"No Empire is like the Hungarian Empire" -– Anonymous poet, 1648.
"It is easier to lead men to combat, stirring up their passion, than to restrain them and direct them toward the patient labors of peace" -- Andre Gide
On January 1st, the year of our lord 1649, the descendant of Miklos Zrinyi baring the same name and similar skills was raised to Field Marshall of Hungary. Following his appointment, Emperor George II continued with his own policies of subtle politicking and machination by supporting a small band of ambitious dissadents within the Changhai Khanate. While truthfully caring little for the backward country, he felt that the more trouble he could cause the heathens, the safer the true christian states of the world would be, after all Ghenghis Khan had supposedly come out of no-where.
Despite Hungary's recent successes, not all was well in the land. On March 26th, 1650 spain launched a completely unprovoked attack upon one of the new world colonies of the Empire. Utilizing the freedom given to it via the ancient treaty of tordesillas, the Spanish landed over 43,000 mounted conquistidors outside the city of New Bujak, Biloxi. Though the soldiers of the city fought admirably, they were completely overwhelmed by the massive spanish force. The Spanairds then engaged the colonial army of New Dalmatia, mobile. Wiped out almost to the man, it seemed likely that the region would fall to spanish, yet without a word the spainish then left the region controled by Hungary, heading west most likely to their own lands. Perplexed at first, it was later realized that this was more a show of strength from Spain then a beginning to a war. It seemed obvious that Spain wished only to repay past slights and flex its muscle and though the loss of life was tragic, the lords in distant Hungary were unwilling to go to war for it.
Seeking to turn eyes away from what could have been a full blown military disaster, George II advanced his wedding to the 3rd of July. Held in the grand palace in Smyrna, he was wed to the exotic daughter of the count of Beirut, Alyssandria. Dignitaries from Byzantium, Jerusalem, Aragon, and of course Hungary were all in attendance, as well as a powerful merchant lord from Flanders and two important Polish families.
The following year passed in relative quiet. The Emperor and his new wife were seen journying throughout the expanse of the Empire, even as Miklos Zrinyi II issued several colonial charters and a reformation of the navy in the Emperors name. When the Emperor heard of this the following year, it is said he began foaming at the mouth and ranting about treason. Needless to say, things became strained between the Field marshall and his Soveriegn. Eventually however something else came up with which to distract the two from their minor fued.
After over a century of being the quiet neighbor, the sultanate of Karaman opened its mouth. What came out were insults that would make a sailor blush. It was the small sultanate's first and last mistake. The lords of Taurus, long the last bastion of Islamic turks in Asia minor had failed to silence their leader Mustafa (the imbecile, as he was later called.) Miklos Zrinyi II and the Armenian regiment were ordered to Konya and on August 15th, 1653 war was declared upon the Karaman.
The battle of Taurus took place in a rugged valley several miles north of the city, yet despite the defensive advantages the turks of Karaman did not stand a chance. Not only outnumbered, but out generaled, they fell within a weeks time. Miklos Zrinyi II however did not take all the claim stating
".. It was a glorious victory, and while I shall claim a portion along with the troops, I must also give credit to our Harquebuses as well and the rightfully proud Hungarians who crafted them.", as recorded by the armenian chronicler Vahan Vosgil.
All was not well within the court of Kings however. In Jerusalem, the leper calling himself Edgar vanished, though a few said he had died. In the Hungarian court, Scandal hit in February of 1654 when the beautiful Alyssandria was discovered having an affair with the viscount of Austria. Outraged, the Emperor demanded an annulment and fortunately for all the pope complied. Later that year, the Emperor was mildly cheered when Taurus fell. Destroying the nation of Karaman, the rich city was annexed into the Hungarian realm and Mustafa and his family were exiled to Tunisia with a warning not to return. Rumor has it that the Caliph of Tunisia had Mustafa's mouth sown shut, so as not to cause any more problems, as a condition for his being given shelter.
A minor revolt occured early in the year of 1655 in Provence, but it was quickly and rather peacefully dispelled, allowing the rest of the year to continue in peace.
Enterprise of exploration
"The wind and waves are always on the side of the ablest navigators"
-- Edward Gibbon
When the
Sevid docked in the Roanoke harbor on February 20th, 1656 few realized its purpose. It was not until later that evening that the bold captain Istvan Szilhaygi announced that he was placing himself, his ship and his crew at the disposal of the crown, to win glory for god and country in a quest of exploration. He only asked that his own family in europe be cared for. While it took much time, a full account of the explorations of the brave captain were recorded by his son who also accompanied him.
After defeating several pirates in the waters of Bahamas my father set south, to map the coast of south atlantia. The first settlement of note we discovered was quite a surprise, for rather than the greeting of spanish or portugese as we expected, the crew was greeted by baddly burned, blond haired Swedes in Yaraguay. After sharing dinner with the strange protestant governor, my father set out once more, envigorated. We soon discovered the english colonies of New Cambrigde, Surinam and Montevideo, Urugauy as well as the expected Spanish and Portugese cities of Buenos Aires, Parna and Rio de Janeiro, Salvadore.. respectively. After that, aside from already mapped lands, my father discovered the cape horn and the isle of Tierra del Fuego. After a return to Curcao, my father crossed the Cape horn and located an island in the south pacific, but he tahsked that he did not have the manpower to explore its interior. Naming it Tahiti, for one sailor mistook his tsking for the island's name, we turned around so that the new findings could be recorded.
On october 23rd, 1657 the Edict of Tolerance was issued. Many felt that this was a long time coming and it helped lessen tensions caused by religion in europe as well as nullifing the cursed treaty of tordesilla. That winter, the Emperor chose his heart over state, delegating responsibility elsewhere as he persued relations with his new mistresses. One however so enraptured him that he was to wed her in the summer. By the end of May, Emperor George II was remarried, this time to the dutchess of Nafplion.
It was not long before the Emperor was up to his old tricks again, this time exploiting the recently free former english subjects of Pommern. Promising them several chests of gold, the Emperor obtains the maps of England, aiding to the world map of Hungary. Nuyussaybin sparked an attempted rebellion a few months later after the local inquisition failed, but troops managed to quell it before it got out of hand. In 1661 a minor plague sweeps Hellas, though fortunately regulations in the medical profession manage to stem the epidemic slightly.
The Caribbean and Northern Atlantia
Why are Germans so meddlesome? And the München-Stuttgart war
"So long as mankind shall continue to lavish more praise upon its destroyers than upon its benefactors war shall remain the chief pursuit of ambitious minds." -- Edward Gibbon
The year of 1662 was by all accounts to be quite profitable for the Empire of Hungary. Annual returns were up and the estimates said the production would be exceptional. Interesting enough, Austrian advisors said the same thing. On February 1st, Leapold I of the Vienna Hapsburgs decided he needed something to inspire for him a new musical composition, thus he annexed Bavaria into the Austrian realm. This situation was further complicated when several leading Hungarian nobles sided with Mainz, a mere vassal state of the empire in claiming that Bavaria should belong to the minor county. Tensions began to come to a boiling point in the german lands and shortly after Emperor George II neice was married to a powerful member of the Polish sjem, War with Austria appeared inevitable.
It was the 1st of February, 1664 when the Empire of Hungary declared war upon Austria thus beginning the München-Stuttgart war. Emperor Leopold called on his vassal Milan as well as the Knights of Rhodes, whereas Hungary sought the aid of its ancient allies Byzantium and Jerusalem, as well as its new vassal of Mainz. Two days later, a new born Wittenburg based Saxony joined the Austrians in war against Hungary. It seemed that the Saxon independance movement would not die.
The battle of Brandenburg was the first battle of the war, beating out the february 23rd battle of Bohemia by twenty-two hours. To say that the battle of Brandenburg was truly a battle is akin to saying that the greeks actually missed the Ottoman Empire, both would be lies. On one side were the Austrians, numbering at just over 3,500 infantry. They stood proud and detirmined in their polished boots and uniforms. On the other side were the Hungarians. Two thousand Infantry, mere support for the nearly 15,000 Huzsar cavalry. One must give the austrians some credit in that they did not flee even when faced with the thunder of heavy steeds on the charge. Needless to say, the austrians were slaughtered to the man and by the 3rd of march a seige of starvation had begun as troops encircled the city of Berlin.
"The onset of bayonets in the hands of the valiant is irresistible" -- Major-General John Burgoyne
The Battle of Bohemia was a different story however. Marching with detirmination, eight thousand infantry under the banner of the of Imperial Hungary sought to navigate to the heart of Bohemia. Along the way, they found themselves flanked and intercepted by a large brigade of Austrian cavalry, numbering a little over six thousand. The Hungarians had the numbers, but they were quickly forced into a defensive position, as the skillful austrian cavalry attacking from both sides, using light dragoons to pick off the weak elements of the hungarian force. Nearing its breaking point, the Hungarians attempted a crazed charge at one side of the austrian horsemen on the morning of march 21st. It was only sheer luck or the providence of god that at that moment a reinforcing army of Carpathia arrived at the rear of the austrians other division, providing the otherwise sucidal bayonet charge with the cover it needed to succeed. The battle quickly turned and though the austrians fought with the same skill and detirmination, they could not recover and were killed to a man by the 5th of April.
