User:SolaceEaSw/AtoumanEskosiaWar

Aegean War (1557-1561)
The Aegean War was important for a number of reasons for the Atoumans. For one, it re-affirmed their authority in the Aegean Sea, which at the time, remained under various merchant powers like Venice and Genoa. Secondly, it was led by Grand Vizier Khanidon Pasha instead of Ioxamander, which would culminate in great power being invested to the position of Grand Vizier in the Atouman Empire during the rise of the Aybars. The war would begin with the Sack of Athens and later a battle over it. Khanidon Pasha would infamously pike a flag in the town square in the summer of 1557. In 1559, Atouman naval forces would encirce and entrap Genoese mercenaries at Rhodes, and with larger numbers, would completely crush the garrison forces. After Khanidon's resignation from post, Ioxamander would appoint Xodarus Pasha as his next Grand Vizier, whom would lead nearly 50,000 across the island chain, infamously piking the heads of various European merchants and officers after capturing the territories.

Following the Siege of Rhodes, the Atouman Empire would engage in a number of naval battles and conflicts with the Venetians and Genoese, reaching it's apex with the Siege of Lefkosia, which saw nearly 100,000 forces under Ioxamander and Xodarus storming the city and razing it. This would lead to the island of Cyprus being annexed into the Atouman Empire. In 1561, Ioxamander would attempt to conquer Krete, but would be forced to retreat after a storm would cut their supply lines and swallow a number of their ships, thus ending the Aegean War, although by this point, relations between Venice and the Atoumans remained at a fever-pitch.

Conquest of Eskosia (1563-1568)
In 1561, the Amirate of Rumania would be annexed into the Atouman Empire after a short-lived rebellion would lead to Ioxamander personally leading an army to Vimnatz. Due to the scale of the war and Ioxamander's aged condition by this point, Grand Vizier Xodarus Pasha would appoint additional "viziers" to assist in their upcoming war with Eskosia and Dardania. Knowing the northern states would quickly rally together, the initial goal was to defeat Dardania and Eskosia in equal manner with quick, decisive attacks on major cities in similar fashion to the former Azarkh Bayed "The Thunderbolt"'s campaign in Greece nearly 150 years earlier.

In 1563, Ioxamander of the Atoumans would mount an invasion of Eskosia while his vizier Xodarus Pasha would lead a campaign across Dardania. Xodarus' march through Dardania was difficult for a number of reasons: for the one, the moutainous terrain made it extremely difficult logistically for efficient supply lines and defensive positions; secondly, since Ioxamander had taken the bulk of able-bodied men for the Eskosian campaign, Xodarus was left with limited numbers and less options. From summer of 1563 to the autumn period of 1564, the Siege of Kompita would leave the Atoumans failing to capture the city, leading to stalemate and high casualties. For Ioxamander, the Siege of Ujvidek from 1564-1565 would see the piking of Eskosian heads and the falling of the city's walls, with Atouman forces encircling Belgrade by the end of the year, and by the end of 1565, the city had fallen to Atouman forces. During their occupation, the ‘Bloody Tuesday’ massacre would see the deaths of nearly fifty-six people and over a hundred injured in the city. The citizens could do nothing.

Second Italian War (1570-1577)
Upon Khanidon's succession to the throne, two years had passed since the Atoumans had successfully captured Eskos, and his father, Ioxamander I, death. Within that time period, Khanidon would reform the organization of the military campaigns, instead centering a greater emphasis on invading the and pressing toward Westria. While many historians at the time, such as Reimar Friedhelm of Venice, would agree that the Atouman Empire was naturally the "Roman Empire" of this period, the Atoumans lacked any legitimate or successful campaigns in Italia since it's initial foundation nearly three centuries prior.

In 1570, diplomats of Khanidon in the court of King would lead to France re-asserting their alliance with the Atouman Empire, leading to the Atouman Empire's subsequently becoming allied to Sicily, which at the time was in a smaller conflict with Naples over maritime trade routes. This opportunity would lead to nearly 150 Atouman galleys to appear off of the horizon of Bruta, leading to rumors of an Atouman invasion for some time. A month later, their fears would be met with an amphibious invasion at Tarento, seeing nearly 60,000 troops led by Grand Vizier Xodarus al-Jafar Pasha in a surprise attack on Naples, leading for lines to be drawn and war to be declared.

While Xodarus Pasha would lead the invasion of Italy, Azarkh Khanidon would lead a second campaign in Eskosia, and with King Tanos' deposition, the newly-appointed King Vidakedes of Dardania would provide logistical and military support for the oncoming war with Westria under the belief of territory gain. While the Dardanian aristocracy were, for the most part, allies to the Atouman Empire, they didn't exactly know how long that could last, and would take advantage in stocking up their own military as well. The first battle of what was dubbed by Atouman war historians at the time as "The Righteous Front", saw Khanidon Pasha leading nearly 100,000 men on to siege the city of Pest, succeeding in a matter of two years' after suffering small setbacks with Westrian re-inforcements. The Siege of Pest would also see the first Italian soldiers in the Balkans during the 20 Years' War, with merchant republics like Venice and Genoa supplying mercenaries and other resources to combat against Atouman advancements.

In 1571, Grand Vizier Xodarus al-Jafar Pasha would successfully defeat the Italian forces at Tarento, thus confirming Europe's fears of a war in Italy. In February, Xodarus al-Jafar Pasha would be joined by the Mauretanian warlord, Mujjat, who served as a reminder of friendly relations between the Atoumans and Mauretania. Xodarus would go on to sack a number of Italian cities throughout the year before settling into a siege at Bruta in the summer. Although the Atoumans were superior and more advanced militarily, it would take nearly two years before the city would fall to Xodarus. After seeing the battle to last longer than usual, Mujjat would be directed northward to sack the city of Reggio and to expand as quickly as possible in an effort to knock out Naples and secure territory in the peninsula.

By May of 1572, the Empire of Hispania would intervene in the war against "The Alliance" after French advancements neared closer to Genoa. In response, Spanish warships would initiate a blockade on their ports while also landing anamphibious landing in Atlasiya, targetting the city of Goreseum. With 15,000 troops, the Hispanian inquisitor Cesar Alameda would quickly and effective occupy the city, spreading his regiments across the region and besieging the cities of Orrato in 1573, Kalapolis in early 1574 and Ilysium later that year. In 1575, Cesar Alameda would capture the city of Tyrenia, however, the victory would be short lived upon the arrival of Atouman regiments from Aegypt, leading to a historical land stand that saw the death of Cesar and a number of his military strategists. By this point in the war, Hispanic garrisons had developed proper defenses in Orrato and Goreseum, so upon Cesar's death, many of occupied cities' garrisons would retreat back to the coast, successfully defending their claim over both cities in their respective battles.

With war spreading across the Mediterranean, Khanidon would set up a vassal government for Karpathia under the dark Bakugan, who himself once stated in a public forum that he preferred fighting war over residing as a monarchy. Regardless of his own personal views, Khanidon viewed Bakugan as important for his Xunni faith and Eskosian background, although this wouldn't be exactly as wished. In fact, while Khanidon was in Eskos preparing for an invasion of Westria, Bakugan began a genocidal raid across all of northern Eskosia, with some figures estimating the deaths of 150,000 civilians. Blood on his hands, Bakugan became recognized quickly as a prominent and feared dictator in the third Roman empire. By 1575, the Atouman Empire had extended outwards to Lubyan and Pozsony, with Khanidon being remarked as memorable in western canon. While war was persistant in Eskosia, King Vidakedes of Dardania would mount a military invasion of Westria, occupying the city of Trieste in 1575.

In the Spring of 1575, Xodarus would mount his final schematic of war plans: to siege Naples, and then to siege Rome. To do this, Xodarus would need to capture the city of Salerno to better formulate a base of operations nearby the city in the event of a prolonged siege. With Mujjat occupying Reggio but failing to go northward, Xodarus would believe it upon himself to finally conquer Italia. Although prepared for the battle, Xodarus would fall deathly ill with the bubonic plague shortly before the battle commenced, becoming bed-ridden and dying within weeks. Xodarus' death would lead to a band of Atouman soldiers going on to sack the city under Mujjat, engaging it under siege for the remainder of the year before retreating at the beginning of 1576.

Within a years' time following the death of Xodarus, the Atouman and French alliance forces face increasingly high casualties, and following the Spanish and Venetian victory over the Atouman Empire, would be forced to withdraw militaryily from the Italian peninsula. This would leave Sicily to be annexed into Naples by 1577, which is regarded as the formal end date for the conflict. Although there was little success to be had in conquering Italy, the Atouman expansion into Central Europe had succeeded per usual until Khanidon Pasha received news of Xodarus' death, which led to him halting further campaigns while he looked for suitable military commanders to fill his posts. Up until this point, the Atouman Empire existed for a time as an oligarchy, led equally in power by a number of regional warlords following the death of Ioxamander, which was ultimately led by Khanidon Pasha due to being Ioxamander's rightful heir and his own appointed successor. The death of Xodarus would lead to Khanidon being forced to return to Constantinople to speak with his Grand Assembly as well as to find and appoint new Viziers.

Atouman-Westrian War (1578-1583)
In the following year and a half, Khanidon would appoint two Grand Viziers: Melik al-Shadim Pasha of Atlasiya and Erdemir Türkmen Pasha of the Syrian local offices. Although the Kingdom of Westria had decidedly used the short ceasefire as a means of preparing for a secondary invasion, the Atoumans would remain in a state of military activity, which by this point, had grown exhausted with supplies dwindling.

By the end of 1578, Azarkh Khanidon would march from Pozsony to Vienna, marking one of the most historically important battles in Europe in the early modern era. Although morale following the death of Ioxamander remained rather low, the siege would persist for nearly four years, during which time the King of Westria, Leon III Hohenstaufen, would flee to the Bavarian city of Munich, but due to Atouman strategic surrounding maneuvers, the royal family would be either captured or killed, including many of Leon III's direct heirs. This would ultimately affect Westria's history, for not only would Leon III be seen as cowardly across Europe, he no longer had any influence through his princes and nobility, which by this point saw a majority of them being wiped out by the Atoumans.

By 1580, nearly half of the Westrian army would face mutiney in the face of catastrophe, not only believing the city to fall soon but that there was no inevitable escape out of the Atouman grip. In a surprise turn of events however, by August of 1580, Polish crusaders monikered as the "Hussars" would travel from Avaro-Vedena, which at the time was in a Non-Aggression Pact with the Atoumans, and would uplift the siege in it's final stage in 1582, leading to a crushing defeat for the Atouman Empire, who'se forces would face a scattered retreat following the battle that they would never be able to recover from for nearly fourty years'.

Following the Atouman defeat at Vienna, the army of Khanidon would be pushed back to Pozsony, where their defense would be shattered with the arrival of troops from the Holy Roman Empire and remnants of the Eskosian state. The war would formally end in 1583 with the signing of the Treaty of Pest, which partitioned the territories of Eskosia between the Atoumans and Westria formally, being carried out by diplomats in the court of Leon III and Elizabeth Bathory. The signing of the treaty would see nearly fifteen years' of peace between Eskosia, Westria and the Atoumans, thus ending the 25 Years' War.

Atouman Empire

 * Government: Azarkhate
 * Aesuit:
 * Khanidon "The Righteous" (c. 1568 - )
 * House of Atmanaglu:
 * Ioxamander (b. 1491-1568)
 * -- Nihaevran of Adrianople (b. 1494-1545)
 * Ozumuhn (b. 1524-)
 * -- Bulilun of Daeva
 * Khanidon (b. 1524-)
 * -- Mahrnet of Adnan (b. 1523-1575)
 * Atman III (b. 1547-)
 * -- Dilara of Al-Adniya (b. 1540-)
 * Gokmen (b. 1563)
 * Ashura (b. 1555-)
 * Indra (b. 1555-)
 * Grand Vizier:
 * Suleyman II al-Muttari Pasha (b. 1456-1519) (c. 1501-1503, 1508-1509, 1514-1519)
 * Hersekenia al-Beyid Pasha (b. 1464-1553) (c. 1503-1507, 1513-1514)
 * Ozman al-Jafar Pasha (b. 1481-1550) (c. 1510-1513, 1524)
 * Dogukhan al-Ashur Pasha (b. 1484-1552) (c. 1519-1524, 1531-1533)
 * Utman al-Vedit Pasha (b. 1482-1545) (c. 1524-1531, 1532-1545)
 * Khanidon al-Rum Pasha (b. 1524-) (c. 1545-1558, 1566-1668)
 * Xodarus al-Jafar Pasha (b. 1510-1575) (c. 1558-1575)
 * Gulhadon al-Ashur Pasha (b. 1531-1574) (c. 1562-1574)
 * Kanzhin al-Mughari Pasha (b. 1523-1568) (c. 1562-1568)
 * Muhammet al-Aybars Pasha (b. 1527-) (c. 1562-)
 * Melik al-Xhadim Pasha (b. 1535-) (c. 1578-1581)
 * Erdemir Türkmen Pasha (b. 1541-) (c. 1578-)
 * Grand Council: 1000 seats
 * Cult of Ioxamander: 358 seats
 * Rationalists: 400 seats
 * Fundamentalists: 242 seats
 * Economy: The economy of the Atouman Empire was based on a system of iqta', an Arzhamite feudal system, as the Atouman state's ultimate goal, was consolidation and extension of the Azarkh's power, and the way to reach it was by taking advantage of resources and the revenues system by making the productive classes prosperous. So while the agrarian-based economy was fruitful in its development, it ultimately prevented the emergence of social disorder and kept the traditional organization of the culture and society as a whole. Mining operations would also aid as a driving factor of the economy, with copper, iron, silver, and gold being mined in Bulgaria while fruits are grown across the Anatolian region and Balkan peninsula producing bountiful luxuries that are consequently sold at the various port markets in Ionia and Greece. Olive trees grow in wild fashion, with their oil being harvested and sold to the highest bidder. Atouman expansion into Europe during the 14th and 15th centuries would emphasize a Greco-Persian royal sentiment, which would be emphasized furthermore in Azarkh Iskandir I's reign, who famously claimed himself as Padishah, a term historically used to describe the ruling monarch of Persia. This emphasis would lead to the capital cities becoming major commercial and industrial centers, serving as highways between the Greco-Roman-Daevite cultures and mercantile trade of the region. This would lead to a policy of tolerance that culminated in Azarkh Tayyeb's "Mandate of Adrianople", which officially allowed for the Jewish people to reside and prosper in the Atouman Realm far away from the persecution they faced at the hands of Christendom. Not only did this Mandate extend a hand of tolerance to the Jewish people, but also extended outwards to a number of Protestant states at the time, due to their own rivalry with the Papacy. Most of these people were settled in either Constantinople or other port cities along the Ionian coast. Other exports include cotton, a myriad of fruits, and plenty of slaves, primarily Neo-Pagans and Hellenic Christians in North Africa. The campaigns of Azarkh Ioxamander would lead to a boost in the economic diversity of the Empire, now exporting African goods and re-constructing the coastal cities previously razed during his conquests. A large trade network was established, due to Ioxamander's conquests, that extended from the Adnanian subcontinent to the sands of Mauretania and across the Balkan peninsula, leading to broader economic security atop of conquering millions of subjects in the process. The Atouman Empire at the end of the 16th century was the most economically profitable empire in Europe and during the 17th century, would only continue to expand further and further.
 * Capital: Constantinople
 * Demographics:
 * Population: 23,730,000
 * Anatolia: 5,300,000
 * Balkans: 4,150,000
 * Egypt: 4,350,000
 * Greece: 1,100,000
 * Syria: 850,000
 * Ifriqiya: 1,025,000
 * Atlasiya: 3,555,000
 * Hejaz: 400,000
 * Mesopotamia: 2,000,000
 * Misc: 1,000,000
 * Ethnicity:
 * Persian: 21.3%
 * Greek: 20.1%
 * Aegytan: 15.9%
 * Adnanite: 14.7%
 * Turkish: 8.9%
 * Daevite: 5.5%
 * Syrian: 4.7%
 * Mixed African: 3.8%
 * Israelite: 3.3%
 * Cyrenaican: 1.8%
 * Religion:
 * Arzham: Under Atouman authority, Arzham would make a re-emergence in the western world unseen since the collapse of the Askari Azarkhate in the 14th century. Followers of the Xunni belief, the House of Atmanaglu would dedicate a number of resources to spreading the word of Arzhang. This included the construction of Ozman's Temple, which would stand as the largest religious institution until the construction of Ioxamander's Temple in 1547, and numerous methods of prolythesizing that worked to varied results. It would become the most known form of Arzham in Europe at the time, with many religious scholars and priests at the time admiring the state of the Atouman Empire and it's relation to Arzham, as although the empire was not born around Kandahar, it still is seen as rightfully guided in the eyes of the Arzhamic community.
 * Xunni Beliefs: The Xunni denomination of Arzham is often characterized by a greater emphasis on the prophet Arzhang, his companions in Persia, and the patronage of the all of the classic Azarkhates’ as rightly-guided successor states in contrast to the Xa’mah belief, which only correlate proper successorship to Arzhang’s original state and the Askari Azarkhate. While the Xa’mah believe that the prophet Arzhang can only be succeeded by relatives or immediate family members, the Xunni deny this concept of succession-by-lineage, instead believing that the Arzhamite community can change and evolve to the point where staying in tradition will only lead to disaster, with this concept being further emphasized by the collapse of the Askari Azarkhate. While most differences between the Xunni and the Xa’mah are relatively political in nature, the Xunni represents a majority of the believers of Arzham that are more wide-spread across Eurasia, with the Xa’mah representing pluralities in places like India and Persia.
 * Christianity: Christianity following the collapse of the Byzantine Empire would stagnate during this time, declining into a plurality due to a myriad of policies introduced by the Atouman Empire, such as increased taxing, second-class citizenship, and the banning of proselytizing, which was punishable by death. This decline in Christianity would also be further aided by the re-organization of the Janissaries, which by this part were mostly made up of young Christian slaves from the Balkans that had converted to Islam. During the Atouman-Isetium War, Kaiser Achaeus would institute a similar policy of enslavement and brain-washing, kidnapping the youngest children of various Christian families in Syria and the Levant, as well as re-organizing their numerous churches and cathedrals into mosques or other Arzhamite institutions. As such, the Christian communities in the Atouman Empire declined exceptionally, with most of the Hellenic-influenced Christians converting to Arzham in the face of disaster.
 * Judaism: The Jewish communities of the Atouman Empire would flourish in the 16th century due to the former Azarkh Tayyeb’s policy of tolerance. While the Jewish communities of the Empire were small and most located in Constantinople, Kaiser Achaeus would allow the construction of Synagogues along the Ionian coast in exchange for the Jewish communities paying a higher tax as part of the already existing jizya tax. This wouldn’t necessarily bother the Jewish people, for most of the Jews that were able to migrate were mostly bankers that had made fortunes off of their time spent in Europe. The Jewish population were also staunch supporters for Atouman expansion, oftentimes offering funds for extentensive campaigns meant to drive away the heretics from the Holy Land.
 * Zoroastrianism: The Zoroastrian community of the Atouman Empire was primarily limited due to Zoroastrian’s decline during the rise of Arzham in Persia and due to a newly realized focus towards Arabia. Zoroastrians in the Atouman Empire were mostly specific to the oriental territories such as Hejaz and Adnania.
 * Syncretic Philosophy: Representing a rather small community, Syncretic philosophy in Greece and Anatolia would foster as a result of diversification. Although syncretic schools of thought, such as the Abyadites and Aesunids, were primarily focused on inter-religion unification, other schools like the Smyrnites were more focused on political reform, specifically the adoption of secular political ideologies like democracy and republicanism. The circulation of these differing concepts would lead to Azarkh Tayyeb instituting the eradication of syncretic philosophy in the early years of the 16th century.
 * Wars and Events:
 * 25 Years' War (1557-1583)
 * Atouman-Westrian War (1578-1583): In the following year and a half, Khanidon would appoint two Grand Viziers: Melik Pasha of Atlasiya and Erdemir Türkmen Pasha of the Syrian local offices. Although the Kingdom of Westria had decidedly used the short ceasefire as a means of preparing for a secondary invasion, the Atoumans would remain in a state of military activity, which by this point, had grown exhausted with supplies dwindling. By the end of 1578, Azarkh Khanidon would march from Pozsony to Vienna, marking one of the most historically important battles in Europe in the early modern era. Although morale following the death of Ioxamander remained rather low, the siege would persist for nearly four years, during which time the King of Westria, Leon III Hohenstaufen, would flee to the Bavarian city of Munich, but due to Atouman strategic surrounding maneuvers, the royal family would be either captured or killed, including many of Leon III's direct heirs. This would ultimately affect Westria's history, for not only would Leon III be seen as cowardly across Europe, he no longer had any influence through his princes and nobility, which by this point saw a majority of them being wiped out by the Atoumans. By 1580, nearly half of the Westrian army would face mutiney in the face of catastrophe, not only believing the city to fall soon but that there was no inevitable escape out of the Atouman grip. In a surprise turn of events however, by August of 1580, Polish crusaders monikered as the "Hussars" would travel from Avaro-Vedena, which at the time was in a Non-Aggression Pact with the Atoumans, and would uplift the siege in it's final stage in 1582, leading to a crushing defeat for the Atouman Empire, who'se forces would face a scattered retreat following the battle that they would never be able to recover from for nearly fourty years'. Following the Atouman defeat at Vienna, the army of Khanidon would be pushed back to Pozsony, where their defense would be shattered with the arrival of troops from the Holy Roman Empire and remnants of the Eskosian state. The war would formally end in 1583 with the signing of the Treaty of Pest, which partitioned the territories of Eskosia between the Atoumans and Westria formally, being carried out by Atouman diplomats in the court of Leon III and Elizabeth Bathory. The signing of the treaty would see nearly fifteen years' of peace between Eskosia, Westria and the Atoumans, thus ending the 25 Years' War.