The First Arshnelic Strait War

War / Conflict

Written by Fulma02

Introduction

The First Arshnelic Strait War of 1510–1512 was one of the many military conflicts fought between the Izghan and Haradan Kingdoms.

Background

The war was triggered by the intensive disputes between farming and harvesting rights on different lands located in Harada and Izgha. The situation was then escalated when Haradan trading ships, under protection from the Haradan Navy, decided to disobey the regulations created by the Izghans for ships travelling through their waters. Also, governers who control the areas where said farms were located, were discreetly working for the Haradans and were compensated in exchange for their services to the Haradan king. On the diplomatic front, Harada had been engaged in discussions with the Telkhabs for the formation of a Haradan–Telkhab alliance that would be engaged in a war with the Izghans. Nevertheless, the war would be begun when ships from an Izghan naval blockade, started firing at Haradan trading ships which carried priceless cargo. Angered, the Haradan Navy sent a fleet to confront the Izghan fleet. A long 24 hour standoff ensued but was broken when both fleets began firing their armaments at each other, signalling the start of the war.

History

The Izghan king's opportunity came with a series of funded uprisings in Harada: Abas Mahsed, the governor of the port city of Ehkan, rose in rebellion. When the rebellion was brutally suppressed, Abas then turned to Izghan Naval Admiral, Rakat Sameni who sent a fleet to Abas' aid. To forestall a Haradan attack on Rakat's fleet, they attempted to disguise the ships as large Haradan trading ships by waving Haradan flags and utilizing captured Haradan ships. In response, to the largely successfull invasion in Ehkan, Harada shifted their focus to land warfare and took action on 14 January 1511 by launching a major offensive in the borders of Izgha. The fall of multiple inland Izghan cities was followed by the massacre of a large part of its inhabitants, as the Haradan king endeavored to transform these cities into lifeless ruins. Harada's inland military operation was a major blow to Izghan morale. Izghan garrisons and the local tribes began to defect, and the Haradans soon captured most of western Izgha, including the cities of Kirvuh and Sath. In 1512, governor Abas, now an Izghan military officer, marched to end the siege on Ehkan. Despite multiple warnings from the Izghans, the Abas' division advanced to neighboring cities and seized them. Abas' assaults managed to penetrate the fortifications, but failed to seize the cities before the arrival of reinforcements from Harada. Abas' army then withdrew within their camps, and continued to be besieged in Ehkan by the Haradan army. In response, Abas decided to conduct unconventional warfare tactics against the Haradans. These strategies were cut short as the Haradan army had already started moving into the city. Meanwhile in the sea, the Tevan campaign (named after admiral Tevan of the Izghan Navy) commenced, it was a large naval campaign with the goal of destroying the weaker and smaller Haradan navy. It was led by multiple naval officers and resulted in the capturing of 8 Haradan ships and the destruction of 11 ships. In 1512, the Izghans, having secured peace with neighbroing countries in Katkal, mustered their naval forces for another offensive under a newly reformed navy. However, a severe storm and heavy floods made operations in the Haradan coasts impossible, and the navy turned west instead, invading a gathering Haradan fleet. On 4 September 1512, the Izghan navy routed the Haradans to battle at Haradan coasts near the port city of Nahka and proceeded to land forces in the unprotected city.

Aftermath

The Treaty of Ehkan, concluded on 17 December 1512, finally settled the conflict, with no sides officially winning. The historical Katkalian nation of G'chanka, which formally denied any involvement in the conflict, was also forced to sign the treaty. The rest of the borders were restored roughly according to the way they were before the war.