Anarchy (Empire)
The Anarchy, also known as the Dark Ages,[4] is a period of history of the Empire following the Time of Three Emperors, in which Imperial unity was essentially shattered as numerous factions and fieldoms vied for control.[1][5]
It lasted 324 years, between 1979 and 2303 of the Imperial Calendar.[3]
History
In 1979 IC, many of the Electors that weren't already pretenders desired a strong emperor to unify the nation. They came together and majority of them elected Magritta of Marienburg as the Empress. However, the appointment was wildly unpopular with the other Electors, led by the Grand Theogonist of the Cult of Sigmar, who strongly opposed the election.[Note1] He refused to acknowledge the validity of the selection and the Empire shattered. The electoral system collapsed and even greater hostilities ensured, although the entire era was not outright civil war.[1][2a][2d][3][4][5][6]
While the Electors fought their rivals, the mercantile Burgomeisters of the cities grew in power, looking into their own defences.[3][5][6]
In 2000 IC, Mordheim, the capital of Ostermark, was destroyed by Twin-Tailed Comet. The various imperial claimants funding mercenary expeditions into the ruins in search of warpstone, substance apparently possessing great power.[2c]
Between years 2010 and 2145 IC the Wars of the Vampire Counts were fought when the Undead of Sylvania invaded the divided Empire. Only after three wars were the Vampires defeated when Mannfred von Carstein was slain at the Battle of Hel Fenn.[2d][3]
The Anarchy would last until the rise of Magnus the Pious in 2303 IC during the Great War Against Chaos.[1][3]
Pretenders to the Throne
In 2276 IC the four main power blocks in the Empire were:[2b][8a]
- Barony of Westerland:
The most prosperous region of the Empire including the capital of Marienburg, parts of Middenland and much of Nordland. Burgomeisters and Cult of Manann are infuential. [2b][8a][8b] - Grand County of Osterlund:
The northernmost regions of the Empire including parts of larger part of Middenland, Hochland, Ostland, Ostermark, it is home to the so called Wolf Emperors and is a shadow of its former self. Capital at Middenheim. [2b][8a][8b] - Principality of Reikland:
The ancient homeland of Unberongens and the Empire had not expanded much and was the smallest of the unified regions. Its capital is in Altdorf and it is heavily influenced by the Cult of Sigmar.[2b][8a][8b] - Grand Duchy of Talabec:
Home of the Ottilian Emperors, it is a large but loose league of allied states such as Talabecland, Stirland, parts of Ostermark, remnants of Sylvania and the Moot. It is backed by Cult of Taal and the capital is in Talabheim. [2b][8a][8b]
Alongside these four were numerous free states in the south:[1][8a] Averland, Wissenland and Sudenland are fertile provinces and maintain good relations with northern Empire and prefer trade and paid military assistance over trying to support any of the pretenders.[8a]
Additionally several city-states had declared independence from the provinces, such as Nuln and Averheim. In these the burgomeisters ruled as they pleased.[8a]
Conflicting Sources
Sources
- 1: Warhammer Community: Old World Almanack – What’s up with the Empire of Man? (posted 26 Dec 2024) (archived from the original on 27 Dec 2024)
- 2: Warhammer: The Old World Rulebook
- 3: Warhammer Armies: The Empire (8th Edition): pg. 16
- 4: WFRP Rulebook (4th Edition): pg. 274
- 5: Warhammer Armies: The Empire (7th Edition): pgs. 10, 31
- 6: Warhammer Armies: The Empire (6th Edition): pg. 59
- 7: Mordheim Rulebook: Warbands, pg. 49-51
- 8: Arcane Journal: Empire of Man: