Heigardian Civil War

The Heigardian Civil War was the conflict which led to the secession of the Departments of Heigardian Islands from the Kingdom of France and established an independent Republic of Heigard. Liberals and much of the population regarded Louis XVI’s reign as despotic, and were turning heads to a possible union with Charles IV’s Spain. There were high levels of unemployment and industrial unrest among the working classes, despite the fact Heigard was one of the wealthiest regions in France. On January 22, 1793 riots erupted in the streets of Crèbourg, followed by uprisings elsewhere in the country. Factories were occupied and machinery destroyed.

Three intense battles were fought in total, one in Charleroi, one in Crèbourg and one in Penoure, Republicans obtaining victory in the first two battles. In the aftermath, the Regional Parlement, headed by revolutionaries, voted for secession and declared Independence on November 19, 1795. Anti-French coalitions recognized Heigard as an independent state in 1796; France didn’t recognize Heigard until the Congress of Vienna in 1815.