War of Jade and Ruby

The War of Jade and Ruby was a war of succession in the Crescent Empire after the disappearance (and suspected death) of Emperor Hingcing in 615 a.W. The war was fought mainly between two branches of the ruling Clan of Ath: the Clan of Ath in Tengsuwi, led by Princess Tengawlyul of Ath, Dai of Tengsuwi, and the Clan of Ath in Siawsishue led by Prince Dangug, Dai of Siawsishue, and his daughter Princess Them. Those who supported the claim of Tengsuwi were known as the Warriors of Ruby, while those who supported the claim of Siawsishue were known as the Warriors of Jade.

The war lasted seven years from 615 to 622, when Princess Them was crowned as the 35th Crescent Empress, and led an army of +2000 to the successful Siege of Tengsuwi.

Name and symbolism
The war is named after the nicknames for the two rival factions that fought it. The Clan Ath of Tengsuwi was identified with the ruby, while the Clan Ath of Siawsishue was identified with the jade. Though sources differ on the origin of these terms, it is commonly suggested that Empress Cilongli's faction was named the rubies due to her wearing an ornate crown of gold adorned with large rubies, differing greatly from the traditional silver and green color scheme that Ath Emperors had commonly chosen to wear. On the other hand, when Emperor Yulang was crowned in Siawsishue, his crown was a jade circlet adorned with gold and silver vines. This theory is supported by the fact the two crowns still exist today, as relics in the Imperial Museum of Bagwa.

Whatever origin the names had, when the battles began there was need for different banners in order for each side to be easily identified. As both branches belonged to the Clan of Ath, they were both identified by the traditional sigil of the Clan: a silver crescent on a deep blue field. To mark a difference, the forces of Empress Cilongli added a ruby-red tail to the Clan's banner, while the forces of Emperor Yulang chose a jade-green tail.

At the height of the war in 618 both factions had embraced the terms and now openly referred to each other as "Ruby Warriors" and "Jade Warriors" respectively (Cīdisoňlāi and Bāwdisoňlāi).

Background
A succession crisis was already being foreseen by some aristocratic circles in the Empire as Emperor Qaizi, who had ruled since 595, had repeatedly refused to take a female consort and produce an heir. The Emperor insisted a young prince from another branch of the Imperial Clan of Ath could take his position in the throne after his death, as he himself had been a distant relative of his successor, Emperor Dangugzan, who perished alongside much of the Imperial Clan in the Destruction of Shiqai in 578.

In 615 Qaizi went missing after he separated from his entourage during a hunting trip to the Ri Imperial Forests north of Sennui. After a month of searching for the Emperor in vain, his Ministers convinced the Trangru Council in Bagwa to declare the Emperor dead, and hold a state funeral without his body.

Coronation of Empress Cilongli and first developments
Emperor Qaizi (given the posthumous name Hingcing) was officially proclaimed dead on 24 June 615. Bagwa's aristocracy and the Trangru Council, which had, afer Emperor Qaizi's coronation in 595, become the powerful institution known as the Forty-Three of Bagwa, named 63-year old Princess Tengawlyul, Dai of Tengsuwi and Matriarch of the Tengsuwi branch of Clan Ath, Empress of the Nine Provinces. She took the reigning name of Cilongli (ཊིལོཉལི Cīloňlī). Cilongli, described by all accounts as a cunning and dangerous woman, was Emperor Hingcing's third cousin via Empress Cawlyuwo, and technically had the best claim to the throne, however distantly related she was from the deceased Emperor. However, her claim was near-immediately disputed by another branch of the Imperial Clan, the Clan Ath of Siawsishue, headed by Prince Dangug of Ath. Through his marriage to Ying, a daughter of the Dai of Reshan Trawden Fawgwu, Prince Dangug received support of the entire Province of Reshan. Dangug also received support from many noble clans in other provinces including Sengor, due to his branch of the Clan being richer and more known than the elderly Empress'. 36-year old Dangug also questioned the ability of an old woman to rule in her sane mind, and made ample use of pre-existing rumours that the Crown Prince Becai was not the Emperor Consort's son but rather a bastard born from her relationship with her cousin Prince Awngcaw.

The Battle of Awfai River and the Capture of An'nawni
The first military advance that took place in the war was the Battle of Awfai River, on 16 September 615. It took place north of the town of Awfainui, in the banks of the Awfai River. The Awfai River outlined the borders between the lands of the Clan Awgwul, allied to the Jades, and the Clan Lozwu, allied to the Rubies. Both clans were important Sengor families closely related to each ot the Emperors-claimant: the Emperor Consort Mingdaw, husband of Empress Cilongli, was the uncle of Lozwu Gangdi, the patriarch of the clan and Dai of An'nawni; while Prince Erengshu, an important general in the Jades' faction, claimed descent from Clan Awgwul. Prince Erengshu commanded the forces of the Jades, while Crown Prince Becai led the forces of the Rubies. The result of the battle was unclear; both sides suffered several losses and were severely weakened by the clash. Both commanders survived, but the Rubies' Crown Prince was injured by an arrow to the elbow. The Jade forces were unable to take control of Lozwu territory, but the Rubies' control of the Emperor Consort's ancestral lands was considerably weakened and a second assault took place, this time on the Lozwu's seat of An'nawni on 30 September 615.

While the Jades' forces led by Erengshu, reinforced by support from Trawden troops from Reshan, a Jade army led by General Mengorshi sacked Awfainui. The batle for An'nawni was short and concluded in a decisive victory for the Jades. The Crown Prince, however, managed to escape alongside other members of the Clan Lozwu. Lozwu Gangdi was captured in battle, and executed shortly thereafter.

The victory of Awfai River was a good start for the Jades, but complications soon arose in the East.