Chapter 5: Sweet Revenge (1474-1482)
Several long years of incorporation would soon come to merit the growing Principality, where the fruit of her hard labour in building a better realm would come to be rewarded in kind. Never since the time of the Kievan Rus would the lands of the Rus share a united identity after so many generations of fragmentation and weakness. The scattered princes would submit to the authority of their true leader, a prince that had grown into a righteous and very capable leader. After so many years of weakness, the time for revenge had come to burn within the hearts of all of the Rus. The Tatars, once the master of the east, were about to see a very different fate.
Ever since the marriage to the last Princess of the Romans, Queen Sophia had come to be known as a heart of gold, always eager to do the best to please her husband and treating friends with an unparalleled kindness that had made her beloved by all. Her eagerness to do her best for her new homeland would see the new Queen witness the suffering of the poorest of the lands peasants with her own eyes, and plead with her husband to help the most destitute of the realms subjects. Ivan III would agree to the ambitious plan to look after their people, offering her support to secure funds from the nations treasury. In time, Sophia Palailogous would be remembered as a benevolent and righteous Queen that would be beloved by the faithful, within her own realm and beyond.
With the Orthodox Church entering into a new stage of prosperity due to the support of a like minded and righteous Kniaz, a monumental event was about to take place within the Germanic states that would completely change the nature of Europe forever. Disapproval against the Papacy and the Latin Church would spread across Europe as a result of increasing corruption and greed, but fears of voicing their criticism would be silenced as to not invoke the wrath of the lord and the powerful pillars of the church. A monk in Weimar, who had expressed deep concerns for some time, made the first step by openly expressing his discontent with the church. This would pave the way for reformation of the faith, and in time, the religious nature of Europe was about to change forever.
Long having kept a rather modest army, the Grand Principality would overhaul its army and reorganise her capabilities and new potential. Two new armies would be created, equipped and supplied with the cutting edge of military technology by incorporating cannons to use as field artillery. The armies, stationed in Novgorod and Moscow, would be the defenders of the realm and keepers of the peace for the very large realm.
With the nation being united, the Rurikovich domains and her main rival being exiled to the pages of history, the Grand Principality would begin to look beyond her borders and make preparations for outward expansion. Having been ruled by fountless foreign Khans or Kings, history was about to be reversed. Ivan III, long having hated the Tatar menace that contributed to the untimely death of his father, looked to change history itself.
Much of the Grand Principality’s outward ambitions, and anger, would be directed towards the Tatars within the South. Few of her ambitious claims involved dealing with fellow Slavic peoples, instead looking to put a permanent end to the Islamic menace that had long persisted in destroying and subjugating the Rus.
Continuing his policies in building the Grand Principality as a land of faith and a bastion of the true Orthodox church in Eastern Europe, the crown would come to support the Patriarchy by exerting her influence. While the church served as one of the pillars of the nation, some resources would be spent to assure her loyalty through various means. With the church firmly under the direct influence of the Grand Kniaz, the faithful would be rewarded with the expansion and construction of churches across the entirety of the Grand Principality. While the major cities have prestigious churches, towns with medium to low populations sometimes had no churches at all, something which would be corrected as churches slowly began to appear across the land. This would further ensure that Ivan III, while acting in the interest of faith, would remain beloved by both the church and common man alike.
Following the construction of her new land army, the new forces would be divided and scattered towards the Tatar borders. The Grand Kniaz would come to serve personally in the conquest that he sought to accomplish, deliberately refusing to allow such a conquest to be called a Holy War against the dreaded Tatar menace. Three of the finest generals in the land would come to be brought to fight alongside their leader, and the drums of war would be sounded.
Revenge for centuries of humiliation and conflict would come at last, within the early months of 1480, the Grand Principality declared war against the Kazani Khanate and Sarayan Khanate within short succession of one another. This was not expected to be an easy conflict, as the former fragments of the Golden Horde had outnumbered the Grand Principality by several tens of thousands of men, and were also fighting on the friendly terrain of the vast steppe. Despite this, the Grand Principality was armed to the teeth and had zealous determination to achieve their revenge.
Looking to break their defences immediately, the Grand Principality would sacrifice their own lands and went straight for the soft underbelly of the Tatars by striking with all of their might at the Sarayans. With the use of their new cannons, the settlements would rapidly fall under quick succession with much of the Khanate quickly falling under the control of the Muscovites before the end of the season.
Reeling the mistake of leaving their exposed flank unprotected, the Tatars would divert some of their own rank to deal with the Christian offensive while the remainder of their men would attack an almost undefended northern frontier. Fighting among the steppe and having their numbers scattered, the Grand Principality’s ranks were within close proximity from one another and could reinforce one of their own whenever they were endangered. Two battles at Kurskas and Babaqti would see the Tatars virtually massacred upon their home terrain, leaving a deep shock upon the horsemen as they were blown apart by the well-armed and supplied Muscovites.
With much of the Sarayan Khanate left down for the count, Ivan III and his commanders would focus upon the much more formidable enemy that was the Kazani Khanate. Several border provinces would fall before the Muscovite commanders one by one, avoiding conflict wherever they could, while the Grand Kniaz would focus upon directly laying siege of Kazan itself.
Realising the mistake of leaving their capital wide open, the Khanate would panic and muster whatever forces they had available under the command of their most capable commander. Ivan III would outnumber his enemy, but Qamay’s forces held the tactical advantage and had an environmental advantage and knowledge of the steppe surrounding the city. It wouldn't be enough, as Qamay’s strong leadership and offensive tactics wouldn’t be enough to shatter the Grand Kniaz as Ivan III would masterfully outmaneuver Qamay’s forces. The Tatar commander retreated, and the Rurikovich and his army would lay siege upon the city the following day after the battle. From that point onward, the Tatar’s wouldn’t have the offensive capabilities to retake or even match the Russians on an even battle.
Within just under ninety days, Qazan would see a brutal siege that would bring the inhabitants of the city to their breaking point. Ivan III would surround the city with forces in almost all directions and pounded the city with cannonfire while sappers worked to undermine the walls of the city. On the eighty eighth day, the wall defending the city would collapse and the Grand Kniaz would march upon the now broken defense with all he had, storming into Kazan. The city would fall shortly after, and Ivan III would arrive upon the defeated capital upon his own triumph.
With the Kazan Khanate left effectively defeated following the Fall of Kazan, the Grand Principality would march back towards the remnant of the Golden Horde and focused his efforts upon bringing down the weakened Tatar threat. Such movement would bring both sides of the war to fight upon the ruined lands of the Sarayan Khanate.
It would be among the steppe that the Tatar’s would hold so dear that the most devastating defeat would be seen, where the Grand Principality would fight against Tatar efforts to liberate the fallen capital of the Sarayan realm. A trap would be prepared, and once triggered, the Tatar’s under the leadership of Bayar would be completely slaughtered to the very last man. In the resulting massacre, Tatar’s ceased to fight under an effective fighting force.
Realising that the tide was rapidly turning against them, and with much of their lands under siege or occupation, the Nogai and Crimean Khanates would both sign a separate peace of surrender. Being allies to the enemy war cause, motives for the resulting peace would be less concentrated upon them. Crimea’s weak control of Circassia would be relinquished and their alliance with Kazan would be annulled, along with a large sum to ensure compliance, ending the war for them while much of their lands burned. Nogai, being distant from the centre of the war, would only be forced to pay for war reperations.
With the forced peace being made by their allies, the true peace would be made shortly after by the Grand Principality and their vanquished foes. The Kazani and Sarayan Khanates would be absolutely decimated, with enormous amounts of territory being conquered by the vengeful hearts of their conquerors. Centuries would come to lead up to this moment, and revenge would finally be achieved. The Tatars, the masters of the steppe and their submissive Russian lords, would finally see their fate turned around entirely.
Muscovy ascendant, the Grand Principality following the war. C.1482
The Tatar’s power would be broken permanently, and their rule over Moscow would come to a defiant end. The Grand Principality would achieve a monumental victory, one that would come to a triumphant success. Ivan would return back to Moscow to a celebration, but the Grand Kniaz had much work to be done. The Tatar’s power would be broken, but there was much to be done. The Tatar’s were defeated, but they were deeply resentful and hated their new masters. The conquest had not won the Grand Principality any allies, instead doing the opposite and creating more enemies that sought to undermine the growing Rus realm. Ivan III knew that he would not care what his enemies cared about, for it would be his construction of a Third Rome that would soon see a new beacon for the legacy of Rome to live on from.
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Will the next part involve the heretic hordes in the south?
Yep!
Ivan seems like a good ruler.
Also, it's good that Russia now has ties to Byzantium.
Ties to Byzantium, or what used to be Byzantium, will prove to be invaluable in the coming generations
You follow a canonic course of events. I suppose that your next aim should be the conquest of Kazan. Try impoving relations with western powers in order to prevent double-front war
Thank you for your comment. I hope you enjoy my rather humble AAR
Hooray now that Ivan III has married Sophia as historically how will Russia use this opportunity as the third rome?
Not quite yet, but the Houses of Rurikovich and Palaeologus being united in marriage will be important for her future destiny.
The realm goes from a regional power to something that looks like it might one day rival the big boys. Is there nothing Ivan III can't do?
He's certainly a blessing upon the realm. He inherited a realm and turned it into quite a juggernaut, perhaps his legacy would carry upon his successors. He's a Tsar in all but name
Time for a crusader southwards?
Not quite a crusade, but it might as well have been