The First Reign; and Exile
13.
The defeated Hungarian Army rode back to the borders, carrying the
wounded and nursing their own defeated looks. The surviving leaders conferred
in the tent, with Vladislav II lamenting on the retreat then.
“Where are the reinforcements I called for?” The young King was to ride
to reinforce the army that was driven back by the Turks. He looked at the
others. “I have to ride to fight the Turks.”
“There is none. We are ----”
“Were we isolated? Were we left to die? Let us ride to Guirgiu. From
there we will ride to attack the Turks.”
Guirgiu was the fortress captured by Lord Vlad II before and was to be
the fortified area to watch the border then. The victory at Guirgiu had boosted
the morale of the army then.
“My King, the Turks had taken Guirgiu.” The young King was advised.
“What happened there? We have fortified it. How can we lose it?” The
King looked to his Kaymakams. “Am I to lead fools here? Where is John Hunyadi?”
“My King, he is in retreat as we speak. The war is over. We lost. We are
too late to reinforce the army there.” The fact was King Vladislav II did not
send the reinforcement required by John Hunyadi then.
“How can this be over? I have not taken to battle yet.” The young King
was still steadfast that he could turn the tide of the war.
“My King, we have to go back.” The King was advised. He followed suit
and there was chaos at the house of Vlad who was then the Volvode. He had met
the courts' emissary, a nobleman named Nicholas
Vízaknai.
The letter content was addressed by Vlad
and sent by the emissary.
“I write to us on the visit of your emissary
from Nicopolis that came to us and said with great certainty that Murad II had
defeated Hunyadi.
If you stay on at their land, the
Ottomans could come and kill both you and then us. Therefore, we ask you to
have patience until we see what has happened to Hunyadi. If he returns from the
war, we will meet him and we will peace with him. Or we remain as enemies, and
if that happens, you will have to answer for it before God.”
It was a veiled threat from Vlad that
John Hunyadi will come for him and re-take the rank there. He asked that the
court protect him. If he goes to the Ottomans, then the Hungarian army will be
vanquished.
Vlad did not get the favored reply and
with the return of the King to the land, he was forced to flee.
“Mother, I must ride. The King will have
me killed.” Vlad told his mother.
“Leave me be. I have survived so many
conflicts and will do so through this one. Be safe, my only son.”
Vlad contemplated returning to the
Ottoman’s but it will be a disgrace for him.
He then rode towards Moldavia in exile with trusted companions. He
remained a Volvode in exile there in Moldavia which most parts that include
Banat, Crişana, Maramureş, and Transylvania to the west of
the Carpathian Mountains were part of the Kingdom of Hungary but then
was a protectorate of Poland. They were divided into several types of
administrative units, such as "counties" and "seats".
Vlad was to be there from 1448 to 1456.
The throne of Moldavia was occupied by Alexander the Young; a child then
of early teens with the ruling boyars handling the court’s matter. The boyars
took Vlad to their care and thus he was to be there for some years.
“The ex-Volvode was once in the courts of the Sultan. His brother as I
was told is with the successor of the Sultan. As he was of the Ottoman’s care,
we will extend that invitation to him, as a gesture of goodwill. More to it, he
is no more the vassal of Hungary.” The boyars in favor of Vlad extend their
welcome. It was not all that with the same intentions for some who were in
liaison with Vladislav II.
“Vlad is a pretender to the rank and an enemy of Hungary. He has to be
sent back to them for justice. We will not risk a war with Hungary.” The young
King was unable to decide but the favored boyars called for the refuge to be
given. It was to develop misgivings then for the King was seen to be weak.
That call soon erupted into the emergence of a challenger to the throne’
Bolgan II, the nephew of Alexander the Good, the predecessors to the young
ruler.
“I am the descendant of the old King too. I hold his blood in me but
also his courage. I will let our lands be trampled by the Turks nor the
Hungarians. I offered no refuge to their outcasts.”
The conflict was on then with the boyars taking sides, and Vlad’s life
was once more with the threat. He feared expulsion or worse sent back to
Hungary in chains or being assassinated by the opposing boyars. He lived in
fear for his life. He looked to the young King and decided to become an active
participant in the conflict supporting Bolgan II.
“Why do you side with me, Wallachian? Bolgan II asked Vlad.
“One thing I learned at the court of the Sultan was to know who holds
the power and influence. I am a guest of your land, and you are the more ---
impressive leader.” Vlad played the humble ploy to secure his stay there. “I
hold nothing in Moldavia but my life but I am a friend of Mehmed II. He who
rules Ottoman when Murad II dies. My brother Radu is close to Mehmed II. I can
be an asset to you to negotiate peace with the Turks.”
All were convinced to the challenger and Vlad was given protection. He
knew that his protection was only if Bolgan II became the ruler but even that
was uncertain. Bolgan II may have commanded an army but he was distant from the
ruling boyars who supports the young Alexander.
“You are walking on thin ice, Wallachian.” Vlad was cautioned by the boyars
who knew the Moldavia court well. Vlad kept his counsel and prayed for the
best. He kept himself to the house with his own trusted guards, and sleep with
one of them nearby his door.
Then then the news arrived.
“Bolgan II was killed at Rauseni, by a minor candidate to the throne
then named Petru Aron. “The one who killed him now rides towards the palace.”
It was grief news for Vlad but he was not welcomed at the palace.
The young man named Petru soon shared power with Alexander the Young,
although Petru held no real support from the boyars.
“I removed the despot that will hold us at ransom.” Petru held the
support of the peasants.
The nations there had seen the treatment of the boyars towards the
peasants, and the wave of change was forthcoming. In the preceding years then,
the lands around the continent were a series of rebellions by the peasants
against the ruling boyars. Petru won their support and joined the young King.
Vlad was trapped in the lands that surrounded him. Just when Vlad felt
helpless, he was aided by a boyar who came to his cause and provided protection
if he will take care of Stephen, the son of Bolgan II. There was a condition.
Vlad must make peace with John Hunyadi. He rode to see the other and
received more dire news.
The Ottoman and Hungary had signed a treaty and consolidated the
position of Vladislav II. It was then the reign of Mehmed II who was gifted by
the Wallachian Volvode. An armistice was signed then thus making Vlad more of a
fugitive then.
“Your Sultan looks to the gifts more than friendships.” John Hunyadi
mocked Vlad.
“I will leave for Brasov. Vladislav held no influence there.” Vlad told
John Hunyadi. He reckoned he might find refuge there and Brasov was not a
domain for the Wallachian boyars and also not in favor of Vladvislav II.
“You will not seek refuge there. I forbid it.” John Hunyadi made his
stand towards Vlad. “I will take Brasov if they give you refuge. Return to
Moldavia. Or to the Turks. I care not.”
Vlad returned to Moldavia where Alexander the
Young had once more ruled the land. He was given refuge but remained a commoner
there.
However, all was not well in Wallachia, when
Vladislav II imposed monetary reform with the Romanian ducat assimilated to the
Turkish asper.
“How could you ally with the Turks and demean the value of our ducats?”
John Hunyadi argued with the King of Hungary. “Transylvania is the center of
trade and we barter in the value of the ducats.”
John Hunyadi was ignored and he took action. He confiscated Amlas and
Fagaras from the Hungarian. Vladislav retaliated by
embargoing all Wallachian trade to Brașov County, then part of
Hunyadi's Transylvania. It was not to last for on 15 November 1455, after
Hunyadi informed the people of Brașov that the embargo would be lifted. In his
anger, Vladislav seized back Transylvanian possessions and attacked the Făgăraș
fortress, and in the process burns a few Saxon villages.
A new war was to take place and John Hunyadi
needed the support of many including the Wallachian. John Hunyadi offered a truce
with Vlad and an offer to return to Wallachia with an army.
“We leave the past and renew for the future.” John
Hunyadi offered Vlad. He had no choice but to accept them. And a reunion with
an old foe to meet an older friend.
Janus.
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