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===Bloodbaths of Inner Drachenwald===
===Bloodbaths of Inner Drachenwald===
Many barons had accepted the amnesty offer of the Sherburnes, and all seemed well. The negotiating and accepting barons joined the Sherburnes in one of their estates for a series of days of lavish feasting. On the third day, the 14th of December 272, the Sherburnes had all barons gathered in the main hall and then sent forth the following proclamation:
Many barons had accepted the amnesty offer of the Sherburnes, and all seemed well. The negotiating and accepting barons joined the Sherburnes in one of their estates for a series of days of lavish feasting. On the third day, the 14th of December 271, the Sherburnes had all barons gathered in the main hall and then sent forth the following proclamation:


''"While we honor our end of the bargain with regards to amnesty, and cleanse you of your foul treason against our most gracious rule, the state had decided to hereby end your lives and those of your followers. Your crimes against the Lordship have been forgiven, however in damaging Union churches and killing priests, you have committed heresy. The punishment for heresy is death, beheading, quartering, drowning, guards take them away!"''
''"While we honor our end of the bargain with regards to amnesty, and cleanse you of your foul treason against our most gracious rule, the state had decided to hereby end your lives and those of your followers. Your crimes against the Lordship have been forgiven, however in damaging Union churches and killing priests, you have committed heresy. The punishment for heresy is death, beheading, quartering, drowning, guards take them away!"''


Under the sounds of screaming and wailing women, dozens of barons were executed, limbs were severed and heads were taken off in the courtyard of the Sherburne family's residence. The execution of the barons followed with a true cleansing of the rebellious cities as the Sherburne army roved the countryside from one rebelling town after the other executing anyone they could find. In total almost 3,575 people died, though this figure is likely estimated far too low, as most killings were not recorded. As a direct result of the Bloodbaths of Inner Drachenwald, the counts under the Lordship all revolted, including the rich lands to the north.  
Under the sounds of screaming and wailing women, dozens of barons were executed, limbs were severed and heads were taken off in the courtyard of the Sherburne family's residence. The execution of the barons followed with a true cleansing of the rebellious cities as the Sherburne army roved the countryside from one rebelling town after the other executing anyone they could find. In total almost 3,575 people died, though this figure is likely estimated far too low, as most killings were not recorded. As a direct result of the Bloodbaths of Inner Drachenwald, the counts under the Lordship all revolted, including the rich lands to the north.


===The Baron's Army===
===The Baron's Army===

Revision as of 12:51, 10 December 2017

Drachenwald Crisis
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Historical Event
Event Name Drachenwald Crisis
Dates and Times June 24, 271 - January 2, 272 AC
Location Drachenwald
People Involved The Sherburne family, the Baron's Army, nobility

The Drachenwald Crisis is a recent period of social discontent in Regalia's Drachenwald Lordship. Following a string of weak rulers of the Sherburne family in the Drachenwald Lordship, local barons and counts formed a Baron's Army and rebelled against the state. At the time, the state was weak from smaller wars with outer laying Kingdoms, and while initial expectations of a victory were high, the state failed to put down the rebellion. The Rebellion ended with the death of Norn Kade, 11th Chancellor of the Regalian Empire at the hands of the rebels at the battlefield of Lausitze.

Background Information

The Sherburne family, one of the five families of the original five family rebellion, had a string of terrible rulers. One more lavish after the other, the once famously industrious family turned to extravagant displays of wealth, wasting public spending and extortion of the common folk. After two successive generations of "Death taxing" (A term coined by the Sherburne family where everything conceivable action taken by the common folk was taxed, even walking down the street) the common folk especially in inner and outer Drachenwald became so poor, that bread riots became a common thing. The first signs of social decline started in 270 AC. Following a cold summer of failed crops, whole cities revolted by lynching the bailiffs sent by the Sherburnes to collect taxes. The Sherburnes held the barons of the towns and castles responsible and levied a "failure tax" on them. The failure tax was intended to tax those who were deemed incapable of running their fiefs, this first act incited revolt among the many barons.

History

The Rebellion

The official starting date of the rebellion is 24th of June, 271 AC. This date is chosen in particular as this was the first date when several of the foremost prominent barons agreed to form a union against the failure tax imposed by the Sherburnes. These barons formed smaller armies, mostly disgruntled peasants, and started looting the richer Drachenwald lands, the Sherburne estates and royal hunting grounds in particular. The Sherburnes quickly raised an army and attempted to crush the barons. The barons, knowing they could not fight the professional army paid for by the lavish taxes, agreed to an amnesty agreement with the Sherburne Family. The family proposed to gather all the barons at one of their castles and re-instate the oath of fealty. Once all barons were in however, the Sherburnes used some convoluted logic with regards to heresy to kill the barons and ignite the bloodbaths of Inner Drachenwald.

Bloodbaths of Inner Drachenwald

Many barons had accepted the amnesty offer of the Sherburnes, and all seemed well. The negotiating and accepting barons joined the Sherburnes in one of their estates for a series of days of lavish feasting. On the third day, the 14th of December 271, the Sherburnes had all barons gathered in the main hall and then sent forth the following proclamation:

"While we honor our end of the bargain with regards to amnesty, and cleanse you of your foul treason against our most gracious rule, the state had decided to hereby end your lives and those of your followers. Your crimes against the Lordship have been forgiven, however in damaging Union churches and killing priests, you have committed heresy. The punishment for heresy is death, beheading, quartering, drowning, guards take them away!"

Under the sounds of screaming and wailing women, dozens of barons were executed, limbs were severed and heads were taken off in the courtyard of the Sherburne family's residence. The execution of the barons followed with a true cleansing of the rebellious cities as the Sherburne army roved the countryside from one rebelling town after the other executing anyone they could find. In total almost 3,575 people died, though this figure is likely estimated far too low, as most killings were not recorded. As a direct result of the Bloodbaths of Inner Drachenwald, the counts under the Lordship all revolted, including the rich lands to the north.

The Baron's Army

The Baron's army was formed shortly afterwards by disgruntled counts and barons who survived the bloodbaths. This army was however too large for the Sherburne host to defeat alone with their mercenary army paid for by almost empty coffers. The Sherburnes petitioned the state for aid, and aid was given in the form of a coalition army. Counts and Dukes of the Angle Isles, Girobald and the Mountain Lands rode forth under the leadership of the Sherburne patriarch and Norn Kade, the Chancellor. The first series of battles proved to be successful, the Imperial army crushed many revolted detachments and recaptured many of the lost cities. Their luck turned on them on the 2nd of January 272 AC however. The Sherburne's disastrous spending had caught up with them in the final battle of Lausitze where both full armies were pitted against each other. The mercenary army led by the Sherburnes had turned coat and attacked the Imperial army from behind, which was utterly crushed. Not only this, the Baron's Army also seized the Chancellor, and half the relevant nobility at the time and put them in prison. When the state refused to accede to their demands, the Baron Army ringleaders started executing nobility, starting with the Chancellor and ending with nearly half the Sherburne family. Finally the state agreed to their demands.

Effects

Directly following the Drachenwald Crisis, Moriarty Kade succeeded his executed father at the age of 19, one of the youngest Chancellors the realm had ever seen. While his effective administration was high in the following decades, his attempts at governance were hampered by what the Baron's Army had demanded. After the succession of Chancellor, the state agreed to create the State Senate, a 350 body council of senators, mostly Counts, Dukes and other landed gentry who could hamper or push through their own laws. The Senate would set the stage for the coming 3 decades of political turmoil in Regalia, until Moriarty Kade's successor, 13th Chancellor Alexander Kade found enough support in the Empire's Golden Era to revert the Senate's institution. Other effects were also found locally and on the political scene. Several previously unknown families rose to the forefront, replacing dead counts, dukes and barons. Others who were previously crime lords and merchants were granted nobility because of the terms imposed by the Baron's Army on the state. Finally, the Sherburne family lost all their power over the Lordship. While in theory they can the lordship as a single ruler, the crown law in Drachenwald itself was so low after the war that vassals could do whatever they pleased. This is one of the factors that eventually lead to the slow and steady decline which culminated in the destruction of the Sherburne family with the suicide of Azuran van Sherburne and the execution of Reaver and Mary-Ann Sherburne. The lands of Drachenwald were after this imparted with a great sense of independence. People from Drachenwald do not distinguish themselves as Drachenwälder, they identify themselves by the county or baron they come from. This sense of independence has since led to serious riots whenever any family tried to unite the lands and reform the lordship that died when the Sherburnes lost it.

Trivia

  • During the Crisis, many Drachenwald Nuttegg trees were destroyed in the fighting and as deliberate acts of sabotage.

Accreditation
Writers
Processors MonMarty
Last Editor HydraLana on 12/10/2017.

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