Vlachian Civil War
The Vlachian Civil War was a series of conflicts starting in October 883 AIC and ending in 893 AIC in the Principality of Vlachia happening alongside the Imperial Civil War. The war was principally fought between House of Basarab with their supporters and the ruling House of Draculesti with their supporters. Other forces like the Order of Saint Castor as well as extremists religious rebels of both Manteism and Aurelianity also played a role.
Background
In the late 870s and early 880s, tensions in Vlachia between the ruling House of Draculesti and their vassals were on the rise. Many nobles resented the Holy Archadian Empire because they felt underrepresented. Additionally, the enforcement of the Omnican religion by Domnitor Dragos III Draculesti vexed the nobles which still held on to ancient Vlachian practices in Manteism.
By mid-883, the Domnitor was largely an ineffectual leader. Dragos had been shocked and in mourning since the deaths of two of his sons and the unknown whereabouts of his youngest daughter. In December of 882, Constantin Draculesti, the youngest son, had been assassinated by a ceremonial Mantestic dagger whilst Vlad Draculesti had died in January 883 at the Battle of Lake Pontus whilst travelling to Isthar. Violeta Draculesti had been travelling with him and her whereabouts were unconfirmed. At the same time, the House of Draculesti was split in two as the House of Vestul was formed by Petru Draculesti. These traumatic events no doubt effected his judgement. Meanwhile, vassals were scheming against him and messages from outside the realm were being intercepted and did not reach the capital.
War
Overthrow of Dragos III
In October 883 AIC, Alexandru Basarab, Voivode of Padurile, declared war on Dragos III and House Draculesti. Petru Vestul, Voivode of Vestul immediately joined him. Hiring mercenaries and conscripting their peasants, the two Voivodes formed a small army in Racari and prepared to march on Cantacuzino.
However, Dragos Draculesti led an army to meet the rebels in Racari. The loyalist forces had the upper hand in the initial surprise attack but soon found themselves outnumbered and out skilled as the conscripted citizens of the loyalist forces were no match for the mercenaries hired by the rebels. Dragos died in battle, in one-on-one combat with Vlad Vladislav. Alexandru Draculesti, the last remaining son of Dragos, was crowned Domnitor, as Alexandru II, in Cantacuzino, as soon as he heard the news.
In February 884, the Basarab military campaign in the swamp began, with Alexandru Basarab travelling through Mlastina asking the Ispans to join their cause or be destroyed. The remnants of the loyalist army could do little to stop them and instead prepared the capital's defences.
In June 886, Cantacuzino was finally laid siege to, the last remnants of the Draculesti household holding onto what they could, out of fear or out of loyalty. However, the siege was short lived, as in September, Grigory Ardenislav, an unlanded noble of the Basarab retinue, used pyromancy to burn the city to the ground. Remaining supporters of the House of Draculesti fled the country to Leopoli or Archadia.
Religious Conflicts
In December 886, Alexandru Basarab was declared Domnitor of Vlachia as Alexandru III. Manteism was declared the official and only tolerated religion of the newly independent Principality of Vlachia. Seeing the odds against them, the Order of Saint Castor attempted to withdraw from Vlachia but were harassed continuously. Uprisings by Aurelianity followers and worshippers of Sol Invictus were constant and many rejected the old beliefs of Manteism.
By the end of 893, the uprisings had been supressed and there was once again peace in Vlachia.
Aftermath
The Principality of Vlachia never recovered from this civil war, which devastated the fragile economy of the nation and brought it outside the beneficial trade zone that was the Holy Archadian Empire. Under the House of Basarab, the country eventually became a vassal of the Vladimirian Vozdh, which began a process of Vozdhification, ending the short-lived revival of Manteism and bringing the country back to Aurelianity. The House of Draculesti was destroyed and faded into obscurity.
