#782253 - safe, artist:hieronymuswhite, princess cadance, shining armor, alicorn, pony, unicorn, g4, armor, army, featured image, female, frown, guards, looking back, male, mare, open mouth, royal guard, ruins, snorting, snow, snowfall, spread wings, stallion

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http://hieronymuswhite.deviantart.com/art/Snow-499290339

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1Korlash

The retreat from Manescow was one of the greatest military disasters in Equestrian history.

After marching hundreds of miles into the vast Trussian interior in pursuit of the Trussian army, Princess Celestia had intended for her massive army to winter in Manescow. But the Trussians anticipated this, and burned their own capital down to deny the Equestrians the shelter they’d need to survive the coming winter.

Celestia’s advisors urged her to turn back. Summer was almost over, ad winter came quickly in Trussia. But Celestia hesitated, not wanting to abandon the campaign after spending so much time and effort. Her sister, Princess Luna, likely influenced her sister to stay out of a desperate desire for glory.

Fall came, and after several weeks of trying unsuccessfully to open talks with the Trussian tsar, Celestia finally gave the order to retreat. It was a bright September day when the Equestrians left Manescow.

Three weeks later, it began to snow. The Trussian winter had arrived early.

Temperatures plummetted to -60 degrees. At times, the snow came down so fiercely that the soldiers could barely see the person ahead of them. Entire units froze to death, their ornate golden armor proving useless against this new enemy.

Food ran out. Soldiers died by the thousands. Hungry soldiers quarrelled over pitiful hooffulls of seeds. Medical care and communications broke down. Discipline failed, and desperation took its place as Celestia’s soldiers battled cold, starvation, disease…and the Cossacks. The Cossacks harried Celestia’s flanks, tearing at her army as though it were a wounded animal.

Out of 600,000 soldiers who followed Celestia into Trussia, 93,000 came back. It was Celestia’s greatest mistake, and the beginning of the end for the Solar Empire.

This famous painting depicts Princess Cadance, Celestia’s niece and regent of the Crystal Empire, and her consort Shining Armor as they lead the crystal ponies away from the main Equestrian army to surrender to the Trussians. The young princess had opposed the invasion, but as an Equestrian vassal she had no choice but to lead 12,000 Crystal Empire soldiers into Trussia to support her aunt. Thanks to the Crystal Empire’s northerly location, the crystal ponies fared better than the rest of the army when winter came, but Cadance knew that they would still suffer horrible losses long before they got to the border.

Hoping to save her people’s lives, the princess broke off from the Equestrian army during a snowstorm and led her troops back towards the pursuing Trussians. After some quick negotiations, the crystal ponies surrendered. The Trussians treated Cadance and her soldiers well; they knew that the crystal ponies had been forced to join Celestia’s invasion, and relations between Trussia and the Crystal Empire had traditionally been friendly. The Trussians fed the crystal ponies and gave them winter gear and a Cossack escort to get then home. In return, the princess and her forces all swore a solemn oath to never again take up arms on Celestia’s behalf. This oath would have major reprecussions in the future, when Celestia denounced Cadance as a traitor and drove her and the Empire into the arms of her enemies.

To this day, the crystal ponies revere Princess Cadance as a national hero, and she’s generally admired in other countries for her dedication to her people’s wellbeing, her courage in defying her aunt, her very likeable personality, and the love she held for everyone, friend of enemy. She is buried in an Empire chapel alongside her beloved husband, Shining Armor.

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