Novgorod the Russian Republic: A MEIOU&Taxes AAR Part 3

Halfway through the 15th Century and the landscape of eastern europe has rapidly changed. The White Horde and other Tatar-Mongol tribes have been reduced to just small patches of Steppe land compared to what they controlled years earlier. The rising kingdom of Halych-Volhyna consuming them in revolt and conquest, while we of Novgorod pushed south to take what is ours. Further west the Kingdom of Poland have lost much of their heartland to the Bohemians and Teutons. In the south it seems the Turks are preparing to finish their consolidation of Anatolia and the Greeks. Our Republic of Novgorod stands at the edge of greatness, the we have proclaimed ourselves heir to the Kievan Rus but until we more completely subsume the Princes we have the title only in our hearts and not the minds of others. We must push on. Ну вперёд!

Following our crusade against the Islamic Tatar-Mongols the Prince and Posadnik decide that we should strike at Lithuania to take the rich city of Minsk for ourselves while they are bust fighting the Western Crusaders.

Their armies were defeated in the west just as we declared war so we were able to take most of the lands directly under the Lithuanian crown without battle, though we lost many fighting taking the cities over the winter. They had hired the treacherous Tverites to attack us but we had taken their capital before any battle occurred.

Angered at missing their chance to defeat us while our reserves were low a Tverite lead alliance to break our control of the Rus attacks. We call upon the Boyars to bring their armies to bear and prepare to fight the backwards thinking Princes.

While they might outnumber us in total forces we have the larger single army and so we move to break this alliance by crushing them in battle. We win thanks to the brave and talented General Kashin and his famous red chestnut mare Клубника, or Strawberry, who has been with him since before the campaign against the Tatar-Mongols.

Again Kashin and his red horse charge the sides of the enemy and they are swept aside, with the only losses being the Infantry in the initial engagement.

Our army is weakened from repeated battles, but the rallying cry goes out. Кашин! Клубника! as the pair once more route the enemies, truly heroes of the Republic.

While it's possible that we would be able to win eventually it would strain our nation and General Kashin advises to sue for peace while Prince of Tver is still reeling from the annihilation of his army. The Posadnik and Prince agree so we negotiate reparations for our lost men and their families and the end of Thier lordship over the Prince of Yaroslavl. They agree and the Republic breaths a sigh of relief for another short war.

Over the past few decades the Veche has seen fit to build a small harbor and marketplace on the Neva river where it meets the Baltic, an excellent location to aid our control of trade in the region. The Posadnik decides to fund a town center to aid it's affairs.

Unfortunately the Boyars are displeased that we so easily brokered peace with the minor Princes when we were winning so spectacularly. They Blame the Posadnik for being too cowardly and claim that if we had let Kashin continue his work we would have subjugated the rest of the princes! Obviously this is foolish but they cannot be dissuaded and become obstinate in their dealings with the Posadnik and Veche.

The Prince visits the budding town on the Neva and is taken by what it could be, he brings the Patriarch and then the Posadnik and members of the Veche out to see it and shares his vision of a new city for all of Russia not tied to any past power, a symbol of unity and progress. Most dismiss the latter half of his ideas but the town is prospering nicely and so it's agreed that the wharf will be expanded to further control Baltic trade.

The Boyars slowly begin to forget their anger but it will take time to fully be back on our side.

During the 1460 election a bright young clerk working in the office of the previous Posadnik runs for office. His name is Matviey Nozdrevaty and his mental prowess along with his general demeanor win him office. It should be no surprise that such a person has big plans for the Republic.

First new granaries and storage areas are built in Moscow. This is to aid the expansion of the city which was once our enemy but now is fully integrated into the workings of the Republic and has potential to be the center of trade for Central Russia

Nozdrevaty then decides that the Prince of Vladimir must bow to the Republic. While the given reason is to further our control of the Rus, the main reason for Nozdrevaty is to create a shorter route between the Capital and our south eastern provinces. As it stand right now we have to trust Vladimir or Ryazan not to interfer with our officials or go all the way around the north.

General Kashin sees to it that the Vladimirites are completely defeated in a single battle, the enemies almost breaking on their own at the sight of Клубника and her red mane remembering the stories of their fathers about their previous defeat.

As victory nears against our enemy, the damned Swedes petition their Danish king to retake territory long since established as ours. So be it, they too will learn to fear the Red Horseman of Novgorod.

Nozdrevaty is re-elected as the people of the Republic decide that a change in leadership during such a crucial time would be folly.

We first broker peace with the Prince of Yaroslavl for half of his Principality.

Then afterwords we Negotiate the end of the Principality of Vladimir, taking the city and some more land besides for ourselves while also releasing the prince of Klyazma who has been under the Prince of Vladimir or Muscovy for some time.

In the North the Danes have captured much of Finland while we finished our war, but General Kashin defeats their army easily as they lack any cavalry to speak of.

He goes on to defeat the Norwegians to more cries of Кашин! Клубника! The men enamored with their storied general. He has to reprimand them often for giving Клубника too many treats.

The Swedes seem to have forgotten the taste of Novgorodian steel. General Kashin reminds them of its bite.

After a series of devestating defeats the Danes and their subjects retreat across the sea. Kashin has no wish to follow them by going around the frozen north where supply is limited and we do not have enough ships to secure the crossing. So the Posadnik decides to settle for reparations, the independence of the isle of Gotland, and taking the Aland Islands to deter future Scandinavian aggression.

Despite our victories in battle enriching the Merchants in the long term, not long after the end of the Finnish campaign some trouble begins to stir over the amount of import export taxes. Though this is really a minor issue it seems to blow out of proportion with some cursing the Veche in the streets as being bad for business.

For the first time in some time the current Posadnik enters his fourth term with a well respected legacy behind him despite some minor recent troubles.

Our Republic has weathered much over the years but our traditions of having a democratic system have only ever wavered slightly, and these traditions have become more codified and ingrained in the larger populous over the years.

Unfortunately some things must come to and end, after Клубника died General Kashin only stayed on for a few more years before retiring to live out his life in the capital where he is well respected and praised wherever he goes. Still before he leaves he recommends General Kurlyatev be given his position, a former Cavalryman in his personal forces. Though he is less well rounded his knowledge of the workings of his cavalry are second to none.

And his knowledge will be put to the test. Tver is the largest of the remaining independent princes with Briansk paying lip service to the Lithuanians. We decide they should go next in our unification of the Rus.

We dispatch their allies at Tarussa.

And negotiate their surrender and integration into the republic.

General Kurlyatev then moves north to meet the Tverites in battle defeating the smaller army with ease.

While the war is going on the Veche decides to expand the market at Neva again with the aim of expanding our trade in the Baltic.

Unfortunately for Nozdrevaty the Republic has no desire for a lifelong Posadnik and he is not elected a fourth term, unable to finish out his last war.

We take the city of Tver along with the majority of their territory. Almost immediately after we begin a war with Ryazan who is now the largest independent Prince.

Even together with their allies they are no match for General Kurlyatev and his Cavalry.

We force the Prince of Novosil to release Karachev as an independent Prince following their defeat at Donets.

In the peace deal with Ryazan we take their exclave of Borovsk and then split their lands in two as well as taking a large sum from their treasury.

With many victories and new lands gained in the past few decades the Veche decides to increase spending on the Palace of the Prince, the Veche's Hall, and the Posadnik's Residence in order to properly show our wealth, prestige, and power to foreign dignitaries.

In addition to this the Veche increases the amount of funding spent on education for the Church, and other independent places of learning in order to maintain and surpass the progress we have made in this area.

In a sad turn, the new Posadnik Anatoliy Nagiye passes at the age of 60 so an emergency election is called.

The new Posadnik Svyatoslav Kashin is the Grandson of the famous Red Horseman of Novgorod who decides to begin building infrastructure in one of the less looked after parts of the Republic the city of Beloozero

He also expands the docks of Pskov to extend our trade in the Baltic.

In addition to this Posadnik Kashin is able to convince the Prince of Karachev that Novgorod is the future of the Rus and they agree to submit to being ruled by us, although with a high level of autonomy and no Veche of their own. For now.

General Kashin Passes after a long and well lived life. His connections gained during the war and afterwards made him a very wealthy man in the fur trade and he gives a large portion of his estate to the republic after his death in the name of his famous horse Клубника. His grandson is honored to administer this gift on behalf of the Republic. A large portion of the gift being his inheritance which he gave his grandfather his blessing to use for this.

A large portion, along with a significant amount from the state treasury goes into a fund to expand the Republics official buildings and a sizable sum goes to building a Bronze statue of General Kashin and Клубника by a sculptor trained in Florence.

In addition the yearly stipend is increased once again to maintain the newly expanded buildings.

At the behest of the Posadnik the same is done for the Education of the Republic who has heard of new advances being made in Italy and other parts of Europe and wishes for us not to fall behind in such things.

Kashin then decides to step down from office and join the Veche continuing to serve the Republic but keeping our tradition of only reelecting rulers in times of need. His successor is a man named Mstislav Barashev

Not long after taking office the new Posadnik is tested. The Prince of Yaroslavl declares war along with many of the other princes and the kingdom of Halych-Volhyna. We are slightly outnumbered but not outmatched.

In a hard fought battle General Kurlyatev defeats the army of Brainsk but takes heavy losses against thier superior guns.

General Kurlyatev retreats and links up with forces from the Boyars then reengages, winning a second victory against the Brianskites.

After losing they hear of their allies losing these battles and being defeated and occupied by our vassals a peace is negotiated between Yaroslavl and ourselves. The Prince of Muscovy is at last fully integrated into the republic but no other territory changes hands.

Following this victory, a campaign against the last bit of the Tatar-Mongols we once paid tribute to begins.

It ends quickly and we take the rest of their territory.

In preparation for a war with the Teutonic Knights two new generals are chosen, Nikfor Lykov and Nikfor Massalski both are decedent from famous Novgorodian Generals, the Master of the Fur-land Matveiy Lykov and the Bear of Finland Mikhail Massalski respectively. However neither is really a match for their ancestor, though Nikfor Massalski is well versed in fortresses having studied them as a boy.

Still we go to war with the Catholics hoping to gain control of Riga and expand our influence west.

We defeat a small force at Ugandi and push forward.

Defeating the Rigans at Sakala.

At the same time General Lykov moves south to push the Hungarians out of the war along with the fantastic general from our Vassal by the name of Mensjikov.

Before long we negotiate peace with the Hungarians and then take a large portion of territory in Courland and Livlonia, as well as the port of Ravala. A huge victory for our trading interests in the region with the Daugava River firmly in our control.

Using the new wealth gained from this campaign the Veche increases spending on official buildings in Novgorod as well as the palace once again.

In addition Education is given a huge increase in funding as the Veche is sees the payoffs starting to appear

Indeed we are beginning to catch up to the west in terms of our literacy and arts which will help our prestige and give us a larger body of literate men to draw upon for official posts.

One man such as this is Yevginiy Gorchakov a deft administrator who takes to the office of Posadnik, He has great promise for the future of the Republic in the next century...

Novgorod in the year 1500. As we expand in the west and east our Republic grows ever greater, holding the responsibility of carrying on the true Christian faith and the legacy of the Rus. We now control land from the Caspian to the White sea, are growing ever more powerful, rich, and prestigious. Even now we are far larger than France or the Holy Roman Empire and we grow moreso as the years pass. Our destiny is at hand! Ну вперёд!