Xüfonz War

When it comes to wars in Central Thurásin, the Central War steals the show. And while that war nigh-singlehandedly defined the geopolitics of the Central and South regions, the Xüfonz War is responsible for our current era of central cooperation. Which is strange, given it began as a disagreement with no external input.

— Pris Xüfonzayo Historian

The Xüfonz War was a civil war in the titular Xüfonz, a country located on the north shores of Lake Strelish. Sparked in large part by the sudden death of Grand Prince Ozoken V, it lasted 13 years and helped shape modern politics in Central Thurásin.

Origins of the Conflict

The Principality of Xüfonz had been founded in the aftermath of the Central War, formed by the union of many disparate states who had cooperated extensively during the War. Their bond had been forged while fighting on behalf of Ozäxa-Lavüdh, and the country's first Grand Prince was an Ozäxa-Lavüdhayo prince who married a local duchess.
This union held firm for several centuries, but trouble began to emerge when Ozäxa-Lavüdh gave Xüfonz ownership of the city of Saxayodh, notable for its position along the River Tsädh. With this port, the country could now sail ships all the way to the southern seas, which helped to highlight a growing economic and cultural divide between the country's north and south. The relocation of the capital to Saxayodh only stoked tensions, but successive Grand Princes and Princesses held the nation together.
That is, until Grand Prince Ozoken V died suddenly in 55 Discovery. He was only 36 at the time, and left behind an unclear succession. Ordinarily his eldest child would have taken the position, but he had divorced his wife not long after the birth of their son Vaiken. As previous royal divorces had also disinherited the children of those marriages, it was possibly but not certain the same applied to Vaiken. On this basis Ozoken's second wife and widow, Loi-lii, assumed the position of regent on behalf of her son, Üchla. Vaiken's mother Chörri was furious, and tensions flared.

War

The first three years of Loi-lii's regency were defined by political conflict, as the nobles of Xüfonz began to take sides. Loi-lii did little to unify the country, focusing on protecting her son's position and the power she held on his behalf. That she was originally from Ozäxa-Lavüdh became a point of contention, with Chörri's allies arguing she did not understand the country she was running.
The fragile peace finally broke in 58 Discovery, after a dinner held to bring the two sides to peace spiralled into violence. Who threw the first blow isn't known, but urban legend states that the war began when young Vaiken threw a pie at Prince Üchla.
The war in Xüfonz initially remained a local affair. Nobles and cities picked sides to support, with the north generally supporting Üchla and the south supporting Vaiken. Outside interference was refused by both sides on the belief that the conflict would be short and bloodless. This swiftly proved false as Saxayodh and the former capital of Skrezosh erupted into violence, but external participation remained low.

The War Expands

This changed in 61 Discovery, when Loi-lii and Üchla were attacked in Saxayodh. While the young prince was able to escape unharmed, his mother was captured and publicly executed. This sparked international condemnation, with Ozäxa-Lavüdh and their close allies formally pledging to support Üchla's claim. Loi-lii's chief royal guard, Captain Dandash, assumed the regency in her absence and ordered the capture of Loi-lii's killers, having them executed in much the same way. This sparked a similar outrage from Vaiken's supporters, and countries such as Dätsalöl threw in behind his claim.
Battle for control of key cities along the lakeside was fierce, and efforts were made by both sides to blockade ports and prevent the arrival of supplies. Naval battles regularly erupted, often catching civilian merchants and sailors in their midst. This most famously affected Varrzaxadh, a country who was neutral in the Xüfonz War until 66 Discovery, when a merchant ship on the lake was attacked by boats belonging to Vaiken, killing all aboard. Varrzaxadh swiftly entered the war on the side of Üchla, but pushed heavily for a total end to the war.

Peace

The war was finally brought to an end in 71 Discovery, when the Queen of Varrzaxadh managed to convince Prince Vaiken and Prince Üchla to negotiate a settlement. These negotiations took place on the island of Biiyang, which belonged to Varrzaxadh at the time. The resultant Treaty of Biiyang had the following main clauses;

• Each Prince will become Grand Prince over his own principality, colloquially known as Upper Xüfonz and Lower Xüfonz
• The border between these two countries will be enforced by a international coalition staffed by soldiers from all Strelish nations
• Lake Strelish will become a condominium, owned by no single country

The two principalities were instructed to change their names and flags, but only the latter ever occured. The two are now referred to by the general public as Ibza and Pris Xüfonz. The two intermittently claim the other as part of their territory, but these has not sparked a second war yet.
The coalition charged with border defense soon had its role expand to cover policing the laws of the lake condominium, evolving into the Wardens of Strelish.

Conflict Type

War

Start Date

58 Discovery

Ending Date

71 Discovery

Conflict Result

Stalemate, with the Xüfonz was split into two countries

Belligerents

Vaiken Coalition

"Upper" Xüfonz
Dätsalöl
Na-ochiixid

Led By

Grand Princess Chörri (58 - 71)
Grand Prince Vaiken III (65 - 71)

Üchla Coalition

"Lower" Xüfonz
Varrzaxadh
Ozäxa-Lavüdh

Led By

Grand Princess Loi-lii (58 - 61)
Captain Dandash (61 - 71)
Grand Prince Üchla X (68 - 71)

Objectives

Secure Vaiken's position as Grand Prince of all the Xüfonz

Secure Üchla's position as Grand Prince of all the Xüfonz

Ozoken's Death

Grand Prince Ozoken V's sudden death has captured the minds of many over the years. The official cause, from the royal doctors at the time, was a heart attack that caused him to fall from his horse and sustain heavy injuries.
This report has been disputed, with alternatives ranging from poisoning to an ambush that was covered up. Most accusations of foul play blame Loi-lii, due to how Ozoken's death would benefit her more than her rival Chörri.
Despite how widespread these rumours are, historians believe that Ozoken's death was genuinely non-suspicious. They cite his mother's family's history of heart conditions and dying young, and that Ozoken's inactive lifestyle made it easy for him to overexert himself and risk pain.

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