The War of the Twin Crowns

The War of the Twin Crowns was a savage internecine conflict that occured between two rival branches of the Anyeas royal line between the years 990 and 996. The two claimants were Arim Anyeas, and his younger brother Regulus Anyeas. Those who supported Arim were known as the Trees, while those who supported Regulus were known as the Grasses. The War of the Twin Crowns was the single deadliest conflict in Aerynese history up until the conflicts surrounding the Fourth Strife in the twelfth century, and left much of Erys in complete ruins.

Combatants

 * Grasses
 * Trees

Events
Preceding Factors

Before the war, by the year 986, the once inseperable sons of Frederik III, Arim and Regulus, had grown distant. Regulus had grown jealous of his brothers wife, and rumours had begun to circulate that Arim's birth may not have been legitimate. Encouraged by his own father in law and his wives relatives in Ilidoscia, Regulus began to curry favour with those he deemed potentially loyal, and many in the court began to favour him. Regulus had always been the more athletic, princely, and friendlier youth, and he resembled his father much more than his brother, leading many to proclaim him the true heir. Even Frederik himself was heard to declare that if he were allowed to choose which of his sons to succeed him he would choose the younger, though later actions would show more support for Arim. The event that finally severed the brothers relations was a disastrous party hosted at the Ilidoscian Gardens by the family Korronus. At the party, Regulus' son Ellus and Arims son Lucian got into a shouting match, and instead of quelling their sons, the fathers joined in. During the argument, Regulus finally accused Arim of being illegitimate in front of the entire court. Frederik III was not present, but when he heard he grew furious and immediately stripped his younger son of his titles and half his lands, and had a crown forged for Arim so the whole court could see he supported his elder son. After this event, neither brother would ever speak in public again.

Beginning

Frederik's health had been deteriorating for years, and he died of a liver failure on the third day of the second month of 990. Apon his death, the most powerful houses faithful to Regulus - the Korronusses, the Corlins and the Scaenels - all made moves to secure the capital and ensure the faithfulness of the garrison stationed there. Of the fourteen members of the council, nine moved to side with Regulus, and quickly seized control of most of the levers of government, ensuring the faithfulness of most of the cities ruling class. They also gained relative control of the palace guard. The cities naval forces, however, were ruled by the Chancellor of Ships, Halvin Merresin, who was one of the five who sided with Arim. Less than two hours after the Emperors death, he ordered a total naval blockade of Aeryns by both the sea and river navies, before escaping the city himself by road. This effectively hamstrung the Grasses ability to communicate with the other major cities in Erys and allowed the Trees time to ensure other cities did not fall into their hands.

Up until six hours after Frederik's death, the princes had yet to respond to the situation created by the council, which grew in tension for three hours as the city waited for either to act. In this time, the high priest of the Ten, Allius Goodway, was heard to remark "the council's time today in the sun is now done. All our fates now rest with the brothers." Much of the city remained in their homes well into the morning, fearing violence, and most of the lower councillors went into hiding.

Arim made the first move, appearing atop his balcony and donning his fathers crown. He declared himself the rightful emperor of Aeryns, and thanked the navy for swiftly acting on his behalf. He ordered the city garrison to arrest the nine councillors who had moved against him, and to take control of the palace. He also declared that the leaders of the military should all report to the palace to swear fealty to him.

The city garrison did not immediately respond to his demand, but instead descended into infighting. The commander of the garisson was a Grass and sent orders to declare for Regulus, but the order was intercepted by his first officer who then declared it treasonous, and ordered some of those he trusted within the ranks to detain the commander. At about this time, the first blood of the war was shed, as a group of men from the garrison strayed too close to the palace gates. The palace guards assumed they had come to fulfil Arim's commands, and opened fire. The resulting exchange of springgun fire was quick, but killed seventeen members of the garrison and two bystanders.

As soon as springgun fire was heard, the palace guard made to detain Arim in his tower, and fire was exchanged between the palace guards and Arim's personal escort. However, by this time, Arim had already fled the palace, and was making through the streets towards the seafleet. Apon hearing the news, he declared "My brother's treason is now absolute," and ordered those loyal to him to seize the city. A handful of further skirmishes occured throughout the city, and the cannons on the Old Mound at the palace were given orders to train on the cities own fleet.

Within the garrison, hearing that hostilities had already openly begun, the first officer declared the force openly for Arim, and had the commander executed by firing squad. He then took the position himself and began marching his forces toward the palace in order to take it. However, while en reute, he was fatally shot in the back by an unknown member of his own force, and the garisson descended into open infighting. Those loyal to Arim managed to reach and breach the lower palace gates, but were quickly massacred, sandwiched between the palace guards and those who moments ago had been their comrades. With the garrison removed as a threat, Regulus ordered the Grasses to break the naval blockade.

The fighting within the city between the navy and the palace guards lasted four more days, in which time the navy openly traded cannonfire with the gun emplacements on Emperors Hill. With the garrison in complete disarray, riots broke out on the streets and several fires began, though none reached beyond the river districts. The fighting grew most ferocious around Temple Courtyard, where on the third day the two sides formed firing lines and hailed fire at each other from either side of the courtyard, paying no heed to civilians trapped in the crossfire.

On the morning of the fifth day, with Frederiks body still laying unburied, Arim called a halt to hostilities and sailed the seafleet downriver. The riverfleet moved upriver and held position at the first bend, continuing the blockade, but ending the open fighting for the time being. Arim claimed the ceasefire was in order to allow for a more honourable fight in an open field to determine the war, borne out of his concern for the suffering of the citizens of Aeryns were the streetfighting to continue. In reality, it was likely because the larger Aerynese military had begun to mobilise around the city, and he was unsure of whose side they would take. Three of Arim's councillors also made it out of the city, along with most of the naval command, but the chancellors of farming and communication were captured, and subjected to summary hanging.

Battle of the Rivermill

Hostilities ceased for about three weeks, and the naval blockade on the Springwater remained in place. Already anticipating the effects of the lack of trade, the downriver Ilidoscian cityfleet, which was stationed at Ilysan-on-Spring, mobilised. They believed that if they sent word to Regulus and had him mobilise what ships he could, they could attack the riverfleet from both directions and force it to break the blockade. It was a risky ploy, and if it had succeeded the entire early stage of the war could have been altered, but unfortunately for them the message was lost in transit. The Ilidoscian cityfleet drew within eyesight of the much larger riverfleet without support, and immediately began to withdraw under heavy cannonfire, but due to heavy spring rains the Springwater was flowing fast and they struggled to escape upriver, ultimately losing four ships. The riverfleet suffered only minor damage, but did not give chase, preferring to maintain the blockade. The eponymous rivermill, part of the small riverside village of Iyiria, was set ablaze by stray fire during the battle, and never rebuilt.

Spring of 990 - preparations

Under advice that the city might not be as behind him as he had hoped, and fearing for his position, Regulus left Aeryns by road with a large escort. Heading to the more friendly city of Ilidoscia, they rode along the riverside and passed within eyeshot of the riverfleet, but aside from a few errant springgun rounds no major confrontation occured. At the same time, Arim sailed hard for the Helmet, and within three weeks reached Merscia-on-the-gulf.

Ilidoscia had been angling for greater independence from Aeryns for years, and with the backing of a potential emperor they saw an opportunity. By the time the war began, there were already internal murmurings of Ilidoscia becoming a second capitol, with far greater legislative freedom over its own regions than other cities in Erys, and many of the politicial powers stationed there liked the sound of such an arrangement, leading to large support for Regulus within the city. By the time he arrived, news of the Battle of the Rivermill had already reached the city, and the percieved knock to the cities pride and reputation had stung. Regulus arrived to find the city already in the process of mobilising its land forces (Ilidoscia had always been more powerful on land), and it immediately declared complete support for him as the rightful ruler of Aeryns, any officials potentially loyal to Arim already having been purged by the cities leadership.

As part of the cities push for freedom from Aeryns, Ilidoscia had in recent years built up its own loyal standing army, the largest of any single city in the Empire barring Aeryns. Comprising twenty thousand