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History of Urcea (1575-1798): Difference between revisions
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==Imperial dynasty== | ==Imperial dynasty== | ||
In 1702, King Riordan VII was elected Emperor Riordan I, beginning a string of five consecutive Kings who would be elected Emperor and also an increasing focus on the affairs of the Empire, which would dominate the country's foreign policy in the 18th century. Riordan's son, King Aedanicus VII, was also elected Emperor and ruled both the Empire and Urcea from 1727 to 1741. During his reign, he induced the [[Collegial Electorate]] to designate his son, Prince of Halfway Leo, as King of the Levantines, heir apparent to the Empire. During the successive reigns of Riordan and Aedanicus, relative stability was introduced to the Empire, although Electors continually grumbled Urceopolis grew more powerful vis a vis the other Imperial princes with each succeeding decade. | In 1702, King Riordan VII was elected Emperor Riordan I, beginning a string of five consecutive Kings who would be elected Emperor and also an increasing focus on the affairs of the Empire, which would dominate the country's foreign policy in the 18th century. Riordan's son, King Aedanicus VII, was also elected Emperor and ruled both the Empire and Urcea from 1727 to 1741. During his reign, he induced the [[Collegial Electorate]] to designate his son, Prince of Halfway Leo, as King of the Levantines, heir apparent to the Empire. During the successive reigns of Riordan and Aedanicus, relative stability was introduced to the Empire, although Electors continually grumbled Urceopolis grew more powerful vis a vis the other Imperial princes with each succeeding decade. | ||
===Army reform=== | |||
Although the period ca 1680-1740 was one of unrivaled peace in [[Urcea]], significant focus was given after 1700 to military reform. Prior to this point, the armed forces were not organized in any coherent way, with mercenaries hired and levies raised upon the beginning of wars and these armies disbanded to end wars. Most fortifications in Urcea were still expected to be maintained by local nobility or governors, many of whom had long since relocated to [[Urceopolis (City)|Urceopolis]]. The shortcomings of the military were revealed in the Gassavelian uprising and, to a lesser extent, the final conquests in the [[Kingdom of Crotona]]. The two monarchs of this period, Kings Riordan VII and Aedanicus VII, paid new attention to theories of diplomatic and military relations, especially the distinctions of the threats Urcea faced compared to its capabilities. The two monarchs began to implement policies that would form the rudimentary basis of modern {{wp|Military organization|military organization}} in Urcea. | |||
King Riordan VII's reign saw a focus on increasing the professionalization and training of the Royal Army, and his investment paid dividends as Urcean forces developed innovative drill and discipline techniques. Alongside the widespread adoption of the socket bayonet in the last years of Aedanicus's reign, the Royal Army of Urcea was considered highly professional even if small relative to the Kingdom's overall population. | |||
During the reign of Aedanicus VII, the [[Royal and Imperial Army (Urcea)|Royal and Imperial Army]] began a major building effort in order to improve the supply situation of the Army. During the '75 Rising in [[Gassavelia]], the Royal Army was often woefully undersupplied and far from both the [[Magnag]] and coast of the [[Sea of Canete]], far from any obvious supply line. The supply and logistical failures of that war were studied in depth at the newly established [[Collegium_Scientificum#Imperial_War_College|Imperial War College]] in [[Urceopolis (City)|Urceopolis]] beginning in 1731, and the study established the need for a deliberately constructed network of supply throughout [[Urcea]] in order to prepare it for its next conflict. The new strategy entailed the construction of supply depots and magazines throughout the Kingdom. The system worked by utilizing the nation's extensive river system, with supply depots and new magazines constructed close to the border and deep in the [[Urcean frontier]] through Gassavelia radiating outwards from the [[Urce River]], which would be the central avenue of supply from which all supplies would be convoyed and stored in remote locations. Major fortifications were also constructed throughout key points in the country; as of 1730, most Urcean fortifications dated from the [[Great Confessional War]] or even the medieval [[Saint's War]] and were inadequate for early modern warfare. These efforts saw [[Castle Welute]] largely rebuilt and turned into a major supply hub along the Urce. | |||
===Caroline Succession=== | |||
{{Main|War of the Caroline Succession}} | |||
With the death of Emperor-King Aedanicus VII, the Collegial Electorate abrogated its earlier selection and instead elected Louis, the Grand Duke of Verecundia. Newly-minted King Leo IV initially accepted the decision, but the newly-elected Emperor Louis IX began a policy of open antagonism with regards to Urcean ambition. In 1743, the last male-line [[Grand Duchy of Carolina|Grand Duke of Carolina]] died and left King Leo as his heir. Despite this, Emperor Louis IX exercised his Imperial prerogative and issued a Pragmatic Sanction, denying the Urcean inheritance. King Leo would not accept another breach of faith from the Empire, and on July 4th, 1745, the Royal Army of Urcea crossed through the Northgate and invaded Carolina. The Emperor declared King Leo an outlaw and called the Empire to arms against him, beginning the [[War of the Caroline Succession]], also known as the ''First Caroline War''. | With the death of Emperor-King Aedanicus VII, the Collegial Electorate abrogated its earlier selection and instead elected Louis, the Grand Duke of Verecundia. Newly-minted King Leo IV initially accepted the decision, but the newly-elected Emperor Louis IX began a policy of open antagonism with regards to Urcean ambition. In 1743, the last male-line [[Grand Duchy of Carolina|Grand Duke of Carolina]] died and left King Leo as his heir. Despite this, Emperor Louis IX exercised his Imperial prerogative and issued a Pragmatic Sanction, denying the Urcean inheritance. King Leo would not accept another breach of faith from the Empire, and on July 4th, 1745, the Royal Army of Urcea crossed through the Northgate and invaded Carolina. The Emperor declared King Leo an outlaw and called the Empire to arms against him, beginning the [[War of the Caroline Succession]], also known as the ''First Caroline War''. | ||