Barden's Foundation

Barden's Foundation, also called the Boyce Conquest, was a series of wars started by Barden Boyce to conquer the continent of Aqoris. Barden successfully unified 4 of the Kingdoms of Aqoris under the invading forces of House Boyce within three years. Only the Borderlands were able to successfully resist Barden's Foundation and would not be conquered until around one hundred years after. Many Houses of Aqoris actively supported House Boyce and sided with them in rebellion against their overlords.
Upon the conclusion of his war, Barden was crowned by the High Adepton as the first King of Aqoris, establishing the ruling Boyce dynasty of the Kingdom of Aqoris for the next four centuries. Barden's coronation date subsequently became the basis for the Aqorisi calendar, with curators tracking years from before and after Barden's ascension to the throne.
==History ==
House Boyce traces it origins to Sir Aegadar Boyce, a common soldier knighted for his efforts in the Second Hundred Years War during the fighting against the Highhands. He took the last name Boyce when he was knighted though was not granted lands and simply served a local Lord. The Domainlands and the Marshes at the time were a warzone, fought over between the Kingdom of the Hills and the Kingdom of Field and Grain. Aegadar had two sons in a village on the site of what would become the city of Newcastle some years later, Barden and Marlon Boyce. When Barden reached adulthood, it was said that he had a prophetic dream that that said he and his descendants were destined to defend the realm of men from an impending evil. He made it his mission to unite the Kingdoms of Aqoris under one banner to fulfil this prophecy so that when the time comes, a Boyce is leading the realms of men.
In 5 BF, he built a Keep on a hill overlooking the village, also felling an ancient beartree which he believed was sacred and carved the Bear Throne. In 3 BF, with several Houses already supporting the young Lord, he invaded the strategic island of Winter's Rock and the castle of House Maeson. He installed his younger brother, Marlon, as the Lord of Winter's Rock who formed the cadet branch of House Boyce of Winter's Rock. He did this to use the island to protect the new town that was beginning to form around the Keep that had gained the name, Newcastle. He became the Lord of Newcastle and then declared his intentions to become King of all of Aqoris.
===War in the South===
Barden's Forces first marched south and waged war against the Highhands. Aided by a popular uprising against Luthor the Red led by House Durham, Barden eventually surrounded Luthor in the castle of Old Hands. As Luthor refused to surrender, Barden ordered his army to take the castle and he personally led the charge through the gates. House Highhand was destroyed in the battle. The second strongest house in the southlands, the Rosses, surrendered to Barden and were named as Warden of the South in order to secure Ross loyalty as they were the biggest threat to House Boyce as they still held great influence and wealth, though this was viewed as a great insult and slight by House Durham. Following the conquest of the Southlands, House Durham and House Malbeck led the Siege of Tide and conquered the Kraken Islands in the name of King Barden and House Wyck bent the knee, surrendering their crown and rising as Lords of the Kraken Islands.
===War in the Marshes ===
At the same time, Barden's brother, Marlon Boyce, led an army against Melvan II Syder. Melvan had chosen to fight his battle in the region just north of Barden's domain known as the Marshes. His army was unwelcomed in the Marshes and Marlon simply waited before he attacked for the local population to rise up. As 
===War in the North===
House Syder of Syderhill, the Kings of the Hill, grew alarmed of the new Kingdom and declared war on King Barden. Barden and his large army marched north and beat the Syders all the way back to their keep and laid siege to it. This resulted in a brutal and long battle against the defenders, with the castle being extremely damaged and King Melvan II Syder being slain in the battle. House Syder would also go extinct as a result of the siege and the seat went to Sir Carl of the Isle, one of Barden's best commanders. Sir Carl then formed House Carlisle as he was known as Sir Carl of the Isle, and married the daughter of King Melvan II. He was named as Warden of The North which Barden established in 1 AF.
===War in the Lakelands===
King Barden I Boyce and his army then turned their eyes on the heavily forested , Kingdom of the Lake. Barden knew it would be a tough fight as the Lakelanders were known for their skill in using their terrain to defeat invaders but he decided to invade the Lakelands anyway. King Jaxar VII Rocke decided he would avoid open fighting and instead led a campaign of ambushing the advancing armies for a year until he was forced to fight the Boyce army at the Battle of The Lake in 2 AF. The Lakelanders fought extremely well but were ultimately defeated and King Jaxar surrendered. Barden was impressed with the efforts of the Lakelanders and Jaxar rose as the Warden of The Lakelands, ending his foundation war though a few years later he would try and fail to invade the Borderlands in the First Northern War, setting a trend for the years to come up until King Digby I Boyce, his great great grand-son, would successfully conquer the Borderlands. 
Category:Barden's Foundation Wars
Category:Wars