Children of Dacia

[IliciMan]

The rule of Mircea I Basarab
(from the tales of old man Ioan)
Chapter XVIII: Order of the Dragon​

“This is boring” a young girl exclaimed. “Yes, you promised to tell us about the great war of King Mircea against Hungary” another boy interjected. “Yeah, you keep talking of alliances and Poland, and treaties… that’s not fun” a third one also chimed in. Most of the children started loudly agreeing. “But children, this is part of the story. A great king is more than just a brave cavalry charge. Not everyone is Vladislav the Brave”. The children were undeterred and kept arguing until Ioan tried to placate them. “OK, OK, how about I tell you the story of how Mircea formed the Kinghts of the Dragon?”. This seemed to placate the children and they settled down to hear the story. “Well, after the war with the Serbs, the whole lands in the south were in turmoil. The king of the Serbs died, the Byzantine Emperor Ioannes V died and was followed by Issakios III who immediately started trying to expand his kingdom by attacking the Germiyan Beylik, the Ottomans went to war with an alliance of smaller kingdoms and occupy some territory in Greece, the lands Hungary took from the Serbs began to revolt and Issakios, instead of worrying about these issues declared war on the Knights Hospitaliers, angering all the Catholic lords. Then Beyazid died and his successor, Yusuf decided he could succeed where his father failed and declared war on the Byzantines.”

“Everyone in the land was terrified. The Ottomans had never been defeated by the Christians in battle and now they had gained a foothold in Europe. There was panic from Constantinople, to Rome and all the way to Londinum. People were fleeing their homes, cities were raising their walls, the Pope was calling for a new crusade and everyone was rushing their church to pray for the forces of Christendom. For if Byzantium and Wallachia fell, there was no telling where the Ottomans might stop.” Ioan had lost himself in that tirade so much that he had not noticed the effect it had on the children. When he focused again on them he could see that the younger one had actually been scared by his descriptions. He couldn’t be sure but he thought he could see a young boy crying. “But don’t be scared children, for the forces of Christendom were led by Issakos III, the Emperor of Byzantium and Mircea I, King of Wallachia.”

(The two sides of the war - both the Byzantines and the Ottomans have enlarged their territories but the Ottomans have fewer allies than in the past)​

Ioan took another sip of his tea, noticing that it had gone cold, and set it aside. He gave the kids a few more seconds to settle down before continuing. “You see, Yusuf had been sure of victory because the Byzantine army was in Anatolia fighting the Hospitalier Knights. But what he did not grasp was that this meant the fleets of both Byzantium and Wallachia were also both out and ready to keep his troops from reaching this European lands. That is when one of the great heroes of those time shined. Have you heard of Nicolae Caliacra or Nicolae de Severin?” The children shook their heads. “Pfff, you should be taught about the heroes of our past… This man deserves a story night on his own. His father was one of Vladislav’s greatest commanders and he was appointed as commander of the small Wallachian fleet. He took those few ships that had only been used to keep the Ottomans away from Europe and, with courage and cunning he managed to ambush and destroy the whole Muslim fleet off the Greek coast.” He paused in thought. “It would take too long to tell his story tonight and the feats of bravery both then and in his later naval battles, but remind me some other night and I will tell you his story for he should be remembered for his deeds.”

“With the Turkish fleet destroyed, the emperor could move his armies to Europe and occupy the Ottoman possessions in Greece. Then, to the surprise of many, the two rulers took their armies across the straight and started attacking the Muslim lands. Oh children, it was like an army of heroes had arrived from ancient Greece to destroy our enemies. Have you been told the story of Achilles and Hector?” He was disappointed to see the children shake their heads. “Ah, shame. Another story for another time then… Well, they looked like mighty crusaders that freed holy Jerusalem, with their great banners unfurled, marching on their mighty destriers to the defense of God, it was like the hosts of heaven had come among the mortals…” Ioan trails off for a bit. He cannot help but remember his own youth and his own battles in those lands… His reminiscing is only interrupted when the children become restless and start asking him to continue his story

(The Christian knights marching towards Bursa. While not a crusade, they still fought under the sign of the cross)​

“Hmmm, where was I? Ah, Yussuf was not a fool. He saw the might of the Christians and did his best to draw them inland, to tire them out and fight them when he was at his strongest. But the Muslims could not stands against the Hosts of Christendom. Castles fell one after another against those knights, chief of them the one in Bursa, the Ottoman capital. This disasters was so great that Yussuf had to come and try to win in open battle. And such a battle that was. Thousands and thousands of men fought at the foot of Mount Olympus in Mysia, where the gods of the old Greeks used to live. The two armies fought for days until the ground was covered in corpses and the vultures were too fat to fly. Many brave lords fell that day. Both Wallachian and Greek. But, in the end, the Muslims were routed when a Byzantine force fell on their rear. The heathens were scattered and slaughtered. Some of them tried to hide in the nearby villages but they could not escape the righteous fury that had been unleashed upon them.”

"Yusuf fled east and hid there in a fortress. He tried to gather another army but, as the Christians were closing in and sieging all the castles in their way, he finally had to give up and admit defeat. It was a great victory. Issakios was able to reclaim many of the lands his forefathers had lost in the east, making terms so harsh for the Ottomans that their strength was forever broken. For his assistance in the war, he gifted Mircea the Island of Rhodes, where the Knights Hospitalier had had their Fortress…”. An older boy interrupted “That is where the Knights of the Dragon are”. Ioan looked at him “Yes, Mircea decided to create a new order on that island, and many of the captured knights were baptized and took wows to join. To lead it he…” “I will also take the wows when I am of age” the same boy interrupted again. “My cousin is already there, he took the wows three years ago.” The room erupted in discussions among the children about the Order of the Dragon and men that served within it. Ioan was actually relieved to be able to have a short break. He called one of the little girls to him and sent her out to find a servant and tell them to bring a fresh cup of tea. He still had a story to finish.

(insignia of the Order of The Dragon)

(Banner of the Order of the Dragon)​

 

[HistoryDude]

I'd like to learn more about this Order of the Dragon.

Also, these kids haven't heard of the Iliad? Poor them.

Cutting the Ottomans off from Europe was a good move.

Did the Ottomans lose their European territories?

 

[IliciMan]

I'd like to learn more about this Order of the Dragon.

Also, these kids haven't heard of the Iliad? Poor them.

Cutting the Ottomans off from Europe was a good move.

Did the Ottomans lose their European territories?

well, in reality it was formed by Sigismund of Luxemburg to fight the Ottomans and it was more like a secret club of rulers that swore to fight against the Ottomans. as a fun fact, Vlad the Impaler was part of this order which, in Romanian became Vlad Dracul, and this is where the name Dracula comes from.


I didn't actually expect to get Rhodes in the game but I think an event misfired and gave the island to me instead of the Byzantines so I thought I should take advantage and keep an order there. And since in my timeline there would be no reason for a hungarian ruler to form the order, I decided to repurpose it and also change it's nature a bit, to make it closer to the warrior monastic orders.

The Ottomans are done. The Byzantines took almost all their territory and, what was left, got conquered by someone else. I don't know if it was the different rulers, the extra territory i got for byzantium in serbia or something else but the ottomans were soundly beaten.

 

[IliciMan]

The rule of Mircea I Basarab
(from the tales of old man Ioan)
Chapter XIX: War with Hungary​

Ioan was taking a break while the children were arguing about the Knights. That order had obtained quite a reputation since it had been established. He had actually been tempted to join it in his youth but that was before the battle of Bucovina that had really made them famous. Who knows how his life might have turned out different if he had joined. He knew there were less known branches of that order that might still find him useful but, if he were honest with himself, he just felt too old for it. Even the few travels he did now were exhausting him. It had taken the threat of war for him to make this latest travel from his brother’s lands in Dykra. He missed the soft, warm sea air and the hard mountain air that had welcomed him here was making his bones ache. At least he would get to return home soon. War was in the air and that was a young man’s game. He would spend it in on his lands, probably in the smaller house close to the sea. Oh, how he missed the sea air…

Ioan realized the children had quieted down and were waiting for him to continue. A few younger ones were gone, probably too sleepy to listen to the rest of the story. “So, Mircea defeated the Ottomans and created the Order of the Dragon where he would eventually put his youngest son in charge. Things were going great for him, but, even after all these years, he had not forgotten the enemy that had humiliated his father. And time was growing close his revenge. You see, Andras d’Anjou had little of his father’s ability. He had neglected his realm and his army to such a degree that, after years of turmoil and rebellion, the lands he and his father had taken from the Serbs, could no longer be controlled and went back to Serbian hands. He neglected the diplomacy so much that first the Teutons broke their alliance and, then, the Poles did too. It was something Mircea had worked for since he had taken the throne and, after helping Alexander in his second campaign to conquer Kiev, had managed to convince the Polish king to break the alliance with the d’Anjou ruler. From that moment, Mircea knew the pieces were in place and that the debauched ruler of Hungary could not stand against them. He was ready and eager to strike but had to delay because Issakios had started a war with what was remaining of the once great Venetian republic. The delay just helped prepare the war and coordinate with the allies and, when all was in place, they finally marched against the Hungarian kingdom.”

(The great Hungarian war, the strongest countries in central, eastern and southern Europe are involved)​

The excitement among the children was visible. This was definitely a war the had heard about before. “Now, this is a tale about king Mircea and how important it is to be prepared when you go to war. I know some of you might want to hear about the deeds of old count Cantemir or some other hero of that war but time is short and I’m an old man. Plus, it is the right of count Dragos to tell the tales of his forefathers, I would not wish to insult my good host.” There were some grumbles but the subject was too interesting for them to really complain. And Ioan was right. Dragos often liked to tell the stories of his grandfather’s feats of courage. “This was such a war as was never seen around these parts. The armies of Wallachia, Poland, Bohemia, Naples and Byzantium against those of Hungary, Austria and their German and Italian allies and vassals. Lots of work had been done to prepare this war for the strength of the Hungarian Kingdom was well known and well tested and, even if Andras had weakened both his army and his alliances, this was not a war who’s outcome could be predicted.”

“And the alliances Mircea had created were not as strong as hoped either. For that is the danger of many kings having to work together. King Alfonso of Naples was meant to keep the Italian allies of Hungay in check but, since he wanted to expand his Balkan holdings, he brought his army over the sea and attacked the southern Hungarian and Croatian lands. This left his own lands open and Frituli took advantage and invaded the Neapolitan lands. The situation became even more dire for king Alfonso when the Croatians started harassing his army and driving it back. He couldn’t even return to save his own lands until Nicolae Caliacra brought the Wallachian fleet there and, together with the Neapolitan one, crushed the Croatian force. Only then could Alfonso take his men back. “

(The Battle of the Adriatic)​

“Bohemia and Austria were caught in a struggle of their own. Vaclav, the King of Bohemia and the Holy Roman Empire was struggling to cope and it seemed that both nations were more interested in razing each other’s lands than in fighting open pitch battles. Much enmity was between those two kings and much suffering they brought to each other’s lands. That left Hungary to face Wallachia, Poland and the Byzantines on its own. The two sides were a match for troops but, like I already mentioned, too many kings spoils the counsel.” Ioan paused a bit, sighed and looked at the roaring fireplace. “You need to remember this young ones. The greatest plans will turn to dust if those involved pull for their own hearth instead of the common fire. This holds true for all, from great kings to lowly beggars.”

Ioan sighed again and studied his hands for a bit. “The two kings and the Emperor were supposed to unite their armies in Arges before crossing the mountains. But it was not to be. Alexander I, instead of taking the safer route through Bucovina and then south into Wallachian lands, decided to go through Hungarian lands and gain some glory by taking castles on the way. It did not work out. One of the Hungarian armies arrived and, while not willing to attack, it did block their way south. In the south, Emperor Issakios, instead of marching into Wallachia, decided to attack what former Serbian lands Hungary still possessed. His army was caught unawares by a Hungarian host, defeated and made to retreat. Mircea and his men was completely unaware of this when he decided to stop waiting for his allies and marched over the mountains to occupy the province of Siebenburgen. The whole campaign was on the brink of disaster. Alfonso I was trying to save his own lands, Valcav VI was caught in a deadly fight with his Austrian rival, Issakios III was in retreat to his lands, Alexander and Mircea were separated by a Hungarian army commanded by John Tamasi while the other army commanded by King Andras himself was marching north and could attack either the Wallachian or the Polish troops without the other being able to intervene.”

(A later period plan of Hermanstadt, the main city of Siebenburgen)​

 

[HistoryDude]

This situation appears very grim. Will Romania and her allies manage to salvage the situation? Or will they have to settle for a stalemate or even an outright defeat?

 

[Nikolai]

Oh my, you got to cooperate , kings and emperors!

 

[IliciMan]

This situation appears very grim. Will Romania and her allies manage to salvage the situation? Or will they have to settle for a stalemate or even an outright defeat?

It wasn't that grim. It was just a slow start and it took a decisive battle to determine the winner of the war

Oh my, you got to cooperate , kings and emperors!

The proverbial herding of cats and dogs

 

[IliciMan]

The rule of Mircea I Basarab
(from the tales of old man Ioan)
Chapter XX: The two battles of Siebenburgen

​

Ioan’s story was interrupted by the counts governess. She had come to collect his middle child and send him to bed, plus a few others that should have been sleeping already. Pretty soon the room had erupted in arguing, pleading and bargaining. Ioan couldn’t help but feel quite happy that the children were enjoying his story so much. Hopefully they also learned something from it. The governess was placated in the end and the old man got his chance to finish the story even though he was threatened not to dally too long with it. He knew that any lady that handles children all day should not be made into an enemy so he tried his best to shorten the end of the story. It’s not like he wanted to get too deep into the maneuver war after the second battle of Siebenburgen or in the politic maneuvering that took place after the war. He knew the children wanted to hear about battles and heroes and he was confident he could teach the lesson he wanted to with the story they wanted to hear.

“Ok children. Let’s settle down and finish the story before madam Ildiko sends us all to bed.” The kids laughed but did in fact settle down and waited for the rest of the story. “So, the Wallachian army was outside the walls of Sighisoara when scouts brought back news of the approaching Hungarian force. It seemed that Andras, emboldened by his victory against the Byzantines, wanted to knock another enemy out of the fight. Mircea arrayed his men for battle but couldn’t withstand the superior numbers arrayed against him. He accepted the defeat and retreated north, trying to get to his Polish allies. Alas, his path was still blocked so, after leaving a small troop under the leadership of baron Mihai Cantemir to hold the main pass between (BN) and Bucovina. Great feats of bravery happened there but I will leave those stories for your liege. What I will tell you though is that the bravery shown in those mountains turned the tide. Mircea had time assert control in Bucovina and link up with a small Polish army, then turn south, march through Wallachia to end up back in Siebenburgen”

(The maneuvering of Mircea and Andras)​

“Andras, after defeating the force in the mountains, discovered it was all for naught and turned back marching south again. Even more, he ordered John Tamasi to follow with part of his force. Now both armies were bearing down on Mircea’s force. But, this time Mircea was able to prepare, and he decided to meet the enemy north of Sighisoara, in a small pass near a village called Nadesh. By now it was late autumn and it had rained for days before Andras’s force started pouring in from the north. This would make getting up the slopes much harder so that is where Mircea had decided to put the Polish crossbowmen. The Wallachian archers were sent across the small creek passing through that valley and he blocked the road with infantry. After spending so much time in the mountains to the north being held in place by Mihai Cantemir, Andras was wary of another long battle like that so, even before he could array his main force for battle, he sent his knights charging in, in the hopes of braking Mircea’s lines”

“But, like I told you already, it had been raining for days. The road and ground around it had turned to mud. The Hungarian knights got bogged down and were easily repelled. This would not be a quick battle. The next day Andas sent forward his main force and the two armies clashed in that valley. The fighting was fierce but, just like many years ago against his father, the Hungarian’s started pushing Mircea’s infantry back. Great feats were done that day and hopefully some other day I can tell you about how Ioan Danescu died with his two sons defending Mircea when the lines broke for the first time, or how Gheorghe Ghica’s charge saved the line and the whole army, how king Mircea himself joined the fray felling many Hungarians nobles or how a Byzantine force arrived just in time to turn the tide of battle, but the truth is, the outcome of that battle had been decided long before.”

(the Wallachian army arrayed for battle)​

“You see children, this is why we call King Mircea, the Wize and this is why it is important to do your best to prepare as many advantages as you can for whatever you endeavor to do. Around the time the Byzantines had arrived to strengthen Mircea’s lines, the Hungarians were also getting reinforced, for John Tamasi had also arrived. The Hungarian troops already committed rejoiced for victory seemed within their grasp but that joy turned to despair when they saw their assumed comrades raise the Wallachian banner and charge down into the rear of Andras’s lines. What only days earlier had seemed a victory turned in a complete rout for the Hungarian host. King Andras himself only escaped by putting on the cloak of a simple soldier and running as fast as his horse could take him just like his great-great-grandfather after the battle of Posada.” The children had started laughing so Ioan gave them a few seconds to settle down. “That was what made Mircea such a wise king children. When others would have thought only his army and how to escape the chasing horde, he made sure to also send messengers to his allies and try to get as much support as possible and he found a weakness in the enemy camp that could be exploited. For you see, John Tamasi did not hold any love for his liege and he seeing what happened in the war he knew defeat was approaching. So, when Mircea offered to let him keep his domains and titles he chose to switch sides and turn the tide in the battle.”

“That was not the only place where Hungary and its allies had suffered setbacks. Alexander I had swept aside the forces left by Andras in the north and was heading straight for Buda and Alfonso had managed to push back the Frituli and Croatian armies. The war lasted for some years more but its outcome was clear. By the spring of 1412, Andras had accepted defeat and sued for peace. Mircea was not easy on him. Even if it’s allies made no claim to Hungarian soil, Mircea made sure to weaken his enemy as much as possible. Wallachia occupied the lands of the Hungarian vassal of Moldova and also the Hungarian provinces of Bistrita-Nasaud, Szekelifold, Siebenburgen, Badin and Timoka Kralina. Not content with this, Mircea imposed the freeing of Bosnia thus weakening both Hungary and one of it’s other vassals. He finally felt he had his revenge for the indignity his father had suffered. But it had taken much of him. Just three years later he passed away. Some say that, after achieving his life’s goal, he could not find another reason to stay among the living and just wilted away. Who knows what the real reason was? The royal family is not one to share such truths with the rest of us.” Ioan paused a bit… “He did leave another lesson for you children. Keep your pledges. John Tamasi was allowed to keep the overlordship over the provices of Szekelifold and Siebenburgen.” The count's oldest son spoke up: “But traitors are disgusting, he should have beheaded his and given the lands to his subjects”. “Maybe…” Ioan said softly “But who would trust his word after that. Keep your pledges children, no matter how you feel about the men who will profit from them. Ah, and one more lesson children. Reward those that sacrifice for you. For his great service in that war Mihai Cantemir received this province, the province where he had stood against Andras. Also, Timoka…” Ioan would have gone on but the governess entered the room again and reminded him that the children needed to be put to bed. She did not seem happy. “Ok. Children, I hope you enjoyed the story and, next time, perhaps I will tell you about King Vladislav the Brave or perhaps about Wallachia’s first admiral…” He was abruptly cut off by the governess which started leading the children out of the room. “Good night children. See you when I next return”

(Wallachia with the territories conquered by Mircea I)​

Ioan settled back into his chair. He was feeling tired, spent even. He did not like this old version of himself, the pains and fatigue it came with. He knew it was probably the last time he would be here and see these children and this saddened him. He liked telling his stories and the children back home had heard them enough to start getting bored of them. Hell, last time he tried telling them this story, that pesky nephew of his actually started complaining about some details that had changed since the last time he had heard the tale. But the snot nosed brat will see how it feels when he gets old, if he doesn’t leave his bones on some battlefield before he gets to an age where memory starts to be an enemy instead of a friend. Ioan tried to remember how he was when he had been that age. Was he also so impertinent to his elders? He couldn’t help but feel saddened when his mind drifted to the same regrets of his youth that had saddened him so many times before. Ah, the tragedy of our lives. The regrets you gather in your young years turn into the wisdom needed to see why you should regret the decisions of your youth… But, at least you can try to pass on that wisdom to the young ones through stories or at the planning tables. Hopefully they don’t ignore it like you did…

Mircea I Basarab, later known as Mircea the wise, orchestrated or supported a power shift that affected nations from the Baltic all the way to the holy lands. In Anatolia, together with Issakios III, they ended the threat posed by the Ottomans so decisively that they had become easy pickings of other Muslim powers from the east. It remains to be seen if Qara Qoyunlu or the Kramids will pose a similar threat as the Ottomans had. Though now the Byzantine Empire’s star seems to be ascending and they seem eager to reacquire their long lost territories. It remains to be seen if this new vitality will be maintained or if it is just temporary. The alliance between them and Wallachia does seem to be as strong as ever. And the skill of seeking and strengthening alliances helped give Mircea his greatest victory. He made alliances with Naples and Bohemia, reforged the alliance with Poland that had failed his father and, furthermore, managed to convince them to break their alliance with Hungary. He used this coalition to defeat the greatest danger to his country and weaken it. It was a huge victory though not as decisive as he might have hoped. Hungary is still a strong state and, without the alliance network Mircea set up, it’s hard to believe Wallachia would be able to withstand it. Between Hungary and Byzantium lies Serbia which is clearly in decline even if the territories taken by Hungary reverted to it. It’s hard to believe that, caught between Wallachia, Byzantium, Hungary and Naples, four powers with desires to expand, it stands many chances to survive for long. Mircea leaves his country in the strongest position it had ever been in, both in itself and in comparison to its neighbors. Though with both Hungary and the Tartars eager to take revenge on his country, Radu II will need to do his best to maintain the alliances set up by his father.

(The alliance of the five nations, possibly Mircea's greatest achievement)​

 

[HistoryDude]

That alliance looks powerful. I wonder if it will collapse...

Mircea managed to win by convincing an enemy army to commit treason? Huh. I suppose that reinforces the need to keep your vassals happy.

Did John Timasi rule a different (vassal) kingdom in the game? Or was it just a random defeated army?

 

[polakma]

The coalition looks strong, one may only wonder how quickly they will jump upon each other once the unifying thread of war is severed!

 

[IliciMan]

That alliance looks powerful. I wonder if it will collapse...

Mircea managed to win by convincing an enemy army to commit treason? Huh. I suppose that reinforces the need to keep your vassals happy.

Did John Timasi rule a different (vassal) kingdom in the game? Or was it just a random defeated army?

Not exactly. But this was a story told more than half a century after the fact by someone that wasn't there

The coalition looks strong, one may only wonder how quickly they will jump upon each other once the unifying thread of war is severed!

Jump upon each other? not so much.

Discover that the alliance is not that strong? definitely

 

[IliciMan]

The rule of Radu II Basarab
Chapter XXI: Peace can also bring change​

Entering the great throne room of the new castle in Curtea de Arges, the first thing noticed would be the smell of plaster. In time this would be replaced by the smell of incense and burned wood but, for now, it was clear reminder to everyone present of their liege’s focus on building and rebuilding. For fifteen years after taking the throne, Radu II had avoided wars and spent his time spending the country’s treasury on different infrastructures that stirred his fancy. The jewel of his building program was the new castle in his capital and this grand throne room where his nobles were waiting for him to hold court. He had taken the throne when he was still a young man of twenty two and his non-belligerent nature had irked the nobles buoyed by his father’s great victory over Hungary.

The truth was he found no pleasure in it. His tutors had tried to teach him about Alexander or Hannibal but had not taken to those teachings. He understood the need for war and the benefits that could come of it but he also knew how miserable life on campaign can be. His father had dragged him along with the army plenty of times. What really impressed him were buildings. Castles, walls, towers, bridges, canals… all this stirred his imagination and made his palms itch. He dreamt of building things that people would marvel at hundreds of years after he would be gone. Just as he marveled at the wonders left behind by Justinian and other great emperors in the great Constantinople. His dream was to match the great achievement of Trajan and bridge the Danube. But first, he had to placate his nobles.

(The new castle in Curtea de Arges)​

The nobles were already waiting in the new throne room when the doors opened for Radu. He did enjoy the pomp that came with being king, unlike his predecessors. He liked standing apart, by the way he was dressed, by the way others behaved towards him… it was a good way of showing everyone who held the higher status. As he walked the long carpet between the rows of bowing noblemen he couldn’t help being grateful that so many old men had died since he had taken the throne. All those fools looking down at him because of his age, plotting behind his back while praising him to his face. His uncle was the worst and it had given him great pleasure to order his execution after the rebellion had failed. The rest had been too cowardly to join him, but he could remember feeling their scorn, their derision. Most had died away, the few remaining ones that were his seniors, had been too young to have a serious role in his father’s wars. But that didn’t make them crave battle any less. He reached the throne where the Vestaros took this cape and brought him his scepter.

“My honored advisors, esteemed nobles and faithful subjects, we come before you on this joyous occasion to celebrate all the progress our great lands have made under our august leadership. It saddens me that we are obligated to chastise our illustrious nobles for their lack of faith in our goals. Yes, my foolish subjects, we know of your grumblings and derision of our actions. You derided our plans to use the gold our father had set aside for rebuilding castles for bridge building, but now you are all enjoying the gold brought in by the increase in the number of merchants. You joined the late admiral Nicolae Severin in bemoaning me not replacing our old ships but it has been fifteen years and our fleet has yet to leave port. You have grumbled that we have not spent our time in endless wars to expand our borders but you do not praise us for taking that time to do the Lord’s work, building churches and bringing the heretics and heathens from our new lands into the embrace of the Lord our God. You opposed our desire to bring the glory of the Byzantine court here and to change our realm’s name to Romania but it has shown to our allies and enemies alike that our place is among the great kingdoms of the world. You have spent all these years scheming and talking behind our backs but, with the Lord’s help, we have proven you wrong. And now, it is time to prove you wrong yet again”

(Radu speaks to his nobles)​

“We have been accused of being too peaceful, too focused on building up our lands instead of expanding them. Well it is time to change that. As you know, our Hungarian neighbor and rival has once again invaded the lands of the Serbs. King Andras seeks to placate his subjects in their clamor to reclaim the lands my great father conquered by getting an easy victory in the south. As we are sure you all understand, an emboldened Hungary is in none of our interests and, while a new war against them is not auspicious at the moment, we have decided to both show them that our armies have not lost their might and increase our lands in one swoop. We will also invade the Serbs and remind anyone that might seek to challenge us in war that none can hope to win victory on the field of battle against us.”

The room erupted in cheers. War meant plunder and new lands to be divided amongst the nobility. But Radu was aware that such a victory would only quiet the voices of his detractors for a short time. Serbia was an easy target and nobody would be impressed of a victory against them. And, he had to admit that he was not in a position for a more difficult war. Andras had learned fast from his defeat and, taking a page from Mircea’s book, he forged and alliance with Bohemia. Allowing that to happen was one of the main complaints raised by the nobility against Radu. Then there were the issues the Byzantines were going through. Emperor Issakios III styled himself a new Justinian and sought to expand his borders and recapture his realm’s lost glory, just recently taking a province from the Hamanid Sultanate. But all those wars were not cheap and, when he died, his heir Ioannes VI discovered he had been granted the rule of a realm in grave debt. There was little chance of their armies coming to support a Wallachian adventure. He had more allies but there were reasons to not depend on them either. Poland had just finished a war with Lithuania and he had to admit he had let the relation with the King of Naples drift to a point where he was not sure the alliance could be counted on. No, he needed a short, easy victory that he could achieve without the help of anyone else. Then maybe he could correct some of his missteps.

(Serbia does not stand much o a chance, especially since it is also at war with Hungary and Austria)​

 

[HistoryDude]

Radu sounds like a proud man... let's hope that his pride isn't an issue.

Why did you declare war on Hungary and Serbia? Was it just opportunism due to how screwed Serbia was?

 

[IliciMan]

Radu sounds like a proud man... let's hope that his pride isn't an issue.

Why did you declare war on Hungary and Serbia? Was it just opportunism due to how screwed Serbia was?

Just on Serbia. War with Hungary was out of the question

 

[IliciMan]

The rule of Radu II Basarab
Chapter XXII: From one war to another​

One of Radu’s favorite rooms in the new castle was a large study he had designed himself. A large room, well heated by it’s fireplace, south facing to keep it out of the cold mountain winds and with a view towards the main throughfare going into the city. He was there now, bowed over his large desk, looking over a couple of letters. He had spent in this room most of the war against Serbia. He had planned to lead his army in person but he had underestimated how much the campaign life would disagree with him. He had stayed with the army for a couple of months only and, after a victory over a small Serbian army he had given over command of the army to Ioan Danescu. He was one of the few nobles that had not spoken out against his policies. Radu hadn’t really considered the man’s competence when making the decision since there would probably be no other battles on the horizon. He just didn’t not want to be the one leading the sieges to come.

Radu looked again at the two letters. The first one had caused a huge commotion and had set in motion the moves that had led to the second. It was a letter from old Francesco d’Anjou, calling for Romania’s aid. Castille wanted to take advantage of the weakness of the new and young monarch and had declared war on the Italian kingdom. By the time Radu’s response had reached Naples, most of the powerful kingdoms of Europe had been dragged into the conflict. Aragorn, France and Austria had joined Castille, while Milan, Britanny and other smaller realms joined Naples. Radu was not familiar with west European politics, had not been prepared for such a huge coalition and had Austria not gotten involved, he probably would not have been worried even now. But they had joined the war, and there was no way to know how big their desire for revenge was. Hungary was not likely to deny them passage so Radu expected he might soon regret not building castles like his father wanted. That was what had precipitated the second letter, which was from Augustin Campineanu, his diplomat, which had been negotiating peace with Djorde, the Serbian king. They had struck a deal. Romania would take over the provinces of Nissava, Rasina and Kosovo and the principality of Velbazhd would be released as a sovereign state. Augustin was certain the principality would rush to be under Romania’s protection before long.

(Again most of continental Europe is at war)​

Radu was watching his army array itself for battle. He was leading it but, in truth, he left all decisions to his generals. They had picked the battle site, they had decided on the strategy and they would be taking the decisions once the battle started. He didn’t want to be there but understood the need of the men to see him. The war was going badly. Disastrous even for some of his allies. Britanny had been knocked out of the war already, Milan was overrun and reports were coming in of armies entering the lands of Naples unopposed. Romania had tried to contribute, had gotten its army in Austrian lands where it won a few small victories but, in the end, it realized it was on the losing side and, Marius Ghica, the man that led that expedition decided to return home and preserve the army for the upcoming invasion. So they held back and waited while the messages coming from his Neapolitan allies became more and more desperate. But, in the end, they were proven right.

The first enemy armies started crossing the Romanian border in the summer of 1433. A small Castilian army came down the Olt river and was defeated in Dolj in a desperate battle . Than the Austrians started sending armies through Hungary which was more than happy to allow it. More like riding parties at first, after Milan sued for peace in 1435 more powerful armies started crossing the border. Under Ghica’s leadership Romania had already achieved three victories against Austrian forces, now, again they were preparing for battle. Radu and his nobles had followed the news coming from their allies. If this war was not ended fast, it could be the end for Romania. If the armies of France, Castille and Aragon started joining the Austrians in attacking his country, Radu knew there was nothing they could do. They needed to find a way to end the war but, so far, all his attempts had been rejected. Suddenly his thoughts were shattered by the cheers of the men as they started their charge at the enemy lines.

(Austrian soldiers plunder a Romanian village during one of their incursions)​

For little more than a year the war dragged on. Austria ceased it’s attacks after that final battle. It was pointless since the other countries were focusing on Naples to finally bring the war to a close. Peace was finally signed in the spring of 1438 when Francesco d’Anjou sued for peace. His kingdom’s power was crushed completely. France took all their possessions in the Provence region, Sicily received a third of Naples's Italian provinces and the Hospitalier order received the islands of Cephalonia. A crushing blow to a kingdom that was on the rise. Besides all that, the winners had forced him to break the alliance with Romania but, after how low the relations between the two had gone during the war, nobody was complaining about that part of the peace agreement. Romania had actually been the only one of the defeated countries to not lose territory a fact for which Marius Ghica was receiving all the praise. He had pulled back the armies to defend the homeland and it was a known secret that he had won the battles at home even if Radu had been in charge.

Even before the Neapolitans surrendered, Radu had joined another war. Somehow Byzantium had gotten itself entangled in the succession of
Monferat of all places and, when that degenerated into a war with Savoy and it’s allies, a call was sent for help and Radu felt obliged to answer. By that time the writing was on the wall for both the result of Naples’s war and the future of the alliance between them and Romania and Radu felt he could not risk another ally, especially Romania’s oldest one. But he did not plan on marching his armies all the way across Europe just to fight for Ioannes’s folly, though the thought did have some appeal. He was getting annoyed by the praise and attention Marius Ghica was getting and he felt he needed to prove his prowess in battle to quiet the fools. He hated this love his nobles held for battles and victories. Couldn’t the fools see how his infrastructure projects were improving the country? Could they not think beyond expansion and conquest? Even Petrascu, his young son, was looking at Ghica like some kind of hero from his stories… He would need to do something about this, show them all who was king…

(The two sides of the war over Monferat)​

 

[IliciMan]

This will be the last update of this year. Next chapter will come in the second half of January.

Happy Holidays everyone.

 

[HistoryDude]

The king appears to be getting proud... I'm sure that won't be an issue!

I love how much of Europe went to war over a small Italian kingdom. At least Romania didn't lose anything from that catastrophe? Why did they honor the alliance? Did they believe that Naples and its coalition would win?

Italy is going to be the spark for a bunch of wars across Europe, isn't it?

Happy Holidays!

 

[IliciMan]

The king appears to be getting proud... I'm sure that won't be an issue!

Issue? There's no way a proud and envious king, being pressured to do something he doesn't like or is good at could ever be an issue...

I love how much of Europe went to war over a small Italian kingdom. At least Romania didn't lose anything from that catastrophe? Why did they honor the alliance? Did they believe that Naples and its coalition would win?

He rushed to answer the call when, on the other side, only Sicily and Castile where involved. France and Aragon accepted after

Italy is going to be the spark for a bunch of wars across Europe, isn't it?

Happy Holidays!

The Italian Balkans? Maybe, but after the alliance with Naples was ended, Romania will probably not be involved.

 

[Bullfilter]

It’s taken a while but I’ve finally caught up again. Romania has become strong, if not yet a great power. Having the Ottoman behemoth out of things will make this region in particular very different to the vanilla/OTL situation. Will be interested to see where things go from here.

 

[IliciMan]

It’s taken a while but I’ve finally caught up again. Romania has become strong, if not yet a great power. Having the Ottoman behemoth out of things will make this region in particular very different to the vanilla/OTL situation. Will be interested to see where things go from here.

I'm glad you enjoy it enough to follow it. Yeah, it's safe to say this is going in a completely different direction to the vanilla evolution