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otaats

That Boi
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Nov 26, 2016
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Some of you might know me from the well-received 1.19 Serbia suggestion thread. This is a continuation of the topic, as some key points from that discussion materialized, such as adding Nándorfehérvár and returning fort to Smederevo. However, there is still job for me. The focus of this one is addition of new provinces in Serbia and its neighbors, as well as propositions for flavored events and decisions, and more. Marked provinces are the provinces of immediate Serbian 'sphere of influence' so i will cover them alone. Here is some traditional Serbian music for a less monotone read.

Struggle for the Adriatic coast

Although Đurađ Branković was fortunate to have entirety of Serbian Despotate restored with Peace of Szeged after a devastating five-year war, not everything was going 'well' in 1444. The Ottoman Sultan released Despot's captive sons, though two of them were blinded. During the war, most of the neighboring states conquered in parallel with the Ottoman Empire. Bosnian King and his unruly vassal in Herzegovina, managed to capture the west bank of Drina and Zeta. Seeing that he will lose the only two Adriatic ports he had left, Đurađ asked Venice to take Ulcinj and Bar under their protection, until Serbia is liberated or restored. After central rule was restored in Serbia, Venice dishonored this agreement, and the Serbian Despotate is to yet face it's greatest challenge..


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Province information:
Šumadija (tur.Semendire)
3/3/2 Smederevo (capital) Woods Copper
As Đurađ Branković became the Despot of Serbia in 1427, he had to return Belgrade to Hungary by treaty, so his first goal was to relocate his seat, further from the hostile southern border. A grandious Smederevo fortress was built in 1430, the largest flatland fortification in Europe. Southern Šumadija yielded some very lucrative ore extraction sites, such as Rudnik.
Braničevo (tur.Alacahisar)
3/3/2 Kruševac Highlands Livestock
This fertile province is home to monasteries of Morava architectural school, which is a style unique to 15th century Serbia. Once a prestigious capital of Prince Lazar's lordship, Kruševac was indeed still a central town in the province, but it's capital status in-game is incorrect. Another fortified town of strategic importance would be Golubac. It is located on the embankment of the Danube where it narrows to form the Iron Gates gorge, allowing for the regulation and taxation of traffic along the river.

Raška (tur.Yenipazar)

3/3/1 Trgovište Hills Livestock
Meandering hills of Raška, the heartland of medieval Serbia, are covered with dense forests. Home to some of the oldest and most important Serbian monasteries, the province is well protected by many fortifications on barely accessible hilltops, severely hindering the enemy movement historically. Trgovište was an urban square located on the cross section between Belgrade, Kotor, Dubrovnik and Kosovo. To the west, Stari Grad in Užice was a key fortress overlooking the Bosnian road and Drina river.
Toplica (tur.Ürgüp)
2/2/1 Prokuplje Hills Wine
Prokuplje, an important town of the Toplica region, was originally founded by the Romans. Under Byzantine and Serb rule, it's old winemaking tradition was nurtured. It was fortified by Prince Lazar of Moravian Serbia, becoming known for Prokupac, a type of wine authentic to Toplica region, made of durable, sugar-rich grapes of the same name. It was one of the most important towns in the state for it's city status, also possessing a thriving merchant community from Dubrovnik. The Ottomans conquered the fortress in 1454, naming the town Ürgüp. For the next four centuries, Toplica region was a hotspot of clashes between rebels and Ottomans.
Niš (tur.Nish)
3/3/1 Niš Woods Livestock
Niš is a very old and populous city with several layers of history, but it was razed to the ground many times. Ever since the Ottoman conquest of Bulgaria and Macedonia, the Morava valley was constantly threatened by Ottoman raids. This province contained quite a few developed towns, but as a whole suffered during Crusade of Varna, witnessing heavy fighting and mass plunder. By 1444 copper mines near Niš were abandoned due to their perilous position. Under Ottoman rule, Niš maintained it's importance as a key stop between Belgrad and Kostantiniyye, as the Ottomans expanded it's fortress significantly.
Kosovo (tur.Kosova)
3/4/2 Priština Highlands Gold/Coal
Kosovo was the seat of Patriarchate of Peć and many monasteries, few among which are Gračanica, Visoki Dečani, and Ljeviš. The nucleus of these monasteries formed Metohija, territory of the Orthodox church. Rapid Serbian rise to power from 13th century onward, came due to the opening of mines, mainly in Kosovo. Novo Brdo was a large urban settlement, numbering around 15k inhabitants in the early 15th century. It was considered the second strongest fortification in Serbia, resisting one Ottoman siege for two years. It was the most lucrative mining hub in Europe between 1400-1450's, possessing high-quality silver, gold, lead and zinc in large quantities. Sass purgers and merchants from Dubrovnik enjoyed great privileges in this city, having their own city councils and Latin churches built to practice catholic faith. Trepča is still one of the wealthiest lead and zinc mines in Europe.
Proliferation of these mines made the Serbian Despotate a top exporter of silver and one of the wealthiest realms in Europe. In 15th century, weight (and value) of the silver Perper increased by 300%. Kosovo was conquered by the Ottomans in 1455, who were in the long run incapable of maintaining the state and standard of it's mines under former administration, though a large effort was initially made to keep the town's original miners, who moved on to work in Spain.
Zeta (tur.Karadağ; int.Montenegro)
2/2/1 Žabljak Crnojevića Mountains Wool
Territory of Zeta was scarcely populated (around 30k in the mountains against 50k living on the coast). All-mountain terrain was not convenient for quick travel or establishing effective trade routes, so locals were more isolated than elsewhere in the realm. This area was often more trouble than worth for conquerors, due to resistive population unwilling to pay taxes. Old Montenegro was never fully conquered by the Ottomans due to disproportionate casualties which Ottoman troops suffered whenever they sent punitive armies.
The regional lord of Zeta in 1444 was Stefan Crnojević. Having to cede his holdings to Duke of Herzegovina in 1443, he was angered by friendly relations between Kosača and his own overlord, Đurađ. This prompted him to seek independence with Venetian support, as Serbia was again invaded by the Ottomans in 1450s. His seat was in Žabljak Crnojevića. His son Ivan founded Cetinje in 1470's as the new seat of the realm.
Càtaro (srb.Kotor; ita-esp.Cattaro)
4/2/2 Kotor Hills Naval supplies
Montenegrin coast yields several vibrant ports, and a key strategic location in the Adriatic Sea - Bay of Kotor. It's fjord-esque topography served as a natural harbor for ships, and its' many ports served as important trading and pirating hubs. This layout shows some of these features.
Kotor was the most important Serbian port city throughout the middle ages. At it's peak in 14th century, commerce in Kotor rivaled that of Ragusa and Venice respectively. The city was independent after Serbian Empire fractured, before recognizing the suzerainty of Venice in 1420. Nearby towns with closely nurtured maritime traditions, such as Perast, Risan, Tivat, Herceg Novi, Budva, Ulcinj, and Bar, thrived under Venice, that left a huge cultural legacy in the area.
Hercegovina (tur.Trebine)
2/2/2 Trebinje (capital) Highlands Livestock
Highlands of Travunia represent the region of Herzegovina with Trebinje as its historical center. Since 7th century, Travunia was considered "land of the Serbs", and remained so until 1355, when it came in possession of Bosnia due to the weakened state of the Serbian Empire.
In the 1430s, a noble from Kosača family, a Bosnian vassal, expanded his influence towards the Bay of Kotor by seizing a small fishing settlement. Seeing that he can profit from salt trade, he built a big citadel, naming the town Herceg Novi, his new seat. Fall of Herceg Novi in 1482 is marked as the end of Duchy of Saint Sava.
Hum (tur.Hersek)
2/3/2 Mostar Mountains Wool
Mostar, whose name comes from the South Slavic word for bridge, was a town that was inhabited by many famous Slavic bridge builders of the time. Hum area was prestigeous for the many rivalling voivodes in Bosnia. In the beginning of the 15th century, Hrvoje Vukčić Hrvatinić ruled over the western Hum, and Sandalj Hranić Kosača ruled over its eastern part, while the Neretva river remained a border between their possessions.
Bosnian vassal Stjepan Vukčić Kosača, lord of Travunia and Eastern Hum, dropped his title "Voivode of Bosnia", assuming the title Herzeg of Hum and the Coast and later Grand Duke of Saint Sava.
Nándorfehérvár (srb.Beograd; tur.Belgrad: ita,lat,esp: Belgrado)
4/4/4 Beograd Hills Iron
Strategically important since time immemorial, Beograd became a European metropole under Despot Stefan Lazarević, who built a large and well engineered fortress, expanded the city walls to the lower town, and built a port and a large market along with many monasteries. It is believed that the city had over 50 thousand inhabitants in 15th century. Despot's walls proved instrumental during Siege Of Belgrade in 1456 and battles that followed. Control of the city enabled it's rulers to project power over trade through Danube and especially Sava. Serbs and Hungarians, as well as the Ottomans all had benefited greatly from this. Belgrad was the 2nd largest city in the in 16th century Rumelia, right after Kostantiniyye.
Szerém (srb.Srem; tur.Sirem; int.Syrmia)
2/2/1 Mitrovica Farmlands Livestock
Many estates in the southern Pannonian plains were settled by Slavs, and were even administered by Slavic nobility under Hungarian crown at times. As Serbia started to lose territory to the south, part of the population migrated to Branković's estates in Hungary. Mitrovica and Slankamen were the most important Branković estates in Syrmia.
Serbia
Šumadija (Smederevo)
Braničevo (Kruševac)
Raška (Trgovište)
Morava (Niš)
Toplica (Prokuplje)
Kosovo (Priština)
Zeta (Žabljak)
Hungary
Macsó/Nándorfehérvár - Beograd (Beograd)
Szerém - Srem (Mitrovica)
Bácso - Bačka
Torontál - Banat
Venice
Càtaro - Kotor
Spalato - Dalmacija
Durazzo - Drač
Naxos - Naksos
Corfu - Krf
Crete - Krit
Negroponte - Evbeja

Ottomans
Üsküp - Skoplje
Manastir - Bitolj
Ohri - Ohrid
Avlunya - Valona
Yanya - Epir
Kesriye - Kostur
Selanik - Solun
Edirne - Jedrene
Nigbolu - Nikopolj
Filibe - Trnovo
Sofya - Sofija
Silistre - Silistra

Byzantium
Constantinople - Carigrad
Athens - Atina
Achaea - Ahaja
Morea - Moreja

Wallachia
Temes - Temišvar
Oltenia - Mala Vlaška
Tirgoviste - Trgovište

Genoa
Chios - Hios
Albania
Lezhë - Lješ
The Knights
Rhodes - Rodos
A new tag and NI sets:
Duchy of Saint Sava (Ducatus Sancti Sabae, Vojvodstvo Svetog Save, војводство Светог Саве) was a late medieval state which existed amid the Ottoman conquest of the Balkans (1435-1482). It was ruled by Stjepan Vukčić and his son Vladislav Hercegović of the Kosača noble family.

Stjepan Vukčić Kosača (1435-1466)
Vladislav Hercegović Kosača (1466-1483)
Vlatko Hercegović Kosača (1466)
Stjepan Hercegović Kosača (Hersekli Ahmed Pasha)

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Kosača noble family, once loyal vassals of Stefan Dušan, built up their power within the Bosnian realm in 1430s, ruling over Travunia and Hum. The first known endowment of the family was the foundation of Herceg Novi in 1435.

An unruly vassal of the Bosnian king, expansionist tendencies of Stjepan Vukčić Kosača peaked between 1441-1451. He refused to recognize the accession of Roman Catholic king Tomaš, proclaiming himself a semi-independent herzog, recognizing the suzerainty first of the Ottoman Empire, then Aragon, and again the Ottomans. Peace was briefly restored by the marriage of king Tomaš and Stjepan's daughter Katarina, but it did not last long. In 1441, he acted together with Tomaš and invaded Zeta, which was cut off from central Serbian rule during the Ottoman invasion. Herzegovina contested two Serbian ports, Ulcinj and Bar, to be eventually repelled by Venetian naval presence. He managed to conquer Mileševa (monastery where the relics of Saint Sava were kept), and most of Zeta, though Peace of Szeged in 1444 spoiled most of his gains by fully restoring Branković's despotate.

Being beforehand strongly against this plan, these events forced Stjepan to change his diplomacy entirely. He was now actively seeking reconciliation with Đurađ, returning to him all of conquered possessions in Zeta. Kosača offered Branković alliance against the king of Bosnia, who also used the Ottoman advance to conquer Srebrenica. Relationship between Stjepan and Đurađ was at it's highest in 1448, when Stjepan officially titled himself as Grand Duke of Saint Sava, after the first Serbian archbishop, Saint Sava. The two waged war with Bosnia in 1448, and Branković managed to recapture Srebrenica and Višegrad as a result.

In 1451 Stjepan besieged Dubrovnik. As he was also a Ragusan noble, the Dubrovnik council now proclaimed him a traitor. During the long siege, a reward of 15,000 ducats, a palace in Dubrovnik worth 2,000 ducats, and an annual income of 300 ducats was offered to anyone who would kill him. This eventually rendered him to end the siege.

Stjepan's eldest son Vladislav is known to have interfered with his affairs. After a territory dispute with Stjepan, Vladislav accused him of defection to Hungaro-Serbian alliance at the Porte. This infuriated Stjepan, as he believed that unnecessary attention was drawn to his domain. Stjepan died in 1466, and Vladislav attempted to kill his brother Vlatko, suspecting Stjepan will make him his heir. Vlatko took refuge as a noble in Dubrovnik. Vladislav's youngest brother Stjepan defected to the Ottoman court and converted to Islam in 1470. Although he was paying tribute to Ottoman sultan, Vladislav was actively seeking support for independence. He married Anna Kantakouzene through Branković dynasty, starting to openly defy Turkish authority in 1480. The fall of Herceg Novi in 1483 marks the end of Duchy of Saint Sava.

Vojvoda in German translation is Herzog (or duke), and this would later give the name to the present-day region of Herzegovina, as the Ottomans used Hersek Sancağı (Sanjak of the Herzog) for the province which was transformed into an Ottoman Sanjak of Herzegovina.
Traditions
+15% Reinforce speed
+15% Manpower recovery speed
Ideas
Code of Laws
A compendium of several legal systems enacted by Stefan Uroš IV Dušan in 1349 in Skopje. It was used as the constitution of Serbian Empire and the succeeding Serbian Despotate. The Code regulated several aspects of life, especially addressing brigandry within the realm.
-10% Stability cost modifier

Home of the Hussars
Chonsaroi, irregular light cavalry formations, were traditionally recruited in Byzantine-held Serbia since 10th century. As Europe at the time relied on heavy cavalry, the tradition of light cavalry remained and evolved in the area. These cavalry formations had a profound influence on European cavalry warfare since early 15th century, especially in Hungary, Poland, Austria, and Russia.
+15% Cavalry combat ability

Code of Mines
Expand Despot Stefan's Code of Novo Brdo, and invite the second wave of Sass miners to settle and administer the wealthy ore extraction sites in our lands. The Serbian Despotate shall be the wealthiest state in Europe once again.
+10% Production efficiency

Bastion of Orthodoxy
With the Ottoman Empire looming on the eastern horizon, and most of the Balkans subdued before the Baryaktar, Serbia shall serve as the last Balkanite bastion of Orthodoxy, the continuation of the Eastern Christian civilization.

+10% Morale of armies
Serbian Patriarchate of Peć
The Serbian Patriarchate of Peć has a large influence and enjoys big prestige for the many Orthodox christians in the region. Borders of it's jurisdiction dwarfs those of our own realm, and we will use that to further and solidify our claims.
+1 Tolerance of True Faith

Morava School

Our most distinctive architectural style started developing in one of the most uncertain times in our history. We shall increase its prestige and influence in the region by continuing our rich tradition of partonizing beautiful monasteries. The splendor of Morava school will live on forever.
+0.5 Yearly prestige
+0.5 Yearly legitimacy

Serbian Hajduks
Unlike their northern counterparts in Hungary, Hajduks in Serbia and the neighboring Balkans, earned a more infamous reputation. These men lived the hard life of brigands, always in danger and on the move - preying on poorly defended roads and ambushing Ottoman tax collectors and merchants. During wars these experienced, tough men often filled the ranks of Serbian armies, providing excellent - if a bit undisciplined - infantry.

+10% Infantry combat ability
Ambition
+10% Institution spread
Traditions
+1 Attrition for enemies
+15% Fort defense
Ideas
Legacy of Dioclea
The legendary Dioclea was the first medieval styled South Slavic state to break free from the might of the Byzantine Empire. Small and largely comprised of harsh mountainous lands, Dioclea was home to great generals and superb ambushers. Many Byzantine armies perished in its gorges and narrow river valleys.
+1% Yearly legitimacy
Clan society
Traditionally the Montenegrin society has always been divided into clans or houses spanning the entire countryside. Few things were considered more sacred than physical prowess and valor among the men of these clans, making for a superb and eager source of infantry manpower.

-10% Infantry cost

Metropolinate of Montenegro
Montenegrins have historically been members of the Serbian Orthodox Church, governed by a Metropolitan of their own. Hence the Metropolitanate of Montenegro and the Littoral was created, a position that we must reaffirm and remind our neighbors of.
+1 Tolerance of True Faith

Balkan Gusars
The Balkan peninsula's coast of the entire length of the Adriatic Sea has a very long tradition of piracy, going back into early middle ages. Generations of men have spent their entire careers as Gusars (or Pirates), intercepting and looting unlucky Italian merchant ships, before disappearing into hidden coastal coves.

+10% Embargo efficiency
+15% Privateer efficiency
Čojstvo & Junaštvo
A supreme moral codex of the Montenegrin society dictating the ultimate norms of behavior of man in all maters: Humanity and Courageous valor. Rooted deeply in our society it is a great source of honor, courage and enthusiasm for our people, to never fear, run away from battle, or falter and instead always face the enemy, however powerful they might be.

+5% Army morale
+2.5% Discipline

Call of the Sea
Having a significant coastline has always meant that the people of various coastal principalities were a part of a larger Mediterranean and European community. Trade, commerce and ideas are all known to have come from the sea and brought home by the experienced sailors.

+1 Yearly navy tradition
Tax reform
Throughout history our clans have relied on an ad hoc system of tax collection, mostly based on actual need of the day. But truly, if our state is to join the family of modern European countries, we must reform our taxation system and impose a more reliable and fair one.

+10% National tax modifier
Ambition
+15% Infantry combat ability
Traditions
+20% Religious unity
-10% Construction cost
Ideas
Duchy of Saint Sava
By adopting the title of Duke of Saint Sava, we shall strengthen bonds with Serbia and enforce our political and religious independence from Bosnia.
+2 Tolerance of True Faith

Salt Trade
Our family has realized that our true economic potential is trading in salt through our port in the Bay of Kotor. We will benefit from neighboring wars by trading with the belliguered sides, provided we don't get caught in the middle of it ourselves.

+10% Trade efficiency
Christian Syncretism
We will not be shaken by the same weakness that is historically troubling Bosnia. Christians of either allegiance shall be tolerated within the boundaries of our realm.
+1 Tolerance of heretics

Flexible Diplomacy
In order to survive between greater powers in the region, we need a proactive and flexible foreign policy, and people who can achieve these diplomatic feats. We are a stabilizing factor in the region, and we will use this fact to suit only our own needs.

+30% Improve relations
Balkan Uskoks
By hiring traditional maritime, river and road brigands of the area, we shall have a pesky army that no one wants to chase into our vast mountain gorges and killing fields.

+10% Movement speed

+5% Morale of armies
Religious endowments
We shall patronize all native religious legacy in the region, and staunchly support building of new monasteries and buildings to nurture the culture of peoples inhabiting our lands.

+1 Yearly legitimacy

Merciless highlands

Anyone who lingers the mountain of Čemerno shall meet their end, losing themselves in what feels like eternal silence, emptiness and brutality of the terrain. Naturally, our ambushers will wait on the other side of extremely cold weather, scarcity of food and unstable terrain.
-10% Hostile movement speed

Ambition
+1 Leader maneuver
Events & decisions:
Despotissa Eirena Kantakouzenos gained notoriety among the common people for her harsh treatment of peasantry and frequent imposed labor. Her request that the peasants are to provide their own eggs for use in building Smederevo fortress, as a quality binder to mortar, was especially not popular. Remembered as Damned Jerina in the folklore, she did manage in massive undertakings, such as speeding up the construction of Smederevo, and building many other fortresses, such as Ostrovica and Brangović.
  • Hard times require hard measures.
  • Gain 1 unrest in all provinces for 10 years.
  • Construction time 15% faster for 10 years.
  • Smederevo: +15% local defensiveness for 10 years.
  • Smederevo: -25% production for 10 years.
Requirements: Tag: Serbia; Year: 1445.
The wealthy mines of Novo Brdo in the 15th century were especially known for the production of glam silver, a type of silver containing up to one third gold, increasing its value immensely. Merchants of Dubrovnik have always sought to purchase this ore at the price of ordinary silver, then refine the gold themselves, and gain enormous profits.
  • Not today.
  • Gain 2 mercantilism.
  • Gain 10 Prestige
  • Gain 75% Production in Kosovo (1 year)
  • Gain 1% inflation.
  • Ragusan opinion of Serbia decresed by 25.
  • We can make certain concessions..
  • Gain annual income.
  • Lose 10% Production in Kosovo (1 year)
  • Lose 2% inflation
  • Gain 0.25 corruption
  • Ragusan opinion of Serbia increased by 75.
Requirements: Tag: Serbia; Owns Kosovo; Ragusa exists; Repeatable event.
Stefan Crnojević of Zeta, unhappy with his recent territorial concessions and impending doom of the Despotate, is seeking to establish a throne independent from Despot Đurađ. Venice, that has recently dishonored the agreement to return Ulcinj and Bar to Đurađ Branković, is actively supporting Stefan's independence. Declining Crnojević's claim may lead us into an open conflict with Venice.
  • They shall not humiliate us further!
The Despot rejects.
  • 10 Montenegrin Separatist regiments rise in Zeta.
  • Venice gains 'support Rebels' Cassus Belli.
  • We are in no position to fight Venice. We have to concede.
  • Duchy of Montenegro becomes a march of Venice.
  • Ruler: Stefan Crnojević
  • Heir: Ivan Crnojević.
Requirements: Tag: Serbia; Year: 1450-1500; Serbia owns Zeta.
Orthodox monasteries of Mount Athos are going through hard times. Greece is now in the hands of a hostile faith, and the Athonite monasteries, among which is our holiest foundation Hilandar, are almost defensless from various outlaws and brigands. Athonite monasteries' property rights are not yet ratified, which means that the Ottoman Empire will stop no attempts at holy lands of Athos. With Byzantium now being a thing of the past, the Greek Athonite monasteries need a new benefactor. Mara Branković, Đurađ's daughter and the wife of the Sultan, can use her influence to protect Mount Athos from within the Ottoman Empire.
  • Send a courier to Mara.
The Despot contacts Mara and donates funds for Athonite monasteries.
  • Gain 15 Patriarch Authority.
  • Lose 100 ducats.
  • Clergy opinion of you +10.
  • All Orthodox nations opinion of Serbia +50
  • Lord, have mercy..
The monasteries are left on their own.
  • Lose 20 Patriarch Authority
  • Clergy opinion of you -20
Requirements: Tag: Serbia; Year: 1450-1455.
Constantinople has fallen. Though we were forced to send our sappers and a cavalry squadron for the Ottoman cause, we can try and appeal to the Sultan and pay ransom for our Orthodox brethren who are destined to suffer, as we did back in 1430 when Salonica fell. Influx of Greeks can help us improve our officer corps, raise our art style to new heights, and fill ranks of our armies.
  • We can at least do what's within our power.
The despot pays ransom for several thousand citizens
  • Gain support for Renaissance in capital.
  • Gain 1 base manpower in random province
  • Lose 50 ducats
  • They are lost. There's nothing we can do.
The citizens are left to their destiny.

Requirements: Tag: Serbia; Byzantium does not exist.
The Crnojević printing house in Cetinje was the first printing house in Southeastern Europe, and the first state press in the world. The press was operated by Serbian Orthodox monks at the supervision of hieromonk Makarije. It was founded by Đurađ Crnojević, the ruler of Zeta between 1490 and 1496.
  • Zeta: development cost -10%
  • Gain support for Printing Press spread in capital.
  • Gain 5 patriarch authority.
Requirements: Tag: Montenegro or Serbia; Printing Press spawned.
With the fall of Serbia, these mountains shall serve as a beacon of freedom of our people. We shall unite the clans under the most capable Vladika of Serbian Orthodox Church. Montenegrins will never kiss the chains, and we will fight forever if need be!
  • Montenegrin government change to Theocracy.
  • Montenegrin capital moved to Cetinje.
  • Gain Montenegrin heroism modifier until the end of the game (+5% army morale).
  • Prince-Bishop Vavil (2/2/5) becomes the ruler of Montenegro.
Requirements: Tag: Montenegro; Year: 1515.
Extra content:
Arrival of the Slavs (500-610)
Sclaveni, a major Slavic tribe, entered the Balkans, raiding as far as Constantinople in the 6th century. The Serbs are mentioned in De Administrando Imperio as having permanently settled the region during the reign of Byzantine Emperor Heraclius (r. 610–641), lead by the Unknown Archon. Archaeological evidence shows that they have reached the Balkans earlier, as many item findings point to Serbian characteristics and thus represent traces of either part of the Byzantine foedorati or a fraction of the early invading Slavs who upon organizing in their refuge of the Dinarides, formed the ethnogenesis of Serbs and were pardoned by the Byzantine Empire after acknowledging their suzerainty. In Byzantine historical records, Serbs are also referred to as "Triballi" in several instances, possibly due to integration of the old Celtic tribe of the region.

NIpvO5u.jpg

Church of the Holy Apostles Peter and Paul

Vlastimirović era (610-971): Principalities
According to De Administrando Imperio, baptized Serbia - Rascia, included the inhabited cities of Destinikon, Tzernabouskeï, Megyretous, Dresneïk, Lesnik, and Salines, while the chorion of Bosni
a, part of Serbia, had the cities of Katera and Desnik. As many Serbs were also inhabiting Greece, they were in service of the Emperor, and were granted settlements in different corners of the Byzantine Empire, good example being Gordoservon in Phrygia.

Detailed records about Serbs in their first two centuries on the Balkans are scarce, as they, for the most part, held mountainous hinterlands in the Dinaric Alps. The first well known ruler was Višeslav, and the first capital was in Ras. The remaining emerging Serb principalities were Dioclea, Travunia, Zachlumia, and Pagania. These polities bordered Rascia to the north. The most powerful of these rulers was titled "Prince of the Serbs" (αρχων Σερβλίας).


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Serbian Principalities, ca. 800.

Vojislavljević era (971-1080): Rise of Duklja
Dioclea roughly encompassed territories of present-day southeastern Montenegro and northern Albania, from the Bay of Kotor in the west to the Bojana river and Skadar in the east, and to the sources of the Zeta and Morača rivers in the north. Jovan Vladimir is an early notable ruler of Dioclea, the first Serbian ruler proclaimed as a saint. Today his feast day is mostly celebrated by Orthodox Albanians. Dioclea was a subject of
Byzantine Empire, until Stefan Vojislav revolted in 1040, beating the army sent to squash his rebellion. Emperor then sent an army larger than 40,000 to deal with Vojislav in 1042. This army suffered a major defeat in the Battle of Bar, as most of the men, along with 7 Strategoi, were lost.

After a sound victory, Stefan Vojislav managed to take control over entire Dioclea, founding the Vojislavljević dynasty. Under Mihailo Vojislavljević (r. 1043-1080), and his son, Constantine Bodin (r. 1081–1101), Duklja saw its apogee. Mihailo was given the nominal title King of Slavs by the Pope after having left the Byzantine camp and supported a Slavic uprising in the Balkans, in which his son Bodin played a central part. Having incorporated the Serbian hinterland and installed vassal rulers there, this maritime principality emerged as the most powerful Serb polity, seen in the titles used by its rulers ("Prince of Serbia", "of Serbs").

However, its rise was short-lived, as Bodin was defeated and pushed to the background. His relative and vassal Vukan became independent in Rascia, and continued to fight Byzantium, while Dioclea was struck with civil wars. Between 1113 and 1149 Dioclea was the centre of Serb–Byzantine conflict, with members of the Vojislavljević as protégés of either fighting each other for power. In the end, Dioclea was incorporated as a crown land of the Grand Principality of Serbia ruled by the Vukanović dynasty, subsequently known as Zeta, remaining so until 16th century.

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The Serbs massacre the Byzantines in the mountain passes / Madrid Skylitzes

Vukanović era (1090-1166): Grand Principality
Grand Principality of Serbia was founded in 1090. During the reign of Constantine Bodin, the King of Duklja, Vukan was appointed to rule Rascia as a vassal, and when Bodin was captured by the Byzantines, Vukan became independent and took the title of Grand Prince. When Bodin had died, Rascia became the strongest entity, in which the Serbian realm would be seated, in hands of the Vukanović. Uroš I, the son of Vukan, ruled Serbia when the Byzantines invaded Dioclea, and Rascia would be next in line, but with diplomatic ties with the Kingdom of Hungary, Serbia retained its independence. Uroš II initially fought Byzantium, but after a defeat soon swore oaths of servitude to the Emperor. Desa, the brother of Uroš II and an initial Byzantine ally, turned to Hungarian support, but was deposed in 1163, when Stefan Tihomir of a cadet line was put on the throne by the Byzantine Emperor. Tihomir's son Nemanja was the founder of the most famous Serbian dynasty, the Nemanjić.

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Grand Principality of Serbia, ca. 1190.

Nemanjić era (1166-1371): Rise of a Kingdom, Serbian Empire, and it's fall
Stefan Nemanja, the eponymous founder of the Nemanjić dynasty, commited his life to fight for independence, fighting the Byzantine Empire on three different occasions. His great reputation as a honorable ruler and warrior saved him after eventually losing each of his clashes with Byzantium. In 1190, he finished his magnificent endownment, the marble Studenica monastery. In 1192 Nemanja's youngest son Rastko retired to Mount Athos where he accepted monastic vows and took the name Sava. This greatly saddened Nemanja, who grew tired of ruling, and took monastic vows to serve alongside his son. In 1199, the two built monastery of Hilandar on Mount Athos. Upon completion of the great monastery, Nemanja died.

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Hilandar, Mount Athos

He was succeeded by his middle son, Stefan I. Nemanja's youngest son Rastko who became a monk (Sava), turned his efforts in spreading religion among his people. The Catholic church had ambitions to spread its influence to the Balkans, and Stefan I took advantage and obtained the royal crown from the Pope in 1217, marrying a Venetian noblewoman Anna Dandolo. In Greece, Sava managed to secure autocephaly for the Serbian Church and became the first Serbian archibishop in 1219. In the same year Sava issued the first constitution in Serbia, Zakonopravilo. Thus the medieval Serbian state acquired both forms of full independence: political and religious. Stefan's greatest endownments were the Maglič fortress, Reževići monastery in Budva, and the Žiča monastery, in which he was crowned King.

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Maglič "The Foggy One"

The next generation of rulers, Stefan's three sons - Radoslav, Vladislav and Uroš I, somewhat marked a period of stagnation of the state structure. They were more or less dependent on the neighbouring states - Byzantium, Hungary or Bulgaria.

According to monk Theodosius,
Radoslav was respected at first, but then fell under the influence of the daughter of Theodore Komnenos Doukas, ruler of Epirus and Thessaly. Radoslav was not beloved by the Serbian nobility due to this Greek influence. He used his Greek name, Stephanos Doukas, on his coinage, in several documents and even once in his signature. Nobility was planning to overthrow Radoslav, and seeing this, he escaped to Dubrovnik in 1233. From there, he contacted Archbishop Sava, who welcomed him back to Serbia. Radoslav then took monastic vows. According to Teodosije, Sava did this to protect Radoslav from Vladislav.

In 1235, on a way back from his pilgrimage to Jerusalem, Sava died while visiting the Bulgarian court. On this trip he founded Serbian cells in Mar Saba, and contributed soldiers for protection of monastic cells and monasteries there. His body was returned to Serbia after series of requests, and was then buried in the Mileševa monastery, built by Vladislav. Mileševa's frescoes are not only considered the finest works of art in medieval Serbia, but one particular fresco, White Angel, is considered one of the greatest achievements in European painting of the time.

Stefan Uroš I "The Great" managed to start practicing more independent politics, partly due to economic development through opening of mines. These mines were developed by the Sasi (Saxons), who were experienced in ore extraction. The Sasi lived under their own laws and were allowed to adhere to Catholicism and build their churches. In 1252, Uroš I waged war with Ragusa, which concluded in agreement by which Dubrovnik was to pay protection tribute to Serbian kings annually, the Tribute of St.Demetrius. This arrangement remained largely unbroken for the next century. In 1268 Uroš I invaded the Hungarian possessions south of the Danube. In spite of some initial success, he was captured by the Hungarians and forced to pay ransom. A peace treaty was signed between the two kingdoms, and Uroš's heir was married to Catherine, the daughter of the future king, Stephen V of Hungary.


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The White Angel, Mileševa monastery

Ties with the Hungarians played a decisive role in the fact that Uroš I was succeeded by his son Stefan Dragutin, who was married to a Hungarian princess. In 1282, Dragutin broke his leg while hunting, abdicating in favor of his younger brother Stefan Milutin due to Serbian customs of rule. After his recovery, Hungarian king Ladislaus IV entrusted Dragutin with rule over Belgrade, Mačva, Syrmia, Usora and Soli. His realm was known as Kingdom of Syrmia. Some historical sources mention that Stefan Dragutin added Upper Syrmia and Slavonia at a later date.

Under Stefan Milutin, Serbia grew stronger economically and expanded, despite having to occasionally fight wars on three different fronts. Immediately upon being crowned king
, Milutin invaded Macedonia, swiftly seizing territory as south as Debar, Kičevo and Štip. His swift success was so unexpected, that he and Dragutin together raided as far as Kavala in the Aegean sea. Although this war formally lasted for 15 more years, large scale battles were largely avoided. King Milutin was an apt diplomat much inclined to the use of customary diplomatic and dynastic marriages. He was married five times, with Hungarian, Bulgarian and Byzantine princesses. He also built many churches, some of which are the finest examples of medieval Serbian architecture, such as Gračanica. He built a fortress in Novo Brdo, and developed the square into a massive mining hub, one of the wealthiest in Europe. Because of his endowments, Milutin was proclaimed a saint, in spite of his tumultuous life.

In roughly 1291 Milutin helped his brother Dragutin in conquering regions of Braničevo and Kučevo, whose Cuman and Bulgarian rulers Darman and Kudelin raided Dragutin's possessions from. This triggered a direct war against their overlord, Nogay Khan. The Tatars and their vassals reached Kosovo, but were routed in Ždrelo, and chased across the Danube. Milutin managed to conclude peace with Nogay Khan by sending his heir Stefan Dečanski to Khan's court. Dečanski stayed with his entourage until 1296. In 1312, Milutin assisted the Byzantine Empire in Gallipoli against Turcopoles.

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Realms of Milutin (Serbia) and Dragutin (Syrmia), ca.1300.

Stefan Dečanski succeeded Milutin. He maintained his father's kingdom and had many monasteries built, the most notable being Our Lady of Ljeviš and especially Visoki Dečani in Kosovo, after which he is known in historiography. Dečanski was on good terms with Byzantine Emperor Andronikos II, who was fighting with Andronikos III for the throne. Despite not taking a position in the civil war, Dečanski was gaining small forts and estates in Macedonia from Andronikos II.

Growth in Serbian power and influence worried Bulgarian Tsar Michael Asen III Shishman and the new Byzantine Emperor, Andronikos III, so they agreed on a combined offensive against Dečanski. Though the two allies initiated their offensive, they were poorly coordinated. As a result, Bulgarian army was destroyed when it met the Serbian army alone in Velbazhd, 1330. Serbian y
oung king Dušan appeared the night before the pitched battle is to take place, with a 2000-strong German-Spanish contigent of knights. He attacked the Bulgarian camp, and Dečanski's army followed the lead. The Bulgarian army was destroyed, and Tsar Michael Asen III died in battle.

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Visoki Dečani monastery

After a sound victory, Serbia was caught up in a short conflict between two groups of nobility, one supporting Dečanski, who was not expansionist, and the other supporting his son Stefan Dušan, who sought to expand to the south. Dušan won, and in the following decades expanded into Greece, taking advantage of the Byzantine civil war. He was at peace with Tsar
Ivan Alexander, who helped him on several occasions in Thrace and Macedonia, and visited Dušan frequently in his first capital, Prizren. Dušan married Ivan's sister Helena in 1332 to seal the pact. This relationship lasted until 1365.

Dušan started invading the Byzantine Empire in 1334, and this war would continue with interruptions. Twice was Dušan involved in larger conflicts with Hungary. His army was initially rebuffed by Charles I in 1336. As the Hungarians advanced towards Raška, Dušan launched several major scale skirmishes, which decimated the Hungarians and forced a full retreat. Charles I was wounded by an arrow but survived. As a result, Dušan gained Mačva and Belgrade. To the west, he scored victories over Louis the Great in Hum and Bosnia. Though Dubrovnik was paying a lavish protection tribute to Dušan, the republic's golden era started under his patronage, as he sold them Pelješac and Ston, two localities vital for the development of economy of Dubrovnik, for a symbolic price. By 1346, Dušan conquered all of Albania, Thessaly, Epirus, and Macedonia, except for the cities of Salonica and Dyrrachium.

After conquests in Greece, he was crowned in 1346 in Skopje as Emperor (Tsar, Car) elevating the Serbian Archbishopric into a Patriarchate. Dušan's Code was enacted in 1349 in Skopje, which was largely expanded upon, becoming the center of his flourishing state. The new capital entered it's golden age under Dušan's administration. The Serbian Empire was considered as one of the most powerful states in Europe at this point in time.

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Coronation of Tsar Dušan / Paja Jovanović

Contemporary writers described Stefan Dušan as unusually tall and strong, "the tallest man of his time, very handsome, rare leader full of dynamism, quick intelligence, and strength", bearing a kingly presence. Thus, he gained the nickname Dušan the Mighty.

He took the Ottoman threat very seriously, as Turkish armies were actively taking part in the Byzantine civil war, fighting against his armies effectively. He demanded the Pope to appoint him the leader of Crusade against the Ottomans. Pope's delegates were more focused on demanding Serbia to turn to the Vatican. The talks broke down almost instantly after this. Dušan was infuriated, but encouraged by Palman, who publicly pledged loyalty of his troops to Dušan, even though they were Catholic. Pope was furious with these developments, and asked the king of Hungary to continue his hostilities with Dušan, rendering a potential Serbo-Hungarian alliance now impossible. Dušan assembled an army huge for that era (between 40 000 and 80 000) to march for Constantinople, conquering Adrianople in a fierce battle. Shortly after, he got fever and died in 1355, with his army abandoning the campaign entirely and carrying off his body. Most sources provide that he was poisoned.

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"Oblasts" of the Serbian Empire, ca.1360.

The sudden death of Dušan created a large power vacuum in the entire Balkans. His 19-year old son Stefan Uroš V, had a very difficult task of curtailing power and influence of his nobility in Greece, which was immensely enriched by recent wars. Dušan's half-brother Symeon Uroš claimed title of the Emperor, posing an initial threat to Uroš V before he was forced to stand down. Mrnjavčević brothers Vukašin and Uglješa, the most powerful Serbian nobles, put their power to practice, acting semi-independently from Emperor Uroš in internal affairs of the Empire. Though young Uroš made some good and energetic diplomatic moves, and organized effective resistance against the Ottomans with his mother Helena, his willingness to compromise with a dangerously powerful nobility, and high tolerance displayed, ultimately earned him nickname the Weak. Due to the power of the Mrnjavčevići, Uroš V crowned Vukašin as King and his "co-ruler" in 1365. Stefan Uroš's 16-year reign is for the later half known as the fall of the Serbian Empire.

Increasing tension between groups of nobility culminated in a war in which Vukašin and Uglješa have beaten the coalition of Stefan Uroš V, Nikola Altomanović and Lazar Hrebeljanović at Zvečan in 1369, eventually capturing Emperor Uroš. Vukašin Mrnjavčević, legally King of Serbs and Greeks, was put in a strong position to extend his influence over all of Serbian Empire. The Ottoman success against Bulgarians in Thrace prompted him to gather a large army in 1371, and order a forced march towards Adrianople (Edirne), where the Ottomans recently moved their capital.

Vukašin's power and confidence was a great weakness in this campaign; large Ottoman armies were in Anatolia, and he scored easy victories on march. His army was camping exhausted on Maritsa river, celebrating and drinking late into the night, when it was suddenly attacked by a smaller Ottoman cavalry contigent. Most of the Serbian army was killed in their sleep, or drowned in Maritsa river, with King Vukašin, Despot Uglješa, and many other nobles dying in this battle. After this disastrous loss, all of Serbian nobility in Greece gradually became Ottoman vassals, and Bulgaria suffered major territory loss. Emperor Uroš V died two months after the battle.

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Lordships after Maritsa Battle and death of Emperor Uroš V, ca. 1373.

Lazar, Stefan and the Branković (1371-1459): Consolidation and the last stand
Following the death of Emperor Stefan Uroš V in 1371 (end of the Nemanjić dynasty), the Empire was left without an heir, and the magnates obtained the rule of its lordships, continuing their offices independently. It became "a conglomerate of aristocratic territories", eventually divided between
Konstantin Dejanović, Marko Mrnjavčević, Đurađ I Balšić, Vuk Branković, and Lazar Hrebeljanović. Prince Lazar of Moravian Serbia was now the most powerful noble, but unable to fully unite the rest of the magnates, as they were too powerful and pursued their own interests, fighting each other. District of Branković was economically strong and influential, Balšić (Lordship of Zeta) could have easily drawn in Venice if he was to be attacked, and King Marko (Lordship of Prilep) and Despot Konstantin (Lordship of Velbažd) became Ottoman vassals in 1380. The Ottomans began raiding Serbian core lands that year, though the actual invasion came later. In 1381, the Ottoman raiders were beaten in Dubravnica, and in 1386, Lazar's knights routed the Ottoman army near Pločnik. A major invasion came in the summer of 1389, aiming towards Kosovo.

Lazar notified the Christian world that Serbia will take a final stand against the Ottomans at Kosovo, in hope of forming a broader coalition. John of Palisna's Knights Hospitaller and Vlatko Vuković of Zachlumia answered the call, but the contigent coming from European majors was almost non existent. On 28 June, 1389 the two armies met at Kosovo Polje. Casualties were catastrophic for both sides, with both Prince Lazar and Sultan Murad dying in battle, most of both armies being lost. T
hough the Ottomans suffered a major setback and internal crisis after this battle, they had many more armies in Anatolia, while the Balkan states were no longer able to field armies large enough to confront the Ottoman Empire head on. Eventually, all of Serbian nobility became Ottoman vassals.

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Battle of Kosovo

Though future was looking grim, Serbian statehood managed to recuperate under rule of Lazar's son, Stefan Lazarević, surviving for 70 more years, even experiencing a cultural and political renaissance. At first, Stefan fought in several important battles as the Ottoman vassal, distinguishing himself in Battle of Nicopolis in 1396 and especially in Battle of Ankara in 1402, where he drew admiration of Timur himself. As Bayezid's death caused a civil war within the Ottoman Empire, Stefan used the opportunity to gain independence, being awarded the title of Despot in Constantinople, and beating a punitive army at Tripolje on his way back to Serbia.

King Sigismund of Hungary, who fought against Lazarević in Nicopolis, held Stefan in high esteem, becoming his ally and granting him Slav-populated estates in Vojvodina, and the city of Belgrade, which Lazarević developed into a real European metropole, building possibly the best engineered fortress in the Balkans.

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Belgrade Fortress

As a great builder and patron of the arts and scholarly learning, a distinct Serbian architecture style, Morava School, was expanded upon, and the Resava school, a center for transcribing, translating, and illuminating manuscripts, was founded in his endowment, the Manasija monastery. He also released many personal literary works, the most known being A Homage to Love, which contains early Renaissance lines. Stefan also held the superior rank in the chivalric Order of the Dragon in its foundation. As such, he was considered among the finest knights and military leaders in all of Europe. He issued the Mining Code, which by it's importance exceeded the borders of his despotate, which produced the biggest annual amounts of silver in Europe at the time. As a result of economic and mining reforms, the silver Perper increased in weight threefold. Stefan Lazarević was a great monarch who uplifted Serbia culturally, economically, politically, and militarily.

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Manasija monastery

Stefan died childless in 1427, passing the title to his nephew Đurađ Branković. Under contractual obligations, he was immediately asked to hand Belgrade to Sigismund, due to latter not entirely believing Đurađ. The Ottomans attacked Đurađ almost immediately upon his ascension to throne. Sigismund, having weakened Branković's position by taking Belgrade, felt that he needed to help him in order to increase prestige and welcome in Serbia, thus he sent his own 30,000-strong army under Đurađ's personal command. The combined armies of Đurađ and Sigismund destroyed the Ottomans near Ravanica in 1428, with Đurađ especially thanking Nicholas Bocskay. Unfortunately for him, the Ottomans had more troops ravaging Braničevo, Niš, and besieging Novo Brdo. Though Đurađ was capable of shifting alliances to his profit, times of peace were few and far between during his reign.

Branković was deemed by contemporaries as the richest monarch in all of Europe; Broquière stated that the despot's annual income from the gold and silver mines of Novo Brdo amassed to about 200,000 Venetian ducats. Among other sources of income, there were possessions in the Kingdom of Hungary, for which expenses were covered by the Hungarian crown. The annual income from them alone was estimated to 50,000 ducats.
As he was no longer in possession of Belgrade, he built a large fortress in Smederevo on the Danube, making the town his capital. Despotissa Eirene Kantakouzene had a prominent role in overseeing construction and repair on many fortresses, such as Smederevo, Ostrovica, Brangović, Maglič, Borač, etc. Branković was involved in several wars against the Ottomans, as well as some personal conflicts against Hunyadi and Skenderbeg, in which he saw further devastation of the land, losing and then gaining large swaths of territory on a regular basis.

Though Đurađ displayed some savvy on administrative, diplomatic, and military level, he was put in a nearly impossible situation, and his sons were not good candidates for doing the improbable. Shortly after Đurađ's death, and the second fall of Smederevo, the Serbian despotate finally fell in 1459, and remained under Ottoman occupation until 1804.

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Smederevo fortress


Until the liberation in 19th century, Serbs played a prominent role in Austria & Hungary and Poland, as high quality mercenaries and border guards, participating in some of the most important battles in Europe. Some form of statehood, tradition, and legacy was continued by people such as Vuk "the Dragon" Grgurević, the Jakšić family, Jovan Nenad "the Black", Matija Zmajević and ultimately Đorđe Petrović Karađorđe & Miloš Obrenović.

Well, there you have it. Thank you for having the patience to go through all this. Chime in, please!
 
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If I'm right the only new provinces is Kotor and the new macedonian provinces? rest is just tweaking province details?
 
Right now, you are correct. I didn't want to touch provinces that are not of Serbian culture, because some guys previously, with a good reason, said it's best that everyone sticks with their own 'expertise' per se, and my idea was to collect as much opinion there is, so i can draw a better conclusion of what can be rationally added into the game.

I'm pretty happy with how i imagined Kotor to work. I've also redrawn Travunija (Hercegovina) to make it a coastal province. The idea is to add a Duchy tag that would have 2 provinces: Hercegovina and Hum - Duchy of Saint Sava, guaranteed by Aragon. I am also big on adding the Despotate of Epirus that would control lower half of Epirus (Yanya) province - Arta. But this was suggested in a great thread started by @Dieselface. So you can say that my ideas on Serbia and Balkans are for the greater part compatible with his ideas on Bulgaria and Greece. There is more ideas due to come to this thread, i'm merely starting. Still didn't touch on any of the events, etc.
 
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Right now, you are correct. Why i didn't want to touch provinces that are not of Serbian culture is because some guys previously, with a good reason, said it's best that everyone sticks with their own 'expertise' per se, and my idea was to collect as much opinion there is, so i can draw a better conclusion of what needs to be done and if the surrounding provinces even need to be redrawn or added. I'm pretty happy with how i imagined Kotor to work. I also redrawn Travunija (Hercegovina) to make it a coastal province. My idea is to add a Duchy tag that would have 2 provinces: Travunija (Hercegovina) and Hum - Duchy of Saint Sava that would be guaranteed by Aragon. I am also big on adding the Despotate of Epirus that would control lower half of Epirus (Yanya) province - Arta. But this was suggested in a great thread started by @Dieselface. So you can say that my ideas on Serbia and Balkans are for the greater part highly compatible with his ideas on Greece. There is more ideas due to come to this thread, i'm merely starting. Still didn't touch on any of the events, etc.

The Balkans don't need a radical redrawing. Only a few provinces would suffice. I don't think there should be any province added in Serbia except for Kotor (or maybe even Rudnik as a separate province between Smederevo and Raška, but that would be pushing it). Likewise, i really don't think that Croatia or Bosnia should get more provinces, as Croatia has very powerful provinces compared to other Balkans, and Bosnia could become clogged, although 1 province may be added painlessly. Eventually we need 1 more province in Bulgaria, and one or two in Wallachia and we're set (as far as Balkans go, minus Greece).
The provinces in the Eastern Balkans are massive, and undeservedly so. Nigbolu, Filibe and Silistre should be split at the very least to match their counterparts in the Western Balkans and Georgia. There's room for an OPM in half of Nigbolu (Lovech, wasn't conquered until 1462 https://books.google.ca/books?id=DzsLAAAAIAAJ&printsec=frontcover#v=snippet&q=866&f=false)

How can Macedonia warrant being split into 3 provinces but the entire Bulgaria warrants only one new province and Wallachia one to two?
 
This is why i don't want to touch anything but provinces of my culture; a rational Bulgarian guy would certainly know what Bulgaria needs better than me. About Vardar Macedonia, it doesn't necessarily need to be split into 3 provinces, it doesn't even need to be split, but i see a scenario where it could work.

I've read your post about Lovech and i don't see why wouldn't it be implemented if the degree of autonomy was sufficient to appease Paradox. Also, my Velbazhd province could might as well be in the [state] of Bulgaria.
 
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the Original post has been significantly modified
If you have interest in chiming in, please do. Everything from the original post has been updated for the better, more coherent, and more accurate descriptions and suggestions. Elaboration on provinces has also been updated and much upped in quality.

Note that some of the events might have unrealistic wins/losses, but if there's one event i am really proud of, it's the Mercantilism in Novo Brdo. If anyone wants to help me with events being more realistic, i'd be very thankful.
 
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Why is Saint Sava guaranteed by Aragon? Not questioning your decision, rather, I'm just interested in the history behind it.
 
Why is Saint Sava guaranteed by Aragon? Not questioning your decision, rather, I'm just interested in the history behind it.

Duke Stjepan Vukčić Kosača, originally a Bosnian vassal, was highly ambitious and wanted to carve his own independent state in today's Herzegovina, and he at first gained Ottoman support. In the period between 1441-1444 he made all bordering states his enemies - Bosnia, Ragusa, Serbia, and Aragon's rival - Venice. He was successful at pissing off each of his neighbors. He forced Bosnian king to recognize his independence, attacked Serbia during Crusade of Varna, and fiought Venice for the rest of Montenegrin coastline - all in this small span of 3 years. Peace of Szeged forced him to change his diplomacy, so he returned everything he had conquered from Serbia, allying Đurađ Branković against Bosnia later on.

On February 15, 1444, Stjepan Vukčić signed a treaty with Alfonso V of Aragon and Naples, becoming formally his vassal. This likely coincided with Alfonso's ambitions in the Adriatic - he did control all of Naples, which is in naval terms, very close to his coast.

Stjepan had a big quarrel with his first son. There was a huge internal strife that i'm yet to figure out completely, but it seems that his son was displeased with the land he was awarded after a certain war, and went to the Sultan himself to plot against his father. Stjepan died in 1466. His first son Vladislav, with whom he had a long quarrel, inherited him. His youngest son converted to Islam in 1470. It was his youngest son who struck the final blow to the Duchy - he beat his older brother with Sultan's army. Duchy of Saint Sava was no more, what remained of it was the name in Ottoman Sanjak of Herzegovina.
 
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Why i didn't want to touch provinces that are not of Serbian culture is because some guys previously, with a good reason, said it's best that everyone sticks with their own 'expertise' per se

A lot of times it is the opposite, people with too close personal relation are too biased in making their suggestions. ANd I find your post very refreshing compared to the give balkans 50 new provinces and 20 new tags suggestions which have been circulating. Focusing on events, and changes for better accuracy (such as getting a port for travunia) is to me very welcome. My general take on the balkans is that around 10-12 provinces is the maximum plausible. Anyway to thingsmore relevant to your suggestion,

I find some of the events to be slightely unbalanced, especially the ragusan mercantilism event.

I guess my main issue is that it just drops a ton of money on Serbia once every decade. What is the reason for doing so? It's not like they're getting more gold because they don't sell it, do they? Also I think this should be tied to a chain event with Ragusa (bear in mind I don't know anything about this but what is posted here) How would it work if Ragusa get's the trigger event, there they can request to buy the silver, or choose to gain mercantilism instead. If they choose to ask and buy the silver, Serbia get's an event giving a choice of:

Sell the silver: Gain a years income but decrease production in Kosovo with 10(?) percent fo one year (they're selling the silver after all) this would have the effect that Serbia get's about the same amount of money they do normally without getting the same inflation. (Maybe also 10 prestige, or some other bonus to make it more worth while) aswell as better relations with Ragusa

Don't sell the silver: Gain mercantilism (and maybe a production boost to the mine, giving more money but also more inflation) aswell as worse relations with Ragusa

Then Ragusa get the reply if the Serbs are selling the silver, they get 4x the amount Serbia got, but also +2 inflation. If the Serbs are not selling maybe loose 10 prestige or one mercantilism.

I would also try to rebalance the Donation to Hillander event, clergy opinion -40 is overkill. Btw what is the historical background to this? Did anything like this really happen or it's more of a possible event?

Could you also clarify the Development of a stronger port, is it a decision? How is it triggered, will Sain Sava be able to trigger this at game start? It's not really clear on those parts.

On other themes in the area I would have ALbania have one more province, as their current size and development is absolute shit and makes them weaker than they were historically. Getting events dealing with Skanderbegs relationships to Aragon and Venice (instead of the Venice guarantee I don't really get).

Also what is your take on an Illyria formable for south slavs? I use Illyria because in the 18th and 19th century balkan slavs did identify to some extent with illyrians as I have read in some old sources and also can be find some brief info on here https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Illyrian_movement AFAIK Illyria as a term for south slavs predates Yugoslavia.
 
In the period between 1441-1444 he made all bordering states his enemies - Bosnia, Ragusa, Serbia, and Aragon's rival - Venice. He had the gall to attack Bosnia during their internal conflict, besiege Dubrovnik, Annex inner Zeta, and fight Venice for the rest of the Montenegrin coastline - all in this small span of 3 years. On February 15, 1444, Stjepan Vukčić signed a treaty with Alfonso V of Aragon and Naples, becoming formally his vassal. Before that, he was paying tribute to the Ottoman Sultan, but he changed his allegiances in early 1444 once Ottomans finished their war with Hungary and Serbia and started to threaten everyone in the region.

The exact reasons for, as far as i can say, is that he requested protection from his outraged neighbors, and this likely coincided with Alfonso's ambitions in the Adriatic - he did control all of Naples. It's just across the street! Stjepan Vukčić reconciled with Đurađ and returned all he had conquered from him (except for two important coastal towns, which were taken from Stjepan by Venice). Apart from being Aragonese subject, it seems that Corvinus of Hungary was also his superior at some point.

Stjepan had a big quarrel with his first son. There was a huge internal strife that i'm yet to figure out completely, but it seems that his son was displeased with the land he was awarded after a certain war, and went to the Sultan himself to plot against his father. Stjepan died in 1466, very displeased with his sons. His first son Vladislav, with whom he had a long quarrel, inherited him. His youngest son converted to Islam in 1470. It was his youngest son who struck the final blow to the Duchy - he beat his older brother with Sultan's army. Duchy of Saint Sava was no more, what remained of it was the name in Ottoman Sanjak of Herzegovina.
Brilliant. That is all very interesting. Your knowledge on the region is outstanding!

In actual EU4 terms, it would certainly add an extra dynamic to the Adriatic.
 
@AirikrStrife First let me thank you for your participation in this thread. Any constructive criticism and suggestion is more than welcome, and you gave me plenty so far.

I agree, people tend to see their country as always in need of something to be added, and i will admit i am no different. But i mostly like to keep it real and throw unnecessary stuff out of the way - however in my humble objective opinion, Kotor does need to become a province separate from Zeta. The bay itself was just too important to be missed out strategically, and all of those ports inside and along Montenegrin coastline are not to be underestimated. I did ask that one of the provinces in Serbia proper also becomes a Copper producing province - either Raška or Smederevo, because of Rudnik (it's located exactly on the border of Smederevo and Raška). Now, onto the good stuff:

  • Ragusan mercantilism in Novo Brdo. I will be honest. I didn't sleep last night, and sleep deprivation turns my brain into a barren wasteland sometimes. I did envision this event as somewhat of a "mechanic" of how to manage inflation from Novo Brdo, as well as give Serbia more immediate income per 10 to 20 years - Despot Đurađ was the wealthiest monarch of his lifetime. Silver mines in Novo Brdo alone produced 6 tonnes of glam silver annually. That's minus actual gold mines around Novo Brdo and the rest of Kosovo province. Also, Raška was very rich with copper, lead, and silver. For example the archaeological site of Belovode on the Rudnik mountain contains the world's oldest securely dated evidence of copper smelting at high temperature, from 5,000 BCE. This region is immensely rich with copper, and not to be overlooked in my opinion. Back to the topic now. In my mind i thought this event was a nice concept, although now i see it is as overpowering. I really like how you imagined it, and will most likely correct it just to make it as you said.
  • Donation to Hilandar. Yes, i agree that -40 is overkill, but the hit needs to be severe. I changed it up to a more realistic -20. The event itself sounds dramatic, but before Constantinople fell, all of the Orthodox monasteries in Mount Athos were on slippery slope and weren't protected. Mount Athos is like an Orthodox Holy Land, with 20 monasteries of various churches - there are Greek, Serbian, Bulgarian, Russian, and Georgian monasteries. Hilandar itself was ranked 4th in hierarchy out of the 20 monasteries there, so it had a particular weight on Serbian Orthodox Church and the Serbian state. It is our spiritual and scholar center, and every monarch saw it as his duty to donate funds to Hilandar. It was not uncommon for foreign Orthodox rulers, or even lower ranked nobles, to send donations to monasteries in Mount Athos - it was considered the ultimate diplomatic gesture. Maybe i should ease up on tension and just say that the monastery is facing troubled times along with the rest of monasteries in Mount Athos, and is in dire need of funds.
  • Develop a stronger port. Yes, it is a decision. I didn't put a tech requirement to it, as Herceg Novi basically started becoming a strong fortified town before 1444. Although this is uncommon to most of the similar decisions out there, i feel that there shouldn't be a tech requirement (maybe tech level 5), and should only cost money and monarch points. In that case, the cost should maybe be higher. What do you think?
  • I am all for micromanagement in every tag, but i don't believe that Albania the tag should have more than Lezhë in 1444. League of Lezhë wasn't a real de facto kingdom per se, but a coalition of Albanian, Zetan, and Serbian warlords that inhabited the area of northern Albania. However! I would personally be happy to see Shkodra (srb: Skadar; ven: Scutari) in the game, although i don't know how viable it is, as it would be a small land province. It was an important town on Skadar lake - the largest lake in the Balkans (you can see that i have drawn that lake myself on my little map). Maybe Krujë? And yes, as far as i know, Skenderbeg was first the subject of the king of Naples, and Aragon later. Far as i know he was the enemy of Venice. Maybe there was something we don't know about however.
  • Well, about a potential Illyria tag, i really don't know. I mean, the Illyrian movement was a nationalistic movement that reffered to the theory that Slavs on the Balkans are descendants of ancient Illyrians. I mean, people mix everywhere, but it's a ridiculous narrative to be honest. I don't think that any slavic ruler would form Illyria as he ruled most of those lands. Yugoslavia on the other end, is 20-century term, but it's pretty straightforward - it means South Slavia (land of the south Slavs).
 
@cub298 @_Rasputin Thank you. My family is originally from Herzegovina, and they moved to Herceg Novi a couple of centuries ago, so yes, i have some insight into the whole Herzegovina-Dubrovnik-Bosnia-Serbia-Venice stuff that happened there.

I've added more events in the original post, more to come once i get some good ideas.
 
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Can you post them here? I'm very curious about that. Now in game models look so "vanilla", with no flavor. Like you're playing with some non existing country, without history, culture...
 
CrugnfI.jpg

15th century heavy, Schiavonesca sword & Serbian spears and maces
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Nikola Skobaljić
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Serbian light cav (minus the lion hide)
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de la Broquiere's drawing
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Grenzer
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Hajduks
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Revolutionary militia
 
Love your suggestions!

I tried to do a "Balkan Fix" thread a while back and it was honestly a mess: too many new tags and provinces without sufficient justification. I like that you're taking a focused approach and concentrating on doing justice to a more specific area. It really makes everything work nicely when it gets fleshed out like this.

I was just wondering, would it be reasonable to add the port of Neum as part of Hum? Not questioning your decision, I'm just interested as to whether or not it's significant enough to warrant its inclusion. As far as I know, the port was sold to the Ottomans by Ragusa because they feared sharing a border with Venice (which I believe happened sometime in the early 16th Century) and the territory has never been a part of Dalmatia since.

Also thank you, as this has inspired me to go back and start from scratch to a similar thing as you have here except with the Slovenia/Littoral/Croatia/Bosnia region (this time however, I will make sure to be more objective and less excessive with the suggestions!)

Again, great work and hopefully the devs take notice of your ideas!