Katalese Antipapacy

The Papal State of Katal (Sundish:), known in Kaurissemite historiography as the Katalese Antipapacy, was a theocratic state which lasted between 1094 and 1223, ruled by X successive s residing in Aþasdaur (modern day Raiftsmark), in open challenge of the pre-existing Orthodox papacy in the Holy See. This situation was the culmination of theological and geopolitical conflict between the Synodate and Holy See: the former had been the pre-eminent seat of Kaurissemite faith owing to its control of the holy city of Aþasdaur and the Holy Land, until the formation of the latter in the Council of Narau in 710 caused the Synodate's position to be superseded by a papacy established on. While this northward shift towards XXX Island was initially allowed due to papal concessions to the Synodate in the form of autoconstitutional rights and secular autonomy from papal authority, as well as the political necessity of Church centralization after the Occidental Dubitance birthed the schismatic Occidental Kaurissem in XXX, the relationship between the two remained under constant strain. Prompted by a clash of personalities between the Archbishop of Katal and Pope XXX over questions of Katalese autonomy in the late 11th century, the archbishop would declare himself Pope Theodanius II, effectively denouncing XXX as illegitimate and beginning the Austral Schism. This rival claim to the papal see would damage the prestige of the office substantially, contributing to further schism in the Church and challenges over for centuries to come.

While attempts at reconciliation between the two rival papacies were attempted, no significant progress could be made as neither were willing to compromise on their claim to the papal see - even suggested s to resolve the schism failed from the get-go as demanded a pope call such councils, where neither were willing to recognize one another's claims. Beyond obstacles arising from technicality, Katalese demands for their independence from any papal influence - such that they at times called for the abolishment of the papacy itself - made negotiation impossible. Tensions reached a boiling point when the Antipapacy threatened to close the Katal Rift to any country of Orthodox alignment, leading Pope XXXX to declare the Katalese Crusades in 1159 with the reclamatory mission of seizing the Holy Land back from Austral schismatics. The beginning of violent schism between the two factions would define Hatarian geopolitics for much of the 12th century, corresponding to a period of military conflict and economic turmoil now known as the Vesperian Decades.

Initially retaining its stranglehold on much of the Kaurissemite polities of south Hatar and north Rhodin, the Sundish Empire's support of the XXX papacy proved to be decisive. When the Katalese fleet was destroyed by a combined crusader force - though mostly Sundish - at the Battle of Tanarta in 1193, XXX forces were enabled to challenge the Katalese hold on the Rift and begin overland invasions in the schismatic south. Several successive campaigns would dislodge Katalese influence over most of its vassals in the southern Polinsular, until antipapal territory proper would be penetrated. The Katalese Antipapacy would capitulate in 1223 after the eighteen-year long Siege of Aþasdaur, confirming the XXX hold on the papal see. The Ana Aiweinsfrauja would be issued to permanently censure the Austral Schism, additionally partitioning antipapal territory into western and eastern halves (Raiftsmark and XXX respectively) under strict papal supervision, in order to prevent any repeat of Katalese consolidation.