Imesse History Summary

Timeline of Imesse, from the founding of the country
1 Benn Ohn conquers varied small states and calls the new kingdom “Imesse”.
7 Benn Ohn dies, and his son Fran Ohnni is crowned. He expands the kingdom to its present borders.
20 Fran Ohnni dies in battle with Colian warlords, his brother Dogar Ohnni takes the throne.
25 Dogar Ohnni is murdered, son Matar Ohnni is crowned.
34 Matar begins war with Colo to expand borders north.
35 Matar captured and executed by Gundar of Rotrishold, ending First Northern War. Son Mellar crowned.
51 Mellar dies, son Borim crowned.
52 Borim’s claim to the throne is challenged by his brother, Sedrim am Ohnni. Civil war ensues.
53 Sedrim takes Northridge but Borim escapes. Both claim title of King of Imesse.
54 Sedrim is murdered in his sleep. Borim crushes support of Sedrim’s son as rightful heir, putting more  than 2,000 men to the sword.
57 Borim dies, ending the “Bloody Years” reign with the crowning of Jorrif am Ohnni.
64 Jorrif abdicates in favor of his son, Jerim.
74 Jerim dies, Jerim II is crowned.
77 Jerim II dies, Mellar II is crowned. Western revolt is put down and the first Western Barony is established at Beldoah.
79 Mellar II dies without heir. Seven months of civil war result in the crowning of Mykal and the end of the am Ohnni dynasty.
84 Mykal dies in a dual with his cousin, Thane. Thane rules as Regent until Mykal’s son Url is old enough to rule.
87 Url is crowned king at age 10.
89 Url dies of consumption at age 12, and his uncle Thane is crowned king.
92 “Black Famine” begins with a cold, wet spring and a short summer. Harvests fail across the land. Revolts break out in the south and west.
93 Thane invades Cobal in hopes of gaining lands and ending famine.
94 More rebellion in the south, fighting in Cobal goes badly. Desertion rate is high.
95 Another long winter and wet summer causes continued crop failures and more open revolt in the south and west. Rebel forces are aided by Cobal in an effort to hamper Thane’s war in the west.
96 Rebel armies cross the Caldar River into the north, led by Josso am Maxalli (Thunderfist). Rebels advance towards Northridge, gathering support along the way.
97 Josso lays siege to Northridge.
98 After an entire season of constant warfare in and around the city, Northridge is completely devastated and the castle is destroyed. Josso releases Thane and grants him all lands in and around Cyell. Josso is crowned king as the first am Maxalli King of Imesse.
100 The “Black Famine” ends with the largest harvest in living memory. Josso makes his new capital at Southridge
142 Josso dies after 44 year reign. His son Lothar is crowned king.
144 Lothar seizes all lands held by Thane Mykalli descendants in and around Cyell and grants them to his father-in-law, Willum Bondari, making him the first Baron of Cyell.
146 Lothar is confronted with a massive invasion of orcs from the west. Thousands of orcs ravage the land from the frontier all the way to Wessridge over the course of the year.
147 Lothar and his brother, Maklar, begin to drive the orcs back west at great cost to the kingdom. Thousands are lost in the fighting, and entire regions are left uninhabited by the war.
150 Lothar drives the orcs back to the western frontier. Maklar defeats the orc war chief in single combat, and most remaining orcs flee to the west. Maklar is granted title of the first Grand Baron of Wessridge.
155 Lothar dies. His son, Maxin, is crowned king. Maxin marries the oldest daughter of King Dorian of Aria, bringing the two kingdoms into close relations.
172 After 17 years of peaceful and prosperous rule, Maxin dies. His son, Max, is crowned king at Southridge. Max is plagued by ill-health, but rules for an unprecedented 35 years
207 Knowing he is near his end, Max divides Imesse into two kingdoms: Imesse, to be ruled directly by his son Max II in the north and Lesser Imesse, ruled by Mak in the south. Max II is given the title High King, and Mak swears fealty to him. Max dies just days after his sons are crowned into their kingdoms.
209 Mak dies after only two years on the throne of Lesser Imesse, afflicted with the same frail health that his father suffered from. His son, Mak II, is crowned King of Lesser Imesse, swears fealty to his uncle, Max II (and his cousin, Max III, at his coronation), rules for 24 years to the present day, and is 58 years old. His reign has been (mainly) peaceful and prosperous for the south, and he is much loved in his kingdom.
210 Max II begins to rebuild Northridge as a capital of the north. Construction of the castle at Northridge will continue for the next 20 years.
213 Max II allows raids and attacks along the border with Colo to grow to a point of all-out war. Nobles from Hekmo, Wessridge and Cyell encourage the war, thinking to expand the Kingdom north with an easy campaign against the “barbarian” Colians. The war goes badly for Imesse from the start. Losing every major battle for two years drives the nobles of Imesse to begin fighting amongst themselves to determine how best to end the conflict.
215 Turl, Duke of Hekmo, convinces Max II that an invasion of Cobal would give Imesse the needed resources, treasure and morale boost it needed to win in Colo. Max II gives his approval and Turl takes a large force of cavalry and foot across the Manisar River, where they proceed to fail at every attack they attempt. The force is cut off from retreating across the Manisar, and is forced to march hundreds of miles to a point where they could cross the Caldar River back into Imesse, and the “retreat” takes five weeks to complete and costs Turl’s invading force more than 5,000 men killed. Turl blamed most of the failure on his troops, which further divided the noble houses of Imesse.
218 The war with Colo ends after five long and bloody years with no gain in territory for Imesse. Conservative estimates on the cost run as high as 15,000 fighting men and millions of guilders in gold. Over the next ten years, Imesse suffers from corruption and graft amongst the nobles of the kingdom. Taxes and tithes are diverted towards elite’s coffers rather than national priorities, and the nation suffers for it.
228 Max II rules for 21 years as High King. His rule is plagued by strive and conflict, both with neighboring kingdoms and from within his own kingdom. Conflicts between nobles have produced resentment and distrust throughout the kingdom. Upon his death, his son, Max III, is crowned High King. He has ruled from his new capital at Northridge for 5 years and is 18 years old. Max III has had a difficult start to his reign, and the north is riddled with hostility and dissent. Other powerful figures in the north see him as young and weak, and take advantage of this often.
233 Present Day.