Charr invasion

The Charr invasion brought an end to the last of The Guild Wars. It began in 1070 AE as a three pronged attack from the Charr legions in the north against the three human kingdoms of Tyria: Ascalon, Kryta, and Orr.

The war began in skirmishes along the Great Northern Wall, during which time the armies and guilds of the human nations were still at war with each other. It wasn't until the Searing, caused by the Charr's use of the Cauldron of Cataclysm that was given to them by their gods, that the true war began. With the Searing's devastation, the Charr were able to destroy the wall and send a few warbands through Ascalon to head to Orr while another group of warbands crossed the Shiverpeak Mountains and invaded Kryta. The Charr had to pass through the Far Shiverpeaks, which is controlled by the Norn. Due to a mutual understanding of the others' strengths, the Norn had allowed the charr to pass freely.

In Kryta, the Charr brought the humans to their knees until Saul D'Alessio returned from his exile and formed the White Mantle. Saul was able to defeat the Charr with the help of the Unseen Ones and saved Kryta from the Charr's attack, ending the Charr invasion on that front.

In Orr, the Charr were able to break through the Orrian defenses without breaking a stride. In the hour of desperation, Vizier Khilbron had read aloud a forbidden scroll that caused the destruction of the entire peninsula Orr situated on. That event, known as the Cataclysm, led to the death of thousands of Orrians and Charr, and even stopped the Charr before they could reach the streets of Arah.

Despite their victories and losses, the Charr have continued their assault on Ascalon since 1070 AE. In 1072 AE, Prince Rurik and his Vanguard led an assault on the Charr, ending with the death of their assault leader Bonfaaz Burntfur at the Nolani Academy, and the banishment of Prince Rurik by his father. The former prince then lead the Ascalonian migration to Kryta, which signalled the beginning of the Flameseeker Prophecies.

The Guild Wars 2 Wiki has an article on War of Ascalon Independence.

The war continues to this day in the land of Ascalon and in the Charr Homelands through both the army fighting in Ascalon and the Ebon Vanguard fighting in the Charr Homelands. And the war will continue on until either the Charr are fought back, or Ascalon falls.