The Tragedy of Hamel (ハーメルの悲劇 Hāmeru no higeki) was a massacre at Hamel Village that took place in S.1192, which became the catalyst of the Hundred Days War in the Trails Series.
Background[]
10 years before Trails in the Sky, Hamel was ambushed by bandits brandishing Liberlian weaponry. They massacred all the inhabitants of the village they could find and raped the women including Joshua's sister. The Empire's war hawks used this incident as an excuse to declare war on Liberl, thus the Hundred Days War began. In reality, the incident was a false flag attack staged by jaeger dropouts, under orders of the war hawks themselves.
When Liberl repelled, the two countries sued for comprehensive peace leading to the "Non-Agression Pact". The Imperial government was upset after discovering the ruse, and executed all those involved in the instigation of the war. Under the circumstances of the treaty, that neither of the two countries should speak of Hamel again. The whole tragedy was later fabricated that Hamel was naturally wiped out by a catastrophic landslide.
Queen Alicia, the ruler at the time, was forced to accept the conditions for the sake of her people's security. Only by Cassius's counterattack that Liberl was considered lucky, as the nation should face again another full-scale Imperial invasion.
Aftermath[]
- Main article: Hundred Days War
Hamel was officially removed from the local map with 2 survivors standing alone, a young Joshua and Loewe, who were found by Georg Weissmann. The young Joshua was so traumatized by the loss of his loved ones, he became unable to do anything but play his dead sister's harmonica. Weissmann agreed to "repair" Joshua's heart in exchange for their joining the society.
Revelations[]
In SC-Finale: Trails in the Sky, an injured Leonhardt descended to break through the enhanced Weissmann's barrier asked him a question, confirming the "truth" behind the truth of the Hamel Tragedy. The Imperial ringleaders behind the hawks were strayed losers when Weissmann appeared and brainwashed the ringleaders with the word "Hamel" where the events took place.
Notes/Trivia[]
- In Trails in the Sky, Lieutenant Lorence told Queen Alicia during her rescue that she "is hardly qualified to feel pity" for him, one of the concealed hints that would be revealed in the sequel game.
- Like above in Cold Steel II when Chancellor Osborne appeared alive after the final battle, Vita Clotilde understood that the man was not to be underestimated during their "cooperation" regarding the Liberl situation. A fact that Osbourne "kindly rebuffed".