First White~Black Succession
The First White~Black Succession lasted for five years and was the longest of any of the White~Black Successions. Sparked by the death of Ratna Angara, first Empress of Yura, arguments about her successor had begun even before the empress's death. In the end, two primary candidates emerged. The first, Megawati Angara, was the daughter and first child of Ratna Angara and Solikin Ru, the latter being the official Imperial king-consort of the newly formed The Empire of Yura. As such, her claim rested on the assertion that, as the first child of the Empress (upon her crowning) and Imperial king-consort she, and only the children of the legitimate Imperial king-consort should hold the throne. The second candidate, Kusnadi Mosal, was the first child of Ratna, born prior to her ascension to the throne and through her deceased Aphichon (noble) husband. (This noble's name has been lost but it is widely believed that he was a member of the Mosal cadet branch, the Mosals descendants of the Liberated Line of Kosal. In either such case, Kusnadi changed his surname from Angara to Mosal upon the later rejection of his claim). Kusnadi's claim rested on the assertion that, despite his mother's non-imperial status upon his birth, the eldest of her direct descendants, which in this case was him, should hold the throne. (The wording "Direct Descendants" was to later cause significant trouble.) Thus, the irony of the First White~Black Succession was that Ratna Angara's direct bloodline was not in contention, in contention was which of her spouses was required to confer "true" Imperial status.
The Conflict
Prelude
Smaller scale skirmishes persisted for years among both sides. Hit-and-run tactics were common and both sides struggled to gain a decisive victory over the other. Finally, to break the relative stalemate, Kusnadi Mosal decided to take a gamble and march on Magava, Capital of Yura and Artamus hoping to draw Megawati Angara's forces into a pitched battle, where he could leverage his superior numbers. His gamble worked and Megawati Angara left the safety of the capital to intercept him.
Battlefield
The primary and most decisive engagement took place in the marshes northeast of Magava. Despite his superior numbers, clever tactics and choice of terrain nullified Kusnadi Mosal's advantage and in the battle that followed he was slain and his army routed. The battlefield has been named the Field of Broken Brothers after the poem of the same name (see The Field of Broken Brothers).
Outcome
The short-term effects of the First White-Black Succession were two-fold. First, the death of Kusnadi Mosal and the subsequent deaths or imprisonment of most of the Mosal family and their power base cleared the way for Megawati Angara to become Empress. The second was a blanket pardon awarded to the family of Kosal, after they had been publicly humiliated and forced to pay a massive indemnity to the crown. (The Kosals had supported the Mosals, who were a cadet branch of the Liberated Line of Kosal.)
Aftermath
The long-term effects of the First White-Black Succession were many and far-reaching. The brutal treatment of the Mosals made any chance for a peaceful reconciliation between the families forever impossible. Furthermore, the humiliation of the Kosals calcified their already deep hatred for the house of Angara and imperial control in general. Lastly, and perhaps most devastatingly, the war had the opposite effect it intended and legitimized in the minds of many Yurans the idea of succession by the sword, or that might makes right. This belief would have catastrophic effects in the succession crises to come.
Historical Significance
The war brought about some of the biggest changes Yura had seen. The delicate balance that had been maintained by Ratna Angara and the seeming invincibility of the Imperial army was shattered. Satraps, who had previously been little more than annoyed at Imperial rule became openly hostile towards it, while others, who had been only tacit proponents, became fanatical supporters. This polarization was also felt among regular Yurans and for the first time since the founding of the Empire of Yura armed conflicts between Satraps were seen.Legacy
The enduring legacy of the First White-Black Succession would be one of increased violence and division. The war served only to further polarize groups and the atrocities committed during it by the victorious house of Angara served to weaken their claim and alienate many of their allies. This alienation would prove disastrous during the Second White~Black Succession. Furthermore, the polarization between the supporters of Angara and their opponents (not all of whom had any affinity for the Mosals) caused violence to markedly increase throughout the continent as Imperial authority eroded.
In Literature
The conflict inspired the poem The Field of Broken Brothers
Included under Conflict
Conflict Type
War
Battlefield Type
Land
Start Date
1176 A.C.
Ending Date
1181 A.C.
Conflict Result
Kusnadi Mosal was killed and most of the Mosal family and their supporters were killed or imprisoned
Location
Belligerents
Strength
~40,000 (Infantry, Calvary, Magic Users)
~42,000 (Infantry, Cavalry, Magic Users)
Casualties
~10,000 Men
Kusnadi Mosal
~17,000 Men
Objectives
Defeat and surrender of the Mosal rebels
Defeat and surrender of the Angara rebels
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