Altanari Civil War
The Altanari Civil War of 2007 was an internal conflict from January to March 2007. It was a brief, but bloody, war between traditionalists bent on overthrowing the Altanari monarchy, Akamian separatists striving to carve an independent state out of their region of Altanar, and the Altanari government.
Causes of the war
Most historians in Altanar trace the beginnings of the conflict back long before the actual fighting started. Most of them believe that the seeds of the conflict were planted at the beginning of Altanar's history, during the Unification period. During this period, the first King of Altanar, Olen, struck a compromise with the petty rulers of the other Altanari kingdoms. He agreed to let them continue to rule, and tax, their respective domains if they agreed to join a unified Altanari state without resistance. Most historians believe that Olen did this to avoid fighting a long, protracted conflict to force their obedience. As history would show, however, Olen and succeeding Kings merely deferred the conflict to future generations. The underlying cause of the war - the intractable conflict between King and subjects striving for democracy, and entrenched nobles clinging to their historic power and rights - was not addressed until Altanar's current King, Aelkyn, decided to take the issue on.
Another major cause of the war was the other major historical issue that Altanar's Kings had preferred to ignore if they could - the recurring, intermittent conflict between the Altanari government and Akamian separatists. Altanar's Kings had preferred to try to appease and accomodate the Akamian Self-Determination Front (ASDF), the Akamian separatist organization. This issue would also, finally, be addressed by Aelkyn - albeit unintentionally and unexpectedly.
A third cause of the war, which many historians believe was secondary, but still important, was the profound social and ethnic change that Altanar underwent during the past 30-plus years. Beginning under King Cianar in the 1970s, Altanar began letting people emigrate to the country for the first time. This process was accelerated drastically under Aelkyn, who created the World Haven program for refugees, vastly opened up the immigration process, and launched Altanar into the international community by joining the United Nations and establishing Altanar's first embassies with nations other than its immediate neighbors. The drastic social, religious, cultural and demographical changes that the nation underwent in a short span of time alarmed some religious figures and traditionalists, who turned on Aelkyn and the government in a bid to stop this process.
Beginning of the war
Historians place the beginning date of the war as January 28, 2007. This was the date that King Aelkyn launched what many see as the shot across the bow of his opponents, with a speech to the elected side of the then-bicameral Altanari Legislature. Aelkyn pledged to remove the Altanari nobility from their traditional seats in the Legislature, and also strip them of the right to tax the people directly. This was a move widely praised by many, as it was something that most Altanari citizens had been demanding for years. However, it aroused the ire of the nobles, who were facing the loss of almost all of their income and political power. They decided not to take the matter lying down.
Led by the Lord of Celavan Province, Jovan Pyrellis, the nobles hatched a plot to take control of Aelkyn's father, the retired former King Cianar. The plan revolved around inserting an agent into Cianar's household, dosing the former King with mind-control drugs, and assassinating King Aelkyn, Queen Melika, and her unborn child. The plotters then planned to control the throne through Cianar once he was on the throne again, and use him to ensure their continued place in power.
While this plot was unrolling, the nobles went on a legal offensive as well, claiming that King Aelkyn's plans were unconstitutional and demanding that the State Court rule on the matter. Aelkyn cited Article 11, Clause 6, Section 3 of the Altanari Constitution: "In times of emergency or extreme need, the Sovereign may make changes to the structure of the government as needed. This shall include the judicial, legislative, military and law enforcement institutions of this government, and shall be allowed to be enacted by Royal Decree. In situations where the need for such changes is disputed, the State Court shall serve as the ultimate and final arbiter of such changes." The State Court pledged to rule on the matter on January 31, 2007.
On January 30, 2007, matters escalated when a major riot occurred at Legislature Square in downtown Ael Khalas. Seven people were injured, with one of them - a retired former Royal Army soldier and opposition member - dying. The riot in Ael Khalas spurred similar riots in other cities against the nobility. The unrest grew even worse on February 1, 2007, when a group of rioters attempted to storm the estate of the Lord of Ektar Province, and were beaten back by guards. The Altanari media broadcast scenes of both the Leglslature Square riot and the assault on the estate in Ektar, inflaming tensions. Nationwide coverage of a lavish party the nobles had been attending in the capital also lit a spark.
Further rioting broke out on February 9th, 2007, and spread to the cities of Kyrinia, Marr, Astrival, Lukisha, Narraskath and Draskatar. Guards and mercenaries working for the nobles in those cities fired upon crowds that tried to storm noble estates, and sporadic incidents of Provincial Guard units breaking orders and attacking the nobles as well began to filter into the Altanari government.
Meanwhile, Lord Pyrellis discovered that the Altanari government had been made aware of the plot against the Royal Family. Pyrellis decided that the time to launch his real plan had arrived, as the plan to gain control of the throne was no longer viable.
On February 9th, 2007, under the ruse of discussing their plans, Pyrellis lured most of the nobles to his mansion in Ael Khalas, where he had them assassinated by his guards. The nobles' bodies were dumped in Independence Square in Nalioka, with signs that tried to pin the killings on the opposition and protesters. However, this effort was soon seen through by Altanar's intelligence service, which managed to trace the nobles back to Pyrellis' house before they died. Arrest warrants were issued for Pyrellis and his co-consiprators - Lord Sarkas, Lady Tarabesh, Lord Inimena, Lord Ankrina and Lord Grengath. Altanar's Royal Police stormed their known residences in an attempt to locate and arrest them, exchanging gunfire with their guards and mercenaries. These conflicts, which broke out on February 11, 2007, are considered by most historians to be the first official battles of the Altanari Civil War.
The war expands
Events began to accelerate on February 13, 2007. In Gennor Province, a group of supporters of the Haraspar noble family staged a 'socialist' revolt, in which they declared that Gennor was under the authority of the "Peoples' Soviet of Harasparton". Meanwhile, in Po Province, one of the few nobles to survive the massacre of February 9th, Lord Sarkas, took control of Altanari military forces in his province and staged a revolt there.
On February 14th, the leaders of the Church of Altanar in the provinces of Lukisha, Staria and Ektar staged their own revolt, in which they denounced Aelkyn and the "heretical and unnatural" changes he was bringing to the nation. This revolt was in turn denounced by the greater Church of Altanar, which decided to support the King. Also on February 14th, government forces attempted to enter Po Province through the village of Malitseth, where they engaged in combat with the rebel forces under Lord Sarkas.
That same day, Lord Pyrellis launched the second phase of his plan. Along with Lords Inimena, Ankrina and Grengath, and with the support of the Akamian separatist leader, "General" Sinis Kerilais, the Akamian nobles and the Akamian Self-Determination Front launched a bid to force Altanari government forces out of their region and declare independence. Their efforts involved assassinating Altanari officials in the region, setting off car bombs to sow confusion, and then launching a full-scale assault on Altanari police and military installations.
A major escalation in the conflict occurred on February 16th, when the rebellious churches in Staria, Ektar and Lukisha were destroyed by massive explosions of unknown origin. The Altanari government claimed to have no knowledge of the explosions; on February 20th, the Church of Altanar declared the explosions to be "a sign that those who stand against the twin pillars of Altanar - the Church and the King - shall face the eternal and neverending torment of the burning seven hells." The explosions, and the Church statement, effectively ended the priestly revolt in its tracks.
On February 19th, the ASDF launched a series of suicide bombings within Altanar itself, in an attempt to discourage the government from further moves against them. While the attacks would cause confusion and destruction, it would not sway the government.
Endgame
On February 21st, Royal Intelligence began receiving reports of mass defections from the ranks of Lord Sarkas' forces, as well as the forces revolting in Gennor Province. This was attributed to the massive show of force that destroyed the schismatic churches, as well as the Church pronouncement that anyone revolting against the government would be condemned to hellish torment in the afterlife.
On March 1st, Sarkas' forces attempted to launch an attack against Ael Khalas through Staria Province. Evidence after the fact seemed to indicate that Sarkas realized his forces were wavering, and that he thought that if he could seize the capital and kill Aelkyn, that his revolt might have a chance of surviving. Reports of unrest and fighting in the Altanari capital may have also emboldened him. Sarkas' forces made it as far as the outskirts of Ael Khalas, and were reportedly even able to see the Aerie in their long-range viewers. However, their assault faltered, and Sarkas' forces eventually began to make a long, poorly staged retreat back towards Po Province. Government forces harassed them the entire way, chasing them into Po Province itself. Sarkas' revolt collapsed soon after, on March 10th, and Altanari jets shot down Sarkas' private plane as it tried to flee the country. Lord Sarkas and Lady Tarabesh are believed to have been both killed when the plane was shot down, but no bodies were ever found.
Meanwhile, at the command of Queen Melika, the infamous Berzerker forces of the Argali Province - wild irregular forces made up of tribal fighters from the nomadic clans of Argalia - mobilized themselves to take down the self-declared "Soviet" that had set up shop in Gennor Province to the south. This false "socialist" movement had long since been denounced by Altanar's socialist and Communist political parties as a fraud, and on March 12th, the Berzerkers swarmed over the poorly led and armed "Soviet" fighters. On March 14th, control over Gennor Province was officially restored to the Altanari government.
The final blow to the revolt would come from an unexpected source. Lord Ikinar Inimena, ruler of Isilkara Province and one of the Akamian nobles revolting against the government, had been an uncertain member of the revolt from the beginning, and his unease grew even more as the brutality of the Akamian separatist forces against anyone they suspected of supporting the government became evident. Inimena was also a former lover of King Aelkyn, and on March 19th, Aelkyn snuck into Inimena's fortress with the help of Royal Guards commandos. Aelkyn made a personal plea to Inimena to switch sides, which he would do on March 21st. Inimena provided the Altanari government forces with all the tactical information they would need to bring the ASDF/Akamian nobles' forces to a crashing defeat. In the process, Inimena would end up betraying his current lover, the son of Lord Ankrina.
The following day, government forces launched a massive attack against the rebel forces in the Akamian provinces. The inside information provided by Inimena would enable the Altanari military to defeat the rebels with much greater ease than they would have otherwise had. It was still a hard fight, though, with heavy casualties reported on both sides. Altanari forces would find themselves battling pockets of resistance in a low-level insurgency for some time to come, as well.
Aftermath
In the aftermath of the Civil War, many of the rebels fled into neighboring countries. Negotiations are still ongoing between those nations and Altanar to determine their status.
After the war, Altanar underwent major changes in its funding priorities. The military and police would see significant increases in funding. The nation would also, in many ways, experience a major shift to a more conservative outlook. The police, military and intelligence sectors would see major reorganizations, as they had been proven to have major flaws during the revolts.
Most noble wealth and properties, with the exception of the Krytellin and Inimena estates and wealth, were confiscated by the government for redistribution. The whereabouts of the major figures in the Akamian revolt - ASDF leader Sinis Kerilais, Lord Pyrellis, Lord Ankrina and Lord Grengarth - are currently unknown. An amnesty was offered to most individual soldiers in the revolts who pledged not to engage in further revolts, but the major leaders of the revolts were sentenced to death for high treason in absentia, and are actively sought by the Altanari government.
At the end of the war, Altanar changed its name from the Kingdom of Altanar to the United Constitutional Monarchy of Altanar, reaffirming its commitment to democracy and national unity. Rebuilding the nation and continuing with democratic reforms is the major goal of the current government, as well as the majority of the population.
