25 Years' War (KdM Map Game)

The Great Atouman-Eskosian War, commonly known as the 25 Years' War, refers to a series of conflicts centered around the Atouman Empire's attempts at expansion into and later the during the late 16th century. While historians often include the Aegean War as a prelude or starting point for the events in later decades, the conflict is regarded to have formally begun in 1563 when Ioxamander would mount an invasion of Dardania and Eskosia, directly leading to deposition of King Tanos in 1567 and the Siege of Eskos the following year, which sent shockwaves throughout Europe due to the conditions of the city falling being decisively in favor of the Atoumans, with the kingdoms of Westria, whom had been facing rebellions in the Lowlands during this time as well, and Boheimian forces failing to liberate the city in the following year.
Although succeeding in capturing Eskos, the death of Ioxamander in 1568 would lead to Khanidon Pasha being appointed as Azarkh of the Atoumans while Westria would lay claim to the territories of Boheim due to the death of Louisa that same year. During this period, the Atoumans would re-affirm their alliance with France, which at the time was fighting a "cold war" in the Italian peninsula with Westria. In 1569, the Kingdom of Sicily, which at the time was pro-France, would declare war on Naples, which at the time was pro-Westria. Due to Sicily's alliance with France, the Atoumans would intervene in 1570 by mounting an invasion of Italy, culminating in the Italian Wars that lasted until 1577. During the war, the Atoumans would lead a rather successful campaign throughout Italy with minor complications while the Kingdom of Hispania would launch an invasion of North Africa.
Although the Atouman campaign in Italy would fail following the untimely death of Grand vizier Xodarus Pasha due to the black death, Azarkh Khanidon would continue his campaigns throughout Eskosia, carving the Transylvanian territories into the Amirate of Karpatia and sieging the city of Pozsony. The war would formally end with the French armies failing to occupy Genoa and the Atoumans withdrawing, but in 1579, in a last-ditch effort to conquer Westria, Khanidon would lay siege to it's capital, Vienna, lasting nearly four years and is often regarded as one of the most important battles of Europe's history. Although the Atoumans had succeeding in occupying most of the city by 1581, the arrival of the and other European crusaders would see the city being liberated in 1582. The various coalition forces would go on to push the Atoumans back to the city of Pest, which would be successfully occupied in 1583, with it's liberation being seen as the formal end of the war.
The Great Atouman-Eskosian War is noted as one of the most pivotal conflicts in the Balkan peninsula's history, as not only did it begin the Atouman's near 200-year long occupation of Eskosia and Transylvania, it is also regarded as the formal starting point of the greater 200 Years' Atouman-Westria War. The war also a saw significant loss of life, with the Atoumans inflicting genocide against the ethnic Esceosian population of Eskosia in an attempt to re-populate the region with Arzhamites. With such widespread simultaneous activity having not been seen since the old Roman Empire, the conflict is regarded as one of the more significant wars of religion in the , with some scholars citing the conflict as a prelude to the Thirty Years' War.
==Timelapse==
===Aegean War (1557-1561)===
The Aegean War was important for a number of reasons for the Atoumans. For one, it re-affirmed their authority in the Aegean Sea, which at the time, remained under various merchant powers like Venice and Genoa. Secondly, it was led by Grand Vizier Khanidon Pasha instead of Ioxamander, which would culminate in great power being invested into the position of Grand Vizier in the Atouman Empire.
The war would begin with the Sack of Athens and later a battle over it. Khanidon Pasha would infamously pike the Atoumans battle standard in the town square in the summer of 1557. In 1559, Atouman naval forces would encirce and entrap Genoese mercenaries at Rhodes, and with larger numbers, would completely crush the garrison forces. After Khanidon's resignation from post, Ioxamander would appoint Xodarus Pasha as his next Grand Vizier, whom would lead nearly 50,000 across the island chain, infamously piking the heads of various European merchants and officers after capturing the territories.
Following the Siege of Rhodes, the Atouman Empire would engage in a number of naval battles and conflicts with the Venetians and Genoese, reaching it's apex with the Siege of Lefkosia, which saw nearly 100,000 forces under Ioxamander and Xodarus storming the city and razing it. This would lead to the island of Cyprus being annexed into the Atouman Empire. In 1561, Ioxamander would attempt to conquer Krete, but would be forced to retreat after a storm would cut their supply lines and swallow a number of their ships, thus ending the Aegean War, although by this point, relations between Venice and the Atoumans remained at a fever-pitch.
===Conquest of Eskosia (1563-1568)===
In 1561, the Amirate of Rumania would be annexed into the Atouman Empire after a short-lived rebellion would lead to Ioxamander personally leading an army to Vimnatz. Due to the scale of the war and Ioxamander's aged condition by this point, Grand Vizier Xodarus Pasha would appoint additional "viziers" to assist in their upcoming war with Eskosia and Dardania. Knowing the northern states would quickly rally together, the initial goal was to defeat Dardania and Eskosia in equal manner with quick, decisive attacks on major cities in similar fashion to the former Azarkh Bayed "The Thunderbolt"'s campaign in Greece nearly 150 years earlier.
In 1563, Ioxamander of the Atoumans would mount an invasion of Eskosia while his vizier Xodarus Pasha would lead a campaign across Dardania. Xodarus' march through Dardania was difficult for a number of reasons: for the one, the moutainous terrain made it extremely difficult logistically for efficient supply lines and defensive positions; secondly, since Ioxamander had taken the bulk of able-bodied men for the Eskosian campaign, Xodarus was left with limited numbers and less options. From summer of 1563 to the autumn period of 1564, the Siege of Kompita would leave the Atoumans failing to capture the city, leading to stalemate and high casualties. For Ioxamander, the Siege of Ujvidek from 1564-1565 would see the piking of Eskosian heads and the falling of the city's walls, with Atouman forces encircling Belgrade by the end of the year, and by the end of 1565, the city had fallen to Atouman forces. During their occupation, the ‘Bloody Tuesday’ massacre would see the deaths of nearly fifty-six people and over a hundred injured in the city. Other acts of discrimination or enslavement would take place as well.
===Italian Wars (1570-1577)===
Upon Khanidon's succession to the throne, two years had passed since the Atoumans had successfully captured Eskos, and his father, Ioxamander I, death. Within that time period, Khanidon would reform the organization of the military campaigns, instead centering a greater emphasis on invading the and pressing toward Westria. While many historians at the time, such as Reimar Friedhelm of Venice, would agree that the Atouman Empire was naturally the "Roman Empire" of this period, the Atoumans lacked any legitimate or successful campaigns in Italia since it's initial foundation nearly three centuries prior.
In 1570, diplomats of Khanidon in the court of King would lead to France re-asserting their alliance with the Atouman Empire, leading to the Atouman Empire's subsequently becoming allied to Sicily, which at the time was in a smaller conflict with Naples over maritime trade routes. This opportunity would lead to nearly 150 Atouman galleys to appear off of the horizon of Bruta, leading to rumors of an Atouman invasion for some time. A month later, their fears would be met with an amphibious invasion at Tarento, seeing nearly 60,000 troops led by Grand Vizier Xodarus al-Jafar Pasha in a surprise attack on Naples, leading for lines to be drawn and war to be declared.
While Xodarus Pasha would lead the invasion of Italy, Azarkh Khanidon would lead a second campaign in Eskosia, and with King Tanos' deposition, the newly-appointed King Vidakedes of Dardania would provide logistical and military support for the oncoming war with Westria under the belief of territory gain. While the Dardanian aristocracy were, for the most part, allies to the Atouman Empire, they didn't exactly know how long that could last, and would take advantage in stocking up their own military as well. The first battle of what was dubbed by Atouman war historians at the time as "The Righteous Front", saw Khanidon Pasha leading nearly 100,000 men on to siege the city of Pest, succeeding in a matter of two years' after suffering small setbacks with Westrian re-inforcements. The Siege of Pest would also see the first Italian soldiers in the Balkans during the 20 Years' War, with merchant republics like Venice and Genoa supplying mercenaries and other resources to combat against Atouman advancements.
In 1571, Grand Vizier Xodarus al-Jafar Pasha would successfully defeat the Italian forces at Tarento, thus confirming Europe's fears of a war in Italy. In February, Xodarus al-Jafar Pasha would be joined by the Mauretanian warlord, Mujjat, who served as a reminder of friendly relations between the Atoumans and Mauretania. Xodarus would go on to sack a number of Italian cities throughout the year before settling into a siege at Bruta in the summer. Although the Atoumans were superior and more advanced militarily, it would take nearly two years before the city would fall to Xodarus. After seeing the battle to last longer than usual, Mujjat would be directed northward to sack the city of Reggio and to expand as quickly as possible in an effort to knock out Naples and secure territory in the peninsula.
By May of 1572, the Empire of Hispania would intervene in the war against "The Alliance" after French advancements neared closer to Genoa. In response, Spanish warships would initiate a blockade on their ports while also landing anamphibious landing in Atlasiya, targetting the city of Goreseum. With 15,000 troops, the Hispanian inquisitor Cesar Alameda would quickly and effective occupy the city, spreading his regiments across the region and besieging the cities of Orrato in 1573, Kalapolis in early 1574 and Ilysium later that year. In 1575, Cesar Alameda would capture the city of Tyrenia, however, the victory would be short lived upon the arrival of Atouman regiments from Aegypt, leading to a historical land stand that saw the death of Cesar and a number of his military strategists. By this point in the war, Hispanic garrisons had developed proper defenses in Orrato and Goreseum, so upon Cesar's death, many of occupied cities' garrisons would retreat back to the coast, successfully defending their claim over both cities in their respective battles.
With war spreading across the Mediterranean, Khanidon would set up a vassal government for Karpathia under the dark Bakugan, who himself once stated in a public forum that he preferred fighting war over residing as a monarchy. Regardless of his own personal views, Khanidon viewed Bakugan as important for his Xunni faith and Eskosian background, although this wouldn't be exactly as wished. In fact, while Khanidon was in Eskos preparing for an invasion of Westria, Bakugan began a genocidal raid across all of northern Eskosia, with some figures estimating the deaths of 150,000 civilians. Blood on his hands, Bakugan became recognized quickly as a prominent and feared dictator in the third Roman empire. By 1575, the Atouman Empire had extended outwards to Lubyan and Pozsony, with Khanidon being remarked as memorable in western canon. While war was persistant in Eskosia, King Vidakedes of Dardania would mount a military invasion of Westria, occupying the city of Trieste in 1575.
In the Spring of 1575, Xodarus would mount his final schematic of war plans: to siege Naples, and then to siege Rome. To do this, Xodarus would need to capture the city of Salerno to better formulate a base of operations nearby the city in the event of a prolonged siege. With Mujjat occupying Reggio but failing to go northward, Xodarus would believe it upon himself to finally conquer Italia. Although prepared for the battle, Xodarus would fall deathly ill with the bubonic plague shortly before the battle commenced, becoming bed-ridden and dying within weeks. Xodarus' death would lead to a band of Atouman soldiers going on to sack the city under Mujjat, engaging it under siege for the remainder of the year before retreating at the beginning of 1576.
Within a years' time following the death of Xodarus, the Atouman and French alliance forces face increasingly high casualties, and following the Spanish and Venetian victory over the Atouman Empire, would be forced to withdraw militarily from the Italian peninsula. This would leave Sicily to be annexed into Naples by 1577, which is regarded as the formal end date of the Second Italian War.
Although there was little success to be had in conquering Italy, the Atouman expansion into Central Europe had succeeded per usual until Khanidon Pasha received news of Xodarus' death, which led to him halting further campaigns while he looked for suitable military commanders to fill his posts. Up until this point, the Atouman Empire existed for a time as an oligarchy, led equally in power by a number of regional warlords following the death of Ioxamander, which was ultimately led by Khanidon Pasha due to being Ioxamander's rightful heir and his own appointed successor. The death of Xodarus would lead to Khanidon being forced to return to Constantinople to speak with his Grand Assembly as well as to find and appoint new Viziers.
===Atouman-Westrian War (1578-1583)===
In the following year and a half, Khanidon would appoint two Grand Viziers: Melik al-Shadim Pasha of Atlasiya and Erdemir Türkmen Pasha of the Syrian local offices. Although the Kingdom of Westria had decidedly used the short ceasefire as a means of preparing for a secondary invasion, the Atoumans would remain in a state of military activity, which by this point, had grown exhausted with supplies dwindling.
By the end of 1578, Azarkh Khanidon would march from Pozsony to Vienna, marking one of the most historically important battles in Europe in the early modern era. Although morale following the death of Ioxamander remained rather low, the siege would persist for nearly four years, during which time the King of Westria, Leon III Hohenstaufen, would flee to the Bavarian city of Munich, but due to Atouman strategic surrounding maneuvers, the royal family would be either captured or killed, including many of Leon III's direct heirs. This would ultimately affect Westria's history, for not only would Leon III be seen as cowardly across Europe, he no longer had any influence through his princes and nobility, which by this point saw a majority of them being wiped out by the Atoumans.
By 1580, nearly half of the Westrian army would face mutiney in the face of catastrophe, not only believing the city to fall soon but that there was no inevitable escape out of the Atouman grip. In a surprise turn of events however, by August of 1580, Polish crusaders monikered as the "Hussars" would travel from Avaro-Vedena, which at the time was in a Non-Aggression Pact with the Atoumans, and would uplift the siege in it's final stage in 1582, leading to a crushing defeat for the Atouman Empire, who'se forces would face a scattered retreat following the battle that they would never be able to recover from for nearly fourty years'.
Following the Atouman defeat at Vienna, the army of Khanidon would be pushed back to Pozsony, where their defense would be shattered with the arrival of troops from the Holy Roman Empire and remnants of the Eskosian state. The war would formally end in 1583 with the signing of the Treaty of Pest, which partitioned the territories of Eskosia between the Atoumans and Westria formally, being carried out by diplomats in the court of Leon III and Elizabeth Bathory. The signing of the treaty would see nearly fifteen years' of peace between Eskosia, Westria and the Atoumans, thus ending the 25 Years' War.
==Footnotes==