The Apfeldonian Civil War

The Apfeldonian Civil War (1653-1665) was a series of armed conflicts involved between the royal government and the Apfeltskian Nationalists. The war had severe economic, social, and political affects on the nation aswell as the world. The war would change Apfeldonian history and force a greater centralization of the government, maybe even leading to an increase in conservative thought for the nation in the aftermath. The war was effectivly over after the battle of Littlefield, the peace was not declared until the 18th of December 1665 however.

Background
In 1647, the King, Robert II, was out on the expedition into Mahboombiah after the marriage of his daughter Mary to William of Ostcelestria, when his small sqaud of frontiersmen were ambushed by a lion, he was killed in the ensuing fight. His death was seen as a bad omen, killed by the very animal used to represent his house and country. His son, Richard I ascended the throne. Shortly later, the lord of Schulfsrum froze to death whilst ice fishing, leaving his eldest son Gorivad, as lord. Richard had an plan to turn the capital of Lipton into an imperial city, one fit to be the powerhouse of the nation, and not the drabby castle town that it was. In order to this, he required metals and other resources, he soon put pressure on lord Gorivard to supply him these metals, this upset Gorivard and the other lords who were pressured also. In response Gorivard starting speaking out against the government.

In order to keep the peace, Richard married his younger sister, Cee, in an attempt to maintain good relations with the two houses. This worked at first, he quickly finished Lipton, it was now a sprawling grand capital. Richard now needed a royal residence for his growing family, he demanded more resources, aswell as put a tax on the northern territories.

Outraged, the northern lords called for an independant Schulfen nation. In September of 1653, lord Gorivard of Schulsfrum, along with the Leischmeirs of Oschtauch, the riverlords of Erstiks, and some Freiheitian families declared independance from the empire.

The Early War
In response, Richard called his bannermen, the Duke of Verbania was the first to respond, Almost every southern lord responded to the call and sided with the monarchy. The first few weeks of the war were more or less the mobilization of armies. In Freiheit there was already fighting between the families, as the province was feircely divided on loyalties.

The first conflict was a skirmish by two Freiheitan families at Tallrock, however the first major engagement was the battle of Uget, outside the small village of Uget in Oschtauch. The battle was a Apfeltskian victory, where the Duke of Oschtauch defeated an army from Lahn. Several battles would follow along the border of Oschtauch.

To the amazement of both factions. The Queen, Cee, would raise her own army from Lahn, Freiheit, Verbania, and Ostcelestria and march against the Apfeltskians. The war was at this point, fairing badly for the Royalists, the army of Erstiks moved into Custach and was causing havoc. Both Gorivard and Duke Leischmeir were pushing closer to Lahn every day, but at the battle of Sweet Water in 1654, the royalists won their first victory, this was due to their commander's tactical brilliance, the commander, was none other than the Queen herself.

In late 1654 Gorivard lead his army to aid against the army of Ostcelestria, whom at this point was pushing into northern Freiheit, with the help of the Royalist clans. He was defeated by Archduke William III at Hornshallow, who then won a victory at Branderby on December 24th 1654, later that day when the news reached William's father, Friedrich II, who was falling fatally ill, is almost legendary. The account was when Friedrich was laying in his deathbed was told news of his son's victory, he sprung up in his bed and exclaimed "Now they will flee!", shortly afterwards he closed his eyes and fell back into bed and died. The Nersaillian fleet was pinned in Summerfield by the fleet of Erstiks on the Uiop in the spring of 1655 and to avoid mass casualties, the army was forced to disembark and march to aid the Verbanian army.

During the summer of 1655 the Duke of Verbania lead his army into Custach to push back the invaders, they won at Blackford in June. In August, the king would lose against Duke Leischmeir at Fisherburg. The Apfeltskians won another battle in August in Custach. In October, lord Gorivard was pushed out of Freiheit by the Ostcelestrian army.

By March of 1656, the Nersaillian fleet had retreated down stream, some of it was however lost to a naval engagement with Erstiks. By October, the king won a small victory at Bitter bridge. The Queen however won two battles, Barter Peak and Greyfield.

In 1657 the Apfeltskians won at Mayfield, Cider Hall, and Patternsville thus pushing into Lahn. At Campten, Richard would be struck by a musket ball in the back of his shoulder. Campten would be another Apfeltskian victory, the fourth in the year, and endanger Lipton. Gorivard left the western theater and regrouped with Duke Leischmeir in Lahn. The Archduke of Ostcelestria headed south and replenished his army with Freiheitians and Nersaillians as he marched into Verbania. The Duke of Verbania was still fighting in Custach. By the end of the year, the King was still to weak to command and the only thing standing between Lipton and the Apfeltskian army was the queen.

At Barnstown on the 2nd of January, 1658, the Queen faced her older brother and Duke Leischmeir. The Apfeltskians outnumbered the Royalists by 2 to 1, and thus would only need to get past her army to capture Lipton. The queen would carry the day, despite almost being killed and losing two horses. Gorivard and Duke Leischmeir were seperated, and it gave enough time for the Archduke to arrive.

May of 1658 brought the skirmish at Cider Creek and the second battle of Fisherburg. The rest of the year would include Gorivard's retreat north, Duke Leischmeirs regrouping in Oschtauch and the Duke of Verbania skirmishing in Custach.

1659 brought a small break in the fighting, with Gorivard seeking to raise a new army, Duke Leischmeir guarding against an invasion of the north, and the army of Erstiks giving way in Custach. Richard was at this point healed, but had trouble holding a sword and thus waited before rejoining the war.

The Late War
In 1660, Richard's eldest son, Konrad III, would enter the war, fielding a royal cavalry regiment, one that would later become a lifeguard. 1660 was quiet by the war's standards, Gorivard had almost rebuilt his army, the Queen camped near Lipton, Duke Leischmeir still held the border down. The Archduke helped retake Freiheit, and the Duke of Verbania held down Custach.

In 1661, Cee won another battle on the border with Oschtauch, the battle of White Lake. By June, Gorivard was on the march and this time headed to face the Duke of Verbania. Gorivard defeated the Duke of Verbania in August at Welton Ridge, the way into Custach was open, however he was unable to advance as Royalist regiments from the Sunshore harassed his army into halting his entire advance, feinting the larger force was to allow for the Royalist invasion.

By 1662, the war was slowly starting to turn in favor of the Royalists. Konrad broke the Oschtauchian lines at Petersburg, and the Royal Army was advancing into Oschtauch. The Erstikian fleet was captured when they sailed to far down stream and into the hands of the Archdukes army which had built cataracts inside the widened natural canals of the Uiop.

by 1663 the Apfeltskian efforts were focused on getting into Lahn, all of their armies redericted themselves and planned for a massive push to Lipton, armed with the newest weapons and trained in the mountains, the Ostcelestrian Schulfsrum Brigade were used as reconnaissance. The remainder of the Ostcelestrian Army sailed down to prepare a counter attack on the Apfeltskian's using the Erstikian river fleet that was captured the previous year.

In 1664 in response to intelligence reports, the Royalists got this information and prepared a defense, all four armies were brought together in Lipton. By December the last push had begun.

In early 1665 the Apfeltskians lost at Watersby, then at Transton. In August the Duke of Oschtauch was captured at Bartram's Hollow. In "Bloody September" the Apfeltskians were engaging with all their armies all the royal armies, it was noted that winter moved in earlier then in any point in history. More men died in this month than at anytime during the civil war. Banderfield, Appleton, Granbourg, Jame's Creek, Cripple Creek, and finally Littlefield, the Apfeltskians were defeated, both in battle and in morale. Gorivard was killed at Littlefield after nearly drowning at Cripple Creek on the 28th of September, and by December 18th the Apfeltskians had surrendered.

Aftermath
The War left the nation ravaged, Oschtauch was ablaze and in ruin, Lahn was also heavily impacted. Freiheit was internally torn and as a result, a sharp divide in the province's family and social structure formed. Custach was ravaged by Erstiskian armies, and Verbania lost a large portion of its army. The death toll for the war was huge, it remains one of the bloodiest wars in Apfeldonian history and would impact the country for centuries afterword.

It would insure a strong centralized government and an increase in Royal power until the early 20th century. The war would be highly romaticized during the 19th century by Western Lighting writers such as Leo Yotslot, in his famous book "Peace and War". The Civil War would continue to captivate the minds and culture of the nation.

Several re-enactment groups exist to accuratley re-enact the war.

Every September, the government raises flags that do not include the lion, which is the symbol of Royal power, to honour dead on both sides. September was chosen as it was the single bloodiest month in the war.