History of Urcea (800-1098): Difference between revisions

917 AD was a momentous year, both for the [[Urceopolis (Archduchy)|Archduchy of Urceopolis]] and the [[Holy Levantine Empire]]. The Tribal Assembly of Urceopolis, which was an ancient institution dating back to antiquity and was a critical institution in the middle period of [[Great Levantia]], met for the last time. This momentous occasion is perhaps only notable in hindsight, as the Assembly was never formally dissolved and instead faded into obscurity as the eligible voters were spread further and further from [[Urceopolis (City)|Urceopolis]], making meetings of what was once a "popular urban assembly" impossible. For the [[Holy Levantine Empire]], the Empire was divided among the sons of Emperor Brian III according to the traditional practice of inheritance dating back to [[Gallawa]]. This division - and the subsequent inability to decide which son of Brian III would become Emperor - lead to the functional disintegration of the Empire. This left the Archdukes owing their allegiance to the [[Southern Kingdom of the Levantines]], also known as ''Carolingia'' or ''Carolina'' due to the name of its first king, Charles. Within this Southern Kingdom, the Archdukes found themselves to be nearly on par with the King in terms of wealth and manpower, leading to a troubled relationship between the two lines of rulers for the entirety of the Kingdom’s existence.

In 922, the last male-line heir of St. Julius in the [[Urceopolis (Archduchy)|Archduchy of Urceopolis]], Cumhachtabilis, died without issue. The closest heir was Grand Duke Seán, of the [[Grand Duchy of Harren|Duchy of Harren]], direct descendant of [[Saint Julius I]]'s brother who had been placed there as Grand Duke in the 8th century. The King of Carolina viewed this to be unacceptable, as the combination of the so-called "Julian Realms' would render him impotent. The King of Carolina attempted to take the Archduchy for himself as a new center for his Kingdom, sparking what historians would refer to as the War of the Urceopolitan Succession between the House Harren (including loyalists in the vacant Archduchy) and the King. In the end, Grand Duke Seán triumphed and was crowned Archduke of Urceopolis and also Mayor of the Palace (of the Southern Kingdom of the Levantines), elevating House Harren to the true power in the Kingdom. Seán would marry his eldest son to a bride from the direct descent line of [[Saint Julius I]], which would eventually bear Niall of House "Julio-Harren". Seán died in 930; he was succeeded by his son Seán II, who was deathly ill at the time of his assent. Upon the death of Seán II, Niall, brother of Seán I, seized the Throne, on the basis that the younger Niall (son of Seán I) was too weak to rule. The King, however, would intervene and the elder Niall was killed on the battlefield, allowing the 7-year old Niall of House Julio-Harren to become Archduke and Grand Duke. The King believed that a young heir would allow the Conine dynasty to reclaim power within the Kingdom, though his death and succession of his own young son meant that they could not consolidate power in time.