Battle of Denittin

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Conflicts and Conspiracies


Andistani Revolt


Battle of Denittin}

He must have shit himself. I bet he ran before he could even see all us. Coward!
— A Kanodite soldier after the battle

The Battle of Denittin was fought in mid 96BSF between the Kanodite army of Mazyar I and the Sarvenganian army of Dariush. The battle was fought roughly ten miles outside the town of Denittin. The battle was fought as part of the Andistani Revolt. In 98BSF, the city of Andistan overthrew their Kanodite garrison and crowned a member of their nobility, Sina, as Andistani King. In the following year, the Kanodites suffered two large defeats at the Battle of Mypatha and the Battle of Abisi. The Kanodite loss at Mypatha incited the Sarvenganians to overthrow their Kanodite and crown their own king, Dariush. 96BSF marked the reverse in fortune for the Kanodites. At the beginning of the year, the city of Andistan was sacked, crippling the financial and production of the Andistani. The Battle of Denittin was fought in the week after the sacking. Dariush, hearing of the attack on Andistan, marshalled his forces to retake the city. An Andistani messenger, attempting to warn Dariush that Mazyar was close was intercepted and forced to share mis information with the Sarvenganians who were falsely informed that Sina had beaten Mazyar I and the remnants of the imperial army were now retreating west. Believing he had a numerical advantage and that the Kanodites were in dire straits, Dariush engaged a much larger Kanodite force was quickly overwhelmed, fleeing the battle. The battle ended Sarvenganian participation in the Andistani Revolt. After a brief siege, Dariush accepted the terms offered by Mazyar and went into exile whilst Sarvengan became an imperial city once more. Despite concerns that the city would be given to sack, Mazyar was keen to end the revolt quickly and avoid fostering further resentment for imperial rule.

Background

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Despite hopes for a wider coalition of rebellious cities, only Sarvengan joined Andistan in declaring independence. Together both marched on, took and sacked the city of Amamia in 97BSF, historically the first in the region to fall under Kanodite influence. After the fall of Amamia, the Kanodite Empire had lost two Shahliks, two cities, an army and over half of it's navy in under a year. The Andistani Revolt had also seen an expedition from the Samadic Kingdom sent to aid Andistan which risked a wider regional conflict. In 96BSF, the Kanodites launched a two-prong attack on the rebellious forces. A naval blockade of Andistan was designed to force Sina, the Andistani King, to remain close the city and a sizeable army, led personally by the Kanodite Great King, Mazyar I would retake Amamia before pressing further into Sarvengian and Andistani territory. The proposed blockade escalated into the capture of Andistan which left only Sarvengan as the city no longer held by the Kanodites. Amamia had been retaken shortly before the fall of Andistan.

Prelude

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The Andistani King, Sina, was quickly informed of the fall of Andistan and had most of his army intact. Knowing that beating the Kanodites in the field would be unlikely, and that retaking Andistan quickly would be near impossible, he retreated south and sent word to Dariush and the Sarvenganian forces to join him to regroup and plan their next steps. The messenger sent to Dariush was intercepted by Kanodite forces and forced to turncoat. Instead of being told that the Kanodites were quickly closing in, Dariush was told that Mazyar I had been soundly beaten and was retreating in a disorderly fashion. He was asked to finish off the defeated Kanodites before they could escape to Amamia. Hastily, Dariush assembled his forces and force-marched them to meet the Kanodites. Both sides meet just outside of the town of Denittin in the late morning.

The Opposing Forces

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Sarvenganian

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Dariush brought 5,000 infantry and roughly 500 cavalry which constituted nearly all troops available to him. Dariush personally led the cavalry in the vanguard in the hopes of catching the Kanodites before they could prepare for battle or retreat further. Up to half of the cavalry did not join the battle as they were scouting further for more Kanodite forces.

Kanodite

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Mazyar I brought 35,000 infantry and 5,000 cavalry to battle, unbeknowst to Dariush. Most of the men were kept in reserve until battle commenced to convince the Sarvenganians to join battle instead of retreat. The Kanodites had 24 war elephants available to them however they too were kept in reserve and not deployed in the battle.

Strategic and tactical considerations

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Mazyar I's plan hinged on the Sarvenganians being unaware of the size and state of his force. If Dariush became aware that he was outnumbered and that the Kanodites had not been beaten by the Andistani, he would retreat back to Sarvengan and goud the Kanodites into a lengthy siege whilst awaiting Andistani reforcements. Mazyar spread his forces thin intentionally knowing that scouts would eventually find him and he needed his army to look fragmented. However, his entire army needed to be close enough to each other to support any engagement when it started. For the order of battle, it was hoped that Dariush would invest his forces quickly in the knowledge that the Kanodites would not be battle ready. A wider field of battle was needed to deploy his forces correctly and to permit him to encircle the Sarvenganians once they realised their situation. Launching the trap too early would mean that Dariush would not engage at all, too late would allow Dariush to withdraw a portion of his forces to fight another day.

Like a dove, we must make our wings quiver as though broken. Only when it is too late to retreat shall this dove become the hawk once more

The Battle

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Kanodite scouts met Sarvenganian scouts a few miles outside of the town of Denittin and a skirmish began. The Kanodites withdrew and the Sarvenganian's returned to the bulk of their forces reporting the position of Mazyar and both sides drew up battle lines. Most of the Kanodite army was kept in reserve to ensure that Dariush committed entirely. To this end, the Kanodite center slowly gave ground until the Sarvenganian reserves joined the fight whilst maintaining enough order to avoid breaking. Once the signal was given, the Kanodite reinforcements joined the battle heavily buffing the right and left flanks only being noticed by the Sarvenganians when it was too late to withdraw in an orderly fashion. Dariush and most his cavalry turned and fled, suffering minor casualties, whilst the Sarvenganian infantry were cut down as they ran by the Kanodite cavalry. The battle lasted little over an hour and few prisoners were taken by the Kanodites.

Aftermath

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Mazyar's ruse was an unmitigated success although he was reportedly angered by Dariush's escape. Regardless of Mazyar's anger, the Sarvenganian army was no longer fit as a fighting force and Sarvengan would no longer have any influence on the Andistani Revolt. After regrouping his forces, Mazyar marched on Sarvengan before asking for a parley with Dariush. It was believed that Mazyar would torch the city as his forces had done soo recently at Andistan however terms were reached to avoid a siege.

Mazyar I, the Great King of the Kanodites, arrived before the walls of Sarvengan after his victory at Denittin. Few Sarvenganians stood atop the walls, so complete had their destruction been. All knew of the ashes of Andistan and expected the same for Sarvengan

For the Sarvenganians, there army was gone and a sizeable enemy force was outside of their walls so any terms would be accepted. For Mazyar, militarily the Andistani forces were still at large and, although diminished, could cause further issues. A siege or bloody assault would only give the Andistani more time to regroup and gain more troops. Hostages were taken from Dariush, who surrendered his crown in a lavish ceremony. It is believed that the crown was taken back to the site of the battle and buried in an unmarked hole to symbolise the end of the short-lived Sarvenganian Kingdom. Despite his part in the revolt, Dariush was permitted to hold his Shalikdom although the city was garrisoned by a sizeable Kanodite force.

Significance

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Whilst the battle is remembered by the Sarvenganians, it is seen as a footnote in the Andistani Revolt by most scholars who argue that the conflict was a failure doomed from inception. The resulting terms of peace are often seen as more important than the battle itself. Whilst Mazyar I could have torn the city down, he instead choose to exempt the city from tax for six months and leave the rebellious Shahlik in charge, with a hefty Kanodite garrison to ensure loyalty. Many at the Kanodite court were outraged that the Great King had effectively pardoned the man that had slain his brother in battle however Mazyar believed that keeping the peace in the region was more important than exacting revenge. Some have argued that the ruins of city could be used as a rallying cry for another revolt, whilst one thriving under the Kanodites was less likely to be.