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Vlorious

First Lieutenant
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Aug 16, 2013
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A Horde by Any Other Name ~ A Golden Horde AAR - Attempt 1 Finished, Starting Run 2 now.

So, after lurking forever I was strangely inspired by a quickly read Golden Horde suggestion thread a bit back. I put aside a Castile game (cough, inspired by an AAR) and started one. Realized that I should have started my own AAR. Restarted and am actually taking screen shots (of course, the restart isn't quite as nice)...

So, as soon as I figure out how to attach pics or upload my screenshots and link to them, I'll get this on the road. I won't promise the pics are always the best because I'm usually making choices and then thinking "I should have taken a photo of that"

I'm not overly skilled at this, but I think I can avoid major mistakes and pick up two achievements here - westernizing as a horde and conquering the ming.

The general plan - start by force vassalizing my neighbors or feeding them to vassals. Don't spend any admin. Get my first idea choice and... I don't know if I hit Admin first so I can Reform the Government (necessary in order to Westernize) and then get Influence (seems necessary with the amount of vassals I'm hoping to run) at level 7 or switch them. I need to wreck my neighbors and use the Otto's to do it when I can't. Hopefully I can skate above the Timmy's all the way to the Pacific shore and then turn on eating China. Hopefully I'm not too foolish and attached to plans to refuse to recognize other opportunities to do something overly impressive. Hopefully I don't think I'm as clever as some of these advanced players and do something monumentally stupid.

*****
So, attempt 1 failed rather... convincingly at the end despite being close. We're on to take 2. We're going to add in the goal of unifying Islam and taking 1001 provinces, hopefully including the India because, well, I've already come so close and if the Horde is going to rule Russia, China and the Steppe, well, why not India too. You can pick up the new run starting on page 4.
 
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Just upload stuff to imgur and use the
 
Chapter 1: A Horde In Deed

Lessen 1: A Horde In Deed

(For clarity: pictures will proceed related text in this AAR). Game related tidbits are in italics. Also, I have no idea how long I can keep up the "classroom" feel.

Hello students, today's lecture concerns the early history of our great nation, starting from were we left off last week, in 1444. As we learned last week our great country was established by the son’s of Jochi, eldest child of Chenghiz Khan. The 'Golden Family' of Temujin, in the form of Batu Khan, Jochi's eldest son, founded the Golden Horde in 1251. Of course, the current ruler claimed direct descent from such illustrious personage's, a statement which is of course probably misleading at best.

As you'll remember, just a short time previous to the year 1444 the Horde was divided up by some, ah, philosophical differences, civil war, and the political interference of the Muscovite, Lithuanian and Timurid Kingdoms. This lead to the establishment of Uzbek and Sibir and then later the Khanate of Kazan in 1438, the Nogai Horde in 1440, and finally, the Khanate of Crimea in 1441. In additional, the system of tribute which had fueled the steppe trade dried up, leaving the lands more then a bit poor. Indeed, in 1444 it could have been said that the Golden Horde was looking at the downside of history. Indeed, in another history, perhaps it would just be an interesting footnote to the trials of a Muscovian Empire or an Ottoman Imperium.

Don't look so shocked, when studying history you should learn to utilize the what-if. As it happens, the great what-if of our world happened to start today's lessen. As we've already established Khan Kuchuk Muhammad Genghisod was a mediocre ruler, barely competent really. But he was deeply faithful and on a hunt, somehow, his riders came across a tiger. Upon slaying the tiger they found inside of its stomach a man severed hand and a map case full of scrolls documenting the old Mongolian Horde's territory. This, it was assumed, was a sign of God's Will upon Khan Kuchuk. Word of the discovery spread across the plains and shortly thereafter Khan Kuchuk announced the new flowering of the Horde. The image was powerful and riders flocked to the banners of a resurgent Khan. You can, of course, still see those same maps in the History Museum downtown, where it has been enshrined under glass for the last 550 years or so.

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First things first. One of the few things going for a Tribal is that we don’t suffer regencies. Therefore – I promoted my ruler (0/0/2) to General immediately. Turns out he's not so good at that either. But hey, he's Khan of the Horde. Loyalty is his unless he turns coward. Being brave is apparently the only thing he's good at as it turns out. Interesting side note, I did the opening for the Horde a couple of times to make sure I understood what I was getting into - the test run Khan-General was a 3-3-4-4. Sigh

Khan Kuchuk Genghisod placed himself at the head of his armies following that hunt and ordered his troops west. The call went out for volunteers to join him in the west. There was no hiding it - this was a call to war, a call to reclaim the lands lost just 3 years before - Crimea would rejoin the Golden Horde.

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Just to be sure, he sent a rider ahead of him to deliver a thinly veiled insult. The Ride of Guchin we call it now, per the ode I'm sure you memorized in your language class last year.

I declared Crimea a rival and then took the Insult mission. Kazan was then declared a rival as well. I held off on the last one - I had rivaled Nogai before and it resulted in them getting into my affairs before I really wanted... My other diplomat was sent to butter up the Ottomans, I felt like I'd want their armies guarding my border.

Word of the Khan's find spread even faster then his army moved:
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The Uzbek Khan sent word that he would be happy to ally with the now-popular Khan. This was accepted, however, a request to marry one of the Uzbek's own was left unanswered in a move unlike most of the time where armies were bought with royal ties.

In addition, the Khan began hiring competent advisers for once and appointing them in a fairly revolutionary move where competence actually meant more then blood. The Khanite was in arrears in these early years, but the merchants of the realm, their hopes and blood up, offered the money to finance the reorganization.

That is, I hired -3 unrest, +30% dip, and a 5% discipline. I couldn't afford any of this long-term, or the 2 mercenary companies and 1 additional infantry raised on Crimea's border but I was going to war and I figured the cash from the war would pay my way forward. Technically at this point I was already running almost a gold piece behind per month.

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With the troops in place, along with volunteers that met the king at the border, it was time to attack. War was declared on Crimea during the closing days of 1444. With that declaration a new world would be forged.

Word of the Khan's new fervor awoke a rebellion among the Genoese invaders who held land in the Black Sea. Even as forces of the Golden Horde closed on Crimea, they rose up in Azov province and declared themselves patriots of the new Khan.

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Small forces in place to restrict the Crimean retreat. The picture isn't clear, but I sent a merc troop just ahead of my main army into the engagement..
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The war was over in two engagements, lead by a Khan that records tell us led the charge both times and offered no quarter.

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Word of the Khan's valor spread and as lands of Crimea were sieged out, the provinces surrendered without a fight one by one. Soon, enough of Crimea had surrendered and the surviving nobles were assembled, expecting to be executed. And then Khan Kuchuk did something unexpected, he offered to spare them if they were swear fealty. Peace was signed and fealty sworn on April the 2nd of 1447, ending the Crimean War.

Of course, we all know the saying: 'Crazy like Kuchuk'. It was born from these days, he had more plans then Crimea and he set them into motion.

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While still at war with Crimea, the Khan took two steps. First, he sent riders into the lands of Circassia and let all there know that he was the rightful ruler of those lands and that he claimed them all has his subjects. Historical reports suggest that the local Circassian nobles reacted by burning the Khan in effigy. While this is unconfirmed, later actions do suggest that they managed to... annoy the Khan.

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In addition, the Khan withdrew most of his army from Crimean lands even though the war wasn't over and moved them north. I'm sure you all watched last year's Black Sea blockbuster "The Ride of Kuchuk." It was not entirely a false picture - horses and fodder had been put into position ahead of time and the men were marched almost without rest. As far as I know, however, there was no Sarangerel Joharis riding among them, no matter how fetching the premise. Ahem, although I'm sure if there was the Khan would have fallen in love with her if there had been. Once in position, he declared war in Dec of '46 on a surprised and quickly overwhelmed Ryzan, who had no idea that an army was even on their borders. One quick battle and it was over but for siege work to remove the nobles from their castles.
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This last bit of warfare was resolved and the Ryzan nobles were also offered the opportunity to bend a knee - they did so on Jan 20, 1448. As we know however - and can see from the associated slide, Kuchuk's army was already gone when the peace was signed.

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During this time Nogai and Kazan went to war - two of Khan Kuchuk's largest rivals fought each other, assuming that attempted conquest of Crimea would take more time and use up his energy.

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As we know, the Golden Army hurried back south, passing the same way it had come such a short time earlier. Positions along the entire Circassian border were occupied and in Oct of '47, shortly after the Crimean subjugation and war was declared.

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The Khan led another battle with his foes - his forth major engagement within 4 years and fell upon an unsuspecting Circassian army.

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Afterwards, most of the army was withdrawn. The winter was particularly bad that year and it was better to quarter most of the troops in friendly lands where they could be called upon at need.

In the meantime, the state was flush with cash - although technically still spending more then it made it taxes. Fortunately, it seemed war was profitable. Merchants were even petitioning to rebuild old roadways and caravans were beginning to move goods again. Truthfully, it was all very little, but a small bump to a ruined economy is extremely noticeable.

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Hope can make for a good economic balm - history shows donations began pouring in. We won't discuss every recorded donation, but in some years this was the main source of income outside of war for the resurgent Horde.

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Meanwhile, traveling players were already immortalizing the Khan's daring rides - some of which we still teach, no doubt to your dismay, today.

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In the fall of 1449 the last Circassian province gave up it's flag. Afterwards, what followed was, by anyone's terms, a bloodletting. The Khan had so far offered all people whom he had conquered their lives and even their liberty upon their surrender. The Circassian nobles he slaughtered. Don't let nationalism blind you to our history and our own faults - the Khan's soldiers hunted down everyone with noble blood in the provinces. Rumor has it he was particularly enraged by the report of being burned in effigy - a sin against the teaching of Islam as you know.

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At the conclusion, the Ottomans offered an alliance and a marriage to the Khan. The Golden Horde was now counted as a power among those who moved and shook the medieval world. They weren't a great power - not yet of course, but they had been noticed as worthy friends or worrisome foes.

Class - your assignment for next week is a three page paper with roots in this brief but pivotal time period. You could pick one of the opening campaigns of Khan Kuchuk's legacy. Please be sure to indicate any lasting legacies of the campaign. And CITE your sources. For those of you who aren't as into the military side of things, I would enjoy seeing a paper on the fractured economy of the region and what types of trade goods were moved through the markets of Astrakan and the Black Sea ports. Finally, if you have to, you could write about the horses of those times and how the bloodlines have been kept intact through the present day. If you choose the Ride of Kuchuk, please omit references to the movie - that is not considered a proper historical source.

A quick showing of enemy armies for neighboring states:
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Thanks for reading! I'll get the next "lesson" posted as soon as I figure out how I managed to mix two different games pictures together and make sure I actually show you the right ones!
 
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Lesson 2 A Horde In Deed Part II

Lesson 2: A Horde In Deed Part II

First, a quick recap: I spent the first few years running my army through Crimea, Ryzan, and Circassia. The first two were vassalized, the later annexed (in the hope they'd do some converting for me, my plan was to release them as soon as I took one more action. I wasn't hurting for manpower yet, which was good because I planned on hitting at least 3 more powers before I stopped (...the best laid plans...). Money was still an issue, if anything, my economy was totally dependent on war income - looting and peace deal cash was keeping me out of loans for now. I did have an alliance with the Ottomans in hand, but it was mostly of defensive value for now - most of my targets were considered distant. My Uzbek 'ally' had managed to become debt-ridden while dealing with rebels and wasn't going to join any war I could come up with. Finally - my Khan/General, all around horrible leader, had now personally led 4 engagements and several sieges. He was death-proof.

The rest of the world - of quick interest to me, Kazan and Nogai were at war and Kazan was winning. I wanted to wait for them to be exhausted and then pick them off. Georgia and it's ally Trebizond had been mauled by Qura Quanalu (?) but didn't lose anything in the peace deal. Muscovy took the Subjugate Novgorad... and (I'm not sure timing wise if it was right away or during the next update) basically did it without loosing any manpower or showing weakness. I was hoping to bridge the gap with the Ottomans and then sneak them into a war. Livonia had already fallen under Poland's influence and I've learned that without a land connection the Ottomans sometimes couldn't figure out how to actually attack them (even if they'd been willing, which they weren't at that point). Now, back to our regularly scheduled programming...


Hello class and welcome back. I hope you enjoyed your break. Make sure you pass your papers forward.

Now, we left off with what is often considered the first half of Khan Kuchuk's campaign to restore the Golden Horde's glory. As one of you noted by email, the invasion of G is often considered to be part of that group. I didn't mention it last week, but we'll get started with that in just a moment.

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First, with Circassia annexed, the Khan used Crimean fishing boats to send forewarning to the Georgian province of Guria, proclaiming his ownership of that realm and intent to claim his ancestral land.

Then, the Khan released the annexed Circassian provinces as a vassal-state. However, with the nobility dead, he replaced them with a collection of his leading warriors and allies, including some Crimeans who had shown valor during the long months of siege warfare.

Finally, many believe because his army was already in the south, he declared war on the small country of Gazikumukh. This was almost strictly a cash looting operation, although he did lead the assault against their army itself.

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THere were just two battles of note before it settled into a siege situation. The war itself was over after less then another year.

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Many historians suggest that the Khan err'd in not just annexing or vassalizing this small kingdom. But if you look at the terms, I believe that the Khan achieved exactly what he needed - funds for his armies to keeping purchasing food. In addition, he forced the nation to start a conversion process - in my opinion, hoping that by the time he returned they'd already be Sunni rather then Shia. Or perhaps he felt bad about what he'd done in Circassia in the previous year. Meanwhile, the Khan was already moving his main army again...

And with his victory two new pieces of news:
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I went with dip points because I wasn't pulling them in on my own and my economy was shot anyway...looking back perhaps not a great choice.

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Word came that the rebels in the province of Avoz, inspired by the Khan's attack on Crimea had succeeded in their demands and requested permission to join his great crusade. They were welcomed with open arms - especially because they added 9000 men to the cause.

Actually, this put me over my force limit, so I actually disbanded all of my mercenaries and a couple of other troops as well. I'd have loved to stay over the force limit, but I was blowing cash down a never-ending hole as it was. Regardless, this is the one thing that really broke my way in the early game. Sadly, I wasted it shortly. Note, a diplomat is forging a claim on Yaik (Nogai) for a mission.

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Meanwhile the nation of Georgia needed to be brought to heel and war was declared.

However, he did also demand that the Uzbek's finally honor a call to war.
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They did not, and in anger he renounced the alliance, setting up later fatal consequences.

IE - I really wanted that dip slot back - if they weren't going to send troops, I didn't need it eaten up. As it turns out, a fairly major mistake

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A couple of battles led by the Khan again and the Georgian realm was under siege.

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Meanwhile, word came that the great Kazan-Nogai War had ended and the Nogai were crushed. There standing army was way down in size and the Khan was heard to say that Crimea alone could fight them. In addition to losing provinces directly to Kazan, they were forced to release Khazak. The Khan immediately sent an ambassador to Khazak, with words of friendship and their importance to his mission from God.

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It is worth noting that at this time the Golden Horde's social policies were undergoing some flux. Unbelievers were being welcomed for the first time. Indeed, the Khan was not even insisting that all of his provinces bend in prayer to the same faith.

That is - I couldn't convert if I wanted (and couldn't afford it anyway) and think the bonuses for lack of piety are way better so in the absence of negatives I'm choosing to lose piety.

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The 1st Georgian War ended in the summer of '53. The Georgian state survived but gave up multiple provinces, but just to the vassals of the Horde - Crimea used the Gurnia claim to jump over Circassia and claim a couple of the coastal province and Circassia pushed through the central mountains. Cash was also claimed.

I'd have annexed the whole thing, but I wasn't sure I could turn around and sell it all to my vassals. I felt like jumping Crimea down was worth allowing a two province Georgia stay alive. As an aside, I think this is the right play - it gives you two vassals to divy up southern conquests among - especially because I still wasn't going to be able to use Crimea in Lithuania

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However, a Georgian hold-out attempted an assassination of the Khan. It failed when the official record keeper jumped in front of the Khan. Unfortunately that led to poor records for the next 6 months while a replacement was found. We know that war was declared on the weakened Nogai Khanite. Also, an ambassador was reported to have journeyed to the Timurid lands, to attempt to keep them from being upset by the Khan's good works.

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According to the scattered reports, there was just one major battle, which, in a first for the resurgent horde was not led by the Khan. We don't actually have any information on why.

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Khan Kuchuk needed additional funds to keep his administration and army afloat and began taxing the imans, much to their distress.

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Military technology, spurred by the Khan's investments and constant warfare, advanced.

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The war was over in May of 1456; Nogai agreed to cede the province of Yaik to the Horde and swore vows of fealty.

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With a land path through loyal vassals now connecting them the small horde of Kazakh readily agreed to serve the Horde and a great feast welcomed them to the family.

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At the end of this, the world the Golden Horde knew was as shown on the above slide.

Thank you for your attention today class. Juro, you know better then to pass notes during class, please stay after. The rest of you are dismissed. Next week we'll discuss the Uzbek Disaster so please already have read chapter 3 in Ceruk's "History of the Horde, volume 2."

Thanks for reading, more to follow.
 
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Lesson 3: The Uzbek Disaster

Lesson 3: The Uzbek Disaster

So, I'm sure from the title you can guess how this update goes. But for now things are looking mostly good. As it stands now, the Golden Horde holds in vassalage Crimea, Circassia, Ryzan, Nogai, and Khazak. Georgia is but a minor shell and Gaz/whatever was defeated for a religious conversion. At this stage, Kazan, Uzbek and Qura are all rivals. Diplomacy ties us to the Ottomans with an alliance and RM (for a total Dip overage of 2). My crappy leader has now lived through wars and sieges on every front. A diplomat has been working on the Timurids and is close to securing an alliance. Diplomats have done their best to keep Poland neutral. It is 1457. My income is still in the negatives and only a more or less constant warfare has kept up up. Manpower is suffering but I've been trying to use vassals and mercenaries for the lifting. Of my main neighbors, Uzbek has allied Kazan following our rejection of them (told you I made a bad decision earlier). Muscovy is absorbing its vassals and either has finished off or is about to finish off Novgarad with absolutely no dip ever in it's standing army. No clue how it managed that. Lithuania is in the PU under Poland and there armies are more powerful then mine + the Ottomans. The Ottomans seem to be moving slowly to bring its homelands under control, but has - from what I can tell under the terra incognito - managed to expand deep into Hungarian territories. My final neighbor is Qura Quayalu.. whom is the one opponent the Ottomans seem interested in joining me to fight. Well, so be it, I have two vassals with borders and a deep need for another vassal.

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Historically speaking, this was an important time for the young Horde and the now somewhat aged Khan. Relations with the at that point still thought potent Timurids were nearly friendly.

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For the first time in a long time the Khan called for peace during Ramadon.
I was curious to see if some piety might let me convert a province... (it won't)

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Some surviving documents of the time period provide a good reference to the relative strengths of all of the main regional powers. We haven't spoken of the Mamluks to this point, but they were a strong regional power and it's important to start keeping an eye on them moving forward. The Kazan-Uzbek alliance gave them a fair amount of troops, and this time Uzbek would not refuse to honor it's alliance with Kazan like it had for the Horde a scant 10 years earlier. Both the Timurid and Ottoman armies were strong but with little man-power to back them up. For the Ottomans..

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..this was driven by a large scale rebellion among the Balkan provinces. Multiple armies were being chewed up and the Ottomans ambassador to the Horde requested that it if it would just hold off it's next war the Ottomans would be much more willing to join them as brothers.

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Even victories over the rebel horde barely dented their numbers as this historical record shows. But after Manastir the rebels were finally broken and the Ottomans began to free up their forces for a glorious joint war.

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Shortly thereafter a war was declared on the state of Qura Quayalu and it's vassals and allies - Trebizond and, ah, that other mountain kingdom that starts with an Sha. The war was declared for the province of Erzurum over Crimea's claim of rulership. Truthfully, a petty distinction - it was a pure land grab. But Crimea was quite willing to extend claims on behalf of the Horde. The Golden Horde had all of it's vassals link up in the mountain provinces to the north and waited for the Ottomans and Qura Q - who got their first could have some severe consequences for an outnumbered Golden Army. Although it did destroy the Trebizond forces on the opening week of the war.

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Action against their enemies caued the Timurids to look upon the Horde with new eyes. An alliance was quickly formed and - with Qurayian(?) troops closing in on Horde forces the Timurids indicated they too would join the war. Which was fortunate because for some reason 20k Ottoman troops were stuck in a siege verses the tiny province of Marus which had declared for Qura. The enemy armies immediately turned and began heading into Timurid territory.

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Because the middle of a war is always the best time for debates over strategy - even as Golden Horde & vassal armies swarmed through all of the enemy provinces - two generals practically tore each other apart in public. The Khan had them both killed as an example not to test his patience when actually fighting. Meanwhile, Ottoman and Timurid forces were now both heavily engaged and, quite frankly, the Golden Army let them have most of the glory, arriving late at most battles. Then, as long expected, royalty dies:

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Well...crap.

Word came to the Khan that somehow his only son had been slain - fever the doctors said. But Khan Kuchuk knew the signs, poison it was, from an arrow taken in the arm at a minor engagement at Tikrit. His fury was quite legendary - he slaughtered 1000 prisoners that day. But it was of little use. Although, word of his deeds inspired the building of the Holy Temple of the Khan in the capital, which is still standing today - although it had to be rebuilt after the Fire of 1892.

The Ottomans signed a separate peace for the province of Marus that they'd spent so much time fighting in the opening stages of the war.

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Qura Quanalu's surrender came in 1463. Trebizond and another province to Crimea, two provinces to loyal (although almost toothless honestly) Circassia. One province for the Horde in honor of his heir. From here, Khan Kuchuk issued the Proclamation of Destruction, swearing that no noble of Qura Quayalu would see the next century. Of course, money for his army also exchanged hands. It should be noted that nothing was given to the Timurids during the peace deal.

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Fresh off victory, Eid al-Fitr was celebrated with the newly looted money to the delight of many neighboring realms. Meanwhile a preliminary alliance had been worked out between the Golden Horde and the Mamluks.

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However, it was quickly called off, along with the Timurid treaties, when the Golden Horde once again plundered the nation of Gazikumukh. After discussion, the Ottomans were not called to war because they were drowning in loans, another rebellion, and a small conflict they'd started within what was considered 'their' territory. The war with Gazikumukh was a short affair which again was ended for gold and the province of Tarki.

For the 20 years following when God had spoken to Khan Kuchuk he'd led his forces to one victory after another. Glory was his, and he was finally granted peace from this realm and taken to his just rewards in heaven. Behind him he left a resurgent horde to his brand new son and heir.

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Who was promptly murdered - in those days a child could not rule. One of Kuchuk's most honored Generals claimed the throne and slew what remained of the royal family in the ways of old. Unfortunately, for him, he did not murder enough.
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And another claimant - with significant revolting forces rose up to oppose him. It would be war.

As it happened, I was more then willing to let the pretender have the throne and not fight the main patriot stack - thus preserving my manpower, restoring my legitimacy, and giving me extra troops. I moved to attack the nationalistic rebels...

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But the new Khan was walking with the favor of God to secede his chosen champion. An arrow flew from a besieged castle window and pierced the pretender through the eye. The rebellion ended on May 8th, just 18 days after the death of the former Khan.

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Shortly thereafter the new Khan secured his royal line.

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But the Khan had inherited a country with many troubles - a monthly deficit, a shortage of men able to fight after all the rebellions were crushed, and neighbors that were now fully on guard. To his advantage, military technology had advanced again, giving his armies better weapons then most of his tribal neighbors - although not the Muscovites or the Lithuanians.

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In typical fashion, many of the sub-tribes left the Golden Hordes banner during this 'time of peace,' further exasperating both the manpower and money issues.

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Further rebellions were crushed - the first of several Orthodox rebellions caused by clumsy conversion efforts in Circassia.

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In the summer of 1467 two acts were put into place. The first was to begin the annexation of Circassia - a country that had always been but a cats-paw anyway. This was followed by granting nominal independence as a vassal to Persia in the territory of Urmia.

Finally, the new Khan felt secure enough to begin his own war. After consulting with the Ottomans, they decided together that Uzbek should be punished for their long ago betrayal. Promises were sworn and war was begun. It was known that Kazan would join its neighbor, understanding that its doom would come as well should Uzbek fall.

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A plan was shaped and the Golden Horde called all of it's vassals armies to join it as it savaged Kazan's armies. Ryzan and Crimea however, went straight for provinces in Kazan.

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Early victories came pouring in as the Kazan forces were crushed as they were called up. However, half of Nogai's armies were defeated before they could link up by Uzbek's armies and many of the eastern provinces were being lost. Fortunately the Ottomans were due to show up and take care of that enemy army. But a year into the conflict and they hadn't even moved out of their home territories.

An Kazan force that had been hiding in Uzbekian territories surprised one of the hunter armies stalking Kazan and, with the Uzbek army moving out of captured Nogai territories, crushed most of the Golden Army. Vassal armies were left paralyzed with indecision and failed to support the Golden Army when they could have turned the tide. Within another year it was clear that the entire campaign had turned bad.

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The Khan parlayed a captured territory and it's military victories into a paper-only victory to push Kazan out of the war. Perhaps that Ottomans would still show up and help drive back the Uzbeks and secure at least some victory - or at least an even peace...

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Finally the Ottoman army appeared. And slaughtered a handful of rebellious Orthodox citizens. Following this unasked for 'aid' the Ottoman General returned home and declared a great victory.

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Overwhelmed by anger, the still-young Khan died when his messengers brought the word. His heir.. disappeared before he could take the throne. Rumors have always swirled but most historians believe that he was actually taken to safety... and just forgotten about by a tribe that would not look back fondly upon the brief reign.

Peace was signed with the Uzbek's that was surprisingly cheap - a handful of ducats. But the nation wallowed in humiliation, stability was at an all time low, the nation was forced into debt and took multiple loans at crazy interest rates, and the Golden Army, once 20000 men, was reduced to about 5000 men. All in all, it was a dark time.

That concludes this class - please be ready to discuss both Kazakh and Persian expansion and the Ottomans in the late 1400's when we meet next week.
The world:
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no child can be a khan - one of the things that makes unreformed hordes still worth playing~

I don't know when you plan to reform, but note that your units will be fine for about 100 years or so, and then you'll be at a disadvantage. With focus on miltech and being stingy you can still keep ahead of time as nomad techgroup though.

Remember that hordes get 25% additional shock damage when fighting on home grasslands / desert. It's a very important bonus for winning wars when the numbers are against you. This is why its best to play horde-on-horde wars defensively, in my opinion - always let them attack you then crush their stacks one by one where you have the right terrain.
 
Home terrain - A lesson I forgot frequently when engaging - probably a left-over reflex from my last game when I was trying to push combat as quickly as possible - and no doubt contributed to the mess I left myself against the Uzbek's. All I can say is I was really counting on the Ottomans and the computer actually out-gamed me. I admit that with a great deal of embarrassment. But I'd been riding the knife's edge for long enough that having my army caught and destroyed left me with no fallback.

I actually reform a bit too soon I think - as soon as I round out Admin, but most everyone was passing level 9 mil at that point which seemed to me to be the point of deterioration. I'm to 1575 or so at this point. Hopefully I can catch up the entries to the game so its a bit more live and maybe I can actually act on advice :) I can probably use it! Doing this makes me rethink every move and realize where I messed up/should have chosen better (over and over).

I've some major engagements coming against either the Commonwealth or Muscovy where I'm simply going to be outnumbered badly. I really need to utilize every trick when that comes.

Thanks for the comment!
 
its nice to see someone play glorious nomads for a change :)

In general, I find that even with nomad techgroup you can stay reasonably on par in military tech with +1 advisor and decent luck with "no child can be a khan" events, as it guarantees at least a 3/3/3 ruler (and military focus if you have it). In my Mongolia game I was running ahead of France and Austria military tech, even in 1560s.

Also, horde double looting is another thing that keeps them strong - if you're fighting a big foe you can often sneak 1-2 mercs to loot their homelands. Ming is probably the best target for this (with perfect looting you're pulling in over 1500 ducats an year from them - netting 600/year isn't too hard), but Commonwealth is pretty good, also France (since in most cases they can't get mil access to fight you)

Tech 12/14 is when you start really feeling the hurt of not reforming, as that's when tercios + significant infantry fire modifiers start appearing and horde fire defense is pretty much nonexistent. Until then your units are pretty competitive/better than other techgroups.
 
How did I miss double looting? Not that I haven't been looting every chance I get anyway.

No Child Khan would have been great, if my initial loser Khan would have actually died.

If the break point is lvl 12, then I could have (and should have) left it for later.
 
Lesson 4: Regaining Lost Honor

Lesson 4: Regaining Lost Honor

Overview: when last we left I'd messed up the last war and was left feeling mightily betrayed by both my own play and the Ottomans. Since hating myself is a crappy thing to do, I decided to blame the Ottomans for my defeat. I don't think it could have been poor play. :(

Where we left off - a crushing blow to my ego. Uzbek and Khazan had brought me to my knees, the Ottomans were still my allies but treacherous bastards. Muscovy was colonizing eastward and moving faster then I was now that I'd stalled. They had a Swedish alliance, just to make sure I wouldn't look at them. Lithuania hated me, but I'd buttered up Poland enough that they were... not unfriendly. The Mamluks and I were doing some sort of odd dance where we were almost friends but then the Ottomans were in the way of actual friendship. The Timurids were beset by revolts. My vassals numbered Kazakh, Persia, Circassia (almost annexed), Crimea (whom I'd jumped into the middle east), Nogai, and Ryzan. In the far east, Ming China had fractured - probably due to the Oirats who were riding high with vassals and friends. QQ had fractured after I took territory from it - Iraq was now a country, as was Syria, which was now a Ottoman vassal. I haven't mentioned it, but I was the target of a Coalition - what was left of Georgia I think. To be honest, most of the next hundred years had pairs of minor 2 province powers forming coalitions against me and I didn't track it much. I'd opened Admin ideas and taken the first idea in the middle of the Uzbek fiasco - the pic didn't seem important to the ongoing story. My main worry was that Muscovy was going to decide now was the time to strike...


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In 1478 the annexation of Circassia was completed. It was actually the most straightforward annexation that the Golden Horde would undertake as they had set up the kingdom in the first place. The biggest problem would be dealing with all of the original inhabitants whom the Sunni government had rarely attempted to convert - Orthodox and nationalistic all at once. While the Golden Horde continued its policy of religious openness, it certainly didn't make keeping control of the region much easier. With the conversion direct to the Horde, their was some loss to the overall military power of the realm, but not much because the Circassian government had never really marshaled it's forces beyond a few thousand for some reason.

At the same time, the small nation of Khiva was born from a Timurid Empire that just couldn't get control of its provinces.

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Many tribes continued to leave the Golden Horde, believing that the mandate from God had been lost.

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However, even in the midst of this dark decade the Administrative arm of the government continued to make improvements and ironed out a new set of contracts with the many mercenary tribes to lower their overall contract costs -- after all, most of their service time was at peace and there was a lot of empty positions to fill after all of the losses to the regular army.

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In the later part of '78 the army was moved to begin protecting pilgrims from harmful raiders. This program was enacted for several reasons: 1) train the new riders against mild targets, 2) increase the prestige of a badly tarnished government, 3) the Khan was beginning to wonder if the Golden Horde might strike south - if so, having a history of protecting the faithful might be of value compared to the simple Khazanite politics of the steppe.

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By 1482 the Horde had recovered enough that the Khan felt it was time to return to the honored ways of the past. That is, war. In this case, against Qura Quayalu on behalf of the Horde's Persian vassal. The initial strike of the war was quick - destroying half of the QQ army in Mush before they could link up with the other half. QQ's ally Shirvan joined the war -

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And had its army defeated at the Battle of Tabriz by Crimean, Persian, and Golden Army forces.

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As the war raged, admin ideas were once again advanced, making it easier for the government to gain control of new provinces. The new thought of not slaughtering every leader in a province and instead just bribing them would prove very successful in the future.

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More battles were fought before this war would be brought to a close - but the Golden Army had learned its lessons and was in place to rebuff all attempts at cutting off forces or attempts to engage a smaller stack. If that was due to remembering the Uzbek disaster or from fighting bandits, who's to say?

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Things began to get even better for the Khan when he hired a holy man to run the administrative arm of the government. Many would be revolts quieted down throughout the Golden Horde countryside - just in time as some nationalists had begun to see the war as an opportunity.

I'd been without a Theologian for awhile and really was missing him - the reduction let me do almost everything that followed with much less stress.


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Peace was a moderate victory, with a new province for Crimea and three new provinces for Persia. What's even better was that the Timurid fracturing had continued and Persia had historical claim towards one of the new powers. Since the armies were already in place, they just continued. Historians suggest that war wasn't even officially declared.

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Ardalon was attacked on "behalf of the Persian people". The war was short and no record is held, but a few more provinces were added to Persia. With no reason at hand to stop, war was declared on the Timurids who were still realing from revolt and had a scant 4000 men serving under their banners.

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The new adviser brought about an additional influx of mercenaries for the cause.

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Peace with the Timurids brought even more historical land back to Persia.

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Meanwhile, word came that Muscovy had declared war on Kazan and quickly crushed them.

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The Uzbeks theoretically helped their ally, but somehow managed to keep their army intact..

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A quick look at the rest of the world shows a large U-Tsang - their power would not last.

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The Muscovy-Uzbek war dragged on and their manpower ran low. Knowing their chance to avenge their losses was at hand, the Golden Horde attacked both Uzbek and Kazan.

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In 1497 the war was over and Kazakh was turned into a power, using historical claims from Kazakh to force the peace.

In the meantime, things had been going poorly for the Horde on the diplomatic front. The Ottomans had refused any entry to it's wars - despite calling for Horde troops against the Mamluks. Which the Khan did not send in memory of the Uzbek debacle. A petty revenge but a useful one. The Mamluks understood after all, we were eating with their ambassador when the call to arms came. The Ottomans had launched another war into the Hungarian regions of which we knew not (shrug) but he'd managed to tick off legendary lands such as "Austria" and "Bohemia" - unknown to the Horde at that time. Finally, the Ottomans declared that the region of Eastern Anatollia was all theirs and relations which had become merely cool collapsed into threats and sworn bloodshed.

Knowing that they could not stand alone, the Horde joined a coalition of annoyed powers and rivaled the Ottomans. This immediately led to alliance with Poland and the Mamluks. The Horde had intended to lead the Coalition to victory over the treacherous Ottoman dogs as soon as the Uzbek war ended, but..

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Austria grew impatient with waiting and struck on their own. The Horde truthfully sent little of its power against the Ottomans and their vassals - just enough to participate. Although Kazan was an Ottoman ally at this point, so a bit of revenge pillaging was engaged in.

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Military technology always advances during times of warfare and new weapons made their way to the troops.

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Adminstrative advances once again were developed during this time - leading to a more people able to help the growing government. Strangely, this also resulted in the Golden Army reorganizing its military structure to allow for better use of its cavalry forces.

The Austrian led coalition accepted peace with the Ottomans, forcing many formerly extinct nations back into being. There were no gains for the Horde in this peace.

About this time the Timurids finally gave up and rebels spawned Buchistan, Afganistan, and more territory for Ardalon.

The century had turned and the Golden Horde had recovered from its Uzbek fiasco. It had lost a powerful ally in the Ottomans but now might be able to use Poland and the Mamluks. It had revenged itself on the Uzbeks and on the Ottomans, recovering its honor. Of course, we all are aware of what happened next, so be prepared to discuss the Ottoman campaigns next week.


Thanks for reading
 
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Lesson 5 The Early 1500s

Lesson 5 The Early 1500s

So, we left off just a bit ago with the Golden Horde having finished rebuilding and striking out against its former friend the Ottomans. Us: having vassals in Crimea, Nogai, Kazakh, Ryzan, and Persia and alliances with Poland and the Mamluks. As an aside, still running a deficit in actual spending, although that was now a bit more controllable. The Ottomans had been humiliated - the coalition war was followed by the Mamluks beating them up and additional revolts springing up throughout the Balkans and Anatolia. They'd gone from a power to a punching bag. Muscovy was running strong, having just crushed Kazan. Sweden was still their friend. The Timurids had collapsed, Qura Quanayu was a few provinces on my southern border, Iraq was a new power. No power had emerged in India yet, but Oirat was running strong in north Asia. My rivals were Muscovy, Kazan, and the Ottomans.

Little note on rivalries - I only once broke the 50 point mark for power projection, despite being at war almost non-stop, sometimes two at once, and having destroyed the following rivals: Crimea, Nogai, Georgia, QQ, Ottomans, Uzbek. I think that I even set the Timmy's as rivals when I smashed into them. I'd even send insults on a regular basis. Altogether, a gigantic waste of my time, which is why I almost don't mention it in my notes.

Another aside - I'm really bad about taking pics when I declare war....and when something happens...and almost all the time apparently. Sorry (!)... trying to get better.


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I know I said we'd talk about the Ottoman campaigns this class, but it turns out that there is some other information to go over first. The first new war of the century was against Qura Q. It was a minor conflict and brought additional territories to Persia. There is a lot of unanswered debate regarding the actual start to the conflict.

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Administration changes and improvements continued to be a major push for the Khan and his advisers. These changes culminated with the introduction of a Civil Service system in 1505 that would pay off during future generations. In fact, the new system would shortly lead to several dynamic changes for the Golden Horde.

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Rebels in Persia were a continuous problem during these years. Both nationalists and Shia religious zealots who objected to some of the techniques Persia was using to convert them.

Also in this time period the Polish alliance dissolved and Poland rivaled the horde and then, a year later, unrivaled them. Giving up understanding the Poles, the Khan turned to Balachustain to round out their alliance network.

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For the first time in Golden Horde history some effort was put into advancing trade and commerce in an attempt to bring the realm up to that of its peers. This would prove unsuccessful, but merchants did report finally being able to route some caravans to the home market.

Muscovy launched another attack against a weakened Kazan. Fearing the worst, the Golden Army rushed north and the Horde issues its own declaration of war upon the now-prostrate Khanite. Several provinces were occupied to prevent the Muscovites from taking too much. Unfortunately, after Muscovy took many territories..

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They didn't actually take enough. Kazan was still too big to vassalize. With no way of re-reaching the capital in another war without crossing Muscovite territory, the Golden Horde signed a peace that simply stripped provinces from the shattered state.

The nation of Uzbek announced to the world that they had vassalized Khiva. The Golden Horde, which had been working on friendship with the small state was enraged and declared war on the Uzbeks. There was almost no fighting in that war.

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The new policies of the government were supported by all elements of the realm. The Horde was united. Please note the progress of the 3rd Uzbek War in the background of that slide.

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A quick look at the world as known to the Horde at the end of the 3rd Uzbek War in 1516 and its vassals and alliance system.
Note that in Asia, Tibit had taken over the U-Tsang territories and was in a firm and fast alliance with the Oirat Horde.

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The Horde had, at the time, no idea who England was, but their are many stories of the lost army that lived in Genoa for some 20 years before finally being able to go home. Some say they were survivors from some Flower War, the Jyork.

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With the northern border set again, the Golden Horde returned to the south and once again declared war on Afganistan, triggering a coalition war, and it's very minor allies. The Ottoman Empire refused to fight in the defense of its allies, once again proving its cowardly ways.

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The new administration continued to prove itself with increased tax results.

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Off of it's loss to the Golden Army the Uzbeks dissolved into infighting. What was left of its realm was barely worth paying attention to.

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Peace was signed with Qura Quyalu, the coalition leader.

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Using the goodwill developed from the war, the Khan cast off the tribal government that the Golden Horde had utilized for its entire history and reformed the government on models based upon the Muscovite feudal system and the Mamluks Muslim government. It rocked the realm, but enough power was now centralized that the Khan, now Sultan, was able to bring the entire country into more modern times. The time was 1519.

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With the nations conversion came news of many distant lands, called Europe...

Next time, the Ottoman Campaigns, really!

Thanks for reading.
 
Lesson 6 The Ottoman Campaigns, Part I

Lesson 6 The Ottoman Campaigns, Part I

Where we left off - the Horde had recovered and was beating on minor powers for coin and quick land grabs, enlarging it's vassals Persia and Kazakh mostly. The Ottoman alliance was a thing of the past, replaced by the Mamluks. Relations with Poland were still in flux, Muscovy was a long term rival although no blood had been shed along the border for many years. The two remaining provinces of Kazan lay between us, a jewel of, well, not much really. The Oirat Horde was expanding beyond my borders, setting up a show down for certain if I was to achieve the goal - control of China with my Horde. Ah... honestly after playing this weekend I'm not sure I remember everything I was thinking right now, but I knew it was time to engage the Ottomans. However, I didn't have a reason for war, so my diplomat had just finished claiming the seaside province of Canik (the Crimeans were claiming everything EXCEPT Ottoman territory, thank you very much, I would much rather have used their claim). The Golden Horde itself was now a Sultanate, engaged in new Muslim cultures. And sitting on 1680 military points or so.

Welcome back class and thank you for putting away your phones. At the conclusion of last week's lecture, Sultan Mamuk I Koke Burilgi was riding high on nationalistic and religious fervor. He had utilized that favor to pass reforms that had never been dreamed off by his fathers and was lined up for putting his son on the throne... if he ever had one.

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Unwilling to sit on his laurels, the new Sultan sent an inquiry to Nogai if they would be interested in even closer relations. The Nogai tribal leaders met with Mamuk and requested integration into the greater realm. This was set into motion immediately. It has long been suggested that there were significant cash inducements to this decision.

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Meanwhile, it looked like Muscovy was going to be having at least a few minor difficulties with its new territories.

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Shortly thereafter, it was time for war. The first Ottoman campaign was launched with the full and discussed support of the Mamluks, part of the Sultans extended family. As it happens, the Ottomans had allied Afganistan - a target that Sultan Mamuk had already drawn up plans for fighting as well. He left that for his Persian vassal to handle and declared war.

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Mamuk I proposed a war plan that was quickly enacted. A handful of Horde mercenaries invaded Ottoman-Syria and lured most of the Ottomans standing army into a middle east. Meanwhile the Golden Army and Mamluk forces converged to cut off the return path to Anatolia.

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Unbelievably, three mercenary companies almost completely held off the main Ottoman army, led by their Sultan. Upon hearing the news, Sultan Mamuk immediately made their Captain a General and provided every survivor with land and wives and for the dead created a new cemetery at the capital just for Heroes of the Horde. Ah, survivors also had plots but weren't required to be buried there until after their deaths. Although, it should be noted, there were only 17 survivors.

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Shortly thereafter a Persian army backed by additional Horde mercenary companies defeated the Ottomans on the very site they'd been held off.

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Just months into the war and the Ottomans were down to 13k men under arms.

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The main Ottoman army in the east was chased down and defeated again by one arm of the Golden Army. Also, a Polish assault on the Ottoman's Balkan territory had reached great heights.

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Meanwhile, Persia had taken care of Afghanistan and claimed another of its provinces. A major hold-back at this time was a distribution of diplomatic assets - peace deals had driven the Golden Horde's supply of trained diplomats low and in an effort to end the conflict without diverting anything to a minor sideshow they took what they could get.

That is to say, my vassals weren't paying for their wins with their diplomatic points despite what the tooltip says and I couldn't afford the diplomatic cost to do anything but what was free - never mind that I needed points to get what I wanted out of the Ottomans...


Then, with the war going well, tragedy struck.

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The great man, Mamuk I passed from this earth and into his heavenly rewards. He left behind a son, an heir. And, despite tradition, a handful of senior advisers managed to hold the kingdom together so that the child might yet grow up to be Sultan.

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Mamuk's policies continued to be felt after his death and his road map, which had been carefully laid out in the Mamuk Declarations, provided to his most trusted comrades on his deathbed, was followed to the letter. Nogai was intergrated.

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Plans were laid in to increase the size of the army significantly so that the Horde would became more then a regional power. Indeed, in the history books of other realms this is the first time we see suggestions that the Golden Horde was in fact a Great Power, worthy of playing the same game as European powers such as Austria, Poland, and France.

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And then peace with the Ottomans was levied. Again the blue print was followed, territory to all of the allies - Mamluks, Crimea, and the Golden Horde, plus the creation of a new state in Eastern Anatolia. The Ottomans also lost significant territory to Poland and the Greek nation of Athens was brought back to life.

With the 1st Ottoman-Horde war completed, the advisers took stock before making an important decision.

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A quick look at the religious map showed widespread Sunni faith within the realm.

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The new province required not-much urging to adopt to the Golden Horde's way of doing things.

Have to love getting the not-connected bonus for coring - I need to do/abuse this more often.

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Very quickly relations between the Golden Horde and the newly released nation of Eretna improved.

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Leading towards an agreement to become a vassal. No doubt that the promise of additional land from the Ottomans made for a heavy inducement.

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Of note, the army reached a count of numbers equaling its northern rival in 1527.

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Attempts were made to keep at least one neighbor besides the Mamluks not-hostile.

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Administrative and military technology advanced.

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Iraq formed a new coalition against the Golden Horde. Fortunately, it was defensive in nature and the somewhat feared Muscovy-Polish joining did not occur.

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Then, Regency council began the last of Mamuk's deathbed requests. They started a process we now call "Westernization," meaning to copy the methods and ways of the West, that is, Europe. It was a crazy move - a country with a boy-Sultan but the government and, more importantly, the army, had elevated Mamuk to the status of prophet and didn't even question the plan.

Also, I had a regency to get through, so why not...

Interesting side note, in that picture you can see that I had ALMOST converted my first province in the whole game... and then got stuck for lack of piety and whatever the conversion decision is. I eventually abandoned it at 95% because it was just eating cash. And yes, I was still running a monthly deficit, although I was close to 'whole.'


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Of course, some found the new ways to be. . less then holy. But that stopped no one in command of the realm.

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Somehow the three trade vessels under Golden Horde control caused an entire nautical revolution within the realm.


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There were some problems that arose during the beginning of Westernization. And then, for awhile, it wasn't so bad.

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The new Sultan; Shah Ali I Koke Burilga came of age. He.. was not the Sultan his father was. But he did immediately declare war on Iraq as his reply to their 'coalition', which now included a resurgant Shirvan as well. So, at least he was a strong leader.

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And forgiving.

(split post due to image count)
 
Lesson 7 The Ottoman Campaigns, Part I, Act II

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A new heir was born during the war.

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A war quickly won. But with all of the nation's attention and supply focused on Westernization, it lacked the willpower to inflict a lasting peace.

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This was quickly followed with another minor war, against Aq Quyunlu. Somehow the Sultan had ended up allied to to another useless power and used that war as an excuse to get rid of him.

Aq Quyunlu had been a minor and insignificant power for some time before recently it declared war on - and was actually beating - the Ottomans who had become everyone punching bag of choice. Historically speaking it was an ill-chosen war, simply because it didn't need to be fought then and would be fought again later.

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There was only one battle, and then the dreariness of siege warfare.


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Then the country started to really turn against Westernization - even the army was beginning to reject it as years of tradition fell to the wayside. Rebellions erupted especially in the troublesome Caucauses.

(did not declare those wars. well, the Kazan one later)

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The Ottomans were experiencing additional problems... rebels (Serbia, Bulgaria, nobles, pretenders)... Venice... Austria...Poland. They all took a piece or three.
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And then because the Ottomans had lost the will of God, Civil War.

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Aq Quyunlu accepted a peace deal costing the Golden Horde more diplomatic clout then they actually had, causing another deficit for the nation.

War with Kazan followed, over the last province the Horde had access too.

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One battle in the province itself..

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..and another when Kazan crossed Muscovite territory to try to save their countrymen.

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And then the Mamluks brought the Horde to War with the Ottomans again.

We'll pick up there next time class. Please be prepared.


Thanks for reading.
 
Their manpower just never dipped so I never felt confident enough to hit them to this point. That all changes :)

The initial plan was to use the Ottomans as my hammer. Once that fell apart well... Eventually, I started to get a better feel for how useful looting was...
 
Their manpower just never dipped so I never felt confident enough to hit them to this point. That all changes :)

The initial plan was to use the Ottomans as my hammer. Once that fell apart well... Eventually, I started to get a better feel for how useful looting was...

You can dip their manpower by killing them lol.

GH can day 0 Muscovy and win, and has quite the window after that to win heads up also. Getting Russian accepted + converted is useful, and both Ryazan and Nizny Novgorod are viable options to make it Sunni, despite not taking religious soon.
 
If I were to restart I'd be even more aggressive in the opening - Crimea, Ryzan, Circ, the loser of Kazan/Nogi and then straight into Muscovy with everything my vassals can bring to bear and hopefully maybe the Uzbeks as allies. The key really is patient warfare, which I'm getting better at (but still am not great at).

Doing an AAR has really forced me to analyze my play style. It was a bit too headlong.
 
Lesson 8 The Ottoman Campaigns, Part II

And we're off. The situation: Persia, Kazakh, Eretna, and Crimea are vassals. Our Mumluk ally has called us to war against an Ottoman Empire that is anything but and has been battered by insurrections and civil war. To the north Muscovy is having rebellion issues but is well on its way to colonizing to the Pacific (for me). Lithuania remains in the Union and hostile, but Poland is still sometimes friendly, sometimes not. The nation was still fighting Kazan, although incapable of reaching the Kazanite capital due to a rather mean-spirited Muscovy.


When we left off, the year was 1543 and the young Sultan Shah Ali I, fresh from a couple of minor victories, honored the family call to arms to fight the Ottomans again. He was intent on proving himself capable of his father's legacy. Meanwhile, westernization and its difficulties still plagued the nation.

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Unfortunately, religious elements forced a showdown with the Sultan. He released a proclamation protecting the rights of all religions within the state. This was unpopular to pass, but kept the peasants from experiencing even more unrest - already high from Westernization.

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Speaking of which - the Merchants lodged a complaint as well. Traditionally weak within the Horde or no, they moved supplies for the army and a small but potentially useful emerging monied-class. Like all others they were told to fall in line.

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Troubles continued to spiral for the young nation. The Horde plunged into a time of instability on top of the issues with Westernization.

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Shah Ali I was beset by additional problems as the government fractured under the pressure. Money problems - which had never been positive to begin with continue to haunt the nation. While war was continuing to bring in funds, the state was taking loans from anyone who would give them at this point to stay afloat.

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..And more problems with Westernization erupted as the buearcracy erupted in rebellion. The very advisers that had been Sultan Shah Ali's guides. Only the will of the young Sultan pushed the nation to follow his father's path.

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These were not good times for the Golden Horde. The great famine of 1545 required that even more money be borrowed from ever more greedy banks to feed the peasants.

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Eventually what was left of Kazan bowed to the inevitable and accepted that it would never regain its fractured territory.

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Then the most amazing thing happened. The country of Austria - also now progressing a war against the Ottomans, despite being infidels, offered the drowning Sultan an olive branch. The Austrian King indicated his admiration for the bravery and path he was showing and offered a fund to help support the country. This was gladly accepted, turning a monthly dept into a positive for the first time in.. well, ever. Although just barely - the state's finances were truly wrecked.

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With the Ottoman War progressing nicely, the people began to realize what they had accomplished and national pride rose.

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Followed by, in late 1547, the announcement that the country had been fully modernized.

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Within the year the Ottomans had been fully crushed and nations began to begin to end their conflicts. The Austrians, Poles, and Venetians all took their pieces. Sultan Ali I bowed out as well, feeling slightly shamed for abandoning his allies - but there was no danger to the Mamluk's and some danger that staying in united in the war would lead to getting little for themselves. The Horde only enlarged a little, knowing that they would be able to feed again from the Ottoman carcass.

With the end of the Ottoman War the Austrian subsidies dried up, but it had enabled the Horde to escape what could have been a very poor situation. Both literally and figuratively.

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With the end of the war, things began to get better, and worse. The state was still suffering from instability and manpower for the armies suffered. The Sultan also had to fire all of their advisers in order to not drown in further debt. Poland finally decided, for the last time, that the Horde should be a rival. Circassian peasants got the crazy idea that they should try to be a nation again, in the shadow of the Horde that had destroyed them before and split from Byzantium . As it happened, this would provide an unexpectedly setback later.

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Pic for reference - a reborn Circassian Empire!

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The Ottomans continued to suffer revolts and other internal problems, even now as they were driven into their core provinces.

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Finally, the Golden Horde emerged from their internal conflict disaster. With multiple disasters, Westernization, and a change in government behind them it was hoped that the Golden Horde could finally begin to pursue their legacy - the return to the origins of the Horde and China.

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However, the Horde was not economically sound. Interest was sky high and there were multiple loans draining the economy. Governmental and mercantile policies now centered around rebuilding the shattered infrastructure. Loans were paid off and policies reigning in interest were implemented.

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Meanwhile Poland absorbed Lithuania. The side effect - many Lithuanian nobles who had hated the Horde were now in the direct ruling class of the government. Poland went from viewing the Horde as a friendly rival to a hated foe.

We'll discuss the 2nd Ardalan War that is vaguely shown in that slide along with the 3rd Ottoman War, such as it was when we return. It is possible we'll even reach the 1st Muscovian Conflict, so be sure to read that chapter if you have not already completed it.
 
Lesson 9: The Ottoman Campaign Part III


The Golden Horde is now a Westernized nation, with a strong Mamluk alliance and a number of vassal - Kazakh, Crimea, Persia, Ryzan, and Eretna. They are suffering from a bad economy, but there is a lot of hope glimmering. Military tech is the same as or better then any of our neighbors, even despite the horrors of westernization. We've completed Admin ideas (which let us reform the government) and have yet to unlock another idea set. Muscovy and the new Commonwealth hate us, as does a failing Ottoman state... and Uzbek (with vassal Khiva), Iraq, the Aq Qunalu, Shirvan, the Mughals, and probably any other minor that Persia touches.


When last we spoke I eluded to another war with Ardalon. This was a short affair, stomping on another nation that tried to declare a coalition.

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It ended without much to be said about it. Another minor conflict in the face of Golden Horde, in this case Persian, growth. Little conflicts such as these get ignored in the histories when compared to grand struggles - such as the Ottoman campaigns, but really, they make up a lot of the day to day growth and fuel that powers an Empire.

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With the times of trouble behind them, the administration began trying to emulate their neighbors and advancements in administrative capabilities came quickly.

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The new Commonwealth wasted no time in raising tensions along the shared border.

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The overwhelming negative events of the past began to be balanced out, the pay-offs of the new government and centralization being but one example.

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In 1557 the country felt strong enough to engage in another campaign against the Ottomans. Actually, it was a fairly easy campaign - rumors were swirling tof vast rebel hordes that went roving and slaughtered everyone they found. The Sultan excused the war as necessary for the well-being of the Sunni's living there which did have the virtue of being true, if misleading. The Mamluks would sit this one out, still digesting their last victory. Aq Quyunlu would join the Ottomans - which was about perfect as far as Sultan Ali was concerned.

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The opening conflict eliminated an Ottoman army separated from the homeland.

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And another finished off the Ottoman's ally.

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Currency and economic problems continued to plague the Horde though.

Notice the vast amounts of rebel held territory and the first victory at sea in Golden Horde history.

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Peace - not shown because I left that slide at home was quick with Aq Quyunlu, giving the province to ever loyal Crimea.

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Followed by a harsh peace with the Ottomans that effectively turned them into a minor power. Eretna and the Golden Horde expanded through central Anatolia and along the Black Sea coast respectively.

A quick look at the world:

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The Iberian wedding never fired and Castile isn't as powerful as it could be, but the rest of the players are present. France, Austria, Sweden, Great Britain, and of course, the Commonwealth and a Muscovy that still hadn't formed Russia for some reason.

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Japan had formed, Tibet and Oirat dominate Asia, Orissa is winning the Indian sub-continent fracas.

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Africa with Portugal making some inroads beyond the western coast.

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And the Americas with colonization well underway by the normal powers.

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The actual territory map of the Horde and its vassals and allies as of 1560.

Thanks for reading!
 
Lesson 10: The Consolidation Wars

Lesson 10: The Consolidation Wars

When we left the Golden Horde numbered 1 ally, the Mamluks and multiple vassals: Eretna (a great vassal), Crimea, Kazakh, Uzbek, and Persia.

I seem to have lost track of some pictures - the Ottomans were forced to accept my vassalage. I seem to recall breaking truce to make this happen - I was worried that the Commonwealth and the Mamluks were going to absorb them completely. As it happened, the Commonwealth picked off Constantanople and Biga and the Mamluks took a bite from the eastern side. The rest fell to me and was separated out as additional states. So, the pics below will have the Ottomans as a vassal with no explanation as to how they got there. I know the pics are somewhere because I saw them yesterday. In addition, I prepped Eretna and Uzbek to be annexed. Only.. I forgot I couldn't annex Uzbek because I don't actually border them. As it happens, that's okay, it all worked out.

For my neighbors, there was a three way staring match between myself, the Commonwealth, and Muscovy. Muscovy was involved in a war with the Timurids - they'd occupied the one province they could get to, but couldn't finish it - I think it had been going on for 15 years at this point. Muscovy could call on Sweden as an ally in a defensive war and the Pomerianians. The Commonwealth on Venice and Riga. Myself on the Mamluks. The Oirat Horde was big but I suspected weak, I just wanted to build up my manpower, tech, and get my nation rolling before I engaged.


For today's discussion, we'll discuss the so called Consolidation Wars. A series of conflicts designed to bring bring minor periphery powers more directly into the Hordes influence and/or control. These wars are characterized by being short, relatively non-threatening to the Golden Horde itself, and a way to continue to fund the Empire.

Although it should be noted, for the first time ever the Golden Horde was running a monthly surplus. It was actually a large surplus and with no loans to pay off the money began pouring in.

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The first conflict was with what was left of the nation of Khiva, broken off from the Timurids so long ago.

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Followed by another conflict with Afghanistan.

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In the middle of this war the Mamluks asked us to join their crusade against the Knights and their small island. Supporting the relationship with the Mamluks was important to Sultan Ali and their cause was made the Horde's.

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During the wars, political and military advances occurred. The small vassal of Eretna was absorbed into the Empire, its value as a border buffer state now gone. Military forces grew to equal the Oirat Horde, bringing prestige to the army. Also, the Anatolian culture group came to be accepted within the Horde. Meanwhile, another Shia rebellion broke out in Persia. Persia has proven almost entirely unable to successfully convert, instead constantly sending hordes of rebels into the hills every 10 years or so.

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A quick comparison of military forces available to the largest states. It is said that the Sultan obsessed over these numbers, looking for weakness in his neighbors.

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Another surprise naval victory for the Horde. Even more surprising is the sudden appearance of units of the Portuguese army invading Crimea. They took their role as Defender of the Faith seriously.

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The nation that Poland or the Mamluks forced out of the dying Ottomans (before Sultan Ali took them under his protection anyway) was the next target - Aydin.

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A now large group of Portuguese had to be fought and were driven off of Crimean land. It is believed they ran all the way back to Portugal itself.

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Aydin gave up a province.

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Military technology was now advancing rapidly - enough that we were now ahead of time.

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The Afghanistan peace deal brought more land to Persia and more riches to the Horde.

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Iraq was attacked and stripped of everything but Bagdad with the territories given to Crimea. Work was begun shortly thereafter to improve Crimean relations with an eye towards annexation and reducing the Diplomatic effort of maintaining so many vassals. Also, unless the Commonwealth was broken or the Mamluk's turn on there wasn't much else to expand into for Crimea.

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Eventually the Knights fell to the Mamluks. A very exciting conquest certainly.

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The far east, with Muscovy encroaching on territories the Horde had hoped to reach first... a long time ago that dream had vanished.

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Monetary reforms were unpopular enough at home. In Persia, well, it was just another excuse for the Shia's and various nationalistic groups to rebel again. The Sultan called for a time of peace to allow for internal strife to die down.

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The Sultan used this time to begin the annexation of Crimea.

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And military tech advanced again during this time.

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Military documents indicate that the Golden Horde armed forces were the 7th most powerful force.. unfortunately behind Muscovy, the Commonwealth, and Venice and barely ahead of the Oirat. Fortunately, the Mamluks ranked high on that list as well.

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That same power was questioned by a disagreement within the military establishment. This was a simple outgrowth of the rapid technological, cultural, and administrative changes in the country. The old guard, as it were, held fast that there was still value in the bow. Most everyone with a mind disagreed with them.

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Sultan Ali I's heir died tragically in an accident with the new muskets. Many suspected the old guard faction of rigging the explosion. A temple dedicated to his memory was founded.

And everyone in the old guard was put to death. This did delay future military advancement a bit as the vision of the future of the military was solidified.

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Fortunately, the line of Sultans was safe, with a heir who was not necessarily the warrior of his ancestors but perhaps better suited for the world the Golden Horde was trying to achieve.

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Poland was having a lot of trouble with internal rebellions and it looked like the right time to strike. That is until a careful counting of ledgers and allies revealed..

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That France was now Defender of the Faith and would join with Venice, Riga, and Milan to defend the Poles. It was a situation that couldn't be allowed to manifest.

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Another minor war was waged against Baluchistan and Najd.

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And governmental policies advanced again.

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The military used its new focus to develop what was called the Quantity Doctrine. The Horde resolved to put more forces into the field for cheaper. Ah, without equipping them with bows.

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The Baluchistan peace came quickly.

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Word reached the Golden Horde that a major religious war was brewing, centered around the Emperor of the HRE. Sides were being chosen according to how best to enforce power-politics. Orthodox Moscow and Catholic France joined the Protestant League, backed by Sweden and a lot of minor powers. The Catholic League was the Commonwealth, Austria, and Venice, with assorted minors.


Sultan Ali consulted reports from his spies and diplomats and found that:
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and

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Mercenaries were hired across the entire Horde.

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And in 1593 war was declared on Muscovy. The era of the Consolidation Wars was over; the Golden Horde announced to the world it was not going to be intimidated by any power ever again.

Next week we'll start discussing the National Wars era of Golden Horde History. The first of these being, of course, the 1st Muscovy War.

Please be prepared to discus the strategy used to defeat the larger Muscovite army, the ways in which the new era of military operations effected the use of manpower and vassal forces, and the new reliance on mercenary forces.


Thanks for reading!.. It turns out I have way more pics of the Muscovy War then are probably useful, unless someone wants to see lots of meaningless battles I'll probably condense it.