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Your Grace Joan II,
I am in despair at the loss of your brother Alfons V in battle against the Castillians. May he rest in peace with the almighty father. Now we have even more reason to inflict as much damage at Castille as possible, I yearn you to not leave a single castillian soldier left on the fields of Iberia.

Long live the new King of Aragon, may you be as great as you predecessor.

Yours truly
Erik Inge
 
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The only painting that remains of Adriano J. de Valencia
Name: Adriano Juan de Valencia, Abad de Abadía de St. Francisco de Asís
Date of Birth: 1408
Class: Clergy
Religion: Roman Catholicism
Bio:

Adriano Juan de Valencia was born to a small Aragonese merchant family in Valencia in 1408, where he lived and worked for the clergy of the Saint Mary's Cathedral. After Hug Bishop de Llupià send him to Bologna to study Catholic Philosophy and Theology, it was there that Adriano came into contact with the Franciscan Order, who teached him the religious ideologies that he would follow for the rest of his life. Adrian returned to Aragon in 1427, after finishing his studies and resigning the positions he held in the University of Bologna, to help the sickly Bishop de Llupià in the last days of his life who breathed his last breath on the dawn of the day of La Mercè. In recognizition of his service to the late bishop, the pastors of the region made Adriano Abbot of the St. Francisco de Assisi Abbey near Valencia, from where he would lead the Aragonese Fransiscan Order in their efforts to relief the poor and sickly. It was not until 1444, when Alfonso Bishop de Borja asked him to come to the Royal Court as Representative of the Bishopric Valencia, that Adriano's influence increased. Adriano's main goal is to return sobriety and piousness to the Royal Court, whether he can do Gods' work remains to be seen.
 
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1444-1447 - The Castilian War (Part I)

The end of 1444 was a buzz of activity as the people of Aragon prepared for a war with Castile. Three nobles of the realm were appointed as generals by His Majesty, Alfons V de Trastámara, King of Aragon and Naples. Lino Adrià María de Agramunt, Felipé de Alvaro, and Jaume Cristòfor were all entrusted with positions within the army command, although de Agramunt would be the first to catch the brave king’s eye. He would be placed in command of the Segon Exèrcit Principal, the second army that would consist of 8,000 infantry and 4,000 cavalry after a recruitment effort was completed. For now it only consisted of 3,000 infantry, placed under the command of the new general by the king himself, while the king led an army of 10,000 infantry and 5,000 cavalry. Leonardo de Abruzzi, a merchant from Naples, was permitted by the king to lead the Aragonese navy.



Even though the future war was on everyone’s minds, matters of diplomacy and trade were still of importance. Grandmaster Erik Inge sent the small Aragonese trade fleet to operate in the waters outside Tunis, where valuable goods could be conned out of the foolish heathen locals and shipped to Europe for practically nothing.

Alfons V himself dealt with diplomatic affairs. He sent spies to Castile, England, and Genoa, believing they were Aragon’s biggest rivals and that an eye should be kept on them at all times. As for potential allies, the recently hired Joseph von Thun was sent to the French court to secure an alliance while his colleague offered friendship to Navarra. Both accepted the offers. To further secure ties to these nations, the king arranged royal marriages with them both.

Portugal was another matter. At first Alfons V extended a similar offer of friendship, which the Portuguese agreed too. A month later, a Portuguese envoy arrived to arrange a potential marriage between the two royal families, but this was not to happen. Before the envoy had arrived, Alfons V learned that the Portuguese had broken his trust by allying with the Castilians. Not only that, but they had broken their alliance with England. This made them suspect in the king’s eyes. He would not sully his royal line with the blood of traitors.



Diplomat Joseph von Thun was given the most important and secretive of missions, one not revealed even to fellows members of the court. King Alfons V instructed him to sneak into the archives in Murcia and forge a few documents that linked the province to the Aragonese royal line. The plan was to use these claims as justification for war. Joseph von Thun left in the dark of night, ready to commit himself to a year’s worth of effort to ensure his new home would grow stronger.

While von Thun operated in secrecy in Murcia, his colleague was sent to Navarra to improve relations with their king. The hope was that Navarra would one day see the wisdom of accepting Aragonese protection from Castile. Navarra did have an alliance with France as well, but the French were not as interested in the Basque country.

After the new regiments were recruited, the treasury began to feel the strain. The kingdom was barely able to make a profit. Some questioned whether all of these funds were actually going towards the army. The fact that the palace was being refurbished at the time did not go unnoticed. The king chose not the comment on the matter.



As the possibility of war became more real with Castile, others in court looked towards the other potential targets that were considered. Tunis had allied itself with the Ottomans, a formidable foe, while Provence had sought out the Austrians for protection. War with either of those two would not have been that easy either.

In July of 1445, a succession war broke out between Brandenburg and Brunswick over the throne of Anhalt. The king and many within court laughed at this. Alfons V even commented that the only thing the crown of Anhalt was good for was as a wall ornament.

In August, Joseph von Thun was discovered by the Castilians and he was forced into hiding. The king was incredibly irate at this, since it jeopardized his potential war. Aragon’s neighbours would not think too highly of him if he went to war over false claims. For many days after, the king was heard saying that he’d punish von Thun dearly for getting caught, but the diplomat did not return.



October brought news of an independence war in the north. Sweden grew tired of Danish oppression and decided to fight its way free. The king did not think too much of this, although he did consult several of his court on the state of Naples afterwards.

Steward Arturo de Valencia had been doing the rounds for the last year, ensuring that the local officials were doing their job. The bureaucracy of the kingdom flowed much more smoothly with his guidance, ensuring stability for the nation. While travelling the kingdom during his duties, he made note of the significant Catalan population. They seemed to form a significant portion of the kingdom. He presented the potential idea to the king that the Catalan people might need better representation at court. Alfons V took this into consideration, but did not act on it for the moment.

Near the end of the year, Joseph von Thun finally returned from Murcia. The king’s anger had simmered down, but he was still ready to punish the man for his failure. However, when the diplomat ran into court waving the document the king needed, that opinion changed. Joseph von Thun may have failed to fabricate a claim on the province of Murcia, but during his time in Castile he had found actual proof that Alfons’ bloodline had a legitimate claim on part of the region. They could declare war with just cause.



Before war was officially declared, Alfons V brought his court before him and stated that he had reconsidered his position on alliances. While most of his court had originally suggested that alliances with France and Portugal were optimal, Alfons V no longer wanted to be Portugal’s friend while they were allies of Castile. He instead stated that he would force the Portuguese to break their alliance like the traitors they were by forcing them to come to Castile’s defence. Before then, Aragon would need more trustworthy allies. Some had suggested the Pope, although others believed he would be of no use in a war with Castile. It would be a suggestion by General Lino Adrià María de Agramunt that would catch the king’s ear. The noble suggested an alliance with Venice, a strong naval power in the Mediterranean. The king greatly liked this idea and announced his intentions to ally the Italian nation. The Venetians were even willing to accept, forging a bond of friendship between the two nations, one that would be tested immediately. With both Venice and France assuring Alfons V that they would back him up against Castile, the king declared war on Aragon’s greatest threat. Portugal even sent another offering of marriage in an attempt to smooth relations, but it was too late. Both Portugal and Burgundy came to Castile’s defence. Aragon was at war. ((I essentially used my veto to override the alliance with Portugal and choose Venice instead.))



Alfons V, with his army stationed in Valencia, marched immediately for the enemy fort in Toledo, with General Lino Adrià María de Agramunt protecting his flank. When a Castilian force of roughly 12 regiments was spotted guarding Toledo, Alfons called a halt and ordered the siege of Cuenca instead. de Agramunt was sent on to claim Murcia in the meantime.

The navy was not ignored. Under the leadership of Leonardo de Abruzzi, they engaged a Castilian fleet trying to blockade Valencia. The new admiral proved his mettle soon enough, sending the entire Castilian fleet to the bottom of the sea with only one galley lost. Another galley and two more barques were put under construction to supplement the navy and further the admiral’s successes.

Cuenca fell in mid-February, but by then more Castilian troops had appeared in Toledo, now numbering over 22 regiments. French troops were doddering around in southern France while Burgundy besieged Paris freely. At least Admiral de Abruzzi continued to achieve success at sea. A Castilian trade fleet was caught in the Gulf of Lion, with two ships sunk and the rest forced to retreat.



By the end of February, the Castilian army made a run at the king’s forces in Cuenca. General Lino Adrià María de Agramunt abandoned his siege of Murcia and immediately marched north to aid his king. As he arrived on the battlefield, a Portuguese army appeared in La Mancha on the way to aid their Castilian allies. The Portuguese traitors greatly boosted the odds against Alfons V. That did not stop the king from making the Castilians and Portuguese pay for every inch of ground in blood. After over a month of fighting, Alfons V was forced to call a retreat. He could not hold the position with the enemy having such overwhelming numbers. The Aragonese army fled to Roussillon to recover. At least on the positive side, the French had made an appearance on the border. 23 regiments were marching into Pirineo on their way to combat the Castilian threat. It was said that Bishop Fernando de Vascona blessed the French troops as they passed through his bishopric.

The French were quick to launch an assault on the Castilian and Portuguese force in Cuenca, even with smaller numbers. Alfons V did not want to lose this advantage of French assistance. He marched the entire Aragonese army in its battered state back across the kingdom to aid his allies. Before he could even arrive, much to his surprise, the French forced the enemy to retreat. The king liked to boast that it was the sight of Aragonese troops on the horizon that had scared them off.

Despite the war going on, trade was of vital importance to Aragon. Grandmaster Erik Inge provided backing for a major Aragonese trading company, promising them a long-term investment if they continued to bring in valuable trade goods to Aragonese ports. The deal quickly paid off and was expected to last for another ten years.



While the French handled Cuenca, the entire Aragonese army went straight for the fort in Toledo. Once Alfons V was sure that the area was safe from enemy forces, he ordered General de Agramunt south to take Murcia. They needed to claim the province if they wanted any hope of making the Castilians yield.

Up north, France was not faring so well. Burgundy had occupied several provinces and was threatening both Paris and Poitou. A Venetian army had surprisingly showed up in the north to defend the French land while France focused farther south. In even more surprising news, a Venetian army attempted a naval invasion of Porto with only a few thousand men. They faced a devastating loss, but none could doubt their bravery. When told the news, the king couldn’t help but laugh at their bravado. He had made an excellent choice in allies.

Murcia finally fell at the end of August and de Agramunt decided to march on west to Jaen. The southern provinces of Castile were not defended by forts, leaving them open to attack. At sea, de Abruzzi added another success to his list as he caught the Castilian trade fleet he had sent fleeing earlier as they attempted to escape from the recently occupied ports of Murcia. The admiral was then ordered to blockade the Straits of Gibraltar to keep any enemy navies from entering the Mediterranean and threatening Aragon directly.



Diplomat Joseph von Thun was sent on a diplomatic mission to France to improve cooperation with Aragon’s ally. They needed to coordinate their moves to ensure success. The two powers had to work together.

In September, the French fleet left Castile, heading back to France to deal with the Burgundian threat. Alfons V did not begrudge them this choice, although he would have preferred assistance against Castile. The fact that Naples was following France displeased him greatly though. When French troops passed through Pirineo heading north this time, Bishop Fernando de Vascona was noticeably absent.

Over in Anatolia, the Ottomans made gains. The heathens of the east were growing and could one day be a big threat to Aragon’s Mediterranean empire.

Jaen fell in October, so General de Agramunt moved on to Cordoba, which fell just as easily. The Castilians seemed to have backed off for now, which worried the general greatly. What were they up to?

A Castilian force of roughly 14 regiments was spotted in Soria in November heading for Aragon. With Alfons V bogged down sieging Toledo, de Agramunt marched towards home. Before he could get back though, the Castilian force surrounded the capital and put it to siege. The court escaped by ship beforehand, seeking shelter on the Baleares where the generous Esteban Iglesia y Maig gave them sanctuary. The Castilians could not reach them there.

With not enough men to uproot the Castilian siege army, General de Agramunt prepared to besiege La Mancha. Then word arrived of yet another Castilian army heading in from the north. de Agramunt moved to intercept, but the army stopped in Soria. He did not have the numbers to force a battle, so he would have to wait for them to make the move or the king to finish taking Toledo.



At the start of 1447, the Pope passed away, to be replaced by a French cardinal. This was met with much fanfare in Aragon, who rejoiced that their ally held the Papacy. The mood was further heightened when the new Pope recommended Bishop Fernando de Vascona for a place in the College of Cardinals. He had heard of how the bishop had blessed the French soldiers earlier and thought highly of the man. Aragon now had a representative in the Holy See.

The French army made a move to push Burgundy out of Poitou. They had the numbers, but a larger Burgundian force was on the way to reinforce. Despite having the advantage in numbers, the Burgundians had fresher troops. The tired French soldiers were forced to retreat with the hope of achieving victory another day.

In mid-January, the fortress in Toledo fell to the king’s forces, opening the entire region to Aragon and giving the army the opportunity to deal with the nearby threat. Alfons V moved up to Madrid, hoping to lure in the nearby Castilian and Portuguese forces. The Castilian army besieging Valencia instead responded to the threat, abandoning their siege and heading west. Instead of only two armies heading for Madrid, the king now had twice that number heading his way. There was no time to retreat either. General de Agramunt, in a valiant attempt to save his king, marched north as fast as he could. Despite his arrival, there was little he could do. The Aragonese army fought valiantly, with every Aragonese man who fell taking an enemy down with him. The 1:1 odds favoured the enemy though. After Alfons V was unhorsed during the chaos and knocked unconscious, General de Agramunt slung his king over a saddle of a horse and called the retreat. They could not win this battle.



With the war effort not going as well as hoped, Esteban Iglesia y Maig recommended a bright man by the name of Enric Gil de Biedma from his home province to be hired by the court to organize the war effort. The man had an excellent record of military service, but more importantly knew how to make an army function. It was hoped that his efforts could bolster morale. With the king incapacitated, Marshal Jaume Cristòfor hired the man in his stead for the war effort.

On the first of May in 1447, King Alfons V succumbed to his wounds inflicted during the battle of Madrid. General Lino Adrià María de Agramunt was at his side as he passed away and vowed he would avenge the king’s death by bringing victory against Castile. The Castilians would pay dearly.

With the king dead, his brother Joan II de Trastámara ascended to the throne. His heir was his son, the aptly named Alfons de Trastámara. It would now be Joan II who would lead Aragon either to greatness or disaster.




Presenting His Majesty, Joan II de Trastámara, King of Aragon and Naples ((Diligent, Content, Craven))

We greet our subjects with much sorrow, for we have lost our beloved brother. But we must continue on in his memory. A peace must be settled with Castile, if not now then when the war is more decided. At the moment we hold several Castilian provinces, including their capital of Toledo. France is faring far worse, with Burgundy now in control of central France. The French army is strong though and may be able to turn the odds in time, for the fort in Poitou continues to hold out. Castile will not settle a favourable peace yet, due to their military victories against us and Burgundy’s successful campaign in France. We will let our court interpret how the war should be handled as they will.



As for the state of the kingdom, it could be better. The population grows weary of war and is restless. At least relations with our allies have improved. Despite several setbacks, we have managed to stabilize the economy. Perhaps this is in party due to the less men we need to pay in the army. Speaking of our armed forces, they are depleted but no regiment has capitulated in entirety yet. The navy is strong and maintains a presence in the Straits of Gibraltar for now. We also congratulate Cardinal Fernando de Vascona on his recent appointment. The people of Aragon rejoice that we have a representative in the Holy See who can speak for us before Pope Innocentius VIII.



We shall not waste more of your time, what with a war raging on. For now the current ministers will resume their roles until the war ends. Any advice on how to win this war would be appreciated. We shall be visiting our friend Esteban Iglesia y Maig in the Baleares for the continuation of the war, where the Castilians cannot reach our royal person. Luck be with those brave men who fight the dastardly Castilians and traitorous Portuguese.
 
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Long live King Joan, Second of his name, King of Naples and Aragon.

I dare not say it for fear of speaking out of turn, but might it be advantageous, perhaps even useful to encourage the emirate that dares to call itself Iberian to wage war against Castile. This would be only be for convenience and would allow us to open another front against our common foe in Castile.

Renato Limmona

((Try to ally Granada, this would open another front and would cause Castile's truce with them to be re-set, showing us to break the alliance later and complete the Reconquista ourselves giving us 3 more provinces and also allows us to spread the light of Christendom to them.))
 
A cardinal. He still could not believe it.

Fernando had been in Rome for six months now but every sight was still a wonder. The Eternal City may not be the city it was at its peak but it was still full of marvel and splendor. The combination of ancient pagan and modern Christian monuments was truly inspiring.

Being a cardinal was nothing like being a priest or even a bishop, Fernando reflected. There was so much paperwork and discussion to attend to. The position felt more like a government post than a holy one as the Church had so many branches to oversee, being the largest organization in the world. Though the work was often tedious, he did appreciate the stimulating theological conversations with his fellow cardinals and he did appreciate the fact that he had the chance to help create church policy and influence interpretations of doctrine. Above all, he loved the access and closeness to His Holiness his position gave him. He did not speak with the Pope often but he savored every opportunity he could. Fernando was grateful to the man for all he had done for him.

Fernando snapped out of his reverie when he read the latest dispatch from Aragon. It appeared that the kingdom had lost a major battle at Madrid while much of central France had fallen to the Burgundians. What a shame to see fellow Christians slaughter each other. If only the French generals were as competent as the French pope, he thought to himself.

There was another dispatch underneath. Fernando's heart almost stopped as he read the words: the king was dead.


5WTecEg.png


To His Royal Higness, King Joan II of Aragon

It is with great sadness that I have recently learned of the passing of your brother, the late king. His Highness was a true Christian and a model for all rulers of Christendom to emulate.

May you draw strength from the memory of your brother in these trying times and may God bless your reign. The Roman Curia and all right-thinking Christians stand behind you.


God bless,

Cardinal Fernando de Vascona
 
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A cardinal. He still could not believe it.

Fernando had been in Rome for six months now but every sight was still a wonder. The Eternal City may not be the city it was at its peak but it was still full of marvel and splendor. The combination of ancient pagan and modern Christian monuments was truly inspiring.

Being a cardinal was nothing like being a priest or even a bishop, Fernando reflected. There was so much paperwork and discussion to attend to. The position felt more like a government post than a holy one as the Church had so many branches to oversee, being the largest organization in the world. Though the work was often tedious, he did appreciate the stimulating theological conversations with his fellow cardinals and he did appreciate the fact that he had the chance to help create church policy and influence interpretations of doctrine. Above all, he loved the access and closeness to His Holiness his position gave him. He did not speak with the Pope often but he savored every opportunity he could. Fernando was grateful to the man for all he had done for him.

Fernando snapped out of his reverie when he read the latest dispatch from Aragon. It appeared that the kingdom had lost a major battle at Madrid while much of central France had fallen to the Burgundians. What a shame to see fellow Christians slaughter each other. If only the French generals were as competent as the French pope, he thought to himself.

There was another dispatch underneath. Fernando's heart almost stopped as he read the words: the king was dead.


To His Royal Higness, King Joan II of Aragon

It is with great sadness that I have recently learned of the passing of your father, the late king. His Highness was a true Christian and a model for all rulers of Christendom to emulate.

May you draw strength from the memory of your father in these trying times and may God bless your reign. The Roman Curia and all right-thinking Christians stand behind you.


God bless,

Cardinal Fernando de Vascona


((*cough* Brother *cough*))
 
After the news about the death of Alfons V it has been said that Arturo hid away from everyone for few weeks grieving the loss of king which he treated like his friend. It's also said that he has been cursing himself for not being able to help Alfons out on the battlefield.

To His Majesty King Joan II de Trastámara
From Arturo de Valencia count of Zaragoza, current steward of the realm

I write to you my king to share with you the sadness after death of your brother. I will try to advice you as best as I can. I believe that we should order our armies to move north and support our allies in France. While it would leave our nation open to Castillian invader if we would succeed to help French armies they would be more helpful in Aragon. After we would return to our country we should take over Castillian gold mine as soon as an opportunity shows up. I would also make a statement: I hereby give up my and my whole family's claim to the county of Valencia. I hope your reign will see more success than the one of your brothers.
Yours truly
Arturo de Valencia count of Zaragoza, current steward of the realm

A smaller letter is attached addressed to cardinal Fernando de Vascona.

I wish to congratulate you on your success. Getting this prestigious position to one of our great clergymen makes our nation a lot stronger in the eyes of other rulers. Having influence in the Holy See truly shows how powerful our nation is. I wish to you great successes in the eternal city.
Arturo de Valencia count of Zaragoza, current steward of kingdom of Aragon and Naples.
 
Upon hearing the sad news, Rámon writes up a letter from his island fortress in Malta that is to be send to València immediately.

Your Majesty,
I can only express my deepest condolences regarding the untimely and tragic death of your brother. His name will be in my prayers from now on. I am sure you are aware of the fact that no forces left Malta to join your war effort and no knight of the Order can possibly partake in this military endeavour. The Castillian king and your predecessor - may he rest in peace - both respected our neutrality when it comes to wars between fellow Christian nations. I am sure that the order can expect the same from your Grace as well.

Considering the current state of the war that proves to make the knights' operations on the Iberian peninsula and in France more difficult with each passing day, I can only urge you to stop this foolish act of aggression before the Christian west is weakened any further. While Catholic brethren continue to kill each other, our unholy foes grow stronger in comparison to us. It is just a matter of time before other powers will start to turn on the weakened belligerents of this war. Furthermore, the war itself is not going well for either side. The Castillians hold the greater army, but parts of their land are under control of your Majesty's forces. Central France has fallen to your opponents. If the French will leave the war, I am afraid you will not be able to save the realm unscathed. It is better to stop now while preserving the status quo ante bellum is still possible.

I sincerely trust in your blessed rule and hope that the loss of Christian life will end soon.

Yours truly,
- Ramón de Montcada, Knight of Justice and Prelate of the Sovereign Order of St. John of Jerusalem, Prior of Malta

 
My grace Joan II de Trastámara,
Sorrow engulfs me as I write to you. King Alfons V de Trastámara , blessed be his name, was truly a king for all of Aragon and its possesions. I feel sorrow in my heart, but also rage. I vow to continoue this war in the late king name as long as it takes. I would also like to name my future army Exèrcit del Primer Rei (Army of the First King, seemed fitting) and vanquish those wretched castillians.
By now I believe we should move north and help our french allies, as I noticed Burgundy is not tied to Castilles peace terms, and can peace out whenever. So I say we march north and secure our northern flank and allow the french to assist us in Castille. Castille also seems to grow tired of the war, so I say, keep it up, continoue this war in the name of the late king! We will be victorious in the end! Gloria ad Regem! Gloria Deo! Gloria ad Aragon!

Your loyal servant,
Felipé de Alvaro

Another letter is sent to cardinal Fernando de Vascona.

I wish to congratulate you on your prestigious appointment as a cardinal in the Great city of Rome. Living so close to the Holy City, I feel happy to have a friend close by. Having one of our own in the Holy See shows that our already great country is destined for greater things. May your success inspire our own back home.

Felipé de Alvaro, count of Sassari
 
I grief your brother my King. He shall be remembered and I hope you will too.

We should seek peace as soon as possible. The war has gone beyond our nightmares and we if we can at least lose nothing then we should try to stop the war. I don't doubt your Majesty and the abilities of your generals but the King of France is losing and we are berely winning. A Peace with Honour will be the best we can get. I therefore suggest White Peace with Castile.
*Jofré whispers that they should have listened to his advice about attacking Tunis*

-Jofré Llançol de Borja, count of Urgell
 
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A Letter to Fernando Cardinal de Vascona, Bishop of Pirineo
- Private -

Your Most Reverend Eminence,

I wish to congratulate you on your appointment as Cardinal by His Holiness, Papa Nicolaus Quintus, and I wish to express my hope that God will guide you your new position in Rome. More importantly, and the reason why I write to you is the Kingdom of Aragon, which, despite its piousness, chose to take up the sword against a fellow Christian country, rather than the Mohammedans who still survive in the South of the Iberian Peninsula, this is, in my eyes, a grave mistake and one the Lord will not judge kindly. I hope you share my concerns with these recent wars against the Castilian brothers in arms and faith and that you and yours in the Eternal City will convince the King of Aragon or, if that fails, His Holiness, to end this unneeded and unfortunate war.

Your faithfully,

Adriano Juan de Valencia,
Abad de Abadía de St. Francisco de Asís,
Líder de la Orden Franciscana en Aragón
OFS
 
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A Message to the Court of His Majesty, King Joan II
(Public)
I write from the continent. I write from those fields where Aragonese men have shed their lives in the pursuit of glory and the aspirations of their King. It is easy to say, I assure you that it is easy to see a war is over at the first glance when you are not on the battlefield, but this war is not over. We have no true excuse to cease fighting, yet we have many more to continue!

Think of the Aragonese lives lost. Think about the life that King Alfons V gave for his people! Are you cowards? We will be- no, we must be victorious! The only way for us, as mortal men, to honor those lives lost is to secure victory, to march upon Toledo, to march upon the fields of Castille and her misguided allies! I am committed to continuing this war, but are you?

We are want of time, and I know [the Castillians] apparent advantages in manpower over our own, which is why I shalt admit that critical flaw which we face: the simple issue of manpower. Whilst the Aragonese man is far superior to his Castillian counterpart in all matters of the individual, the truth is that we can not match the sheer size of Castillian and Portuguese forces. As such, I will request an additional force, so as to bolster numbers within our corps, of at least 10,000 men of all dispositions, whether they be rightful Aragonese native or even the distasteful aspect of mercenaries.

We shalt not lose- we have no reason to lose, and I will fight to the day I die for the vision of King Alfons V. The real question is, "Will you join me?"


Lino Adrià María de Agramunt, Conde de Alicante
 
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My King

The deep sadness among peasants and nobles alike because of the death of your great brother Alfons V., may his name be spoken with respect, and the fact that he was killed by the enemy himself just shows how just our war is. We should not rest until every single man of the Castillian army has been captured or killed. But while our brave soldiers fight with the blessed strenght given to them by our great landsman and cardinal Fernando de Vascona, the common people can be seen with a great sadness all around our country. As you know, Alfons V. sent me to the French, but like every other living person in Aragon, I came to the funeral of your brother and thus saw how sad everyone was. Because of this, I want to start a petition which's goal is to lower the sadness of our people by giving them a place to pray with their landsmen. Of course I know that our architects currently still learn how to build such places, but you can never tell them early enough where they should start building.
Temple Act

Whenever the treasury can afford to build a temple and there is a Bishopric without one, one is to be built there.

I know that Your Royal Majesty likes sticking with the old paths, but this is not just a benefit for the common people, it also is of benefit for You. I also want to apologyze for having failed to forge a claim unnoticed. It makes me feel bad for having disappointed Alfons V. so short before his passing.

Your loyal servant
Joseph von Thun
Diplomat
 
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Alejandro sat at his desk with his eyes closed in quiet reflection. He had never seen a battlefield himself, and prayed he never would, but imagined it to be akin to descriptions of hell; full of blood, fire and suffering. This war had now claimed not just a generation of Aragonese youth, but the monarch as well. Such a heavy price. Such an avoidable circumstance. A war, he told himself, should be won before it is made.

To His Majesty, King Joan.
My deepest condolences on the death of your brother. He was a Lion among men, I cannot begin to express my sadness at his passing, nor the loss to our country.
In regards to the ongoing war, I council that we must not be afraid to seek peace, however we must also value the blood already shed and the lives already lost. I leave it to your generals to advise you on the feasibility of victory as such matters are beyond me.
May I also take this opportunity to recommend to you Adriano Juan de Valencia, a more pious and loyal servant of the church you will not find. It is my hope that he may render as much service to the crown.

Alejandro Sastre, Bishop of Valencia

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To Abbot de Valencia
Welcome to court, may the lord smile upon your endeavours as they are surely done in his name.

((OOC: I usurped Alfonso Borja's position as Bishop of Valencia and Attalus usurped his family name))
 
Cardinal de Vascona replies to all who have congratulated him on his recent appointment and offers them his most sincere thanks. He also expresses his support for the proposed Temple Act.

In his letter to Father Adriano de Valencia he shares the friar's misgivings about the escalating warfare in Western Europe and relays their concerns to his fellow cardinals in Rome. It is unclear what the Holy Father's position on the matter is, however.

((Sorry, I didn't feel like writing individualized letters to everyone thanking them for their well-wishes :p

I hope that is sufficient))
 
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Your Royal Highness Joan II,

sorrow over the loss of the great king and general Alfons V fills my heart. He lived a soldier, he died as such. In the end, his boldness brought victories and defeats, at last claiming his life. As bitter as the current situation of the war may be, we have to fight on in honour of Your brother. If the tide is against us, it is mostly due to Castile's allies, which have made progress in form of the Burgundians and assisting Castile in numbers and leadership as the Portuguese. We shall aim to get them out of the war.
As such, we have to either lead an offensive against Burgundy and repel them and their minions out of France, or bring them to the negotiation table. If Charles VII is ready to make some concessions, we could appease them with a French province. If we agree with the Roi that we shall take back any losses after we are strengthened, he may agree as well. We might need to send them financial assistance for the time of the truce, but Burgundy shall not hold any unlawful province of our ally for long.
As for Portugal, I recommend to strike at their biggest strength as well as their greatest weakness; if Admiral de Abruzzi thinks he has a good chance against the Portuguese fleet, we might attack them to blockade their ports. Faced with a blockade, the entusiasm of the Portuguese traitors to fight their former, good Christian ally, will certainly go down and we might be able to settle a peace.
A battle might be lost, but not the war. Over the straits of Gibraltar, the Berber infidels are eager to reclaim Ceuta. Should our war drag on, they will certainly attack. Portugal will regret to have stood against Aragon when Morocco attacks. Also, we have to use our superior income and the gold we have seized from Toledo to follow general de Agramunt's suggestion and recruit more men. The victory is more useful to us then full coffers, and I hope that Your Majesty shares this point of view. Through good choices and leadership, I pray that we might achieve victory.

Your humble servant,

Felice Castelozzi, Count of Palermo
 

We appreciate all your well-wishes for our dear departed brother. It is unfortunate to lose a king, let alone one in the midst of a war. We must press on though. As we have stated early, we shall keep the Council that our brother appointed. If they wish to suggest any plans for their ministry in relation to the war effort, they may do so. As for the Temple Act, we shall conduct an official vote shortly. We are distracted by the war, at the moment.

- His Majesty, Joan II de Trastámara, King of Aragon and Naples

((OOC: I usurped Alfonso Borja's position as Bishop of Valencia and Attalus usurped his family name))

((Valencia is our capital and is not designated as a bishopric, so it can't be claimed as such. Also, it is fine that Attalus used the Borja family. We're not trying to be entirely historically accurate here. I suppose I could start making it so each province has a county and bishopric, but I'd need everyone's opinion on it. I'll probably hold a vote on it after I gather my thoughts. As for another matter that has been bugging me, the king hands out titles. I was somewhat fine with people taking them without prior approval at the start, since we had so many empty provinces, but from now on all titles to counties and bishoprics must be given out explicitly by the king. Anyone who just states that they own a county or bishopric that I have not officially approved will most likely be denied them for going over the GM's head. However, if someone politely asks for one either in their character bio or in OOC, I will most likely grant their request. I just want to avoid people getting it into their head that they can take whatever province they want freely. It doesn't work that way.))
 
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((I refer you to my bio
... chosen as Bishop of Valencia shortly thereafter. ((I'm not claiming the province - he cares for the people's spiritual needs, although I'm sure he wouldn't object to an additional bishopric with temporal duties if one were to become available.))...

Just flavor, if it is confusing I will change it if you wish. I didn't say there was anything wrong with Attalus choosing Borgia as his family name, It's just TJDS refferanced Alfonso Borja, Bishop of Valencia in his bio and I was suggesting it was unlikely he existed in this world. Sorry for any confusion.))