Coup of Ten Knives

The Coup of Ten Knives was a military insurgency led by Ahadin al Bashra against Kir'shah Selim III. While much of Selim's tyranny was a well-known fact, as Al'qayid of the Knights of the Cloth, Ahadin got an exclusive view of some of the darkest deeds performed by the Kir'shah. This led him to decide that, along with a number of his fellow leaders in the Knights, and a few influential members of Selim's own court, they should overthrow Selim and his rule.
Naturally, the majority of this had to be discussed and planned in secret, as it was not only treason, but would have been considered an act worthy of excommunication by the Eryqq Orthodoxy that the Knights served. Still, Ahadin and his co-conspirators believed that they were acting in the best interests of the nation. Sum and total, there were ten people directly involved in the coup.
The coup was sprung the night of Selim's birthday, during his party at the palace. As was normal for him, Selim was throwing himself a lavish party with food, drink, and entertainment. This was expected by the members of the coup, and allowed them to slip one of their members in as a dancer. Mara bat Dayik was a dancer favored by Selim, as well as one he had forced into a sexual relationship and then had his men pay her off when she became pregnant; so, it goes without saying she was happy to join the coup.
The plan was rather simple: strategic isolation. During the party, they would launch a siege on the palace. Naturally, this would trigger a response from the royal guards, drawing them away from the party. With Knights of the Cloth in attendance, the safety of the Kir'shah and his guests would be entrusted to them. They would then have the troops of the noble conspirators go like they were ready to attack Selim, which would be "dealt with" by the Knights, allowing Mara to Selim alone and assassinate him. With the Kir'shah dead, and the palace sieged, as well as numerous nobles that could be taken prisoner to ensure their success, the coup will have been a success.
In execution, it went very much to plan, but there was one thing unaccounted for: combatant nobles. Rather than fall to panic during the siege, there were some guests that actually jumped to arms and tried to fight the insurgents. While nothing that couldn't be handled, it drastically increased the death toll of the coup, and claimed the lives of more than soldiers and Selim.
Alas, though a success, the coup is also the direct catalyst for the massacre at Tel Mahashar.

Conflict Type

Siege

Belligerents

Loyalists

Ten Knives

• Knights of the Cloth

Strength

Casualties

Objectives