Kanzlian-Sybersyn War (1816-1820)

The Kanzlian-Sybersyn War, also known as the Kaltan Intervention, was fought between the Kingdom of Kanzlia and the Kingdom of Sybersyn. The war is also known as the Manor War, a popular misconception over the cause of the war.

The war began on December 5th, 1816 when Prince Alexei Letov died of suspicious circumstances. The King of Sybersyn declared war accusing Kanzlia of the death of his niece. The war was entirely fought on the seas and numerous naval battles stemmed from it. The first significant battle, the First Battle of Cape Azouin in 1817 resulted in a stalemate for both sides. However, that battle is now better remembered as the first grand action of the then Lieutenant Michiel de Wijter.

After a long campaign of hit-and-run skirmishes under the direction of Michiel de Wijter, the Sybersyn Navy numbers were significantly weaker. And thanks to the efforts of Kanzlian agents in Sybersyn, Sybersyns's shipbuilding industry could not adequately replace their losses. This would even the playing field for Michiel de Wijter where he finally went on the offensive on February 1820 and on May 5th, 1820 the decisive Second Battle of Cape Azouin would effectively force Sybersyn to sue for peace.

Michiel de Wijter would cement himself as Kanzlias greatest-ever admiral thanks to his exploits during this war.

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Origins

The roots of the war are deeply ingrained and there is an argument to be made that war was inevitable after nearly 3 decades of increasing hostility between the Kingdom of Kanzlia and Sybersyn. The tension between the two kingdoms stems from the Cape of Azouin, a passageway separating Sybersyn and the mainland with Kanzlia and Kalta Island. The passageway offered the most efficient route for ships traveling both from the West and East, making it pivotal in the economies of Kanzlia and Sybersyn. Both of these kingdoms rely on foreign trade and shipping to maintain their riches and especially for Kanzlia, serve as a vital lifeline for the supply of grain in their generally cold region. Cape Azouin fueled the economies of both kingdoms and the region saw increasing traffic.

As trade flourished through the Cape of Azouin, competition between Kanzlia and Sybersyn naturally intensified. Both kingdoms sought to exert greater control over the passage aiming to undermine the other and establish dominance in the region. In the late 18th century Szbedansk was the largest trading hub in the region, serving thousands of ships every day. Syber, Sybersyns capital on the coast, meanwhile was lagging behind. Syber's port was less developed than Szbedansk and naturally was relegated as the 2nd port of the region. As a result, King Letov the First poured more funds to increase the port facilities and capacity in Syber from the year 1781. The Szbedansk nobility, of which the Kanzlian royal family was part of, took notice but didn't take any action as they underestimated Sybersyn's rate of growth. When King Letov the First died in 1790, his successor King Letov II poured even more funds to Syber and in 1800 the port of Syber, for the first time, received more traffic than Szbedansk. This caused panic amongst the Szbedansk nobility and Szbedansk soon received funds to expand as well. This caused an arms race between the two ports over who could build better facilities and accommodate more trade.

As tensions increased between both kingdoms, the Cape of Azouin witnessed a series of incidents at sea. Disputes over fishing rights arose after a Kanzlian whaler was captured by Sybersyn authorities in an incident known as the Whaler Incident. The Whaler incident spurred a growing nationalist sentiment in Kanzlia and Szbedansk Port authorities replied by completely banning Sybersyn-flagged vessels to enter Szbedansk in 1803. The Port of Syber would ban Kanzlian-flagged vessels the following year in 1804. Another notable incident in the region known as the Speijk Incident in 1809 where a Sybersyn-flagged merchant ship was captured by Szbedansk port authorities whilst just passing by was followed by the Kanzlian merchant ship Speijk captured by Syber authorities whilst out in the sea. Whilst interned in Syber, the captain of the boat, Kapitein Juul Mulders refused to dismantle the Kanzlian flag in his boat and decided to light a cigar and ignite the gunpowder cargo they were carrying. The ship exploded with Juul Mulders and 20 port authorities killed whilst inspecting the upper deck. The Speijk Incident and Juul Mulders defiance would propel Juul Mulders as a nationalist martyr in Kanzlia.

In an attempt to de-escalate tensions and establish clear protocols over the Cape of Azouin, a crucial diplomatic summit was planned between Kanzlia and Sybersyn. The first summit in 1812 was canceled after a mob of Sybersyn nationalists broke into the conference room in Syber. Prince Alexei Letov, a popular monarch and niece of King Letov II, was a prominent figure advocating for friendly Kanzlian-Sybersyn relations. He subsequently headed Sybersyns effort to de-escalate tensions between both kingdoms. The first summit was successfully held in 1813 and both Kingdoms formally agreed to begin drafting a series of protocols over the Cape of Azouin. The next summit in 1814 formally agreed that Syber and Szbedansk Port Authorities held no power to intern any foreign vessels. In 1815 both ports of Syber and Szbedansk reopened to each other vessels. Just a day before the 1816 summit, however, Prince Alexei Letov died under suspicious circumstances.

The prince's sudden death rocked the negotiations and both kingdoms blamed each other for his death. It is suspected that Prince Alexei Letov was poisoned by the Sybersyn court who still resent Kanzlia. Whilst Kanzlia urged a thorough investigation, Sybersyn and King Letov II remained opaque and quickly closed the case ruling it an assassination. The people of Sybersyn were outraged and in a flurry of nationalist sentiment began to cry their desire to go to war with Kanzlia over the death of the popular prince. On the 5th of December 1816, just 2 days after the death of Prince Alexei Letov, King Letov II announced that Sybersyn had declared war on Kanzlia over the assassination of his niece.

There is a popular misconception over the cause of the war. The name Manor War is a misnomer and stemmed from a satirical Kanzlian newspaper which stated that a Sybersyn's Lord vacation manor caught on fire on December 4th and Kanzlian firefighters refused to extinguish it because the Sybersyn Lord hadn't paid their firefighting bills. After the manor burned down the Sybersyn Lord told his good friend King Letov II about the incident and pushed him to go to war to avenge his vacation manor. This story is false but its popularity during the time caused a lot of other newspapers to refer to the war as the Manor War.

.Outbreak (1816-1818)
The opening years of the Kanzlian-Sybersyn War were characterised by cautious approach from both sides. Despite the fiery tensions which kickstarted the war, neither side wanted a full-scale confrontation. The Sybersyn Navy was headed by Admiral Jan Wylkseth. He had a numerical advantage over the Kanzlian Navy outnumbering them 2 to 1. The Sybersyn Navy numbered 90 ships of the line, 30 frigates, 41 sloops and 28 schooners. However, Wylkseth was very cautious preferring overwhelming force and favouring deploying large fleets. His approach raised the problem of flexibility and adequate maneuvering.

Meanwhile, the Kanzlian Navy, led by the 63-year-old Admiral Peter Sierhuis adopted a more nuanced approach. Recognising Kanzlias numerical disadvantage he devised a plan to split the navy into raiding forces. Fleets consisting of just 10 ships would harass and skirmish Sybersyn merchant vessels and force the Sybersyn to direct and spread their forces to protect their merchant vessels. However, due to his declining health, he delegated this task to his second-in-command, Vice Admiral Adriaan Banckert. Banckert reorganised the navy against Peter Sierhuis wishes. The Kanzlian Navy would be split into three fleets with the reconnaissance fleet under Peter Sierhuis command tasked with scouting and raiding merchant vessels. The main fleet under Adriaan Banckert would stay in harbour and only engage if a significant number of Sybersyn ships were spotted. And lastly under the command of Rear Admiral Resselier, the Rear fleet served as the navy's reserve force.

The first engagement of the war came on December 25th, 1816 now known as the Christmas Skirmish, exemplified Sybersyns and Jan Wylkseths cautiousness. His fleet of 10 ships of the line, and 5 sloops engaged two Kanzlian armed schooners escorting a disabled passenger vessel. Jan Wylkseth easily secured the victory but due to the lopsided encounter, it did little to establish Sybersyn's dominance or significantly affect the Kanzlian Navy.

The second engagement of the war occurred just a day after New Year's on January 2nd, 1817. The January 2nd Skirmish showcased Banckerts reorganised fleets and revealed Wylkseth's maneuvering issues. Banckert was able to outmaneuver Wylkseth however Banckert decided to keep his distance and thus failed to inflict significant damage. After the engagement internal friction within the Kanzlian command structure proved to be the significant outcome of the skirmish. Rear Admiral Resselier, who commanded the Rear Fleet, resigned in protest of Banckert's cautious approach during the skirmish. This paved the way for a young Lieutenant Michiel de Wijter to take charge of the Rear Fleet.

After numerous skirmishes in 1817, the first major engagement between both Kingdoms finally lashed out on March 3rd, 1818. A large raiding force led by Sierhuis number 20 ships was engaged by Jan Wylkseth's force of nearly 50 ships. Sierhuis caught completely by surprise attempted to escape but confusion over his orders allowed Wylkseth's fleet to nearly encircle Sierhuis's force. However, Jan Wylkseth failed to capitalise on his advantage as he suspected Sierhuis's force was a trap.

The Rear Fleet led by Lieutenant Michiel de Wijter located just several miles away, received the news of the situation and spurred into action. Instead of directly heading towards Sierhuis he instead took his time to spread his fleet into 3 columns so that when he finally approached Sierhuis, to Wylkseth it seemed like 3 other fleets was approaching him. Wylkseth called off the engagement and Sierhuis's fleet was still relatively intact. The battle ended in a stalemate.

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Period of Chiseling (1818-1820)

The next two years, between 1818 to 1820 is known as the Period of Chiseling a name referencing Michiel de Wijter's speech to "chisel Sybersyn's navy into a pebble." This period saw a large number of small-scale engagements and notably a major shift in Kanzlias leadership.

Following the inconclusive First Battle of Cape Azouin, the war entered a period of constant skirmishes. De Wijter excelled in his position as the commander of the Rear fleet. He constantly whittled down Sybersyns numbers whilst preserving his numbers. Jan Wylkseth who is accustomed to overwhelming force proved unable to respond effectively to De Wijters raiders. This was largely possible due to Michiel de Wijter's reorganisation of the Rear Fleet where he split his force into smaller squadrons and gave his most aggressive officers positions to lead them with greater autonomy. At one point the Rear Fleet made 30 sorties a day for an entire month. By employing smaller and faster squadrons he launched frequent attacks on Sybersyns supply lines and outlying ports.

King Letov II's government drew lots of criticism over his decision to keep Jan Wylkseths in command. Sybersyn still failed to deliver a meaningful victory over the Kanzlians despite their overwhelming numbers. Facing growing public pressure, King Letov II decided to heavily censor news of the war. A very controversial move that led to the mass resignation of his ministers. After a flurry of public protests, King Letov II reinstated the previous government and reversed his decrees. However, Jan Wylkseth was still in charge as the King still refused to take him out of power.

The following year in 1819, the Sybersyn Navy officially forced Jan Wylkseth to step down from command and he is replaced by Georges Ladzic. Ladzic was Wylkseths subordinate and he shared many of the same values of Wylkseths, their only difference being that Ladzic was completely inexperienced with managing an entire navy. This proved to be a misstep as the August 1st Skirmish showed that Ladzic had no idea what he was doing and during the skirmish left a subsection of his squadron completely alone to fend off the Kanzlian raiders. The situation for Sybersyn is turning more desperate by the minute and by the end of the year, it would get even more desperate.

On December 5th, 1819, the third anniversary of the war's start, a cargo ship exploded whilst in port in Syber. The explosion was so violent and large that three of Syber's shipyards were immediately disabled. Unknown to Sybersyn authorities at the time, this explosion was a covert operation by Kanzlian agents. In an operation known as the Syber Gambit, a captured Sybersyn ship was covertly filled with explosives and entered a dock for emergency repairs. Due to Syber's lax cargo control protocols, no one bothered to check the cargo of the ship. The ship detonated on the 3rd anniversary of the war's outbreak on December 5th, 1819. Another ship was also detonated the next day. A total of 300 Syber folks were killed as a result, Kanzlia denied any involvement. Oddly enough, Sybersyn authorities ruled it an accident probably due to their inexperience in investigating large cases such as these. It was only in 1920 when documents about the Syber Gambit were leaked to the press.

By 1820, the tide of the war had demonstrably shifted. Sybersyns initial numerical advantage was no longer an adequate advantage and relentless strikes on Sybersyn's fleet and shipbuilding facilities left Ladzic unable to replace his losses. In stark contrast, Kanzlia's losses were minimal, easily offset by their shipbuilding efforts. By 1819, Sybersyn had lost 40 ships while only managing to replace 10, while Kanzlia lost only 5 ships and constructed 20 new vessels. De Wijter, sensing an opportunity for a decisive blow, began to formulate plans to take the offensive.

.Second Battle of Cape Azouin
As the year 1820 rolled around, King Letov II grew increasingly annoyed at Ladzic's inactivity. He mounted pressure on the inexperienced admiral and an unexpected personal encounter forced Georges Ladzic to desperately seek a decisive victory to end the war. The war had been immensely expensive for both sides and while Syber saw a steep decline in activity, Szbedansk only flourished. Sybersyn military expenses were spiraling out of control and the Sybersyn Council predicted that they could only afford 6 months of war with the current treasury. On April 29th 1820, Ladzic resorted to patrolling the Cape of Azouin with his main fleet, hoping to lure the Kanzlians into a confrontation.

Michiel de Wijter instead took his time. He recognised the desperation of the enemy for them to be constantly having patrols with their main fleet. De Wijter refused to have a battle with Sybersyn on their terms. So he spent the following 3 days meticulously planning his eventual battle all whilst Ladzic continued to patrol. De Wijter's plan relied on exploiting the natural elements. On May 3rd 1820 he ordered his reconnaissance fleet under Adriaan Banckert to engage in a series of maneuvers near the cape to draw Ladzic's attention eastward. On May 5th 1820 Ladzic's force finally took the bait and Banckerts force engaged at around 1530 with the intention of prolonging the battle as much as he could. Meanwhile, De Wijter's Main Fleet positioned his fleet west of Ladzic's fleet.

As the sun began to dip towards the west de Wijter began his attack. Banckerts fleet retreated westwards successfully leering Ladzic's fleet into de Wijter's. This forced Ladzics force to directly head toward the setting sun. Ladzic's fleet was blinded by the sun's glare and this temporary blindness allowed de Wijter's main fleet positioned West of Ladzic to broadside the temporarily incapacitated Sybersyn forces. Panic spread throughout Ladzic's fleet and the 40 odd-ship force was sent to disarray. The battle was chaotic and not even Kanzlian ships were immune to the chaos as Banckerts force joined in for close-quarters combat. Notably, both Banckert and Ladzic were killed during the action. By 1820 both fleets disengaged and the aftermath was devastating for Sybersyn.

From a force of 48 ships when they set sail, they returned to port with just 22.

Whilst the battle was a resounding victory, de Wijter still saw another opportunity to deliver yet another blow to Sybersyn. De Wijter saw an opportunity to strike a crippling blow at the heart of Sybersyn's naval power: their main port city, Syber. The weakened main fleet would be the only ships guarding it and no one expects a night raid after a thumping victory. However, this daring raid was not sanctioned by the Kanzlian High Command. Prime Minister Crysencio te'Kotr, a cautious leader, advocated for a more measured approach, allowing Sybersyn time to potentially sue for peace. As a result, de Wijter didn't consult his plan with any government-affiliated official and he discussed it with Rear Admiral Resselier instead.

Just a day after the victory at Cape Azouin, on 1700 de Wijter's main fleet set sail to Syber. De Wijter launched the surprise attack on 1800. The Sybersyn defenses, weakened and demoralised after Cape Azouin, were easily overwhelmed. Marines under the command of Resselier were dropped and captured several moored warships. Meanwhile, de Wijter's fleet entered the Port and opened fire on the warships. By 1900 de Wijter called off the raid and his fleet left Syber. As a result, Sybersyn lost a further 13 ships with 8 of them captured by Kanzlian marines. The most notable war prize was Sybersyn's flagship the Audacious.

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Aftermath

News of the Raid on Syber sparked a firestorm within Kanzlia. While some hailed de Wijter as a decisive hero who secured final victory, others, including Prime Minister te'Kotr, saw his actions as a reckless act of insubordination that risked escalating the conflict. De Wijter upon returning to Szbedansk was called to the Naval headquarters and arrested.

However, when news broke out about the arrest, the public outcry in support of de Wijter was immense. The populace viewed him as a national hero who had secured victory through bold leadership. A large mob surrounded both the parliament building and the jail de Wijter was interned in. Rear Admiral Resselier too joined in the outcry as he resigned the same day and rallied the mob. Recognizing the public sentiment and the strategic importance of de Wijter's actions, King Szebdin VI intervened in an unprecedented move. This was the first time since 1711 when Queen Ardentia II relinquished her powers that the monarch of Kanzlia had intervened and retracted a decision by the Prime Minister. He not only reinstated de Wijter as an Admiral but also promoted him to the prestigious position of State Admiral, the highest rank in the Kanzlian Navy. This move made Prime Minister te'Kotr incredibly unpopular and a vote of no confidence the following day forced him to resign from his position.

It was te'Kotrs resignation that made King Szedin VI sign the Treaty of Kotr which Sybersyn officially ended the war with Kanzlia. Part of the concessions was an immense reconstruction fee which effectively crippled Sybersyns economy. Sybersyn would continue to decline after the war.