Second Xiomeran Civil War
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Xiomera
Shuell Iskiram |
Huenya Eiria Legionas Kerlile Lauchenoiria | ||||
The Second Xiomeran Civil War was a civil conflict in Xiomera sparked by a coup which overthrew the reigning Empress, Yauhmi. The conflict lasted from April 2020 until January 2021, when peace talks led by Liu Mei-han of Laeral brought an end to the fighting.
Background
An assassination attempt on the Xiomeran Emperor, Topilpopoca, on September 8th, 2019 by a disgruntled former Cabinet member would lead to his death on October 3rd, 2019. Following Xiomeran tradition, a new ruler was selected on November 3rd, 2019 in a process known as the Great Selection. Yauhmi, the wife of the assassinated Emperor, was chosen over Tepilcayotl, the Empire's Secretary of Security. In accordance with tradition, Tepilcayotl committed ritual suicide after his defeat.
During her bid for the Obsidian Throne, Yauhmi had promised that she would reign as a typically conservative, right-wing Xiomeran leader. Prior to her taking the throne, Xiomera had been run as an autocratic regime with little tolerance for dissent or reform. The new Empress, after taking power, broke with tradition and began implementing democratic reforms. She also implemented a social welfare system, pardoned opposition activists, and began increasing taxes on the powerful Xiomeran upper-class elites and corporations to fund an ambitious platform of change. Her reforms began to alarm, then anger, the elites of Xiomeran society, who began a plot against her.
April 2020
On April 10th, as Yauhmi was inaugurating a new Assembly meant to kick off her intended democratic reforms, the Xiomeran military launched a coup to overthrow her. Led by General Xōchhuitl, the Chief of Staff of the Xiomeran Armed Forces, the coup quickly resulted in the arrest of the Empress and the toppling of her entire government. General Xōchhuitl took over leadership of the Empire, declaring a Provisional Government until a new Great Selection could be held to select a new Emperor.
On April 11th, in a military operation widely seen on both television and online, the Palace of Flowers was seized from its palace guards, the Shorn Ones, who had remained loyal to the Empress. The bloody seizure of the Palace served to greatly encourage opposition to the coup.
As the coup began, the Crown Prince of Xiomera, Texōccoatl, was out of the country, on a state visit to Laeral. The Crown Prince launched a government in exile on April 12th, declaring himself as acting Sovereign until his mother could be restored to power. The government in exile asked other nations to revoke recognition of the coup government and transfer any assets held overseas by the coup plotters to its control. That same day, the government of Milintica recognized the government in exile and offered its support.
On April 13th, the Telopec Palace in Huaxtumba was seized by Imperial soldiers seeking to capture Princess Tlalmaxxi and her son, Tonauac. A last stand by the Shorn Ones guarding the Palace allowed the royal family to escape.
On April 19th, after a secret conversation between Shuellian and Xiomeran leaders, mercenaries with the Shuellian PMC Watchtower arrived in western Huenya to assist the Imperial military in enforcing the coup. That same day, Imperial soldiers captured and either imprisoned or executed any members of the Cabinet of the deposed Empress who did not agree to support the coup. A new Cabinet was declared in their place. Also on the 19th, the government of Eiria formally switched its diplomatic recognition from the coup government to the government in exile, sending a strongly worded letter to the Provisional Government.
On April 22nd, Imperial forces began rounding up and arresting Xiomeran opposition activists who had been protesting the coup. That same day, the 1st Fleet of the Xiomeran Imperial Navy switched sides to the government in exile, becoming the first Xiomeran military unit to break ranks and oppose the coup.