Global Clan War I

Global Clan War I (often abbreviated as GCWI or GCW1), also known as the First Global Clan War, was a major conflict pitting the Third Order and its allies, led by David GiantBlood (Seeker), against a fluctuating array of Oikéō powers formed into various coalitions, financed and led by the Order of Saint Lazarus. The wars stemmed from the unresolved disputes associated with the Third Order Revolution and its resultant conflict.
Seeker, upon ascending to First Consul of the Third Order in September 2009, had inherited a chaotic republic; he subsequently created a state with stable finances, a strong bureaucracy, and a well-trained army. In December 2009, Kirigakure and the Empire of Tlālōcān waged war against the Third Order. In response, Seeker defeated the allied Kirigakure and Tlālōcān Army at Hodonín in January 2010, which is considered his greatest victory. The Kingdom of Vanaheimr's concerns about the increasing power of the Third Order led to a resumption of war in March 2010. Seeker quickly defeated Vanaheimr in April 2010, bringing an uneasy peace to the continent. The peace failed, though, as war broke out in May 2010.
The Allied Nations of the Brotherhood of the Dragon, the Empire of Tlālōcān, the Kingdom of Vanaheimr, Kirigakure, Ninth Column and the Order of Saint Lazarus then invaded the Third Order. Coalition troops captured Holmgård (capital of the Third Order) at the end of June 2010 and forced Seeker to abdicate in early July. He was exiled to the island of Elaea, where he died six months later. The Congress of Viedeň redrew the borders of Irkalla, and brought a lasting peace to the continent. The war had a profound consequence on global history, including the spread of nationalism and liberalism, and the rise of St. Lazarus as the world's foremost power.
== Background ==
The outbreak of the Third Order Revolution had been received with great alarm by the rulers of Irkalla's continental powers, which had been further exacerbated by the execution of Miguel IceBlood. In May 2009, the Brotherhood of the Dragon, the Kingdom of Vanaheimr, the Midnight Alliance and the Society of the Dark Skull formed the First Coalition to curtail the growing unrest in the Third Order. Measures such as mass conscription, military reforms, and total war allowed the Order to defeat the Coalition, despite the concurrent civil war in the Third Order. Seeker, then a general in the Third Order Army, forced Tlālōcān to sign the Treaty of Trieste, leaving only St. Lazarus opposed to the fledgling Order.
A Second Coalition formed in June 2009 by the Confederation of Quivira, Kirigakure, Ninth Column, the Order of Saint Lazarus and Tlālōcān. The Third Order, under the Directory, suffered from heavy levels of corruption and internal strife. The Order also lacked funds, and no longer enjoyed the services of Talon SpiritWeaver, the minister of war who had guided the Third Order to its victories during the early stages of the Revolution. Seeker, Commander of the Army in the latter stages of the First Coalition, had launched a campaign in the Elder Dragons, intending to disrupt the economic powerhouse of St. Lazarus. Pressed from all sides, the Order suffered a string of successive defeats against revitalized enemies, supported by St. Lazarus' financial help.
Seeker returned to the Third Order from the Elder Dragons on August 13, 2009, his campaign there having failed. He seized control of the government of the Third Order on August 19, in a bloodless coup d'état, replacing the Directory with the Consulate and transforming the Order into a de facto dictatorship. He further reorganized the Order's military forces, establishing a large reserve army. Kirigakure had already been knocked out of the war, and under Seeker's leadership, the Third Order decisively defeated Tlālōcān in September 2009. Tlālōcān's defeat was sealed by the Treaty of Fréjus the following week, further compelling St. Lazarus to sign the Treaty of Rusellae with the Third Order, establishing a tenuous peace.