@merrick - Well, the reason why it got so huge is that it grew to that size -while- I was at war. A second one happened when we went to war again, but it was somewhat smaller.
Also, it really is. As I said, most of their provinces are in France, and France refuses to convert.
Vasiliy I of Russia, the Puny – Part II
Most fortunately, newly recovered records that date from year 1522 helped us reconstruct the events of the period.
The country of Russia would not deal with their stability problems so easily. It would take two years of minor rebellions for the country to calm sufficiently for Vasiliy to attempt further reforms. Forming a Military Academy in Moscow and bringing trained officers into the fold helped centralize the army around the very person of the King. Furthermore, he would have those officers form an official withdrawal system which the subjects of Russia would follow in the borders were to be attacked by one of the common enemies. The very act would cause further unrest in Russia, however, even if it would prove to be efficient in the future. This would also make Russia one of the most efficient and standardized countries in the world, even if they were terribly poor for their size.
With Poland's assault and annexation of Mazovia, which Russia supported diplomatically and financially, and further unrest caused by this kind of imperialism (it was not called imperialism at that time, but we can identify it as such), Russia was nearly at an all-time low in matters of stability, once again. Rebellions would once again try to overwhelm the country, but the new Russian army was most capable. That is, until late 1523, when new issues arose.
Austria, a newfound ally of Russia, was drawn into a conflict with the Golden Horde and their allies: the Ottoman Empire and the Mameluk Empire of Egypt, Tunis, Arabia, Judeia, Cyprus and Ethiopia. On the 17th day of August, 1523, Russia would be called to arms to help their ally, and Vasiliy I would accept, thinking too highly of his new military systems. He would personally lead his armies over the border, leaving an ineffective number of troops to deal with the rebels, save for the well-protected Finnish area.
Once again, the early campaign was a great success for Russia. But while they were winning a great war, their country was in disarray. With the only substantial province won being North Ufa, and rebels taking over most of the country again (most notably the nationalists in Polotsk), Vasiliy had to save his country and lose the war, or win it and risk partitioning it.
It was a hard decision, but Vasiliy the Puny made it, deciding to continue his campaign south, winning battle after battle, but losing his steady stream of men to hunger, disease and sword.
In June 1524, Vasiliy was left with a mere 7 000 men of his grand 22 000 he led into battle, and was forcing a march home. In the east, things were going much better, and Simbirsk fell to the new Russian training and their numbers, Pensa following only weeks later. In exchange, however, Ryazan fell to the enemy attackers, and most of the province's resources were under their control. It would take three and a half months to recover Ryazan, mostly through persuading the still loyal Russian subjects to help against the invaders. With Vasiliy temporarily out of the picture, Yevgeniy Barclay de Tolly took over the defense of the borders, and indeed did marvelously, deflecting half a dozen enemy assaults in four months.
Yet, with thinned defenses, Russia could barely hold on to conquered land, and some provinces, like Simbirsk, were recaptured, then captured again, back and forth. And while Russian borders were kept safe, conquering was barely an option, and a victory was slowly starting to turn in a status quo.
On the 26th of July, year 1525, Poland and Denmark smelled weakness, and they assaulted Austria, holding on to Danzig and Warmia still, with all the ferocity they could muster. Russia would not abandon their greatest ally, and they turned against Poland once more.
Once again
Finally, Russia would have to submit, and they once again paid a symbolic fee, turning a status quo into a defeat. It was a matter of lost honour, yes, but they had to keep their country from collapsing, being in the heat of the Second Rebellion.
The extent of the Rebellion. Dark blue is controlled, Lighter Blue is attacked or besieged.
The Second Great Rebellion, having started 1524, would finally be ended in June 1527, with Berezov liberated. Now the matter of the War of Danzigian Liberation was at hand, and it was a most troubling matter. Austria, still fighting the Horde, couldn't do much in this war.
They would indeed withdraw from the war in late November 1527, paying a small fee to Poland, their citizens tired of the war, as well. Russia, however, having taken the mantle of leadership in that war, would continue the fight. De Tolly would make a stand in Tavastland, but David Jablonowski's larger and technologically superior army would defeat de Tolly's more disciplined one. However, once he regrouped, he managed to chase of the attackers, allowing Vasiliy I, who had just arrived with 8 000 veteran militia from the last war with the Horde, to sieze Nyland.
Poland was still sure of their upcoming victory, and they demanded a grand fee in exhance for peace. Vasiliy wouldn't have it, and his army would clash with the one of Stanislaw I of Poland on the Finnish coasts, where Stanislaw tried to make a landing. Defeating the Polish king, he would take Finland as well, but at the cost of losing Savolax to nationalist rebels, left to operate freely. Furthmore, Poland was forced to travel through starved and troubled land of Sweden to reach Finland without using a mighty fleet, and Sweden was in the process of being conquered by Lithuania, and their Grand Duke Kazimieras IV, Holy Roman Emperor since the Year of Our Lord 1528.
The Finnish provinces were falling, and Stanislaw I was making a second landing attempt in Finland, to save his ravaged provinces. He and Vasiliy would meet on the coasts, once again, and Vasiliy would use his archers to keep the enemy at bay. However, the superior Polish troops would be defected twice, losing over a thousand men, before they managed to reach the Russian army, stationed on higher ground. They would clash there, and take around 2 600 Russians before they were unable to fight, and a retreat to the boats was sounded, with only some 1 000 more slain in the retreat. It was a dark day for Russia, as Vasiliy I had fallen in this battle, pushed down a cliff and having broken his neck. It was the 17th of October, 1528.
A dark day, yes. But a start of a glorious period in Russian history.
Also, it really is. As I said, most of their provinces are in France, and France refuses to convert.
Vasiliy I of Russia, the Puny – Part II
Most fortunately, newly recovered records that date from year 1522 helped us reconstruct the events of the period.
The country of Russia would not deal with their stability problems so easily. It would take two years of minor rebellions for the country to calm sufficiently for Vasiliy to attempt further reforms. Forming a Military Academy in Moscow and bringing trained officers into the fold helped centralize the army around the very person of the King. Furthermore, he would have those officers form an official withdrawal system which the subjects of Russia would follow in the borders were to be attacked by one of the common enemies. The very act would cause further unrest in Russia, however, even if it would prove to be efficient in the future. This would also make Russia one of the most efficient and standardized countries in the world, even if they were terribly poor for their size.
With Poland's assault and annexation of Mazovia, which Russia supported diplomatically and financially, and further unrest caused by this kind of imperialism (it was not called imperialism at that time, but we can identify it as such), Russia was nearly at an all-time low in matters of stability, once again. Rebellions would once again try to overwhelm the country, but the new Russian army was most capable. That is, until late 1523, when new issues arose.
Austria, a newfound ally of Russia, was drawn into a conflict with the Golden Horde and their allies: the Ottoman Empire and the Mameluk Empire of Egypt, Tunis, Arabia, Judeia, Cyprus and Ethiopia. On the 17th day of August, 1523, Russia would be called to arms to help their ally, and Vasiliy I would accept, thinking too highly of his new military systems. He would personally lead his armies over the border, leaving an ineffective number of troops to deal with the rebels, save for the well-protected Finnish area.
Once again, the early campaign was a great success for Russia. But while they were winning a great war, their country was in disarray. With the only substantial province won being North Ufa, and rebels taking over most of the country again (most notably the nationalists in Polotsk), Vasiliy had to save his country and lose the war, or win it and risk partitioning it.
It was a hard decision, but Vasiliy the Puny made it, deciding to continue his campaign south, winning battle after battle, but losing his steady stream of men to hunger, disease and sword.
In June 1524, Vasiliy was left with a mere 7 000 men of his grand 22 000 he led into battle, and was forcing a march home. In the east, things were going much better, and Simbirsk fell to the new Russian training and their numbers, Pensa following only weeks later. In exchange, however, Ryazan fell to the enemy attackers, and most of the province's resources were under their control. It would take three and a half months to recover Ryazan, mostly through persuading the still loyal Russian subjects to help against the invaders. With Vasiliy temporarily out of the picture, Yevgeniy Barclay de Tolly took over the defense of the borders, and indeed did marvelously, deflecting half a dozen enemy assaults in four months.
Yet, with thinned defenses, Russia could barely hold on to conquered land, and some provinces, like Simbirsk, were recaptured, then captured again, back and forth. And while Russian borders were kept safe, conquering was barely an option, and a victory was slowly starting to turn in a status quo.
On the 26th of July, year 1525, Poland and Denmark smelled weakness, and they assaulted Austria, holding on to Danzig and Warmia still, with all the ferocity they could muster. Russia would not abandon their greatest ally, and they turned against Poland once more.
Once again
Finally, Russia would have to submit, and they once again paid a symbolic fee, turning a status quo into a defeat. It was a matter of lost honour, yes, but they had to keep their country from collapsing, being in the heat of the Second Rebellion.
The extent of the Rebellion. Dark blue is controlled, Lighter Blue is attacked or besieged.
The Second Great Rebellion, having started 1524, would finally be ended in June 1527, with Berezov liberated. Now the matter of the War of Danzigian Liberation was at hand, and it was a most troubling matter. Austria, still fighting the Horde, couldn't do much in this war.
They would indeed withdraw from the war in late November 1527, paying a small fee to Poland, their citizens tired of the war, as well. Russia, however, having taken the mantle of leadership in that war, would continue the fight. De Tolly would make a stand in Tavastland, but David Jablonowski's larger and technologically superior army would defeat de Tolly's more disciplined one. However, once he regrouped, he managed to chase of the attackers, allowing Vasiliy I, who had just arrived with 8 000 veteran militia from the last war with the Horde, to sieze Nyland.
Poland was still sure of their upcoming victory, and they demanded a grand fee in exhance for peace. Vasiliy wouldn't have it, and his army would clash with the one of Stanislaw I of Poland on the Finnish coasts, where Stanislaw tried to make a landing. Defeating the Polish king, he would take Finland as well, but at the cost of losing Savolax to nationalist rebels, left to operate freely. Furthmore, Poland was forced to travel through starved and troubled land of Sweden to reach Finland without using a mighty fleet, and Sweden was in the process of being conquered by Lithuania, and their Grand Duke Kazimieras IV, Holy Roman Emperor since the Year of Our Lord 1528.
The Finnish provinces were falling, and Stanislaw I was making a second landing attempt in Finland, to save his ravaged provinces. He and Vasiliy would meet on the coasts, once again, and Vasiliy would use his archers to keep the enemy at bay. However, the superior Polish troops would be defected twice, losing over a thousand men, before they managed to reach the Russian army, stationed on higher ground. They would clash there, and take around 2 600 Russians before they were unable to fight, and a retreat to the boats was sounded, with only some 1 000 more slain in the retreat. It was a dark day for Russia, as Vasiliy I had fallen in this battle, pushed down a cliff and having broken his neck. It was the 17th of October, 1528.
A dark day, yes. But a start of a glorious period in Russian history.
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