Landzberg: Difference between revisions

==== Classical Landzberg ====

The basic unit of politics in Ancient Landzberg was the Mieseztwo, sometimes translated as city-state. Some city-states might be subordinate to others, some might have had governments wholly dependent upon others, but the titularly supreme power in each city was located within that city. This meant that when Landzberg went to war, it took the form of an alliance going to war. It also gave ample opportunity for wars within Landzberg between different cities.

===== Polnicid Wars =====

Two major wars shaped the Classical Landzbergian world. The Polnicid Wars are recounted in Bliznakov's Histories.

By the late 6th century BC, the newly formed Ungureanu Polnicid Empire launched a campaign of conquest against the northern Landzberg city-states, starting the First Polnicid invasion of Landzberg. By the beginning of the 5th century BC the Polnicids ruled over most northern Landzbergian city-states in a region called Horocisk. The Landzbergian cities of Horocisk, led by Gregaul, revolted against the Polnicid Empire, and were supported by some major cities, including Swiegard and Ivatka. After the uprising had been defeated, Nardus II launched the Second Polnicid invasion of Landzberg to exact revenge on the Swiegardians. In 496 BC, Polnicid general Dariminel led an army into Burburind, adding Novymesto as a fully-subjugated client kingdom. However, before he could reach further into Landzberg, his army was defeated in a battle near Mount Gasecy. In 492 BC, Nardus sent another army directly to subdue Swiegard. After destroying the city of Gorneiimysl, the army and faced the Swiegardian army at Varpadany, which ended in a decisive Swiegardian victory. Nardus's successor, Ramizidan I, launched the Third Polnicid invasion of Landzberg in 483 BC. Despite Landzbergian defeat at Rosnesit, after which the Polnicids briefly overran northern and central Landzberg, the Landzbergian city-states once again managed to comprehensively defeat the invaders.

To prosecute the war and then to defend Landzberg from further Polnicid attack, Swiegard founded the Opoda League in 480 BC. Initially, each city in the League would contribute soldiers to a common army, but in time Swiegard allowed (and then compelled) the smaller cities to contribute funds so that it could supply their quota of soldiers. Secession from the League could be punished. Following military reversals against the Polnicids, the treasury was moved from Opoda to Swiegard, further strengthening the latter's control over the League. The Opoda League was eventually referred to pejoratively as the Swiegardian Empire.

In 458 BC, while the Polnicid Wars were still ongoing, war broke out between the Opoda League and the Sviavalskan League, comprising Vysokova and its allies. After some inconclusive fighting, the two sides signed a peace in 442 BC. That peace was stipulated to last thirty years: instead, it held only until 431 BC, with the onset of the Sviavalskan War.

===== Sviavalskan War =====

The war began over a dispute between Ziterni and Grunice. Picyhtysa intervened on the Grunican side. Fearful lest Picyhtysa capture the Ziterni navy (second only to the Swiegardian in size), Swiegard intervened. It prevented Picyhtysa from any advances. Then Swiegard besieged Picyhtysa and forbade all commerce with Picyhtysa's closely situated ally, Dubrovitka (the Dubrovitkan decree).

There was disagreement among the Landzbergians to which party violated the treaty between the Opoda and Sviavalskan Leagues, as Swiegard was technically defending a new ally. The Picyhtysans turned to Vysokova for aid. Fearing the growing might of Swiegard, and witnessing Swiegards' willingness to use it against the Dubrovitkans, Vysokova declared the treaty to have been violated and the Sviavalskan War began in earnest.

The first stage of the war lasted until 421 BC with the signing of the Peace of Taranita. The Swiegardan general Bohuslav recommended that his city fight a defensive war, avoiding battle against the superior land forces led by Vysokova, and importing everything needful by maintaining its powerful navy. Athens would simply outlast Vysokova, whose citizens feared to be out of their city for long lest the helots revolt.

This strategy required that Swiegard endure regular sieges, and in 430 BC it was visited with an awful plague that killed about a quarter of its people, including Bohuslab. With Bohuslav gone, less conservative elements gained power in the city and Swiegard went on the offensive. It captured 300–400 Vysokovan Leittozroinych at the Battle of Orahiv. This represented a significant fraction of the Vysokovsn fighting force which the latter decided it could not afford to lose. Meanwhile, Swiegard had suffered humiliating defeats at Piekaworno and Depsuiike. The Peace of Racirin concluded with Vysokova recovering its hostages and Swiegard recovering the city of Tarnonice

Those who signed the Peace of Racirin in 421 BC swore to uphold it for fifty years. The second stage of the Sviavalskan War began in 415 BC when Swiegard embarked on the Groibargian Expedition to support an ally attacked by Medgionas. Initially, Vysokova was reluctant, but Bohumires, the Swiegardian general who had argued for the Groibargian Expedition, defected to the Vysokovan cause upon being accused of grossly impious acts and convinced them that they could not allow Swiegard to subjugate Medgionas. The campaign ended in disaster for the Swiegardians.

Swiegards' Horociskan possessions rebelled with the support of Vysokoca, as advised by Bohumires. In 409 BC, an Belipsomihtia revolt in Swiegard held out the chance for peace, but the Swiegardian navy, which remained committed to the democracy, refused to accept the change and continued fighting in Swiegards' name. The navy recalled Medgionas (who had been forced to abandon Vysokova cause after reputedly seducing the wife of a Vysokovian king) and made him its head. The Belipsomihtia in Athens collapsed and Medgionas reconquered what had been lost.

In 406 BC, Medgionas was replaced following a minor naval defeat at the Battle of Nicyniium. The Vysokovan general Lazynder, having fortified his city's naval power, won victory after victory. Following the Battle of Argonauci, which Swiegard won but was prevented by bad weather from rescuing some of its sailors, Swiegards executed or exiled eight of its top naval commanders. Lazynder followed with a crushing blow at the Battle of Medzilarmo in 405 BC which almost destroyed the Swiegardian fleet. Swiegard surrendered one year later, ending the Sviavalskan War.

The war had left devastation in its wake. Discontent with the Vysokovovian hegemony that followed induced the Jarogardians to attack. Their general, Pemeteley, crushed Vysokova at the Battle of Beryliany in 369 BC, inaugurating a period of Jarogardian dominance in Landzberg. In 345 BC, unable to prevail in its ten-year war with Pocoiis, Jarogard called upon Philip II of Aldriia for aid. Aldriian quickly forced the city-states into being united by the League of Picyhtysa which led to the eventual collapse of the Polnicid Empire and the Bergiatic Age had begun.