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EderNimrais

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Aug 30, 2017
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Greetings, people of the internet, and welcome to my first AAR for not only EU4 but also ever. I imagine just about everyone reading this has committed the rite of passage which that being to put WAY TOO MANY HOURS into this game. (1300 hours plus here) That being said, I do hope you enjoy this series and side note, any suggestions for decisions, expansion options, etc are more than welcome as I am more than willing to accept ideas on how this should go.
Immediate Goals
1. Stop the Ottoman juggernaut from taking over Europe (Basically, block them from expanding in the Balkans.)
2. Retain the independence of Hungary and it's soon to be a dynasty.
3. Become a Great Power
Simple stuff. Still, most of what is to come is on the fly and that's the way it should be IMO.
DLC - All major except Mandate of Heaven and Third Rome.
Mods - Commonwealthball 0.22 & Flatmap without dark water.

Chapter 1 Regency, Janos Hunyadi and Intervention.

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The year is 1444, and the state of central Europe and the Balkans is in a desperate array. With the defeat of the Christian forces in the lands of Ottoman Bulgaria, the West knew this Islamic force was not to be trifled with. Still, while much of the crusading forces were destroyed and much of their leadership either killed, captured or never to be seen again, three factors still remained which kept the Ottoman menace pinned down for all but a moment.

First, The remnants of the Byzantine Empire. Since they did not partake in the crusade, this meant they were still weak, but not to the point of just opening the bloody gates to the Sultan to end the war. Consequently, if the Ottomans wanted to puncture any deeper into the Balkans, they would either need to leave a sizable force in the rear to deter any backstabbing, or risk facing a two front war. While the current Emperor wants nothing more than to see the glory of his people once me, everyone knows they are destined to be slaughter sooner or later.

Second, the legendary hero of Albania, Skanderbeg. If there was ever a thorn in the side of the Ottoman Sultans, it would be this man. Wherever the Ottomans went, they knew that any remote attack in Albanian territory would be met with a sword to the neck and the blood of slain infidels would fill the lands of the Albanians. The mere presence of this man instilled passion and hope into a gravely outgunned and outmanned army. That being said, Skanderbeg knew he could only defend his lands and could not venture out 'less he lose his advantage...

FInally, The White Knight, Janos Hunyadi. While Skanderbeg was kicking the butt of any non-Christian/invader who did not speak Albanian who even looked in the direction of his people's home, Hunyadi was busy turning Hungary into the last line of defense for the West. Hungary sat without a king and most of the nobles had begun plots of seizing power for themselves, an act of treason which would destroy the nation from within. Janos Hunyadi knew what he had to do to keep the nation alive...

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Finally, Janos called together a Diet of the lords of Hungary in 1445 to get the nation back on track. Through careful diplomacy coupled with force when needed, he was not only able to place himself as Regent-Governor of the Kingdom but have the backing of the nobles which gave him the much need aid to get his diplomatic plan started.

First, he reached out to his former allies, Poland who were not fairing much better from Varna. Upon receiving his offer for an alliance, the Nobles of Poland graciously accepted and further informed the Hungarian diplomat of the plan of restarting the Polish-Lithuania Union in which they offered Hunyadi the crown of the Kingdom if he left his home. To any other man, this would be a very tempting offer, but not Hunyadi. Janos wrote back to the nobles, declaring his intent to stay with his people but stated he would support whomever Poland elected so long as they honored their alliance.

Before responding to the Polish where his loyalty lies, the Austrians came to Janos with an alliance offer which he ultimately accepted but he knew there was a deeper meaning. Janos was aware of the Austrian Habsburg's intent to spread their house across Europe and with Ladislaus the Posthumous being a member of the Habsburg family AND the heir, he needed to keep a close eye on his western ally.

With Austria to deter the Bohemians and the Polish coming the North along with the impassable Carpathian Mountains to the East, Janos focused on the Balkans by sending an alliance offer to both Albania and The Byzantine Empire to keep the Ottomans on their toes. While certain members of the nobles question allying two nations which they see as a waste of diplomatic energy and talent, Janos saw this as arguably his last chance to stop the Ottomans from going out of control. In the end, Janos secured the alliances he needed to keep Hungary safe while keeping two of the most important members of the Balkans under his protection.

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As the months rolled on and the Ottomans started attacking much weaker targets in Anatolia, Janos started war games with his generals and ordered the training of more troops to complement the war to come. The objective differs depending on which of the two is attacked. As Janos started drawing up plans, his diplomat to the Byzantines came with worrying news. Athens, the vassal of the Byzantine Empire, had just received the support of the Ottomans and were planning to fight for their independence in the coming years once the Turks finished their wars.

Two years later in 1447, the time came where Athens declared their independence from the Byzantines. As expected, the Ottomans were more than happy to weaken their enemy and possibly conquer Constantinople. Hunyadi was busy in northern Hungary when the attack commenced and the general wasted no time and declared that the Kingdom was now in a state of war against the infidels once more.

Time was of the essence as the two armies of Hungary marched south into the lands of the Ottomans. Janos ordered his second in command, Lorinc Festetic, to take the second army and assist Constantinople before the Ottomans cross the Bosphorus and get into Europe. Janos headed straight for the Ottoman capital, Edrine to try and complete the land blockade from Anatolia.

Janos arrived on April 13th to find the Byzantine army under the Byzantine Emperor falling straight into a trap by the Ottomans. As the battle commenced, Janos rushed towards the frontline to save the Emperor from a stray arrow. The arrow hit a Byzantine soldier who screamed in such pain no man should hear. Stopping another monarch from dying like he tried at Varna, Hunyadi took command of the armies and eventually surrounded and annihilated the Ottoman army.

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While the Christian soldiers cheered at their victory against what was believed to be an unstoppable enemy, Janos was in deep thought. Why would the Ottomans only send a portion of their army over the straits? The Siege of Edrine would commence and the main Ottoman army was nowhere to be seen. Lorinc Festetic reported that Constantinople was quiet with no invading forces trying to attack. Furthermore, some of his men were becoming restless and commented that they should go on the offensive which both he and later Janos objected immediately.
If they were going to win this war, which was now possible, they must fight smart and not let testosterone lead them to death and defeat.

423 days would pass until Edrine surrendered to the Byzantine-Hungarian army. As the celebrations began within the troops, bad news came from southern Greece. Athens had taken the southern provinces and a small detachment of Ottoman troops aided their siege. When Janos asked for numbers, he discovered the total of their forces only reached 11k, divided almost evenly.

Janos marched with half his army while leaving the other half under the command of Lorinc until he defeated this force and returned to the straits. The Byzantines followed Janos, seeing him as their most capable leader which the Emperor had no objection to. The combat in southern Greece went well as the joint army destroyed the Athen and Ottoman armies separately and stated the siege of Athen and recapture of Morea. Hunyadi, fearing an incoming attack, ordered the Byzantines to focus on Greece as he returned to Constantinople and Edrine.

Arriving at the two points of invasion, Lorinc reported that an army of 12k tried crossing but was swiftly pushed back across to Anatolia. Janos knew the war was going well but the Ottomans were not unleashing their full might on him which worried the man greatly. However, things were going to get much more interesting real quick for the Regent.

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His diplomat from Albania came to Janos a letter which held very, very interesting content. Skanderbeg wanted in this war which did not surprise Hunyadi. However, Skanderbeg could not risk attacking alone with Venice ever so keen on taking his land. Therefore, Skanderbeg made an offer that Janos Hunyadi could not believe he was reading, nor refuse...

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Skanderbeg offered to become a vassal of Hungary.

Janos asked the diplomat if this was indeed a legitimate letter from Skanderbeg as this was completely different than what the legend was known for. The diplomat nodded, handing another letter from Skanderbeg which went over his reasoning which would be summed up a doing this with the intent of good will between Skanderbeg and Hunyadi. Janos knew Skanderbeg was leaving quite a bit out in these letters but he wasn't going to object. Asking for a piece of parchment along with ink and a quill, Janos quickly scribbled a reply.

The man, the myth, the legend was in this war; and his sword wanted to taste a certain Sultan's blood...

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Skanderbeg divided his army and quickly took Avlonya and Uskup before moving to help the Byzantines quicken the sieges of Morea and Athen. Hunyadi voiced his worries to his equal when he arrived in Constantinople about the lack of Ottoman forces and how piecemeal they seemed. Skanderbeg thought on the topic and neither could come to a conclusion with the current evidence. The meeting of the two generals ended with Skanderbeg handing Hunyadi a letter, telling him not to open it until the time is right...

Christmas Eve, 1451 would be the day everything ended. The Ottomans surrendered to the combined forces and Athen gave up on their quest. Byzantium regained several parts of their former capital, including the all important Erdine. This, above all, meant that any invasion by the Ottomans meant they would have to invade from Anatolia or face the real possibility of being encircled and destroyed by staying in the Balkans.

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Janos and Skanderbeg marched into Constantinople as heroes of the Empire, and of Christendom as a whole with the Pope himself celebrating the actions of every soldier who fought and died for the cause. Food, wine, ladies and everything in between could be found in the streets and halls of Constantinople as a new sense of rebirth and relief could be seen on the people's faces. The year ended in joy and for most of 1452, the three Christian realms enjoyed the silence of peace until death came knocking on the door of Albania.

October 2, 1452, would be a day that would be remembered for mourning as Skanderbeg passed away of natural causes. The following week would see a wide variety of figures ranging from Janos, his family, a few Christian monarchs from all parts of Europe from Poland-Lithuania, Byzantium and a few others minor lords. The room was filled with several emissaries from all over Europe to pass respect on their countries behalf alongside a cardinal from Vienna who was ordered by the Pope himself to proceed with the service to give the man the proper care he deserves.

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As the ceremonies came to a close, Janos returned to his quarters and believed that now was the time to read the letter. Opening it, the contents were almost astonishing. Skanderbeg, even before joining the war, had contracted a fatal sickness that would kill him in a matter of months. The letter further explained that when he dies, he was worried that the Venetians would smell blood and strike when Hungary is in a moment of weakness. This, coupled with other matters, is why he agreed to the vassalage.

Janos looked over his own health following Skanderbeg's funeral. He knew that he eventually would also die of any number of illnesses or outside factors. Furthermore, he only has roughly three more years until the Habsburg heir was old enough to rule the realm and the Austrians seemed to put more and more pressure in the kid's education, but also his loyalties...

However, there was still hope for Hungary, his sons, Laszlo and Matyas. Janos knew both were extremely capable warriors as they helped in the previous war but also they were very good in the diplomatic and administrative fields. To this end, Jano put all his energy into the education of both his children in hope of either of them possibly being a king in the future. Finally, the day of came for Ladislaus to claim the Hungarian throne which was met with mixed results around the kingdom. Many people had grown to love and admire Janos Hunyadi for helping the nation grow not since the days of Stephen the First.

This popularity would not stand, the Habsburg couldn't let it.

And so it was that several assassins were sent to Hunyad Castle where Janos and his children resided. Dozens of hired assassins broke into the castle with one goal... to removed the Hunyadi equation in Hungary once and for all. The citizens of Hunedoara near the castle could hear the sound of steel clashing against each other. Those loyal to their Lord rushed to the castle to find bodies lying in the courtyard with only one person remaining among them, Matyas Hunyadi.

Janos, Laszlo, the few royal guards who stayed after the Regent ended and every assassin that was contracted laid dead. The town guards quickly surrounded the deceased lord's son who was nothing but in a fit of rage and anger.

"The Austrian Habsburgs will know of this day, the day they failed to subjugate this realm and its people!"

Word spread like wildfire that the Austrians had orchestrated the murder of not only a war hero but their former Regent. The nobles who were undecided on whether to back the new king along with being against Janos all knew what this meant. Within the next week, Ladislaus found a realm that was nearly in full revolt against him and by February 25 of 1455, Ladislaus was killed by what means no one knows. All the people know is that the throne was now without a ruler.

Before anything could be done, Lorinc, Janos' former general and friend declared that the only person worthy of leading would be a native of these lands. Furthermore, he claimed that Matyas, the last known member of House Hunyadi had not only the skills but the wisdom on how to govern the land due to Janos himself tutoring him for such a possibility. Lorinc knew that several would dispute this but the least he could do is see to it his friend's son rightfully received the throne.

And so it was, Lorinc, alongside his bodyguards, personally escorted Matyas to Pest to be declared the heir to the Kingdom of Hungary...

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-------------------
Off topic for a moment, I am not joking when I say the Ottomans did not use their full strength. They weren't in another war and had no reason to. It was... confusing, but I won't complain since it left me with manpower after the war. Anyway, hope you enjoyed and see you next time with Matyas, the Habsburgs, the Green and Blue Blobs and everything in the middle.
 
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First off welcome to AAR-writing. I hope you have a very good time writing your AAR.

Oh my Ottomans, not what we have come to expect. Still, better take advantage of such. Nice catch with Albania so early.
 
As stnylan already said, welcome to AARland, the best section of the whole forum (or so I believe and am told). That was a very good beginning, I'm eager to discover how Hungary will fare in the coming decades. Subbed.
 
Chapter 2 - Matyas Hunyadi the Just

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February 23, 1455, Matyas Hunyadi, known by the non-Hungarians of the realm as Matthias Corvinus, claimed the throne of Hungary due in large part to his father's reputation, coupled with Lorinc and the military who were still loyal to their former leader and friend. While most of Hungary accepted the new heir in with a relative calm, the same could not be said across the border in the Holy Roman Empire. Friedrick III, Archduke, and Emperor of Austria had lost his claim to Hungary and was not happy.

However, not everything was perfect in Hungary as while Matyas was in a regency, the nobles of the land squabbled over who should lead in the regency. It took everything Lorinc and the few remaining loyal nobles to the Hunyadi's had to keep order and control over the lands. All the while, Lorinc kept the military at the ready, knowing the Austrians were all too willing to strike at a weakened Hungary to regain their claim to the throne.

Many in the kingdom would call the regency until Matyas was crowned king as anything but productive. Progress marched to a complete halt, taxes were not coming through and even a few lower nobles started claiming themselves as the leader of Hungary itself. Thankfully, two things did happen that gave hope to the realm itself.

First, due to Janos' earlier education, Matyas didn't need to learn much more which helped in preventing nobles from corrupting and influencing the man. Second, and probably more importantly, it was discovered in October 1457 that Matyas was not the last Hunyadi alive. Janos, as an act of last resort, had a cousin who separated himself from all aspects of politics and daily life. This cousin died in August and had a son, Matyas' last remaining relative, Zsigmond Hunyadi.

A now 14-year-old Matyas ordered that the relative is brought to him immediately which one of Lorinc sent his second in command, Ulaszlo Bethlen to cover this operation. Traveling to the Nitra provinces of Northern Hungary, Ulaszlo quickly grabbed the relative and bolted back to Buda before anyone of power could get any ideas.

Arriving back, Matyas could not believe his eyes when he saw it was but an infant, barely a year old. Matyas ordered a private meeting with those loyal to him to discuss this new development. Many stated that when the heir becomes king, he will more definitely marry a princess of some realm and produce heirs which will rule the land. Succession wasn't the issue, the kid being alive is.

Although a few suggested letting the child be raised as a servant to the king and give him a different name, Matyas knew that he could not do this to the last member of his family and stated that he would be his heir. With only a few months until Matyas was to be crowned King, He ordered all his instructors to begin educating the child once he is ready. Lorinc did not like the idea of his cousin being the heir but he would not openly object to him about the matter.

February 23, 1458 is the day many Hungarians, Croatians and everyone else in the realm will remember. Today, Matyas Hunyadi, son of the famous Janos Hunyadi, was the leader of the Kingdom of Hungary. Matyas came ahold of a Hungary which was still in debt, though it was a shadow of what it once was after the first war with the Ottomans. This, however, would play a very important role as several hundreds of foreign Slavs and Romanians started settling in the borderlands.

While many said they should be forced to follow the same law as all, Matyas saw an opportunity with these people and ordered that they are allowed to have their own self-amount of autonomy in return to being loyal to the Hungarian crown. In Matyas' mind, in decades time, these people will settle in and be a group of people who can be taxed, recruited and everything that comes with people and money.

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The first year of Matyas' rule was marked with the centralization of administration, fighting against the nobility which had grown content under the regency, and most importantly, the founding of the Black Army which was personally loyal to the King himself. As 1459 started, Matyas, needing to calm the Warhawk nobles in his realm, ordered an invasion of Serbia which also situated Bosnia. Once more, Lorinc was called into battle and on February 1st, Matyas declared war on the two Balkan neighbors on the basis of Serbian demanding Nandofemervar. This, however, was a fluke but Matyas knew no one would come to the aid of these two.

FInally, Lorinc separated and cornered the Serbian army from the Bosnian army and decimated the twelve thousand armies of Serbia with only a loss of a little over two thousand. Half the Hungarian army was separated into two groups. The first was ordered to continue the siege of northern Serbia while Matyas and Lorinc took care of the Bosnians. The two men followed and forced the Bosnian army of nine thousand for about for nearly a year until they cornered and assaulted the troops.

While the battle was considered an easy win, Matyas, due partly to inexperience at leading a full army and his young age, got knocked off his horse and nearly got shot with an arrow in the chest. As another arrow was sailing towards his, Lorinc jumped in front of his King and took the arrow which stuck through his chest, revealing a poison tip. The remainder of the battle ended with the complete destruction of the Bosnian army.

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As the war was nearing a close, an unexpected entry emerged. The Republic of Ragusa declared war on Bosnia and quickly occupied all of Bosnia except Visoki which quickly fell to the work of Matyas' sappers. Nearly two years after the war was declared, Wallachia, under the pretext that the Hungarians were spent, declared a war of their own and assaulted the fortress of Kiralyyold. The defenders, while shocked, quickly sent a letter to their ruler and repulsed the invaders.

Matyas ended the war in Serbia and Bosnia, taking all of Serbia between themselves and Albania along with the captured city of Visoki. Turning his attention to the Romanians, Matyas order Simon Kemeny, another of his generals to take control of the Wallachian front and "Teach them what happens when you attack Hungary." Suffice it to say, historians describe the campaign as not being worthy of a page in history as they capitulated within months; unless you ask the families who lost their men. There are even some rumors that Matyas actually was the one who declared it but acted in ignorance to being the aggressor.

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However, there is a very good reason why barely anyone remembers the Wallachia campaign. Matyas was preparing for his first round against the Ottomans by going through Ragusa. Several members of Matyas' advisors openly stated that by declaring war with the Ottomans will result in the deaths of thousands and possibly the ruin of the nation. Matyas, ever the genius, knew this was the kind of response he would get and stated the following.

"We are not going to this war alone. The Polish-Lithuanians have responded to a letter, saying they would join us if we fight the Ottomans. Furthermore, word has reached us that the Crimeans have denounced seeking the protection of the Ottomans. Now is the best time to strike and prove that the Ottomans can be defeated when we need too."

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Still, why Ragusa? Yes, the port of Ragusa itself a very profitable but Matyas designated it under Albania influence. Anyone who ventured into Ottoman diplomacy quickly found out why Matyas was going through another route. The Ottomans had Ragusa under a guarantee but they were also allied to the Kingdom of France. Matyas at least believed he could fight the Ottomans one on one and win, but to have the French to contend with, was not something the young king was not willing to wager.

After two years of preparation for any and every outcome, Matyas declared war on Ragusa on September 24, 1464, which triggers the Polish-Lithuanian alliance to fire. As expected, The Ottomans honored their guarantee but Matyas had a plan to deal with them. Do thanks to his father's first war with the Ottomans, they did not have a land bridge to cross the straits like last time. Furthermore, the several nations which surrounded the Black Sea were less than willing to allow the Ottomans through. Matyas had two objectives in this war. First, to occupy Ragusa completely. Second, to stop the Ottomans from landing troops into the Balkans.

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Matyas ordered the majority of his armies onto the Bulgarian coast, the last hamlet of Ottoman Greece and occupied Albania from any and all landings. Matyas knew this would be a long and arduous war as the Ottomans were not going to accept this laying down. However, an interesting development was forming in the Kingdom of Bohemia. The Catholics of the realm longed for the days that the Hussites were not in control and that their word was law.

The rebelling nobles send an envoy to Matyas who was busy in central Bulgaria when he got the letter. While he could not offer any aid in the form of troops or gold, he did state in a reply that in the event the rebellion fails, he would welcome the defeated as members of his society and as defenders of the faith. Furthermore, he did send over a series of advisors which would not be of major use during the war who would aid in administration.

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Still, the war against the Ottomans has not caused a battle with the infidels which pleased Matyas greatly. The sieges of Ragusa and the remaining lands of the Balkans continued without incident over the next year. Due to this calm and the Ottomans not being able to get onto European shores, Matyas focused on his realms and started passing reforms the likes of which no one has seen in their lifetimes. In the end, these reforms not only helped the Hunyadi's of the future govern the control easier but also built up the development of the provinces who accepted them.

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As the war continued, unfavorable news came to Matyas. Byzantium declared war on Georgia on the basis of trade, which at first didn't matter to him. What did was when his scouts noticed that Ottoman forces were crossing into Byzantine lands heading for the Bosphorus. Matyas could not believe the Byzantine Emperor allowed Ottoman troops into his lands just to allow his troops to march through. THE OTTOMANS OF ALL PEOPLE!

Believing the Emperor had gone insane, Matyas ordered all armies to form up in Edrine and Outer Constantinople to stop a crossing from happening. However, news reached the Hungarian king of a naval invasion coming in Bulgaria. Matyas, however, knew something was wrong. He ordered a report on naval placements of the Ottoman fleet and found nearly all of them were situated either in the Sea of Marmara or the Aegean Sea.

Upon further investigation, it was discovered the spy was, in fact, a double agent, working with the Ottomans. Matyas quickly ordered the execution of the traitor but the Ottomans were closing near the straits as this happened. As the army readied for a battle on the coast, the spy managed to escape during the commotion and slip back across the waterway.

The first battle of Edrine commenced with Simon Kemeny leading the charge with Matyas currently busy. The Ottomans delivered a series of deadly charges, coupled with harsh combat with calvary. With the battle seeming a stalemate, it wasn't until the Polish-Lithuanian King arrived with his army and ended it in the victory.

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However, word of a second army, lead by the Ottoman Sultan himself marched towards the tired Hungarian forces. Thankfully, Lithuanian forces bolstered the weakened line while the Polish held back in reserve if there were a breakthrough. At last, the Sultan arrived in Edrine with his army but found the Christian forces were all too ready. After a few days of fierce combat, the leader ordered a general retreat.

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Regaining their strength, Hungarian blocked the straits from any further attack which never came. In fact, Matyas was delighted to hear that the peasants of the Ottomans rose up in the capital no less. Using this to his advantage, Matyas sent a letter to the City of Ragusa, offering terms with the news of rebels in their ally's land. While many still wanted to fight, and the process was long and slow, the war officially ended on November 14, 1469, with a Christian victory... despite the fact that Ragusa was Christian but who needed to know.

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Matyas returned to a hero's welcome alongside his generals and men. Due in large part to his general's skill and work, many families were able to see their husbands and children once more, something that always made Matyas happy to see. Returning to his home in the capital, he stopped by Zsigmond's room to find the now fourteen-year-old boy feverishly studying his books.

Matyas knew the boy was gifted in the fields of administration and diplomacy. Although he wasn't the greatest military mind, he still had a heart of steel and a will to protect his family and country. After some time relaxing, Matyas asked the boy a single question.

"Do you remember what I have taught you about our western neighbor, Zsig?" Matays asked, his cousin nodding.

"If the Habsburgs come with an offer that is too good to be true, it simply is."

"And?"

"And to never underestimate them."

Matyas smiled and placed his right hand on the teen's head. "Exactly. When the time comes for you to claim the throne, I know you will continue leading us down the path a prosperity."

The following months were focused on rebuilding the taken provinces and seeing to their occupation. However, one thing became apparent that the people of Szeredoc were not going to accept any rule that is not Bulgarian. Matyas, knowing that the people of the Balkans were anything but polite when it comes to occupying them, decided the best choice of action was to have the Ottomans deal with it. Simply put, the province wasn't worth the hassle.

And so it was that a letter was sent to the previous lord of the province that he can have it back for an exchange of gold which the man graciously accepted. Szeredoc returned to Ottoman control but was quickly followed by open revolt. Meanwhile, Matyas having completed the redistribution of power in Ragusa, gave the city to the Albanians to rule over which was made much easier due to his work.

Over the next five months, Matyas continued working on building the country up more and more until he came to the realization that he needs to have a focus on what Hungary needed to be in the next few decades to come. Several of his advisors have a wide selection of choices, increased diplomatic effort, root out and convert the Orthodox in the Balkans and in their Transylvanian provinces among others.

In the beginning days of March, Matyas decided on a course of action. He would focus on improving the overall quality of his military, both land and sea based. Some of his senior officials, including Simon, asked the King why this choice when they could focus on being more aggressive or force the enemy to tread through fort after fort.

Matyas went on to explain that he knew the Ottomans would be a foe they would fight again and in both wars, they had complete and utter control of the seas which kept Anatolia safe from their armies; a wooden wall he described it as. Therefore, he would commission the military to start modernizing while he focuses on other fields.
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It was at this time during that Zsigmond would turn fifteen, much to Matyas' delight. Things, however, got complicated for both Hunyadi's as the Byzantines came to with an offer to the two. The Emperor would like to have his daughter, Helene, married to Matyas. Ultimately, Matyas saw this as an opportunity as the Emperor was without an heir and marrying into the family could get a Hunyadi on the throne; or better yet, himself as the leader. Matyas agreed on it and the two were wed.

When Zsigmond met the new Queen of Hungary, he could not believe that it was an eighteen-year-old, three years older than him. As things continued to evolve and change in Eastern Europe, the same was happening in Austria as the same man who ordered the Hunyadi assassination was without an heir and in his early sixties. Matyas, smelling blood, remembered that the alliance, and better yet, the royal marriage was still in effect. Shoulds the Emperor of the Holy Roman Empire die without an heir...

"The ultimate humiliation..." Matyas said softly, a grin coming from his face...

A Hunyadi could be the ruler of the Archduchy of Austria...

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Over the next year, Matyas kept a close tab on Austrian royal activity, waiting for his moment to strike for the throne. As the years went on, the Austrians must have caught the wind on the issue and started trying to bribe the Hungarians into not seeking the throne. When Matyas received the gold, which he didn't much care for, he simply dismissed the envoy and returned back to his work. of spying.

The time between 1476 to 1481 is seen as a time of peace and relaxation for the people of Hungary. Sadly, during this time, Austria elevated a female heir to the throne which dashed Matyas' chances. Regardless, the fact that this was a possibility greatly pleased him and the Austrians knew they needed to be careful from this point on...

With the beginning of 1482, shocking news hit Matyas and Zsigmond about the Polish-Lithuanian Union... or rather, the lack of it. Kazimierz Jagiellon, King of Poland-Lithuania had died and the Lithuanian nobles declared the country independent from what they saw as a weak and undisciplined western neighbor. The shock waves could be felt in the Hungarian courts as Poland had lost a serious part of its strength which also meant Matyas' ally was now much, much weaker...

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I'm surprised you gave the gold mine of Kosovo to your vassal rather than yourself?

And so it was that a letter was sent to the previous lord of the province that he can have it back for an exchange of gold which the man graciously accepted. Szeredoc returned to Ottoman control but was quickly followed by open revolt.
What was the reasoning behind this decision, lack of money or was it something else?

With the beginning of 1482, shocking news hit Matyas and Zsigmond about the Polish-Lithuanian Union... or rather, the lack of it. Kazimierz Jagiellon, King of Poland-Lithuania had died and the Lithuanian nobles declared the country independent from what they saw as a weak and undisciplined western neighbor. The shock waves could be felt in the Hungarian courts as Poland had lost a serious part of its strength which also meant Matyas' ally was now much, much weaker...
Wow, that's something you don't see that often... was it due to rebels in Lithuanian territory? On the other hand if the Ottomans are weakened, Poland should probably be your next target so now that they lost the PU it might be an excellent opportunity.
 
Well a break-up of the commonwealth is no doubt good for you long-term.

Hungary is quite the regional powerhouse.
 
I'm surprised you gave the gold mine of Kosovo to your vassal rather than yourself?


What was the reasoning behind this decision, lack of money or was it something else?


Wow, that's something you don't see that often... was it due to rebels in Lithuanian territory? On the other hand if the Ottomans are weakened, Poland should probably be your next target so now that they lost the PU it might be an excellent opportunity.

1. Originally, the idea was for Albania, and later Byzantium to be the loyal lapdogs of Hungary. As you will see in the next chapter later tonight (Central time here), things will greatly change for both parties. I'll give you a hint, Habsburgs, and Zsigmond

2. Lazy writing and a corrupted save. I only had one picture of the treaty and to be honest, I didn't like it. I had to backtrack 5 years before the war but I still won regardless and got what I want. So it never happened but I had to work with the snapshots I took which mean making some stuff up.

3. Honestly, I have no idea why, just like the first round with Kebab. PU only end when underling has negative relations with the overlord on death (This is Poland and Lithuania so I highly doubt that), when they lose a war and the victor demands the breakup (They were only fighting the Teotons with no Denmark/Muscovy), and other factors I don't recall. SInce I'm in ironman, I can't cheat back in and find out what happened.
 
Chapter 3 - Venice, Bohemia, Maria of House Habsburg and a brand new Zsigmond...?

As the beginning of the new year was met with the death and weakening of arguably Matyas' greatest ally, progress has been made in the military which took root in the leader's interest in his navy. Matyas, pleased by the progress of his navy's progression, decided it was time to finally pay his nearest republic a visit and have a nice, long talk...

As the year progressed to December, an idea came upon the king. If he is going to have an alliance with the Austrians, have them actually do something productive for once and not sit on their crappy throne. Adding onto it, Matyas knew about the greek islands Venice had under its belt which was the justification he needed to get Byzantium involved. Originally, in the days before Matyas would declare the war, Bohemia had an alliance with them that was shattered by Venice allying the nation of Savoy.

December 19th, 1483, Matyas declared war on the Merchant Republic of Venice. The Byzantine Empire immediately jumped at the opportunity and sent their army in Southern Greece to Naxos and Corfu to see to their timely occupation. Austria, although unwilling at first, was coerced into fighting as Matyas simply asking if they were going to honor a call to arms but wasn't going to do anything?

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Diplomatically, this would show weakness in the Emperor and his nation which forced his hand. Austrian armies marched on mainland Venice while Hunyadi orders his first army to Dalmatia, the second to Istria and the last to Lika to reinforce either. As quickly as Istria fell, Matyas took control of the first army and marched to mainland Venice with the third army following suit to help capture the Venetian lands faster.

With the war in full swing, Matyas decided to put his diplomatic genius into action and start working on instituting various acts which would give his agents the edge they need. Not only did Matyas want this but Zsigmond agreed which made it very easy for it to be passed on down the line when Matyas was finished ruling. Austria moved on after siege down Verona and Brescia to Savoy and Siena

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As the Austrian armies marched on the Italian states, they decided to cut their loses and not put themselves in a position where a neighbor could invade and take them over. With Venice all alone, Matyas' first, third and Austria's army all stood facing towards Venice itself as the first army finally took the fort opposite of the capital itself. With this, the real battle for Matyas began.

The Venetian fleet exited its harbors to stop any transports from reaching the capital. Matyas ordered his fleet to engage the enemy fleet and create an opening for invasion. To Matyas, this was to see if all his work navally was worth it. Together, the Hungarian-Austrian fleets attacked the Venetian and not only created the opening for Matyas to invade Venice, but they completely destroyed it.

Meanwhile, the second army under Simon had finally captured their object and now with the sea clear of enemy forces, launched an assault on Crete itself and took the island within weeks. Finally, on the 12th of July, 1487, Venice surrendered to the Hungarian demands. Ever the ban to the Austrians, they got... nothing but lost men in this war which Matyas claimed was only fair as they did all the work with Venice. Diplomatically, this was true as they never occupied the Italian states nor Venetian land since Venice retook the Austrian controlled lands only for Hungary to retake them.

Byzantium faired much better at they received the island of Corfu. Interestingly, the leaders of Naxos made a secret deal with Matyas which left them independent for a much bigger prize. Hungary obtained the ports of Dalmatia and Istria, but most importantly above all, Naxos helped Matyas administrate the island of Crete which was designated as the main naval base for the Hungarian fleet when away from the mainland.

Overall, a very good war.

What wasn't good was the news which reached a now relaxing Matyas in Pest. Gjon Kastrioti, Skanderbeg's son, died without an heir. The line that Skanderbeg was in had died without any living heir. Matyas respected Skanderbeg but he knew that he had to install a Hunyadi into the throne, 'less a war of succession happen. To this end, Matyas arranged an adopted member of his family, Dukagjin Hunyadi, to take control of Albania.

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Some questioned the method of Matthias adopting people across the Kingdom, but those close to Matyas knew that only he and Zsigmond were the only legitimate Hunyadi's left and Helene was... complicated, trying to always use the royal treasury to throw these lavish parties and just waste the funds. The only reason Matyas tolerates her is that it would cause complications with The Byzantine Empire who was a very important ally against the Ottomans.

If things were any worse, or better in Matyas' eyes, the nobles were starting to worry that their control on military matters was slipping due to the army being loyal to the country instead of any set of nobles. While some lesser nobles did not care about this as they had no input in war, the higher ups were the exact opposite.

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Regardless, Matyas enjoyed the years of peace, knowing that he had done so much for the Kingdom already. Not wanting to put too much pressure on the old ways, he slowed down advancement which kept the higher nobles at bay. 1487 and 1488 would pass without any trouble, it would be 1489 where things would pick up once more for the King and his realm.

In early July, Emperor Friedrich III of Austria FINALLY died with a living heir. However, the electors of the Holy Roman Empire elected not the Austrians once more, but the Bohemians.. the Bohemians which Matyas had a claim to their lands as per the revolt that happened many years ago. The new ruler of Austria, Maria Magdalena, asked for not only for the alliance to continue but for a royal marriage.

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Immediately, Matyas remembered the Hunyadi assassination but decided that since Zsigmond would be the future ruler, he would be the one to decide. Zsigmond left for Vienna on the first of July and arrived three days later to find what he considered to be the most beautiful woman he had ever seen. Zsigmond, ever reminded of what Matyas taught him from a young age, kept a close eye while enjoyed in various events with the Archduchess herself. Finally, Zsigmond was preparing his response to the leader of both nations when Maria came across him overlooking the Habsburg gardens.

The two discussed many things, jokes, literature, culture, but one thing was on the mind of both.

"Zsigmond, I am very aware of how Matyas looks at my family. I will not lie and say that it will take many decades for such a wound to heal. I only ask that you give me a chance to right the wrong place by my father."

The heir apparent to Hungary looked into the emerald eyes of the Archduchess and if but for a moment, believed it...

Zsigmond returned back to Hungary and met with Matyas to discuss the outcome of the meeting with the Austrians. While everyone believed it would be a simple walk in, say a few words and walk out, anyone who was inside the royal estate at the time could hear what really happened between the two Hunyadi's

"YOU WHAT!?" Matyas shouted, not believing what he was hearing from his cousin.
"I wish the royal marriage to be between me and Maria."

"You realize what you are saying, right!? You want to marry into the family the nearly killed our line!?" Matyas exclaimed, clearly on edge over the development that has happened this month.

"I truly believe that she is different than the other Habsburgs."

Matyas facepalmed at hearing his cousin's response. "Zsig, once I am dead, you will inherit the throne with her as your Queen. When that happens, she will try and assassinate you and then claim the throne of Hungary, relegating the Kingdom to nothing but a lowly vassal who fights all their battles and claims victory in their name."

"Matyas..."

"If you truly believe she is different and worth trusting, I will not stop you. Just remember, the Habsburgs are like any royal family, wanting to extend their family's power. Remember that when you are king..."

In the end, Matyas accepted the marriage offer and Zsigmond and Maria were scheduled to be wed by summer of 1491. Matyas, however, was not going to stop everything for these two as he planned the invasion of Bohemia. thanks to them now being the Emperor, no one of true importance stood between him and the lands he claimed.

After a few months of preparations, Matyas declared war on the Kingdom of Bohemia on December 20th, 1489, and lead the charge into the lightly defended lands of Moravia. Quickly occupying it, Matyas marched towards the Bohemian capital of Praha where he met fierce resistance from the locals all the way from his lands to the capital.

Reaching the capital itself, Matyas ordered one of his generals to take control of the siege with the second army while he moved with the first to take the fortress of Plzen. However, when he reached the settlement, he was met what would be his greatest foe. Before he stood Bohemian general Karel ze Zerotina and his army of twenty-six thousand men, Matyas, only having twelve thousand, ordered the third army to support him.

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Even with odds being in Matyas' favor by several thousand men, the Bohemian general managed to kill more Hungarian-Albanian troops than Matyas did Bohemian. As the war continued, Karel regrouped and launched an attack on the third army which was mostly Albanian led. To Matyas's surprise, the third army was severally defeated and forced to retreat all the way back into the Northern Hungarian lands.

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If the man had not gained Matyas' respect yet, he would when the King learned that Poland and Saxony had declared war on Bohemia and decisively crushed the Saxon army in a matter of weeks. The Polish army quickly followed, being pushed back to their capital. However, Matyas was able to take the capital and fort due to this distraction which culminated in the final battle where all three of the armies fought the single Bohemian army and finally defeated it, be it at high costs.

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Having captured thousands of men and their general, Matyas, out of respect for the man who caused him so much trouble in this war, released the general and his thousands of men with a letter of surrender to the Emperor. Even with their best man back, the Bohemians decided to cut their losses and agreed to give the southeastern provinces to Hungary for peace due to having to fight the Polish-Saxon alliance still. And with that, the war ended on January 7th, 1491

With the war's end came the response from the Holy Roman Empire. Bavaria, Brandenburg, The Palatinate, and Salzburg all declared a coalition to stop Hungary from expanding further into the Empire and the surrounding region. However, the middle of March would result in a war that caught everyone off guard. The Ottomans declared war on Genoa. What no one seemed to remember is that Genoa was allied with Austria who came to the aid of the Republic.

Battle after battle, both on land and see raged on the fields of the Balkans for the next five years until at least, the Ottomans, battered and beaten, force the Austrians back and won the day by occupying the islands west of Anatolia. But something happened that would shake Hungary to its very core.

Matyas, now fifty-one, caught a several causes of sickness and was bed ridden. Control of the Kingdom feel into Zsigmond's and who started pushing policies that were almost in start contradiction to Matyas. The biggest of these was the removal of March status on Albania which religated them to a vassal.

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As Matyas continued to sleep away, Zsigmond caught the illness in early May. Fearing the worse, Zsigmond tried everything he could to stave off the sickness. Eventually, Zsigmond learned of an old Wallachian tale of a man who was reborn as a younger, newer person, free of any worldly illness. Zsigmond traveled alone to find this secret and indeed he did... for a price.

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The heir returned to Pest a completely different person. Everything from his stature, his functions, everything was different with this man. The biggest thing was his mindset, Zsigmond had become, much, much crueler and calculated and saw to it that Matyas does not recover from his illness. Zsigmond made the event look like he was abdicating the throne in the last moments of his life, but no one other then Zsigmond was there to confirm it. As strong as the King was, he eventually died from the disease in bed and Zsigmond took the crown from Matyas and placed it on his head, declaring himself King of Hungary.

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The next five years would be met with some of the cruelest treatment the people of the Kingdom would ever face. Several peoples, many of which generals of Matyas, turned on the King to protect the people they fought for. Eventually, Zsigmond would defeat and slay all that stood in his way. All across Europe, Zsigmond would be called many titles, the one that stuck the most was 'the Unholy'.

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As the dawn of the new century began, Zsigmond's sight turned to his mortal enemy, the Sultans of the Ottoman Turks. March 1st, was the day Hungary declared war on the infidels to once and for all remove them from the face of Europe forever. As the war started and the battle hardened warriors of Zsigmond marched into Bulgaria, word reached the King that a new form of Christianity had started in Denmark.

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Maria, Zsigmond's wife and Queen of Austria, could not take the suffering any longer and reached out to the Hunyadi's of Albania and offered them salvation from what they saw a tyrant. Secretly, the nobles of Albania started siphoning money, men, and goods to the Queen who offered their descendants safety in the hills and mountains of Austria. Many of the Hunyadi's who were sent away knew about Matyas and the Habsburgs but they found Maria to be completely different that what they were told.

Here, the last, true line of the Hunyadi's would continue and thrive in the halls of Vienna, away from the damnation of Zsigmond and his almost demonic rampage on anyone who opposed him.

This rampage did have a positive when it was turned to the Ottomans who could not stop the military that Matyas created and Zsigmond refined into a deadly blade made of fear and experience. Month after month, Hungarian forces marched relentlessly through Bulgaria and forced his way for the first time in Hungarian history onto Anatolia. Three yeas, Zsigmond, and his army would fight, kill pillage and slaughter anyone who stood in his way to victory

Finally, the Ottoman army exhausted, their navy burning in the straits and their capital pillages and ransacked beyond belief, the Sultan finally surrendered to the overwhelming force of Zsigmond. His reward? All of Bulgaria and the return of Byzantine Greece. At last, the Ottomans had been removed from Europe like he said this war would... but was the price for this victory worth it?

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Always good to remove the Ottomans.

Hungary looks to be a in a very strong position now. The only question is how far do you want to push.
 
Always good to remove the Ottomans.

Hungary looks to be a in a very strong position now. The only question is how far do you want to push.

The only question is how crazy are the future rulers of Hungary going to be? If the answer is just as or even worse, then most of Europe will probably want their heads for all the aggressive expansion to come... That could be fun now that I mention it.
 
With the new personality of this ruler, I wouldn't be surprised if he turned on Byzantium to take Constantinople for the development and the border with the ottomans.

Once again a great read :D

Out of story here. A border with the Ottomans would actually be a bad idea right now if they can knockout my navy while I am away fighting my future rival. Byzantium works as both a buffer and (Hopefully) a PU to which I can field land and eventually incorporate. With how the next chapter ended, the situation is good but has gotten worse diplomatically with a certain war that was waged...
 
Chapter 4 - Zsigmond's Fall, Legacy of Maria, Protestant and Counter Reformation

Maria has a... interesting reputation across Europe. Most of the nations of Europe pay no mind to her due to her gender. Those few who did listen to her words found a woman who was just as knowledgeable as any man, possibly being the most gifted leader in all of Europe itself. Austria during her role started with her father losing the title of Emperor which hit the nation hard.

Not deterred from this, Maria observed her nation and saw the weakness it had. Under Matyas of Hungary, Austria was blocked off from the East. North had the elector of Bohemia which they needed their vote to possibly become the Ruler of the Romans again. South laid the Merchant Republic of Venice who often aligned itself with other major powers. Finally, the West with Switzerland was a no go after numerous failed attacked decades prior and the Far West of France wasn't a region she felt the nation could handle alone.

Austria, for all intensive purposes, was cut off from any and all expansion options.

This weakness prompted Maria to start rebuilding her country from the ground up, maximizing the resources she had while reducing its weaknesses. Which leads to Zsigmond... or rather, what he has become. Before he became the ruler of Hungary, he was a very suited candidate for the throne. He didn't have the military thinking of his family but he made up for it with tenacity, grit, and determination.

But now... he has become nothing but a bloodthirsty tyrant, bent on nothing more than to accomplish his goals. With the murdering of thousands of suspected rebels years before, that was the final straw for her which forced her to protect her in laws from his wrath. Zsigmond's aggressive policy towards the Albanian sect of the Hunyadi family was becoming more and crueler as he started integrating the nation into his realm.

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For the next ten years, Zsigmond went on a spray of rooting out and destroying any signs of rebellion, be it separatist, religious or anything that had any resemblance that threatened his rule. Finally, 1515 would come and one of the Albanian Hunyadi's under her wing came of age. The plan was simple, declare war on Venice and call Hungary in. Force Zsigmond into a battle and have him die in the war. As he has no legitimate heir, the succession would fall to the Albanian Hunyadi's who she personally educated and looked after.

However, there was one problem with this plan. Zsigmond hated Maria as she was the only thing stopping him from conquering Austria. As a result, he had been with a Byzantine princess in public. Maria, knowing this was the best and probably only time for her to save not only Austria and also Hungary from damnation, went through with the plan and declared war on Venice.

Zsigmond, ever ready to go after his rivals with his allies, took the bait and sent over his main army with him at the helm towards the Venetian mainland. Maria ordered her best generals to take the first and K.u.K armies to corner the Venetians into battling the smaller of the three armies which were Hungary.

When the battle ended, Hungary did indeed win the day but as Maria had hoped, Zsigmond was killed in battle due in large to being outnumbered almost two to one and Maria secretly letting intelligence on his army slip to known spies. This resulted in the leader of Hungary dying and the Hungarian nobles looking to the Albanian branch for an heir.

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Sadly, the heir they intended to take control was killed by rebels on the way to Pest which left the underage Albert Hunyadi to take the throne. While this was not Maria's plan to have Albert be the heir, she accepted it nonetheless. Maria, knowing her reputation to many Hungarians, did not act a Queen Regent and the job went to the Byzantine princess. With her objective completed and the Venetians tired, she sent a peace offer which was just for money and long term investment.

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Still, the war had affected Hungary in more ways than just losing their leader. With a foreign princess ruling the nation, she decided that the best course of action was to wait roughly one year for the army to slightly recover and launch a full-scale invasion of Bohemia. This was suggested by the Hungarians nobles who were war heavy as the rumor spread that Bohemia might lose the title of Emperor to another nation with considerable alliance strength.

There was a second reason for this. Many in the cabinet wanted to see if the newly acquired French alliance had any merit to itself. Furthermore, the Bohemians had allied themselves with the Ottomans who themselves had dropped the French for Hungary. In the end, many of the Warhawk nobles wanted to see the former allies fight each other.

Once September hit which seemed to be the time that Hungary declared its wars, Hungary declared war on Poland, France and the Byzantine Empire backing them against Bohemia, Mainz, the Teutonic Order and The Ottoman Empire.

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What next followed was over five years of warfare and pain for all sides of the conflict.

The war started with the Hungarian navy once again blocking the Ottomans from entering Europe as the combined allied forced descended onto their enemies. With their Anatolian front covered by the Hungarian navy, Byzantium quickly marched it's forced to Bohemia with Poland's moving to the Teutonic Order, seeking to get their land in a separate deal. France, secretly wanting to fight against the Holy Roman Empire itself, pushed forward into Mainz which got annihilated.

Within eight months of the war, both the Teutonic Order and Mainz were removed from the war, which freed up French-Polish forces to the Bohemian front where Hungary was waiting for its allies before pushing. Byzantium, however, plunger itself forward and quickly found the military genius of Bohemian generals to be too much for just brute force.

As the war entered its second year, the combined armies of Hungary, Poland, and France marched quickly into Bohemia which got overwhelmed by numbers alone. The first victory against the Emperor resulted in the army being routed which soon got crushed. Occupation of Bohemia quickly followed as everyone turned their eyes to main threat of the war, the Ottomans.

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Despite being weakened by the loss of their Balkan provinces, the Ottomans had made up for the loss by not only taking the rest of Anatolia but also invading and taking parts of Northern Syria from a war the Mamluks started. So despite everything, the Ottomans were just as, maybe even more powerful than the last time the Hungarians fought them.

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AS the allied forces slowly moved through Hungary and to prepare for the invasion of Anatolia, news reached every of a... interesting development in Iberia. Castile, which had been made almost a nonfactor in diplomacy due to Aragonese conquest, had just gained Aragon in a personal union... Aragon, mind you, who only was seven provinces away from removing the Castilians from Iberia forever.

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Regardless, the nation of Hungary, taking heed of the words of the Protestants gaining more and more ground in Northern Europe, decided it was time for them to deal with it but also the Orthodox problem in the Balkans itself. With the new decision in motion and priest being prepared for their holy duty, almost all forces moved into their position to cross into Sunni lands.

Roughly two years would pass of constant fighting between the Ottomans and the allied forces until in the beginning of 1522, the Ottoman capital fell and everyone spread across the region to capture what they could. During this time, Albania was finally integrated into the realm which had the added benefit of giving some legitimacy to Albert who was still being raised as future heir.

Better yet, the Ottoman navy was based in the Ottoman capital which forced them to face the Hungarian navy which ended in a repeat of the round about. The next year would be spent with more of the same, pillaging the infidels, killing Ottoman troops and just being a clear nuisance to the Rulers of Anatolia. At last, November 20th, 1523, the Ottoman Sultan agreed to surrender all his wealth along with the remaining Greek islands to Byzantium.

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With the greatest threat out of the war, all eyes turned to Bohemia which saw all of its eastern provinces go to Hungary. With the defeat of the Bohemian Emperor once more, the Hungarians finally gained a well-deserved break from the war which played into their favor as they started recovering from all this senseless violence.

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Or so they thought. Within weeks of the annexation, Poland declared the alliance to be broken. Further inspection found that the Polish craved for the ability to dig deep into Bohemia but the Hungarians had just ruined such a plan. With Poland no longer an ally, this left Hungary with France, Austria and the Byzantine Empire as their allies; which left an open space.

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In the middle of May, France came with a call to aid against its enemies. Hungary, even weakened by this point from rebellion after rebellion, answered the call to armies and engaged with the Ottoman navy for the third time and stop them dead in their tracks. The Hungarian army regrouped in Pest before marching slowly towards the Bohemian capital of Phara with it's combined arms.

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With the war in full swing, Albert finally came to age but a pretender rose up near Pest and marched straight for the head of the newly crowned King. Laszlo Nadasdy, the highest ranking general of Hungary at the time, marched his troops south while leaving the siege to Ferenc Csak, the second highest general who was better at siege warfare anyway. Arriving just before the imposter could reaching the royal palace where Albert resided.

Albert, quick on his feet, relayed the royal and town guards to defend the palace which was the pretender's main object, leaving the capital itself alone. Heavy fighting engaged between Albert lead a valiant defense until Lazslo arrived and finished the enemy in a two front attack. The pretender was captured, killed and his army shattered, never to be a threat again.

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The war itself would grind for a little over two years with no gain for Hungary which Albert did not expect anything from the French. This did, however, mean that they owed Hungary for their aid which he would keep in his pocket if the Polish tried anything. Albert, knowing his nation truly was weak after all this conflict, knew he needed to sit back for a while and let the nation recover before any wars could be made.

This, however, did not mean everything stopped as the nature of the Protestant Reformation was starting to cause serious trouble for Europe, and Hungary was no different. The Orthodox in his realm demanded everything from lower taxes, Catholics to stop trying to convert them and even some wanting a new King. Truly, Hungary was inching closure and closure to internal destruction.

It was in this moment that Albert called on the aid of his foster mother, Maria. At this point, Maria's reputation had greatly improved due to Albert's early years of rule and her aid to the nation. Rebels appeared in the newly conquered Bohemian provinces which threatened to spill over into Hungary proper with rumors of more soon to follow. Maria sent men from her army to help bolster the Hungarians who started eliminating the rebels slowly, but surely.

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As if the rebels were not enough, The Cossacks had come knocking on the eastern border from Poland. While they were repulsed, Albert demanded the Polish to pay for the damage made by these people. Of course, Poland said no which solidified the relation between these one fierce allies. Having the last straw with their eastern neighbor, Albert reached out to the Russians.

The Russians were all too happy to have a powerful ally against the Polish and Lithuanians. As this was happening, Religious order started breaking down in Hungary with many on Catholics demanding their religious freedom NOW. Albert, knowing his nation couldn't handle a full-scale revolt of this magnitude, conceived on allowed the Orthodox and grow Protestant people to have a level of autonomy which has never been seen.

However, good news reached the Hungarian King from all places, Bohemia. The Emperor, with the Pope's consent, proclaimed the Counter Reformation which The Council of Praha proclaimed. Normally, Hungary would not listen to a word the Bohemians would say, but this could mean the difference between a united Hungary and their fall from grace.

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Accepting the Pope's call, several missionaries started coming to the Balkans and working their holy faith on the population. While several communities resisted these men of faith, they eventually all capitulated to the Catholic faith which helped Albert greatly control his population. As heretics were being routed out, word of the Teutonic Order seeking a defensive alliance from Poland caught wind. Albert accepted such a deal as it meant another ally against the Polish.

At the beginning of 1535, tragedy struck as Maria finally died in her sleep. All over Austria and certain parts of Hungary, service was done for the lady who helped Hungary in some of its darkest times. Some openly stated they hated the woman but most agreed that while she was a Habsburg, she did much to help both nations which were something Albert knew and appreciated, not counting the fact he would likely be dead without her help.

Better news hit the nation in 1536, King Albert had a male, child heir by the name of Lajos, and better yet, the Byzantine Emperor had died and left the throne to his middle age son who was publicly known as being infertile. Such news was splendid as Albert saw a window of opportunity and started watching his southern neighbor closely, seeing if the Emperor would finally create an heir.

Finally, nearing the end of 1539, the religious orders the Pope had sent had done their work to the fullest and most of Hungary had been converted to the same religion as the nation. Turmoil had greatly decreased in the time following this revelation as most of the rebelling forces had lost one of their most powerful tools, faith.

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Nice continued expansion - and with those alliances plenty of hope for more in the future.
 
nice AAR!

subbed.
 
AS the allied forces slowly moved through Hungary and to prepare for the invasion of Anatolia, news reached every of a... interesting development in Iberia. Castile, which had been made almost a nonfactor in diplomacy due to Aragonese conquest, had just gained Aragon in a personal union... Aragon, mind you, who only was seven provinces away from removing the Castilians from Iberia forever.

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Funny, I thought Castile had to have at least 10 provinces for the BI to fire. Ah well, they'll lose it soon enough. Lots happening to Hungary, good it's having a rebirth after all the rebels and wars.
 
Funny, I thought Castile had to have at least 10 provinces for the BI to fire. Ah well, they'll lose it soon enough. Lots happening in Hungary, good it's having a rebirth after all the rebels and wars.

If there is one thing I have learned from this current patch is that Castile allies Navarra, Aragon attacks Castile via Navarra (Who sometimes allies France and brings them in), which then causes a downward spiral for Castile until they get the Iberian Wedding event and only works if they aren't to the point they are in the story. As for the rebels.... hehehe... oh the pain to come for everyone.
 
Chapter 5 - Continued Expansion, The Prologue of a Religious War and Laszlo von Habsburg's Finest Hour

1540 started good for Hungary as the nation was under one faith once more and Bohemia stood weak due to religious rebellion. The army was moved into position for an all out assault with one objective in mind, Phara. Ironic that the place that unintentionally saved Hungary would soon be in their hands. On July 2nd, Hungary declared war with only the nations of Memmingen and Salzburg coming to the Emperor's aid.

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As with the other Bohemian campaigns, Hungary advanced into Bohemia, the Bohemian army once again had better generals than the Hungarians but made up for it with better troops until destroying them. With how many times the two nations fight, very little documentation was kept as it is just a repeat of previous wars. The only difference this time was that France, ever watching, declared war to take land inside the Empire.

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In the end, Phara and Budejovice were taken but in secret, the King had a bigger plan in place. Russia had pulled Hungary into a war against Crimea and Lithuania which they were helping navally. This meant that Lithuania was not unable to help the Polish while the Swedish were having a very hard time fighting the Danes. Seeing his chance, the King declared war on the traitor Poles for revenge and their southern port.

The Polish war took two years and was a complete stomp. All along the front, Polish troops time and time again met a swift and desicive end. In the end, the southern port was taken while the cities of Krakow and Nowv Sacz. Again, very little could be found of the war which confused many who would look back in this time. The only thing that is known is that the City State of Ulm proved to be the toughest of nuts to crack with thousands of men alone dying against the city walls...

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But why; why is there little documents about the time between 1540 to 1566? Hungary not only defeated the Holy Roman Emperor, which did lose its luster but still, but also the Polish. Surely this was cause for recording... right?

The reason is simple... Hungary was about to face its darkest time since 1444...

Hungary knew the Ottomans were stewing for a fight but couldn't get past the Hungarian Navy. Furthermore, Lajo was itching for a fight with the infidel and he wanted to grab Georgia as a stepping stone for further expansion. To do this, Hungary needed to capture a section of the Northern Anatolia coast to help justify a claim. To this end, Lajo ordered military drills while notifying the Byzantines that they were going to declare war and asked if they wanted in.

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Of course, the Emperor accepted and made ready for war himself and once again in September, the Hungarian-Byzantine alliance declared war on the Ottomans for Sinop. As the war started, the Pope declared a Crusade against the Ottomans which Hungary was very happy for as it meant their armies were full of religious zeal.

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Like always, the Ottoman Navy was sunk due to the work of Edvard Garay and the Byzantine assistance. Hungarian sappers quickly made short work of the Ottoman coast near Constantinople and the two armies of Hungary and the army of Byzantium. Again and again, the two defeated the Ottoman and reinforcing Tunisian armies and by 1570, had control of the war objective and were near victory when...

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Turns out, when you invade an area one too many times you make a lot of enemies. And when you do that, they all come to the same conclusion to join forces to beat the shit out of the aggressor. Now, Lajos, who was in Anatolia at the time figured that Austria would be able to hold off the Germans while he end the war and-

"Sir, the Austrians and Byzantines have dishonored the alliance."

"WHAT!?"

Hungary stood alone against a coalition nearing two hundred thousand strong. The King was deciding if he was willing to throw his country into turmoil by such an overwhelming force, a message reached the King with good news. The Teutonic Order and Russia honored the call and stood by their side in this war.

Meanwhile, in Hungary itself, Laszlo von Habsburg who was the current heir to the Hungary, knew the King would not be able to return in time to stop the onslaught to come. As such, Laszlo took control of the country effective immediately and started calling upon the descendants of the Black Army to defend their home. This army eventually reached fifty-five thousand with Laszlo at the helm.

By the time Laszlo was able to call upon this army of men and weapons, most of Hungarian Bohemia was either occupied or nearing fall. Laszlo quickly marched north and came into contact with the first Polish army. using his soon to be discovered talent to outmaneuver any enemy, Laszlo shattered the Polish army before moving to aid the Second Russian army against the Palatinate which they won as well.

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Battle after battle Laszlo fought a desperate war to keep those he knew and loved from being tortured and killed. In June 1571, news reached the battle hardened heir that Lajos had to end the Ottoman war with a white peace to keep the main army alive for the real threat. When Lajos returned to Hungarian soil, he found the original fifty-five thousand strong mercenary army had been reduced to only fifteen thousand left.

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With the Hungarian army finally able to join the war, Laszlo leads the charge with Russian aid to Praha, now Praga to recapture the city which blocked all future routes. During the war, the Teutonic Order had been overwhelmed by sheer numbers and was forced out within a year's time while the Russians were holding strong, aiding the Hungarian mercenary army. January 1572 would be the day where the entire Bohemian army was nearly destroyed. followed quickly by the Bavarian, Palatinate and Hessen armies.

It was in this moment that Laszlo saw a combined Venetian-Polish-Swiss army marching from Venice to take out Pest and end the war. Taking his fifteen thousand men army, Laszlo marched forth and found victory but at a very high cost. The nearly thirty thousand opposing armies evaporated but it cost not only eight thousand men, but Laszlo himself. For his victory, Pest, and the rest of central and southern Hungary would not be threatened for the rest of the war.

The loss of not only the heir but a man who sacrificed everything to defend his people hurt the people of the Kingdom, but it did cause a cry of revenge which Lajo was all too keen on making happen. Lajos moved the army to the new Bohemian capital of Rudohori and swiftly captured it before sending an offer of peace. Rudohori for peace.

At this point, nearly half a million men laid dead on both sides and the Hungarian-Russian alliance was heading strong and making gains after gains. Poland was nearly occupied with Bohemia falling suit. Finally, after capturing the Emperor and holding him a sword point, the coalition war ended in victory. Hungary and its allies had just defeated a fifteen nation coalition and survived to see the next day.

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