Khanate of Clesentia
The Khanate of Clesentia was a medieval state which united and organized the centaurs of Telgren or the first time since the collapse of the Enpire of Oleandron. The nation tore through several powerful foes, reshaping the political map of Telgren and allowing a new order to take form, but caused great violence during its rise and after its fall, leaving it with a mostly negative legacy.
History
The Khanate of Clesentia was born from the centaur tribe of Tormil, initially a minor clan ruling over a small section of the Tisczö River and some of the steppe to its west. The tribe was semi-nomadic, moving around several times a year depending on the season. At the time, the Tormil tribe was considered a non-factor in the conflicts between more powerful tribes, only having just enough relevance to mantain their position along the river.
Everything would change when Khan Braehyst of Clesentia ascended to the throne in 1190, securing the succession a year later. Born in 1163, Braehyst was a young and motivated centaur who sought to change the lot of his tribe, though his initial ambitions were never to the extent of his future conquests. Braehyst's father had woven a complex structure of alliances with several neighboring tribes, all of whom owed the Tormil small favors. Braehyst called in these favors and used the aid of these questionable allies to bring several larger tribes under his domination. As an excellent tactician, Braehyst was easily able to defeat their armies, especially as he used his allies' armies as meat shields. This ensured that they would be in no place to challenge the Tormil after the victories. He cultivated the loyalty of his new subjects, expanded his armies, and demanded the submission of his former allies, all of whom swore fealty, fearing his wrath, especially due to their spent armies. Having secured the river valley, Braehyst now swept west and south, trapping many against the borders of North Fraspika. Many of these tribes would surrender and be incorporated into his armies, though some raided and caused issues for Fraspika, softening them up.
During the 1190s, Braehyst expanded Clesentia greatly, sacking towns and, taking the humans living there for slaves. The Plaires Centralis l'Ouesse was racially cleansed of humans, who were put to work farming along the Tisczö. Unlike the centaur tribes he incorporated, humans who lost to the Tormil were enslaved and put to work. After all, with most centaurs now present in the army, they could not maintain the same pastoral methods to the same extent, so they turned to agriculture. Braehyst also used slave labor to build himself a city; Tirim. Modeled after the now ruined city of Grand Bazaar, which had stood proud at lake Arcesiel until it was looted in 1194, Tirim was the base of the Tormil, and when Braehyst declared the Khanate of Clesentia in 1196 after conquering most of the Plaires Centralis west of the Frontiu river it became an important regional political center. As the centaur conquests expanded, more and more slaves were brought to Tirim, which swelled in size, its slave markets the largest since the Empire of Oleandron.
Braehyst had always postulated that the enslavement of humans was for their own good, claiming that they were not fit for combat and therefore needed to farm in an agrarian manner until they were trained to fight by the superior centaurs. In order to cement this, he adopted a young child whose parents had been killed by his armies. This child would go on to become High Jarl Øldar, the Fierce. Braehyst promptly forgot about the project, and continued his conquests, and the fruits of victory piled up. The conquest of North Fraspika from 1203-1204 took just a year and brought more riches to Tirim than ever before, and his new puppet ruler Elenaril Carlois was a child and thus would be no threat to his growing power. It is also important to note that Braehyst did not continue his original policy of ethnic cleansing; the lands he was now conqeuring were now fertile, densely populated regions and not suitable for moving the vast populations. It was enough to take a few slaves in raids and subdue captured soldiers.
After a few years of consolidation, Braehyst invaded South Fraspika, which took three years to crush, much more than the swift campaign against the north. Consequentially, the region was far more devastated, though its peripherals, which in many cases only came under Centaur control over a year later, suffered correspondinly less. The loss of life here took a few more years to recover from, but recover the Clesnetians did. Helped by a new generation of centaurs who had only known the Khanate and who had largely lost their individual tribal loyalties, Braehyst invaded West Fraspika in 1116. In the battle of Contar in 1217, the West Fraspikan king and most of his armies were killed, imploding the state. However, the battle also took a huge toll on the centaur armies, who had lost countless men in reckless charges. The Khanate's position grew more tenuous, as their armies had only won the field in the end thanks to Øldar and the death of the West Fraspikan king. With rebellion simmering in the background, the Khanate had to turn to internal affairs, trying to root out the rebels.
This policy proved to be a mistake, and shows how despite Braehyst's strong tactical skills, he was uneqipped to rule such a large empire. In the end, his pawns, Øldar and Elenaril, ran away together and eventually came out as the leaders of the human rebellion- right under his nose the whole time. The Khan was furious, but the deaths of his heirs at the hands of Øldar meant he had to quell the rebellions himself before marching onward (having become increasingly paranoid he no longer trusted anyone besides his blood with the task). Finally, he led his armies into the disastrous battle of Zalianis (1224). The breathing room since his first assault had given time for the Blazennian Confederation to assemble a large defense force, which had since swelled with Øldar's loyalists and anti-slavery Telrai who turned up to defend their new friends. The zealous centaur armies were absolutely crushed, and Braehyst fled in panic back to Tirim. His empire crumbing, he spend his last days in pleasure, only rising from his bed of whores when news came that the armies of his enemies were at his gate. He was last seen charging in hastily-donned armor towards Øldar and his men, being slain by Øldar moments later.
Tirim was sacked by the armies and its slaves were liberated. The centaurs of the city fled once more into the steppe, looting as they went. Never again would the city rise, and though small settlements can be found just up the bend of the river, the tribe of Tormil is no more. Their lands' current rulers, the powerful tribe of Jugarögch, has no interest in rebuilding the folly of Braehyst, something not even the Second Centaur Khanate attempted.
Everything would change when Khan Braehyst of Clesentia ascended to the throne in 1190, securing the succession a year later. Born in 1163, Braehyst was a young and motivated centaur who sought to change the lot of his tribe, though his initial ambitions were never to the extent of his future conquests. Braehyst's father had woven a complex structure of alliances with several neighboring tribes, all of whom owed the Tormil small favors. Braehyst called in these favors and used the aid of these questionable allies to bring several larger tribes under his domination. As an excellent tactician, Braehyst was easily able to defeat their armies, especially as he used his allies' armies as meat shields. This ensured that they would be in no place to challenge the Tormil after the victories. He cultivated the loyalty of his new subjects, expanded his armies, and demanded the submission of his former allies, all of whom swore fealty, fearing his wrath, especially due to their spent armies. Having secured the river valley, Braehyst now swept west and south, trapping many against the borders of North Fraspika. Many of these tribes would surrender and be incorporated into his armies, though some raided and caused issues for Fraspika, softening them up.
During the 1190s, Braehyst expanded Clesentia greatly, sacking towns and, taking the humans living there for slaves. The Plaires Centralis l'Ouesse was racially cleansed of humans, who were put to work farming along the Tisczö. Unlike the centaur tribes he incorporated, humans who lost to the Tormil were enslaved and put to work. After all, with most centaurs now present in the army, they could not maintain the same pastoral methods to the same extent, so they turned to agriculture. Braehyst also used slave labor to build himself a city; Tirim. Modeled after the now ruined city of Grand Bazaar, which had stood proud at lake Arcesiel until it was looted in 1194, Tirim was the base of the Tormil, and when Braehyst declared the Khanate of Clesentia in 1196 after conquering most of the Plaires Centralis west of the Frontiu river it became an important regional political center. As the centaur conquests expanded, more and more slaves were brought to Tirim, which swelled in size, its slave markets the largest since the Empire of Oleandron.
Braehyst had always postulated that the enslavement of humans was for their own good, claiming that they were not fit for combat and therefore needed to farm in an agrarian manner until they were trained to fight by the superior centaurs. In order to cement this, he adopted a young child whose parents had been killed by his armies. This child would go on to become High Jarl Øldar, the Fierce. Braehyst promptly forgot about the project, and continued his conquests, and the fruits of victory piled up. The conquest of North Fraspika from 1203-1204 took just a year and brought more riches to Tirim than ever before, and his new puppet ruler Elenaril Carlois was a child and thus would be no threat to his growing power. It is also important to note that Braehyst did not continue his original policy of ethnic cleansing; the lands he was now conqeuring were now fertile, densely populated regions and not suitable for moving the vast populations. It was enough to take a few slaves in raids and subdue captured soldiers.
After a few years of consolidation, Braehyst invaded South Fraspika, which took three years to crush, much more than the swift campaign against the north. Consequentially, the region was far more devastated, though its peripherals, which in many cases only came under Centaur control over a year later, suffered correspondinly less. The loss of life here took a few more years to recover from, but recover the Clesnetians did. Helped by a new generation of centaurs who had only known the Khanate and who had largely lost their individual tribal loyalties, Braehyst invaded West Fraspika in 1116. In the battle of Contar in 1217, the West Fraspikan king and most of his armies were killed, imploding the state. However, the battle also took a huge toll on the centaur armies, who had lost countless men in reckless charges. The Khanate's position grew more tenuous, as their armies had only won the field in the end thanks to Øldar and the death of the West Fraspikan king. With rebellion simmering in the background, the Khanate had to turn to internal affairs, trying to root out the rebels.
This policy proved to be a mistake, and shows how despite Braehyst's strong tactical skills, he was uneqipped to rule such a large empire. In the end, his pawns, Øldar and Elenaril, ran away together and eventually came out as the leaders of the human rebellion- right under his nose the whole time. The Khan was furious, but the deaths of his heirs at the hands of Øldar meant he had to quell the rebellions himself before marching onward (having become increasingly paranoid he no longer trusted anyone besides his blood with the task). Finally, he led his armies into the disastrous battle of Zalianis (1224). The breathing room since his first assault had given time for the Blazennian Confederation to assemble a large defense force, which had since swelled with Øldar's loyalists and anti-slavery Telrai who turned up to defend their new friends. The zealous centaur armies were absolutely crushed, and Braehyst fled in panic back to Tirim. His empire crumbing, he spend his last days in pleasure, only rising from his bed of whores when news came that the armies of his enemies were at his gate. He was last seen charging in hastily-donned armor towards Øldar and his men, being slain by Øldar moments later.
Tirim was sacked by the armies and its slaves were liberated. The centaurs of the city fled once more into the steppe, looting as they went. Never again would the city rise, and though small settlements can be found just up the bend of the river, the tribe of Tormil is no more. Their lands' current rulers, the powerful tribe of Jugarögch, has no interest in rebuilding the folly of Braehyst, something not even the Second Centaur Khanate attempted.
1196 S.C. - 1225 S.C.
Type
Geopolitical, Clan
Alternative Names
First Centaur Khanate
Demonym
Clesentian
Leader
Leader Title
Official State Religion
Related Species
Related Ethnicities
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