Corsican Revolution of 1380

The Corsican Revolution of 1380 was a civil war that took place on the Mediterranean island of Corsica. It was contested between the Militia of Albert IV and the assembled forces of Lord Beagle de Caine. The war began sometime in October of 1380 and only lasted for a few weeks; it came to a conclusion on November 14, when the reigning King of Corsica, Albert IV, was thrown from the window of the master bedroom of the Ajaccio Palace. This event, which has since become known as the Defenestration of King Albert, is generally considered to be the starting point of Beaglian history, as it cemented Beagle de Caine's rule of the island of Corsica, from which he would expand his empire to many parts of the world.

## Background

Beagle de Caine was born to Roland, Lord of Oslo and Bucharest, and his wife, Alcina, in 1362; he was their only child. The Caine family's earliest ancestor is said to be angelic, and this heritage gives the males of the family certain powers, such as flying and telekinesis. It is said that Beagle harnessed these powers and used them to his advantage from an early age. Despite his superhuman powers and the fact that he was set to inherit two major European cities, Beagle still considered this a meager inheritance. In 1380, at the age of 18, Beagle, along with his close friend Lucel Condor and 350 Norwegian soldiers, set sail for the Mediterranean on a vessel known as the Marlingford. The voyage initially went well, but four weeks in, the Marlingford's supplies began to run out and the ship was gripped by starvation. These starvation problems led to the death of 200 soldiers. As all seemed lost for the crew, a risky idea came to the mind of the would-be Emperor. Legend says that Beagle fashioned a fishing pole out of spare planks and extra sail rope. Using the final rations of the Marlingford as bait, it is said that Beagle miraculously caught a fish half the size of the vessel itself. This fish was able to sustain the remaining soldiers for five days. The crew of the Marlingford began to fear that starvation would take them again, but the day after the last of the fish was consumed, the boat crash-landed on the shores of Corsica's capital city, Ajaccio.

It is unknown when King Albert IV came to the Corsican throne. Albert's family had ruled the small Mediterranean island for three centuries. In early August 1380, a noblewoman from a foreign country sent a letter to the Ajaccio Palace claiming that Albert was the father of her child. While officials from the Palace attempted to keep these rumors under wraps, legend has it that a drunken Palace employee accidentally confided this secret to an Italian nobleman known as Innocenzo di Vecellio. Innocenzo, a devout Catholic, began to spread the news around his domain of Italy, which led to other women claiming that Albert was also the father of their children. By the end of September, nine women from Innocenzo's domain and the surrounding regions had made allegations of paternity towards the King, who suddenly found himself at odds with the common people and a few nobles; the case eventually drew the attention of the Bishop of Ajaccio.

## Early tensions

### September - October 4: The unrest begins

During the month of September, Corsican citizens had begun to protest outside the Ajaccio Palace as the allegations of infidelity intensified. On September 29, the Bishop of Ajaccio made an official statement regarding these allegations.

*"If the rumors being brought against King Albert IV are indeed true, then it saddens me to know how corrupt our rulers have become. Corsica, much like the rest of Europe, has abided by the traditions of Catholicism for centuries, long before Albert's house even came to power. Infidelity is a grave sin, even graver when it is performed by someone of such influence and power. By definition, it is extremely contrary to the sanctity of marriage and is a violation of the Sixth Commandment: 'You shall not commit adultery.' If these rumors are false, then grave sin is upon those who have composed the fraudulent statements. For it is written: 'You shall not bear false witness against your neighbor.' In any case, may the truth be revealed, and may the blessings of the Holy Trinity and the Blessed Virgin Mary be upon the island of Corsica. Saint Devota, pray for us."*

- Official statement issued by the Bishop of Ajaccio, 29 September 1380

By the first of October, Lord Beagle found that 550 Corsicans had joined the ranks of the 150 Norwegian soldiers who had survived the voyage; this meant that Beagle's army was twice the size it was when the Marlingford left Oslo. The new members had seen him as a possible savior and alternative to the current monarchy, after some of his writings were recited by orators in town squares around the island; they were especially enchanted by the story of the giant fish. Beagle, along with the soldiers and his close friend Lucel Condor, had made his home in the ship, which had been docked in the local harbor after being repaired from the crash landing. He arrived in Corsica with intent to usurp the throne, and he had now found his opportunity to convert people to his side. Establishing himself as an alternative to the reigning monarchy, he found favor with the common population, which was almost entirely Catholic. Training the new members of his militia in the art of war, Beagle stood by as disillusionment with the ruling king began to intensify.

### October 5-7: The protests turn violent

On the evening of October 5, a regular protest against Albert's infidelity outside of the Ajaccio Palace suddenly turned violent when three protesters scaled the inner walls of the courtyard and hurled stones through the windows of the first floor of the building. The three attackers were arrested shortly after the incident. Multiple sources close to the King state that they were brought before him later that night. Whatever the time of the sentencing, a gallows was quickly constructed in the Ajaccio town square and the three protesters were executed sometime during the afternoon of October 7. As the procession carrying the prisoners passed through the city, it was received poorly by the assembled crowds and pelted by fruits such as tomatoes.

The hanging was meant to make an example of the protesters, but it only exacerbated the unrest problem. As the King arrived to the scene, he was guarded heavily by armed knights, surrounding him on all sides. Vulgar epithets such as "cheat" were hurled by the citizens at their ruler. Moments after the prisoners were executed, the hail of tomatoes suddenly turned to more dangerous items such as rocks and objects that had been lit on fire. The King was quickly evacuated from the site; the next day, he gave the order to dispatch the Royal Militia in order to calm the unrest. Unexpectedly, however, the Militia was met with another force that had been dispatched to defend the peasants.

### October 8-12: The Militia is dispatched into Ajaccio and is encountered by Lucel Condor

At the sight of the incoming Militia forces, the majority of citizens in Ajaccio shut themselves in their homes, some even going so far as to board up their windows and doors. For two days, tensions in Ajaccio were higher than ever as Militia soldiers patrolled every corner of the streets. On October 9, Lucel Condor, guarded by eight of Lord Beagle's soldiers, made his way into the city in order to survey the situation. According to Beagle's personal journal, Condor was met by a display of totalitarianism from the dispatched Militia.

*"My closest friend and advisor, Lucel Condor, has today returned from an expedition into the main village of the city of Ajaccio. He insisted on bringing a few soldiers with him. I have heard about the unrest brought on by the allegations of infidelity, but I didn't think it was any more than a few hurled rocks. My estimations of the damage have been severely lacking. According to Condor: soldiers of the so-called 'Royal Militia' patrol every corner of every street. For every five buildings, there are two soldiers, mounted on horses with large swords and shields, wearing heavy armor. They watch every movement of the citizens that dare step outside; Condor says they are visibly nervous, some even shaking as they go about their daily business. Something needs to be done about this..."*

- Personal journal of Lord Beagle de Caine, 9 October 1380

And something was indeed done. On October 10, mounted soldiers with shields bearing the Norwegian standard rode into Ajaccio. For two days, they joined the Militia in their patrolling of the streets. Multiple sources allege that the Norwegian soldiers would guard the citizens from the Militia, on rare occasions getting a bit physical with the Corsican soldiers. On October 12, the King gave the orders for the Militia to retreat from the streets of Ajaccio; Beagle took advantage of this, doubling the amount of his soldiers in Ajaccio.

### October 17: Lord Beagle's speech in the Ajaccio town square

Five days after King Albert withdrew the Militia from Ajaccio, Lord Beagle visited its town square, where he gave a speech to the assembled Corsican citizens. The following writing by Corsican nobleman Ennio de Marco contains an excerpt of this speech.

*"Today, a visiting nobleman who sailed into Corsica from Norway visited the town square to give his thoughts on the current situation. I believe his name is Beagle de Caine. While I don't agree entirely with his views and I believe his claim of angelic heritage to be downright blasphemy, he did make some interesting points. He condemned the recent deployment of the Royal Militia, saying that 'Corsican citizens are being abused by their rulers, treated like cattle. The forces trusted to defend the nation have turned against the very same nation they are trusted to defend. When that happens, the social contract has utterly [expletive] imploded.' Somehow, he seemed to be rather fluent in our language..."*

- Writings of Ennio de Marco, 17 October 1380

The speech seemed to win many followers over to Beagle's cause. Following this speech, Beagle withdrew his troops from Ajaccio, being escorted by them back to the Marlingford.

## The war

### October 25: Assassination attempt on King Albert IV

On October 25, 1380, King Albert IV, guarded by a cohort of soldiers from the Royal Militia, was struck by several rocks, which were hurled by two Corsican peasants, Edmondo Conti and Piero Rizzo. Multiple sources state that Conti, the first man to throw a stone, shouted "long live Beagle de Caine" seconds before the attack began. As multiple of the King's guards covered him to shield him from damage, the rest of them killed Conti and Rizzo on the spot. The following day, a proclamation from the King regarding the attack was read in town squares all across Corsica. The following passage is an excerpt related to the phrase shouted by Conti.

*"It is very apparent who the mastermind behind the recent unrest in our kingdom is. The truth was revealed to me seconds before I was brutally attacked at the hands of two serfs. I will offer a fabulous reward for the person who can bring Beagle de Caine and his advisor, Lucel Condor, before their just judgement. And to the wanted, if this statement reaches your ears: you are running out of time. Flee Corsica or face your judgement day."*

- Proclamation from King Albert IV, 26 October 1380

### October 29: Beagle de Caine and Lucel Condor are arrested

On the morning of October 29, 1380, the Marlingford was stormed by soldiers from the Corsican Royal Militia. While there was initial resistance from the soldiers living on the ship, they were overwhelmed by the Militia. The Militia soon reached the chambers of Beagle and Lucel, and they were taken into custody, held in a prison on the coast of the island. An excerpt from Beagle's journal three days after the arrest illustrates his dismay at this outcome.

*"All for nothing... 200 men dead from starvation, my inheritance in jeopardy, all of it for a frivolous dream of increased power... I cannot call from help from Norway. I cannot call for help from Romania. They feed us naught but bread and water in here. I have been branded a traitor in a place I am not even native to... it would seem that telekinesis can only go so far. I wonder what has become of the Marlingford..."*

- Personal journal of Lord Beagle de Caine, 1 November 1380

### October 30-November 3: The Militia implodes after its Captain is assassinated

On October 30, the day after Beagle's arrest, King Albert IV once again dispatched the Royal Militia to the streets of Ajaccio to quell any potential riots. What he did not expect, however, is that the citizens of Ajaccio had armed themselves in preparation of such an event. Unwilling to submit to totalitarianism again, large numbers of peasants, led by foreign nobleman Reginald Vetinarvi, bombarded the Militia with an onslaught of weaponry. The fighting lasted for two days; on November 1, the Militia managed to regain control, slaughtering many of their own citizens. In a genius plot of deception, Vetinarvi invited the Captain of the Militia, Fazio Adalfieri, to a meeting under the guise of a "peace treaty." When both men had signed the document, Vetinarvi invited Adalfieri to shake his hand. As the Captain met Vetinarvi's grasp, the would-be Lord Patrician plunged a dagger into Adalfieri's neck with his other hand, killing him almost instantly. Following this, Vetinarvi is alleged to have ripped the document in four pieces. On November 2, the Captain-less Militia discussed their options, and on November 3, they raised a white flag in the town square of Ajaccio, more or less signifying their allegiance to Lord Beagle, Lucel Condor, and Reginald Vetinarvi.

### November 4-6: The prison is stormed

On November 4, assembled forces comprised of the Marlingford's soldiers, the 550 native Corsicans that had joined them, peasants from the villages of Ajaccio, and multiple members of the former Royal Militia were led by Reginald Vetinarvi in a raid on the prison where Lord Beagle and Lucel Condor were being held. Using catapults that had been stolen from the barracks of the Militia, the walls of the prison were gradually broken down over the course of the day; many casualties were recorded among the prison guards. The following day, November 5, an exchange of combat occurred between the remaining guards and the forces led by Vetinarvi; modern historians estimate that Vetinarvi's army outnumbered the guards 3:1. On November 6, the chief of the prison guard raised a white flag on the prison's sole remaining tower. Vetinarvi and his forces were allowed into the prison, where the chief handed them keys to Lucel and Beagle's cells. After being freed, the two nobles were escorted back to the Marlingford, where they would plan their final attack on the Ajaccio Palace over the course of the next few days.

## The Defenestration of King Albert IV

### November 12-13: The Battle of Ajaccio Palace

On November 12, low-ranking peasant troops from Lord Beagle's assembled forces began hurling objects similar to the modern Molotov cocktail at the outer walls of the Ajaccio Palace. Many of them were killed by archers stationed on the top of the walls; however, the walls still took a lot of damage. Multiple sections of them were completely burnt to the ground, allowing more of Beagle's forces to pour into the courtyard. Throughout the evening of November 12 and into the early morning of November 13, Palace guards fought against the forces commanded by Beagle in what has since become known as the Battle of Ajaccio Palace. While the guards were more skilled than Beagle's forces, they were simply outnumbered. By the late afternoon, only a few guards remained alive. Retreating into the Palace war room to strategize with the King, the guards were oblivious for a time to the utter destruction taking place in the courtyard. The windows of the Palace were utterly obliterated, and Beagle's forces poured into the throne room and other places. This led to the death of many servants. Beagle was oblivious to the details of the battle; for his own safety, he stayed on the Marlingford with Lucel Condor as Reginald Vetinarvi led the troops into battle. Fearing the destruction, King Albert slept on the floor of the war room, along with a few servants and the Palace guards that remained alive.

### November 14: Albert is assassinated, ending the war

On the morning of November 14, the Palace guards charged out of the war room, massacring many of the people that had gathered in the palace overnight. However, they were once again outnumbered. By noon, the last Palace guard had been killed, and the forces of Lord Beagle began attempts to break down the iron doors of the war room. Albert attempted to hide by entering the backyard from the war room window, but this plan would ultimately prove fruitless and idiotic. Sometime around 2-3 PM, the doors of the war room finally fell, and Albert was stormed by the peasant forces of Lord Beagle. Carrying the King up the stairs and into the master bedroom, Reginald Vetinarvi, as well as two other men who are identified by modern historians to be Liberatore Russo and Donatello D'Amore, threw him out of the now shattered window behind the bed. Falling to the cobblestone paths in the courtyard, the King died minutes after his initial impact with the ground.

## Aftermath

The Defenestration of King Albert IV is widely considered to be the starting point of Beaglian history, as it marked the first successful conquest undertaken by Lord Beagle's forces. On November 15, the crew of the Marlingford was informed of King Albert's assassination; the next week, Beagle was formally recognized by the Diocese of Ajaccio as the new King of Corsica. His coronation was set for December 24th, Christmas Eve.

### December 24: Lord Beagle de Caine is crowned King Beagle I of Corsica, Oslo, and Bucharest

Days before the coronation, Beagle received news from Norway that his father, Roland, had abdicated the throne. Therefore, control of Oslo, which had been in the Caine family for generations, and Bucharest, which was unified to Roland's throne by his marriage to its Countess, Alcina Stanasila, was officially passed to Beagle. Beagle refused to enter Ajaccio Palace until he was officially crowned, so he was escorted from the Marlingford to the Cathedral of Ajaccio at around noon on Christmas Eve. While the coronation was performed by the very same Bishop of Ajaccio who had made a statement on the former King's infidelity months ago, he was assisted by the bishops of Oslo and Bucharest as well. The ceremony was attended by Reginald Vetinarvi, Lucel Condor, and noblewoman Irene Aarre, who were all seated in the front pew. The latter two were seated next to each other, which seemed to foretell future events.

### Beagle's relationship with Irene Aarre

Since Beagle's coronation and subsequent arrival to Ajaccio Palace, Irene Aarre had begun to make advances towards the new King in an attempt to spark an alliance between the houses of Dor and Caine. They were frequently sighted together starting from the end of January 1381, and their engagement was announced in the middle of March. They were wedded at the Ajaccio Cathedral on June 1, 1381. Their relationship would end in tragedy as Irene was revealed to be having an affair with Beagle's closest friend, Lucel Condor, who by then had been appointed as Head of the Advisors' Council. Both were exiled from Corsica and the subsequent regions conquered by Beagle after his coronation. Irene's betrayal took a great mental toll on Beagle; after suffering a mental breakdown and a drinking binge, he was committed to the Ajaccio Sanitarium for one year.