The Legacy of the White Knight
A Historical Hungary AAR
Index
Cap. I - The Two Wars
Cap. II - The Meeting
Cap. III - Peace? In the Balkans?
Cap. IV - The economy, fools!
Cap. V - Hungary goes to war
Cap. VI - The Book of the Black Army
Cap. VII - King Albert, successes and failures.
Cap. VIII - Albert's War
Cap. IX - The Coup of 1544
Introduction
Cap. I - The Two Wars
Cap. II - The Meeting
Cap. III - Peace? In the Balkans?
Cap. IV - The economy, fools!
Cap. V - Hungary goes to war
Cap. VI - The Book of the Black Army
Cap. VII - King Albert, successes and failures.
Cap. VIII - Albert's War
Cap. IX - The Coup of 1544
Introduction
Since the beginning of the fourteenth century the Hungarian nobles have, by custom, elected kings of foreign dynasties to lead them. This guaranteed them both the things they wanted: a high degree of autonomy, for the kings did not have a strong local power base or cared more about their other possessions; and protection against invasions from the south, initially by Serbians and Romans and, later, by the Ottomans.
The economy is concentrated mainly in the northern and western part of the country, on the borders with the Holy Roman Empire, where most of the population is concentrated. With a small gold mine on the border with the Kingdom of Poland, the kingdom that once had the richest king in Europe now has an economy similar in size to that of an Italian city-state, but border much richer and powerful countries, most of them unfriendly. Forts protect the Slovakia and Croatia regions, as well one in Transylvania.
Since 1102, the Crown of Croatia and Dalmatia are in personal union with the Crown of Hungary, although the ceremonies in the first are only of a symbolic character. Recent dynastic disputes in 1420 made Dalmatia itself be lost to the Republic of Venice, which had bought it from one of the claimants to the throne and quickly occupied it in the midst of the confusion. After the civil war, tensions between the monarchy and the republic were notorious and the long Hungarian-Venetian war was resumed, but after a disastrous battle, Sigismund, the King of Hungary, accepted the losses in a peace treaty signed in 1433.
From the year 1437, the Royal Crown of Hungary, and also of Croatia and Dalmatia was over the head of Albert II, the Magnanimous, of Germany, of the Habsburg dynasty. When Albert died in 1439, he left in his testament to his unborn child, Ladislaus, hence known as Posthumus, all his titles, rights and possessions. The Austrian Royal States accepted Ladislaus declaration as the ruler of Austria Proper, the region around Vienna, but the Kingdom of Bohemia, which was also reigned by Albert, rejected the hereditary right of Ladislaus, but did not elect any king.
Elizabeth, Ladislaus mother, fearing that it would occur in Hungary, took the Royal Crown of Hungary and crowned her son as King of Hungary in Székesfehérvár before the king elected by the Hungarian lords, Wladislaus III of Poland, arrived at his new kingdom. The Hungarian nobles feared that an infant king would not be able to protect the kingdom from a Turkish attack, even though it had a powerful dynasty behind it, looking for a warrior king instead. Elizabeth took her son, as well the crown, and left the country to Vienna, to live in the Frederick's III court in Wien, uncle of her son.
The civil war lasted for two years in the divided kingdom and was won by the Elected King, with the army under the leadership of John Hunyadi, known as White Knight due to his many military achievments in service of the two former kings of Hungary, mostly against the Ottomans. In the peace table, Elizabeth recognized Wladislaus as king, but kept her son's claim over the kingdom and it would revert to him, as Wladislaus had no heir yet. After unify the kingdom, Wladislaus began preparations for the Crusade of Varna, dying in the process without a heir after the betrayal of the Republic of Venice and leaving Hungary again, and this time Poland too, without a king.
The Hungarian noblemen then wanted to swear allegiance to Ladislaus, but, being just a child, the power would indeed go to his guardian, Frederick III, Roman Emperor, someone who would have enough strength to subdue them if he had the law and the cities by his side. Fearing the loss of his autonomy, but still desiring the protection of a foreign king, the nobles proposed to accept Ladislaus like king, but Frederick needed to renounce his guardianship over him and also return the Real Crown of Hungary, in his possession since 1442.
Frederick's de facto lands - Inner Austria, in the center
Frederick's rule through regency over Ladislaus, his nephew - Austria Proper, on the north
Frederick's rule through regency over Sigismund, his cousin - Further Austria, on the west
Frederick's rule through regency over Ladislaus, his nephew - Austria Proper, on the north
Frederick's rule through regency over Sigismund, his cousin - Further Austria, on the west
Frederick refused and his allies invaded and occupied several castles and towns in Western Hungary. In response, the Diet of 1445 named John Hunyadi, the most powerful, prestigious and wealthy nobleman in Hungary, as regent of Ladislaus rule in Hungary. Further negotiations between Frederick and Hunyadi established that Ladislaus would remain in Frederick’s court, in Austria, whereas Hunyadi would govern Hungary in his name until he reached the majority at the age of 15.
Finally enjoying internal peace, the Kingdom of Hungary must face that external peace won’t last forever. The Turks are stronger than ever in the South and the Emperor holds the Crown of Hungary to support his own claim while keep the rightful king as a hostage. The White Knight has his own enemies internally, in Slovakia, and externally, in Serbia and despite being a legend himself, the age starts to claim his share.
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