-
We have updated our Community Code of Conduct. Please read through the new rules for the forum that are an integral part of Paradox Interactive’s User Agreement.
Thats alright Machi, go at your own pace.
Im still very interested in seeing how you tie the beginning and end together
good show.
Im still very interested in seeing how you tie the beginning and end together
good show.
Chapter V: Pax Corvinus
"Deeds, not stones, are the true monuments of the great."
- Motley, John L.
"Peace, above all things, is to be desired, but blood must sometimes be spilled to obtain it on equable and lasting terms."
- Jackson, Andrew
The sucess of the war against the Ottoman Empire established Hungary as a force to be reckoned with as well as a hero of Christianity. Following the war, the Pope declared that the bells of every church be rung at noon so that all of the world could remember the triumph of the Magyar nation and the Almighty christ.
After the collapse of the Ottoman government and the resulting coups for power within, the Kingdom of Hungary and its Byzantine ally continued to wage war against its enemies. Karaman and Candar were still at war, despite the fall of their more powerful ally and though no blood had been shed in years, officially war still existed between Byzantium and its ally and the Knights of Rhodes.
From his palace, Matyas Corvinus began to oversee the administration of a now vast Kingdom stretching from its northern border down south to claim dominion over a majority of the greek lands. Gold from the treasury was utilized to begin construction of a vast network of refineries in Smyrna, hoping to bring the richness of these new lands to the whole of the Kingdom of the double cross.
However, victory was not complete and much danger lay ahead for the Kingdom of Hungary. In late november, one of the armies of Hungary were routed in the northern lands of Karaman. While this defeat was minor and by August of the next year General Kinizsi won a victory over the army of Karaman outside its capital city of Taurus, it did show that Hungary was not invincible. By February of 1464 a white peace was signed between the Grand Master of the Knights Templar and the Emperor of Byzantium, thus bringing to a close a war that was both never desired and never fought.
Traveling to Bohemia, King Matyas took as his bride the beautiful neice of Jiric Podebrad. It was hoped that this marriage would bring the two countries closer together, yet in truth it did quite the opposite. Not long after their marriage, the young bride was caught in the arms of another man. While the minor noble was stripped of his lands, he was not harmed otherwise. It was soon discovered that this was but one of many lovers of the beautiful Bohemian princess. The marriage was annuled and the princess was sent back to Bohemia in disgrace. Turning aside from romance and foriegn affairs, Matyas instead devoted himself deeper to his faith in the almighty and the construction of a mighty bastion of Christianity. Inquisitors and Knights were dispatched to the new Hungarian territories and the Muslim religion outlawed. This sparked several minor rebellions in Kosovo and Antolya, but they were put down with little true resistance.
On January 8th, the year of our lord fourteen sixty-six, the mighty Byzantine Emperor Demetrios signed a peace with the turks of Karaman and Candar. The two Islamic nations were made to pay over one hundred bars of gold to Hungary and Byzantium, but no land was transfered. This was just as well in King Corvinus's opinion, as he was still seeking to manage the land liberated from the once mighty Ottoman scourge.
In september of that same year, the former Ottoman general Gedik Ahmed, wounded from his battles with the Hungarians and distrusted by the changing Ottoman leadership is dismissed from the Ottoman court. With his dreams of power shattered, he fled assassins to Hungary and soon came before the King who had defeated him. Gedik offered his services, promising to further reform the Hungarian military. At first, the passionate Corvinus rebuked the turk, but when Gedik offered to abandon Islam and become a good Catholic in early november, the King of Hungary appointed him a military advisor. Ahmed soon set about transforming the Hungarian military into something almost unrivaled in the world.
While hesitant to take another wife, King Matyas Corvinus is convinced to marry the daughter of the Lithuanian King Kazimieras (also Kazimieras IV of Poland). This union serves to bring the Kingdom of Hungary closer to that of Lithuania, though the nobles of Poland seem unimpressed with the union.
In august of fourteen sixty eight a new vein of gold is discovered in the mines of Steiremark. This discovery boosts the already weathly hungarian economy. That december a grand fesitval was held in the lands of Hungary, one of joy and triumph. But not all were celebrating and many plots lurked in the darkness of winter.
The Moldavian Count.
"In order to have an enemy, one must be somebody. One must be a force before he can be resisted by another force." - Swetchine, Anne Sophie
1469 saw the rise of a figure who would seek to undermine the rule of the King of Hungary. His name was Rodrew cel Mere, a former Moldavian count of Bujak. With an infectious passion and a striking charisma, the Count gathered many followers under him and organized a resistance movement to free Moldavia from vassalage and liberate its former lands. At first the count is ignored as a minor annoyance, but soon he proves himself to be a capable leader and a real threat. With much of Hungary's military in the south, the Count leads an attack against the small forts dotting Bujak, claiming victory after victory. With each sucess, Rodrew cel Mere attracts more followers to his cause and before long Ismail itself falls under his power.
With this real threat to Matyas Corvinus throne, several small armies of Knights are sent against the so called count, only to fail when the peasant rabble the count commanded proved to be capable soldiers. Riding the wave of victory, Rodrew cel Mere leads his army into Dobrundja, ruthlessly killing the garrison in place and initiating a seige of the provinces main cities.
To make matters worse a horrible plague sweeps the heartland of hungary in the october of 1469. It is believed that the plague was brought back from the south by soldiers returning from the long war.
Again and again battle is waged against the Moldavian count and his army, but each time he managed to achieve victory against the various Knightly orders sent to deal with him, laughing in the face of rightful authority. It isn't until late august of fourteen seventy that the count is defeated when the Knights of St. Stephen force a battle with him outside the walls of Arghio Castle in Dobrundja. Humbled, the Count is forced to retreat to his castle in Ismail.
While the count still controled the lands of Bujak, his army was decimated and few were eager to join his cause with the Order of St. Stephen regrouping to reclaim Bujak lands from what they viewed as Rebel scum. Eventually the counts castle in Ismail fell to the Knights of St. Stephen on January 27th, 1473. The loyalists of cel Mere fought barely, but could hold out no longer. The servants, soldiers and friends of the count were all executed, though the count himself supposedly escaped. However, the Kings authority once more ruled supreme over the lands of Bujak.
Nationality and region was not the only issue of the time though. With the expansion of Hungary into Asia minor three distinct religions existed within the borders of the Kingdom of Hungary. Catholism, Orthodoxy and the Sunni faith of Islam. While the Orthodox religion of the greeks was tolerated and usually treated fairly, the worship of Allah was forbidden. This naturally caused problems.
In late november of 1471, the heads of the Orthodox religion within Hellas province formally declared themselves Catholics and urged the people of Athens and the rest of greece to embrace Catholism. It is believed this willing conversion was due to the liberation from Ottoman oppression and having seen the passion by which King Matyas Corvinus followed his faith.
On the other end of the spectrum, in July of 1472 a Sunni uprising claimed the countryside of Rumelia. Fires were lit and several scores of merchants were killed. Armed with a hatred of the Catholics and aided by the distractions of a Moldavian count, the Sunni uprising managed to repel a small force sent in to crush it. Despite this setback, elsewhere the 'Sunni Plague' as the archbishop of Athens called it was having set backs of its own. Angora's heathens were eliminated and Catholism flourished in the south eastern region. By August the rebellion in Rumelia was dispersed, but the tension in the province remained, as it became clear that the King of Hungary would not tolerate the practice of Islam within his realm.
This uncompromising side of Matyas Corvinus was perhaps best demonstrated during the court intrigues of late 1472. The nobles of the Snem wished for a prime minister to be elected who would best serve their own diverse interests. But rather than give into the demands of the Snem, Matyas ignored them and selected his own cousin as the candidate for Prime minister. It is likely that the King did this because he wanted someone he could trust close to him, but it is equally likely that he did so in deliberate show of his power.
Corvinus had helped in removing one King from power and it seemed clear that he did not intend to suffer a similar fate.
"Deeds, not stones, are the true monuments of the great."
- Motley, John L.
"Peace, above all things, is to be desired, but blood must sometimes be spilled to obtain it on equable and lasting terms."
- Jackson, Andrew
The sucess of the war against the Ottoman Empire established Hungary as a force to be reckoned with as well as a hero of Christianity. Following the war, the Pope declared that the bells of every church be rung at noon so that all of the world could remember the triumph of the Magyar nation and the Almighty christ.
After the collapse of the Ottoman government and the resulting coups for power within, the Kingdom of Hungary and its Byzantine ally continued to wage war against its enemies. Karaman and Candar were still at war, despite the fall of their more powerful ally and though no blood had been shed in years, officially war still existed between Byzantium and its ally and the Knights of Rhodes.
From his palace, Matyas Corvinus began to oversee the administration of a now vast Kingdom stretching from its northern border down south to claim dominion over a majority of the greek lands. Gold from the treasury was utilized to begin construction of a vast network of refineries in Smyrna, hoping to bring the richness of these new lands to the whole of the Kingdom of the double cross.
However, victory was not complete and much danger lay ahead for the Kingdom of Hungary. In late november, one of the armies of Hungary were routed in the northern lands of Karaman. While this defeat was minor and by August of the next year General Kinizsi won a victory over the army of Karaman outside its capital city of Taurus, it did show that Hungary was not invincible. By February of 1464 a white peace was signed between the Grand Master of the Knights Templar and the Emperor of Byzantium, thus bringing to a close a war that was both never desired and never fought.
Traveling to Bohemia, King Matyas took as his bride the beautiful neice of Jiric Podebrad. It was hoped that this marriage would bring the two countries closer together, yet in truth it did quite the opposite. Not long after their marriage, the young bride was caught in the arms of another man. While the minor noble was stripped of his lands, he was not harmed otherwise. It was soon discovered that this was but one of many lovers of the beautiful Bohemian princess. The marriage was annuled and the princess was sent back to Bohemia in disgrace. Turning aside from romance and foriegn affairs, Matyas instead devoted himself deeper to his faith in the almighty and the construction of a mighty bastion of Christianity. Inquisitors and Knights were dispatched to the new Hungarian territories and the Muslim religion outlawed. This sparked several minor rebellions in Kosovo and Antolya, but they were put down with little true resistance.
On January 8th, the year of our lord fourteen sixty-six, the mighty Byzantine Emperor Demetrios signed a peace with the turks of Karaman and Candar. The two Islamic nations were made to pay over one hundred bars of gold to Hungary and Byzantium, but no land was transfered. This was just as well in King Corvinus's opinion, as he was still seeking to manage the land liberated from the once mighty Ottoman scourge.
In september of that same year, the former Ottoman general Gedik Ahmed, wounded from his battles with the Hungarians and distrusted by the changing Ottoman leadership is dismissed from the Ottoman court. With his dreams of power shattered, he fled assassins to Hungary and soon came before the King who had defeated him. Gedik offered his services, promising to further reform the Hungarian military. At first, the passionate Corvinus rebuked the turk, but when Gedik offered to abandon Islam and become a good Catholic in early november, the King of Hungary appointed him a military advisor. Ahmed soon set about transforming the Hungarian military into something almost unrivaled in the world.
While hesitant to take another wife, King Matyas Corvinus is convinced to marry the daughter of the Lithuanian King Kazimieras (also Kazimieras IV of Poland). This union serves to bring the Kingdom of Hungary closer to that of Lithuania, though the nobles of Poland seem unimpressed with the union.
In august of fourteen sixty eight a new vein of gold is discovered in the mines of Steiremark. This discovery boosts the already weathly hungarian economy. That december a grand fesitval was held in the lands of Hungary, one of joy and triumph. But not all were celebrating and many plots lurked in the darkness of winter.
The Moldavian Count.
"In order to have an enemy, one must be somebody. One must be a force before he can be resisted by another force." - Swetchine, Anne Sophie
1469 saw the rise of a figure who would seek to undermine the rule of the King of Hungary. His name was Rodrew cel Mere, a former Moldavian count of Bujak. With an infectious passion and a striking charisma, the Count gathered many followers under him and organized a resistance movement to free Moldavia from vassalage and liberate its former lands. At first the count is ignored as a minor annoyance, but soon he proves himself to be a capable leader and a real threat. With much of Hungary's military in the south, the Count leads an attack against the small forts dotting Bujak, claiming victory after victory. With each sucess, Rodrew cel Mere attracts more followers to his cause and before long Ismail itself falls under his power.
With this real threat to Matyas Corvinus throne, several small armies of Knights are sent against the so called count, only to fail when the peasant rabble the count commanded proved to be capable soldiers. Riding the wave of victory, Rodrew cel Mere leads his army into Dobrundja, ruthlessly killing the garrison in place and initiating a seige of the provinces main cities.
To make matters worse a horrible plague sweeps the heartland of hungary in the october of 1469. It is believed that the plague was brought back from the south by soldiers returning from the long war.
Again and again battle is waged against the Moldavian count and his army, but each time he managed to achieve victory against the various Knightly orders sent to deal with him, laughing in the face of rightful authority. It isn't until late august of fourteen seventy that the count is defeated when the Knights of St. Stephen force a battle with him outside the walls of Arghio Castle in Dobrundja. Humbled, the Count is forced to retreat to his castle in Ismail.
While the count still controled the lands of Bujak, his army was decimated and few were eager to join his cause with the Order of St. Stephen regrouping to reclaim Bujak lands from what they viewed as Rebel scum. Eventually the counts castle in Ismail fell to the Knights of St. Stephen on January 27th, 1473. The loyalists of cel Mere fought barely, but could hold out no longer. The servants, soldiers and friends of the count were all executed, though the count himself supposedly escaped. However, the Kings authority once more ruled supreme over the lands of Bujak.
Nationality and region was not the only issue of the time though. With the expansion of Hungary into Asia minor three distinct religions existed within the borders of the Kingdom of Hungary. Catholism, Orthodoxy and the Sunni faith of Islam. While the Orthodox religion of the greeks was tolerated and usually treated fairly, the worship of Allah was forbidden. This naturally caused problems.
In late november of 1471, the heads of the Orthodox religion within Hellas province formally declared themselves Catholics and urged the people of Athens and the rest of greece to embrace Catholism. It is believed this willing conversion was due to the liberation from Ottoman oppression and having seen the passion by which King Matyas Corvinus followed his faith.
On the other end of the spectrum, in July of 1472 a Sunni uprising claimed the countryside of Rumelia. Fires were lit and several scores of merchants were killed. Armed with a hatred of the Catholics and aided by the distractions of a Moldavian count, the Sunni uprising managed to repel a small force sent in to crush it. Despite this setback, elsewhere the 'Sunni Plague' as the archbishop of Athens called it was having set backs of its own. Angora's heathens were eliminated and Catholism flourished in the south eastern region. By August the rebellion in Rumelia was dispersed, but the tension in the province remained, as it became clear that the King of Hungary would not tolerate the practice of Islam within his realm.
This uncompromising side of Matyas Corvinus was perhaps best demonstrated during the court intrigues of late 1472. The nobles of the Snem wished for a prime minister to be elected who would best serve their own diverse interests. But rather than give into the demands of the Snem, Matyas ignored them and selected his own cousin as the candidate for Prime minister. It is likely that the King did this because he wanted someone he could trust close to him, but it is equally likely that he did so in deliberate show of his power.
Corvinus had helped in removing one King from power and it seemed clear that he did not intend to suffer a similar fate.
"The Ass and the Old Shepherd
A Shepherd, watching his Ass feeding in a meadow, was alarmed all
of a sudden by the cries of the enemy. He appealed to the Ass to
fly with him, lest they should both be captured, but the animal
lazily replied, Why should I, pray? Do you think it likely the
conqueror will place on me two sets of panniers?' No, rejoined
the Shepherd. Then, said the Ass, as long as I carry the
panniers, what matters it to me whom I serve?'
In a change of government the poor change nothing beyond the name of their master." -- Aesop.
Having overcome the first obstacles of a reign he intended to be remembered throughout history, Matyas Corvinus began to sow the seeds of peace, casting aside war for the time. Which such intentions in mind he set about a long process of convincing the King of Serbia, who technically paid fealty to the King of Hungary, to enter into the holy alliance between the Byzantine Empire and the Kingdom of Hungary.
With the growing strength of Hungary and the backing of its ancient ally, the nobles of Serbia knew better than to refuse such a generous invitation. Eagerly they entered into the alliance, hoping perhaps to make gains on the work of its allies.
In 1477 a group of brilliant croatian inventers came up with a device that was able to process cloth far faster than previously known. While several of these mills were constructed in the old capital of Croatia, the inventers, a group of three brothers, died of bad fever suddenly. With them went the knowledge of how to build more of the unexpected invention.
It was also around this time that another wave of Sunni led violence surged to life in Rumelia. Fortunately both Knights and Inquisitors were in the region and quickly smothered the uprising.
This pitiful attempt at revolt from the followers of Islam only hardened King Corvinus's heart in regard to tolerating the religion of Muhammad. With conviction he assured the Pope, the Emperor of Byzantium and his own advisors that no mercy would be given to the Muslim people of the world.
"I have humbled the great Empire of the Ottoman Turks, I have restored the word of Christ to the Greeks. But the blood on my sword will not be cleansed until this abomination of Islam is put to pasture." -- Matthias Corvinus to his personal aide Edgar of Foor, 1477
In the year of our lord, Fourteen seventy-eight, the Inquisitions started in Rumelia and Antalya ended with great sucess. The Knights swept into the homes of the infidels and slaughtered those who would not convert to the faith of Christ. The Sunni taint had been washed away from the lands of Hungary with a river of heathen blood.
With much of the internal issues dealt with, King Matyas Corvinus turned his attention to the domain of foriegn affairs. A border dispute had been increasing tensions in the north with the Hapsburgs of Austria. While many of the golden bull clammored for war, the King of Hungary decided to settle the issue peacefully. He realized that the Kingdom should not antagonize its Christian brothers and rather use diplomacy in the place of the sword when dealing with them.
Empire.
On March 27th, 1481 the lords and ladies of Hungary, Byzantium and much of the Christian world gathered for a grand ceremony in Beograd Castle, Serbia. It was here that the Serbian prince gave his royal scepter and crown to Matyas Corvinus, Symbolizing the joining of Serbia under the crown of Hungary. In a stunning declaration, Matyas Corvinus declared himself not just King of Hungary, Croatia, and Serbia, but Emperor of the Double Cross. He went on to inform the gathered princes and counts that he would continue to lead the Empire to greatness, standing firm by his ally and further prosecuting the war against Islam.
A host of Italian engineers came to the capital of the Empire of Hungary shortly after Matyas Corvinus ceremony at Beograd castle. They offered their services to the Emperor, but were harshly turned away by Gedik Ahmed, who enjoyed insulting their inferior tactics.
By this time, with the ex-turkish general's aid and the help of the other exceptional military minds within the Empire of Hungary, it's army was second to none in the known world. Only Tuscany could truly compete with Hungary in land based technology and tactics.
To celebrate his position as Emperor, Matyas Corvinus decided to hold a great hunt. Of course the nobles of Byzantium were invited, as were the powerful lords of Bohemia and Bavaria. However, aside from enjoying the Hunt Matyas delibertly snubbed the Bishop-Prince of Wurzberg, the nobility of Poland and the people of Ak-Koyunlu. The later were snubbed perhaps the most, as their national borders were crossed during the process of the hunt.
In January of 1484 a humble Prior came before the Emperor of the Double Cross and requested funds for a new Monastic order. Feeling charitable, Matyas Corvinus gave the holy man food and shelter before sending him back with his best wishes and a fair share of gold to continue god's work. The Prior blessed the Emperor of Hungary and set out once more. It was not long before he founded the Holy Order of Corvin.
A Shepherd, watching his Ass feeding in a meadow, was alarmed all
of a sudden by the cries of the enemy. He appealed to the Ass to
fly with him, lest they should both be captured, but the animal
lazily replied, Why should I, pray? Do you think it likely the
conqueror will place on me two sets of panniers?' No, rejoined
the Shepherd. Then, said the Ass, as long as I carry the
panniers, what matters it to me whom I serve?'
In a change of government the poor change nothing beyond the name of their master." -- Aesop.
Having overcome the first obstacles of a reign he intended to be remembered throughout history, Matyas Corvinus began to sow the seeds of peace, casting aside war for the time. Which such intentions in mind he set about a long process of convincing the King of Serbia, who technically paid fealty to the King of Hungary, to enter into the holy alliance between the Byzantine Empire and the Kingdom of Hungary.
With the growing strength of Hungary and the backing of its ancient ally, the nobles of Serbia knew better than to refuse such a generous invitation. Eagerly they entered into the alliance, hoping perhaps to make gains on the work of its allies.
In 1477 a group of brilliant croatian inventers came up with a device that was able to process cloth far faster than previously known. While several of these mills were constructed in the old capital of Croatia, the inventers, a group of three brothers, died of bad fever suddenly. With them went the knowledge of how to build more of the unexpected invention.
It was also around this time that another wave of Sunni led violence surged to life in Rumelia. Fortunately both Knights and Inquisitors were in the region and quickly smothered the uprising.
This pitiful attempt at revolt from the followers of Islam only hardened King Corvinus's heart in regard to tolerating the religion of Muhammad. With conviction he assured the Pope, the Emperor of Byzantium and his own advisors that no mercy would be given to the Muslim people of the world.
"I have humbled the great Empire of the Ottoman Turks, I have restored the word of Christ to the Greeks. But the blood on my sword will not be cleansed until this abomination of Islam is put to pasture." -- Matthias Corvinus to his personal aide Edgar of Foor, 1477
In the year of our lord, Fourteen seventy-eight, the Inquisitions started in Rumelia and Antalya ended with great sucess. The Knights swept into the homes of the infidels and slaughtered those who would not convert to the faith of Christ. The Sunni taint had been washed away from the lands of Hungary with a river of heathen blood.
With much of the internal issues dealt with, King Matyas Corvinus turned his attention to the domain of foriegn affairs. A border dispute had been increasing tensions in the north with the Hapsburgs of Austria. While many of the golden bull clammored for war, the King of Hungary decided to settle the issue peacefully. He realized that the Kingdom should not antagonize its Christian brothers and rather use diplomacy in the place of the sword when dealing with them.
Empire.
On March 27th, 1481 the lords and ladies of Hungary, Byzantium and much of the Christian world gathered for a grand ceremony in Beograd Castle, Serbia. It was here that the Serbian prince gave his royal scepter and crown to Matyas Corvinus, Symbolizing the joining of Serbia under the crown of Hungary. In a stunning declaration, Matyas Corvinus declared himself not just King of Hungary, Croatia, and Serbia, but Emperor of the Double Cross. He went on to inform the gathered princes and counts that he would continue to lead the Empire to greatness, standing firm by his ally and further prosecuting the war against Islam.
A host of Italian engineers came to the capital of the Empire of Hungary shortly after Matyas Corvinus ceremony at Beograd castle. They offered their services to the Emperor, but were harshly turned away by Gedik Ahmed, who enjoyed insulting their inferior tactics.
By this time, with the ex-turkish general's aid and the help of the other exceptional military minds within the Empire of Hungary, it's army was second to none in the known world. Only Tuscany could truly compete with Hungary in land based technology and tactics.
To celebrate his position as Emperor, Matyas Corvinus decided to hold a great hunt. Of course the nobles of Byzantium were invited, as were the powerful lords of Bohemia and Bavaria. However, aside from enjoying the Hunt Matyas delibertly snubbed the Bishop-Prince of Wurzberg, the nobility of Poland and the people of Ak-Koyunlu. The later were snubbed perhaps the most, as their national borders were crossed during the process of the hunt.
In January of 1484 a humble Prior came before the Emperor of the Double Cross and requested funds for a new Monastic order. Feeling charitable, Matyas Corvinus gave the holy man food and shelter before sending him back with his best wishes and a fair share of gold to continue god's work. The Prior blessed the Emperor of Hungary and set out once more. It was not long before he founded the Holy Order of Corvin.
Sorry for the short update. I intend to do another update tomorrow or the day after... hopefully.
"There will be no end to the troubles of states, or of humanity itself, till philosophers become kings in this world, or till those we now call kings and rulers really and truly become philosophers, and political power and philosophy thus come into the same hands." -- Plato
The realm of the Hungarian Empire continued to prosper, building new homes for the influx of citizens in addition to outfitting the wealthy. On the throne, Matyas Corvinus kept the strange Edgar of Foor close to him as advisor, despite protests from the nobility. Many in power had grown to distrust the strange saint and despise him for the influence he had over the Emperor. So great was the demand to have the mysterious holy man for the unknown land of Foor removed (with some even going so far as saying he should be burned for use of black magic), that Emperor Corvinus sent Edgar away for his own protection. Thinking himself a great servant of God, the Emperor of the Double Cross continued the tread of surrounding himself with men of spirit and faith. With the departure of Edgar to Buda, the Hungarian Cardinal Thomas Bakocz became one of Matyas' most trusted advisors and was soon appointed Secretary to the Emperor. Bakocz was a man of unbounded ambition who rose from servile origin, and who in time would dominate Hungarian politics.
The Emperor of Hungary did not forget his friends however. He appointed Edgar as head of the great Library he founded in Buda. It is there, at the Corviniana, that the grand history of Hungary was initiated, penned by Edgar of Foor.
In the south, the young Byzantine Emperor Andreas I began to feel that it was time for the rebirth of Byzantium. Confident in the strength of the Eastern Empire's ally, the brash Andreas I worked up the courage to declare war on Byzantium's hated foe, the Ottoman Empire.
"The time has come for the eldest of the great empires to reclaim its honor and strength. The Ottomans will be brought to their knees and the old lands regained. We shall give no quarter, for the the hour is at hand."
-- Emperor Andreas I of Byzantium, from a speech given in Constantinople before the declaration of war, July 16th 1484.
War once more began in the lands of the Ottoman Turks. As expected, the Empire of the Double Cross faithfully joins in on the side of its ally. On the other end of the spectrum, the turks of Karaman, fearing that they might be next, join the disorganized Ottomans in the war of Anatolia.
General Pal Kinizsi recieved word from the Byzantine Emperor that Karaman should be dealt with over the Ottomans. Andreas I assured the Hungarian General that he would personally deal with the hated turks of Osman. With such assurances, Kinizsi quickly conscripted several hundred Greek mercenaries to pad out his army, before setting out from Smyrna to Konya.
True to his word, a massive Byzantine army takes a quick victory over the Ottoman turks in Anatolia. The ferocious Byzantine Cavalry destroys the defending army and surrounds the Ottoman Capital. Hundreds of greek soldiers poured into the region, assaulting the city and capturing it in a stunning display of their effectiveness.
Meanwhile, Pal Kinizsi claimed a victory of his own, defeating the turks of Karaman in the midst of december. Taking the head of the commander of the turks, it was flung over the walls of the fortress of Konya. Pal did not wish to be upstaged by the Byzantine Emperor and so ordered an assault of the city. On february 1st, 1485 one of the walls was breached and the mostly greek and albanian army under Kinizsi's command slaughtered its defenders and took control of the region.
Twice during this time the Ottoman army of Adana struck north at the Hungarian garrisons of Angora and twice they were repelled. The commander of one such garrison was said to have noted 'the fear and desperation of the sons of Osman'. It was clear that the Ottoman Empire was on its final legs. It was not long before a Byzantine army marched through Angora and after defeating the routed Ottoman army in Adana, laid seige to the regions ancient city of Alexandretta.
After the capture of Konya the forces of Pal Kinizsi marched on a rather undefended Taurus, capturing the capital city by late october. Pal would not long remain in the city however, as Emperor Andreas I signed a peace with the caliphs of Karaman on November 5th. This peace required Karaman to pay 176 bars of gold to Byzantium and its ally, as well as surrendering the region of Konya to the Empire of Hungary. Pleased with this victory, the hungarian army marched to Alexandretta and aided the General of Byzantium with the seige, but left the victory to the proud greek.
On August 20th, the year of our lord fourteen eighty-six, the Ottoman Sultan, a man of little importance and who's name has generally been forgotten, submitted to the Byzantine Emperor, becoming his vassal. In addition ninety one bars of gold and silver were given to the two Emperors and more importantly, the City of Alexandretta once more became a part of the Byzantine Empire.
It is odd however that at this time, when the Eastern Empire was on the rise once more and regaining its former lands, that Moskvy/Russia declared itself and its city of Moscow the Third Rome.
This was met with warnings from Emperor Corvinus of Hungary and the young Andreas, both of whom viewed the Rus as uncultured peasants little better than the mongols.
The great man has gone.
In one of his last acts as Emperor of Hungary, Matyas Corvinus went back to his old playbook in a matter of speaking. In march of 1488, The Emperor offered his Moldavian vassal the oppurtunity to enter into the alliance of two Empires. Moldavia joins, but should have realized this was little more than a ruse. It was called the alliance of Two Empires for a reason. It is not long before prince Stefan III cel Mare is presuaded to join Moldavia under the Imperial Crown of Hungary. The ceremony took place on June 13th, a beautiful sunday morning, and was held in the Cathedral of the Order of Corvin in Bucuresti.
The following year, the Emperor of the Double Cross, elected over thirty years ago by the Hungarian Diet to serve as King, became very ill. He lingered on for many months and it is said that throughout his Empire people prayed for his return to health. However it was not to be. In the April of 1490 Matyas Corvinus, the Splendid, second son of the Hero Janos Hunyadi, died.
"Pale death, with impartial step, knocks at the hut of the poor and the towers of kings." -- Horace
For all his great acts, Matyas Corvinus did not leave an heir to follow in his footsteps. Gathering together, the Hungarian Magnates debated who should take up the Hungarian crown. Some considered offering it to the Emperor Andreas I of Byzantium, but they were few in number. Still others leaned towards Maxmillain of Hapsburg, but that suggestion was met by scorn from those who still remembered the earlier conflicts with the family. Eventually it was decided that the crown of the double cross and the Empire would go to Uladislaus II of Bohemia. The thirty four year old son of the Casimir IV of Poland. He was a man of little personal strength and was mainly selected in hopes that he could be easily controled by the powerful nobles of the land, for they had grown tired of stubborn Kings.
On April 7th, 1490 he took the throne of Hungary as ULaszlo II. His reign immediately faced challenge when the following year Austria annexed the region of Tyrol. Demanding action, the lords of Hungary convinced the king to recall General Pal Kinizsi and his troops to the Capital.
The realm of the Hungarian Empire continued to prosper, building new homes for the influx of citizens in addition to outfitting the wealthy. On the throne, Matyas Corvinus kept the strange Edgar of Foor close to him as advisor, despite protests from the nobility. Many in power had grown to distrust the strange saint and despise him for the influence he had over the Emperor. So great was the demand to have the mysterious holy man for the unknown land of Foor removed (with some even going so far as saying he should be burned for use of black magic), that Emperor Corvinus sent Edgar away for his own protection. Thinking himself a great servant of God, the Emperor of the Double Cross continued the tread of surrounding himself with men of spirit and faith. With the departure of Edgar to Buda, the Hungarian Cardinal Thomas Bakocz became one of Matyas' most trusted advisors and was soon appointed Secretary to the Emperor. Bakocz was a man of unbounded ambition who rose from servile origin, and who in time would dominate Hungarian politics.
The Emperor of Hungary did not forget his friends however. He appointed Edgar as head of the great Library he founded in Buda. It is there, at the Corviniana, that the grand history of Hungary was initiated, penned by Edgar of Foor.
In the south, the young Byzantine Emperor Andreas I began to feel that it was time for the rebirth of Byzantium. Confident in the strength of the Eastern Empire's ally, the brash Andreas I worked up the courage to declare war on Byzantium's hated foe, the Ottoman Empire.
"The time has come for the eldest of the great empires to reclaim its honor and strength. The Ottomans will be brought to their knees and the old lands regained. We shall give no quarter, for the the hour is at hand."
-- Emperor Andreas I of Byzantium, from a speech given in Constantinople before the declaration of war, July 16th 1484.
War once more began in the lands of the Ottoman Turks. As expected, the Empire of the Double Cross faithfully joins in on the side of its ally. On the other end of the spectrum, the turks of Karaman, fearing that they might be next, join the disorganized Ottomans in the war of Anatolia.
General Pal Kinizsi recieved word from the Byzantine Emperor that Karaman should be dealt with over the Ottomans. Andreas I assured the Hungarian General that he would personally deal with the hated turks of Osman. With such assurances, Kinizsi quickly conscripted several hundred Greek mercenaries to pad out his army, before setting out from Smyrna to Konya.
True to his word, a massive Byzantine army takes a quick victory over the Ottoman turks in Anatolia. The ferocious Byzantine Cavalry destroys the defending army and surrounds the Ottoman Capital. Hundreds of greek soldiers poured into the region, assaulting the city and capturing it in a stunning display of their effectiveness.
Meanwhile, Pal Kinizsi claimed a victory of his own, defeating the turks of Karaman in the midst of december. Taking the head of the commander of the turks, it was flung over the walls of the fortress of Konya. Pal did not wish to be upstaged by the Byzantine Emperor and so ordered an assault of the city. On february 1st, 1485 one of the walls was breached and the mostly greek and albanian army under Kinizsi's command slaughtered its defenders and took control of the region.
Twice during this time the Ottoman army of Adana struck north at the Hungarian garrisons of Angora and twice they were repelled. The commander of one such garrison was said to have noted 'the fear and desperation of the sons of Osman'. It was clear that the Ottoman Empire was on its final legs. It was not long before a Byzantine army marched through Angora and after defeating the routed Ottoman army in Adana, laid seige to the regions ancient city of Alexandretta.
After the capture of Konya the forces of Pal Kinizsi marched on a rather undefended Taurus, capturing the capital city by late october. Pal would not long remain in the city however, as Emperor Andreas I signed a peace with the caliphs of Karaman on November 5th. This peace required Karaman to pay 176 bars of gold to Byzantium and its ally, as well as surrendering the region of Konya to the Empire of Hungary. Pleased with this victory, the hungarian army marched to Alexandretta and aided the General of Byzantium with the seige, but left the victory to the proud greek.
On August 20th, the year of our lord fourteen eighty-six, the Ottoman Sultan, a man of little importance and who's name has generally been forgotten, submitted to the Byzantine Emperor, becoming his vassal. In addition ninety one bars of gold and silver were given to the two Emperors and more importantly, the City of Alexandretta once more became a part of the Byzantine Empire.
It is odd however that at this time, when the Eastern Empire was on the rise once more and regaining its former lands, that Moskvy/Russia declared itself and its city of Moscow the Third Rome.
This was met with warnings from Emperor Corvinus of Hungary and the young Andreas, both of whom viewed the Rus as uncultured peasants little better than the mongols.
The great man has gone.
In one of his last acts as Emperor of Hungary, Matyas Corvinus went back to his old playbook in a matter of speaking. In march of 1488, The Emperor offered his Moldavian vassal the oppurtunity to enter into the alliance of two Empires. Moldavia joins, but should have realized this was little more than a ruse. It was called the alliance of Two Empires for a reason. It is not long before prince Stefan III cel Mare is presuaded to join Moldavia under the Imperial Crown of Hungary. The ceremony took place on June 13th, a beautiful sunday morning, and was held in the Cathedral of the Order of Corvin in Bucuresti.
The following year, the Emperor of the Double Cross, elected over thirty years ago by the Hungarian Diet to serve as King, became very ill. He lingered on for many months and it is said that throughout his Empire people prayed for his return to health. However it was not to be. In the April of 1490 Matyas Corvinus, the Splendid, second son of the Hero Janos Hunyadi, died.
"Pale death, with impartial step, knocks at the hut of the poor and the towers of kings." -- Horace
For all his great acts, Matyas Corvinus did not leave an heir to follow in his footsteps. Gathering together, the Hungarian Magnates debated who should take up the Hungarian crown. Some considered offering it to the Emperor Andreas I of Byzantium, but they were few in number. Still others leaned towards Maxmillain of Hapsburg, but that suggestion was met by scorn from those who still remembered the earlier conflicts with the family. Eventually it was decided that the crown of the double cross and the Empire would go to Uladislaus II of Bohemia. The thirty four year old son of the Casimir IV of Poland. He was a man of little personal strength and was mainly selected in hopes that he could be easily controled by the powerful nobles of the land, for they had grown tired of stubborn Kings.
On April 7th, 1490 he took the throne of Hungary as ULaszlo II. His reign immediately faced challenge when the following year Austria annexed the region of Tyrol. Demanding action, the lords of Hungary convinced the king to recall General Pal Kinizsi and his troops to the Capital.
The Turk humbled and oncoming war with Austria! Things are getting very interesting in Hungary....
Great writing Machiavellian. It was depressing to read that people did not recognize the value of Edgar as much as they should but on the other hand it was great to read about the victorious campaign against the Turks, nice quotes by the way
Chapter VI: Old Fueds.
"We must learn to live together as brothers or perish together as fools."
-- Martin Luther King, Jr.
ULaszlo II proved to be easily swayed by the strong opinions of the powerful nobles. Clearly their were many who wished to do away with the reforms of Emperor Corvinus and cared not if they warred with their Christian neighbors. A common sentiment within the Empire of Hungary was that the Habsburg influence must be contained in Austria. It therefore came as no surprise when on February 25th 1492, Hungary declared war on the powerful Habsburgs of Austria. The Habsburgs were not without allies however. Showing instant support for Austria Milan and the Bishopric of Wurzburg declared war against the Empire of Hungary. The Empire of the Double Cross, confident in its strength, decided not to entangle its own ally in the war and declined to ask for assistance.
The first battle of the war occured on March 28 when a large force of Austrians crossed into the hills of Steiermark west of the Jagiello forest. Unknown to the Austrian army was that the region had been heavily fortified over the years and large ditches had been built for which to hide. By sundown the Austrian army found itself ambushed and surrounded.
The battle that ensued was both bloody and ferocious, but the Austrians despite numeric superiority found themselves forced to flee in tatters.
The war continued with astonishing sucess as General Pal Kinizsi, after defeating an Austrian force of over 30,000, put the province of Austria itself under seige. With orders from the magnates of Hungary, the General orders an assault against the city of Vienna. The attack was extremely costly, with thousands perishing against the defenders of Vienna, but in the end it is a sucess. With the Hapsburg capital falling by June 2nd.
Elsewhere victories were not so common or so grand. During the seige of Vienna, an advance force of some 6,000 cavalry were sent into Tirol, where they were almost effortlessly repelled. Tirol remained in Austrian hands, until after the fall of Vienna when Pal Kinizsi marched into Tirol, bringing with him another victory. Already the armies of Hungary were looking stretched and to aid in the effort, many young magyar men were drafted from the heartlands to revitalize the military.
The Austrians, with help from their allies in Milan mustered forces from Alsace and struck at Tirol. They proved unable to lift the seige and by May 9th, 1493 Pal Kinizsi captured Tirol.
In the north Wurzburg continued to build up its force of german knights and mercenaries, but made only small raids, never commiting much to the Austrian cause.
While the war overshadowed many events of the day, two can not be ignored. First was the sucessful inquisition in Konya. True to the policies of the late Emperor Corvinus, Cardinal Thomas Bakocz personally oversaw the expulsion of the Muslim heathans from the domain of Hungary. Once more Hungary remained free of the taint of Islam. Returning to the Capital, Bakocz became Archbishop of Esztergom and tied himself closer to the unsure Emperor ULaszlo II.
It was through his guidence that the Royal marriage between ULaszlo II and the first daughter of the Lithuanian King Aleksandras I was arranged. The marriage occured in the midst of the war, shortly after the capture of Tirol. It is said the the Emperor offered the captured region to his new wife as a present and symbol of the love he hoped would grow between them.
In July, angered that the Milanese refused a peace returning to the status quo, Emperor ULaszlo II declared that a new crusade would begin to liberate the oppressed Schwyz from Milan's rule. In July of 1493 the Battle of Schwyz began with mixed results. While initially in jeopardy of losing to the powerful Milanese presence in the region, the local swiss rose up in revolt and aided the soldiers of Hungary. Bridges were destoryed and brigades ambushed. Several large battles were fought in the area, including one in which General Pal Kinizsi lost his life. While the battle was a victory, the army was forced to carry on without the leadership of its great general. By april of the following year the region of Schwyz fell into the hands of the swiss rebels and the Hungarian military.
Outside of the Empire of Hungary itself several significant events occured. Foremost of them was the transformation of the black sheep of Qura Koyunlu. Embracing both new and old doctrines the region followed a new sect of Islam known as Shia and declared itself Persia reborn. While some feared that this would make the southern borders of Hungary more dangerous, others claimed that perhaps the infidels war amongst themselves for awhile.
In the north, Emperor ULaszlo II arranged for his sister to marry to the ruler of MeiBen, Friedrich III der Weise. Shortly after this marriage, Friedrich agreed to grant Hungary military access to its lands, opening a path to the Habsburg Alsace. It was also during this time that Poland annexed the dutchy of Brandenburg into its realm.
With renewed passion the Magyar soldiers poured down into Lombardia, meeting the army of Milan in open battle. Over the course of a week, battle ensued. In the end, Milan's army was in ruins, the former army of General Kinizsi crushing its enemy. This defeat caused the powers in Milan to reconsider the option of peace with Hungary. Surrendering, a small token indemnity was paid, but in addition they ceded the Schwyz province.
It was not long after Milan's surrender that the Hapsburg lords conceded to defeat and signed over the lands of Tirol in the August peace of 1494. In addition one hundred fourty-four bars of gold were taken to pay for the costs of the war. Both Milan and the Hapsburgs were humiliated, leaving on the Bishopric of Wurzburg with its pride in place.
True to his word, ULaszlo II, Emperor of all Hungary and King of Bohemia, granted the swiss rebels who aided in the war their own nation. On October 1st, 1494 Helvetia came into being as a vassal of the Empire of the Double Cross. In addition the Swiss state was given an honorary position in the Empire Alliance.
With war no longer in place to distract the nobles and peasants of Hungary, the flaws of the Bohemian King became more clear. In an effort to prop up the regime, ULaszlo II appointed Cardinal Thomas Bakocz Chancellor. The Cardinal soon dominated the weak Emperor and became the real power behind the throne. Yet he was not the only power.
Sometime during the year of 1495 a new weapon was being experimented with in Hungary. The firearm. While at first rather ineffective, eventually its design was improved and a later model was considered for intergration into the military. Spies reported that similar weapons were being developed by Tuscany and Ragusa. When in October peasant revolts sprung into being in Serbia and Krain, it was decided that the new weapon would be tested on the peasant rebels. The result was a brutal supression of the rebellion, leaving the population frightened and cowed.
Having learned of our new weapons from their own spies Venice demanded that we share our new secrets. When the magnates of Hungary bluntly refused, the venetians closed their ports to any Hungarian merchant, effectively embargoing the Empire. With no centers of trade of its own, this was a costly blow to the Hungarian Empire. The attempts at correcting the problem only led to worse policies in government.
The upstart Russia was becoming more and more a factor in politics when in 1497 a group of Lithuanian nobles defected to the crown of Muscovy. It was becoming increasingly clear that the orthodox Rus were not simply self glorifying serfs.
As the 15th century neared its end, Austria, apparently not as humbled as had been believed began to threaten the soveriegnty of Helvetia. In addition the Hapsburgs, showing that they were still a major factor in European politics inherited Milan and set up rule over it as an Austrian Vassal.
The Fourteen-Hundreds saw the end of Ottoman sovereignty, along with the birth of one Empire and the rebirth of another. The balkans and greece were cleared of the taint of Islam and the Turkish scourge. Mighty Constantinople stood proudly a symbol of the ancient past and the memory of Rome. In the great Library of Buda, known as the Corviniana, an enigmatic figure slipped into obscurity, watching and recording, knowing that he had no small part in all this.
"We must learn to live together as brothers or perish together as fools."
-- Martin Luther King, Jr.
ULaszlo II proved to be easily swayed by the strong opinions of the powerful nobles. Clearly their were many who wished to do away with the reforms of Emperor Corvinus and cared not if they warred with their Christian neighbors. A common sentiment within the Empire of Hungary was that the Habsburg influence must be contained in Austria. It therefore came as no surprise when on February 25th 1492, Hungary declared war on the powerful Habsburgs of Austria. The Habsburgs were not without allies however. Showing instant support for Austria Milan and the Bishopric of Wurzburg declared war against the Empire of Hungary. The Empire of the Double Cross, confident in its strength, decided not to entangle its own ally in the war and declined to ask for assistance.
The first battle of the war occured on March 28 when a large force of Austrians crossed into the hills of Steiermark west of the Jagiello forest. Unknown to the Austrian army was that the region had been heavily fortified over the years and large ditches had been built for which to hide. By sundown the Austrian army found itself ambushed and surrounded.
The battle that ensued was both bloody and ferocious, but the Austrians despite numeric superiority found themselves forced to flee in tatters.
The war continued with astonishing sucess as General Pal Kinizsi, after defeating an Austrian force of over 30,000, put the province of Austria itself under seige. With orders from the magnates of Hungary, the General orders an assault against the city of Vienna. The attack was extremely costly, with thousands perishing against the defenders of Vienna, but in the end it is a sucess. With the Hapsburg capital falling by June 2nd.
Elsewhere victories were not so common or so grand. During the seige of Vienna, an advance force of some 6,000 cavalry were sent into Tirol, where they were almost effortlessly repelled. Tirol remained in Austrian hands, until after the fall of Vienna when Pal Kinizsi marched into Tirol, bringing with him another victory. Already the armies of Hungary were looking stretched and to aid in the effort, many young magyar men were drafted from the heartlands to revitalize the military.
The Austrians, with help from their allies in Milan mustered forces from Alsace and struck at Tirol. They proved unable to lift the seige and by May 9th, 1493 Pal Kinizsi captured Tirol.
In the north Wurzburg continued to build up its force of german knights and mercenaries, but made only small raids, never commiting much to the Austrian cause.
While the war overshadowed many events of the day, two can not be ignored. First was the sucessful inquisition in Konya. True to the policies of the late Emperor Corvinus, Cardinal Thomas Bakocz personally oversaw the expulsion of the Muslim heathans from the domain of Hungary. Once more Hungary remained free of the taint of Islam. Returning to the Capital, Bakocz became Archbishop of Esztergom and tied himself closer to the unsure Emperor ULaszlo II.
It was through his guidence that the Royal marriage between ULaszlo II and the first daughter of the Lithuanian King Aleksandras I was arranged. The marriage occured in the midst of the war, shortly after the capture of Tirol. It is said the the Emperor offered the captured region to his new wife as a present and symbol of the love he hoped would grow between them.
In July, angered that the Milanese refused a peace returning to the status quo, Emperor ULaszlo II declared that a new crusade would begin to liberate the oppressed Schwyz from Milan's rule. In July of 1493 the Battle of Schwyz began with mixed results. While initially in jeopardy of losing to the powerful Milanese presence in the region, the local swiss rose up in revolt and aided the soldiers of Hungary. Bridges were destoryed and brigades ambushed. Several large battles were fought in the area, including one in which General Pal Kinizsi lost his life. While the battle was a victory, the army was forced to carry on without the leadership of its great general. By april of the following year the region of Schwyz fell into the hands of the swiss rebels and the Hungarian military.
Outside of the Empire of Hungary itself several significant events occured. Foremost of them was the transformation of the black sheep of Qura Koyunlu. Embracing both new and old doctrines the region followed a new sect of Islam known as Shia and declared itself Persia reborn. While some feared that this would make the southern borders of Hungary more dangerous, others claimed that perhaps the infidels war amongst themselves for awhile.
In the north, Emperor ULaszlo II arranged for his sister to marry to the ruler of MeiBen, Friedrich III der Weise. Shortly after this marriage, Friedrich agreed to grant Hungary military access to its lands, opening a path to the Habsburg Alsace. It was also during this time that Poland annexed the dutchy of Brandenburg into its realm.
With renewed passion the Magyar soldiers poured down into Lombardia, meeting the army of Milan in open battle. Over the course of a week, battle ensued. In the end, Milan's army was in ruins, the former army of General Kinizsi crushing its enemy. This defeat caused the powers in Milan to reconsider the option of peace with Hungary. Surrendering, a small token indemnity was paid, but in addition they ceded the Schwyz province.
It was not long after Milan's surrender that the Hapsburg lords conceded to defeat and signed over the lands of Tirol in the August peace of 1494. In addition one hundred fourty-four bars of gold were taken to pay for the costs of the war. Both Milan and the Hapsburgs were humiliated, leaving on the Bishopric of Wurzburg with its pride in place.
True to his word, ULaszlo II, Emperor of all Hungary and King of Bohemia, granted the swiss rebels who aided in the war their own nation. On October 1st, 1494 Helvetia came into being as a vassal of the Empire of the Double Cross. In addition the Swiss state was given an honorary position in the Empire Alliance.
With war no longer in place to distract the nobles and peasants of Hungary, the flaws of the Bohemian King became more clear. In an effort to prop up the regime, ULaszlo II appointed Cardinal Thomas Bakocz Chancellor. The Cardinal soon dominated the weak Emperor and became the real power behind the throne. Yet he was not the only power.
Sometime during the year of 1495 a new weapon was being experimented with in Hungary. The firearm. While at first rather ineffective, eventually its design was improved and a later model was considered for intergration into the military. Spies reported that similar weapons were being developed by Tuscany and Ragusa. When in October peasant revolts sprung into being in Serbia and Krain, it was decided that the new weapon would be tested on the peasant rebels. The result was a brutal supression of the rebellion, leaving the population frightened and cowed.
Having learned of our new weapons from their own spies Venice demanded that we share our new secrets. When the magnates of Hungary bluntly refused, the venetians closed their ports to any Hungarian merchant, effectively embargoing the Empire. With no centers of trade of its own, this was a costly blow to the Hungarian Empire. The attempts at correcting the problem only led to worse policies in government.
The upstart Russia was becoming more and more a factor in politics when in 1497 a group of Lithuanian nobles defected to the crown of Muscovy. It was becoming increasingly clear that the orthodox Rus were not simply self glorifying serfs.
As the 15th century neared its end, Austria, apparently not as humbled as had been believed began to threaten the soveriegnty of Helvetia. In addition the Hapsburgs, showing that they were still a major factor in European politics inherited Milan and set up rule over it as an Austrian Vassal.
The Fourteen-Hundreds saw the end of Ottoman sovereignty, along with the birth of one Empire and the rebirth of another. The balkans and greece were cleared of the taint of Islam and the Turkish scourge. Mighty Constantinople stood proudly a symbol of the ancient past and the memory of Rome. In the great Library of Buda, known as the Corviniana, an enigmatic figure slipped into obscurity, watching and recording, knowing that he had no small part in all this.
Nice to read that Constantinople is doing fine. Keep an eye on the Austrians though, great writing as usual
Hungary in action! Great!
You are developing your land tech really fast. Level 11 in 1495 with the ortodox tech group of Hungary?!!
You are developing your land tech really fast. Level 11 in 1495 with the ortodox tech group of Hungary?!!
Hungary has Orthodox tech group? Are you certain of that? They are a Catholic nation after all. I have been rather fortunate however, in that earlier on I got a bunch of army reform and land tech boost events, plus I think with the prime ministers and such appointments it helped the Monarch ratings, thus increasing tech speed. Land tech is rivaled only by a few neighbors, though I think france is quickly catching up.
I also have the land tech slider as main priority, when I don't need to devote cash to the treasury. Thanks for reading.
Judge, as for Constantinople doing well, I sometimes get in weird moods where I will want my allies or neighboring countries to do well. Byzantium is one such case. I haven't attempted to Vassalize them and give them gifts whenever their love of Hungary begins to sink to low (and I can afford it) I also have tried not to rob them of victories and keep them strong, as may have been seen when they were allowed to take Alexandretta and make the Ottomans their vassals. A strong Ally is better than a weak servant in some cases.
It is my hope that the Byzantine Empire will last as Hungarys ally till 1820, though whether that will happen or not is still in question. In truth, the only thing I know is that Hungary will survive in one form or another up to 1530.
Again, thanks for reading and I shall try to keep you entertained. If there is anything you would like to see more or less of let me know.
I also have the land tech slider as main priority, when I don't need to devote cash to the treasury. Thanks for reading.
Judge, as for Constantinople doing well, I sometimes get in weird moods where I will want my allies or neighboring countries to do well. Byzantium is one such case. I haven't attempted to Vassalize them and give them gifts whenever their love of Hungary begins to sink to low (and I can afford it) I also have tried not to rob them of victories and keep them strong, as may have been seen when they were allowed to take Alexandretta and make the Ottomans their vassals. A strong Ally is better than a weak servant in some cases.
It is my hope that the Byzantine Empire will last as Hungarys ally till 1820, though whether that will happen or not is still in question. In truth, the only thing I know is that Hungary will survive in one form or another up to 1530.
Again, thanks for reading and I shall try to keep you entertained. If there is anything you would like to see more or less of let me know.
Last edited:
Yes Hungary is in ortodox tech group according to the "country" file in the DB directory.
You really should find a way to post some screenies to. I'd just love to see that BIG Hungarian Empire.
I think I managed to get one of the screen shots to stick at 1530 when I last played the game. I don't intend on playing forward until I get to that point and can get the screen shot up. I hope that won't be too long, as I can definately agree with you in wanting to see the Big Empire of Hungary. It is actually quite a lovely sight, especially with the smattering of purple (byzantium) and the large cool mint green shading of the map (hungary.)
Also there are some interesting things one just needs to see like a villainously large france and an english red apulia. (from the saved map) I shall definately work on trying to find a server to host the picture. If I still can't get that to work, I will just send out e-mails to readers with the maps.
Also there are some interesting things one just needs to see like a villainously large france and an english red apulia. (from the saved map) I shall definately work on trying to find a server to host the picture. If I still can't get that to work, I will just send out e-mails to readers with the maps.
Before you send you screenie just open the file in a "picture viewer" and resave it as .jpg. The file will be 1/20 the size of the original save! (original: 2,300 kB resaved: 115 kB)
This is NOT the Macchiavellian Hungarian Empire this is a Big Hungay from my current SP GC. I am this little gray Brandenburg at the top of Germany. No the Baltic coast is not hungarian it is the Teutonic Order.
Last edited:
Your AAR is truly inspiring! I hope you can keep Hungary going strong. And I hope you will bring Edgar back into prominence. One thing that puzzles me: how can Russia exist so early in your game? I thought Muscovy wouldn't turn to Russia until 1520.
Testing out to see if Screen shots will work, Kalepi has offered to help me if this doesn't work as well.
EDIT: The Link that was here has been removed. I do not want to spoil things later but the good news is that I think it should be visable to everyone. So I can start using maps some more. Yay
This link will be deleted so as not to spoil anything later.
As for the Russia issue. I honestly don't know, I haven't played EU very much and this is my first experience at EEP. However, Russia declared itself the third rome after the Ottoman Empire was vassalized by Byzantium. So maybe that had something to do with it?
EDIT: The Link that was here has been removed. I do not want to spoil things later but the good news is that I think it should be visable to everyone. So I can start using maps some more. Yay
This link will be deleted so as not to spoil anything later.
As for the Russia issue. I honestly don't know, I haven't played EU very much and this is my first experience at EEP. However, Russia declared itself the third rome after the Ottoman Empire was vassalized by Byzantium. So maybe that had something to do with it?
I think in EEP, Muscovy can become Russia earlier. In my Byzantium game they became Russia in the 1470's or 80's, IIRC.
Also, I just got around to reading your last update. I am very anxious to see screenshots of your empire. I can't say I've ever seen Hungary get to any appreciable size before, though I've also never seen them played by a human player.
Also, I just got around to reading your last update. I am very anxious to see screenshots of your empire. I can't say I've ever seen Hungary get to any appreciable size before, though I've also never seen them played by a human player.
Have you checked the screenie above? This is an AI Hungary I would say they are of "appreciable size", and me as Brandenburg had no major influence on their progress.
I like playing as Hungary. They don't get that many events, but they have some interesting potential enemies and allies around them, as well as a lot of options in the direction they wish to go. The only thing I dislike is the dual kings.