Vlad the Impaler Chapter 22

 The Ottoman Vengeance

22.

‘During the entire night he sped like lightning in every direction and caused great slaughter, so much so that, had the other commander to whom he had entrusted his remaining forces been equally brave, or had the Turks not fully obeyed the repeated orders from the Sultan not to abandon their garrisons, the Wallachian undoubtedly would have gained the greatest and most brilliant victory. Vlad carried out an incredible massacre without losing many men in such a major encounter, though many were wounded. He abandoned the enemy camp before daybreak and returned to the same mountain from which he had come. No one dared pursue him since he had caused such terror and turmoil.’

The boyar reported back to the King of Hungary on the battle. He was impressed but still will not assist in the war.

“I cannot bring the war here. I am impressed by the Lord’s move. He is as described --- a demon with the bloody intent.” Michael smiled.

“Perhaps he has fangs to sink to the flesh and draw blood.” A Saxon leader voiced out and gave the impression of a blood-sucking demon. That description was repeated in the court and outside that it was to describe Vlad.

Meanwhile, the janissaries, under the command of Mihaloğlu Ali Bey pursued the Wallachians and killed more of them. 

“The might of the Ottoman will once again be feared, even by the demon who sucks the blood of the flesh.”

The Sultan then was with his reinforced columns, marched to the city of Targoviste, and besieged it but found it abandoned. It was deserted with its gates wide open. The Turkish army entered the city and for half an hour, the army marched on the road and reached the area of the impalements, which was seventeen stades long and seven stades wide. There were large stakes thereon which, as it was said, about twenty thousand men, women, and children had been spitted, quite a sight for the Turks and the sultan himself.  And among the dead was the decayed body of Hamza Bey.

“Bring that man down.” Sultan Mehmed told his Kaymakams. “It was not possible to deprive of his country a man who had done such great deeds. His body will be buried with honor here.”

Sultan Mehmed occupied the city before leaving it abruptly. His heartfelt sad but the sight of his people impaled was too much for him to stay there. It was then he got the news that another was waging war on him.

“Stephen III of Moldavia wanted to retake Akkerman and Chilia, decided to launch an attack on the latter. The Wallachians rushed to the scene with seven thousand men and will defend the town.”

“Impudent fool. I will not tolerate all these miscreants.” Sultan Mehmed gave the order. The Ottomans defeated the Wallachians. Stephen of Moldavia was wounded during the siege of Chilia and returned to Moldavia before Vlad came to the fortress.

“Stephen has returned to Moldavia.” Vlad was told and he was upset.

“Why did the fool attack here? He should have consulted and I would offer him a better city to capture.” Vlad called on his army to withdraw. “We need to regroup again.”

“Where to, my Lord?”

“Baragan Plain. Call on the others to mee there.” Vlad told the scouts. “Radu is there. I want to defeat the insolent brother who turned his back on the family.”

The main Ottoman army had left Wallachia then, leaving Vlad's brother Radu and his Ottoman troops stayed behind in the Bărăgan Plain. Sultan Mehmed was tired of the war and decided to return to his land. The Turks had enslaved many of the local inhabitants, which they marched on their way south together with two hundred thousand cattle and horses 

Radu who had remained in Wallachia with his Janissary battalions were given the responsibility of repelling his brother's deadly raids after the Sipahis failed to subdue Vlad.

“Radu, you will hold our interest here. I want you to the task of leading the Ottoman Empire to victory.” Sultan Mehmed looked to his adopted brother.

Radu had then marched to Baragan Plain where he met Vlad’s army. It was a battle that Vlad had not fought then and withdrawn. He was not keen to do a frontal attack and chose to do minor skirmishes to taunt Radu. The ensuing battles were to be called Blood Brother fights.

“My Lord, we are losing men, with some deserting to join Radu. He is the favorite of the people here.” Vlad heard the call but he maintained his harassment of Radu. Fortunately, Radu was with the backing of the Sultan was able to pay for more mercenaries and thus his army remained strong. He moved his base to the north of the Danube after most of the demoralized Ottoman Turks withdrew.

Radu and his Janissary of mixed nationalities also blended into the hinterlands well supplied with gunpowder and a continuous flow of dinars retained his mercenaries.

Radu soon gained control of much of the countryside. He sent messengers to the Wallachians, reminding them that the sultan could again invade their country.

“I am Radu, the son of Vlad II. I come in peace and secured the promise of the Ottoman that they will leave us alone if we do not venture into their lands. It’s a fair arrangement. Rally to my banner and dispose of your Volvode. My brother Vlad III does not want peace but to be the conqueror. He is the tyrant here.”

The message was well received and more Wallachian’s came to his banner. It was the beginning of a new civil war. Radu battled Vlad to his castle north of Curtea de Argeș and, finally, out of Romania itself, which was incorporated under Ottoman control. Taking advantage of their fortune the Ottomans strengthened their commercial presence in the Danube against any Hungarian influence and intervention in the region. (Extract from https://peoplepill.com/people/radu-cel-frumos).

After the victorious campaign north of the Danube, the Ottomans placed the young Radu (then 26 years of age) as the pasha of Wallachia. Soon after, the Janissary under his command began attacks and raids on Vlad III's mountain stronghold on the Argeș River, Poenari Castle.

It was the Ottoman Sipahi's gained a strong foothold in the south of the land. 

“My Lord, we are low on food.” Vlad was told by the leaders. His army was weary and was losing many of his men to desertion. He was not fondly received by the villages and towns, for his fame was overtaken by the foul deeds of his ‘bloody’ works.

“We move to the mountains to get more food. The Janissaries are warriors of the plain and not of the high terrain.” Vlad made his call. “Ragu’s calvary is no use fighting uphill.”

Vlad then withdrew to the Carpathian Mountains while sending messages to the King of Hungary.

“My King, I need your assistance.” The King’s letter from Vlad read like that.

“My King, the Lord is a fugitive. If we assist him, the Ottoman will have an excuse to invade us.” The King of Hungary was given the advice. He desired no war than with the Ottoman.

“The peasants now called him the blood drinker Lord.”

Meanwhile, Vlad was hoping that Matthias Corvinus would help him regain his throne. He saw no assistance and sighed. He recalled John Hunyadi refusing to help him then but on the second call was willing to do so. He consulted Janus.

“I fought under John Hunyadi before. His strategy was to win, however, he lost at some battles. Nevertheless, he was back again to battle when the opportunity came around.” Janus looked to his Lord. “Maybe the King is weighing his options.”

It was fair to advise by the commander and Vlad decided to leave to see the King. He was to leave for Hungary when he got news of Radu at Wallachia,

“Albert of Istenmező, the deputy of the Count of the Székelys, had recommended in mid-August that the Saxons recognize Radu. Radu also made an offer to the burghers of Brașov to confirm their comMirceal privileges and pay them a compensation of fifteen thousand ducats.”

When Vlad heard that, he knew his war was over, and he lost it. He thought of leaving for other lands when he got the news that the King of Hungary was to visit him in Transylvania.