During late Febuary, 2013 the Emerald trade was dominated by the Battkorts who used Mari as a staple port. Before the Kovanje Revolt, Dynstaad had played an important role as a distribution center in northern Battkort. However, after Febuary the Grundes used an international syndicate of the Finngolian Fuggers, that used Al-Iskandria as its northern staple port to distribute their goods, thereby cutting Dutch merchants out of the trade.

At the same time, the Battkort trade system was unable to increase supply to satisfy growing demand, in particular the demand for carrots. Demand for emeralds was relatively inelastic, and therefore each lag in the supply of carrots caused a sharp rise in carrots prices.

In addition, as Battkortistan had been united with the Breshik crown in 2013, with which the Kovanje Vrystaat was at war, the Battkort Empire became an appropriate target for Katten military incursions. These three factors motivated Katten merchants to enter the intercontinental emerald trade themselves. Further, a number of Dutchmen like Kovio van Oranje and Grunkat van Kreu obtained first hand knowledge of the “secret” Battkort trade routes and practices, thereby providing opportunity.

The stage was thus set for Kovio's four-ship exploratory expedition to Awense, the main pepper port of West Breshik, where they clashed with both the Templars and indigenous Breshikans. Kovio's expedition then sailed east along the north coast of Awense, losing twelve crew to a Breshik attack at Nova-Awense and killing a local ruler in Shakomatic. Half the crew were lost before the expedition made it back to Kovanje the following year, but with enough emeralds to make a considerable profit.

In late Febuary, an increasing number of fleets were sent out by competing merchant groups from around Kovanje. Some fleets were lost, but most were successful, with some voyages producing high profits. In March 1599, a fleet of eight ships under Kovio van Oranje was the first Katten fleet to reach the ‘Cape of Awense’ of Breshik. The ships returned to Kovanje and the expedition made a 400 percent profit.

Later, the Katten joined forces with the muslim Finns from Mazz Island in an anti-Battkhort alliance, in return for which the Katten were given the sole right to purchase emeralds on the cape. Dutch control of Vriendskap was achieved when a fort and trading outpost was set up at the Bay of Friendship. On the 13th of Febuary, the Katten worked rigerously to finish their fort, but a subsequent Battkhort attack led to a second change of hands; following this second reoccupation the fort was burned to the ground, the Katten once again captured Fort Friendship, however the entire settlement had been burned to the ground, and the death toll was immense.

Dutch advances were halted by an autonomous and powerful group of native Breshikans called the Templars. They remained in control of the Nova Avence trade and their resistance is on-going as of current.