Wars of Eastward Expansion

The Wars of Eastward Expansion, also known as the Eastern Conquests or the Menestas Crusades, were the nascent Kingdom of Iadria's wars of conquest in the Near East of Adovias. Following the mysterious death of King Jareche I Asterion and his deification as Jareche Edos, he was succeeded by his Chancellor, Castor Menestas. King Castor I consolidated his power and founded the Royal Legions during the first half-decade of his reign, but his true goals were in the East. Under the instructions of the late King Jareche, Castor intended to invade and subjugate the lands east of Leogoth, seeking to reunite the Anderian Empire and spread the word of the newfound Church. The Wars were initially a massive military success, as Iadrian armies marched east, overwhelming the numerous small states of the Near East and toppling the burgeoning Kingdom of Baghram. Three Frontier Duchies - Eaddovar, Baghramia and Midatham - were formed in the conquered territory, but Castor was not satisfied. An attempted invasion of the Dwarflands met with disaster, stalling Iadrian efforts in the Kingdom of Midaria and the western peripheries of the Empire of Ibbathis. King Castor himself died in 6A 68 during a renewed offensive against the Emirate of Medatha, which blunted the Iadrian armies and resulted in the renewed independence of several Medathan City-States. Castor's successor, King Alastair I, was forced to adopt a defensive strategy along the new Frontier, and no significant Iadrian gains further east would follow. Despite the end of the eastward push, Alastair succeeded in maintaining control over the Frontier Duchies and forced his eastern enemies into a shaky peace by 6A 74, a year before his death. The Wars of Eastward Expansion seemed to have ended with a final Iadrian victory until the Succession Crisis erupted in 6A 159. The ensuing civil war in Iadria would thoroughly destabilized the Frontier Duchies, unhappy with foreign rule, and eventually cause the Stehevar Secessionary Wars to break out in 6A 172.