Vlad the Impaler Chapter 11

 The end of the Lord.

11.

The war was not over yet.

When the fleet of Burgundian crusaders attacked the Ottoman fleet on the Black Sea in spring 1445. The commander of the fleet, Walerand of Wavrin, sent envoys to Hungary to start negotiations about a joint campaign against the Ottoman Empire.

“We will battle.” That was the call then. “For Varna.”

At Hunyadi's request, Pedro Vasque de Saavedra visited Vlad once more and convinced him to meet Wavrin.  In July, Vlad went to Isaccea where he allied with Wavrin. Vlad mustered an army of four to six thousand strong and placed it under the command of his son, Mircea.

“He is young but brave.” Lord Vlad told his Generals. The Burgundian and Wallachian armies laid siege to Silistra in the middle of September, but they could not capture it. Before long, however, they conquered and destroyed the small fort at Tutrakan. Lord Vlad convinced Wavrin to attack Giurgiu.

“Take the fort there. It protects the waterway from the Turks to attack us. The bridge is the key. The Turks will cross the Danube near the fortified island at Giurgiu, connected to the Wallachian bank by a bridge.”

It was agreed.

Lord Vlad knew from his spies that the fort was undermanned. All he did was besiege it and then offer clemency to the guards there.

“Greetings to the Kolagasi of the Fort. I am Lord Vlad II. I am here to offer you the opportunity to return home. You need not die needlessly here. Most of you are not Turks but mercenaries. We will pay you with your life if you leave.”

 The fort Kolagasi rode out to meet Lord Vlad II.

“I am here to negotiate the surrender of the fort to you. You will spare my men and those who are ----mercenaries ---- allowed us to return to our land.” The Kolagasi told the Lord his terms.

“Do I know you, Kolagasi? I was with ----” Lord Vlad looked to the other with keen details.

“I was ---- I was not known to you.” The Kolagasi hesitated. “I was posted here from the eastern borders.”

“Then I am mistaken. You may arrange the withdrawal but they are to leave their weapons behind.”

There was further hesitation but it was agreed. Lord Vlad II offered a gift in return when the guards leave. A bejeweled hilt was offered to the Kolagasi.

“A small gift. You may tell the Sultan, the mercenaries betrayed you.” The fortress guards marched out with their weapons, with their mounts and personal loads. The dependents and whores took a separate exit from the guards.

“I thank you, Kolagasi.” Lord Vlad II met the other on the way out. “However, I must say you looked familiar.”

Lord Vlad II handed the gift of the sword, scabbard towards the other. When the Kolagasi took hold of the scabbard, Lord Vlad II drew out the sword and stabbed the other with it.

“That was for the time you called me a Wallachian dog in the courtyard, Kolagasi Salleh. I am forgiving but not forgetful.” Lord Vlad gave the order then to his men. “Kill them all now.”

“For our fathers and sons!” The call went out. It was not the only of Lord Vlad II that the vengeance call went out on. Lord Vlad II was reveled as a good leader then and offered clemency to the ones who rebelled against the Turks.

At Ruse where Lord Vlad II granted asylum to more than then thousand Bulgarians who had rebelled against the Ottomans, assisting them to cross the Danube into Wallachia. It was a victory on then until winter when the Danube freeze over. He returned to Wallachia and was told of the grievances by the merchants.

The rift with John had not healed but deepened when Lord Vlad II complained of Wallachian merchants being arrested in Transylvania. He was in the court of the King of Hungary to accuse the other.

“John Hunyadi's action had killed my sons in captivity.” Lord Vlad II pointed the accusation to John Hunyadi. “He is responsible for their death.”

“You sent them there and now you are convinced that your sons had been murdered in the Ottoman Empire? You are mistaken. Your sons are the playthings of Mehmed II. Your son had converted to their faith. Your sons have ---” John Hunyadi’s words stung at the Lord.

“One more word, John Hunyadi ---- and it will be war.” Lord Vlad warned the other.

“There will be no war between us.” The King intervened and Lord Vlad II stormed off in anger.

In 1447, Vlad made peace with the Ottomans once more, even agreeing to return the Bulgarian refugees to the Ottoman Empire. He intervened in the fight for the Moldavian throne in favor of Roman II of Moldavia in July 1447. The Poles also supported Roman, but Roman's opponent, Peter II, was Hunyadi's protégé.

“The idiot sought to make war with me.” John Hunyadi was upset. He cannot wage war without the permission of the King but he could make disorder with the boyars.

John Hunyadi then ordered the burghers of Brașov to give shelter to a pretender to the Wallachian throne, Vladislav, who was a cousin of Vlad. Hunyadi unexpectedly broke into Wallachia in late November, taking with him Vladislav (also known as Dan). With John Hunyadi’s support, the pretender made his way to take over Wallachia. Lord Vlad II who was at Târgoviște fled the city.

“Hunt Lord Vlad II and bring back his head.” The order was given then by the new Volvode. Lord Vlad II with his son, Mircea II had fled to Bălteni but he was ambushed on the way. His men were outnumbered and surrendered.

“Take me to the King.” Lord Vlad II commanded the captors which included some boyars and mercenaries.

“We are not of the King’s men but mercenaries. Some of our friends died at Giurgiu, Lord. As you did to them, you and your men will die here.” Lord Vlad II fought hard but he was wounded and taken captive.

“Kill me and be done, bastards.” Lord Vlad II was ever defiant. He looked to his son. “Avenge me when you are able.”

“He shall when he is able.” The mercenary beheaded the Lord there. “Let the son bury his father here.”

Mircea II saw the beheading and was then asked to do the burial of the father. He dug a hole deep and placed the father’s corpse there. He got up from the deep hole and looked to the boyars.

“You had your deed done. Now I will leave.” Mircea II was as defiant as the father.

“No, young whelp. You will die carrying the image of your father.” The boyar there addressed Mircea II. “Blind him and bury him with his father.”

Mircea II was blinded and buried alive.

In a letter written on 4 December 1447, Hunyadi styled himself "voivode of the Transalpine land" (Wallachia) and referred to Târgoviște as his fortress, implying that he had taken control of Wallachia by that time. Hunyadi placed Vladislav on the throne of Wallachia.

That news was to reach Vlad and Radu at their imprisonment then at the fortress of Eğrigöz that their father and brother were dead. Vlad was furious and then approached the Sultan.

“I am rightful Lord of Wallachia. My request is to return to Wallachia and regain my rank.” Vlad sent the message to the Sultan. He told his other brother, Radu to speak to Mehmed the Prince on the same request.

“The prince will listen to you,” Vlad told his brother.

“Vlad why must we battle again? Are you not contented here? We have ----”

“Radu, there is no contentment for me till I avenge my father’s death. And Mircea too.”

“Both of them are mine too.” Radu reminded Vlad.

“I do wonder ---” Vlad looked at Radu. “You are more Turk than them.”

“I may be converted but my blood lies with my family. Does yours flow the same, Vlad?” Radu asked. Vlad ignored the question and saw his presence was required by the Sultan.

“You are insolent, young Wallachian.” Sultan Murad II looked at Vlad. “Your words to me were most insulting. Who are you to request or even asked, when you should be begging for my mercy on your life? Your father is dead, and you are of no value to me as a hostage.”

“That may be so, ---my Sultan. I am still of value to you.” Vlad looked to the Sultan. “I can still command the people of Wallachia. I am their rightful Lord to be.”

“Words, whelp. Why do I need you to give me Wallachia when I can just step in and take it?”

“I can do it without a single bloodshed as my father did when he went back.” Vlad had heard of his father's return than from the envoys but was prevented from communicating to his father.

“Let me think of it.” Sultan Murad spoke after some thoughts. The last war had drained his army and resources. He was not keen to start a new one.