Amokolian Revolution
| Amokolian Revolution | |||||
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 Frankish riot police preparing to throw florian cocktails at rioters in Tsofnhafen |
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| Belligerents | |||||
 Francia (until XI.1685) West Amokolia (after XI.1685)
| Amokolia (until XI.1685)
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 Krasnocoria
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| Units involved | |||||
Royal Amokolian Army
| Amokolian Highlanders
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| Casualties and losses | |||||
| – 194 Vanafolk / Germanian civilians (Noahroi) | |||||
Northern Banner Group
The Amokolian Revolution was an event that occurred in West Amokolia in the aftermath of the disentegration of the Vanic Web, in early to mid 1685. Ethnic Amokolians, belonging to the Amokolian Freedom Front and the Elwynnese Unity Party, rose against their Germanian and Froyalanish masters, demanded their independence from the shared monarchy with Batavia, disgusted at the monarchy's ties with Stormark and Froyalan, and demanded the reinstatement of respect for their nationality, history, and culture. Massive looting of monarchy-specific and Froyalanish properties occurred. King Arkadius and his wife left Amokolia.
Background
The seeds of the revolution had been sown in the decision of Arkadius to align his interests with those of the House of Ettlingar Freyu, a course of action which, along with certain overt attempts at manoeuvring his way onto the Golden Mango Throne of Shireroth had alienated West Amokolia from its fellow Vulture States, similarly established in the ruined of the Shirerithian empire following the Kalirion Fracture. That Arkadius had sought the friendship of Stormark after being rebuffed in his hegemonic ambitions only served to further inflame the ire of those Benacian members of the Raspur Pact in view of the generally anti-Vanic bent of their alliance - itself a direct consequence of the Auspicious Occasion. The wilful disregard, and increasing disdain, that Arkadius showed towards those opposing his foreign policy goals, led by increments to a collapse in goodwill and trust between Amokolia and Elwynn, culminating in the Second Amokolian War. Although this conflict was inconclusive in its outcome, distorted by the propaganda put out by both sides, one discernible effect had been, in the words of Arkadius himself, the "uniting the Frankish Empire and the High Realm of Stormark into one goal and one destiny". Stormark's involvement in Amokolia ramped up dramatically as a consequence of that confliict, with the former seeing in Amokolia an opportunity to break out of the quarantine to which it had been subjected since the days of the Auspicious Occasion back in 1651.
The wartime mutation of West Amokolia into Francia was a symptom of the royal court and the governing elite becoming increasingly detached and remote from the Amokolian people - a remoteness only made possible by the ongoing subsidy provided by Stormark. On account of this Arkadius could refuse no overture made by the House of Ettlingar Freyu, especially after they had contrived to introduce Esther Esposito, the royal bastard forced upon the Kaiseress Noor during the Froyalanish-captivity of Elwynn, into his bedchamber. Thereafter Hubris and Nemesis made Brandenburg their court.
Fall of the Monarchy
See also: Batavian Revolution & Collapse of Stormark
The abrupt collapse of Stormark and its ruling dynasty came as a bolt out of the blue for House of Vinandy. The close friendship ties, both between king Arkadius IV and emperor Harald, and the second marriage between the king and Esther Fatima Gudrid made the destruction of Stormark even harder to coop. Throughout the years, the king and his administration had worked more closely together with the Stormarkians. Now, Arkadius was left without a strong ally and the loss of those who were dear to him.
On 01.VI.1685 a group of Amokolian revolutionaries rose up in a number of cities, happy to use the temporary weakness of both the Batavian and Frankish apparatus. The King decided, upon hearing the news, decided to not let any blood flow and left Brandenburg the day after. When arriving at the airport of Kolmar, near 's Koningenwaarde, a delegation of worried dignitaries awaited him. Instead of travelling to the Royal Palace, the group travelled to Blanckenhof Palace. There, Arkadius had a mental breakdown. The loss of his family members and friends in Stormark and the betrayal of his fellow Franco-Batavian countrymen, hit the king hard. He resigned his position, leaving Joseph des Vinandy-Windsor in charge as prince-regent for the crown princess Elizabeth des Vinandy in Batavia, who at that time was only a minor. At the same time, he abdicated the Amokolian throne to Prince Kir of Shireroth.
The Amokolian Freedom Front and the Elwynnese Unity Party, opposition parties in the Reichstag, meanwhile had the Reichstag sit – unlawfully - with the other parties boycotting the session. Obtaining, supported by the mobs which had swarmed the Reichstag building in support of the usurpation of state authority, a unanimous vote for the passage of an enabling act, the Reichstag, now calling itself the Parliament of West Amokolia, declared the dissolution of the Franco-Batavian Empire and the removal from office of all public officials involved in that treacherous administration. Contained within the Enabling Act was provision for the reinstatement of the pre-Wende constitution, pending the establishment of a provisional government and constitutional convention. The enabling act also envisaged the normalisation of relations with their brethren in East Amokolia. To that end, they requested the aid of the Elwynnese government to restore democracy, order, and the respect of human rights across West Amokolia.
The news of the King's act of resignation in defeat and despair from the game he had so long played across the Micras Chessboard surprised everyone, from the Arkadian nobility in West Amokolia, the protesters and looters, and Prince Kir himself. The Amokolian Highlanders, garrisoned in West Amokolia, declared their loyalty to Kir, and the prince in turn promised to follow whatever decisions the Parliament of West Amokolia decided. The parliament, having been obliged firstly to debate as to whether they would accept the callow youth at all, narrowly voted in favour of making unto Kir the formal offer of the crown. The commanders of the Highlanders moreover declared that they would abide by the decision of the parliament, for the good of the nation. The rest of the Imperial Frankish Army however rejected Arkadius's abdication, and attempted to secure power across Amokolia and Batavia for itself. In Batavia, it was met by the Batavian Revolution whilst in Amokolia itself the first stirrings of Frankish resistance motivated the intervention of Elwynn and the Raspur Pact into the conflict.
Timeline
VI.1685
- 1: The Amokolian Revolution begins.
- 2: Arkadius IV of Batavia goes into exile, leaves West Amokolia.
- 4: In a surprise move, Arkadius IV of Batavia abdicates the Amokolian throne to his wife's nephew, Prince Kir of Shireroth, brother of the Kaiseress.
- 6: Prince Kir, now King of Amokolia, swears himself loyal to the Amokolian Revolution in an address to the Parliament of West Amokolia.
- 13: Sigrid Årud, Steward of the Republic, announced the formation of a Commission for the Integration of Amokolia. Aiming for a peaceful and orderly transfer of power, West Amokolia and Mishalacia were invited to send delegates to Malexander to begin preliminary work and monitor developments.
- 22: Operation Amok-Dag – UDF units from the VII Territorial Inspectorate, headquartered in Habrichtsburg, forming the 115th Army upon their "cold-start" mobilisation, spearheaded by the XXIII Combined Arms Corps advancing from prepared positions along the Vigilamus Line in the region of Spring Valley, crossed the frontier into Amokolia, whilst, having struck at dawn, Black Legions and UDF formations attached to the 15th Army under the Central Banner Group of Benacia Command had pushed into Frankish occupied portions of Mishalan from the Severnaya Gubernya, bypassing positions held by militia loyal to the Mishalacia autonomous region where these could be identified in a timely fashion.
- 24: The settlement of Noahroi in the Amokolian "Gau" of Mishalan is encircled by the 23rd and and 74th Territorial Divisions. Transportation links, communications, and the water, gas, and electricity grids supporting the administrative seat of the Gau are cut off. Persons attempting to leave the city were detained pending the confirmation of their Amokolian ancestry by the Panopticon. Vanafolk and Germanians involved in the Frankish administration were transferred by the UDF into the custody of the Black Legions and summarily executed in roadside ditches around the city.
VII.1685
- 1: Attempts by the Governor of Mishalan to negotiate a surrender were rebuffed by the Generallöjtnant Simo Úlfheðinn on behalf of the UDF.
- 2: A convoy of Frankish vehicles heading westwards from Johannsdorf was strafed by four pairs of T-2/A-2 Saeqeh engaged in low-level reconnaissance flights over Amokolian Mishalan. The former commander of the Amokolian Highlanders, the improbable figure known as Erik Thorne, was amongst those caught in the attack and suffered what were termed as "life-altering injuries" in consequence.
- 3: The Autokrator of Constancia issues a decree [1] forever suppressing the Church of the Froyalanish Ancient Ways, as well as practice of Froyalanish Ancient Ways within the Imperial State of Constancia. This same decree, among other provisions, declares all subjects and nationals of the High Realm of Stormark as Kul of the Imperial State under the patronage and protection of the Autokrator, with minors as wards of the Imperial State. Another decree grants formal diplomatic recognition of the Imperial State of Constancia to the Kingdom of Amokolia, and an Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary to the Kingdom of Amokolia is appointed and dispatched to Einhornstadt.
- 4: The Board of Directors of ESB-Jörmungandr Group, Inc. resolves to extend a ₦5,000,000,000 secured credit line to the Kingdom of Amokolia, alongside economic and technical assistance from other divisions of the Group, as well as the deployment of a Brigade Combat Team of the Jaysh al-Sathrati.
- 8: Field-gun batteries and gendarmerie from the 4th Fortress & Artillery Division of the Black Legions arrived on the UDF siege lines around Noahroi. Locally conscripted Amokolian labourers from the surrounding countryside were soon set to work preparing gun-emplacements, anti-tank trenches, and command dug-outs.
- 12: Shelling of commercial and residential areas of Noahroi by the besieging forces begins.
- 22: At the siege of Noahroi the offer of surrender by the besieged within the city was now once again considered. Clemency was offered to the defenders on one condition: that six of the principal citizens were to come out, with the heads and feet bare, halters round their necks, and the keys of the city and the symbols of government for the so-called Gau of Mishalan in their hands. These six would be subjected to the full rigours of justice, while the rest would be spared and given parole, provided that they departed immediately, and with no diversion, for Batavia.
- 24: Brigade Combat Team of the Jaysh al-Sathrati, designated as the Sathrati Expeditionary Force to the Kingdom of Amokolia (SEF-KA), comprising the 123rd Armoured Cavalry Regiment of the 3rd Armoured Cavalry Division, the 80th Light Infantry Regiment of the of the 4th Light Infantry Division, and the 100th Light Infantry Regiment of the 5th Light Infantry Division, disembark at Tsofnhafen. Unconfirmed reports claim presence of ESB contractors at Hyfrost.
VIII.1685
- 1:
- Responding to the landings at Tsofnhafen, the Strategic Command of the Imperial Frankish Army unleashed a salvo of five Iskander K270 short-range ballistic missiles from concealed positions in orchards north-east of Brandenburg towards the occupied port. With the exception of one misfiring missile with disintegrated in mid-flight after passing the apogee of its trajectory, the remainder continued upon their course with a reasonable confidence of falling within a 1 kilometre to 500 metres radius of their aiming point.
- The Seedrachenklasse diesel-electric submarine IFN "Scion of St. Harald" slipped its moorings at La Roche-Derrien at midnight and proceeded under the cover of darkness, escorted by two corvettes, on an eastwards course through the Boreal Seas, submerging with the dawn.
- Stung by the loss of Tsofnhafen, the Konteradmiral with responsibility for the defence of Hyfrost assigned the 9th and 11th Flotillas of the patrol boat forces stationed there to harbour defence duties whilst dispatching 3 corvettes and 7 minesweepers out into the Boreal Seas a distance of 75 km to establish picket stations, expanding the reach of his early warning against any aggression staged towards his area of responsibility.
- Mindful of the poor showing put up by local forces tasked with the defence of Tsofnhafen, who had failed singularly to oppose the landings of the Jaysh al-Sathrati, discipline was tightened for the "Baroness of Bergkerche" Static Infantry Division, with nighttime shore patrols stepped up, morning parade and drill sessions lengthened, and noon-time weapons drills for all personnel assigned to coastal gun emplacements and lookout posts made mandatory and subject to inspection by specifically appointed field officers.
IX.1685
X.1685
- 16: Benjamin Sluyjs, President of the Commission for the Integration of Amokolia arrived in Tsofnhafen and greeted Kir Azariah Vidar, titular king of West Amokolia as "Citizen Kalirion". Thunderstruck at this insult, Kir demanded to know by what authority the East Amokolian Premier had been empowered to present his credentials unto him thus. Sluyjs responded that, by the fresh mandate of Her Serenity the Princess Elect, the Commission was to henceforth assume responsibility for the governance of West Amokolia and the suppression of the Vanic remnant within its borders. Kir refused to continue the audience further. Sluyjs responded that it was not matter and that Citizen Kalirion would receive the time required to collect his effects and prepare for returning to life as a private citizen.
- 17: Kir Azariah Vidar spent the day in consultations with the Parliament of West Amokolia and the government in West Amokolia. While he had considerable support to remain monarch (mainly from the Mishalacian National Movement, the Conservative Party of Amokolia, and the Conservative Monarchist Party), the other parties in the Parliament felt that Amokolian reunification could only occur within Elwynn, and that an "annexation" of East Amokolia into an independent Kingdom of Amokolia would be a "pie in the sky" (as one member eloquently put it). The Parliament, with a slim majority, then advised the King to accept the credentials, and replace the West Amokolian executive with the Commission headed by Benjamin Sluyjs. The King then telephoned his sister the Kaiseress for advice.
- 18: In the early hours of the day, King Kir of Amokolia issued a decree in which the executive powers under the Constitution of the Kingdom of Amokolia would be vested in the council of ministers, that is the Commission for the Integration of Amokolia into the Elwynnese Republic. He then boarded a jet that took him to Shirekeep. A statement from the Royal Palace in Tsofnhaven said that the King had not abdicated but "merely acted on the advice of the Parliament whom he serves". If the Parliament votes to end the monarchy, "the King will be happy to give that bill his royal assent".
- 19: The Commission for the Integration of Amokolia declared the Parliament of West Amokolia to be an unlawful institution and ordered its immediate suspension pending the apportionment of new bailiwicks and the tabling of an Amokolian general election, provisionally scheduled for 01.III.1686.
XI.1685
- 10: Rumours that the abdicated King Arkadius had fled Benacia, only to resume the pretence of his forfeited titles from a den of Vanic depravity in the Arbor Isles, began to sow the seeds of doubt and demoralisation amongst the rank and file of the counter-revolutionary forces. Those officers not assessing their chances for gaining admittance to the Storrish fleshpits began to turn their thoughts to the prospects for an armistice and a negotiated surrender. This changed when Frankish naval ships appeared offshore.
- The first sonar contact to make such an appearance along the hostile shoreline quickly found itself receiving the unwanted attentions of an acoustic-homing torpedo launched from the FNSS Tosha, a Sanaman Awake-class diesel submarine deployed to northern waters as part of the task force dispatched in support of Operation Amok-Dag at the onset of the revolution. The contact responded by deploying a noisemaker, seemingly baffling the homing torpedo, thereafter the contact was lost and the engagement ended inconclusively.
- 11: The forces belonging to the former Frankish Army in West Amokolia, having called themselves the Imperial Frankish Army, received confirmation of the reestablishment of the Frankish Empire in the Arbor Isles. Fearful of their mutiny – as they had previously disowned King Arkadius's decree of creating the independent kingdoms of Amokolia and Batavia – the leadership of the forces in West Amokolia announced their reorganization as the Royal Amokolian Army. The Royal Amokolian Army swore its loyalty to King Kir – the legal heir of King Arkadius in West Amokolia – and vowed to fight the Elwynnese invasion. The Amokolian Highlanders, the army unit that brought in Arkadius as king in 1672 and the first unit to declare its loyalty to King Kir upon Arkadius's abdication, announced its conforming to the hierarchy of the new Royal Amokolian Army.
- 12: The leadership of the Royal Amokolian Army and the Amokolian Highlanders called for an immediate cease-fire with the view of resuming talks for the constitutional future of West Amokolia.
- The Royal Amokolian Army and the Amokolian Highlanders duly received instructions to appoint armistice commissioners and to dispatch them to Tsofnhafen by no later than the 14th of the month. The only demand made upon them was to present Feldmarschall Erik Thorne, the former - distinctly unAmokolian - commander of the Highlanders, dead or alive and in chains regardless, for the delectation of the Armistice Commissioners to be appointed by Benacia Command in turn to commence negotiations at Tsofnhafen.
- Erik Thorne, field marshal of the Royal Amokolian Army, spoke with King Kir on the telephone and agreed to hand over himself to Benacia Command immediately upon signing the cease-fire agreement. King Kir, commander in chief of the Royal Amokolian Army and the Amokolian Highlanders, informed Benacia Command that Erik Thorne had been instructed to sign an unconditional surrender at Tsofnhaven the very same day.
- Immediately upon the signing of the instrument of surrender, and with the prior consent of the Royal Amokolian Army high command, Erik Thorne was unceremoniously garroted by the Sanaman Marines Major General, Piter Stringfellow, in charge of the Sanaman contribution to Operation Amok-Dag. The Major General, having petitioned ceaselessly to be given some task to make sailing half-way around Benacia worth while, was nonplussed to have been assigned such a role but nonetheless performed it without complaint. The Major General reportedly commented after the Vanic had stopped breathing that it was "worth every mile".
