Twenty-Six Years' War
The Twenty-Six Years' War was a series of wars in modern-day Albion that saw the petty kingdoms of Audley, Chafford, and Ongar, as well as various other princely states, against the Hitsereign, a firebending state to the North that had forced the smaller Albonian states into a system of tribute and vassalage. Initial attempts at resistance led to fierce retaliation by the Hitsereign, including the destruction of Chafford and the occupation of the South during a period known as Direct Rule. Anti-occupation forces developed the Albonian tradition of chi-blocking (independently of the Free Territory) while serving in the Army of Audley, which sparked a fresh liberation movement as the firebending forces had not faced a combatant using non-conventional techniques. This culminated in the complete destruction of the Hitsereign, the unification of Albion, and a strong anti-bending tradition that remains to this day.
Pre-war context
It is generally accepted by scholars that waves of migration from the continent, particularly from Cotentin and Aremorica, into modern-day Albion began by the 2nd century AD and intensified until the end of the 5th century. These settlers mixed with the native Walhan, primarily south of the River Chelmer, though there is evidence of intermarriage as far north as Burnham. The descendants of these settlers founded the cities that developed into the petty kingdoms that characterised the early modern period in Albion. The apocryphal Historia Albionis gives the date of Audley's foundation as 1 August 535, but it is likely that settlements in the area had existed for centuries: the area around Audley had been a centre of trade since at least the late fifth century.
The Albonian petty kingdoms varied in size and number, but the four most powerful were generally the kingdoms of Audley, Chafford, Ongar, and to a lesser extent Jerusalem, leading historians to describe this period as 'the Tetrarchy'. From the early sixth century until 962, Chafford was the strongest of these kingdoms, but after Audley under Queen Æthelflæd (or Aethel) subjugated Ongar and made the city pay tribute, posing a serious threat to Chafford's control of the strategically important confluence of the rivers Chelmer, Blackwater, and Brain. Æthelflæd was crowned Queen of the Loegrians (Regina loegria) in 967, but in practice other kingdoms did not recognise this title and Audley's control was minimal or nonexistent past the Chelmer and Blackwater.
In 1169, Uthadoric became King of the Walhan Kingdom of Burnham and embarked on several wars of conquest that brought Burnham to undisputed ascendancy among the primarily firebender Walham tribes north of the Chelmer. Uthadoric's son Ralangar codified Burnham's domination of the other tribes and kingdoms, forcing them into a tributary system of nominal independence whilst in practice exerting significant control over their finances and armies. The Edict of Canvey in 1208 required Walhan lords to surrender three-quarters of their incomes and armies to Ralangar, in return for protection and some financial assistance from Burnham, which was rapidly developing a sophisticated system of governance. The Edict referred to Hitze vereiniges Länder, marking the beginning of the Hitsereign.
Ralangar's great-grandson Ithacer launched several expeditions to subjugate the Albonian kingdoms, the first of which began in 1274. Audley and Chafford had recently concluded a largely inconclusive war over exclusive maritime rights in the Chelmer estuary, stressing both kingdoms' financial and manpower reserves. Neither were inclined to trust the other even in the face of a common enemy from the north. Audley attempted to conclude a defence treaty with Jerusalem but were rebuffed, as the latter kingdom believed that its relative distance and smaller economic base would make them a more unattractive target for the Hitsereign. Chafford was sacked in 1278 and acquiesced to Burnham's demands to pay tribute shortly thereafter, Ongar was besieged in 1279, and Audley agreed to pay tribute in 1280. As part of the peace treaty, Ongar was released from its obligation to pay Audley tribute, sending it instead to the Hitsereign, but the Kings of Ongar continued to recognise Audley's rulers as Kings of Loegria. Jerusalem fell in 1282.
Ithacer died in 1317 without an heir, prompting a succession crisis that spilled over into civil war. Distracted with internal conflict, the Hitsereign were unable to enforce the subjugation of the Albonian kingdoms, allowing them to focus on reinforcing their defences. Extraordinarily, Audley, Chafford, and Ongar signed a treaty of mutual defence in 1319. In 1321, Odo became paramount lord of the Hitsereign, subjugating his rivals and turning his attention to the south once more.
Odo's campaign was devastatingly successful: Hitsereign forces surrounded Chafford before a messenger was able to be despatched to invoke the defence treaty; word did not reach Audley of the siege for two weeks. The Army of Audley was summoned and began to march north to Ongar to take up defensive positions, unaware that Ongar's forces had marched on Chafford in an unsuccessful attempt to relieve the siege. Ongar's forces under King Edward were routed at the Battle of Epping Bridge, and the remnants of its army retreated with Audley's forces to make a stand in the south. Undefended, Ongar surrendered in April 1322.
Chafford fell in the summer of 1322. After garrisoning the city, Odo moved his forces to take Jerusalem, seeing it as a base of future resistance by escaping Audleyan fighters if it was not taken. Jerusalem considered itself neutral in the conflict, though the Hitsereign decidedly did not. Caught unawares, Jerusalem offered only token resistance before King John was forced to surrender, sparking popular outrage: ministers and courtiers were tarred and in extreme cases lynched, and the King fled to Chafford. John's son Prince William returned six months later as his regent until John died in exile in 1347.
Following the fall of Jerusalem, Odo laid siege to Audley in September 1322. In April, Audley sued for peace, offering to renew the tribute paid to Odo's predecessor. The Hitsereign refused, demanding the Albonian kingdoms become formal vassals under Burnham's suzerainty. Audley initially refused, but the city surrendered on 1 June 1323. The Hitsereign permitted the Albonian lords to style themselves King of ..., but demanded fealty and allegiance be paid to the Kings of Burnham. Following Audley's surrender, Odo styled himself King of Loegria and formally extinguished any claims by Audley over Ongar.