He [Emperor Mihai] had a rather uncanny gift.
No matter how small the victory he would exploit it to the maximum.
No matter how drastic the defeat he would always make a come back.
Dealing with Treason
9 August 1601, dawn
Mihai's Camp, Câmpia Turzii (Fields near Turda), Transylvania
Mihai was a highly intelligent and cultivated man. His usually sharp and quick mind was now working at an amazing speed, a myriad of thoughts fighting for his attention.
How was it possible to draw my sword and pierce the heart of the traitor while still asleep? God Himself or at least my Guarding Angel must have moved my hand.
The dream I had was so vivid, so precise, so prophetic in nature... It must have been sent by God. Some say that dreams are a reflection of our own thoughts. But how could that be? The idea that the power comes from the people! I could have never thought anything like that. Ever! But now? If it is God's will...
And what am I now? Am I a Prophet of God? Isn't this a blasphemy? What would the Church think? Should I tell them? How?
The dream again... It was so clear, like a grand plan for the future. Oh God! Not only did You tell me what to do, You told me how to do it as well! I must write all these down as soon as possible.
Basta. What should I do with this traitor? Judge him for treason? His army will not allow that. Fight them? Kill him first? Maybe they will not fight without their general. What will Rudolf do?
I need to talk with someone. Where is Valerian when I need him?
Officer: "
Măria Ta[1], we could not find the assassins. They disappeared into the fog. By daylight they will be far away."
Mihai: "Never mind, I know who they are. They are Basta's men. Wake everybody up. We have to prepare for battle."
O: "Yes,
Măria Ta."
M: "Don't leave. I have further orders. Send a skilled man to Basta's camp. He should tell Basta that Bathory's men attempted to kill me. And that we should prepare for reprisals against the Hungarian nobles who supported Bathory. And that I and Basta should get together as soon as possible to discuss the matter and show solidarity against the enemy. Did you understand?"
O: "Yes,
Măria Ta. Anything else?"
M: "Yes. Send someone to Valerian's tent. Wake him up and summon him here. And ask him to bring along any other priests or scholars that he might know and happen to be in the vicinity. Oh, and bring me paper and quill now. And my grand seal."
Minutes later, Mihai started to write
The List.
Half an hour later, a dumbfounded Valerian listened in silence to his now extremely locvacious Voivode.
At about the same time, Mihai's envoy arrived at Basta's camp and was stopped by his guards, while Basta was talking to the assassins who reported back to him their failure to kill Mihai.
Basta's Camp, Câmpia Turzii
Assassin #1: "It's true, General. That man is surely possesed by the devil. He looked asleep, with his eyes certainly closed. But he was making faces, gesturing with his hands and talking in his sleep."
Basta: "What was he saying?"
A1: "I am sorry, General. I do not understand his language."
B: "I see, go on."
A1: "And when Mario approached him, he drew his sword and killed him instantly. He hit him right in the heart, with his eyes closed, apparently still sleeping. It's the devil, General, I am telling you..."
B: "Leave the devil out of this, will you. Why did you run away?"
A2: "If he killed Mario while asleep what chance could we have had with him fully awake?"
Basta's Guard: "General, an envoy from Mihai Voivode is here."
B: "Allow him to come in... And be prepared to kill him if he tries anything."
Guard: "Yes, Sir."
Mihai's Envoy: "Good morning, General! Sorry to disturb you so early in the morning. I am glad that you were already awake."
B: "It must be something important..."
Envoy: "Yes, General. Bathory's loyalists sent assassins to kill our Voivode. Luckily he managed to kill one of them and scare off the others."
B: "Is it so? Those traitorous bastards!"
E: "Mihailu Voivode wants to retaliate harshly against this nest of vipers which is the Hungarian nobility. They betrayed us four times. Could we trust them any more?"
B: "I think that is correct. What should we do? Kill them all?"
Basta laughed. The other men laughed as well. Mihai's envoy ignored their laughter.
E: "I am not supposed to give any advice. I am here to tell you that Mihailu Voivode wants to talk with you in order to devise a common plan of action. And he would like to prepare the army to march on Alba now. And, in order to show solidarity, you should inspect both armies together."
B: "This sounds like a good plan. Tell your leader that we shall meet in the field for a small drill with both our armies. The men will see us together as you desire. Anything else?"
E: "Is today at noon too soon for your men to get ready?"
B: "No, of course not. My men are instructed to be ready any time. After all, the enemy never asks if we are ready. We shall meet at noon in the middle of the field, near the old fountain. You are excused now."
The envoy saluted and left the tent.
B: "Is he gone?"
G: "Yes, General."
B: "This Mihai seems no devil to me. After all, the devil is supposed to be intelligent..."
All of them laughed with relief.
Mihai's Camp, Câmpia Turzii
Mihai: "So, say something. You have not uttered a single word. Are you going to excommunicate me or what?"
Valerian: "Oh, no,
Măria Ta. I think you are right. Your dream must have been sent by God. If you empower the Orthodox Church, which is now only tolerated in Transylvania, I am certain that the Synod will aprove it as well and declare it a miracle."
M: "I shall do that as soon as I get to Alba. And I shall free the Romanian peasants as well. We can thrive only if we get an alliance between the People, the Church and the Voivode. And I shall..."
The Envoy: "Allow me,
Măria Ta. I think we fooled them. Basta will come with his army for a common drill with our army at the Old Fountain Place at noon."
M: "Very good. Let's get going. We do not want to be late, do we?"
V: "I do not question your military prowess, my Voivode, but I am a little unnerved because of the use of deception..."
M: (laughing) "Oh, Valerian, deception you say. War and politics are based on deception. Didn't you read
Il Principe? Of course I could attack Basta head on, but I have to think of my soldiers' lives. I will not waste them if not absolutely necessary. We shall need those soldiers alive later."
After some more orders were issued, Mihai's army headed towards the Old Fountain Place to meet Basta and his men for what they thought to be a short common drill.
9 August 1601, noon
The Old Fountain Place, Câmpia Turzii
Mihai and Basta ceremoniously greeted each other and climbed on the makeshift wooden stand overseeing the field.
Basta: "You shall have the honour. It was your idea and, besides, only you know both yours and our language."
Mihai: "Thank you. We shall proceed then."
Mihai started to issue orders and the two armies quickly merged into one. After a few minutes of uneventful parade, Mihai stopped them and signalled he was about to deliver a speech, gesticulating heavily with his sword raised up in his left hand as if reaching the sky.
M: "As you may have already heard, this morning three assassins tried to kill me in my sleep. I know who sent them..."
And with a single powerfull stroke of his sword, Mihai decapitated Basta.
M: "This man, a traitor, got the punishment deserved by all traitors: death. Now you are all my soldiers and we shall go on to liberate the rest of Transylvania. You will receive your payment as usual. Nothing has changed, except your leader. Those who do not want to fight under my command are free to leave and return to their lands."
In the ranks of Basta's mercenaries, confusion reigned supreme.
They were separated into small groups among a larger organized army and their leader was dead, branded as a traitor and murderer.
A few anaemically cheered Mihai, others surrended their weapons, some tried to retreat towards their camp while the majority was simply confused and did not know what to do.
At first it seemed that bloodshed could be averted, but after some shots were heard, a short, chaotic battle ensued.
In about an hour, the battle was over. Being in an abbysmal strategic position and with no access to their cannons, Basta's army was completely shattered.
Less than a tenth of the soldiers escaped northwards, leaving thousands of prisoners and a few hundred dead behind. Around a hundred of Mihai's men were dead as well.
After some quick thinking, Mihai decided not to pursue them, but head towards Alba Iulia at once.
An envoy was sent to anounce his arrival. The locals were instructed to give no resistance and to assemble the Diet for the restoration of Mihai on the Transylvanian Throne.
Mihai made no additional proclamation for the time being, but chose to wait to enter to the Capital first.
Notes:
[1] Măria Ta is a formula used for addressing to Romanian Voivodes and Domnitors. It is not Your Majesty (Maiestatea Voastră), nor Your Highness (Înălțimea Voastră), nor Your Excellency (Excelența Voastră), nor Your Grace (Eminența Voastră), but rather something like Your Greatness, using the singular form of You (see the T-V Distinction in Romance languages). It is thus, quite cumbersome to translate and I decided to leave it unchanged.
