Sacharid Empire/2nd Sacharid Revolt

The 2nd Sacharid Revolt was an unsuccessful attempt at restoring the Sacharid Empire. It lasted between November 1916 and April 1918.

Background
For centuries after the fall of Sacharidia, multiple failed attempts had been done in order to restore the Sacharid Empire. None of them were particularly successful.

1st Sacharid Revolt
At 8:32 AM on February 24, 1891, the provisional Sacharid government declared its independence from the Ottoman Empire. The 80 troops held out for almost an entire day before surrendering on February 25.

World War I
In 1914, World War I broke out. The Allies established a Sacharid government-in-exile in the end of 1914. By 1915, the sentiment for independence was so great that unrest massively increased, resulting in protests across 8 cities, attended by 500,000 people. In May 1916, the new provisional government declared its independence, but now with much better equipment and a lot more manpower.

Revolt
The revolt began on November 8, 1916 with 8,000 troops storming Thessaloniki and immediately occupying it. Next day, the army took the southernmost part of Bulgaria after defeating the Bulgarian army.

Expansion
By the beginning of 1917, massive amounts of territory were taken, with 40,000 to 50,000 troops in the rebel army, and it seemed like the revolt was going to be successful in 2 to 3 months.

Battle of Athens
On February 6, 1917, the Sacharid rebel army reached Athens. They immediately took the northern parts of the city that were undefended by Greek troops.

The 1,200 strong rebel force seemed woefully underpowered against the 50,000 government troops defending the city. However, the rebels immediately sent many of the government forces into a rout, and the government forces slowly fell apart. The center of the city was taken by the next day, and at that time the rebels were reinforced by 10,000 troops, by February 10, the last government forces were either killed or capitulated. 2,500 rebel troops died as opposed to 20,000 government troops (according to official sources).

Battle of Constantinople
The rebels continued their occupation until August 1917, when they attempted to occupy Constantinople unsuccessfully. The rebels took most of their forces and moved towards Constantinople. Here, an Ottoman force of 120,000 was awaiting them. The rebel army attempted to take the city three times, in September and December 1917, and March 1918. The last one would prove catastrophic to the rebels, but they would hold out until near the end of the revolt.

Frontline collapse
In Greece, the frontlines collapsed quickly because just months ago, almost all of the troops were sent out to siege Constantinople. By January 1918, the last rebel strongholds in Greece had surrendered.

In the other fronts, the rebels held out for a few more months until surrendering in April 1918.