Games should have goals, and this one is no exception. I decided it was time for a real game-playing and roll-playing challenge, and Siebenbürgen struck me as just the ticket. Also called Transylvania (“beyond the forest”), this small one-province country is the site of one of the most important historic battles of all time, for it was in the lowlands of the Transylvanian Alps that Ottoman threat was stalled, which arguably saved all of Christendom:
In this most critical hour Hungary was saved principally by the genius of a single man, János (John) Hunyadi, one of the most interesting and attractive figures in the national history. He had risen from small beginnings; son of a lesser noble of Vlach origin (it is true that his ascent to position and wealth had been so meteoric as to give rise to rumours that he was Sigismund's own natural son), he had begun life as a professional condottiere, but had shown such extraordinary talent in that capacity that Sigismund had given him high command, and Albrecht even higher, appointing him Ban of Szörény. Ulászló, whose cause he had supported, promoted him to Captain-General of Belgrade and Voivode of Transylvania. He was now the most important man in Hungary, after the young king himself, and also in a fair way to becoming the richest, for he was as great a money-maker as he was soldier; by not long after this, his private estates were estimated to have covered nearly six million acres. In Transylvania, in 1442, Hunyadi brilliantly defeated a Turkish army, then in 1443 persuaded Ulászló to undertake a campaign in the Balkans, this being the first time for many years that the Turks had the offensive taken against them on that front. This was so signally successful that the Sultan agreed to a peace which liberated all Serbia from his rule. Unhappily, the Papal Legate, who had been organising a crusade which was frustrated by Hunyadi's action in concluding the peace, persuaded Ulászló that a word given to an infidel need not be kept. The next year he and Hunyadi accordingly led a new army into the Balkans, where the enraged Sultan, meeting them outside Varna on 10 November, defeated them disastrously. The young king himself perished, with the flower of his army, while Hunyadi barely escaped with his life.
I found several sources that very clearly indicate that Hunyadi was of Transylvanian birth but in spite of this, Siebenbürgen does not have the benefit of a single military leader scripted for its entire 400-year history, therefore my first goal for playing the country will be to stem the tide of any potential Muslim threat, and to act as the bulwark for the west with just my wits, my diplomacy, and I’ll hope like hell I get some good die rolls on those CRTs.
[edit] Now, as it happens, Siebenbürgen means “Seven Castles.” This stems from the seven major fortifications within the region at the time – and as you will read below, my original statement here led to some significant objections, so let's just say that for unknown and questionable reasons, Paradox decided to have it begin the Grand Campaign game as a separate country with an RM and military alliance with Hungary. It doesn't begin as a vassal. It's there as a selectable country and I felt like playing something with a bit of a challenge. At any rate, since the province can only have one city, my next goal is to end the game in control of seven castles, forming roughly modern-day Romania: the three "Magyar" culture provinces, and the four “Romanian” culture ones. I will try to leave my Christian friends alone (otherwise). Under no circumstances will I allow myself to exceed seven provinces.[/edit]
Lastly, as a good bulwark should, I will support my Christian brethren against the heathen, and try to maintain very good relationships with as many of them as I can.
Now since this is likely to provide only limited material as far as the in-game activities, I hope you will allow me some periodic discursions into the more prosaic, if highly un-factual, realms.
With any luck, I will begin the postings tomorrow.
In this most critical hour Hungary was saved principally by the genius of a single man, János (John) Hunyadi, one of the most interesting and attractive figures in the national history. He had risen from small beginnings; son of a lesser noble of Vlach origin (it is true that his ascent to position and wealth had been so meteoric as to give rise to rumours that he was Sigismund's own natural son), he had begun life as a professional condottiere, but had shown such extraordinary talent in that capacity that Sigismund had given him high command, and Albrecht even higher, appointing him Ban of Szörény. Ulászló, whose cause he had supported, promoted him to Captain-General of Belgrade and Voivode of Transylvania. He was now the most important man in Hungary, after the young king himself, and also in a fair way to becoming the richest, for he was as great a money-maker as he was soldier; by not long after this, his private estates were estimated to have covered nearly six million acres. In Transylvania, in 1442, Hunyadi brilliantly defeated a Turkish army, then in 1443 persuaded Ulászló to undertake a campaign in the Balkans, this being the first time for many years that the Turks had the offensive taken against them on that front. This was so signally successful that the Sultan agreed to a peace which liberated all Serbia from his rule. Unhappily, the Papal Legate, who had been organising a crusade which was frustrated by Hunyadi's action in concluding the peace, persuaded Ulászló that a word given to an infidel need not be kept. The next year he and Hunyadi accordingly led a new army into the Balkans, where the enraged Sultan, meeting them outside Varna on 10 November, defeated them disastrously. The young king himself perished, with the flower of his army, while Hunyadi barely escaped with his life.
I found several sources that very clearly indicate that Hunyadi was of Transylvanian birth but in spite of this, Siebenbürgen does not have the benefit of a single military leader scripted for its entire 400-year history, therefore my first goal for playing the country will be to stem the tide of any potential Muslim threat, and to act as the bulwark for the west with just my wits, my diplomacy, and I’ll hope like hell I get some good die rolls on those CRTs.
[edit] Now, as it happens, Siebenbürgen means “Seven Castles.” This stems from the seven major fortifications within the region at the time – and as you will read below, my original statement here led to some significant objections, so let's just say that for unknown and questionable reasons, Paradox decided to have it begin the Grand Campaign game as a separate country with an RM and military alliance with Hungary. It doesn't begin as a vassal. It's there as a selectable country and I felt like playing something with a bit of a challenge. At any rate, since the province can only have one city, my next goal is to end the game in control of seven castles, forming roughly modern-day Romania: the three "Magyar" culture provinces, and the four “Romanian” culture ones. I will try to leave my Christian friends alone (otherwise). Under no circumstances will I allow myself to exceed seven provinces.[/edit]
Lastly, as a good bulwark should, I will support my Christian brethren against the heathen, and try to maintain very good relationships with as many of them as I can.
Now since this is likely to provide only limited material as far as the in-game activities, I hope you will allow me some periodic discursions into the more prosaic, if highly un-factual, realms.
With any luck, I will begin the postings tomorrow.
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