Welcome to today’s lecture. We will explore one of the most significant – or at least famous – uprisings in the history of the East. Its aftermath was quite severe, but its birth was vastly different from what you would expect. At first, nobody could predict what would happen…
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Dorrihen, year 1034 of Era II
Janad Fossta, a nobleman from the northern part of the Empire. He gained wealth through trade, mainly selling rock and rubble. All the mines he controlled were created by his ancestors and brought Janad substantial profit. However, at a certain point, he decided he had enough money for investment and wanted to expand. His plan was to open a new mine around three dozen miles south from the city.
There was only one issue. Over a century earlier, the emperor decreed that all rock and minerals are under government control, and any mining is only allowed with written permission from an appropriate official. It was Janad’s father that obtained the last ones, and the noble had not obtained information on how to get them, and the law was not sufficiently specific.
Hence, he decided to trust his instinct and go to the governor of the province, whose office was situated close to Janad’s residence. However, the attempt was no good. The officials told him he needed to ask another governor, located in Grinnoed, in the neighboring province. The noble took a few of his men, gathered resources and departed. Three days later, he arrived in the other city, full of hope for the visit. But the hope was in vain: the governor only sent him to the Imperial Chancellor, which meant travelling to the distant capital. Janad reluctantly accepted his fate, bought a few pounds of fresh food and continued the journey. When he reached Cerbane, he was already exhausted. The Chancellor listened to his story, and, upon careful consideration, decided that it was not his duty and the right official was the governor in Dorrihen.
Janad, already humiliated, returned to his hometown, and quickly visited the governor’s office again. The man was surprised, but provided the same resolution as earlier. The noble decided to make one last attempt in Grinnoed. Upon reaching the city and visiting its governor, this time with a note from Dorrihen, his request was rejected again. It was at this moment that he broke down.
He retreated to his house for a few days, and would not leave for any reason. After that, he paid another visit to his own city’s hall – but this time, not with peaceful intentions. He broke a few windows in the building, and then threw pieces of burning fabric that set the place on fire. The guards tried to stop him, but some of the passing citizens decided to help, as they were also disappointed in the government. In a matter of hours, a single man destroying public property turned into an uprising, and the protesters destroyed numerous government buildings in the whole city. A few days later, the rebels were already in most parts of the province.
The army reacted quickly. Five days into the spontaneous uprising, there were already numerous units seeking and capturing its participants. The fighting lasted for another six days, but eventually, everyone involved was caught – including Janad. The noble was tried in the Imperial Court and sentenced to capital punishment. He was hanged soon after, and so were many of the rebels. Additionally, severe control was introduced in and around Dorrihen. This left a negative sentiment towards the Emperor for many decades. Even though the uprising lived short, it’s aftermath was quite long lasting.
That’s it for the story, thank you.
Aedilër 