The Fialta-Shantine War, as the name implies, was a war between the Shantine Empire and the Fialta lasting from 351 to 357 A.U.[?] and resulting in the seizure of most of the Shantine protectorate worlds by the Fialta warlords, the devastation of Shantine shipping and the eventual formation of the Second Fialta Imperium. It ended in 357 A.U.[?] with the Treaty of Korinth.
Background[]
Beginning in 351 A.U.[?], a coalition of the Church of Valdos, several great lords of the Thalranese Marches and various princelings, adventurers and mercenary captains of The Fialta States invaded the Shantine frontier worlds.
In the war with the Fialta, the Shantine Empire deployed a mix of religious militants (e.g. The Knights of Adarnum and the Idolmar Hospitallers, usually as cavalry and heavy infantry), semi-professional imperial infantry (part constabulary-turned-army, part foreign legion) and auxiliary forces from the border protectorates. Conscription was later introduced for the defense of certain worlds. The Shantine fleet had a strong core of warships supplemented by refitted cargo vessels from The Bishant Trade Company.
Foreign mercenaries and detachments played a significant role on both sides. The Shantine armies were supplemented by forces from the Despotate of Alusia and the Orcish Directorate, though parallel command and logistics structures produced frequent miscommunications and led to a number of high-profile disasters. Postwar attitudes in Alusia and the Directorate were unfavorable to the Shantine military, viewing them as essentially uncommitted to the conflict, and Shantine forces as generally undisciplined (compounded especially by the refusal of fiercely secular Directorate commanders to serve under the religious militant orders, which generally represented the best of the Shantine command). The Serene Duchy of Aeldrum provided some support to the Shantine, including "freedom of navigation" exercises intended to disrupt Fialta fleet movements or cover Shantine retreats (which the Fialta coalition generally accepted for fear of provoking a general Aeldman intervention), but operated on a basis of mutual understanding with Fialta forces as well, sometimes withdrawing critical support from the Shantine seemingly just at the moment they might have scored a definitive victory against the Fialta: the Shantine view ranged from disappointment in Aeldman inaction to outright accusations that Aeldrum had sought not to help Bishant but to make the war last as long as possible and at maximum cost to both sides
The Fialta had few national allies as-such, but did employ a wide variety of non-Fialta in mercenary roles, including the celebrated (and partially Kirvan) Mousillon Brigade, composed of exiled monarchists from Bec (the Kingdom would be restored after the war in part using money and material acquired during the Fialta-Shantine War; ironically, a century later Kirvan-majority Bec would be brought into a personal union with the Shantine Empire and effectively absorbed into the Kataph patrimony). The Knights Mercantile generally took an opportunistic posture and supported the highest bidder.
Theaters and Battles[]
The war had several major planetary theaters:
Milgar[]
- Main article: Milgar
Milgar is a resource-rich world that had recently been added to the Shantine Empire as a protectorate before being overrun by the Fialta. A fighting retreat by the Shantine Imperial Army (supported by the larger local militia) delayed the Fialta advance, but put significant strain on the defenders. While Milgar held, the Fialta were required to defend a considerably longer supply line to Zanevuela, vulnerable to attacks by Shantine privateers and freelance pirates.
Zanevuela[]
- Main article: Zanevuela
- See also: First Battle of Zanevuela
Zanevuela is strategically important world with an etheric gate connecting into the core region of the Shantine Empire (two weeks travel from Bishant). Its shipyards were also the foundation of The Shantine Navy along the Fialta border. A large aetheric battle left the Shantine warfleet crippled and the Fialta in control of an etheric gate, but the Fialta were still months away from plausibly seizing the gate in the heart of the Shantine Empire, and Zanevuela remained staunchly defended. The Shantine hoped to hold against the Fialta here and simply outlast the unity of the enemy coalition through a strategy of mutual exhaustion, however, the end of the war did ultimately see the world ceded to the Fialta.
Korinth[]
- Main article: Korinth
- See also: First Battle of Korinth
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Hybern[]
- Main article: Hybern
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The Kartak Passage[]
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Conclusion[]
The Shantine Empire was defeated, and the Fialta-Shantine War ended in 357 A.U.[?] with the Treaty of Korinth. The Shantine ceded the Shantine Protectorates to the Fialta warlords, along with the Shantine gateworlds of Milgar, Zanevuela, and Korinth.
Aftermath[]
Fialta victory and territorial gains allowed the Fialta warlord Mithranatus to consolidate power in the Fialta States, renaming himself "Tiel'Fialt" (meaning "Fialta Reborn") and establishing the Second Fialta Imperium in 359 A.U.[?].
Tensions between the Fialta Imperium and the Shantine Empire remained high after the war, and were an important factor in the lead-up to the First Coalition War in 447 A.U.[?].