Aastersen Succession Crisis

Belligerents| **Pro-Asta faction*** Clan Caupus
* Clan Algotsen
* Clan Dunne
* Clan Hagen
* Clan Ullor
* Clan Karlsen

The **Aastersen Succession Crisis** was an internal conflict that struck the Lordship of Jern immediately after the death of Lord Felix I in 1853. Three major factions emerged for control of the family and its territories:

* **Asta Aastersen**, the elder sister of the late Lord Felix, was backed by Clan Caupus of Tygellos due to her marriage-alliance with Conrad Caupus. She was backed by Clan Algotsen of Eggert's Hill, who had earlier supported her abolition of the judicial Law of Succession and had a vested interest in her accession. Additionally, she was backed by Clan Dunne and Clan Hagen (of Lear and Skogberg), who sought greater influence on Lear-Festning Island.
* **Esther Aastersen**, the daughter and only living child of the late Lord Felix, was backed by Clan Tyrus of White Motte due to her marriage-alliance with Aron Tyrus. She was backed by her mother, the Lady Consort Saga Marya Ullor, and by her family, Clan Ullor of Vetport — who also desired to gain influence on Lear-Festning Island at the expense of the Dunnes and Hagens.
* **Victor Aastersen**, the young son of the Lady Asta, was backed by his uncle Valdemar Aastersen, who served as ruler of Lear during the reign of Lord Felix. Valdemar opposed the prior repeal of the Law of Succession, and thusly attempted to place the Lordship in the hands of the nearest male heir to Lord Felix. He was backed by Clan Lanter of Lanport and supposedly also by Clan Karlsen of Stenwell.

## Timeline

### The Kind Lord

Felix I Aastersen, son of Aaster II and grandson of Aaster I, was born in 1810. He resided on Ironhorn Island for most of his life.

Felix married Saga Marya Ullor of Clan Ullor in 1829, and had two children. The first of them was Ebbe Aastersen, in 1830, who died in his infancy. After that, Saga Ullor gave birth to a daughter: Esther Aastersen, in 1831. The birth had left Saga extremely weak, and she was medically advised not to have any more children. Felix refused to marry someone else, ostensibly on Graolist grounds, which set a precedent for future nobility going forward. However, he was now left with only one child, Esther.

Felix was raised as Lord of Jern and Head of Clan Aastersen immediately after his father's death in 1840. He became known as "the Kind" for his benevolent attitude towards Aastersen vassal Clans and for making peace with Clan Olney of Corazza. In 1845, a mere five years into his reign, he began suffering from what were believed to be long-term complications from the Black Blight. The difficult question of his succession was raised once again. His daughter Esther could not ascend to his titles on account of the Aastersen Law of Succession. The provisional consensus was that Magnus Aastersen, Felix's younger brother, would the lordship upon his death.

### Desperation and quiet alliances

Magnus was grievously injured in 1850, and renounced his claim to the lordship. Lord Felix's disease was intensifying, and he became desperate. He called a meeting of his family advisors to determine a successor, and two camps quickly broke out. On one hand, his elder sister Asta Aastersen and her political allies advocated for the abolition of the Law of Succession. This would allow for his biological daughter Esther to succeed him. Despite the protests of Valdemar Aastersen, the ruler of Lear, the Law was repealed. Esther was named successor to Lord Felix, but Valdemar, believing she would be a puppet of Asta and Conrad Caupus, began quietly organizing his political allies to take action. He secretly acquired pledges from Clan Lanter of Lanport (on Lear-Festning Island) and Clan Karlsen of Stenwell (on Ironhorn Island) — if Esther was raised as Lady of Jern, they would stop supporting and supplying the Aastersen family bureaucracy with troops and materials. War plans were even drawn up.

At the same time, Lady Asta and Conrad Caupus were making allies. They had already consolidated the support of Clan Caupus and Clan Algotsen, who declared that they would obey Esther if she was named Lady of Jern. Correctly assuming that Valdemar Aastersen would be a threat, they sought out his greatest rivals on Lear-Festning Island: Clan Dunne of Lear and Clan Hagen of Skogberg. The two families pledged their support to Esther and made a secret plan with Asta to overthrow Valdemar's government in Lear if he refused to cooperate with the new Aastersen regime.

Asta and Esther's relationship was strong during this period. They cooperated on matters of policy, securing the full support of Clan Tyrus and Clan Ullor for Esther's claim as well as granting special administrative rights to the city of Lear.

### The Death of Felix and the Rose Revolution

Lord Felix died in 1853. Esther was named Lady Regnant of Jern and Head of Clan Aastersen. In response, the city of Lear, under the direction of Valdemar Aastersen, closed its gates to the troops of Jern, and were joined in noncompliance by Clan Lanter. The people of Clan Karlsen were slow to act and eventually backed out of defiance.

Asta ordered her conspirators, the Dunnes and Hagens, to overthrow Valdemar in Lear. However, they too wavered in their commitment and abandoned their plans at the last second. The coup no longer a viable option, Asta directed her niece Esther to call up an army - later called the Jern Army.

### Armies on the brink

Clan-allegiant forces primarily from the Aastersens and Caupuses gathered on the shores of Ironhorn Island in preparation for a landing at Lear. It took several weeks for this army to take shape. In that time, Valdemar of Lear corresponded regularly with Saga Marya Ullor, Lady Esther's mother, and convinced her not to trust Asta. Saga helped Esther break out from the influence of her aunt, and the new Lady of Jern and Lear set about enacting a series of laws that would consolidate her tenuous position on the throne. In response, thousands of troops from Clan Caupus encircled the city of Jern, in a bald-faced attempt to pressure an immediate abdication from Esther.

Soon afterward, Saga Marya Ullor died under suspicious circumstances - some believed she was on the verge of ordering the Jern Army's disbandment. Rumors abounded that she had been poisoned by Conrad Caupus, but these vile reports were quickly suppressed. At the same time, the large Jern Army of loyal Aastersens and Caupuses was sailing for Lear, prepared to assault Lord Valdemar on behalf of Asta.

### De-escalation and consolidation

However, as ruler of the city, he was well aware of his defensive capabilities and refused to shed Aastersen blood for a lost cause. His allies had dried up and he had inadequate men to hold the entire breadth of his city. Thus, the gates of Lear were flung open and the army loyal to Lady Asta took over. Meanwhile, Esther was all but forced to step down as Lady Regnant of Jern, and quickly evacuated to the White Motte with her husband Aron Tyrus. Asta took over the lordship, and secured the fealty of her vassal clans one by one.

## Aftermath

Asta reigned as Lady Regnant of Jern and Lear until her death by natural causes in 1882.

## References

1. ↑ An injury often attributed to Conrad Caupus
2. ↑ Likely in anticipation of a Dunne-Hagen coup in the city.