Zagreb history class

[kramari]

Hi all! This will be my third AAR but this one will be very different from the other two. I will play the 1337 scenario with the County of Zagreb. I modded the game with the help of Veldmaarschalk so I can choose Zagreb and put Zagreb as a vassal of the King of Hungary. I will play at normal/normal.
First a little introduction where some historical facts will be changed so it suits the CK engine.
Hope you enjoy it.

LESSON 1 - INTRODUCTION
LESSON 2 - 1337-1342

 

[kramari]

LESSON 1 - INTRODUCTION​

​

- Welcome students to the Zagreb history class. – said the professor – After todays introductory lesson we will follow the history of Zagreb after the year 1337.
So the professor started the introduction.


The last member of the Trpimirovic family King Stjepan II died in 1091. This was a major turning point in the history of Croatia.
Jelena, the widow of King Zvonimir (Stjepan's predecessor), was plotting the annexation of Croatia by her brother, King Laszlo I of Hungary.
King Laszlo (or Ladislaus) used his sister's marriage as a claim on Croatia and entered Croatia with his army.
Petar Svacic (or Snacic) was chosen as the new King of Croatia by the Croatian nobles and clergy. He quickly mustered his army to defend from Hungary, but well prepaired Hungarian army breached his lines and progressed through Slavonia all the way to the mountain of Gvozd.
There the Croatian army held the Hungarian attack. Laszlo stopped there and gave Slavonia to the Hungarian Church.
In 1094. King Laszlo I created the diocese of Zagreb and gave it to the church of Esztergom.
1095. Laszlo died. His brother Kalman continued fighting Croatia. For two years Croatia resisted until Kalman grew tired of it and in 1097. gathered an enormous army at the eastern foot of the Mount Gvozd. There Kalman defeated the Croatian army and Petar was killed in battle. His heroism was commemorated in the renaming of Mount Gvozd to Petrova Gora (Peter's Mountain).

Death of the Last Croatian King, by Oton Ivekovic


From 1094. to 1241. nothing specific happened in the Zagreb history, but in 1241. the Tartars (Mongols, according to wiki) broke through the Hungarian-Croatian army and entered Hungary. King Bela IV fled to Zagreb and hid there for a while seeking help from the Pope and other European rulers.
After the Tartars crossed the Danube river, Bela IV fled further to the coast of Croatia. Tartars burned and pillaged Zagreb. Most of inhabitants managed to flee into the thick forrests of the nearby Mount Medvednica.

After the Tartars left, King Bela IV returned to Zagreb and in 1242. as a sign of gratitude for offering him a safe haven from the Tartar the Croatian and Hungarian king Bela IV bestowed the County of Zagreb with a Golden Bull, which offered its citizens exemption from duchy rule and autonomy, as well as its own judicial system. It would answer only to the King and the citizens had to fortify it.
( I made a change here. In fact only one town of the county got the Golden Bull, it was named Gradec and was built after they got the Golden Bull. It was exempt of the county rule and the inhabitants had to fortify it. The town itself answered to the King but the rest of the county was under the Duchy.)

The fortifications completed in 1257.


The professor finished the introduction.
- Well students this was the introduction to the Zagreb history class. If there are any question please raise your hand.
None of the students wanted to ask anything. They wanted him to continue but there was no time.
- So if there aren't any questions, you can go. See you next time.

 

[Veldmaarschalk]

So that is why you wanted to be the count of Zagreb

Interesting format for an AAR

 

[stnylan]

So, will Croatia be reborn? Enquiring minds want to know!

 

[unmerged(60276)]

I see you took my advice on asking in the modding forum. I thought Veld might be the one that gives you the solution

Well, good luck with the AAR and the game!

 

[kramari]

Veldmaarschalk: Yep, thanks again.

stnylan: I don't know what I am going to do. Haven't even started playing yet

Shuma: I took your advice and installed the improvement pack and BOPACK and SMACK. Thanks

 

[kramari]

LESSON 2 - 1337-1342​

- Hello students, we will today start with the first 5 years from 1337 to 1342. I have a feeling some of you are wondering, well the part of you that aren't sleeping back there, why we are learning the history of Zagreb from the year 1337. The reason is that in the year 1337. the Count of Zagreb Janos Osli ordered that everything concerning Zagreb must be written. The church sent a priest to the court who was to write everything.
- Well on to today's lesson – said the professor pulling out the map showing Hungary from that time.

Here you can see the map of Hungary at the time. Grey is Hungary. Here you can see Zagreb – the professor pointed.
- Zagreb bordered with the Kingdom of Germany here – professor pointed to Karnten - and Kingdom of Bosnia here in Usora.

As it was noted in the Annals of Zagreb, the County was fortified with a small castle where the Count himself resided. Inside the castle yard there was a busy small market which was crowded with people and a small chapel. Along the castle walls there were some archers and swordsman all of them wearing a blue and white uniforms with the County coat of Arms on their chest. The castle was composed of small rooms for different court members and a large room for the Count. Count's room was scarsly furnished with bed and a working desk. On the wall of the room there was a big shield with the Zagreb coat of arms.
Janos was born in 1290 and he was seen as a wise person who never let his feelings get in the way of his decision making. He was also very proud which some people resented. He was bald and had a firm look on his face. He was of average stature, solid with a sword. He rather done things diplomaticly. The annals also note that he could always bargain for a better price.
His court consisted of a few courtiers all of which he appointed as advisors. Anna, Janos's wife, was appontied the function spymaster. Andreas Bathori was appointed as a steward who greatly increased the County's income. Agoston Prodanic was appointed as a marshall. He was described as a tough soldier with a misterious past. It was said that he once killed 4 armed thieves with his bare hands without a scratch.

Janos's potrait, Annals of Zagreb, page 23

​

Just at the start of the year 1337. the Pope sent one if his bishop to Zagreb. It was known at the time that the Pope started restoring his basilica but he needed money. The bishop was gathering money for the restoration. To everyone's amazement he declined to give anything because his treasury was empty. This was the main topic of discussions in the county. Some people were claiming that the Count was loosing his faith in God. From then on the Pope followed Janos's every move. Soon after the bishop left, Janos ordered a school to be built. This was to be the first school in the County. The clergy was given the task to run the school.
The Annals also state that the Count and his Marshall gathered a group of men and took on a criminal band that was harrasing the people of his county. They defeated the band and captured a few of them.
In 1338. a noble named Istvan von Cilli came to Zagreb seeking a place on the court. Janos welcomed him.
Annals note that Istvan was banished from the court of Marmaros for having an affair with the Count of Marmaros.
Near the end of 1338. Janos ordered a first census to be made. In There were 48 717 people based in Zagreb of which were 3482 army able men.

If you all remember I told you about how the Pope followed Janos's every move.

Well in 1339. the Pope sent his bishop again. This time he set an ultimatum. Either he would fight in the crusades or he will be excommunicated. This greatly upset Janos because he was a religious man and by no means he wanted to be excommunicated. With hesitation Janos agreed. In the same year the training grounds were finished making the Zagreb army more competent on battlefield.
December 1339. Just at the time he wanted to muster his forces and begin the crusade, Charles King of Hungary requested that Janus mobilise his armies and put them under King's command. The reason was the war against Germany. King insisted that Janos leads his forces. Janos led his armies to take over Karnten.
After the siege Janus returned to Zagreb as the King himself took his army under his command.
When he returned. Zagreb's treasury didn't exist anymore. The war left Zagreb broke. The whole County was suffering. Acts of rebelliousness against Hungary were seen across the County. Even Janos's advisors talked about rebelling but Janos's dismissed such talks.
In spite the war, Zagreb was growing considerably. The armies returned in August.
On October 12, 1342. something very unexpected happened. Janos was poisoned and died. He never had a heir.
The Annals describe the death. „ It was a normal evening on an warm autumn night. The dinner was served and the atmosphere was joyful as ever. Count had some wine and ate some food. Then all of the sudden Count started to choke, cold sweat was running across his face. His head fell on the table and it never moved again.“
The next day the chef and the servants were executed but probably didn't do it.

Demeter Bresztolci Osli Count of Krizevci inherited the County of Zagreb. He was Janus's nephew. Demeter was born in 1320. He was a considered a great and tough warrior. He turned every woman's head and used it frequently.

​

He made some changes to the court by changing the chancellor and installing the diocese bishop. Eschieve de Lusignan was installed as a chancellor. She was very competetent. Csaba of Krizevci was put as the diocese bishop.


- Well that's it for todays lesson. 5 years of Zagreb covered. – said the professor folding his notes. – If there aren't any questions, you may go.
One student raised the hand.
- Yes – professor looked at him.
- I was wondering...Who really killed Janus? – asked the student.
- Well the Annals don't say anything. As far as we know it was never found out.

 

[unmerged(60276)]

It really is an interesting format for an AAR! Maybe more students will be asking questions once they get interested. And you really should set the army maintenance slider to zero when your liege takes control of your troops.

 

[stnylan]

All ticking over nicely to begin with.

 

[kramari]

stnylan: Yeah, one province gained without a war. Also the debt decreased by 120.
Shuma: Thanks! Maybe they will. I did remember to put the army maintenance slider to zero after I was already 350 in debt

Update still not coming. I need to play and work at it. I wasn't happy with the ending of the last one, as I rushed to put up the update.

 

[Veldmaarschalk]

Poor Janus, just a small footnote in the history of Zagreb.

 

[kramari]

Sorry to bring this up again, but I got an urge to play CK again and I wanted to continue this but my game crashes when this "Seyfullah Sheik of Beirut accepted peace with Khudu Emir of Baghdad on the following terms : Seyfullah Sheik of Beirut paid 312 $ in indemnities." and this "Oiva High Chief of Mordvins accepted peace with Sviatopolk Prince of Pronsk on the following terms : Oiva High Chief of Mordvins paid 206 $ in indemnities." happens. This also happened "Kingdom of Germany declared war upon Kingdom of Fatimids." and it crashed. Any advice?

 

[Capibara]

I'll follow this one, I like the style of it