Henry's Rebellion

Henry's Rebellion

As with earlier conquests, it took some time for the kingdom to swallow their land and place nobles and knights into the proper positions to quiet discontent. During the reign of Anne V, the largest peasant insurrection occurred, called Henry’s Rebellion. Originating at the city of Comorra and led by St. Harold, the rebels marched through state after state, armed with nothing more than staves and stolen armor, adding more to their number with every victory. Many of the Earls assumed the rebellion would be taken care of long before it reached their borders and could not react until it was too late. Numbering half a million strong, Henry’s Rebellion warred their way to the walls of Rhondisfarne before they were halted. Marion, heir to the throne, led the collected armies of the many constituent states against the peasants, killing many but unable to assail their numbers. Anne V approached the mass hungry for the blood of nobles and negotiated terms with St. Harold, agreeing to sign an edict allowing the peasantry to bring charges against nobleborn and hold them accountable for crimes committed against their peasants. St. Harold was later named High Priest of the Cult of Lys at Rhondisfarne by Anne V.

An unexpected result of Henry’s Rebellion that would have repercussions for centuries was the Marion Reforms. Noting how slow and uncoordinated the response to the insurrection was, Marion took it upon themself to consolidate the military into a single force with a single commander at the top. No longer would soldiers be levied to serve individual commanders, some of whom had no prior combat experience, but enlisted into a standing army with the Sovereign as commander. When Marion became Ruler of Agraine, they implemented these changes and formed the Royal Agrainian Corps. Because of this, they are typically remembered as the RAC’s first true commander.

Back to blog

Leave a comment

Please note, comments need to be approved before they are published.