Kin Strife

[Tuskin4]

I decided to write this as a part of Tolkein history

part 1 the Prelude to War

The story of the rise and fall of Castmir.(i will be using historical paintings for refrences)

The Kin Strife was a war between nationalistic rebels known as Castmiri and there more liberal loyalists known as Eldacari. In 1432 Eldacar was crowned King of Gondor and suceeded his father King Valacar. However there was one issue Eldacar was only half Numanoreon. His mother was a Rhovinion princess named Vidumavi. Valacar married her in order seal an alliance between Gondor and Rhovinion the two most powerful kingdoms at the time. Because of the "watering down of pure Numinoreon blood with Northmen blood" unrest in the Coastal regions begun to stir.

In Gondor's southern territories wars raged on and off between Gondor along with their Harondorion allies versus rebels and Haradrim tribes. Admist this constant war rose the general Castmir.
left Eldacar before the Kin strife right Castmir at his corination


Castmir was the cousin of Eldacar and the leading noble in the war against Harad. He used blood line, his fame as a general and the deep seeded discontent with royal family to propel him as the most likly choice to replace the king. In 1434 the rebeling was ploted between several leading nobles including the Prince of Dol Amroth Lord of Pelagir and Castmir. After crushing the Haradrim tribes at the Battle of the Harnen he led the rebels to join his own men at Pelagir and defeated the Eldacari in the city.



Eldacar sent the Lord of Anorion to stop the rebels before they got to strong. However the army was made up of militias and feuding nobles some of whom switched sides in the heat of battle. The battle of the plains of Lebinin was a bloody and costly battle for Eldacar.
With the victory at Lebinin many more lordships and fiefdoms joined the Castmiri mostly along the coast and in the west such as Belafals and Anafals. The regions of along the White Mountains and east of the Anduin remained loyal. After three years of a bloody stalmate it all came to a head at the Battle of Kin in which the Castmiri won a resounding victory over Eldacar. Most of Eldacar's forces were destroyed in the battle and he was forced to flee to his last stronghold, Osgiliath were he put a near hopless resistance.


In 1437 Eldacar fled Osgiliath just as the Castmiri broke through its defences. Eldacar first fled to Cair Andros then all the way to Rhovinion. Meanwhile Castmir celabarted his victory by being crowned king of Gondor sacking Osgiliath moving the capital to Minas Arnor along with the palantir and killed any Eldacari he captured.


Part 2 Crulity in victory

In 1437 Castmir was crowned with Eldacar's own crown found in the ruble of Osgiliath. Although he had much support Castmir was still reviled by many as a userper. As a resault rebelions started in many regions. Nurnen risings, Minas Ithial revolt, Anoerion Ithilean peasent uprisings all within the first three years of Castmir's reign as king. They killed his supporters, rallied rebel militias, evan attacked castles. All this however only brought the wrath of Castmir.


Castmir reacted in fury to these uprisings. He sent elite forces to crush the rebels and kill all there supporters were ever they find them. These elite men at arms from Dol Amroth showed no mercy to anyone they found. Killing looting burning they were described as "ravenes wolves whos only intent is murdering in the name of Castmir the Userper"


After nearly six years of war only one and a half year of peace was established. However the peasents were opressed by Castmir's "wolves". Under Castmir's last year as king the country exausted almost all of it wealth. Now in debt a new threat to Castmir arises Eldacar was alive with an army of allies from Dale Rhovion and Rohan. Eldacar stired up a massive revolt to topple Castmir. The first battle took place at the Battle of the Rhovinion Bridge on the northern border of Gondor.
(A Rhovinion painting of the battle)


part 3 The Fall

With the return of Eldacar many in Gondor quickly sided with him. Not long after his return the map of Gondor look very much like it did during the first war. With inland and eastern regions under Eldacar and coastal and western regions under Castmir.


The tide began to turn in Eldacars favour with the arrival of Rohirrim allies. They quickly struck down many Castmiri forces. However the Castmiri had a equal to the Rohirrim, the Men at Arms and Knight of Dol Amroth. Both were equaly matched in strength and skill. The two sides would test there abilities at the Battle of Anafals.


Both Castmir and Eldacar wanted to end the war in one fell swoop. Castmir decided to reanact the first war by mustering his armies and launching a campaign directly at Osgiliath. Eldacar knew this and did not want to repeat the disaster of the Battle of the Kin. He assembled his forces on the eastern bank of the River Erui. Both sides would attempt to kill the other leader is one of two leaders died their forces would scatter in the wind. The battle was bloody and very costly for both sides. The stories say the Eldacar found Castmir in the middle of the battle and slew him with his sword.


With Castmir dead the Castmiri forces fled the battlefeild. The day belonged to Eldacar. Soon after the death of Castmir almost all of the Castmiri supporters fled to Eldacar and joined him. the remaining forces fled to Pelagir and found themselves under siege.


The new castmiri leader Castmir II recieved a letter from his uncle with the gift of freedom for him and the Castmiri in Umbar. At this time Umbar launched a rebellion to become an indapendent nation. One of the key leaders happened to be Castmir's brother. The remaining Castmiri fled to Tolafals then to Umbar. This flight robbed Eldacar of his victory and most of Gondor's fleets. The Castmiri joined Umbar and harrased Gondor for years to come. The effects of the Kin Strife were far reaching. It strengthened the alliance of Gondor Rohan and Rhovinion. Many of the inland territories of Harondor and the land of Umbar were lost.

I hope you guys liked the story i made. Hopefully its true to the writings of Tolkein.