Vinlandic-Eriac War (The Kalmar Union)

The Vinlandic-Erie War was a short conflict aimed at restoring the monarchy to revolutionary held Erie as well as providing stability for Vinland's Hafsvaedaland which thanks to several years of unrest had attracted many dissidents eager to see the overthrow of the old regimes. It was one of the defining conflicts of the 'Leifian Crisis' and would give Vinland the confidence and moral authority to intervene in other revolutionary wars.

Causes
The events of the Leifian Crisis had served to weaken the governments of both Vinland and Erie:

Vinland's years of famine has led to much internal emigration from the eastern maritime provinces to the inland farmlands of Hafsvaedaland. This disrupted the old power arrangements between the vinlanders and the still coherent tribal nations in the area. Added to this the incoming migrants found themselves either enserfed on their new farms or crowded into the slums of Karantóborg or other cities. This bred revolt. The issue of disadvantaged farmers was solved, partially by abolishing all forms of serfdom but the tribal problem required the army and a six-month campaign to take the rebel held cities of the western Hafsvaedaland. Even though the revolt had been crushed the region was still flooded with dissidents, not only Vinlandic, but also from other Leifian nations. Republicans and royalists mixed in Karontóborg and Saginauk with often combustable results.

Meanwhile to the south the Eriac monarchy was running into problems. Its own poor harvests and famine had led to peasant revolts in 1820 and 1831. Bowing to pressure, and seeking to avoid another revolt, King Sipayik II Abraham ignored his own ministers and emancipated Erie's serfs. His legacy secure he promptly died leaving his son and the ministers to implement it, which they did to suit their own needs. The serfs would indeed be given their freedom but at different rates around the country. Those enserfed Eriac near the capital could work off their debt to their old lords in five years. Those Myaami on the Inokian border would probably not live long enough to see the end of their long service.

The uproar this caused once it became public dwarfed the previous revolts and this time the army, made up largely of serfs, was in no mood to follow the orders of its landowning officers. King Walastokiy John was forced to sign away his kingdom to a new republican government which implemented immediate emancipation. As his new captors squabbled in government quickly turning the republic into a military dictatorship Walastokiy John slipped his guards and fled to Fjallasay. Petitioning the Vinlandic Althing for assistance he was rebuffed. The Althing considered the situation with Aniyunwiya, still shakily fending off republican forces at home, too volatile and did not want to break relations. Álengiamark was also reluctant to get involved. The revolutions in Six Nations had effectively cut the two halves of the country off from on another and the Ontario Fylke was vunerable to attack. In August however Vinland's hand was forced; revolutionary sympathizers attempted to assassinate Walastokiy John. The plot failed to kill its target but many Vinlanders were killed and injured. When the leaders of the plot, Eriac to a man, were arrested the Althing had little choice but declare war on their sponsors.

The War
If the Althing was thinking the war would be quickly wrapped up they were very much mistaken. Erie had a small navy but crucially it was entirely on Lake Erie whereas Vinland's was scattered. Within two days it had sunk Vinland's Erie flotilla and begun indescriminately shelling Karontóborg, killing hundreds. It could not however severe the links to Western Hafsvaedaland thanks to a series of aging but still powerful forts along the channel built during the reign of Queen Thorey VII. So even as the Vinlandic navy was redirected to secure the lake its army could cross safely. Álengiamark continued to stay out of the war but did offer Vinland intelligence and its diplomats worked dilligently to stop any other republican nations joining in the conflict.

The first land battle was joined on 14th October 1835 at Hofsemí. The Vinlandic forces under Earl Gudnýborg approached the Erie town of Qusquasrund to achieve a safe crossing of the Myaami River but were abruptly halted by a large division under Wauseon Joseph. The two generals fought each other several times over the next two months. Both hoped to push the other back and both were receiving constant supplies of fresh troops. Eventually, on 16th December, just before a massive snowstorm blanketed the region and just before an exasperated Althing were about replace Gudnýborg, the 4th Battle of Qusquasrund was a definitive Vinlandic victory. The Lake had already been cleared of Erie vessels and Inokia, responding to Vinland's calls for assistance, had begun to occupy border areas.

It would take another three months for the Vinlandic army to reach Ashtabula, having to fight their way constantly. Erie had a larger army and were well maintained thanks to their short supply lines. Vinland meanwhile had to constantly stop to reduce ports to ensure their smaller but more professional army could remain supplied throughout winter. Eventually the inevitable happened. In the outskirts of Ashtabula with the navy already in control of the port, Wauseon Joseph surrendered to Earl Gudnýborg on 3rd March. The Vinlandic troops cautiously entered the city and arrested the leaders of the government. For another three weeks fighting continued as republican loyalists held out. On the 22nd of March a fire broke out in Ashtabula which devastated the city, effectively forcing an end to the conflict.

Aftermath
In the midst of the burning capital King Walastokiy John returned from exile and, contrary to Vinlandic advice immediately convened the Eriac parliament. With notable moderate republicans, including Wauseon Joseph, present a new constitution was hammered out. This prevented a drift back into reactionary absolute monarchy. Walastokiy John was apparently happy merely recovering the artwork of the royal palace rather than recovering all of the powers of the monarchy.

The collapse of the republican government in Erie did little to solve Vinland's own problem of republican sympathies but it strengthened the Althing's resolve to restore regimes. The Kalmar Union was willing too and lent Estonian and Gothenlandic troops for Vinland's various endeavours. At home the Althing could have pushed its reactionary policies too far, however many politicians, including Svenný II were appalled by the retreat from democracy. Whilst its army fought for the restoration of regimes in Isanyathimark, Nitwahsinnanni, Baxojeyuh, Yesanland and Ugakhpaland an equally fraught and impassioned fight occured in the Althing throughout 1836-38. A compiled (and slightly over-dramatically altered) book of Svenný II's speeches became a best-seller in 1843. The change in doctrine would eventually lead to the ultimatum to Mexica, which was happily swallowing faltering states throughout the Leifian Crisis, calling it to halt its activities or face invasion.