Marik Civil War (28th c.)

The Marik Civil War (also known as the Free Worlds League Civil War of 2729) of the late Star League Era was a conflict between two factions of the Marik family. The conflict was control of the leadership of the Free Worlds League.

Known Military Units Involved in the Conflict

• Atrean Dragoons - Loyalist
• Defenders of Andurien - Rebels
• Marik Guard - Loyalist
• Marik Militia - Unspecified individual regiments fighting. Split between Loyalist and Rebels.
• Regulan Hussars - Loyalists

History

Developments Leading to the Conflict

Seeds of the conflict began with ascendance Captain-General Gerald Marik, who during his reign conducted number of political purges which ended in a conflict. The root of the purges were due in part because of hideous assassination of his father in 2678. The terrorist used an powerful bomb, which wiped out Gerald's family and left him severly wounded. Surviving the bombing, he would under take serious medical treatment would alter his body with extensive bionics. The bombing would make him senior survivor member of the Marik ruling party, rules of ascendance would grant him the leadership of League. The bombing was conducted by the terrorist organization named the Scourge of Death, which would lead Gerald conducting political purges and limiting of civil liberties in pursuit of those who assassinate his family. This undertaking would changed the League into a defacto police state. Gerald pursuit for justice and his injuries would make him become paranoid and drive him to eliminate any threat to himself and the League.

After Gerald Marik's death , his daughter Elise Marik, would assume the role of Captain-General and Council Lord in January 15th, 2703. Originally Gerald's death was judged by medical examiners as being result of wounds he had been inflicted with by the bombing attack from decades earlier. Elise however felt her father death was suspicious and declared it was act of murder. She began series of larger scale purges starting of the dismissal of hundreds of soldiers serving with regiments posted along the Capellan border. A year later, Elsa's brother Oliver Marik whom a representative of New Delos, spoke out against her political actions which he saw were causing harm to the League. He was forced with flee the Free Worlds League with his family, including his son Boris to Terran Hegemony for safety.

For the next 25 years, Elise Marik would continue to undertake purges (with aid of SAFE) more individuals which included members of Parliament of the Free Worlds League whom in 2729 after they tried to remove her from power. She would in may take her personal guards and to announce to the political ruling class that she was dissolving Parliament. She directed her people to arrest a third of Parliament's members who voted against her. This would be the final straw for Oliver, whom reluctant take action against his sister. Now due to his law abiding and honorable nature, could not stand see his nation fall into this dismal condition due that amounted his sister's insanity. On March 23rd he would travel back to the Free World League to the winter palace of Duke of Oriente's on Calloway VI where he would convene Parliament-in-exile and declaring himself the representative to the Star League and naming his son, Boris, as 28th Captain-General of the Free Worlds League.

Joining the Oliver Marik's rebellion were the Dukes of Duchy of Oriente, Kalidasa, Andurien, and Duke of Carbonis. Captain-General Elise's forces would include; SAFE, the Stewart Commonality, and Principality of Regulus. House Schenk owed Elise's father for installing them to the throne of Principality after House Selaj had been purged.

Military Actions

Throughout the League, planetary defense forces fought one another. First Major action of the Civil War was in May of 2729, where Elise dispatched expeditionary force her Loyalist aligned Marik Militias to attack rebels leadership located on world of Oriente. However, the attack was repulsed by Oriente's defense forces. The initial invasion would end up compelling the Rebel forces to attack. Lead in a two prong attack by Oliver's son Boris and Duke of Audurien, Martin Humphreys, the rebel forces would strike at Principality of Regulus, invading Avior, Regulus, and began a siege the world of Harmony, where they blockade one of the world's Jump Points and landed forces on world. The Captain-General's forces would be forced to quit Oriente in July and move to the undermanned Principality warfront.

Nearly a year would pass with neither faction would be able to muster enough troops to change scales of the conflict to their favor. It won't not be until spring of 2730, where Elise's loyalist aligned forces would make a targeted move to try tip the scales. Loyalist forces would move to conduct a planetary assault on Rebel held world of New Praha, while Elise would have dispatch other assets to handle an uprising on Hellos Minor. With its nominal defenses undermanned, Atreus became the target of Rebel forces. Led by Oliver Marik, his forces invade the League's capital world. On planet, they would engage Atreus's undermanned defense forces on world in a 36 hour battle, leading to capture of Elise Marik and her guards. Oliver's strategy was by capturing his sister, it would lead to the conflict's end. While his father captured the Captain-General, Boris would order Rebels to hit New Olympia.

Outcome of the Captain-General's capture however did not turn out as Oliver had hoped. His hope of end of the war would end up fading as Elise's son, Bertram Marik, continue the war against his forces. Bertram's leadership would help bring victory to the loyalist on Ariel and while his fellow loyalist would move under take assault against the rebel held world of Dalton.

After Elise's capture, war became a stalemate with few notable actions turning the tide for either side. Among the few noted battles would be for the Loyalist whom had landed on Dalton in 2731. These forces would end up failing to capture the Duke of Carbonis and would take significant causalities for their efforts.

The War's end and its Aftermath

It would not be until in the summer of 2733 when tide began to turn. Loyalist's aerospace forces would final break the Siege of Harmony and bring ground reinforcement to cripple Rebels forces on ground. While on Avior, rebel forces on the ground would end up surrendering after taking heavy losses.

Final major act of the war would be Bertram's liberation of Atreus in February of 2734. Where he would lead loyalist forces on assault on rebel held capital and ultimately free his captive mother. Unfortunately, her mental health over the years had grown more sever despite her good treatment in captivity, she was no longer able fit to rule.

After Atreus's capture, Bertram would be promoted to official leader of the Loyalist, he knew despite his recent victories that further bloodshed would not benefits the League in the end. He would send messages to his 70 year old uncle ask parlay in fighting so end the conflict. Oliver Marik who tired of war and with health decline soon respond and he would contact the Star League's First Lord Jonathan Cameron and he would ask for his government to mediate a deal between his rebel forces and the loyalist.

The two leaders would travel to Tiber, where they would negotiate the end of the war. In May, the Treaty of Verona would be signed. The agreement would broker for Oliver and Boris's combatant forces, their regional dukes and Parliament MPs which sided with them and acted under their command to be pardoned for their actions in the conflict. As part of the agreed, the two Rebel Mariks would end up surrender and be put on trial. Oliver would be found guilty and executed for sedition, while his son would be sentenced to prison and die in 2733. The Treaty would confirm Bertram as the legal Captain-General and Council Lord for the Free Worlds League. Bertram after being sworn in, would publicly acknowledge his mother failings that lead to the conflict.

Despite their treason to the Free Worlds League, the two now deceased Mariks' efforts to restore nation to it's former self had succeeded. The League's Parliament and its historical decision making abilities had been restored. Captain-General Bertram restricted SAFE activities to concreting its efforts outside threats as per the Treaty.

In the aftermath and his ascendance to leadership of the Free Worlds League, Bertram would voice his outrage at the Star Lord lack of action to end the conflict. This strain in relations between House Marik and House Cameron would set in to motion of the distancing the two factions and discord would ultimately lead to end of the Star League.

Notes

Number of regiments fighting the war varies from early sourcebooks to later publications. In the original House Marik sourcebook, the Marik Militia was noted only having 10 of its 12 regiments fighting on the Loyalist side during the Marik Civil War. However, in Field Reports 2765: FWLM, the Marik Militia section mentions the there were total of nineteen regiments in service with several involved in the conflict.

The Orloff Grenadiers and Fusiliers of Oriente's Grand Duke sided with the Rebels, however the brigade was never called into serve the Rebels during the conflict. While the Stewart Dragoons did not participate in the conflict, the brigade was prepare to join the fight with the Loyalist if Captain-General Elise had called for them to serve.

Bibliography

• Era Report: 2750
• Field Manual: SLDF
• Field Report 2765: FWLM
• Handbook: House Marik
• Historical: Liberation of Terra Volume 1
• House Marik (The Free Worlds League)
• The Star League