The Barons' War

A campaign in 74 AFE in which a confederacy of cities along the lower Green River forced Highbridge to accept a change in which the previously existing suzerainty led by Greenmouth was replaced by a federation in which the Baron of Greenmouth was elevated to the Lord of the Riding.

Overview

Due to its position as the primary port city of The Riding and the only city that had significant relations with foreign lands, by the time of the founding of the empire, Greenmouth had become the richest and most cosmopolitan of the cities along the Green River. Due to its standing, Greenmouth had acquired the power of a suzerain and the Baron of Greenmouth dictated foreign policy for all the cities of The Riding as well as setting self-serving, regional economic policy. 

However, by 50 AFE, foreign merchants realized that there was more money to be made if they bypassed Greenmouth and travelled upriver to trade for metal ore and artisan products at Highbridge. These relationships caused tension in the Riding as merchants in Greenmouth hired mercenary companies to harass foreign traders and raid their ships while calling at Highbridge.  The Baron of Highbridge responded by extending the walls of his city to enclose and protect the Docks.

After a generation of tension, a few armed skirmishes, and the rise of concerns that an independent and wealthy Highbridge would shift the balance of power in the Riding, the cities of the lower Green River banded together and marched on HIghbridge.  In 74 AFE the alliance of barons lay siege to the city and demanded that Highbridge conform to trade policies established in Greenmouth that favored and protected Greenmouth merchants.  

Forced with what would appear certain defeat, HIghbridge capitulated, accepted the overlordship of the newly established Lord of the Riding in Greenmouth, and severed ties with all foreigners. Trade patterns in the area shifted as Highbridge began shipping their ores and goods to Greenmouth to be traded with foreign merchants there.

Even up until the current day, small frictions exist between the denizens of Highbridge and other Riding folk as bruised feelings associated with the Siege of Highbridge and the Barons' War linger.