The Battle of Pendraic, nicknamed Neretzes' Folly, was a major military engagement in the year 1077 involving all major factions in Calradia. The battle was primarily fought between the Calradic Empire and the Principality of Sturgia, with some Aserai and Khuzait clans and mercenaries siding with the former and the Kingdoms of Battania and Vlandia siding with the latter.
Viewpoint Narratives[]
There is much discrepancy in what actually occurred, but what is certain is that the Empire suffered significant casualties, including the Emperor Drosios Neretzes himself, whose death would only further accelerate the decline of Imperial authority. In the aftermath, Arenicos Pethros (who participated in the battle) ascended to the Imperial throne. In his rule as Emperor, he slowed the Empire's decline that had resulted from the devastating defeat at Pendraic.
Meanwhile, while ultimately victorious, the Sturgians, Battanians and Vlandians enjoyed a pyrrhic victory at best, due to high casualties and the deaths of Grand Prince Vadinslav and Knyaz Olek the Old. Furthermore, the coalition alliance collapsed due to conflicts in the aftermath of the battle. This was further exacerbated by the dispute regarding the Dragon Banner.
Imperial Viewpoints[]
- Rhagaea Pethros was not at the battle herself, but claims that Arenicos told her he unsuccessfully attempted to dissuade Emperor Drosios Neretzes from marching into the ambush. After the battle was lost, Arenicos managed to escape with a force of the Emperor's guardsmen.
- Lucon Osticos was a junior officer in Neretzes' staff during the battle. He claims that Neretzes had known about the ambush in the valley, but sent his imperial vanguard anyway. When the Sturgians stormed the Imperial camp, Lucon escaped with Arenicos's group of soldiers back to safety.
- Garios Comnos was present as a soldier at the battle, which he alleges he barely escaped with his life, hiding in the woods with his fellow survivors to escape their Battanian pursuers. He credits this experience as the formative moment behind his later ascendancy to the rule of the Western Empire in the Calradic civil war.
- The Khuzait narrative mostly concerns the Khergit, a Khuzait clan, who had joined the Empire as mercenaries. The Khergit suffered major losses when they engaged Vlandian heavy cavalry, with the death of Solun-noyan and his sons. In the aftermath, Mesui was forced to lead the Khergit because of the lack of male heirs. As a result, Khergit lands were pillaged with impunity by the other clans (without much intervention from Monchug Urkhunait), greatly weakening their position in the khanate.
- The Aserai narrative revolves around the warrior Nimr Banu Sarran. Nimr was a young warrior who, along with other Aserai, were eager to join the Empire. Sultan Unqid Banu Hulyan allowed Nimr to participate in the battle but the Aserai troops, who mostly consisted of javelin-wielding skirmishers, were largely run down by Vlandian cavalry when they were regrouping. Still, Nimr was hailed a hero when he returned home, until a notorious incident caused his death.
Coalition Viewpoints[]
- The Sturgians, particularly Grand Prince Raganvad Gundaroving, claim that they had done most of the work in fighting the Empire's forces. Relations between the Battanians and the Sturgians worsened when the Battanians allegedly hoarded most of the loot from their battle against the vanguard, despite not participating in the main assault against the imperial encampment. Knyaz Godun Vagiroving considers the battle a great victory, squandered by Raganvad's public resentment towards his vassals and Battanian allies in the aftermath of the battle.
- The Battanian nobility mostly considers the battle a success. High King Caladog fen Gruffendoc argues that the battle was a major success for the coalition. In his explanation, he claims that a contingent of Battanian archers and falxmen had ambushed the Imperials in a wooded mountain pass, annihilating the bulk of Neretzes' army. Mormaer Ergeon fen Derngil agrees that the battle was a major success, while Mormaer Melidir fen Uvain agrees regarding the strategic success but considers the ordeal a failure given the resulting strained relationship with the Sturgians and Vlandians.
- The Vlandians have differing views on the battle. King Derthert dey Meroc regrets his decision to join the Battanians, as little gain was made in exchange for much loss, but cites that he had little choice when Emperor Neretzes insulted his honor by naming him a coward for hesitating to join them in the battle (Vlandia had previously agreed to a defensive pact with the Empire). Baron Ingalther dey Cortain considers Pendraic a wasted opportunity for invading a weakened empire. According to Unthery dey Arromanc, who was in charge of the Vlandian crossbowmen, his men had to retreat from a charge of Imperial cataphracts, a situation that according to him occured due to unruly Barons like Ingalther dey Cortain and Aldric dey Tihr, who ignored King Derthert's plan.
Reconstructed Narrative[]
Prelude and Coalition[]
A map of Calradia highlighting Battania, where the battle took place
By the 1070s, the Calradic Empire had been in decline for many years. During the last few generations, Osric Iron-Arm had taken advantage of an Imperial interregnum to revolt and become the first king of Vlandia, paying only bare lip service to the empire in the form of the promise military support, which the Vlandian barons were never enthusiastic to fulfill. The tribes of the Nahasa Desert and surrounding regions collectively known as the Banu Asera after their mythological patriarch, unified into the Aserai Sultanate to form a bloc against the Empire. Similarly, northwards, the Principality of Sturgia had formed out of the many princes and boyars on its edges, and adopted hostile relations with the Empire. In the east, the Khuzaits had formed into a confederacy and conquered all the Empire's territory east of Lake Tanaesis.
Some years before 1077, High King Aeril of Battania disappeared in a hunting accident after swearing a truce with Emperor Drosios, sealed by oaths. His adopted son, Caladog, became High King. Aeril's kinsmen, the Gruffendoc family, suspected Caladog of murdering the former High King, but the new leader was charismatic, and already planned to betray the oaths sworn to Drosios. The Battanian Fians were enthusiastic to go to war against the Empire. "They had a hundred years of crimes against them to avenge. I, a father to my people, gave them what they wanted," later said by Caladog, commenting on the battle.
Penton Neretzes, Drosios' son, states that "The Sturgians attacked us, and needed to be chastised." By contrast, Lucon Osticos, the current Northern Emperor and a former supporter and officer of his, commented that "Neretzes had an obligation to avenge the Battanian attacks on our land." These are two seperate justifications for the war, though not contradictory. Based on the testimonies of his political allies, Drosios thus sought a war with both the Sturgians and Battanians. To expand his army from the native Calradic troops he could raise, Drosios sent an offer to Monchug, the current Khan of the Khuzaits, requesting he be alowed to recruit mercenaries from amongst his people. Mochug acquiesced, but the majority of those who went were Khergits, led by their Noyan, Solun. It's clear that some Tigrits also led, led by their Beg, Hurunag, although Hurunag seems to have answered to Solun's authority on the actual campaign. Nimr Banu Sarran, from the Aserai, led a number of young warriors from the Banu Sarran and Banu Qild to join the Empire for money.
Drosios also summoned the Vlandians, ruled by King Derthert, to his aid. The Vlandian barons were unwilling to go and looked for loopholes in their oath to the Empire. Drosios quickly became impatient and sent a letter calling the Vlandians cowards. With their honour challenged by the Emperor, the Vlandians were furious, and succesfully pushed Derthert to declare war against the Empire. The Vlandians made up the last element of the "Barbarian coalition" including Sturgia, led by their Grand Prince, Vadinslav Gundaroving and Battania. This coalition must not have had the greatest cohesion; as later circumstances showed, conflict between the Battanians and Sturgians was not a rare thing, and the Vlandian warlord Oca's conquest of the Llyn Modris must have been relatively fresh within memory.
Ambush[]
Drosios must have marched deep into Battania in order to reach Pendraic, specifically the nearby Pendraic Castle, which is far from the border of the Northern Empire and instead closer to Sturgia or even Vlandia. Based on Caladog's battle-strategy, it's very possible he lead them in so deep. Based on the words, "Perhaps Neretzes was rash, sending our infantry up into the hills to storm the Battanian fort. But he thought he could grab the pass quickly, before the enemy had time to reinforce it. If he had made the other wager and that turned out to be wrong, people would say he was hesitant," from Lucon Osticos, Drosios was rushing to Pendraic, which may have added to the fatigue of the Imperial army in battle.
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Banner of the house of fen Gruffendoc, which Caladog belongs to.
None of the accounts are remotely detailed in the geography of the battlefield, though they emphasise three different sites: a wooded pass (where the ambush took place), a valley, and an Imperial camp site further back. Although the reasonable assumption may appear that the battle took place on the western Battanian frontier, none of the accounts refer to Uthelaim Castle, Flintolg Castle, their attached villages, or even Seonon, which would be expected. Pendraic itself, the only named battle site, is far deeper. Pendraic is situated on somewhat elevated terrain, so a wooded pass is feasible, particularly if Drosios' army came from the south. If the ambush took place just south of Pendraic Castle, the "valley" could be referring to between the field between the Alta Druin Range (the foothills of which Pendraic Castle sits upon), and the Fiur River, where the Llyn Tywal flows downstream to the Bay of Varcheg.
Drosios sent the Imperial vanguard, under the command of Gassy Garios Comnos, to rush towards Pendraic Castle. Khuzait scouts of his told the Emperor that an ambush had been laid by the Battanians, but he disregarded the information and failed to tell Garios as well, probably assuming that the Battanian ambush would be insignificant. Garios was provided with no archers and cavalry, though was assisted by Nimr's Aserai. Thus, the vanguard marched into a kill-zone completely unawares. After some time of marching, Caladog's archers opened fire on the Imperials. Ergeon Fen Derngil gleefully records, "Caladog blew his horn, and our bowmen fired on them from all sides. They turned their shields one way, and were hit from the other. A glorious thing to watch," which almost ironically contrasts the bleeding bitterness in Garios' account. Meanwhile, Nimr displayed great tactical instincts. Adram Banu Sarran, his kinsmen, is the source for most of his tactical decisions on the battle. Under his leadership the Aserai held their shields over their heads and launched throwing weapons at the Battanian archers before charging, successfully breaking out.
In the meantime, as the Imperials grew exhausted, Caladog and his commanders, Ergeon and Melidir, rallied their falxmen and swordsmen and charged. Garios' men held out for as long as they could but ultimately broke, and were slaughtered, though a few fled, including Garios. From here, the Battanians essentially ignored the rest of the battle, instead looting and beheading the Imperial corpses. This attracted the scorn of their allies.
Valley Fighting[]
Vlandian Banner Knights, who would have fought in high numbers during this phase of the battle
As the Imperial vanguard was being slaughtered in a melee, Nimr had overextended his army in pursuit of the Battanian archers. His force had become spread out over the valley. Ingalthar dey Cortain, the Vlandian baron who fought at Pendraic, explains this tactical error in detail. Although Derthert clearly had a preexisting plan upon entering the battle, the opportunistic and bellicose knights under his command charged down the Aserai, inflicting severe casualties and causing a rout. Adram even suggests that the Emperor had let the Aserai get slaughtered. Nimr's casualties were so extensive that the Banu Qild clan felt animosity towards him after the battle.
Ingalthar does not make mention of this next stage at all, which is instead recorded by Unthery dey Arromanc and Hurunag Tigrit. Solun's Khuzaits attacked the Vlandians and shot at them with arrows, though kept their distance. The knights were unable to catch up to the Khuzaits so that they could fight them in a melee and began to suffer casualties. It was only when the Vlandian crossbowmen, commanded by Unthery, came into the fray that the situation turned. Unthery comments that, "A man on foot can shoot as well or better than a man on horseback, all things being equal, and there were a lot more of us," and the Khuzaits quickly began to suffer significant casualties. Noyan Solun's horse was shot out from under him and he was soon run down. It should be noted Unthery's relative loyalty to Derthert and his battle plan suggests that he was sent forward by the king to support the knights, rather than on his own initiative, contrasting the knights themselves.
Ingalthar dey Cortain and Aldric dey Tihr's heavy cavalry pursued the fleeing Khuzaits and continued to deal heavy casualties. Many of the Khergit male clansmen were now dead, and their only leadership was Hurunag, though even he admits that "we were caught in a melee with the Vlandian knights, and that was where things got bloody." However, as the knights were effectively slaughtering the horse archers, the Imperial cataphracts under Penton Neretzes were finally sent forward by the Emperor. The Cataphracts were similarly heavily-armoured to the knights, and they ran down Unthery's crossbowmen with relative ease. Unthery was swept aside, and though he survived, he saw no more of the battle. The Khuzaits were effectively gone, but by now the knights had launched a series of successive charges at the same tempo, and were tired. In addition, the Vlandians do not seem to have had any significant infantry support. In the melee with the cataphracts, the knights suffered heavy casualties and were forced to flee the engagement.
Although Hurunag Tigrit and Mesui, Solun's widow, claim that the Khuzaits were victorious, the Khuzait detachment did not survive this phase of the battle, neither did the Aserai. The fact that the field was stabilised can mostly be attributed to the last-second charge from the cataphracts.
Attack on the Fortified Camp[]
Sturgian attack against the Imperial fort
Also after the Battanian ambush, the Sturgians pounced on the remainder of the Imperial army. Based on the wording of the Imperial and Khuzait accounts – particularly those of Lucon Osticos and Mesui – this assault took place around the same time as the Valley battle or slightly afterwards. Led by Vadinslav, the Sturgians engaged the Imperial army before their fort. It can be reasonably assumed that each side's commanders (Vadinslav, Drosios, and their subordinates) were fighting in battle, at least intermittently, based on their later deaths. Once they had enough of the Sturgian onslaught, the Imperials fled, probably across the Fiur, to their fortified camp.
Vadinslav pursued closely and launched an attack upon the ramparts. Olek the Young, who was at the battle, records, "When the imperials had had enough of us they broke and ran for the ramparts. There they threw darts and rocks and their cursed fire. We had to go up ladders, one by one." Penton and Lucon seem to have been fighting upon the ramparts. While attempting to mount the Imperial defences, Vadinslav was hit by a mace and killed. The Sturgian army could have broken at this point but Olek the Old, father of Olek the Young, took charge of the army. He continued leading the assault through the brutal fighting and succesfully broke in, at which point a fierce melee broke out. The combat became increasingly one-sided as Emperor Drosios Neretzes was finally killed alongside many of his men. At this point, the Imperials fled. Arenicos Pethros, one of the freshly-dead Emperor's most trusted commanders, took Neretzes' guard and fled. Lucon was part of this host alongside other lieutenants of the Emperor, and says that Arenicos was worthy of becoming Emperor. Penton also managed to flee, fighting his way out with his men.
After the fighting was over, Vadinslav's son, Raganvad, arrived at the scene. He had been sent back by his father for his safety but upon hearing word of Vadinslav's son he rushed to the battle. Olek the Old had pried the Dragon banner out of the dead Emperor's hands, which Olek the Young retells with pride, but Vadinslav now demanded the prestigious flag. Godun Vagiroving, a Sturgian noble who fought at the battle, records that Olek even laughed at Raganvad and told him to "go find his own toy to play with." In anger, Raganvad struck Olek, who then broke the banner staff over his knees and threw it in the prince's face. When Caladog arrived the Sturgians were furious at the Battanians for not participating in most of the battle, and the prince personally was stewing, and he thus called Caladog a coward. Godun sarcastically notes that Raganvad "Insults his most powerful vassal and then insults his most valued ally. A fine day's work, wouldn't you say? But he has grown wiser since, though no more pleasant to spend time with."