Messisorian Kingdom: Difference between revisions

The Messisorian Kingdom began to prosecute offensive wars in the 9th century BC. After decades of continued fighting - both against Istroyan city-states and [[Sarpic people|Sarpic]] tribes in the interior as well as against newly encroaching settlers from [[Adonerum]] - the Kingdom of Messisoria encompassed not only Herciana but most of modern [[Thessia]]. The informal historiographical "Messisorian Empire" - a network of directly administered territories and clients - brought significant benefits to Herciana, becoming one of the best developed places in all of ancient Istroya. The Empire reached its peak in 850 BC with the conquest of [[Halfway]]. Coins and goods from Herciana from this period have been found as far afield as western [[Audonia]] and [[Vallos]], indicating its significant economic presence within the ancient [[Occidental]] world. Beginning in the 600s and becoming permanent in around 500 BC, the Royal court gradually shifted away from Herciana to take up residence in the city of Constantinopolis Borealis in the northeastern region of modern [[Thessia]], as the city was closer to the new core of the Kingdom and more easily defensible.  

As its expansion halted, the Messisorian Kingdom faced several major [[Sarpic people|Sarpic]] threats, with major confederations of tribes attempting to raid, settle, and conquer the Kingdom in 487 BC, 424 BC, and 380 BC. Most historians believe these tribes were moving eastward away from [[Caphiria]], which was expanding. Each time, the confederations managed to reach Constantinopolis Borealis but could not besiege it due to the lack of advanced equipment and strength of the fortifications, and each time they were defeated. The defeats of these people sent them southward, further pushing Sarpic people southwest away from the coasts, and significantly weakened Sarpic tribes overall in northern [[Sarpedon]], opening up for later Caphirian conquest.

Messisoria began to enter a period of decline beginning in around 350 BC. Its original core territory, [[Herciana]], entered a period of demographic and economic decline as its political significance waned. [[Halfway]] was conquered by post-[[Adonerum|Adonerii]] polities of [[Urlazio]] in 313 BC. In the 200s BC, the Messiorians were gradually pushed back by the nascent [[Caphiria|Caphirian]] state to the west, and from the northeast the loss of Halfway opened it up to annual raiding and piracy along its coasts. Constantinopolis Borealis was conquered by the Caphirians following a three year siege in 225 BC, after which time the court relocated back to Herciana. The Kingdom was reduced to just the island by 202 BC. It was conquered four years later in 198 BC and sacked, destroying much of the ancient architecture, culture, and wealth of the island, and with it the Messisorian Kingdom was brought to an end.

The Messisorian Kingdom created lasting demographic impacts on Sarpedon, being the first power to extend [[Ancient Istroyan civilization]] beyond the coasts and into the interior of northeastern Sarpedon. Its expansion and colonization efforts transformed northeastern Sarpedon into an Istroyan-speaking area, which it remains in the 21st century. Its capital, Constantinopolis Borealis, would later become Constanz, the capital of [[Veltorina]]. Veltorina would draw significant cultural and symbolic influence from the Messisorian Kingdom, and most scholars believe [[Veltorine people]] are the distant descendants of the initial Istroyan conquests that occurred up through the 7th century BC. The Messisorians would also leave a wealth of ruins and historic architecture in [[Thessia]], [[Halfway]], and [[Herciana]] which survive in varying forms today.