The Kaiserlose Zeit, 35 years of feuding, in-fighting and regression
without imperial oversight came about after the sudden death of Heinrich III
called ‘the Greedy’. With the members of the Reichskammer unable to accept or
even elect a single candidate, several of them were raised up instead, either
by force or intrigue. These ‘Apaitors’, pretenders to the sacred throne of the
realm, brought with them smaller conflicts and tried to rule as warlords would,
summoning back the Years of Torpor for a while.
But them appearing was only one of many symptoms of what was to be the
illness that became the war. Among the other symptoms was the fall of coinage,
as every year towards the 1350s led to another decrease in the worth of thaler,
mark and groschen, which, at it´s height in 1353 led to an almost total
breakdown of economic value when enough coin was on the market that once could
build entire houses out of them, but buy nothing a common city would produce.
This, in turn led to both inflation and elation of the coinage of other
realms, in such numbers, that twice in those years the houses and merchants of
Atelei had to resolve to bankruptcy, despite, or possibly even because of
numerous tons of gold & silver being brought over from Quidron in their
treasure fleets and galleons.
This phenomenon in turn rapidly led to several revolts around Atelei,
and was heaviest in the Kolpingerlanden, where a leading faction among the
populace declared themself freed of elder debt and obligations and rose up in
arms against what they claimed as northern aggressors and occupants. One thing
led to another and the ‘Frei-Kolpinger’, as the rebels styled themselves, soon
followed up by proclaiming themselves free of ateleian influence in their
newly-founded Republic of Equality. The war begun thus would rage on and off
for close to 60 years, and only came to a close recently.
But while Atelei was run into the ground by debt and hyper-inflation,
the rest of Gehenna wasn´t spared from harm, as the Red Death, the most deadly
and virulent of diseases reared his ugly head, first only in distant and
isolated cases, in small communities alongside the mountains, where seldomly a
trader would visit, but over the months carried amidst all cities of the realm,
until none could truly claim it had spared their family.
This and other such diseases which followed in the wake of the dead
Kaiser was for many a sign of the gods disfavor with the Reichskammer, which in
turn inspired several religiously-inspired revolts under so-called ‘prophets’ who
promised answers and led the simple folk astray.
One among them, chief was the supremists, who, having resolved their
internal disputes quickly, spread among the east like wildfire and would soon
lead to entire cities converting at sword point, as their leaders forced others
to follow the new creed. The events combined with one another as new and old
heresies reared their ugly head and the open arrogance of several decadent
cults, rose to prominence, whipping up a new kind of fanaticism among their
believers.
Part of the problem was the new breed of rulers that had come to power
in those years, young and brash as they were, having forgotten the lessons of
the past or believing themselves to be more likely to be successful than their
predeccessors, would more often than not choose war over alternatives. Thus the
devastation was carried forward.
Finally, the empty sacred throne led to a very different and new
problem. With no one sitting at the helm of the SCR, no instrument existed able
to grant seats in the Reichskammer. Thus, each new appointee was given less
power over the course of the realm as whole, strengthening those remaining on
their seats and angering those left outside the prestigious institution.
First documented in 1301 RA, the conversion of Marti Hundsrueck in
Helzand was the first open act of defiance the suprematii dealt the established
order, when he publicly, and in the face of the great procession that was
ongoing, denounced his old faith and declared himself one of the flock. The
enraged mob tore him apart, but, as is part of the suprematii claim, the fact
that he rose again as light touched his flogged corpse renewed the strength of
his claim and news of the event flared up all over the lands, leading to a
stream of conversions amidst.
This in turn led to the open pogrom against their kind, when, during a
raid on Zar´Vas property one of them claimed conversion to suprematii faith,
and thus attempting to escape the wrath of the guard, tried to hide his riches
from proper taxation, and him would follow many, who would soon claim that no
power not following their creed would ever get hold of their hard earned goods.
Thus threatened, the already swelling events led to the first suprematii-induced
war in 1309, called the ‘Langer Nächte’or War of Long Nights, during which
newly conversed supremists would storm ancient and cultured temples, smashing
statues and works of art, proclaiming their new faith, while those under
authority or invested by the Kaiser would soon set forth for action, rooting
out the rebellion, as it was known in the western part of the realms, as best
they could, though with little success.
By 1318 the situation had come to a stalemate, and neither side was
willing to budge any further, with several cities of Atelei under siege by
mercenary companies, while others thought to hire foreign and outlandish
armies. It was here that Heinrich III intervened, though many claim he bought
the peace that followed. Nevertheless, the Langentaler Accords were struck,
which stipulated freedom of worship for what amounted to those not caught
within one of the mannusan temples and cults. It should come at no surprise,
that this angered the established cults. It may even have been some of the
groundwork laid out for events that followed.
It is little surprise then that a mere two years later, Heinrich the
Greedy passed away. His nickname among common folk an expression of disgust
over his economic policies, left the realm in well-off shape from a view of the
treasury, but little else. Even with its coffers bursting, the separatism movements,
the rising cults and fanatism accompanied by it, the low-simmering warring in
and outside the realm and his almost inflationary politics led to many a
tragedy all over Gehenna and there are few today who wouldn´t curse his name
somewhat.
Nevertheless, it was Heinrich´s death, that started the time of sorrow
and bitterness we now know as the Kaiserlose Zeit, when his sudden demise led
to the first session of the Reichskammer without choosing a single candidate.
Instead, several where trumped up, but none chosen, and the Sybillines asked,
but no omen returned. Thus chaos reigned for a time.
With such a background of events, it comes as no surprise, when the
first real movement remained mostly unheard. It was only days after his wife´s
death, that Marek von Dorbrugge collected his men and began his first campaign,
attacking in quick succession settlements around his territory, forcing them
under his control, long before anyone even took notice.
All the while, the war between Kolpingerlanden and Tarraco, for all
intents and purposes…stopped. With the inflationary crisis that held Atelei in
its grip, unable to pay their mercenaries, no one really wanted to fight the
Kolpinger, who instead relished the freedom from distant rulers. This forced a
meeting between the Stadtholders and the then freshly selected Prince-Electat
who declared an armistice for 12 years, after which they´d reconvene to confer
about the status of Kolpingerlanden again.
The following years saw little movement, though one crisis shook the SCR
deeply and already it was unclear whether it would spill out into war. As the
Langentaler Accords remained unpopular and with many of those able to remember
the ‘Lange Nächte’ since then gone, the violence between the differing belief
structures came out much more pronounced than previously seen and came to a
breaking point when the death of the Comte du´Chancy led to crisis.
Having died without male heir in his main line, the territory was poised
to go to the Kutteglueck family instead, who had married into du´Chancy via the
second daughters´, Annebelle du´Chancy y Kutteglueck-Weit, claim, but this was
contested both by the Electates chosen from the faithful and rather vocal
supremists of the region, as well as the Duke of Lange, who backed his own nephew
Mariuz Aldenhaupt von Ahnspor-Gry for the position, claiming ancient heritage
between their houses for this.
While by itself, this might not have led to anything, it was the final
event that threatened to spill it all. The chosen vogt of the city and
territory, Johanne Zirc, himself a stout member of his congregation of
mysteries of Deimos, married, against all rules of his position, the supremist
merchantress Maria Gallora and stated his conversionist tendencies. This added
a dreaded angle to it, as many an ateleian suddenly felt the call of the
supreme and many began to block to Helzand.
As troops were raised, mercenaries bought and plans made to move
inbetween, it was mediation that calmed their temper, as famed green knight and
paldin Richard of Locke, who, while on quest, was visiting the neighbouring
lands, and entered and embraced the diplomatic role between the parties
involved, allowing for a peaceful resolution. Zirc was allowed to marry, but
would remain mannusan in faith, and the territory would be administered by
neither of the houses, but instead be given status of free and immediate
imperial territory for the time being, until a Kaiser could forment a differing
decision.
For that laid at the heart of the issue. The control was worthless
without it becoming a vote to one own in the Reichskammer, for the territory,
while rich ind land and resources, would always fight back against invaders
who´d taken it against the law of people. Of course, with no one Kaiser sitting
on the sacred throne, but at it´s height a simple three claiming the position
for themselves, this was all but impossible to legitimize easily.
With war averted for the time, the events turned forward, and the
differing Electates would find themselves in Helzand again and again. Finally,
in 1348, on the steps of what would become the great Cathedral of “Le
Seígnéur”, those who represented suprematii faithful and interests came
together and founded the Council of Intermediaries, which today is known as the
head of the great beast that sits atop the Surprematii Church.
It took some time for the established religion to react to this, as the
mannusans reacted only in 1354, when the High Priestess of Eris convened with
those of their corresponding congregations and proclaimed the Mannusan
Coaltion, to protect the faithful against all outside interefence. The Ordo
Peucinia is said to have been elevated at this point towards a full martial and
most holy order. It has been noted that not all temples of the faith followed
the proclamation. Notably especially are the temples of Yerv´Edhaz, who at the
times was still propping up their own Apaitor, as well as the temples of Rhea
and Zat, the former for their unwillingness to band together with what they
perceived as a naked power play by the Erisians, the latter for their inability
to act in times of crisis.
Thus we stood, when 1355 rolled around, and Marek entered Kaynbuehl with
Rex Superior in his hand, calling the princes, lords and leaders of the realm
to the Reichskammer.
The Pull of History
(1355-1365)
While momentous all on its own, the coronation of Marek deigns to be
much more sinisher than many outside of it know. I cannot give a full account
on these pages, but know that the sybillines did not accompany the coming
Kaiser by their own will, nor did they give their blessing freely. Nonetheless,
the fact that Marek presented himself to the assembled leaders of the realm as
the only remaining viable candidate led to a quick and, while not completely
unanimous, at least not opposed vote for the man that would be Kaiser. And thus
it was done. Marekoi I was crowned on the 32rd tenday of the year, in the
months of summer, the year 1355 of the Age of Reascension.
For a moment, all was good. But nothing good ever lasts. Two actions
followed, that forced the hand of those involved. Shortly after being
investigated in power, the new Kaiser was asked to legimize and justify those
who held the vote of each of the cities of the realm and re-assert imperial
privilege to the great noble houses. It was here he broke etiquette for the
first time. Claiming that the possession and rule of cities by suprematii was
against godly and good rule, he denied them the vote.
Outrage was earned in the wake of his decision, with several votees
clamoring to change their vote for the Kaiser into an against, only to find
that the man they´d crowned unwilling to let go of the title and power it
conferred. The Reichskammer was surrounded by his soldiers and it´s members
were put under house arrest “for their own security.
Shortly after, advocati were sent out, loyal to the Kaiser and only him,
placed to take control over territory that, so he stated, belonged rightfully
into imperial hand.
Except two, who´ve disappeared without a trace, most were imprisoned or
laughed out of court at the respective places of power. It was at Langental
though, that events escalated. The group of advocati sent are said to have
resembled thugs more than administrators and bureaucrats, and as such, the Duke
decided to have them publicly executed instead, declaring that any such Kaiser
who´d dare such actions, was no Kaiser of his choosing, and be opposed at every
turn. Thus, the first dead came to be. Marekois answer was swift, as he proclaimed
the Langentaler Accords null. As no previous Kaiser had ever rescinded a
decree, this uncertainty even among the most learned of men informed many of
their choices.
While subduing and working to gain control over the situation from
Kaynbuehl, the situation had tipped over into what would develop to become war.
Already, early into 1356 the supremists were calling for all who´d declare
themselves righteous to come to their aid, which resonated deeply in
Berwangstedt and it´s surrounding territories, and the region up to Luchsfels
was shaken by a number of ‘inspired revolts’ took place, led by priests and
clerics of suprematii-leaning.
All the while, the popularity of the supremist cause resonated even
among the island kingdom of Cymris, who, while not offering official support,
allowed many independent and warring individuals to set course to Gehenna
proper and supported even some companies with ships. These would soon find themselves
in skirmishes between them and mannusan militia, who, overwhelmed by the
situation, would lash out at anyone foreign and different, as a number of
pogroms can attest.
It wasn´t until 1357 however, that the next act in this chain of events
took place, as a number of letters sent by the Council of Intermediaries was
apparently caught from being sent out from Helzand and published, showing that
they promised the same kind of offer towards nearly all the independent powers
of Gehenna in exchange for their support. While it is likely that spies from
the cult of deimos where behind this action, it did not have the intended
effect at all. Instead of being outraged at this, many, especially smaller
powers, took this more as a challenge to offer the most support to the cause,
trumping or at least beating others for the same thing. Into this chain of
event, the assassination of Duke Thomas V of Lange & Ahnspor happened, who,
being replaced by his eldest Heinrich, led to a surge in military power for the
Council, when the newly minted duke declared his own conversion and support for
the supremist cause.
In the east, the meeting about the continuation of the armistice failed.
Having gained a new foothold in the revolts into Kolpingerlanden led Tarraco to
redouble their efforts to subdue what they claimed was theirs by birthright,
and as such it took only another year, when in 1358 fights began to pick up
between them as well. This led to the rather farcical situation that two
factions fought each other, while standing nominally on the same side in
another conflict. It is no without reason then, that coalition-forces seldomly
engaged supremists where they knew citizens of Tarraco and Kolpingerlanden to
be.
That very same year, the first march on the Kaisers haven, his home city
Maledictas, the re-named Dorbrugge, failed, as the supremist army revolted
against their leadership, who faield to pay, for months on end, their own
soldiers. Unlikely to be a good event for any side, the dissolution of the
force that followed left a number of scars upon the land for decades to come.
As 1359 came around, and the war between Tarraco and Kolpingerlanden
began again in earnest, the Council of Intermediaries in the meantime declared
their own candidate for the sacred throne, and raised the Electat Rober vun
Wajetaal up as Robert I, the Antikaiser. While unexpected, the decision was
mostly ignored and the Antikaiser played only a small role in the overall
events.
On the other side of the continent, words from Balaim in golden ingots
persuaded the voivode of Gatylia to act against the Kaiser, marching his men
against eastern cities and raising up the flag of Tethysm. He would remain a
steady thorn in the side of the Kaiser and his allies, until distracted by the
Aen Seidhe himself some years hence.
After the failure of their first march upon Maledictas, the Supremists
weren´t defeated yet, as even then their own troops rather mutineered, than
fight against their overlords. It wasn´t until 1360, when the Battle of Black
Plains loomed, that defeat was a real concern for their war effort.
Borne out of a terrible placement, the originally on, earlier arrival of
the supremists would have easily won them the day, as both armies were evenly
matched, but as Mercenario Primo Ligoretto di Spalda force-marched his troops towards
the enemy, the sudden speed at which the coalitionists advanced against the
only slow to react supremist forces led to a breakdown in morale, as the right
wing fled the incoming devastation instead of standing in line. Thus weakened,
the flanks were easy mincemeat for the coalitionist, though the suprematii general
Pieter Fortinbras zu Luxern was able to flee. Robert I wasn´t so fast, as he´d
been thrown of his horse and this mistake cost him his life, and cemented the
terrible nature of this war, where the fortunes would waver from one side to
the other, only to swing around once more.
This was also shown when, during the Battle of Halbenweg 1361, south of
Luchsfeld, close to the widest part of the Kaynau, Fortinbras´ supremists hunted
down and hounded imperial troops under the command of Van Dijkvries every step
of the way, only to finally defeat the small detachment left over that was
willing to stand and fight at all. This victory earned Fortinbras both respect
and enmity far and wide along Gehenna, with some voices claiming this as payback
for Black Plains.
It might also have been the reason, why Fortinbras was invited to Cymris
in early ’62, where he was honored as a kind of folk-hero and paraded for in
the cymric capital. His accidental death at the hands of a drunken thug in a midnight
bar brawl remains a sorry end for such illustrious a gentleman.
Losing such members from their council and advisory dealt a harsh blow
to the supremist war efforts and may have led to the use of the Fires of Righteousness
in ’64. The documents we can survey from back then tell of a desperate siege of
Castle Steinfalken west of Berwangstedt. Nowadays, nothing remains of the
former site, except the smell of sulphur, and the constant white ash, that
seems to follow its every use. There are no known survivors.
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