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I will, but the penalty of "subject annexed" makes it boring, as I have no religious or cultural bonus to annex Morea. Just need to wait this modifier goes away to start.
The Legacy of the White Knight
A Historical Hungary AAR
Cap. IX - The Coup of 1544
Cap. IX - The Coup of 1544
Unlike many kings, which had many children, Albert had just two, which he loved with all his heart: Anna, the first born, the light of her father’s eyes, beautiful, smart and sympathetic as her unfaithful mother; and István, the first male, named after the first Hungarian king, born to rule the biggest Hungary this world had ever seen, born to finally expel the Muslims out of Europe and retake the City of the World’s desire to christian hands. While Anna loved the books, the laws, the procedures and etiquette of the royalty, István liked to fight, to plan, to study old battles, skirmishes, strategies and tactics with small groups and big armies. He had the opportunity to know two living legends, three with his father, Oszkár Hunyadi and Michael Balina, the two generals which gave back the great victories in the last crusade, two who had many song, poems and paintings on their names. He could dinner with Joseph, the altruistic emperor which gave his own army to help the christian cause. How could a boy, surrounded by such greatness, don’t want to be one of them? How could him doesn't want to write his name on history like them? Bring the greatness, the glory and conquest to his people?
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Anna and István Hunyadi, the two sons of Albert
István, however, wanting all that, didn’t want to take the burden of the rule. He never had the patient to sit and learn “the most boring things on Earth”. He wanted to fight, to lead in the battlefield, not sit in a room with fancy people wearing fancy clothes talking in a fancy way and try to be better the others like them, flattering him to gain something the others won’t. Anna was much more like her father and liked to see and understand the subtle things, the things that happened behind the curtains which are behind the scenes. This affinity was obvious to anyone with good eyes and the preference, despite Albert loved István, for her rather her brother something that annoyed him. Even then, both were good partners since the baby crib, helping each other in many things, like lie to theirs father. The fraternity couldn’t be more obvious, but his father could change it.
Until 1544 the succession was clear. The succession could be seem as simple. István had no brother to fight for the Crown. His uncles and cousins didn’t even think on claim the throne. The Hunyadi dynasty was supreme in Hungary, However, two years after the end of Albert’s war, King Albert II of Hungary made an announcement in the Diet: Anna was promoted. This unprecedented fact could break Hunyadi’s house, as well the Kingdom itself and everything the sons of the White Knight had fought for. For all legal effects, Anna, not István, was now the heir of Albert, future ruler of Hungary after his death.
A tradition among Hungarian nobles was, in case of have no male heir, fight to his daughters inherit what he had or part of it. The ways changed since the beginning of the practice in the XI century, changing from a quarter of the heritance to half and even total, sometimes increasing or diminishing the amount. The precedent was around the validation of the king himself and no one else. The actual form was promoting a daughter to the status of son. While ridiculous to modern views, this promotion was the only “safe” way to ensure the family of the dying noble didn’t try to take everything and let his daughters without a proper source of income to live in a comfortable way and be rich enough to attract decent pretendents, it when just didn’t kill her/them.
The fact is, Albert promoted his daughter. Even to the ones in the court, the ones who knew his open preference for her over István, were surprised by this announcement without any precedence. Never a daughter was promoted while a legitimate son was alive. As the fact was judged by the king and king only, it was legal, but would this legality be sustained after Albert’s death? Would István stay quiet while his Crown was robbed in his face in a act of treason made by his own father? All the eyes in the Diet looked to him and he was too surprised to do anything. The shock was too great that he couldn’t even scream at his father, but even if could, the respect he had for him wouldn’t allow it. In panic, he left the Diet demoralized.
For the entire year, nobles had offered support to him to overthrow his father, wanting to gain favors of the new king rather than the dying one, seeing István as someone easy to manipulate and increase their privileges, diminished since Mátyás' day.. In the end of the year István had all prepared and convoked his supporters. The nobles joined him. István asked for personal support and they attended, bringing together their bodyguards to increase in numbers. As they entered in the Royal Palace, the guards on the way joined them rather than try to stop them in such number than doubled the number of men. That increased the confidence of the nobles in the coup. István kicked the door of the dinner room which his father was eating with some members of the court. One man of the Black Army saw the intruders and called the local regiment and other guards. In the dinner room were present King Albert, his Master of Mint, Karl Rivendoff, and the Princess Anna, as well many servants, the captain of the Royal Guard and six of them. The room was so big that almost a hundred invaders entered.
Surprised, Albert waited for the worse without say a word. The knife of betrayal had already penetrated his heart so deep that he accepted his fate. Not even a word of curse would be spelled this night. As István couldn’t say a word, the one which was seen as the leader among his supporters started to talk.
- Your days have passed, Albert. You lost his mind when choose her to rule us, against the will of God. Hungary never was ruled by a woman and will never be. We won’t accept one which can fight side by side with us. We won’t see the Crown be in the head of whoever this girl accept to marry. We swore loyalty to the Hunyadi’s house, not to a German, which obviously will be her choice. Our fathers and grandfathers sided with your father rather than them and we will not see their hard work be undone by your inconsequential act, despite everything you have done.
Andrei Läzärescu, leader of István's supporters
Albert didn’t answer. He remained seated, despite not eating anymore. Anna was very afraid and the calm of her father confused her. The rebels wanted to do something, but the order never came. The Royal Guards and the captain took their positions, protecting the king, willing to give their lives, even in a lost cause, rather abandon the one they swore to procted. István finally draw his sword and all men with him followed the move. The sound of metal against metal sounded like an echo as around a hundred swords left their sheaths. The to be kingslayer was moving to take the front. When at left side of Andrei, the one which was calling him to do something, didn’t hesitate in put his sword on his left kidney, pushing to cross his body until hit the other.
- Guards! Kill this traitors! - he ordered.
The Coup of 1544 has ended.
