Chapter 34 The Grand Duke’s Reform

Chapter 34 The Grand Duke’s Reform

"It's really beautiful."

Mircea held a lei and looked at it carefully.

"Grand Duke, this is a newly minted silver coin in His Highness' territory. Many merchants have already started using it for transactions."

"Really, what is this called?"

"Lei"

"Lei!" Mircea said. It seemed that this son planned to turn Wallachia into a ferocious lion.

Since his son is so energetic, of course he as a father cannot lag behind. He regarded military reform as a breakthrough direction.

In this battle with Moldova, Mircea saw the tremendous power of firearms. Artillery and muskets are more lethal than arrows when facing cavalry. This strengthened Mircea's determination to expand the firearms force.

Facing the Ottomans to the south, Hungary to the west, and Poland and Lithuania to the north, it was impossible without a strong army.

Mircea began to reform the army, and he expanded his small army to 6,000 men. And purchase artillery and muskets to equip the army. Each person also has axes, machetes and other close-quarters weapons, and also has specialized uniforms.

The small unit is paid by the state and is a non-hereditary position. And they are loyal to the Grand Duke and have special agencies responsible for management. The commander is appointed by the Grand Duke. Further down, they are divided into Centuries and Tens, including both cavalry and infantry.

And the best place to buy firearms is of course Dobroga. The orders from the capital were enough to keep them fed for a while. In order to ensure the delivery of orders, the firearms factory also expanded its recruitment.

The large army was not left behind, and Mircea personally purchased weapons to equip them. Musketeers are very easy to train. A group of people can be trained in about two weeks, and the power of gunpowder has also been effective in previous battles.

Gunpowder, artillery, and muskets all had to be obtained from Dobroga. But Mircea was the Grand Duke, and Peter also ordered that everything the Grand Duke needed be agreed to except commercial transactions, so the lords had to obey the Grand Duke.

Mircea also announced that he would move the capital to Bukuri and change its name to Bukur Yesti (Bucharest is the English translation). This news surprised many boyars, but they did not object.

Culturally, Mircea designated Wallachian script as the official language and script. The church began to use the Wallachian version of the Bible, and he himself began to write documents in the Wallachian script.

The leading role of the Grand Duke was very obvious. Some boyars also began to use Wallachian script. Seeing that the nobles took the lead, some merchants and bureaucrats also began to use it. The use of Bulgarian, Serbian, and Greek languages ​​began to decrease. He also used part of the fiscal revenue to build schools. He approved the order to build a university in the new capital, and also approved the order to build a seminary, library and other buildings.

He also announced that Wallachia is recruiting talents from all over the world. As long as you have a skill and believe in the Orthodox Church, you can come here and receive tax-free treatment for one to three years.

Immigrants from the Bulgarian and Serbian regions enriched Wallachia and stimulated development. Towns such as Fokshani, Pitesti, and Severin Castle sprang up. They gathered a large number of craftsmen and merchants, and they all followed the instructions of the Grand Duke.

Mircea's reforms echoed those carried out by Peter, and father and son jointly promoted the common development of Wallachia. Under this influence, some new boyars and businessmen began to exert influence. Gyurgiu became the largest silk trading point in the Balkans, and Constanta became the largest trading port in Wallachia. Tariffs have become the fastest growing tax category.

Mircea abolished taxes such as the tax on entering and exiting the city and the hotel tax. Every adult man had to pay a fixed tax. The nobles had to pay personal income tax based on their income, and at the same time the control of the serfs was relaxed. The serfs could run commerce and handicrafts, and they could be freed by paying a certain ransom. But if you want to continue to use the land, you have to pay rent and taxes to the nobles.

Taxation and creating a good business environment seem to be a dilemma, but in fact, as long as the balance is struck, the country will function well. If it is too loose, authority will decline; if it is too tight, people will riot. Be firm and steady.

Facing Osman, Mircea planned to take the initiative. His goals are Vidin, Bulgaria and Varna.

The once glorious Bulgarian Empire declined and split. In 1330, it became a vassal of the Serbian Empire, and later split into the Vidin Tsarist State, the Kingdom of Bulgaria and the Dobroga Despotate.

Under the attack of the Ottomans, the Kingdom of Bulgaria was close to destruction, Dobroga was also in danger, and although Vidin was not in danger yet, it was soon.

These countries would become Mircea's forward positions across the Danube, especially Vidin, because Wallachia had given some help, and the second archduke also became the son-in-law of the tsar at that time. This is also a legal principle for capturing Vidin, although no one will care.

In addition, Vidin’s geographical location is also very important. It is located on the south bank of the Danube River and has been an important port and fortress on the Danube River since the Roman Empire. Basil II of the Macedonian dynasty also spent a lot of effort to capture this place. But now, the entire Vidin's military strength is weak, and coupled with a previous invasion by Hungary, Vidin is now just a piece of fat, waiting for other countries to swallow it.

But Mircea's goal goes far beyond this. Magna Graecia, Serbia, and Transylvania are all preset goals. In his vision, he wanted to build an Orthodox empire larger and more powerful than Serbia.

Mircea felt that if the Ottomans could be driven out of the Balkans, Wallachia could swallow up all the Ottoman lands. As a vassal, Serbia will also become the palm of Wallachia.

However, it is too early to say at this time. The first step of the plan to annex Bulgaria will require the Ottomans to beat them up and destroy the country, and then they will send troops.

At this time, Suleiman Pasha was leading his army to siege cities in Bulgaria. Bulgaria also made some resistance, but it was unable to resist Osman Sipahi.

The Ottoman army did not capture it, but just looted everywhere. A large number of Bulgarian towns were reduced to ashes, and the surviving people had to leave their homes and head north across the Danube River. This also enhanced the strength of Wallachia, just like Orhan I of the Ottoman Empire, who relied on a steady stream of Turkic immigrants to strengthen his strength after moving the capital to Prusa. Mircea and Peter also use immigrants from the Balkans to strengthen themselves, because now, only they can save themselves.