Essotori Civil War

The Essotori Civil War, or the War of the Three Estates, was a civil war in the nascent Kingdom of Essotori, over the authority of the reigning Nozerod Eternal Freedom, as well as the governing philosophy of the realm. With the failure of the First Essotori - Kemet War, and the huge power of the nobility in the new state, many doubts were raised about the government. Typically, the power of the Nozerod was wielded through prominent nobles, declared as Prime Minister, and the National Mistery. However, landed nobles, who had grown wealthy through the conquest, and the enormous yields. The nobles, attempted to force the Nozerod into being a purely spiritual position, out of a belief that direct rule was immoral, and had led to defeat and failure. This was contested by the forces of Nozerod Eternal Freedom, and powerful ministers, such as Richard Hawker. Despite both sides being members of the established Nozerod Cult, the forces of the Justice League outwardly believed that the Nozerod was being guided by evil advisors, who were driving the country to ruin. Thus, to 'liberate' him, they wished to keep them in the Tranquility Palace, while the nobility ran the country in his stead.

## Causes

- The raising of taxies and levies to conquer Sereine and Kemet

- The corruption of the government, particularly the merchant class.

- The failure of the government to conquer Kemet in the First Kemetian War.

## War

### First Phase

On the 2nd of March, 1714, the Justice League, led by Duke Albert Lechler, a veteran of the Conquest, presented demands for the demobilisation of the Kingdom's military assets, after the failure of the first Essotori - Kemetian war, and the arrest of the reigning cabinet. This demand was refused, and Albert Lechler was chased out of Tranquility Palace by the guards. He sent out a message to his vassals and sworn brothers, principally Duke Christopher Langford of Tarland, to assemble an army, and take the city of New Connish. This led to the siege of New Connish, with around seven thousand troops, the Justice League was able to capture the temporary capital of Essotori, a feat none have matched since. Tranquility Palace was briefly occupied, The Nozerod Eternal Freedom met with Lechler and Langford, who bowed, before giving surrender terms to the Nozerod, who brushed them aside, threatening the two with endless suffering, and stating that all government decisions would run through him. The Nozerod stalled out negotiations, before word reached loyalist forces, particularly the peasentry, and the entrenched minister Ruper Linger, who were able to assemble an army. At one point, Langford became so irritated by the bad faith negotiations of the Nozerod, that the two engaged in a brief, yet intense sword duel. The second siege of New Connish was a loyalist victory, with Langford and Lechler escaping, using the countrysides, and the immense terrain of Essotori to outrun, and outflank the loyalists.

### Interlude

After the Third Battle of Connish, the Loyalist army was defeated, and the Nozerod took flight east. Despite this, the Justice League began civilian governance, claiming that the Nozerod was now safe, being protected by honourable men. Each edict was said to be supported by the Nozerod, despite this not being true. While virtually none of the aristocracy actually believed this, due to military pressure, most outwardly accepted each law. In 1722, the Nozerod Eternal Freedom determined the location of his new capital, as a strong military thinker, he was concerned for how New Connish was vulnerable to attack, and surrounded by the rebellious lords in the Duchy of Cunberry. This new Palace, would be larger. The largest, grandest, and the strongest, in all the world, the Palace of Origin. The palace would be constructed in Radonstinatle, whose original name, is lost, due to purging. However, the current name comes from the state of Radon, that Eternal Freedom was very interested in. Here, he acted through loyalist nobles to begin construction, using devoted peasentry. Meanwhile, the population toiled as normal, accepting the new regime for a time. Albert Lechler took over as Prime Minister, and tutor of Eternal Freedom's children, who had been captured in the ending stages of the war.

### Second Phase

Loyalist forces had built up their forces successfully in the east, from their new base in the eastern Forests, and Acropo. Count George Reckham distinguished himself, in capturing Duke Christopher Langford. Ancient rules of war, forbade the execution of a liege lord, even in war. As such, he pleaded the case to the Nozerod Eternal Freedom, who respected Reckham's dedication to honour. Instead, the Nozerod executed Langford directtly. After four years of war, New Connish was captured, after the Fourth Battle of New Connish, in which, Lechler commited suicide.

## Aftermath

The extermination of five dynasties after the victory, meant that the government, while victorious, suffered great logistical issues in the 1720s. Personally, the war destroyed the Nozerod Eternal Freedom who grew distant, his ambitions unfulfilled, despite his popularity never being higher. The following Nozerod Universal Benevolence, promised his father, that he would succeed, in peace with the Kemetians, develop the nation, and destroy his enemies. These goals were achieved in the Second and Third Essotori - Kemet Wars, and the industrialisation of Essotori. Good harvests allowed the swift bouncing back of the Essotori economy, once there was enough nobles and administers to prevent hoarding and price gouging.

## Death Toll

The Essotori Civil War's death toll is impossible to truly calculate, though secret archives in the Palace of Origin suggest that around fifthteen percent of western Essotori was killed, by war, starvation, and disease.

## Legacy

The Essotori Civil Wars defined an entire generation in Essotori, however, they also provide the outside world with the last true, concrete records of what early Essotori was like. Albert Lechler, was introduced to the future Entarian government, as "Duke Albert Lechler of Cunberry, Bane of God", in 1721. This demonstrated his iconoclastic, even antireligious view, developed throughout the conflict. In Essotori, the victory of the Loyalist forces eradicated the authority of the nobles, destroying their military capacity, while entrenching the Nozerod Cult, as an unquestionable, temporal authority. This authority, would be challenged once more, during the industrial revolution, under the reign of Nozerod Universal Benevolence. The war is regularly used to demonstrate a cultural bond between Treka and Essotori, despite virtually none of the war's details being publically avalible. Historian James Stinson, who focuses heavily on Essotori, stated in his book that "The Time of Suffering, obviously a revisionist name, was the last truly Trekan war in Essotori. The last time, a ruler of the Essotori fought personally in battle, against the cause of liberty."