War of Erisian Succession

Do you want a really confusing, multi-faceted conflict with intrigue, backstabbing, love, hate, poison, castles, religious tensions, colorful flags, an order of cloaked assassins, and a horse named king? Then strap in, cause this'll be Erfworld's inspiration for Game of Thrones.

The War of Erisian Succession was a conflict for the throne of Erisia which lasted between 1575 and 1595. It resulted in the House of Farrugia defeating the House of Azzopardi, and the Octavian-backed House of Aquilina. It is part of the Kabirite Wars.

## Origins

During the Wars of Erisian Independence between 1500 and 1524, the ethnic Erisian people revolted against Anitkabir, which had conquered the Reman successor states of Sextiana and Petraea between 1440 and 1450. The ethnic Erisians in these two kingdoms initially supported the Kabirites, who they viewed as liberators from centuries-long Reman oppression. However, the situation rapidly turned, and soon the Erisians rose in open revolt.

With support from Octavia, the Erisians soon achieved military success against Anitkabir. However, Erisian leaders sought to re-create the ancient Erisian Empire, destroyed in 145 BCE during the Fifth Pannic War against the growing Reman Empire. This led them, in 1520, to clash with the Octavian-supported Kingdom of Crispia resulting in Octavia's immediate opposition. Four years of disastrous campaigns against both Octavia and Anitkabir threatened the results the Erisians had gained thus far, and the Erisians were forced to accept the **Compromise of Naxxar**, which placed the ethnic Reman kings of the House of Aquilina in command of the new Erisian state. A further tribute would be paid to Octavia in exchange for their continued patronage.

In 1575, Re (*king*) Kristofru, the sixth king of the House of Aquilina, died without male issue, leaving the throne open. The duki (dukes) of Erisia, meeting in April at the Kunsill tax-Xwabel (Council of Swords), was instructed by the Octavian ambassador to name Xavier Aquilina (b.1555), an illegitimate son of the Octavian king, to the Erisian throne, thus continuing the **House of Aquilina**. Instead, a number of the Erisian dukes were quietly bribed by Kabirite agents to give the crown to Duka Kalcidon Azzopardi, who would come to lead the **House of Azzopardi**.

Kalcidon was completely unacceptable to the Octavians, but also unacceptable to Duka Stiefnu Farrugia, the ruler of Raedia Major, a semi-independent kingdom that had participated heavily in the Wars of Erisian Independence; one of Duka Stiefnu's ancestors initially received the Erisian crown. Stiefnu and his descendents, organized into the **House of Farrugia**, found support from neighboring Liotain to the north. Liotain was currently engaged in a war against Anitkabir, and wished to prevent the Kabirite-backed House of Azzopardi from rising to power.

All three Erisian candidates also faced opposition from the ethnic Reman minorities in the various provinces. The Remans (called *Rimani* by the Erisians) were derided by the new Erisian nobility. Although numerically powerful, they lacked coherent goals and leadership. The Army of the Green Tree (*De Viridis Exercitus*, often just the *Viridians*) would have the most success, attempting to establish an independent republic in the Erisian highlands.

A final wrench would be thrown into the mix by the **Black Army of Erisia** (sometimes called the **Black Army of the Borg**), a professional body of infantry created by King Kristofru, and commanded by Duka Gennaru Borg. Although initially loyal to the House of Aquilina, in 1582 they defected to the House of Azzopardi, fighting on their behalf until 1590, when their allegiance shifted once again to the House of Farrugia. Although a tiny force (rarely exceeding ten thousand men) their exceptional training and discipline made them a force to be reckoned with on the battlefield.

Gennaru Borg's eldest daughter Gannina would have the distinction of being married to, and having children by, the heads of all three rival houses. Her marriages generally coincided with the high points of each respective faction, leading to the Erisian joke "*Take a Borg in your bed, put a crown on your head.*"

### Combatants

The combatants were divided into three broad groups:

* **House of Farrugia**: led by Stiefnu Farrugia, then Virgilju Farrugia, and finally by Patrizju Farrugia.
* **House of Azzopardi**: led by Kalcidon Azzopardi, then Glormu Azzopardi.
* **House of Aquilina**: headed by the Octavian-born Xavier Aquilina.

## Timeline

* 23 April 1575: the Council of Swords votes to give the Erisian crown to Kalcidon Azzopardi.
* 14 May 1575: Stiefnu Farrugia is declared king of Erisia by his supporters.
* 18 June 1576: Octavian mercenaries land at Mellieha
* 8 December 1576: Aquilina forces, supported by Octavian mercenaries, lay siege to Marsaskala.
* 7 July 1577: Kabirite troops cross the border and break the siege of Marsaskala, supporting Azzopardi.
* 2 August 1577: The House of Azzopardi makes the *Agreement of Comino* with many Riumani leaders.  The Riumani will fight alongside Azzopardi until the *Great Betrayal*.
* 13 October 1578: The Liotainians lend their support to the House of Farrugia.
* 3 May 1580: The Liotainian Army under Arnoldas Vitkus, supporting the House of Farrugia, fights a force of Kabirite janissaries supporting the House of Azzopardi in the Battle of Mount Polidano.
* 13 December 1580: Xavier Aquilina divorces Gannina Borg in order to marry the Octavian princess, Fabia.
* 7 May 1581: The Black Army under Duka Gennaru Borg shifts their allegiance from the House of Aquilina to the House of Azzopardi. The defection is caused by Xavier Aquilina's divorce of Borg's daughter Gannina.
* 8 March 1583: Glormu Azzopardi, the son and heir of Kalcidon Azzopardi, marries Gannina Borg, thus securing (for the moment) the loyalty of the Black Army.
* 3 December 1585: The Great Betrayal.  With disagreements widening between the House of Azzopardi and his Riumani vassals, Kalcidon Azzopardi arranges a massacre of the allied troops.
* 31 January 1586: The Farrugians defeat the Viridian rebels in the Battle of Zejtun. This is the final straw for the Liotainians, who withdraw their support for the House of Farrugia and go home.
* 13 November 1587: While leading his troops to victory at the Battle of Xaghra, Kalcidon Farrugia is killed.  His son Glormu Azzopardi takes over leadership of the House of Azzopardi.
* 3 October 1590: The Black Army of Erisia defects to the House of Farrugia after Glormu Azzopardi schemes to remove Borg from command. The Black Army captures Glormu, imprisons him in an Iron Maiden, and presents him to the House of Farrugia.
* 24 July 1591: Prince Xavier Aquilina is poisoned by the assassins (probably Kukuletali).
* 16 October 1591: The pro-Octavian forces still loyal to the Aquilina cause vote to crown his horse, Maltempata, king of Erisia. Command of the army remains in the hands of General Laelius Lucius Manius, who forces Princess Fabia to marry him.
* 4 November 1592: the Siege of Mellieha begins.
* 14 May 1593: Glormu Azzopardi is executed by his Farrugian guards, and his head displayed to inspire the troops. On the same day, Patrizju Farrugia marries the freshly-widowed Gannina Borg.
* 4 August 1594: Matempata is eaten by starving soldiers besieged in Mellieha.
* 29 November 1594: the Siege of Mellieha ends with the surrender of the final Aquilina and Octavian troops. General Laelius Lucius Manius and Princess Fabia are executed.

## Result

With the end of the war, Erisia is re-united under the leadership of the House of Farrugia, with Patrizju Farrugia named king (with Gannina as his queen consort), and Borg remaining in command of the army (as de facto vizier of Erisia).