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Sawahili Crusade

Sawahili Crusade
Part of Crusades
Date 1163-1171 Location Swahili coast Result Stalemate Territorial changes Estbalishment of the Crusader Kingdom of the Ocean Treaty of Ruvuma (1171) Crusader failure to capture Kilwa Kisiwani or Mombasa
Belligerents
Crusaders	Kilwa Sultanate Mombasa Sultanate
Commanders and leaders
Sir Robert of Anjou-Plantagenet Sir Myles Bath Sir Clarence of Mornville Conrad of Bavaria George of Sicily	Sultan al-Hasan ibn Dawud of Kilwa Sultan Suleiman II ibn al-Hasan of Kilwa
Strength
100,000 crusaders	In Lindi: 50,000 soldiers In Kilwa Kisiwani: 20,000 soldiers

The Sawahili Crusade (1163-1171) was a crusader campaign against Sawahili Coast, aimed to invade it and add it to Chrisetndom, after the failure of the Second Crusade, it ended with the estbalishment of the Kingdom of the Ocean.

Background

In the years following the failure of the Second Crusade, Sir Robert of Anjou-Plantagenet, cousin to King Henry II of England, turned his gaze far from the Holy Land. Dreaming of a Christian empire upon the “Sea of the Setting Sun,” he gathered knights, sailors, and pilgrims from Sicily, Normandy, and Gascony, and sailed along the coasts of Africa. They came upon the Swahili shores—rich, coral-built cities that thrived on gold and trade with Arabia and India. Hearing of the great Muslim sultanates of Kilwa and Mombasa, Robert declared a holy expedition to bring “the Cross to the oceanic ends of the world.”

Crusade

Siege of Mombasa (1163)

Sir Robert’s fleet first descended upon Mombasa, a powerful and walled harbor defended by Sultan al-Hasan ibn Dawud of Kilwa. For three months, Robert’s men laid siege to the coral fortresses, but the humid air, the unfamiliar climate, and fierce counterattacks from Arab dhows shattered their resolve. In a disastrous night assault, a fire ship ignited the Crusader fleet; Robert himself was wounded, and the expedition retreated southward. Chroniclers later called it "the Trial by Flame.”

Capture of Mtwara (Late 1163)

Broken yet undeterred, Robert’s army landed upon the bay of Mtwara, a lesser trading post inhabited by Swahili fishermen and merchants. There, the Crusaders found a natural harbor and easily took the settlement, fortifying it with wood and stone. Robert named it Sancta Maria ad Oceanum, and declared it the Capital of the Kingdom of the Ocean, crowning himself King Robert I under the sign of the Cross.

Battle of Lindi (1164)

Seeking to expand his dominion, Robert marched north to Lindi, where Sultan al-Hasan’s garrison held firm. The Battle of Lindi saw the first true victory of the Crusaders in Africa: the knights charged through narrow coconut groves, cutting down the defenders, and took the port by storm. The banner of the Oceanic Cross was raised over the harbor. This victory emboldened the Crusaders, and many began to call Robert “the Lion of the Ocean.”

Siege of Kilwa Kisiwani (1164–1165)

Flush with victory, Robert led a daring campaign against Kilwa Kisiwani, the most powerful city of the Swahili Coast. His ships blockaded the lagoon while his army built siege towers of palm trunks and coral. For six months the Crusaders besieged the city of Sultan al-Hasan ibn Dawud. Yet in the spring of 1165, Prince Suleiman ibn al-Hasan, the Sultan’s son, arrived from the north with reinforcements. In the Battle of the Sand Spit, Suleiman broke the siege and forced Robert’s army into retreat. Kilwa was saved, though scarred by fire and famine. Robert withdrew to Mtwara and declared the campaign a divine trial, not a defeat.

Expansion and Consolidation

In the years that followed, Robert strengthened his kingdom. His nobles—English, Norman, and Breton—settled around Mtwara, Lindi, and the fertile inland lands of Mtama and Mahuta. The Crusaders built churches, castles, and farms, and Robert constructed his marble White Palace overlooking the ocean, symbol of his dominion.

He brought settlers from abroad and raised new armies, leading conquests north and across the sea, Mchinga and Kisongo fell in swift campaigns. And in 1168, Robert launched a naval crusade against the Comoros Islands. He captured Fomboni but was defeated at Mutsamudu, where storm and disease wrecked his fleet.

First Sawahili War (1170-1171)

In 1170, Sultan al-Hasan died, and his son Suleiman II Shirazi took the throne of Kilwa. A warrior and scholar, Suleiman sought vengeance for Kilwa’s suffering. In the War of the Two Seas, he united the Swahili city-states under his banner and launched a series of devastating campaigns: The Battle of the Coconut Plains – near Lindi, where Suleiman’s cavalry annihilated a Crusader detachment, the Storm of Mtama – the Swahili fleet ambushed Robert’s ships and recaptured key coastal villages, and the Siege of Mtwara (1171) – Suleiman’s greatest victory; though he failed to breach the White Palace, he encircled the city and forced Robert to seek peace.

Treaty of Ruvuma (1171)

After months of siege, peace was negotiated. Treaty of the Ruvuma (1171) established:

• Borders: The Crusader Kingdom held territory between Ruvuma River (south) and Lindi (north).
• Faith: Both Islam and Christianity would remain in their respective lands, and neither would proselytize beyond agreed borders.
• Slavery: Sultan Suleiman forced Robert to abolish the enslavement of Africans in the Comoros Islands, though it continued on the mainland.

To aid escaped captives, Sultan Suleiman founded a refuge city across the Mozambique Channel—Basma (modern Palma)—which became a beacon for the oppressed.

Aftermath and Legacy

Though King Robert’s empire endured only a few generations, the Swahili Crusade reshaped the coast forever. The ruins of Mtwara’s White Palace, the cross-shaped forts of Lindi, and the chronicles of the Order of the Oceanic Cross testify to this brief and strange mingling of Europe and East Africa — a Crusader kingdom born not in the Holy Land, but upon the coral shores of the Indian Ocean.

By 1172, the kingdom had evolved into a feudal monarchy modeled on Norman England and the Crusader States of the Levant. King Robert I divided the realm into five great fiefs, each held by loyal nobles or royal kin:

Fief	Region	Ruler / House	Notes
Crown Lands	Mtwara, Mtwara Forest, Riverlands, towns and villages	King Robert I	Core of the kingdom; location of the White Palace, royal court, and Archbishopric.
Saint Edmund	Lindi and northern borders with Kilwa	Sir Myles of Bath	Frontier military fief tasked with defending against the Kilwa Sultanate.
Christ Greens	Mahuta region and interior farms	Conrad of Bavaria, son of Henry III & XII of Saxony	German settlement zone; known for its disciplined militias and farming estates.
Saint Mary	Comoros Islands	George of Sicily, son of William II of Sicily	Maritime outpost; critical for trade with Arabia and India.
Fiefdom of Mtama	Mtama and the coastal hinterland	Lady Eleanor of Montfort	One of the rare female lords of the Crusades; patron of the Benedictine missions and hospitals.

Each fief was sworn to provide knights and ships to the royal army in exchange for autonomy, creating a complex network of loyalties that often shifted with fortune and faith.

Siege of Mtwara (1181)

Siege of Mtwara (1181)
Date November 28 – December 3, 1181 Location Mtwara Result Crusader vicotry Start of the Second Swahili War
Belligerents
Kilwa Sultanate Rebellious slave	Kingdom of the Ocean County of Christ Greens County of Saint Mary County of Mtama
Commanders and leaders
Sultan Suleiman II of Kilwa	King Robert I of Anjou-Ocean † Prince Edward of Anjou-Ocean Conrad the Bavarian, Count of Christ Greens Sir Myles of Bath (WIA)
Strength
10,000 men 200 ships 600 rebels	500 men Crusader help forces: 9,000 soldiers

The siege of Mtwara took place from 28 November to 24 December 1181, ended with the failure of the siege and the deafet of Kilwa Sultanate. This event was the catalyst for the Second Swahili War.

Background

In 1181, Mu'min ibn Mansour, an egyptian traveler visits Mtwara and helps 4 slaves escape through the Ruvuma River and they succeded with the help of his friend Jon Arthur Baker, This motivated the slaves to rebel. The Treaty of Ruvuma, which had preserved a fragile peace since 1171, expired at year’s end. King Robert I of Anjou-Plantagenet, now aged, sickly, and cruel from years of isolation refused to renew it. Sultan Suleiman II, seeing his moment, sent Jon Arthur Baker back to the southern coast under the guise of a merchant, bearing secret messages to the enslaved peoples and Muslim sympathizers within the kingdom.

Siege

As the rains broke over the coast, Sultan Suleiman’s forces launched a sudden assault upon the fief of Saint Edmund (Lindi). The English knights there, unprepared and divided, were swept aside within days. Their castles fell, and their banners were trampled under the green and gold standard of Kilwa. Before Robert could summon his full host, the Sultan’s fleet appeared off Mtwara Bay. The Siege of Mtwara began.

The Slave Rebellion and Fall of the King

Inside the city, the enslaved population rose in fury, storming the fields, workshops, and barracks. Flames consumed the market quarter; bells rang from the towers of Sancta Maria. King Robert I, surrounded in his palace, was captured by the rebels after attempting to flee toward the docks. In scenes of vengeance unseen since the Fall of Jerusalem, he was tortured by freed captives before being handed to Sultan Suleiman. The Sultan, cold and deliberate, received Robert in chains before his tent outside Mtwara’s gates. He stripped the former king of his crown and ordered his public execution by the sword, declaring: “Let the sea take what the sea had given — tyranny shall find no harbor beneath heaven.” Thus ended the reign of Robert the Oceanic, first of his line.

The Siege Turns

With Mtwara in chaos, the Crown Prince Edward—Robert’s son—retreated with the remaining knights and nobles into the White Palace, turning it into a fortress. For forty days, they endured bombardment and assault. Yet fate turned unexpectedly: from the north came reinforcements — Crusader armies from Christ Greens, Saint Mary (Comoros), and Mtama, their ships bringing men and supplies. In February 1182, they struck the besieging Kilwa lines from behind in the Battle of the Coral Fields, forcing Sultan Suleiman to withdraw northward with minor losses, wary of encirclement.

Aftermath

Though Mtwara was saved, the kingdom lay in ruin. the king was dead, the slaves had fled or joined Kilwa, and Half the coastal towns lay in ashes. Crown Prince Edward I of Plantagenet-Oceanus was crowned in the shattered chapel of the White Palace, his coronation marked by thunder and rain. Meanwhile, to the south, Prince Dawud of Sofala, son of Sultan Suleiman, was crossing the Ruvuma River with new armies to join his father’s cause. By the year’s end, both sides prepared for a holy war without mercy, the Second Swahili War (1182–1189).

Second Swahili War

Second Swahili Crusade
Part of Swahili Wars
Date 1182-1185 Location Swahili coast Result Peace of Zubayr Territorial changes Status quo ante bellum
Belligerents
Kingdom of the Ocean Kingdom of Jerusalem Kingdom of England Kingdom of France Republic of Venice Republic of Genoa Republic of Pisa County of Habsburg Papal States Knights Templar Ethiopian Empire	Kilwa Sultanate Sultanate of Mombasa Emirate of Sofala Sultanate of Nacala Supported by: Ayyubid Dynasty
Commanders and leaders
King Edmure I of Anjou-Ocean Prince Edmund of Anjou-Ocean Guy of Lusignan The Blue Knight Grand Master Arnold of Torroja "Falcon's Wound" Earl of Chester Prince John Capet Alfred of Habsburg, Count of Münchwilen Frank of Dompierre Na'akueto La'ab Yetbarak	King Suleiman II of Kilwa Crown Prince Dawud ibn Sulayman al-Shirazi
Strength
120,000 soldiers	10,000 soldiers Crusade: 60,000 soldiers.
Casualties and losses
73,000 killed and wounded and captured	Heavy

The Second Swahili War, was the second of the Swahili wars between Kingdom of the Ocean and Sultantae of Kilwa, it started with the end of the Ruvuma treaty and Siege of Mtwara.

Background

After the Siege of Mtwara (1181) and the death of Robeet I of Anjou-Ocean, Edmund of Anjou-Ocean was crowned in the spring of 1182. In the ruins of the White Palace, amid rain and storms, the Archbishop of Sancta Maria ad Oceanum crowned him as Edmund I, proclaiming:

“ With God’s blessing, Edmund, first of the kings in this land to bear this name, King of the Sunset Sea and the Comoros Islands, Servant of Saint Mary and High Leader of all Five Fiefdoms. ”

He raised the Ocean Cross and swore to avenge his father.

Suleiman II retreated to Kilwa Kisiwani, leaving a small force in Lindi, while Prince Dawud marched south to join his father. Fortunately, Edmund received news of these movements in time. His first action was to request aid from Baldwin IV of Jerusalem, who agreed to send an army that would arrive within 100 days. Baldwin also promised to appeal to the Pope Lucius III and European monarchs for support, though he could not say how long that might take, as most of Europe did not even know this kingdom existed.

Edmund’s second action was to give command of part of the army to his younger brother, Prince Edmure, who insisted on joining the war despite his youth.

His third action was to send his sister, Princess Elianor of Anjou-Ocean; his pregnant wife, Queen Matilda of Montfort; his mother-in-law, Eleanor of Montfort, Lady of Mtama; and other noblewomen and young lords to the Comoros Islands, where they could flee if disaster struck. Now, he was ready to march.

War

First year of the war and Battle of Gareth Field

Prince Edmure attacked Prince Dawud in an ambush in the flooded marshes north of Mtwara, leading to the Battle of the Mangrove Pass (1183), which ended in a Crusader victory.

King Edmund then attacked Lindi in a swift and well-planned assault, defeating the small force Suleiman had left there. Suleiman was forced to take another route, and he and his son met in Mtama, which had been abandoned. Emir Dawud attacked and sacked Mahuta, then returned to camp.

The Kilwa army then grew in size and decided to march on Mtwara. Although Edmund won several engagements, he lost many men. Still, he chose to stand and fight. The two armies met at Nyangamara Field. The Crusaders resisted fiercely, but as they began to falter, forces from Jerusalem led by Guy of Lusignan arrived with fresh troops, new armor, and strong soldiers. This battle took place during a great storm, with dark clouds and powerful winds. Warriors such as the Blue Knight and Falcon’s Wound fought there. This clash became known as the Battle of Gareth Field (1184), ended in a Crusader victory too.

Second Swahili Crusade

The following year, the war continued with smaller clashes, while Sultan Suleiman and his son returned to Kilwa Kisiwani to prepare for a final assault. Both sides were weakened. Disease spread through the armies, and trade collapsed.

Edmund’s forces attempted to besiege Kisiwani and captured some vessels, but they were too weak to take the city and withdrew before the Sultan returned.

Unexpectedly, Europe responded to the calls for war on the Swahili Coast. Many minor nobles dreamed of founding kingdoms there, while powerful houses across Western Europe sent younger sons to establish new realms, just as the Angevin branch, House Anjou-Ocean, had done.

The greatest support came from England, led by Ranulf de Blondeville, 6th Earl of Chester. A strong English force sailed south. John, son of Louis VII, was sent in hopes of founding a Capetian kingdom. Genoa, Venice, and Pisa also joined, seeking closer trade routes to India. Alfred, son of Albert III of Habsburg, was sent as well. With papal approval, the conflict was declared a Crusade.

By the beginning of 1185, a Crusader army of English, French, Austrian, and Italian forces had arrived, along with a papal representative and additional support from Jerusalem. Some sources even claim that the Ethiopian Empire joined the Crusade.

This time, the Crusaders aimed to capture Kilwa Kisiwani. They gathered in Mtwara and prepared for a siege for four months. Meanwhile, Sultan Suleiman II and his son gathered reinforcements from Mombasa, Sofala, and Baebera, along with a small force sent by Saladin, and prepared for a final battle.

The two armies met at the Hill of Mtwara: the Kilwa army with 56,000 men and the Crusader army with 60,000. In this great clash, the Crusaders suffered a heavy defeat, though their leaders escaped to the White Palace. The Muslims achieved a costly but significant victory. The Battle of the Golden Hill was a Muslim victory, but a disaster for both sides, leaving the Kilwa army too weakened to invade Mtwara.

Peace of Zubayr and end of the war

After a year of negotiations, with occasional clashes continuing, Suleiman II and Edmund I finally met and agreed to the Peace of Zubayr (1186). Under this agreement, the Kingdom of the Ocean retained its borders and fiefs. No enslaved people would be returned, and Kilwa would recognize the kingdom for the duration of the peace, which was set to last eight and a half years.

Aftermath

Though the Kingdom of the Ocean lay broken by war, famine, and storm, tidings of joy came from across the sea. In the Comoros Islands, Queen Matilda of Montfort had given birth to a son, Robert, heir to the Ocean Crown, by the war’s end the child was three years of age, hailed as Robert the Hopeful, and named Crown Prince of the Ocean Realm.

Among those who remained in Oceanum after the peace was Alfred of Habsburg, who had come with the crusading host from Austria, he took in marriage Lady Eleanor of Montfort, Countess of Mtama and mother of Queen Matilda, thus binding the House of Habsburg to the blood of the Ocean kings and securing a claim to the fertile southern fiefs, as a reward for valor and to strengthen his foreign alliances, King Edmund I granted the County of Saint Edmund (Lindi) to Prince Jon of Capet, son of King Louis VII of France, yet chroniclers later judged this a grave mistake, for Jon’s ambitions and French retainers would stir unrest among the English-born lords and native townsmen alike. To the Italian city-states that had joined the crusade, Edmund bestowed charters and privileges to trade upon the coast, their merchants filled Mtwara’s ruined quays with ships once more, bringing glass, cloth, and gold across the sea, in time, these merchants would become the true lifeblood of the realm, even as its knights dwindled and its crown weakened.

Thus ended the Second Swahili War, the banners were furled, but the wounds of both faiths and peoples remained, from the ashes of battle rose new powers, the Habsburg lords in Mtama, the Capetians in Lindi, and the merchants of Italy along the harbors, King Edmund ruled on, but his gaze often turned to the Comoros, where his young son played by the sea, a child born to inherit both a kingdom and its curse.

War of the Pretender

Oceanum Civil War
The Dual between Malcolm the Loser and Edmure the Bold, during Battle of Mikindani.
Date 1188-1189 Location Swahili coast Result English and vassals victory End of the Capet claim to Oceanum John Capet is banished from the Kingdom Territorial changes Kingdom of the Ocean returnes back under the control House of Anjou-Ocean Saint Edmund is given to House of Habsburg
Belligerents
Oceanum loyal to the House of Capet Viscounty of Mtama Fields Duchy of Christ Greens (under Malcolm of Welf) Knights Templar	Oceanum loyal to the House of Anjou-Ocean County of Mtama Duchy of Christ Greens	Slaves Emirate Supported by: Kilwa Sultanate
Commanders and leaders
John of Capet  Conrad of Habsburg Malcolm of Welf †	Edmund I of Anjou-Ocean (WIA) Edmure of Anjou-Ocean (WIA) Eleanor of Montfort Conrad the Bavarian †	Abdou ibn Abdallah † Ahmadou 'Isamo

War of the Pretender, happend between 1188 and 1189, it was a military conflict between the kings of Oceanum from House of Anjou-Ocean, and the French claiment from House Capet, led by the pretender, John of Paris, legetemized bastard of King Louis VII of France.

Background

In 1186, the Kingdom of the Ocean has left the war of the Second Swahili War with a new nobility. In 1187, horrible news came that Jerusalem has fell in the hands of Saladin, Muslims Shown every kind of gloating over them, celebrating right infront the borders. After the War, and among those granted land after the war was Prince John of France, a distant kinsman of Edmund I through the tangled vines of Plantagenet, Champagne, and blood, John saw opportunity, he whispered among barons that the kings of the Ocean were vassals of France, for Robert I once held fiefs in the French realm, thus, Edmund himself, he argued, was bound in fealty to the Capet Crown, he proclaimed, “If he is a vassal, then i, prince of France, am his liege lord and the rightful king of this ocean realm.”, the ambition of the Capet prince stirred unrest in every fief. John gathered allies in secret: the first was Alfred of Habsburg, Viscount of Mtama Fields, who joined in gratitude for John’s past aid in Europe; alliance sealed by betrothing John’s daughter to Alfred’s son, Adolf, and the second to join John's cause was Malcolm of Mahuta, son of Duke Conrad, who joined for Ambition and youthful rivalry, and he fled to Tandahimba, raising men in John’s name

Meanwhile, distrust thickened between Edmund and the Capet claimant, to test John’s loyalty, Edmund demanded he cede certain lands to young Crown Prince Robert, the "Earl-Prince" John refused, and more, he raised his banners in Lindi, declaring himself, “King John I of the Ocean”, the first openly rebellious act in the kingdom’s history.

War

When word reached Mtwara, Edmund I did not hesitate. He summoned the loyal fiefs: Lady Eleanor of Montfort, Countess of Mtama, first to arrive with her French knights. Duke Conrad of Mahuta, despite his son’s treachery, and the clergy and militias of the Crown Lands, while the Comoros, though tied by marriage to the royal house, retained proud independence and did not march immediately, but they sheltered Crown Prince Robert safely on Mongo Island, seat of the heirs.

Beginning of the war and Siege of Mtama

After claiming the royal title, John Capet turned his ambition toward Mtama, the richest fief in the realm and second city of the kingdom, there he joined with his Austrian allies under Alfred of Habsburg, Viscount of Mtama Fields, but Lady Eleanor of Montfort, Countess of Mtama, and wife of Alfred, knew every wall, gate, and secret passage of her city. Her knowledge turned Mtama into a fortress. Each dawn saw brutal clashes between her French knights and Alfred’s Austrian men, but in a funny coincidence in history, Eleanor and Alfred would fight by day cheering their men to kill eachother, but in night Alfred would return to Mtama and act like nothing happen and share the same bod, chronichlers say that their son was conceived in one of those night. However, the siege continued.

Prince Edmund enters and Siege of Mahuta

Meanwhile in Mahuta, Malcolm, son of Duke Conrad of Mahuta, rose in open rebellion against his own father, laying siege to his castle, so King Edmund I dispatched his brother, the Knight-Prince Edmure of Anjou-Ocean called “Edmure the Bald” and "The Prince woe they fear" to break the siege.

French Knights entering Mtama, in 1188.

Edmure’s arrival brought the First Great Duel between him and Malcolm, Edmure triumphed, forcing Malcolm to retreat swearing vengeance, when Mahuta was freed, Edmure ordered the arrest of all of Malcolm’s mistresses, acts that would soon fuel his enemy’s rage.

Malcolm joined his forces with John Capet and Conrad in Mtama, leading to its fall, but Lady Eleanor was allowed to leave and was taken safely by her Husband's men who refused to give her to John. Mtama was sacked and destroyed, thus John became ready to attack Mtwara.

Battle of Mikindani

Having secured Mtama, John advanced toward Mtwara, both armies met at the village of Mikindani. Before the battle, Edmure publicly executed Malcolm’s captured lovers, and challenged him again, their feud became legendary across Europe, sung by minstrels for centuries. John’s army charged fiercely, and the royalists began to collapse. King Edmund, seeing disaster, reorganized his troops into three divisions. He let the first advance and appear surrounded, luring John into a trap. From behind the hills, Edmure struck with the reserve, encircling the rebels, chaos erupted, and amid the melee, Edmund and John met, John struck the king, who fell from his horse, breaking his leg, Edmure fought through the lines to save him, defeating Malcolm once more in a Second Duel, and deafeting John too, forcing the Capetians to retreat to Lindi. The House of Anjou-Ocean had won, but at great cost, the army was shattered, and the king fell into a coma.

Great Slave Rebellion and Fall of Lindi

Edmure gathered the survivors and besieged Lindi for five long months, the city was devastated, and during the siege the Great Slave Rebellion broke out, crushed only after heavy losses. And finally, John marched out to fight one last time, Edmund, still crippled, ordered himself carried on a stretcher into battle, in the chaos, Duke Conrad was slain by John’s own hand. Edmure faced Malcolm in a third and final duel, both men fought until their swords shattered, seizing new blades from their soldiers, at last, Edmure drove his sword into Malcolm’s neck, ending the feud, John was captured soon after.

Aftermath

King Edmund, having recovered, sentenced John to death, but before the blade fell, an ambassador of Richard the Lionheart arrived, England and France, he said, were united for the Third Crusade, no Christian blood should be spilled in the Ocean realm. Thus John Capet was pardoned and exiled to France, while Alfred of Habsburg and his Austrians were also pardoned through Eleanor’s mediation.

After the war, their became a new Duke of Christ Greens, who is the fourteen years-old Christian Welf son of Conrad of Bavaria and younger brother of Malcolm the Loser. And after the war, the Earldom of Saint Edmund was taken from the exiled John, and it was given to Adolf Habsburg son of Alfred from his first marriage, and to keep the Habsburgs loyal, King Edmund betrothed Adolf to his sister Princess Anne of Anjou-Ocean, but this decision angred Prince Edmure who wanted to take Lindi and estbalish a cadet branch of House Anjou-Ocean, instead of giving it to a house that betrayed them before, and he didn't like Adolf, nor wanted him to marry his sister, and after returning to Mtwara a querrel happend between him and the king.

Third Swahili War

Third Swahili War
Date 1191-1193 Location Swahili Coast Result Edmurist Victory Prince Edmure is crowned king after the execution of King Robert II Failure of the Kilwa attempt to invade Mtwara The rest of the Regents take refugee in Mtama
Belligerents
1191-1192: Kingdom of the Ocean Duchy of Christ Greens Duchy of Saint Mary 1192-1193: The Edmurists: Marquisate of the Marches Duchy of Christ Greens Duchy of Saint Mary Knights of the Ocean Cross	1191-1192: Kilwa Sultanate Slaves Emirate Supported by: Sultanate of Mombasa Sultanate of Nacala 1192-1193: The Regents: County of Mtama Viscounty of Mtama Fields County of Lindi Kilwa Sultanate Imamate of Oman
Commanders and leaders
Prince Edmure of Anjou-Ocean Pricne Elijah of Anjou-Ocean Prince Moses of Anjou-Ocean Prince Manfred of Anjou-Ocean Christian Welf, Duke of Christ Greens George of Sicily, Duke of Saint Mary	1191-1192: Sultan Hussein ibn Suleiman Al-Mizan  1192-1193: Queen Matilda of Mtwara  Alfred Habsburg, Viscount of the Fields Adolf Habsburg, Count of Lindi Eleanor of Montfort, Countess of Mtama

The Third Swahili War, was the third of the Swahili wars between Kingdom of the Ocean and Sultantae of Kilwa, it started with the end of the Overthrow of Sultan Talut and Assassination of King Edmund.

Background

The War of the Pretender concluded in 1189 with the defeat of rebellious crusader factions and the consolidation of royal authority under King Edmund I of Anjou-Ocean. Despite the extensive territorial and demographic losses suffered during the conflict, the kingdom survived with its core coastal holdings intact.

Following the death of Sultan Suleiman of Kilwa, Talut ibn Suleiman succeeded him to the throne, his reign marked a significant diplomatic shift toward peaceful coexistence with the crusader state, the Treaty of Mtwara (1190) established a Fixed maritime borders, Regulated cross-confessional trade and Mutual recognition of sovereignty. Contemporary sources portray Talut as pragmatic and commercially focused, favoring economic stability over expansionist policy. Opposition to Talut’s pro-treaty policy emerged from factions within Kilwa’s military and religious elite. His younger brother, Hussein, capitalized on this discontent, leading a successful palace coup in mid-1191, the fate of Talut remains disputed; regardless of the details, Hussein assumed power and reversed his brother’s policies, adopting a confrontational stance toward the crusader states, and began planning to conquer Oceanum.

After several months had passed since the coup, King Edmund I was assassinated. Sources differ on the manner of his death: Christian sources claim he was poisoned, while Muslim sources state that an enraged Muslim slave stabbed him during an outing. In any case, King Edmund was dead, and the realm now had to appoint his son Robert. When the news reached Hussein, he immediately attacked Lindi and surprised the Austrian garrison, which fled, leaving the city to be occupied by the Muslims. Under intense pressure, it became necessary to crown the young prince quickly. On 14 May 1191, Robert was crowned in the White Palace with the proclamation:

“With God’s blessing, Robert, second of the kings in this land to bear this name, King of the Sunset Sea and the Comoros Islands, Servant of Saint Mary and High Leader of all Five Fiefdoms.”

However, a new problem emerged: Robert II was only five years old, and a regent was required. There were many candidates, such as Lady Eleanor and Prince Edmure, who formally requested the honor. But young Robert surprised everyone by choosing his clown Jamal as regent. Jamal was a Muslim Black jester in the service of Prince Robert. this decision enraged Prince Edmure. In fury, he declared: “This little wretch mocketh the heritage my father established and my brother defended, and the realm for which good men and martyrs gave their lives. That black Saracen is no regent of mine, and he shall perish.”

Edmure gathered an army, marched on Mtwara, and seized the king. He hanged Jamal in front of the terrified child. However, he did not depose Robert; instead, after torture, he forced the boy to appoint him regent. Meanwhile, Lady Eleanor and the pregnant Queen Matilda fled the city. The only major noble to answer Edmure’s call to arms was Christian of Welf, Duke of Saint Mary. Because of the hostility between Edmure and Alfred, the Austrians refused to support him, and Eleanor likewise refused to back him due to his seizure of power by force. Thus, only the German and English knights remained. The war now began.

War

Crusader invasion of Kilwa

There was no easy way to defeat Kilwa after it had fully secured Lindi and its surroundings. However, there was one possible route into the Kilwa Sultanate: a forest along the northwestern border between Mtwara and Kilwa that was considered impassable, but Edmure was Edmure, he marched through the County of Mtama and entered the forests. After a long and grueling march, he accomplished the impossible and emerged in Kilwa territory. He sent a pigeon to his son Moses with orders to attack from the rear while he himself would strike from the front.

At dawn, Lindi was attacked by surprise. The city and its fort fell quickly. The navy evacuated the remaining soldiers with Hussein to Kilwa Kisiwani, where he began raising a new army and requested aid from Mombasa, using a spy network, Edmure learned that Hussein intended to gather his forces at Kipatimu Fort after issuing a call for jihad. Edmure devised a plan: he would send his second son Elijah to hide inside the fort and ambush the Muslims once they assembled, while Edmure himself would march on Kilwa Kisiwani and destroy what remained of the enemy before seizing the great city. Elijah was secretly sent to Kipatimu. Meanwhile, Moses was forced to return to suppress the Second Great Slave Rebellion. Edmure then marched toward Kisiwani, defeating every army in his path. Hussein began recruiting new soldiers from across the sultanate. Elijah took position at Kipatimu and prepared the ambush. However, he soon grew bored and weary. A nearby village was supplying the army with difficulty, offering wells of water, barrels of wine, and prostitutes, Elijah and his soldiers decided to visit briefly. After celebrating, drinking, and indulging themselves, they fell asleep. Elijah awoke late, hastily gathered his troops, and marched back—only to discover that the Muslim army had already assembled inside the fortress with a force far too strong to break.

Elijah sent a pigeon to his father, who flew into a rage. Edmure refused to retreat and chose instead to confront the Muslim army. Elijah joined him, along with some mercenaries. However, without the support of Lady Montfort and Lord Habsburg, the Crusader army remained weak. Bbefore the closed gates of Kilwa Kisiwani, the battle began. Singers and poets would later call it the Battle of a Thousand Blades, for the immense number of swords that fell that day. The Crusaders were crushed, and the survivors fled. Edmure was furious. He punished Elijah brutally: for a month he allowed him water only once every three days and deprived him of sleep for a week. Rumors even circulated that he had Elijah castrated. the irony was bitter Elijah had abandoned his post to sleep and drink, and now his own father punished him by denying him both.

A small truce followed for five months in 1192, but the war did not end. This was only the beginning.

Sack of Basmah

After the defeat at “Thousand Blades”, Edmure began to think of a way to compensate for the defeat, and he began to think outside the box, and he noticed that in all the previous wars between Mtwara and Kilwa, the Crusaders had attacked from the north targeting Kilwa Kisiwani, but they never paid attention to the south and the city of Basmah, which sheltered the runaway slaves. With his loss, he lost the support of most of the feudal lords because of the usurpation of the regency over the king, so he decided to go to the Duchy of Saint Mary, which was ruled by the Italians and Normans, and he obtained their support, and Edmure decided to raid Basmah in cooperation with the fleets of Venice, Genoa and Pisa in the Comoros Islands, and he also prepared forces of rapid raiders to attack the lands of Kilwa in the north. The fleet and crusader forces landed on the island of Elha Tecumaji in the guise of traders at night, and in the morning they attacked and raided Palma. The land forces crossed the Ruvuma River and looted the unprepared city, burning and destroying it and enslaving all its inhabitants, then they departed. The raiders also looted areas around Kilwa Kiswani and destroyed many areas, which temporarily disrupted life in the Kilwa Sultanate.

Attack on Edmure's Fort

Sultan Hussein was furious and also wanted to strike the Crusaders in their own territory. He devised a plan to attack Edmure's Fort and Mtwara, the centers of Prince Edmure and his former headquarters. After months of preparations, the Sultan prepared two armies, one small and the other large. He planned to send the first army to Mtwara as a diversion so that the second army could attack and capture the fort. However, Edmur learned of this through an informant and was well aware of the fort. He hid most of his army in the nearby forest while he himself remained with a force in Mtwara. When the Muslim armies advanced on Mtwara, Prince Edmure quickly defeated them with his force. He then marched alone to the fort and ordered the forces hidden in the forest and the garrison to attack the Muslim army. The Muslims were besieged and suffered a crushing defeat, but a gap was opened for them by a Crusader army. This army allowed them to escape. It turned out that they were soldiers of Eleanor of Montfort, Countess of Mtama, who allowed them to flee into her fiefdom until they returned to their country. Ademure celebrated the victory but did not ignore what had happened.

The War of the Regency

The opponents of Prince Edmure and his regency, Lady Eleanor of Montfort, Countess of Mtama, her daughter Queen Matilda, her husband Alfred Habsburg, Viscount of Mtama Fields, and her stepson Adolf Habsburg, Count or Earl of Lindy, convened and decided to sign a document declaring their rejection of Edmure's sovereignty. Matters escalated from boycott to open opposition, and Prince Edmure declared them rebels. Adolf wrote to Sultan Hussein, informing him of their desire for an alliance. They stated that if he helped them seize Mtwara and assume the regency for King Robert II, they would surrender Edmure Fort and the border regions to him and pay him tribute. The Sultan accepted, and the alliance was formed. The Duchy of Mahuta declared its full and complete support for Edmure. In a decree, the regent Edmure declared the document and all its signatories traitors to Christianity and the Cross.

But just one day after the proclamation, and before the prince could prepare his troops, the Habsburg and Montfort forces launched a surprise attack on the capital, Mtwara, supported by the Sultanate of Kilwa and the navy of the Imamate of Oman. From the south, a large army crossed the Ruvuma River and besieged Edmure Fort and Prince Moses. The great battle erupted in Mtwara, and in the ensuing chaos, most of the city fell to the regents. They entered the White Palace, where Queen Matilda was declared regent for her son. However, the head of the Sancta Maria ad Oceanum church refused to re-crown King Robert because his regency council was supported by Muslims. Some remnants of the Edmurists remained hidden in various quarters, launching attacks and resisting. The second treasury was the most important part of the city, and the battle for it was fierce. Prince Edmure fled with his son Manfred to Mahuta, where they sought refuge with his wife's nephew, Christian Welf.

Despite the initial defeat, Edmure did not surrender. Instead, he ordered Christian to gather his forces, telling him they would embark on a campaign to recapture Mtwara from the traitors. When Christian asked about Moses, Edmure replied that he could manage. On their way, the troops plundered the Viscounty of Mtama Fields. Edmure and Christian then split into two armies. Welf was tasked with defeating the Muslim garrison at Ndumbwe and cutting off supplies from Lindi, while Edmure headed to Ziwani, the gateway to Matwara, captured it, and then entered Matwara.

The Battle of the Mambi River

Christian Welf headed towards Ndumbwe, but he needed to contact the Italian fleet in the Comoros Islands. He sent his companion, whom George of Sicily knew. The companion disguised himself as a beggar and hid the message in a cake. When he arrived, the Duke recognized him and took the message. He then prepared the fleet to sail to defeat the Omani fleet at the Mambi River. There, after a surprise attack, a fierce battle ensued. Christian emerged victorious and captured Ndumbwe, while the Omanis and the Swahili fled north.

Great Battle of Matwara

Prince Edmure launched a surprise attack on the village of Ziwani, capturing it. He then attacked Matwara from the east. While the Regency's troops were occupied, his third son, Manfred, attacked from the west, from the village of Mikindani. Edmure's loyalists emerged from their hiding places, and the Knights of the Ocean Cross also attacked the city from Sancta Maria. After a fierce battle that lasted two weeks, Edmure emerged victorious, and Queen Matilda was imprisoned. Lady Eleanor fled to Mtama.

While at Edmure Fort, Prince Moses led a siege-breaking attack on the fortress, while Christian Welf invaded the city of Lindy.

Aftermath

Thus, having recaptured the king and most of the kingdom, with the exception of the County of Mtama, Edmure won the war. After regaining control and capturing the king and his mother, Edmure decided to kill two birds with one stone. He informed the young king that his mother would be executed for treason. The king was saddened, and that night he devised a plan to smuggle his mother out with the help of the minister, who was Edmure's puppet. When everything was discovered, the king was arrested for treason. Queen Matilda was beheaded, and young Robert was hanged. Edmure was then crowned king, succeeding his nephew, who had no sons or brothers. He became king, and most of the fiefdoms recognized him, except for Mtama, which crowned his niece,the two years old Jasmine of Anjou-Ocean daughter of King Edmund. Edmure besieged Mtama, and the king appointed his second son, Moses, as heir instead of his first son, Elijah, who had proven ineffective and useless.

And after the war Christian Welf, Duke of Christ Greens, married Princess Mercy of Anjou-Ocean, daughter of King Edmure.

Siege of Mtwara (1193)

Siege of Mtwara and Battle of the Back Fields
Part of Third Swahili War
Date June - August 1193 Location Mtama, County of Mtama Result Crown victory End of the Third Swahili War Collapse of the Regents Jasmine "The Baby Queen" rebellion's ends
Belligerents
Kingdom of the Ocean Duchy of Christ Greens County of Saint Edmund (changed sides)	County of Mtama Viscounty of Mtama Fields County of Saint Edmund
Commanders and leaders
King Edmund I of Anjou-Ocean Christian Welf	Princess Jasmine of Anjou-Ocean (POW) Eleanor of Montfort, Countess of Mtama  Alfred Habsburg, Viscount of the Fields  Adolf of Habsburg, Count of Saint Edmund  Adolf of Montfort-Habsburg, Viscount of the Back Fields
Strength
5,000 men	1,600 men
Casualties and losses
300 killed 400-420 wounded	1,126 killed

Siege of Mtwara, was the main aftermath of the Third Swahili War, took place in July 1193 and was held by King Edmund I.

Background

After their massive deafet in Battle of Mtwara and the death of the King and the Queen Doweger, the last of the Regents fled to Mtama seat of Lady Eleanor, and a force of 1,600 men from the Habsburg army, in response to Edmure's coronation in 1 June 1193, Lady Eleanor crowned the infant baby, Jasmine of Anjou-Ocean daughter of King Edmund as Queen of the Ocean, and once Edmure heard about that he didn't hesitate and marched his army to siege Mtama.

Defenses of Mtama

Mtama was protected by two walls, the first is the strongest and it protects the front of the city and Viscounty of the Back Fields which are vast fields but not inhabited and this fief is located in the north-western borders of the kingdom, this wall is not long enough but it has a special shape that didn't allow anyone to climb it and there was a layer of iron inside it that kept it strong and impossible to destroy, and there was no gate leading inside expect the one in Mtama, and the second wall protects the front to as a second layer of the first wall and at the same time protect the rest of the city but it's weaker then the first one.

Siege

Edmure knew very well that breaching the walls of the city from the front was impossible, so he left a force led by his son-in-law Christian Welf to siege the city from the front, while edmure took 1,000 and left the borders of the kingdom to try and enter the backfields, he spent about 3 weaks searching for any weakness point in the wall to try and use it, and one day a soldier went to take a piss in a rainy day when he noticed that the rain turned the soil into clay, and that it reaveled a very small hole in the wall and went fast to tell his commanders, after trying there was no way to expand it but a small human being can get inside it, so six years-old Thomas Alleft squire to a knigh, was smuggle inside the walls through that hole, for the twenty straw packs were smuggled to him to set them all next to the wall, then a catapult was brought, and soldiers were thrown inside the wall and they were lightelty damaged because they fell on the Straw packs, and Thomas Alleft was givin knighthood to become the youngest knight in history. This is the account in Chronicles of the Oceanic Cross, but according to William of Tyre the soldiers were risen by specail shaped shafts (as shown in the first picture, 2) and thrown inside the wall and they fell on the straw, a similar account mentioned the usage of a rope for safety after the climb with the shaft, and in the account in Book of all Kingdoms the hole was enough for more peoples to enter so a smyth entered destroyed the wall from the inside. how ever, we know that about 600 soldeirs were smuggled inside the wall without breaking it, during this Lord Adolf of Habsburg surrenderd and his wife Princess Anne of Anjou-Ocean interevned on his behalf for her brother King Edmure and for the sake of his sister he forgave him and kept him and Count of Saint Edmund, but there was some terms, one of them is that he doubles the taxes he pay and that he joins the siege. After 1 day of the Edmurists landing in the Back Fields, and despite not being protected there was sweeping campaign and scouts visiting the wall everyday to check on it, and they saw the soldiers of King Edmure, so they went back to report to Alfred, Viscount of Mtama Fields, who quikly orderd the dispatch of all his forces to deafet these intruders, but King Edmure was ready. He orderd all the men inside the walls to not attack and stick to the wall, as it will take one hour for the regents to come, at that time they were capable of adding some 40 soldiers to the firce inside the wall with all the kinds of weapons, but Edmure didn't want them to attack, they just had to stick to the wall and wait, so when the forces of Alfred appeard Edmure was ready, he orderd catapults to be put infront of the wall, enough space to shot and hit deep inside the Fields, it was already tested, so when the Regents army appeared with their cavalry charging and soldiers attacking they shot them with the catapults, causing heavy damages and losses to them, but they got closer the Catapults became less effective, so it was time to use the Matapult, which Mtwaran Catapult, the matapult was a special weapon for close engagments, as it cain target not to far but too close, (shown in the first picture, 3) the matapult cause double the loses the the regents and now the crown soldiers could attack and they clashed with the remaining 754 habsburgs deafeting all of them, and thus Battle of the Back Field ended with a victory for edmure, and now that the defences of Mtama are destroyed, Edmure and more were thrown inside and they attacked the second wall from the back, and started invading Mtama, while some of their soldiers opened the gates for Welf and his soldiers, and thus the city fallen, ending with a victory for Edmure.

Aftermath

Alfred of Habsburg, Viscount of Mtama Field was captured, Eleanor of Montfort, Countess of Mtama and her son Adolf of Montfort-Habsburg-Ocean, Viscount of the Backfields and the Baby Queen, Jasmine, were all captured, Alfred was executed and young Adolf, Eleanor was spared because Edmure wanted her to suffer, and Baby Jasmine was spared after the begging of her grandma, wet nurse and servents, and Edmure decided to spare her because she was named after his mother, and after the execution, Edmure brought Queen Matilda's head and put it next to her step-father and half-brother's heads on spikes, and traveled all the country with them, he cut the left hand of Adolf of Habsburg and added it to the collection, and then declared his son Manfred, as Viscount of Mtama Fields and his son Elijah as Viscount of the Back Fields and his son and heir Moses as Marquise of the Marches.

Duae Sagietta (1194)

Duae sagittae
Mtua's water garden lake, many historian claim this was the location where Edmure died
Location	Mtua, Kingdom of the Ocean
Date	28 November 1194 morning
Target	Edmure I of Anjou-Ocean
Attack type	Assassination
Weapon	Bow and arrow
Injured	Lady Eleanor of Montfort
Victim	King Edmure
Perpetrators	House of Montfort Unnamed muslim bowmen
Motive	vengence

In 18 November 1194, King Edmure I of Anjou-Ocean, was shot by an arrow in his heart during when he was in the water-gardens of Mtua, an event known in history as Duae Sagittea (English: The Two Arrows).

Background

After a year of reign, full of wars and crusades in the vast ocean, Edmund returned back, after his great victories the people started to see him as a great hero instead of an evil susrper, this turned Lady Eleanor's stomach, as he was still person who murderd her daughter and grandson and husband and son, so she started planning to assassinate him.

Plan

to avenge, as now he is in her range, and not fighting somewhere else, she wanted to attract him, Lady Eleanor had a good number of forces, the support of the Countess was always necessary but never given, that's why Edmubd didn't try to start a new Swahili war, but this time, it was Eleanor who invited him to start a new crusade against Kilwa, and invited him to discuss the matter in the gardens of Mtua, but she wanted to kill him there, but she was aware that killing the King well get his sons and loyalists against her, something she cannot bare unless she seeks help from the muslims like she did before, but she saw how the forces of kilwa weren't enough to keep Ndumbwe and the suply line of the regents, Therefore, she decided to kill him without revealing herself, and to distance herself from suspicion, she would pretend that she had also been the target of an assassination attempt, But how ??? After the Battle of Gareth Field, a young muslim archerer was captured, he had a super abilty of aiming and shooting two arrow with one bow at the same time, she didn't kill him but kept him a prisoner, after decades of the battle and in the day of need, she came to him, promised him freedom if he does what she asks from him, what was her plan now ? it was that she will sit near a tower with Edmure, the archer will climb the tower and shot two arrows, one will his edmure at the heart or head, one should hit Eleanor at her belly, but she will have a sack of human blood under her robe, when the arrow hits her belly it will hit the sack instead, and thus Eleanor will survive and in the same time get away with what she has done and avenge her family, now thats a jackpot.

Assassination

In 28 November 1194, King Edmure came to Mtua heavily guarded, he was aware and carefull, sent guards to every enterence, but he didn't really care much for the tower far away, that was his mistake, the muslim archer assassinated him from that tower, his arrow hit the king's hurt, while hit the Countess in her belly, but it was able to even go through and enter a little bit in her body, giving her a dangerous injury, but still she survived, and the king died.

Elijah's Rebellion (1194)

Elijah's Rebellion
Date November-December 1194 Location Edmure's Fort, Oceanum Result Royal victory
Belligerents
Kingdom of the Ocean County of Mtama	Marquisate of the Marches
Commanders and leaders
Moses I of Anjou-Ocean Eleanor of Montfort, Countess of Mtama	Elijah of Anjou-Ocean †

Elijah's Rebellion, is the first civil war during the reign of Moses I of Anjou-Ocean.

Background

After the death of Edmure I, his second son and heir, Prince Moses, succeded him, he made a funerla buurying his father deep under the ground to the see in Sancta Maria ad Oceanum, out of fear that the grave migh get attacked, Moses's elder brother, Prince Elijah, who was removed from the line of succesion after prooving unworthy during the Third Swahili War, as his lazyness caused the deafet in Thousan Blades, he was angry in the beginning but he yielded in the end, and after the funeral, Moses was crowned and Elijah swore fealty to him, then went to Edmure's Fort as his brother's heir and Marquise of the Marches.

Lady Eleanor continued her plotting to end the lineage of Edmure I, she started planning to make strife between Elijah and Moses, and the initiative came from Elijah himelf, who started planning and gathering swords around him, promising knights and counts with wealth and fame, espicially his old friends from the war in Kilwa, Eleanor visited him secretly telling him that she supports him and urging him to crown himself as quik as possible, but three days before the coronation she sent a message to king Moses telling him about his brothers plot.

Siege of Edmure's Fort

Elijah did and crowned himself after his brother with two weaks, only to find himslef sieged by his brother in few hours, the siege continued for 1 month, but Elijah and his allies were not ready and in the end they fell in a famine, so Elijah told his friends that he will leave the fort to raid the sorrounding area and bring food, but when Eleanor visited the fort, she kept some spies inside who told her about Elijah's expedetion, so she didn't tell Moses and instead kept the information for herself, and when Prince Elijah reached Lake Chiday to loot the area, he was ambushed by Lady Eleanor's french knights, his force was massacred, and he was captured, Lady Eleanor sadly tortured him to death, then beaheded him and returned back to the besieged fort.

Aftermath

The King was surprised after knowing what happend, Lady Eleanor claimed that Elijah was killed during the battle, which Moses beleived and thanked her for dealing with him, but he was also saddned bacuse he had to murder his brother, the head was shown to the garrison, which surrenderd, some were executed and the others were exiled in far lands to lead crusades, Prince Manfred wasn't happy, he started feeling uncomfortable with Eleanor as two of his kin were dead at her presence, but still he congratulated his brother, later he was decalred Marquise of the Marches, while Elijah's bastard, William Fitzlazy was made Viscount of Mtama Fields, and his uncle took care of him out of respect for his father.

Manfred's Rebellion (1194-1195)

Manfred's Rebellion
Date December 1194 - February 1195 Location The Marches and Christ Greens Result Peace treaty
Belligerents
Kingdom of the Ocean Royal Domain County of Mtama County of Saint Edmund Duchy of Saint Marry Pro-Royal lords	Marquisate of the Marches Pro-Marquis lords
Commanders and leaders
Moses I of Anjou-Ocean Rogero Siciliano Eleanor of Montfort	Manfred of Anjou-Ocean

Manfred's Rebellion, or the Second Marquisate War, was a conflict between Prince Manfred who was Marquise of the Marches and King Moses the supreme leader of Oceanum and its Royal Domains.

Background

After the failure of Elijah's Rebellion, Lady Eleanor gained more trust from King Moses, ans was invited to become one of his councilors, right there, the battle of words startd between Manfred and Eleanor, they mostly fought over everything, when Eleanor presented an idea of a new crusade beyond the sea, Manfred it was dangerous and that the timing was bad for a crusade, when Eleanor wanted Princess Jasmine to be raised in Mtama, Manfred said it was dangerous giving a princess to a "former rebell", the final straw was when Eleanor asked the king to dissolve the Marquisate of the Marches, telling him that the Marquisate was "a waste of cash and terrietory", Manfred was silent against the economic proofs Eleanor gave to the king, Moses was against the idea but was convinced in the end, and made a decree, which contained the words that the decalred the abolishment of the Mrquisate, Manfred refused the decree, he didn't crown himself but rebelled.

Rebellion

Manfred was not an easy rival, for Manfred was not Elijah, he had more friends from his father's wars and campaigns, he was famous of charm and chivalry so may knights and counts joined him, especially his Elijah's friends whom most of them fled the crusade and returned back in support to Manfred. Christian Welf, Duke of Christ Greens and brother-in-law to both Moses and Manfred, remained netural as his wife princess Mercy begged him to, but he also allowed his lords to join one side, as for the rest of the fiefs, Mtama led by Eleanor, Saint Edmund led by Adolf Habsburg, and Saint Marry led by Roger Sicilian, joined Moses, the fleet of Comoros prooved a big improvment on the King's side, as Sicilian sailed throught the Ruvuma and landed in Kitaya, Moses's goal now was to capture the Fort and seize his brother, Manfred decided to be active and travel all around his terrietory, to encourage the rebellion, Mnafred was aware that he is weaker, so he adapted the guerrila wat system. Moses led two campaigns trying to seize the fort.

First Campaign on the Fort

the first where he installed his forces in Mbahi, and marched seizing Nachenjere Fort and Castle Sheer then laying siege to Edmure's Fort from the north, while Saint Mary's forces joined him from the north, but Manfred attacked Mbahi Fort, cuasing heavy damages to the corps there, and afraid that his retreat way to Mtwara will be blocked, Moses ended the camapign, mostly without many loses, and Manfred then returned back to the fort celebrating his victory and gaining more supporters.

Second Campaign on the Fort

Moses's second campaign was with a bigger army, he decided to split his forces, his army and the forces of Saint Emdund (Lindi) will camp in Dihimba, while Lady Eleanor's army and their allies from Christ Greens will camp in Jasmines (modern-day Namisange), both armies were to leave in the same day and meet in the fort to siege and Roger will join them, Manfred might be able to deafet one big army but he will not deafet two, but that's what Manfred did exactly, as Eleanor's army had to cross the Mighty Forest and the Templar's Village, Manfred positioned all his forces there, and when the french knights crossed they were ambushed, Manfred deafeted them and destroyed their army capturing and killing them, some of their force scattred in the forests and fled, what will Manfred do now, he took the banners and armors of the deafetd and wear them, and went on the way they were supposed to go, and forced the captured ones to act as they were one of them, tied them up with rope to make sure they won't flee, and when they reached the fort Moses already camped there, Moses's army, thinking it was Eleanor's force, didn't get ready, so Manfred took them by surprise deafeting them hardly, once again Moses had to retreat, half of his soldiers in fear but they survived at least, and the rebells from Christ Greens cut the way of progress from Saint Mary's army, and Manfred celebrated again.

War in Christ Greens and Battle of the Tears

The war went quite for a little bit, until it was ignited again in Christ Greens, where a huge civil war began between the Pro-King and Pro-Marquise parties, both parties called for help from their leaders, and thus Moses and Manfred moved with their armies to the Greens, but before leaving Manfred interrogated Hugh of Acre, one of Lady Eleanors generals, he knew the truth about Elijah's death from him, then he left to the Duchy, waging a war there, the greatest was Battle of the Tears, the battle happend in the hole area sorroundng: Nachunyu, Maramba, Mitendi, Kitama II, Lilombe, Madaba, and Tandahimba, the forest cover was deacent there, so the battle was fierce, but in the end, the Royalists knew where to locate themselves, and thus the Marquisits couldn't wait more and had to attack them to drive them away, but they were deafeted, inside the big fight, both brothers met and fought fiercly, Moses was able to deafet his brother, thus Manfred fell waiting for his head to be cut, Moses rose his sword, but he stoped there and tears came out of his eyes, Moses and Manfred loved each other as brothers and many described Manfred as a smaller version of Moses, according to legends, Moses said: "Manfred, how did we reach this place", Manfred replied replied with tears in his eyes too: "i don't know, since uncle Edmure died and it was all like a....., like a nightmare", then Moses declared a truce.

Peace Treaty

Christian Welf, Princess Mercy and Princess Anne all came and decalred the reconciliation between the two brothers who celebrated, and all the spoils of war and money from taxes was given to families who lost their beloved ones in this war, Moses forgave his brother for "rebelling", and both returned back to Mtwara.

Aftermath

Eleanor sensed what was going to happend next and fled Mtwara, while Manfred spoke all his feeling about Eleanor to the King, she was orderd to come and threatned to be punished if she tried to defy in any way, she agreed to came and met the king in Sancta Maria, there she confessed torturing and killing Elijah but refused any of Manfred's feeling about King Edmure's death, as a punishment for what she's done, Viscounty of Mtama Fields, which is half of her lands, was removed from her county and given to the Royal Domain, while the Marquisate of the Marches was kept.