View source for Surenid Civil War

{{Suren article}}
{{WIP}}
{{infobox military conflict
| conflict    = {{PAGENAME}}
| partof      = the [[Alexandrium Wars]], the [[Wars of the Dispossessed]]
| image       = [[File:1732 Mehrshahr pacification.png|350px]]
| caption     = [[Mehrshahr]] undergoing pacification by loyalist forces
| date        = 20.III.{{AN|1732}}
| place       = [[Suren Confederacy]]
| coordinates = 
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| latitude    =  
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| territory   = 
| result      = 
| status      = Ongoing
| combatant1  = 
{{Team flag|Raspur Pact}}
*{{team flagn|Suren Confederacy}} (Vištāspa Faction)
**[[Aspadana]]
**[[Ḡur Ostan]]
**[[Suren Ostan]]
| combatant2  = {{team flag|Azad Eura}}
*{{Team flagn|Suren Confederacy}} (Rustaham Faction)
**[[Kapavia]]
**[[Norasht]]
**[[Trucial Isles]]
**[[Zjand Basseri]] 
*{{Team flag|Babkha|name=Babkhan Restoration Movement}}
| combatant2a = {{team flag|Confederacy of the Dispossessed}}
*[[Jazir-e Kreyak]]
*[[Shahpéo]]
| commander1  = {{unbulleted list|{{team flagn|Suren Confederacy|flag}} [[Dāryuš Vištāspa of the Suren|Dāryuš Vištāspa]]
|{{team flagn|Suren Confederacy|flag}} [[Nur Mir]]
|{{team flagn|Suren Confederacy|flag}} [[Rustam Bukhori Yazghulam]]
|{{team flagn|Suren Confederacy|flag}} [[Ardashir Ghul]]
|{{team flagn|Suren Confederacy|flag}} [[Ismail al-Osman]]
}}
| commander2  = {{unbulleted list|{{team flagn|Suren Confederacy|flag}} [[Mirza Rustaham Sūrēn]]
|{{Team flagn|Suren Confederacy|flag}} Durmish Khan
|{{Team flagn|Suren Confederacy|flag}} Yaqub Beg
|{{Team flagn|Suren Confederacy|flag}} Sardar Akbar Mir
|{{Team flagn|Suren Confederacy|flag}} Sardar Aʻzam Mir
|{{Team flagn|Suren Confederacy|flag}} Tughai Beg
|{{Team flagn|Suren Confederacy|flag}} Fereydun Khan
|{{Team flagn|Suren Confederacy|flag}} Dost Miran Khan
|{{Team flagn|Suren Confederacy|flag}} Sohrab Beg of Chamrush
|{{Team flagn|Suren Confederacy|flag}} Bektash Khan
|{{Team flagn|Suren Confederacy|flag}} Sardar Káẓim Mir
|{{Team flagn|Suren Confederacy|flag}} Yulqoli Beg
|{{Team flagn|Suren Confederacy|flag}} Paykar Khan
|}}
| units1      = {{team flag|Raspur Pact|name=Trans-Euran Command}}
*{{Team flag|Raspur Pact|flag}} [[General Inspectorate of Eura and Corum|2nd Directorate]]
*{{Team flag|Raspur Pact|flag}} 509th Army 
**{{Team flagn|Suren Confederacy|flag}} [[5th Armoured Division (Suren Confederacy)|5th Armoured Division]]
**{{Team flagn|Suren Confederacy|flag}} [[7th Cavalry Division (Suren Confederacy)|7th Cavalry Division]]
**{{Team flagn|N&H|flag}} [[Vanguard Division|12th Vanguard Division]]
| units2      = {{team flag|Babkha|name=Artes̱h-e Jadid-e Madal}}
*{{team flag|Babkha|flag}} Gârd-e Jâvidân
*{{team flag|Babkha|flag}} Gârd-e Aswārān
*{{team flag|Babkha|flag}} Gârd-e Pushtigban
*{{team flag|Babkha|flag}} Gârd-e Zhayedan
{{Team flagn|Suren Confederacy|flag}} Provincial militia
*''Paramilitaries''
*''Defectors and deserters''
| strength1   = 
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| casualties1 = 
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| notes       = 
}}

The '''Surenid Civil War''' was an armed conflict that broke out in the [[Suren Confederacy]] on 20.III.{{AN|1732}}. It pitted loyalist forces under the newly enthroned [[Surenšāh]], the recognised monarch, against rebel factions seeking to back the claim of a pretender to the throne. The main rebel group was led by the claimant, [[Mirza Rustaham Sūrēn]], and allied with [[Azad Eura]] and the [[Babkhan Restoration Movement]], a nationalist movement aiming to re-establish the [[Babkha|ancient Babkhan empire]]. Several [[Confederacy of the Dispossessed|warbands of the disinherited]] also joined the rebel side. Rustaham's rebellion further attracted support from provincial satraps resentful of central authority, and disgruntled military officers unhappy with the crackdown on protests during the [[Bitter Spring]].

==Background==

Tensions had been simmering in the Suren Confederacy for years prior to the outbreak of civil war, driven by economic woes, denial of rights, and lingering resentment towards the [[Raspur Pact]]'s domination over Surenid affairs. The [[Surenid succession dispute of 1731]] laid bare these deep-rooted fissures as the [[House of Suren|Surenid dynasty]] struggled to maintain unity among the fractious provincial nobility following the demise of [[Mitradokht of Suren|Mitradokht]]. 

[[Dāryuš Vištāspa of the Suren|Dāryuš Vištāspa]], despite being the recognised heir as Crown Prince, faced challenges in securing allegiance from powerful satraps and sections of the military dissatisfied with the status quo. His rival, [[Rustaham Sūrēn]], capitalised on this discontent, portraying himself as a champion of Babkhan identity and Euran self-determination against foreign subjugation.

The interregnum period after Mitradokht's death saw a bitter power struggle unfold within the Regency Council established to oversee the transition. Infighting and lack of consensus on confirming the new [[Surenšāh]] paralyzed decision-making, allowing resentments to fester.

A series of violent clashes in the capital [[Surenshahr]] in early {{AN|1731}}, ostensibly triggered by a tragic incident involving local youths, quickly spiraled into sectarian violence between [[Umraid]] and [[Zurvanite]] communities. The harsh crackdown that followed, with the deployment of the 7th Cavalry Division, sparked widespread protests denouncing the brutality and reignited memories of the Bitter Spring's suppression.

The Durbar which had been intended to put the seal on Dāryuš Vištāspa's accession to the throne had been a fractious affair, with provincial delegations expressing dissent or, in some instances, departing before the conclusion of deliberations.

==Outbreak of Hostilities==

Rustaham Sūrēn seized this volatile climate of unrest to formally stake his claim to the Surenid throne in defiance of Dāryuš Vištāspa's legitimacy as heir of the House of Suren. His rebel forces, bolstered by defecting Surenid military units and foreign backers, made rapid gains by seizing key territories in the provinces of [[Kapavia]] and [[Norasht]].

The ultranationalist [[Artes̱h-e Jadid-e Madal]], meanwhile, began to notably operate in these "liberated areas". This movement had originally emerged from the [[Babkhan Restoration Movement]] during the [[Kapavian insurgency]] in {{AN|1715}} under Amir Arslan's leadership. Despite being suppressed and suffering the death of its founder, it had gone underground until resurfacing during the [[Bitter Spring]] protests of {{AN|1730}} to reorganise and recruit. With the outbreak of civil war, the Artes̱h came out in open revolt against the Surenid regime once more.

The Artes̱h relied upon a mixture of operations rooms established in the provinces to coordinate local rebel groups and mobile columns of dedicated fighters who would exploit the desert, and the jungles of Norasht, to conduct hit and run attacks against Surenid lines of communication.

The [[5th Armoured Division (Suren Confederacy)|5th Armoured Division]], under the command of ''Sarhang'' Hormazd Pirouz, was deployed to secure [[Mehrshahr]] during the fourth month of {{AN|1732}}.

As the initial outburst of violence began to ebb, the recriminations began at court. [[Rashid Sanook]] found himself isolated in the Bab-e Divan, as many of his colleagues now blamed him for the mishandling of the regency period which had led into the uprisings. Although this blame game overlooked their own culpability and selfish factionalism, Sanook did not have much left in the way of personal and institutional legitimacy with which to defend his tenuous position. Ultimately many suspect that he was merely grateful to depart with his life and wealth undiminished when the [[Surenšāh]] dismissed him from office on 16.V.{{AN|1732}}. In his place, [[Sardar Nur Mir]], the satrap of the [[Suren Ostan]], was elevated to the position of Prime Minister. His appointment was a clear signal to the loyalist nobility, as well as those who might be tempted to once again turn their cloak, that the new Surenšāh was willing to trust amd work with the wellborn, in contrast to the late Surenšāhbanu Mitradokht. Sanook, meanwhile, departed for his exile in [[Aqabah]], where he reportedly made a comfortable living offering his services once more to the [[Honourable Company]] in a vaguely defined advisory capacity as well as a few silent but lucrative corporate directorships.