The War of the Red Hand

Military: War

Ard Ri Nevenoe I rebels against Gallia, forcing the Crown to recognize Lethaned independence, seizing control of Eastern Letha and the Marches of Neustria.

The Gallian Crown had nominally controlled Eastern Letha since the 6th Century, demanding ever increasing tributes from its troublesome neighbor as a near-constant string of rebellions and revolts shook the Peninsula. The Gallian King, Loeiz an Deol, placed Nevenoe, the powerful Kont of Gwened, as the Ard Rí in an effort to combat the continued strength of Kernev and Dumnonia in the West.   With Loeiz death, Karl Voal ascended to the throne, eager to make up for the loss of Arle by reinforcing his rule over Letha and Akitania. He increased the demands of tribute, to be delivered to his seneschal at Roazhon.   The Ri Benn of Retz was an old man, and unable to make the journey himself. He instead sent his son, Karo and a parade of chariots laden with the prior year's tribute, a King's ransom of gold, food and wine. As he watched for his son's return in increasing despair and desperation, word reached him that the Gallian Seneschal, displeased that the tribute had remained at the prior year's level, had Karo executed as a traitor.   The Ri Benn set off to Gwened, arriving as the Chieftain arrived from hunting a boar, his hands still wet with the beast's blood. When he heard the man's tail, he swore an Ere-Hud: “By the head of this boar, and by the arrow which slew him, I will not wash this blood from off my hand until I free the country from mine enemies.”   Nevenoe gathered 25 smooth pebbles from the shores of the Mor Bihan, equal to the prior year's amount of silver by weight, and divided them into three bags, one more than asked for by the Gallian Crown. He traveled to Roazhon, but, upon being asked to wash his hands before the meal, a Lethaned hospitality custom, he declined, wishing to deliver the tribute first. The Seneschal eager to open the three bags of silver and unaware of the deeper meaning of Nevenoe's refusal, agreed. The sacks were weighed and the third was found to be significantly underweight. The Seneschal declared it so and Nevenoe, drawing sword from scabbard, tossed the man's head onto the scale.   At the signal, his men overwhelmed the garrison, taking the town before moving to overwhelm Gallian forces, depleted from wars with Arle.