Sewdhaine War

A struggle of some eighteen years in which the Archduchy of Asbardy sought to conquer Dúrandwor due to the Thrainish Controversy. the Sewdhaine War lasted from 2653 to 2671, concluding with the Peace of Amyrn (2671). The Kingdom of Thrain which had joined the Union of Pytharnia in 2599, contested its relationship to the Empire of Magdala through the influence of the Archduchy of Asbardy. The belligerents comprised the Archduchy of Asbardy against the Empire of Magdala and her ally, the Empire of Medibgö. The Commonwealth of Thrace, the Republic of Ithatia, and the Noble Republic of Aurice were integral players. The war did not achieve the conquest of Dúrandwor (Kingdom of Thrain) for Asbardy. The equal relationship of the Kingdom of Thrain to the Magdalan Emperor was re-established. However, Asbardy made considerable gains.

The war began in earnest when Magdalan forces occupied the capital city of the Kingdom of Thrain, Verdida. Asbardy declared war on the Empire of Magdala. The King of Thrain never declared war on Magdala and never threatened to secede from the Union of Pytharnia, continually applying to the suzerain, the Emperor of Medibgö, for a resolution.

The Republic of Ithatia used the war as a pretext to attempt to win back the Shadevan Provinces. The Ithatians believed that their ally, the Empire of Magdala and the Empire of Medibgö would invade Jagohr, a puppet state of Aurice. They also did not expect the Republic of Gliri to remain neutral against Asbardy. Ithatian loyalists in the Thykomian Provinces revolted from Aurice. Unfortunately, Medibgö refused to wage war outside of Magdala or its own skynesses and Magdala in turn decided it was not powerful enough to fight Aurice and Asbardy by itself. In the Peace of Amyrn, Ithatia lost its Corundian satellites which were made independent under the influence of Republic of Johaulia, probably acting in behalf of Aurice which sought to absorb and weaken the crumbling dominion of the Republic of Ithatia. These Ithatian-speaking city-states of Corundy (Desthor, Dauneia, Strubia, Barraine) considered themselves colonies of Ithatian civilization, but owed cultural allegiance to Johaulia. Their liberation from the Geddamin Empire was fading into the past and they yielded to secession for political expedience.

The Empire of Magdala gained control of the Amosgire Hills, the fealty of the Duchy of Ogentir, and other neighboring principalities. Both Gonfaloys regained independence at the end of the war, but witnessed several battles. Ambrasia remained independent protected by treaty with the Commonwealth of the Ithrads. The threat of dwarven heavy infantry wielding titan-arms and borgissas was sound enough to prevent Magdala or Asbardy from nourishing any territorial expansions at her expense.

The primary battles of the Sewdhaine War were fought in the sea and in the air. The main aerial belligerents were the Archducal Knights-Draconic of Asbardy and the Asbard Skyforce against the Skyforces of Medibgö, the Republic of Ithatia, and minor principalities.

The Knights-Draconic were effective in defeating land infantry and spear-heading land-based attacks, but ineffective against titancraft sky warships. Aurice, though officially neutral, helped the Empire of Magdala.

Asbardy occupied and made subject Graith, Flisbardy, and Breomarch.

Aurice was not a belligerent at the onset of the war, but used agents and advisors abroad to observe and influence the war. The Republic of Gliri was also neutral, but threat of invasion by Ithatia pushed it to the Asbard side of the war against Ithatia.

Medibgö was officially on the Magdalan side of the war, but due to sympathy with Thrain, refused to war against Asbard outside the boundaries of the Empire of Magdala. After the onset of the war, saturnine fever, a magic-based plague, flared up in several skynesses of Medibgö and in Trevirs.

The Duke of Ogentir sided with the King of Thrain against his liege-lord, the Ruler of Magdala. The Empire of Magdala has no port access to the sea without the cooperation of Ogentir and Thrain.

The King of Thrain, Garframasse III, died in 2668 . His successor, King Garframasse IV, sued for peace with the Ruler of Magdala.

When Aurice defeated the Ithatian navy in the Battle of Agapsion Reef, Magdala, Medibgö, and Asbardy decide to bring the war to a close to avoid a pretext for Aurician expansion.

The Kingdom of Priordania was neutral until the seizure of Graith and it was clear the war was coming to a close when she threw her lot in against Asbardy.

• Desthor, Barraine, Strubia, and Dauneia seceded from Ithatia.

Chronology of the Sewdhaine War

• 2653, Battle of Glirt Strait (Asbard Victory)
• Battle of Verdida (Asbard Victory)
• Battle of Scarga Woods (Magdalan Victory)
• Battle of Flisbardy (Asbard Victory)
• Battle of Kumeikenot Channel (Ithatian Victory)
• 2670, Battle of Agapsion Reef (2670) (Aurician Victory)
• 2671, Peace of Amyrn (2671)

Technology

Dragonrail played a significant function as a means of transportation of war materiel. The dragonrail system of Pytharnia was still at its beginning stages of development. Titan-arms were also important for elite troops.

Sources

• Aurician Military Engagements of the Sewdhaine War, Jamunyat ennekhá Tmaru, 2693
• Constitutions of the Empire [of Magdala]
• Early Air Battles of the Titancraft Age, 2658
• The Golden Age of Dragonmount Warfare in Pytharnia and Barathorn
• Saturnine Fever: Symptoms and Treatments
• The Story of the Sewdhaine War

See Also

• Accession of Thrain, 2599
• Annexation of Priordania (2683)
• Battle of Agapsion Reef (2670)
• Dragonrail
• Expansion of Inland Aurician Empire in Late 2600's
• Kéwb the Benighted
• Partition of Gonfaloy, 2671
• Peace of Amyrn (2671)
• Saturnine Fever
• Thracian Revolution (2574)
• Thrainish Controversy
• Thykomian Revolt