War:The Rurikid Uprising

Third Rurikid Uprising Part of The Anarchy The Battle of Dogger Bay, 1557 Date: 1555-1558 Location: Avar Result: Imperial victory *Ruric family expelled from Avar *Seahelm sacked and destroyed *Rivalry between the Duchies of Courland and Carnatia Belligerents Holy Orenian Empire and Allies: Holy Orenian Empire Principality of Laureh'lin Avarites: House of Ruric Dunamis mercenaries Commanders and leaders Holy Orenian Empire and Allies: John II, Holy Orenian Emperor Alexander, Duke of Courland John, Duke of Carnatia Ser Drevin de Sarkozy Prince John Henry of Marna † Prince Charles, Viscount of Balain Avarites: Thomas Ruric Sven Ruric

The Third Rurikid Uprising, from 1556 to 1558, was the third and last large revolt of the native Avarites against the Holy Orenian Empire, ending with the destruction of the main Avarite city of Seahelm and the exile of the majority of the natives. The war resulted from John II's unwillingness to grant the conquered island fully to the native population and henceforth autonomy from direct Imperial rule.

Background

The island of Avar was conquered in the Eighteen Years' War by the Empire from the Grand Kingdom of Urguan. The Empire was originally supported by the natives led by the chieftain Sven Ruric, who despised dwarven rule over the lands. After the death of John I, Sven's cousin and Urguanite supporter Beo Ruric launched an unsuccessful rebellion in order to seize the island as an independent realm. However, with lack of Urguanite support and the reinforcing Imperial forces led by Henry Rothesay in support of Sven, Beo's host was destroyed at the Battle of Sunholt and Beo himself slain in the field.

Under John II's rule, the island was split into three administrative areas- Sunholt, stewarded by the knight Ser Acker under Adrian Rothesay; Estavar, which was given to Lord Henry Rothesay as Count of Estavar; and finally Seahelm, ruled by the native population under newly instated Lord Sven Ruric and his son, Thomas Ruric. Tensions grew between the newly arriving Imperial settlers and the native population. Settlers saw the Avarites as barbarians, and rumors grew of the Ruric's suspected paganism. The natives resented the imposed centralized government and saw the colonization of Avar by Imperial settlers as wrongful and illegal.

It reached the breaking point when Thomas Ruric, with command of his father's retinue, arrived in Felsen to demand John II deliver the title Duke of Avar to his father and recognize Avarite autonomy. The Emperor refused, which led to Thomas leaving the city in anger. The Avarites then expelled all Imperial representatives from their city of Seahelm, which led to the Empire declaring a full state of war between itself and the natives.

Major Confrontations

• 1557 - Battle of Dogger Bay - Imperial Victory
• 1558 - Sack of Seahelm - Imperial Victory