Battle of Pendraic

Battle of Pendraic Conflict Calradic Civil War Date 1077 (two days) Location Outskirts of Pendraic, Battania Outcome Pyrrhic Sturgian, Battanian, Vlandian victoryImperial defeatDeath of Drosios Neretzes, Arenicos Pethros ascends the Calradic throneDeath of Vadinslav Gundaroving, Raganvad Gundaroving becomes Grand Prince of SturgiaKhergit lands pillagedThe Dragon Banner is broken and lost Combatants Calradic EmpireAseraiKhuzait BattaniaSturgiaVlandia Commanders Emperor Drosios Neretzes (perished)Arenicos PethrosPenton NereztesLucon OsticosSolun-noyan (perished)Nimr Banu Sarran Grand Prince Vadinslav Gundaroving (perished)High King Caladog fen GruffendocKing Derthert dey MerocOlek Kuloving the Old (perished)Unthery dey Arromanc Forces 10,000 Imperial infantry3,000 Imperial cavalry2,000 Imperial archers2,000 Khergit horsemen1,000 Aserai warriorsTotal: 18,000 2,000 Battanian infantry1,000 Battanian archers2,500 Sturgian infantry1,000 Vlandian knights500 Vlandian crossbowmenTotal: 7000 Casualties Army annihilatedOnly 100 soldiers retreated Less than 4,0001,000 Battanian infantry500 Battanian archers1,500 Sturgian infantry500 Vlandian knights500 Vlandian crossbowmen The Battle of Pendraic, nicknamed Neretzes' Folly, was a major military engagement in the year 1077 involving all major factions in Calradia. The battle was primarily fought between the Calradic Empire and the Principality of Sturgia, with some Aserai and Khuzait clans and mercenaries siding with the former and the Kingdoms of Battania and Vlandia siding with the latter. Viewpoint Narratives[] There is much discrepancy in what actually occurred, but what is certain is that the Empire suffered significant casualties, including the Emperor Drosios Neretzes himself, whose death would only further accelerate the decline of Imperial authority. In the aftermath, Arenicos Pethros (who participated in the battle) ascended to the Imperial throne. In his rule as Emperor, he slowed the Empire's decline that had resulted from the devastating defeat at Pendraic. Meanwhile, while ultimately victorious, the Sturgians, Battanians and Vlandians enjoyed a pyrrhic victory at best, due to high casualties and the deaths of Grand Prince Vadinslav and Knyaz Olek the Old. Furthermore, the coalition alliance collapsed due to conflicts in the aftermath of the battle. This was further exacerbated by the dispute regarding the Dragon Banner. Imperial Viewpoints[] Rhagaea Pethros was not at the battle herself, but claims that Arenicos told her he unsuccessfully attempted to dissuade Emperor Drosios Neretzes from marching into the ambush. After the battle was lost, Arenicos managed to escape with a force of the Emperor's guardsmen. Lucon Osticos was a junior officer in Neretzes' staff during the battle. He claims that Neretzes had known about the ambush in the valley, but sent his imperial vanguard anyway. When the Sturgians stormed the Imperial camp, Lucon escaped with Arenicos's group of soldiers back to safety. Garios Comnos was present as a soldier at the battle, which he alleges he barely escaped with his life, hiding in the woods with his fellow survivors to escape their Battanian pursuers. He credits this experience as the formative moment behind his later ascendancy to the rule of the Western Empire in the Calradic civil war. The Khuzait narrative mostly concerns the Khergit, a Khuzait clan, who had joined the Empire as mercenaries. The Khergit suffered major losses when they engaged Vlandian heavy cavalry, with the death of Solun-noyan and his sons. In the aftermath, Mesui was forced to lead the Khergit because of the lack of male heirs. As a result, Khergit lands were pillaged with impunity by the other clans (without much intervention from Monchug Urkhunait), greatly weakening their position in the khanate. The Aserai narrative revolves around the warrior Nimr Banu Sarran. Nimr was a young warrior who, along with other Aserai, were eager to join the Empire. Sultan Unqid Banu Hulyan allowed Nimr to participate in the battle but the Aserai troops, who mostly consisted of javelin-wielding skirmishers, were largely run down by Vlandian cavalry when they were regrouping. Still, Nimr was hailed a hero when he returned home, until a notorious incident caused his death. Coalition Viewpoints[] The Sturgians, particularly Grand Prince Raganvad Gundaroving, claim that they had done most of the work in fighting the Empire's forces. Relations between the Battanians and the Sturgians worsened when the Battanians allegedly hoarded most of the loot from their battle against the vanguard, despite not participating in the main assault against the imperial encampment. Knyaz Godun Vagiroving considers the battle a great victory, squandered by Raganvad's public resentment towards his vassals and Battanian allies in the aftermath of the battle. The Battanian nobility mostly considers the battle a success. High King Caladog fen Gruffendoc argues that the battle was a major success for the coalition. In his explanation, he claims that a contingent of Battanian archers and falxmen had ambushed the Imperials in a wooded mountain pass, annihilating the bulk of Neretzes' army. Mormaer Ergeon fen Derngil agrees that the battle was a major success, while Mormaer Melidir fen Uvain agrees regarding the strategic success but considers the ordeal a failure given the resulting strained relationship with the Sturgians and Vlandians. The Vlandians have differing views on the battle. King Derthert dey Meroc regrets his decision to join the Battanians, as little gain was made in exchange for much loss, but cites that he had little choice when Emperor Neretzes insulted his honor by naming him a coward for hesitating to join them in the battle (Vlandia had previously agreed to a defensive pact with the Empire). Baron Ingalther dey Cortain considers Pendraic a wasted opportunity for invading a weakened empire. According to Unthery dey Arromanc, who was in charge of the Vlandian crossbowmen, his men had to retreat from a charge of Imperial cataphracts, a situation that according to him occured due to unruly Barons like Ingalther dey Cortain and Aldric dey Tihr, who ignored King Derthert's plan.