Second Potato War: Difference between revisions

''Not to be confused with [[First Potato War]].''

{{Infobox military conflict

| conflict    = Second Potato War

Uprisings began in [[Amarre]], [[Somua]] and [[Vollardie]] concurrently in the early Summer of 1787. Following a series of meeting engagements, the war ended with the rebel armies destroyed. However, despite their defeat on the battlefield, the rebels achieved their primary aim of abolishing the Potato Laws, repealed in the Summer of 1788 by [[Grand Duke of Yonderre|Grand Duke]] [[Auguste III de Somua]]. The war has thus been described variously as both a rebel defeat but also a phyrric rebel victory.

==Potato Laws==

{{main|Potato Laws}}

The [[Potato Laws]] were tariffs and other trade restrictions on imported potatos enforced in [[Yonderre]] between 1765 and 1788. The laws concerned the import of all vegetables considered potato. They were designed to keep grain prices high to favour domestic producers and represented [[Yonderre|Yonderian]] mercantilism. The Potato Laws blocked the import of cheap potatos, initially by simply forbidding importation below a set price, and later by imposing steep import duties, making it too expensive to import potatos from abroad, even when food supplies were short.  

==Impending famine==

The winter 1786/1787 was extremely harsh for much of [[Yonderre]]. The summer of 1786 had been unusually hot and dry and water sources often dried up. In the fall, signs of a harsh winter ahead began to appear. Birds began flying south earlier than usual and some cattle grew thicker and shaggier coats than normal. The first snows fell earlier than usual, in November, and were reported as some of the worst in memory. Extreme cold killed humans and animals. Some people got lost near their houses and froze to death very near their front doors.  

The unusual weather had made for a poor harvest in 1786 and presented poor conditions for the upcoming 1787 harvest.

==Course of the war==

[[File:Theophile_Lybaert_-_Episode_from_the_Peasants%27_War.jpg|thumb|Soldiers of the [[Yonderian Defence Force|Grand Ducal Army]] after a skirmish in [[Koop]], [[Vollardie]]]]

Uprisings began in [[Amarre]], [[Somua]] and [[Vollardie]] concurrently in the early Summer of 1787. The rebels seized several major cities and looting was widespread. The [[Yonderian Defence Force|Grand Ducal Army]] responded cautiously at first, barricading themselves in their barracks in the afflicted cities. When rebels in [[Willing]] laid siege to the barracks and attempted to storm them, the soldiers responded with gunfire, causing the first casualties of the war. The rebellion was somewhat successful initially, however, lacking proper arms and training it was crushed over the Winter and only scant skirmishes took place in the following Spring.  

==Result==

The war ended with the rebel armies destroyed. However, despite their defeat on the battlefield, the rebels achieved their primary aim of abolishing the [[Potato Laws]], repealed in the Summer of 1788 by [[Grand Duke of Yonderre|Grand Duke]] [[Auguste III de Somua]]. The war has thus been described variously as both a rebel defeat but also a phyrric rebel victory.

==See also==

* [[First Potato War]]

* [[Yonderian Peasants' War]]

* [[List of peasant revolts]]

[[Category:Yonderre]]

[[Category:Wars]]

[[Category:Canonical Article]]

[[Category:IXWB]]