2114 Revolution (Cobura)

=Background to the Revolution=

Tokundi Separatism
A key feature of Cobura in 2114 was the divide between Tokundi and the rest of the Kingdom. This had been exacerbated over the previous century by the high military presence in Tokundi - a policy put in place to counter minor separatist sentiment, but which would actually contribute to it. By all accounts, Tokundi's culture and economy was fundamentally separated from that of the kingdom.

Anti-Monarchism
The House of Rudolf had ruled Cobura since 1937 when Philip I captured the throne from Ricardo III of Egato. For almost the entirety of this period, republican, populist and socialist elements within Cobura had been agitating for reform. Successive monarchs had resisted or even punished such suggestions, and by all accounts the rule of the Rudolfs was marked by authoritarian and punitive government. By 2114 liberal, populist and socialist groups were well established in Cobura, and had influence over the vast majority of the Coburan lay people. These groups would initiate the resistance to the economic policy that the government put in place from 2111 onwards.

The King's limited offers of political reform that directly preceded the revolution were rejected by these groups as inadequate. This rejection would signal their intent to the general populace to overthrow the monarchy.

Economics
A depression was underway in Cobura during the early 21st century. The state of the Kingdom had been in general decline for some time, and reaction to the new challenge was slow and inadequate. The sitting King, Charles IV, actively attempted to make sure the lower echelons were hit harder in order to protect the nobility, and did this openly and honestly. With the Royal Cobur declining in value, unemployment ballooning, and the availability of food falling, political grievances were being aired openly, in the media and in political action meetings.

In reaction to growing opposition, the rejection of reforms by political groups and the economic crisis, the King declared martial law and rationing on 3rd April, 2114. This, his final legal instrument as King, would never be implemented.

=Uprisings=

April 3rd
Reaction to the declaration of marshal law was instantaneous. News of the declaration actually spread to political activists in Augustus and Hudson before it did the military garrisons near those cities. In both of these cities, political paramilitaries took to the streets. The brother of the King - Prince Philip, Duke of Irkawa and Earl of Hudson - was executed by a combined socialist & liberal militia within 3 hours of the declaration - one hour before the Royal Armed Forces in Hudson were scheduled to take over policing duties.

In Augustus the reaction was less overwhelming, with activists protesting outside the Royal Palace but not actually storming it. The city was occupied though, and Royal Armed Forces attempting to leave their garrison were fought back by militias on the streets. The Royal Guard would evacuate the Royal Family by helicopter, taking them to nearby Princeps.

April 4th-9th
Uprisings on the 4th would begin in other cities, with rebels taking every city in Dilganato and Domale within a few days. In northern cities longer battles would take place to oust the military where they had successfully mobilised for martial law. No uprisings would occur in Tokundi at this time.

Royalist sympathisers would hold out in the cities of Rio Irkawa and Princeps. News of the execution of Philip would not spread properly until the 9th, when it inspired a spate of other executions.

Reaction of the Royal Armed Forces
The Royal Armed Forces' reaction to the declaration of Martial Law and the militia-led rebellion would differ unit by unit, garrison by garrison. In areas where the mobilisation for carrying out Martial Law was complete before news of uprisings arrived, the units obeyed the declaration. Conversely, units who knew about the uprisings before mobilisation was complete, would either disobey the order, dismiss their commanding officers, or obey the order only to immediately negotiate a handover of power with local political militias. This happened often in southern areas.

The R.A.F. in Tokundi obeyed the order at first, but in the face of peaceful local demonstrations, and with the news of the uprisings in Hudson and Augustus, the units soon relinquished policing duties to the usual authorities and returned to their garrisons.

The Stalemate in Tokundi (April 5th - April 13th)
While news of civil disturbances worried the R.A.F. in Tokundi, they worried the Tokundis themselves even more. Units of local Tokundski Fascis - the main Tokundi paramilitary group - took positions up around the borders of Tokundi in order to prevent other armed groups from crossing it.

Meanwhile, the nervous units garrisoned in Tokundi prepared for a battle with the local paramilitaries that never came. On April 9th, when news came of royals being executed, Tokundski fascis leaders began to station units around military garrisons with the express intention of negotiating the exit of the R.A.F., and the handing over of their equipment, should the news come through of the King's execution. R.A.F. units recorded no orders being given in this time, but they too began planning their own exit - fearing that they would face a Tokundi rebellion and have no state to back them up when it happened.

Execution of Charles
The city of Princeps in Egato was taken by Augustanii Liberals on the night of April 11th amidst mass defections by the remaining Royalist fighters. Charles IV would be caught attempting to cross the border into Zardugal, only to be brought back to Augustus and, on April 14th, executed. Charles was thrown from the rooftop of the Royal Palace in front of a huge crowd. Newspapers later reported that the crowd were upset with this manner of execution, because the body was in no fit state to be exhibited and mocked afterward. His wife too was executed, though privately.

Upon Charles' death, the crown technically passed to his great nephew, Paul II, who was being held in captivity in Eros. Paul signed a statement declaring the Kindom dissolved, before committing suicide in his room just 9 hours after Charles' death.

R.A.F. Bolt for the Border in Tokundi, rise of the Tokundski Nationalisci
Upon hearing of Charles' capture on the 12th, R.A.F. units in Tokundi coordinated a 'bolt for the border' that began with wesern-most units abandoning their garrisons at midnight and throughout the morning of the 13th. They were mostly allowed free passage unless they were thought to have valuable equipment with them. Some sporadic fighting allowed the Tokundski fascis to plunder the equipment of escaping units. As the fascis occupied and looted the abandoned garrisons, the sheer quantity of weapons they had acquired surprised them.

On April 15th, General Ronald MacNuggett would declare the unification of the fascis under his leadership, into the Tokundski Nationalisci.

The Many Republics
The initial revolution considered over, and the Royal forces in tatters (though still holding out in Rio Irkawa), the various militias began consolidating their power. It is not known if individual leaders had planned to restore a unified Cobura by diplomacy and the negotiation of a new constitution, but in the latter weeks of April no fewer than 9 successor states can be identified as having been declared in Cobura. These are the:

1. Augustanii Republic (controlling the cities of Princeps, modern-day Egato City, and the countryside to the east of Augustus) - controlled by the Augustanii Liberals.

2. Augustanii Socialist Communitarian Republic (controlling Nova Venice and the countryside of Egato to the east of Augustus) - controlled by the Nova Venice Labour Union Paras.

3. Republic of Cobura in Augustus (controlling only Augustus City) - controlled by a mix of Socialist, Labour, Liberal, Populist militias and local business owners.

4. Domalean State of the Coburan Republic (Controlling all of Domale) - controlled by the Liberal Militias of Domale.

5. Dilganato Workers' Soviet of the Coburan Republic (Controlling all of Dilganato except Crystal Tokyo) - controlled by the Militias.

6. Republic of Dilganato (controlling only Crystal Tokyo) - controlled by the Liberal Militias and CT Chamber of Commerce.

7. Irkawan Communitarian Republic of Northern Cobura (controlling northern Irkawa, sharing a shifting border with the royalist holdout of Rio Irkawa) - controlled by the Lochshire Labour Unions Paras.

8. The Democratic City-State of Hudson (controlling the rest of Irkawa without Rio Irkawa) - controlled by a partnership of the Liberal and Socialist Militias there.

9. The National State of Tokundi (controlling all of Tokundi) - controlled by the Tokundski Nationalisci.

Ethnic and political differences would prevent any meaningful diplomatic negotiations betwen these unstable republics. Minor skirmishes between the non-Tokundi states would perpetuate a cycle that would slow down the process of unification.

With Tokundi military morale at an all-time high, and the wider Coburan economy tanking, MacNuggett launched a daring offensive to unite the country under a Tokundi-led military state.

=Tokundi Conquest of Cobura=

Marching first through the outlying areas of the "City-State" of Hudson, MacNuggett captured Rio Irkawa from the royalists with supreme tact and efficiency. On the pretence of facilitating Irkawan unification, he then struck a deal that would see the city-state of Hudson and the Tokundski Nationalisci invade Northern Irkawa. This completed, MacNuggett was easily-placed to go back on his deal, which he did, conquering and occupying Hudson city. Continuing his campaign eastward, McNuggett would occupy Augustus after a brief battle.

In occupying Augustus and holding it, MacNuggett came to control the economic powerhouse of Cobura. He would then strike a deal with the remaining states and militias, to join the Tokundski state and unify Cobura once more.

=The Republic Declared=

General Ronald MacNuggett would be declared President of the Republic of Cobura on 1st December 2114. It is thought that he had originally wished to keep the National State of Tokundi as a unified state, but capitulated on this in order to earn the agreement of militias in Dilganato and Domale in joining the state without further bloodshed. The main objective of the new government was to restore the Coburan economy and its currency.

=Aftermath=

The 'Republic' had no elected government body, and in the summer of 2115, amid civil unrest, would be declared a military state, and MacNuggett would declare himself "Field Marshal." The transition from military junta to democratic republic would take about another year, after which free and fair elections were held for the first time in Cobura, and the Tokundski Junta Party would lose out to the new Liberal Technocrats. In handing over power after this election, MacNuggett earned for himself great admiration in the Coburan history books.