IT IV - Years 400-~460 AD
New World:
The early 5th Century saw dramatic - quite often catastrophic - change all over the continents and islands comprising the New World. Ancient empires crumbled, brand new ones rose to sudden greatness, and several Old Worlder colonial empires were crafted by quill and sword.
An early destabilising factor was the last major outbreak of the Old Worlder epidemics in the 400s; strangely enough unexpected, it took quite a toll on the population, and weakened most New World states politically and economically. Guangala, one of the weaker native empires, even fell into anarchy and was overran by the Huanc hordes. Indeed Huancac, of all the old empires, had fared the best during this time period - possibly thanks to its highly-organised nature, which allowed it to recover from all troubles that beset it comparatively quickly. Whilst the Huanc marched northwards to claim the Guangalan lands, Olmecia and the younger empire of Aztlan were subtly entering their dying throes. Aztlan's demise was comparatively simple; an outburst of expansion under Namacuix overstretched the empire, and when, amidst the chaos of the epidemics in 411, Namacuix suddenly disappeared infighting begun. The Nihonese struck quickly and secured the Hakatai valley - around which Aztlan was built - within four years. Olmecia's fall was more complicated. Beset by epidemics, social enthropy, religious uprisings and barbarian raids, the Crown Prince and his loyalists made one last try to rally Olmecia during the Carib War with Carthage (407-411), initiated by the Punics who seeked to build a great colonial empire of their own. The Carthaginian military was superior in virtually all regards, and the Olmec ferocity, high morale and cunning strategems were insufficient; the Olmec fleets were destroyed in several engagements in the Central Carib, and the islands fell one after another, with most Olmec colonists there slaughtered. The loss of Khuba alone was already crippling for the Olmec Empire, as was disruption of the Carib Sea trade and naval dominance. The Crown Prince did manage to get a peace treaty that recognised all his losses but also gave him an alliance with Carthage; but as Sixth Transpoenic War escalated, that became irrelevant at best. Meanwhile, with the Coronoprincipal authority and military strenght severely shaken, the Olmec Empire almost immediately (in 412) fell into a civil war. The Southern Feudal Lords seceded peacefully, whilst Tzapatjama, the supreme Feudal Lord of the Northern Frontier, launched an open attack on the remnants of the Olmec Core. Warned by the Southern Lords, the 30th Crown Prince rallied his men in time and scored important victories at Tlictato (414) and at Yagul (417). He also signed a new alliance with the Southern Lords. However, just as it seemed that the Coronoprincipal power was saved, vast Nortuguese forces invaded as part of their bid to claim predominance in the Atlantic. The rebel and loyalist leaders alike were slaughtered, the Olmec cores were looted and plundered and many Olmecs were enslaved. The Nortuguese retreated soon enough, leaving Olmecia without leadership and in tribal chaos. Though religious leaders and warlords would make several attempts to recreate an Olmec state, and some isolated provinces or city-states achieved a degree of recovery and prosperity over the next few decades, the Olmec Empire never did rise again. Instead, it became the scene of the "Scramble for Olmecia", with Nihonese, Khmer, Huanc, Hong Kee and Nortuguese forces all seeking to secure as many of the dead empire's lands as possible.
North and south of the tragic Aztlan-Olmecia-Guangala sector, the New World civilisations fared far better. Huancac, as already mentioned, not only survived, but also expanded, and later, as Old Worlder presences increased, adapted and improved whilst also attracting much foreing trade. By 450 it had more-or-less caught up with the Bimarine Basin technologically, and opened up many new trade ports. The northern compaigns of conquest - which continued for the greater part of the century - had done much to assist this (as of 460 Huancac controlled not only the old Guangala, but also some Carib and Olmec lands; the latter included a long isthmian area connected to the main Huanc territory and some more isolated outposts). The most important - and threatening - development in this century, from Huancac's perspective, was the Andean War (422-440), wherein Tiwanaku assaulted the southern Huanc provinces with overwhelming numbers and superior planning. The Tiwanakans won impressive initial victories, but the Huanc had acquired more modern weapons and in a gruelling conflict first halted the enemy advance and then, around 431, went into a general counteroffensive. The Tiwanakans were on the brink of defeat, but - probably thanks to Dukunnugeyan assistance - managed to regroup and fight the Face-of-the-Sun to a standstill, ultimately securing a status quo ante bellum peace. Both sides were weakened, though Tiwanaku moreso; that didn't prevent Aputikalu III from finally subduing the Mojo tribes in a 450s military campaign. Modernisation also continued, and the technological gap between Huancac and Tiwanaku had nearly been bridged. Lastly, mention must be made of the short-lived, but extensive despoty of Grandfather Rich-Harvest - the Tavytera empire, which had, through war and diplomacy (the latter with both the native tribes and the colonial powers), unified all the Guarani tribes. But it turned out that it mostly held on armed force, which in turn was kept in order by the Grandfather himself. That led to tragic consequences that are mentioned further below.
The most prominent northern native civilisations were known as the "Three Circles" (as in, "League of"). The southernmost was Upper Adena. After two and half decades of blandness, tranquility and "preparation", this empire was awakened in 425 when the Pinnacle-Chief Nanihch ordered the annexation of the former Olmec colony in Lower Adena and the first northwards invasions aimed against the other Adena city-states, eventually allowing it to claim the title of "United Adena". Towards the end of his reign (in the late 430s) he also secured a good friendship, technological assistance and land transfer agreement with Nortugal, which seemed quite belligerent previously; his son and successor, Nichni, had solidifed the empire despite the Apalachee rebellions, and also avoided a war with the Algonquians over the northernmost Adena lands, most of which the Algonquians agreed to concede peacefully. Adena also modernised and built up a new fleet, to be later used in European operations. Though younger, the northeastern states - Kingdom of the Dawn Land and the Algonquian Confederation - were also considerably more vigorous than Adena. Both had only emerged during the 410s, though Trinitarianism - the religion upon which the Kingdom of the Dawn Land was based - had been around previously as well. Though the Kingdom was a theocracy and the Confederation was, well, confederation, both states quickly shared their progressive vigour, expanding rapidly (via diplomacy with the Nortuguese and with the local tribes; the Wabanaki, as the denizens of the Kingdom were known, had also made particular emphasis on evangilising, whilst the Algonquians used more varied cultural, economic and nationalistic means), building new cities, setting up trade networks and agreements with each other and with Nortugal; the latter helped them jump-start their progress. The Wabanaki had soon also developed the Great Port of Sanna, wherein a powerful, modern fleet was created. The two states had helped the Nortuguese during the First Atlantic War, their militaries receiving a baptism-by-fire at Alantkage[1] (see below). Later still, in 440, the League of Three Circles - a pro-Nortuguese alliance of the Kingdom, the Confederation and the United Adena - had been formed. It almost immediately comissioned an expeditionary force made out of the independent armies of the three states, to fight in the Second Atlantic War's Hibernian and Alban theatres.
Much mention of the Old Worlder interaction with the native civilisations has already been made, but it is also necessary to separately write down the history of the colonial empires and the interaction between them. The first colonial powers - Nortugal, Nihon and Carthage - had reached the New World back in the late 4th Century, establishing different degrees of contact with the local nations. Exploratory and diplomatic expeditions were dispatched, as were colonists and warriors. Already the first decade of the 5th Century saw colonial agression, such as the initial Nortuguese expansion, the Nihonese conquest of Hawaii and parts of the Kawawai (northwestern New World) coast and the already-described Carthaginian conquest of the Carib Sea. These first three colonial powers were soon joined by Phoenicia, which, as part of its commercial boom, dispatched a fleet to set up the trade outpost of Karbyblos, in the delta of the Amazon River. The first Hong Kee settlements in the northwest were established a bit later. The Dukunnugeyans and the Khmers arrived to the New World in the early 420s, while the Wenedians came in in 428 (courtesy of the Nortuguese). Though no other powers attempted to gain access to the New World, these present were quite enough for serious competiton and tensions; it is actually surprising that there was so comparatively little large-scale fighting between them. The two strongest "Atlantic" colonial powers of the early colonial era - Nortugal and Carthage - were also the most aggressive of the colonisers, in part because of the grand ambitions and hopes the leaders of both had for the New World. The Nortuguese had from the start viewed it as a token of their survival - a hair by which to hang in their dangerous geopolitical situation. The Carthaginians initially considered it to be merely a new world for them to conquer, but as the Sixth Transpoenic War went horribly wrong they too came to view it as Carthage's last chance for survival - a destination for a hypothetical exodus. That exodus nearly did occur, but for the Nortuguese who did not want a "western Punic Empire" to menace their plans. Consequently, they abandoned the mostly-defunct Empire Pact and launched a despicable, but brilliant sneak attack in 417 (the destruction of the Olmec Empire, a Carthaginian ally, was a part of that attack). The Punic seapower in the Carib Sea was crushed, and the Nortuguese were theoretically free to pick at the other Punic colonies at their pleasure as starvation and disease crippled the garrisons and the unprepared colonial populations in one of the more hellish episodes of the Age of Discovery. The Carthaginians were uneager to abandon their grand colonial project so soon, though, so they sent out a great armada to reconquer the Carib Sea. The Nortuguese had anticipated it and figured out that the most logical resupply stop for such an armada would be at the island of Alantkage. Aware that their own forces may not be enough, they had also helped build up the Wabanaki and Algonquian fleets, which, along with the warriors of the two states, had joined the Nortuguese fleet in the epic 422 battle itself. Yet even then, the Carthaginians fought with determination upon their arrival, and it seemed that the Nortuguese were doomed. The tables were turned by the arrival of a Dacoillyrian fleet, which had pursued the Punic one for some time now, uninterested in the New World but interested in destroying the naval might of Carthage once and for all. And so they did, though the battle was STILL close-ran and the anti-Punic forces had suffered many casualties. After that Carthage as a colonial power - and even as an independent state - was doomed to quick failure, the Nortuguese gradually taking over many of their key colonies. Still, with their last breaths the Imperial Stormtroopers continued to fight natives, other colonists and the "weak-willed" Punics. The latter actually survived in some cases, and whilst Nortugal picked up MOST of the Carthaginian holdings, many enough of them actually went over to Phoenicia, which used the cultural arguments to sway most colonists to support them. This and profitable trade deals with most native tribes encountered allowed a brief Phoenician predominance in the Atlantic south. As the Dukunnugeyans - who expanded via diplomacy, trade and cultural assimilation, and also had secured lots of important positions by then - were also interested in the Atlantic south of the colonial areas, the late 420s and the early 430s saw some fierce competition and land-grabbing. The Phoenicians weren't doing too well when compared to the Dukunnugeyans, but they did secure lots of wealthy regions and future bases. However, the Lucan invasion - which started in 432 - soon demanded all of Phoenician resources and attention if Byblos was to even survive it, and maintaining a colonial race was way too taxing in both regards. Thus, in 437, after drawn-out negotiations, the Treaty of Karbyblos was signed. The northern (Orinoco Basin) and southern (Tupi coastlands) edges of the Phoenician New World colonial empire were sold to Wenedia and Dukunnugeya respectively (the latter also acquired the Alaka coastlands of the north). That ruined Phoenician hopes of colonial preeminence, but secured them a comfortable spot, with the Amazon Basin and Ayti still in their hands, and alloowed them to fight on to the victorious end back in the Old World. Meanwhile the Dukunnugeyans continued to consolidate, develop and expand their colonial holdings, the Wenedians played a periphereal, trade-dominated role (the most unique of the rather boring Wenedian colonial empire's traits was that it had presences in both the northern and the southern continents), and the Nortuguese colonial empire in the north continued to take shape. Over time many Atlantic coast Olmec provinces were subdued, though most of them - not including Yucatan - were sold to Hong Kong in 440. The Carib colonies were comparatively neglected, but did become an important element in colonial administration and communications. On the northern mainland, the initial emphasis was on the north (the Nortuguese royal family even briefly hid on the Tuniit Island during the First Atlantic War), but later the south too underwent considerably development, with many new cities set up and forces deployed the quell rebellions. The exact borders of the empire were, for most of its history thus far, vague; they were based on the campaigns - or "death marches" - that the Nortuguese and their native "allies" (meaning the lesser tribes, which were often coerced into alliance) carried out against the less organised and compliant tribes, whilst leaving Adena, Algonquia and the Kingdom of Dawn Land alone and on the land transfer deals with the said three countries, exclusively in their favour. Those deals freed up Nortuguese manpower and gave them extra money, whilst they still retained enough land for actual colonial development.
The Pacific colonial powers acted in a generally more straightforward fashion, either signing trade deals or launching ruthless campaigns of conquest against the local natives. The latter method was most famously used by the Nihonese, who had in this fashion conquered wide areas of land from ocean to ocean in the former Olmec north AND south, as well some other territories to the New World's north. Administrative reforms and major garrisons helped keep this empire in line, and the Nihonese colonial predominance was basically assured, especially after the Khmers, following a brief trading expedition, decided to go after the Indian Ocean, limiting their New World presence to some of the Manggondin Islands[2], where profitable trade with Huancac was conducted. However, Hong Kong created rather threatening competition after 420, sending in more and more troops and eventually securing many key Olmec territories. The colonial race between Hong Kong and Nihon culminated in the Pacific War (451-455). Though Nihon defeated Hong Kong and seized all of its colonies, on the other side of the Pacific the Oceanic Empire and its Tieh Chinese allies had overran most of the Home Islands and so the Nihonese were forced to cede most of their empire to Hong Kong in exchange for regaining their homelands. Dukunnugeya also had Pacific coast holdings, though except inasmuch it granted them considerable influence and even power in the Andes it wasn't too important.
A new phase in the colonial expansion of the Old World civilisations at the expense of the New World ones came in the 450s, with the Dukunnugeyan "pacification" of Tavytera in the wake of the anarchy that, in turn, followed the Grandfather's death slightly prior to 450 and the late Fifties/Early Sixties Nortuguese sneak invasions of Adena and the Kingdom of the Dawn Land (the former crumbled, but the latter resisted stalwartly despite the loss of many of its eastern heartlands). Despite the obvious complications caused by the grinding wars on both sides of the Atlantic (see Northern Europe), Nortugal for now reigned supreme in the Northern Atlantic and New World, though not quite as secure as Dukunnugeya in the Southern equivalents.
Northern Europe:
Northern Europe's history in this time period was defined by many completely reshapping wars, with most diplomatic and domestic developments being overshadowed by the endless cycles of conquest and destruction.
The Gaelic Empire's conflicts with all the other regional great powers, carried over from the past centuries, seemed to have caught up with it early in this century, with the diplomatic disaster of the Empire Pact - an alliance of Carthage, Dacoillyria and Nortugal, which from the start proved particularily defensive - some say biased - against Gaul. However, this pact's unity did not survive the first few years of the Sixth Transpoenic War (more on which in the Bimarine section), after which Dacoillyria rebuilt its alliance with Gaul. Albeit coordination problems prevented Dacoillyria and Gaul from direct cooperation, this alliance had benefited the ambitious Dumnorix Caethaldius immensely, and allowed him to start, in 427, the Iberian Soliade against the crippled Punic Empire (reduced to most of Iberia). Despite fanatical resistance, the Punics were overran, but after this conquest Gaul increasingly came into conflict with the other Atlantic powers, such as Nortugal and Dukunnugeya. The former, admittedly, was very troublesome from the very start. Highly paranoid and defensive, Nortugal was particularily fearful of Gaul and the Solists (hence it joining the Empire Pact). The late 400s/early 410s saw very active naval operations in the North Sea, aimed against the seapower and commerce of the Solist powers (not exclusively). Iceni-Caledonian attempts for naval cooperation against this menace turned out to be one-sided, as Caledonia had reconciled with the Nortuguese and instead destroyed their "ally"'s fleet in a sneak attack in port. Admittedly the Nortuguese soon had to retreat from the North Sea anyway, as the ambitious young ruler of Norge, named Magnus, had led his fleet to a triumphant battle after which the Nortuguese were forced to make a pledge to stay out of the North Sea. This Magnus then took the title of "Nortubane"; this victory, though rather small, had no doubt enhanced his prestige and encouraged him to aspire to do greater things still... Anyway, the Nortuguese did not stop now. Early in the Sixth Transpoenic War, fighting on the Carthaginian side, they had sunk the entire Gaelic warfleet and blockaded the ports, though not going as far as to actually invade. Though the Nortuguese had signed peace in 416 and even attacked Carthage afterwards, the relations remained tense and complicated, especially with the Gaelic attempts to create a colonial empire of their own, starting with a trade outpost on the Magos Archipelago[3]. The Soliade was thus merely the last straw; it caused yet another Nortuguese naval crackdown (the elimination of the barely-rebuilt Gaelic fleet and trade outpost on the Magos Archipelago, soon after the news of the invasion of Iberia reached Nord Lisbon). Attempts to negotiate a peace treaty after that had failed, and so the newly-formed all-Solist Invictus Alliance had, along with Dacoillyria and Luca, announced a trade embargo of Nortugal, cutting diplomatic ties as well but not yet declaring war. The mercantile Nortuguese had all reasons to view it as a challenge, and though they did not declare war neither, that was because they didn't generally hold traditions in high esteem and instead decided to get to the point, launching, in 431, the first naval campaigns of what was commonly (mis)termed the "Second Atlantic War".
By then the face of Northern Europe had already been radically altered. For instance, the Solist Frankreich collapsed amidst feudal rebellions and Wenedian counter-drang invasions; briefly reuniting and reviving in 416-422 under the charismatic leadership of Warlord Waldimar, the Franks launched a "Soliade" into Gaul itself, claiming that it had grown corrupt and treacherous. Stunning victories were achieved - before the Gauls actually deployed some of their regular forces against the Franks, whilst the Wenedians moved to finish them off. The National Solist warlord was slain and his horde fell apart, but the banners of the "Frankish Nation's Solism" would be raised again in rebellions mostly small, but at a later point - great. Meanwhile, complicated events took place on the island of Alba. Solism generally seemed to be doing better early on: piety and zeal were the mood and the state ideology in Emperor Makar's Iceni Empire, as the military-religious order of the Sons of Sol was set up and begun to cleanse the Iceni lands of the remaining druidistsm; these Sons of Sol also overthrew a Solist, but unpious and amoral Cymrese ruler (Owain V), instead imposing Llywelyn I, a known Icenophile; the wretched hive of druidism, Brigantea, was conquered by the Caledonians, though pagans themselves; and MacColuim, the conqueror of Brigantea, had soon ascended to power - and converted to Solism. Yet the two great Solist countries did not remain friends for long. Having given shelter to Owain V, MacColuim, alarmed by Iceni's military strenght and religious radicalism, decided to make an unholy bargain with Nortugal, signing an alliance, destroying the Iceni fleet and launching invasions of the Iceni homeland. However, the top-notch Iceni forces, especially the renowned Sons of Sol, have landed numerous defeats upon their enemies; that included the defeat of Owain V's invasion of Cymru, during which the unpopular Cymrese brenin died. The Caledonian Prince Artuir had briefly landed in and occupied southern Icenia, but was later routed in the Battle of the Wye Valley (417), dying with the greater part of his army. All the Caledonian plans had thus been foiled, but a new army was bearing down from the north, whilst the Iceni economy unraveled. Still, the Caledonians were likewise exhausted and upon the death of the uncompromising (and unrealistic) Emperor Makar gladly accepted a peace treaty with his heir Solpher, restoring the territorial status quo but forcing Solpher to renounce the role of head of the Church of Sol in the Iceni Empire claimed by his predecessor. Also, the diplomatic structure on Alba was reformed; the Alban Cooperation Treaty, an alliance and trade agreement between the three Solist states on the island, was signed, and the Sons of Sol abstained from external military-religious expeditions (such as the ones carried out in Cymru). Thus Caledonia now became something of an Alban hegemon power; secure in this position, it begun developing a stronger fleet. Further east, seemingly-irrelevant but still important events had occured. Thus for instance the Baltic Sea and the Tarunist world was radically changed by the actions of Magnus V, "the Nortubane". Using his immense prestige after the victory over Nortugal, this Magnus launched a veritable geopolitical revolution in 415, when the decentralised feudal realms of Svearland pledged allegience to him. Proclaiming the "Holy Tarunist Empire of Greater Nordrike", he preempted an expected Tarunian attack by ambushing and destroying the Tarunian fleet on an absurd quest to attack the Mordvins via the frozen White Sea (first, ofcourse, the Tarunians had to get through the Skaggerak - that was where they were attacked). This was followed up with the occupation and "definnisation" of the western Baltic Tarunian colonies, and the destructon of the short-lived Solist monarchy of Jutland. After that lightning-fast campaign Nordrike's supremacy in Scandinavia was never really challenged. Meanwhile, with this catastrophe on the sea and the bungled overland invasion of the long-menacing Mordvin Empire, Tarunia entered a crisis it could not really survive. Despite last-moment Nadruvian assistance, the Tarunians were totally crushed by the merciless Mordvin juggernaut, and the Nadruvians only barely got away with minor territorial concessions and military restrictions (mostly thanks to Wenedian diplomatic interference), in a 430 AD treaty. After that, the Mordvins were free to continue Tarunian traditions of senseless campaigning in frozen wastes - and the Nordrikians were free to do some adventuring in the west... But before we get to that, a brief mention must also be made of the Wenedian ascendancy, as a result of succesful wars with Frankreich, Cernorus (former Slavenia) and a rebel Wenedian clan; the latter two were defeated thanks to Nadruvian assistance, which was why the Wenedians now protected their trade partners with so much zeal. All these developments would have their reprecussions, though despite the good Wenedian relations with Nortugal and more subtly anti-Gaelic Dukunnugeya the Czeslaws were unable to intervenne in the Second Atlantic War - largely thanks to constant Frankish uprisings and colonial ventures, both in Europe and in the Atlantic (note that a trade outpost was set up in West Africa, in addition to the already-mentioned colonies and outposts in several New World spots).
