Imperial Spring

The Imperial Spring, also called the Great Inner Sea War, was a war fought between 214 and 215 AIC. It involved every major power around the Inner Sea. The Archadian Empire faced an invasion from Thure, uprisings in Lorem Ipsum and Portus Ferrarius, a blockade by Nosamo, and internal strife which eventually led to the later Archadian Civil War.

Background

Since the first arrivals of Thure in 181 AIC, Thure and the Archadian Empire had been growing in tension and rivalry. The Thurians had grown their sphere of influence into Whitehaven and Blackrode, and had begun making incursions into the province of Praxidea and its capital Cecasandria, believing that the province rightfully belonged to them. Tensions reached a boiling point in the Thurian War of Independence, which saw armies deployed though minimal fighting. Emperor Optimus Garantius XVII attempted to negotiate a long-lasting peace between the two nations, and parts of Praxidea were given to Thure. However, this concession was seen as a weakness by the Thurians and tensions remained high, as Thure attempted to seize their advantage and continue to push boundaries. Another border conflict, the Rikehovn incident, occured in 213 AIC.

Between Nosamo and the Archadian Empire, there was a growing naval rivalry. With Archadian interests now spreading across the Inner Sea and into Nosamoan sphere of influence, such as to Portus Ferrarius and Kryero, Nosamo felt threatened and allied itself with Thure against the empire, forming the Western Pact.

In 213 AIC, Lorem Ipsum and later Portus Ferrarius were willingly joined the Archadian Empire as autonomous provinces. Soon the old aristocrats, Benevolence Chaese Legioncula III and Duke Takwin The Second, who had lost their privileges and did not get the imperial support they wanted, resented this decision and encouraged revolt in the provinces. Additionally, the new provinces invited tension between themselves and Thure, with one notable incident between Lorem Ipsum and Thure being the Wedding Cruise Incident.

Theatres

Upon the declaration of war given by Thure, the vikings, alongside their vassals Whitehaven, invaded Cecasandria, leading to a siege.

Nosamo attacked the far-off province of Portus Ferrarius and the Archadian ally Kryero.

The city of Archadia was subject to a blockade by the fleet of Nosamo. Archadian attempts to lift this had mixed results.

In Lorem Ipsum, a declaration of independence was given to Archadian diplomats. The Loremi prepared defences for a siege and arrested the dissenting members of Legio IV Cautis. King Chaese Legioncula's private villa in Archadia was sacked. It is suspected that members of Familia Makesini were behind this. Despite this, Chaese continually attempted to persuade other Praefecti to defect, much to the annoyance of Servius Makesinus.

Aftermath

The Imperial Spring was a direct cause of the Archadian Civil War, which saw the emperor overthrown and the Archadian Republic established. The emperor fled to Garantinopolis, forming a second Archadian Empire. The division was short-lived however as the Garantinopolitan Emperor Alexeius Garantius XXI captured Archadia and reunited the Empire.

Nosamo became the dominant power in the Inner Sea and was able to enforce its demands on all the new states. Notably, it forced its former allies Thure and Whitehaven to abandon their raiding and pirate lifestyle and become farmers across their lands and their newly annexed Praxidea.

Lorem Ipsum suffered greatly in the war, with its capital Prudentissimus completely destroyed. The state soon faded into obscurity, unable to withstand against the Germanic tribes during the Great Migration.

With the emperor now ruling from Garantinople, the city flourished with wealth, quickly becoming one of the largest nations in the world.