As was answered, there have been no successful or hugely notable attempts at freeing Ala Mhigo from the Empire. However there was some quest text in 1.0 that said they have tried many many times. All unsuccessfully.Â
This is probably due to the civil unrest created by Gaius van Baelsar before taking the city. Roughly five years before the Garleans took the city, Ala Mhigo had a King named Theodric, who was more than a little crazy. Now it is not explicitly stated in the game why, but... Theodric starts to become paranoid that the Fists of Rhalgr (a sect of Monks in Ala Mhigo) are planning to overthrow him. Some vague McCarthyism type stuff happens where Theodric imprisons monks and tortures them until they "confess" to plotting against the King. So he leads the entire Ala Mhigan army of Lancers against the Monks, surrounds the Temple, burns the Temple and the villages surrounding it, and slaughters all the Monks within. (Very Star Wars Episode III) Monks are now branded as traitors to the King and anyone worshiping Rhalgr is believed to be in league with the Monks. The witch hunt begins and civil unrest successfully rips through the city.
Enter Gaius van Baelsar. Though unconfirmed, it's hinted that Gaius set this whole plot in motion. In a little less than five years, he allowed Ala Mhigo to tear itself apart, lose faith in its monarch, and effectively eliminate half of the city's military might. In 1557 Garlemald marches straight in, promising Ala Mhigo peace and safety from their former King. The city falls nearly overnight and any remaining resistances are wiped out by Garlean's Magitek.Â
Now the Resistance is made up of those ragtag Ala Mhigan refugees who escaped to cities like Ul'dah and Gridania. So pretty easy to see why their attempts to take back the city were so futile.
This is probably due to the civil unrest created by Gaius van Baelsar before taking the city. Roughly five years before the Garleans took the city, Ala Mhigo had a King named Theodric, who was more than a little crazy. Now it is not explicitly stated in the game why, but... Theodric starts to become paranoid that the Fists of Rhalgr (a sect of Monks in Ala Mhigo) are planning to overthrow him. Some vague McCarthyism type stuff happens where Theodric imprisons monks and tortures them until they "confess" to plotting against the King. So he leads the entire Ala Mhigan army of Lancers against the Monks, surrounds the Temple, burns the Temple and the villages surrounding it, and slaughters all the Monks within. (Very Star Wars Episode III) Monks are now branded as traitors to the King and anyone worshiping Rhalgr is believed to be in league with the Monks. The witch hunt begins and civil unrest successfully rips through the city.
Enter Gaius van Baelsar. Though unconfirmed, it's hinted that Gaius set this whole plot in motion. In a little less than five years, he allowed Ala Mhigo to tear itself apart, lose faith in its monarch, and effectively eliminate half of the city's military might. In 1557 Garlemald marches straight in, promising Ala Mhigo peace and safety from their former King. The city falls nearly overnight and any remaining resistances are wiped out by Garlean's Magitek.Â
Now the Resistance is made up of those ragtag Ala Mhigan refugees who escaped to cities like Ul'dah and Gridania. So pretty easy to see why their attempts to take back the city were so futile.
