Early history of Urcea: Difference between revisions

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[[Gallawa]] began its campaign in 750 against the former heartland of [[Great Levantia]] with the ascension of [[Conchobar I, Emperor of the Levantines|Conchobar]] as its King. Swiftly conquering outlying Latin areas, the [[Latin League]] began to assemble and elected [[Gaius Julius Cicurninus|Julius]] its head given his military successes. With the Gaelic tribes integrated, Julius began to raise huge levies of Latino-Gaelic tribal soldiers to accompany the armies of the Latin League. Julius won several major victories against [[Conchobar I, Emperor of the Levantines|Conchobar]], culminating with the Battle of Beldra in 755, where the well-disciplined Latino-Gael army of more than 45,000 defeated an army of Gallawa of about 125,000, although modern scholars believe these numbers to be greatly inflated. Realizing that Levantia could not be overcome without first unseating Julius, Conchobar ultimately set his eyes on the “crown jewel of Levantia”, [[Urceopolis (City)|Urceopolis]], beginning their march against it in 756 AD. The cities and nobles of the Latin League, however, had long been disgruntled with having to accommodate Gaels, whom they regarded as their enemy in the war. They unceremoniously voted to replace Julius in 757 and sent him home.
[[Gallawa]] began its campaign in 750 against the former heartland of [[Great Levantia]] with the ascension of [[Conchobar I, Emperor of the Levantines|Conchobar]] as its King. Swiftly conquering outlying Latin areas, the [[Latin League]] began to assemble and elected [[Gaius Julius Cicurninus|Julius]] its head given his military successes. With the Gaelic tribes integrated, Julius began to raise huge levies of Latino-Gaelic tribal soldiers to accompany the armies of the Latin League. Julius won several major victories against [[Conchobar I, Emperor of the Levantines|Conchobar]], culminating with the Battle of Beldra in 755, where the well-disciplined Latino-Gael army of more than 45,000 defeated an army of Gallawa of about 125,000, although modern scholars believe these numbers to be greatly inflated. Realizing that Levantia could not be overcome without first unseating Julius, Conchobar ultimately set his eyes on the “crown jewel of Levantia”, [[Urceopolis (City)|Urceopolis]], beginning their march against it in 756 AD. The cities and nobles of the Latin League, however, had long been disgruntled with having to accommodate Gaels, whom they regarded as their enemy in the war. They unceremoniously voted to replace Julius in 757 and sent him home.


The Dux began to prepare the defenses of the city and army as several of the noble families fled or fought the Gaels in losing pitched battles along the river, and many local magnates were brought to heel while many others saw their castles destroyed and their patrimony shattered. Inversely, the fortunes of the [[Latin League]] were reversed almost immediately as Julius was sent away, and streams of Latinic refugees began to flood into [[Urceopolis (City)|Urceopolis]], bringing about a major surge in population that brought the city back to demographic prominence after it was depopulated as a result of the sack in 434. As Gallawa drew closer in 759, the Duke was approached by the [[Pope]], who advised that, rather than fight, the Duke should submit. Julius would later write that he found himself “greatly troubled, but St. Joseph appeared in a dream”, stating that Duke Julius should “neither fight nor flee like the Holy Family to Egypt, but rather submit to the men before you, for they are good Christian men; Our Divine Savior will not permit suffering to befall you or your city”.
The Dux began to prepare the defenses of the city and army as several of the noble families fled or fought the Gaels in losing pitched battles along the river, and many local magnates were brought to heel while many others saw their castles destroyed and their patrimony shattered. Inversely, the fortunes of the [[Latin League]] were reversed almost immediately as Julius was sent away, and streams of Latinic refugees began to flood into [[Urceopolis (City)|Urceopolis]], bringing about a major surge in population that brought the city back to demographic prominence after it was depopulated as a result of the sack in 434. As Gallawa drew closer in 759, the Duke was approached by the [[Pope]], who counseled that, rather than fight, the Duke should submit. Julius would later write that he found himself “greatly troubled, but St. Joseph appeared in a dream”, stating that Duke Julius should “neither fight nor flee like the Holy Family to Egypt, but rather submit to the men before you, for they are good Christian men; Our Divine Savior will not permit suffering to befall you or your city”.


The next day, Julius told the [[Pope]] of this then departed the city towards the siege camp of the King of Gallawa, [[Conchobar I, Emperor of the Levantines|Conchobar]]. Julius met Conchobar in the field between the camp and the city, and to the latter’s surprise, Julius bent the knee and submitted himself to Conchobar as his subject. The King of Gallawa embraced Julius and, according to legend, told Julius of a vision of St. Joseph he had received that Urceopolis would be part of a great Christian Empire without so much as a drop of blood being shed. King Conchobar entered the city then asked Julius to marshal his forces and march on Harren, which fell to the combined armies in the span of a month. Following the conquest of south [[Levantia]], King Conchobar reorganized the political landscape by establishing new duchies and political units which would aid in his future administration of the area. The [[Urceopolis (Duchy)|Duchy of Urceopolis]] was reorganized into the [[Urceopolis (Archduchy)|Archduchy of Urceopolis]] embracing most of the land of the [[Urce River]] inland, whereas a new extensive [[Harren|Duchy of Harren]] was created to the southeast. A number of counties were established in the [[Ionian Plateau]] and former mercantile cities which were members of the [[Latin League]] on the coast were consolidated into a few powerful republics under Gallawa overlordship known as the [[Creagmer republics]]. Later, following the subjugation of [[Greater Canaery]] in 767, a new [[Canaery|Duchy of Cana]], later elevated to Electoral status in the [[Holy Levantine Empire]], was created to the far south to help contain [[Hištanšahr]] in addition to several {{wp|march|marches}} in the [[Urcean frontier|Southern Wilderness]]. Conchobar establishes other so-called "original duchies" in the region as well, particularly the Duchy of [[Callan]]. While most of the traditional social hierarchy was left alone, a number of Gael nobles were settled on the southeastern side of the [[Urce River]] in what would eventually become the [[Duchy of Transurciana]]. These settled nobles would prove to be later more loyal to the [[Pope]] than the Archduke as had been the custom dating back to the 6th century, creating division within the Archduchy during the medieval period.
The next day, Julius told the [[Pope]] of this then departed the city towards the siege camp of the King of Gallawa, [[Conchobar I, Emperor of the Levantines|Conchobar]]. Julius met Conchobar in the field between the camp and the city, and to the latter’s surprise, Julius bent the knee and submitted himself to Conchobar as his subject. The King of Gallawa embraced Julius and, according to legend, told Julius of a vision of St. Joseph he had received that Urceopolis would be part of a great Christian Empire without so much as a drop of blood being shed. King Conchobar entered the city then asked Julius to marshal his forces and march on Harren, which fell to the combined armies in the span of a month. Following the conquest of south [[Levantia]], King Conchobar reorganized the political landscape by establishing new duchies and political units which would aid in his future administration of the area. The [[Urceopolis (Duchy)|Duchy of Urceopolis]] was reorganized into the [[Urceopolis (Archduchy)|Archduchy of Urceopolis]] embracing most of the land of the [[Urce River]] inland, whereas a new extensive [[Harren|Duchy of Harren]] was created to the southeast. A number of counties were established in the [[Ionian Plateau]] and former mercantile cities which were members of the [[Latin League]] on the coast were consolidated into a few powerful republics under Gallawa overlordship known as the [[Creagmer republics]]. Later, following the subjugation of [[Greater Canaery]] in 767, a new [[Canaery|Duchy of Cana]], later elevated to Electoral status in the [[Holy Levantine Empire]], was created to the far south to help contain [[Hištanšahr]] in addition to several {{wp|march|marches}} in the [[Urcean frontier|Southern Wilderness]]. Conchobar establishes other so-called "original duchies" in the region as well, particularly the Duchy of [[Callan]]. While most of the traditional social hierarchy was left alone, a number of Gael nobles were settled on the southeastern side of the [[Urce River]] in what would eventually become the [[Duchy of Transurciana]]. These settled nobles would prove to be later more loyal to the [[Pope]] than the Archduke as had been the custom dating back to the 6th century, creating division within the Archduchy during the medieval period.