from the [[Philaridon Republic]], prominent merchant families in western [[Urcea]] overthrew local garrisons, disavowed the agreements made with Riordan IV, and attempted to reassert the independence of the mercantile city-states, especially given the harmful influence the war had on trade in the region. In 1344, the Aleckán [[Urceopolis (Archduchy)|Archduke]] launched a campaign to try and reestablish dominance over the cities, but failed and soon made an agreement to tacitly recognize their independence within the [[Imperial Kingdom of Urcea]] in exchange for financing future Aleckán campaigns. This agreement brought the republics into an uneasy alliance with the Aleckán faction, and both factions in the [[Saint's War]] internally planned to quickly subjugate the area once they managed to defeat the other party.
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In [[1341]], the sitting [[Emperor of the Levantines]] decided to set aside his own regent and invade [[Urcea]], planning to install either himself or a relative - scholars disagree on this point - on the throne of the [[Imperial Kingdom of Urcea]]. Imperial forces advanced down the [[Urce River]] as far as [[Castle Welute]], but were defeated there by forces loyal to [[House de Weluta]]. The de Welutas - also known as the Welutians or the Velucians - originally hailed from the [[Ionian Plateau]] and maintained considerable connections there, and as a house they were formed earlier in the century as part of an alliance between King Lucás I and some highland clans. The Emperor signed a treaty pledging non-interference for the remainder of the conflict, a pledge that his successors honored. For their efforts, [[House de Weluta]] was rewarded with the daughter of the sitting Aleckán [[Urceopolis (Archduchy)|Archduke]], beginning the long association between the House and the [[Julian dynasty]].
In [[1341]], the sitting [[Emperor of the Levantines]] decided to set aside his own regent and invade [[Urcea]], planning to install either himself or a relative - scholars disagree on this point - on the throne of the [[Imperial Kingdom of Urcea]]. Imperial forces advanced down the [[Urce River]] as far as [[Castle Welute]], but were defeated there by forces loyal to [[House de Weluta]]. The de Welutas - also known as the Welutians or the Velucians - originally hailed from the [[Ionian Plateau]] and maintained considerable connections there, and as a house they were formed earlier in the century as part of an alliance between King Lucás I and some highland clans. The Emperor signed a treaty pledging non-interference for the remainder of the conflict, a pledge that his successors honored. For their efforts, [[House de Weluta]] was rewarded with the daughter of the sitting Aleckán [[Urceopolis (Archduchy)|Archduke]], beginning the long association between the House and the [[Julian dynasty]].


The Great Interregnum saw a general realignment of the political loyalties of the [[Estates of Urcea]]. Through most of the Saint's War, Estates were divided internally for either claimant, especially including the Royal Estate of the Julii. The Aleckán dynasty had acquired the title of Custóir from King Seán I in 1159, and despite many attempts, the House of Cónn could not dislodge them from their headship of the Estate even as the [[Julian Throne]] alternated between the two houses. The Custóirship of the Julii was a source of great prestige and authority for the Aleckáns, giving them the loyalty of most of the heads of the Estates even if subsidiary families supported the Cónns. With the beginning of the Interregnum, though, many of the Estates came to blame the Aleckáns for the division of the nation. Specifically, the Gaelic Estates began to support the Cónns, which turned the final phase of the [[Saint's War]] into a series of battles between Estates. This, paradoxically, had the effect of strengthening the Aleckán cause, as it lead to the slightly more numerous Latinic Estates rallying around the House of Aleckán and contributing manpower and funding not seen up through this point of the conflict.
The Great Interregnum saw a general realignment of the political loyalties of the [[Estates of Urcea]]. Through most of the Saint's War, Estates were divided internally for either claimant, especially including the Royal Estate of the Julii. The Aleckán dynasty had acquired the title of Custóir from King Seán I in 1159, and despite many attempts, the House of Cónn could not dislodge them from their headship of the Estate even as the [[Julian Throne]] alternated between the two houses. The Custóirship of the Julii was a source of great prestige and authority for the Aleckáns, giving them the loyalty of most of the heads of the Estates even if subsidiary families supported the Cónns. With the beginning of the Interregnum, though, many of the Estates came to blame the Aleckáns for the division of the nation. Specifically, the Gaelic Estates began to support the Cónns, which turned the final phase of the [[Saint's War]] into a series of battles between Estates. This, paradoxically, had the effect of strengthening the Aleckán cause, as it led to the slightly more numerous Latinic Estates rallying around the House of Aleckán and contributing manpower and funding not seen up through this point of the conflict.


The minor [[House de Weluta]] by [[1374]] were firmly ingrained members of the [[Julian dynasty]] by means of their descent from King Lucás I via the daughter of an Archduke married into the family followed its victory against the [[Emperor of the Levantines]] in [[1348]]. In an unlikely series of events, the head of house de Weluta at that time - Donio de Weluta - came into possession of the [[the Cape (Urcean province)#History|Duchy of the Cape]], a territory to the southwest of the [[Archduchy of Urceopolis]] that had been part of the [[Imperial Kingdom of Urcea]] but largely remained aloof of the affairs of its neighbors. The last Duke of the Cape died in 1372 without a close relative, leading to two years of struggle between local magnates over who should become Duke. Sensing an opportunity, the Aleckán Archduke of Urceopolis dispatched Donio and his forces to the Cape to try and resolve the dispute and gain an ally during the conflict with the Cónns. Following a four month campaign of restoring order and building local connections, Donio was unexpectedly offered the Duchy by local leaders in June 1374 as a compromise candidate, and he accepted the title. Donio was able to justify accepting the title due to his distant relation to the historic [[Southern Kingdom of the Levantines|Southern King of the Levantines]] from the line of his mother, the Aleckán princess. The de Welutas gaining the Cape brought it into Aleckán orbit and elevated the de Welutas into a place of political prominence.
The minor [[House de Weluta]] by [[1374]] were firmly ingrained members of the [[Julian dynasty]] by means of their descent from King Lucás I via the daughter of an Archduke married into the family followed its victory against the [[Emperor of the Levantines]] in [[1348]]. In an unlikely series of events, the head of house de Weluta at that time - Donio de Weluta - came into possession of the [[the Cape (Urcean province)#History|Duchy of the Cape]], a territory to the southwest of the [[Archduchy of Urceopolis]] that had been part of the [[Imperial Kingdom of Urcea]] but largely remained aloof of the affairs of its neighbors. The last Duke of the Cape died in 1372 without a close relative, leading to two years of struggle between local magnates over who should become Duke. Sensing an opportunity, the Aleckán Archduke of Urceopolis dispatched Donio and his forces to the Cape to try and resolve the dispute and gain an ally during the conflict with the Cónns. Following a four month campaign of restoring order and building local connections, Donio was unexpectedly offered the Duchy by local leaders in June 1374 as a compromise candidate, and he accepted the title. Donio was able to justify accepting the title due to his distant relation to the historic [[Southern Kingdom of the Levantines|Southern King of the Levantines]] from the line of his mother, the Aleckán princess. The de Welutas gaining the Cape brought it into Aleckán orbit and elevated the de Welutas into a place of political prominence.
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The death of the last direct male Aleckán heir in battle in [[1392]] seemed to indicate that the Cónn faction was about to emerge victorious. However, the supporters of the Aleckán cause decided to elevate Lucás of [[House de Weluta]] - to faction leadership. Lucás de Weluta, elevated to the rank of Archduke of Urceopolis and ruling from [[Castle Welute]], continued the fight against the Cónn faction. Lucás de Weluta rallied the Aleckán faction and raised a large number of highlanders to his banner, rejuvenating the Aleckán cause. In order to strengthen his position, Lucás controversially decided to break the tacit alliance between himself and the [[Creagmer republics]] in 1394, invading them and restoring control over the western portion of the [[Archduchy of Urceopolis]]. Lucás's campaign despoiled some of the merchant cities, weakening their influence and harming Odoneru area trade while gaining a short term advantage in terms of funding for additional soldiers while also raising some urban levies from the region. Unlike Riordan IV's agreements, which the cities broke, Lucás stripped the local notables of all [[Social class in Urcea|social rank]] and worked to dismantle the economic hierarchy which empowered the merchants to influence society. With the exception of the [[Philaridon Republic]], 1394 brought about the final end of the Creagmer republics. Lucás managed to parlay the new gold to hire large mercenary forces from [[Anglei|Angla]].  
The death of the last direct male Aleckán heir in battle in [[1392]] seemed to indicate that the Cónn faction was about to emerge victorious. However, the supporters of the Aleckán cause decided to elevate Lucás of [[House de Weluta]] - to faction leadership. Lucás de Weluta, elevated to the rank of Archduke of Urceopolis and ruling from [[Castle Welute]], continued the fight against the Cónn faction. Lucás de Weluta rallied the Aleckán faction and raised a large number of highlanders to his banner, rejuvenating the Aleckán cause. In order to strengthen his position, Lucás controversially decided to break the tacit alliance between himself and the [[Creagmer republics]] in 1394, invading them and restoring control over the western portion of the [[Archduchy of Urceopolis]]. Lucás's campaign despoiled some of the merchant cities, weakening their influence and harming Odoneru area trade while gaining a short term advantage in terms of funding for additional soldiers while also raising some urban levies from the region. Unlike Riordan IV's agreements, which the cities broke, Lucás stripped the local notables of all [[Social class in Urcea|social rank]] and worked to dismantle the economic hierarchy which empowered the merchants to influence society. With the exception of the [[Philaridon Republic]], 1394 brought about the final end of the Creagmer republics. Lucás managed to parlay the new gold to hire large mercenary forces from [[Anglei|Angla]].  


With his new gathered forces, Lucás de Weluta marched against the Cónns and, within a decade, eventually issued a final defeat to the Cónn faction at the Battle of Glens Falls in 1401. His forces subsequently besieged of the Castle of Ardricampus in early August 1402. Facing defeat, the Cónn claimant - the Elector Aedanicus of Cónn - threw himself from the walls of the fortress, committing suicide. Rather than slaughter the remaining members of the family, Lucás de Weluta married Aedanicus's only daughter Eileen and sent the rest of the family into exile in [[Angla]], where per agreement some of them would marry into the Royal family there. The de Weluta army then marched on [[Urceopolis (City)|Urceopolis]], where a tense standoff occurred between de Weluta forces and those loyal to the [[Pope]]. Following a month of what historians have called a "light siege" of the city, the Pope welcomed the de Weluta Archduke into the city. Lucás was crowned personally by the Pope on September 14 1402, ending the [[Saint's War]] and Great Interregnum definitively.
With his new gathered forces, Lucás de Weluta marched against the Cónns and, within a decade, eventually issued a final defeat to the Cónn faction at the Battle of Glens Falls in 1401. His forces subsequently besieged of the Castle of Ardricampus in early August 1402. Facing defeat, the Cónn claimant - the Elector Aedanicus of Cónn - threw himself from the walls of the fortress, committing suicide. Rather than slaughter the remaining members of the family, Lucás de Weluta married Aedanicus's only daughter Eileen and sent the rest of the family into exile in [[Dericania]]. The de Weluta army then marched on [[Urceopolis (City)|Urceopolis]], where a tense standoff occurred between de Weluta forces and those loyal to the [[Pope]]. Following a month of what historians have called a "light siege" of the city, the Pope welcomed the de Weluta Archduke into the city. Lucás was crowned personally by the Pope on September 14 1402, ending the [[Saint's War]] and Great Interregnum definitively.


[[Category: Urcea]]
[[Category: Urcea]]
[[Category: History of Urcea]]
[[Category: History of Urcea]]
[[Category:IXWB]]
[[Category:IXWB]]