Of Lots Of Things
The Rise of Dalmatians
Part IV: Duke Josip the Treacherous
Chapter X: Of Lots Of Things
With the debt being paid off, Josip started making plans for the future. His ultimate wish was to recreate the Kingdom of Croatia, with his biggest adversary in this being twelve year old Imre Frankopan, the duke of Croatia, who had the provinces of Veglia and Usora as his personal demesne, and the counts of Senj and Zachlumia as his vassals. Josip knew he would never be able to make a believable claim to the area if he doesn't increase his prestige significantly, and because of that he laid claim to the island of Naxos, still under Venice, thinking that he would one day try to expand to the Aegen Sea and create a ducal title there. But this would never come to pass, and this claim made in September of 1239 would only serve to decrease his standing and reputation even further.
The following month a project of draining the marshes and fens surrounding the city of Venezia was finished, and this made the province's economy rich. That month there was already enough money to start a new building project. The construction of a royal post began in Zadar, to further solidify the duke's rule over that area, and to increase the efficiency of the administration of his large demesne. In December the reconstruction of the mills sold during the financial crisis started in the Italian provinces, with the last one, the watermills in Foggia, being commissioned in the following March.
Around the start of the year 1240, the pope passed away and was replaced by Ulf, previously the bishop of Valais. Rumors would soon spread that he was under the influence of Gizella of Marmaros, the countess of Oleyshe. A series of personal tragedies struck the Marinovic family at that time, with Josip's grandmother, the venerable Adelaide of Blois, passing away at the age of 72. The duke's infant nephew Tvrtko, the son of marshal Nikola, also died, and another nephew, Seslav son of Slavac, fell ill again, but was fortunately as quick to recover as he was the first time.
In July of 1240, it was time to choose a formal education for the duke's five year old son Galasso. Josip decided that he would remain at court and there learn from the various advisors. The duke also felt that now was the time to stop providing him with new toys, and he encouraged him to play outside more, which resulted in Galasso becoming quite energetic.
As his army was not at full strength because of the Venetian war, the duke decided to start building training grounds in all his provinces in order to speed up the training of recruits. The first ones, in Split and Reggio, were started in September. Even after this there were some ducats left in the duchy's treasury, but then the steward, Klaudija of Lukomorie, wife to Slavac Marinovic, complained to Josip that she was tired of serving a liege with so bad a reputation, and threatened to leave the court. The duke decided to buy her loyalty, giving her a substantial amount of money. Unfortunately, this made Klaudija grow somewhat lazy and lax in her duties, but she was still the most qualified person for the job that Josip had at his disposal.
The ex-chancellor Kresimir of Split also complained of having no job about this time, to which the duke responded that he was free to find a position elsewhere. Kresimir then defected to the principality of Achaea.
In March of 1241 an offer of alliance came from the Kingdom of Aragorn and was accepted by duke Josip. King Ramiro d'Aragon was the last Christian King in Iberia, as the Portuguese crown had passed on to the French king, and the other Spanish kingdoms had been destroyed by the Moors.
At about the same time the mills were finished in the Italian provinces, and the construction of training grounds in Lecce and Foggia and of a smithy in Napoli began. A couple of months later, as the monastery there was finished, another training ground was commissioned in Zadar.
In May Josip's wife Gyorgyi of Abauj recovered from the madness that had held her for over five years.
The duke, who never held much love for her even before this condition began, had grown even more estranged from her during its duration, and he would never again visit her bedchamber, not seeing a reason to do so since he had an heir. Galasso was a very shy child, probably no wonder considering the lack of maternal influence during his infancy and early childhood, and Josip often helped him along in making friends.
Slavac Marinovic, the duke's youngest brother, who had been showing signs of stress for the past ten years, fell into a depression in December. In February of 1242 travelers brought news from the east that another strong Mongol tribe had appeared.