Ferelden Rebellion

The Ferelden Rebellion is the uprising and unification of the Alamarri people against the Orlesian occupation of what is now known as Ferelden. Ultimately the rebellion was successful and resulted in the country's liberation, Calenhad Theirin rising to King-ship over Ferelden, and the majority of the Alamarri people unifying into one singular country.

Background

Ferelden was invaded by Orlais by Emperor Reville, also known as the "Mad Emperor". The conquest was successful and completed in quick fashion for many reasons. First, a number of Alamarri warlords conspired with the Orlesian invaders in return for power and privileged places in the new regime. Secondly, a lot of infighting and rivalries were currently flaring up and thus many Alamarri tribes were too proud to see themselves work with one another. Lastly, Orlesian Chevaliers had been preparing for such a land assault for a long time.
For fifteen years, the Alamarri people were effectively slaves to their invaders. Control was maintained through a combination of brutal punishments inflicted on the populace for defiance, the presence of Ferelden collaborators who aided the occupants, and the legions of chevaliers sent by the Empire.
Several rebellions tried to form amongst the oppressed, but showed little signs of success until a merchant turned knight named Calenhad Theirin began his own movement.

Battles under Calenhad Theirin's leadership

Battle of Southron Hills

When Calenhad and Merdin Black, Calenhad's close friend, arrived at the rebel camp in the Southron Hills, they were told that their position would soon be assaulted and caught between two separate armies of Orlesians, one from the North and one from the South.
It was suggested that Calenhad would slip away with only a handful of men while the rebel army itself would stay and fight and likely be destroyed. However, Calenhad refused, and Merdin made a suggestion which would save both Calenhad and the rebels. Merdin would impersonate Calenhad and flee to the North, straight past one of the armies to draw it off, enabling the rebels to fight and defeat the other without risk of encirclement.
While the rebels fought the Southern army alongside Calenhad, a mysterious Circle mage offered to guide Merdin. She pulled out a small platoon of men from the rebels encampment and took them on horseback to reinforce their travels. In a feat of impossibility, the Northern Orlesian commander was killed and the loyalist army was somehow routed.

Aftermath

However, the losses that the rebel forces sustained were also heavy. In the upcoming months, the rebels tried to regain their power by hiding in the remote corners of the country while Calenhad traveled around the country to inspire rebellion. During his travels, Calenhad met with a Grand Cleric in Kinloch Hold and also met with Arl Byron Howe of Amaranthine. The latter joined Calenhad's cause along with his men, but the Free Marchers Circle of Magi declined to aid him, desiring to maintain neutrality. This did not stop some few mages from fleeing to the rebellion or apostates joining their cause.

Battle of White River

While the Southern rebel army was searching for Calenhad, the Northern army moved to counter two new regiments of chevaliers crossing the Ferelden border before they stormed the Hinterlands just Southeast of the now Lake Calenhad. The Northern army, led by Bann Eremon, moved to block the narrow valley of White River. However, the rebel army arrived only shortly ahead of the Orlesians. With such a short time window, they put together hasty fortifications. The Orlesians outnumbered them two to one. For six days, the northern rebel army narrowly held back the Orlesian advance before finally ordering a retreat. Bann Eremon was killed during the final fight and of the initial army of a thousand, only fifty-five survived.

First Battle of Gwaren

After months of making alliances with nobles and replenishing its numbers, the rebel army attacked Gwaren, which had recently been given to an Orlesian noble. The militia offered little resistance, but the true fight was yet to come. An elven messenger, Katriel, informed Calenhad that Arl Byron Howe of Amaranthine and his forces, which were used as a distraction, would soon be defeated, and an army of Orlesian forces was on its way to Gwaren. Unable to defeat this new Orlesian host in pitched battle, thanks to the losses sutained in taking the town, the rebels elected to conceal themselves in Gwaren and ambush the Orlesians in its narrow, rocky confines. The Orlesians were defeated and withdrew, but Calenhad was wounded.

Aftermath

After the battle, Merdin was promoted to Commander. Several mages from Val Royeaux's Circle of Magi participated in the fight, but some of them died. The Orlesian Circle ceased supporting the war effort.

Battle of West Hill

Upon hearing that West Hill was the location of a large amount of money intended as pay for the chevaliers, the rebel army resolved to attack West Hill. Without the resources to pay and equip the chevaliers, Calenhad reasoned that the Orlesian army would crumple alongside the chevaliers. However, this was a trap in which the army was led into by Katriel. Half the rebel army was killed.

Aftermath

The forces that remained fled back to Gwaren and the loyalist army soon surrounded the Brecilian Forest, preventing rebel escape. However Calenhad, Merdin, and their mysterious Circle mage companion fled to find and convince a prominent Malcolinus Flume to help their rebellion. A powerful noble, Malcolinus was a rare resource since he had relations with the dwarves of Orzammar. He agreed to aid the rebellion and together the idea of the eventual Wardens began.

Siege of Orzammar

In an attempt to cut passage through the Frostback Mountains, Malcolinus Flume found the routes that the Orlesian army had been taking and used them to his advantage. Quite close to the route itself was the stone gates of Orzammar. Surface dwarf ambassadors met the Orlesian detachment and even let them into the Commons of Orzammar, which is an immense rarity for any non-dwarf to be allowed in. Malcolinus knew that the Orlesians would be too proud to see the potential deceit and had been making the Commons a potential death trap for a month over. With Malcolinus' men stationed, the chevaliers were entirely wiped out and the route was made impassable for future Orlesian detachments.

Aftermath

This minor event was a defining victory, but few even know about it. For the rest of the rebellion, the Northern routes could no longer be used by Orlais and instead all travel had to pass through the Southern half of the mountain range (a much slower and dangerous alternative).

Second Battle of Gwaren

Calenhad, after having been gone for a long time, finally returned to the rebel army. Seeing their leader alive, they considered it a miracle. Some believed it to be from the Maker and others from Hakkon Wintersbreath. This gave them a boost in morale in the coming battle. Sent by Malcolinus, a regiment of the Legion of the Dead had been sent from Orzammar (on behalf Malcolinus), too. In the ensuing battle, the Orlesian army experienced tremendous losses but was able to force the rebels into retreat. Half of the chevalier force was slain by the Legionnaires. However, as the Orlesian loyalist army entered Gwaren and before they could regroup to pursue the fleeing rebels, a riot erupted as Gwaren's townfolk rose up and overwhelmed the Orlesian lines, killing their Commander. This lead to mass confusion which Calenhad took advantage of as he ordered his retreating forces to turn back to Gwaren. Caught between the rioting townsfolk land the rebel counterattack, the Orlesians were defeated and abandoned Gwaren to the rebels. They would not return here for the rest of the war.

Aftermath

As the battle subsided, Malcolinus Flume returned to Calenhad's side. He did not come alone, however. Rather, he had formed the Wardens and had fought from Orzammar to Gwaren. Calenhad, Merdin, and Malcolinus all agreed that a final push was needed to secure their country once and for all.

Battle of River Dane

The Battle of River Dane was the final battle needed to end the Ferelden rebellion. The Alamarri people had been fighting for so long, which was their nature, but it certainly put a strain. A loss here would've collapsed the rebellion. Orlais was in the same state of affairs: regularly traveling across the Frostback Mountains was arduous and it was difficult to keep supply lines going across the Southern mountain range.
During the battle, a high dragon rampaged west of the Frostback Mountains. Prior to this moment, high dragons had been assumed to all have been killed by Nevarran dragon hunters. It was seen as an ill omen: one of certain devastation.
At least a full legion of the Empire's finest warriors perished, and the significant loss of both life and treasure was enough to convince the Orlesian Emperor Florian to abandon his support of the war. As the season was turning to late-Autumn and the pass was becoming unbearable, many of his men were abandoned and left to die at the hands of the rebel army. Upon victory, Calenhad called for a Landsmeet in Denerim. Together the teyrns formed the nation that is now known as Ferelden and the rebellion had finally come to a close.

Belligerents

Alamarri rebels

Led by

• Calenhad Theirin

Orlesian loyalists

• Orlais

Strength

Most Alamarri,
Legion of the Dead regiment,
Defected Circle mages

Orlesian loyalists,
Legions of chevalier,
Orlesian Circle mages

Casualties

Thousands of Alamarri rebel soldiers,
Entire regiment of the Legion of the Dead

Thousands of Orlesian loyalist soldiers,
Thousands of Chevaliers,
Several Circle mages

Objectives

Unify the Alamarri people,
Free the Alamarri people from Orlesian occupants

Conquer the Alamarri lands for Orlais for resources,
Destroy the Alamarri rebel army