"Io Mihailŭ, Împĕratul Românilor" - A Michael the Brave Romania Wank

[Zagan]

"Maria was a little more girly but she [Iulia] should have been born a boy."
Cezar Elefterie​

The Little Princess​

Note (just a little reminder, in order to put things into perspective):
- Mihai has recently died (he would have been 83);
- Cristina is 38 (when she married Mihai 15 years ago, she was 23 and Mihai was 68; both were widowers);
- Iulia is 26 (Mihai's granddaughter and heiress; 12 years younger than Cristina);
- Maria is 14 (Mihai and Cristina's daughter, next in line of succession after Iulia (and last); 12 years younger than Iulia).


31 December 1641, near Alba Iulia

After spending less than 24 hours in the Capital, Cristina left for Arieș, the castle where Maria spent her Christmas holidays.
Arriving there, Cristina was rather unpleasantly surprised to find her now adolescent daughter fencing with an instructor in the front garden of the castle.
Although delighted to see her child after her forced nine months long absence, Cristina felt uneasy. It was as if time was repeating itself and she was looking at Iulia twelve years in the past. It wasn't right. Maria should become a wife and a mother, not a warrior like Iulia.

Cristina: "My baby! Come to Mother!"
The instructor bowed to Cristina only to be poked hard with the épée.
Maria (giggling): "Touché!"
C (holding her daughter): "I missed you so much... I love you, honey!"
M: "I love you too, Mother and I missed you very much as well."
C: "You are so tall now and you have also gained some weight!..."
M: "Yes Mother, I am a mademoiselle now."
C: "Sure you are, my precious, but... as a young mademoiselle, shouldn't you do, I don't know... something else than playing with swords like boys do?"
M: "Sure, Mother, I know that usually women don't fight, but I, as a future Empress, shall be able to do everything a man does... just like Iulia. And, you know, it's not a sword, it's just an épée."
C: "Whatever that damned weapon is called!... Sorry, my dear, I am a little tensed with all these wars around our Country and knowing that Iulia will be on the battlefields again, risking her life..."
M: "Risking her life for the greatness of Romania! Isn't that really majestic!"
C: "It isn't anything good or noble in dying! I loathe the thought of Iulia dying in battle, but I would rather die myself than allowing you to stupidely risk your life like that!"
M: "You are crying, Mother. What happened? Is it something wrong?"
C (crying): "Yes, Maria. Father has died."

************

M (laying on the snow): "Mother, whom do you love more, me or Iulia?"
C (caressing her): "Don't be silly, of course I love you more, you are my only child! I love you more than anything in the whole world!"
M: "If you love me more, then why is Iulia going to be Empress and not me?"
C: "Because it is not me who decides. It's the law and we must obey it."
M: "I thought that only ordinary people have to obey the law, not us..."
C: "Well, you were mistaken. We shall all obey the law, especially us who should be an example of good behaviour to our subjects."
M: "I see. However you say, Mother."
C: "And now come on, let's get inside, it's chilly and windy and you may catch a cold."

************

M: "But Mother, am I ever going to be Empress?"
C: "Sure, Maria, just after Iulia."
M: "You mean... after Iulia's death? That could be a hundred years from now!"
C (smiling): "Nobody lives that much, dear. And anyway, you are younger than Iulia and should live longer than her."
M: "And what if Iulia lives longer than me?"
C: "Then your oldest boy will be Emperor. It's the..."
M: "It's the law. Yes, I know, but I want to be Empress. I hope that Iulia dies soon."
C (slapping her): "Don't you ever say such a horrible thing again!"

************

Cristina was abruptly woken up in the morning by some kind of commotion going on in Maria's room. Entering the room, she found Iulia and Maria wrestling on the carpet. Iulia had just pinned Maria on the ground and was sitting triumphantly on top of her.

Iulia: "Hello, Cristina, glad to see you."
M: "Hi, Mother!"
C: "Good morning. Why are you fighting?"
I: "We are not fighting. I am teaching Maria how to wrestle. She has to get stronger..."
C: "No, she has not. She is but a little girl, for Christ's sake! She's not a warrior like you and she will never be one!"
I: "Look, the mother hen is protecting her little chick! Do you need to be defended by Mommy?"
C: "Don't mock me, Iulia! And talk to me, not with Maria, when I am talking to you."
I (trying to control Maria who was struggling to escape): "Yes, Cristina, sure. But, what exactly were you telling me?"
C: "I wanted to tell you that Maria is going to be a wife and a mother, spending her time with her husband and children in her palace and not with soldiers on the battlefields. And I am also going to tell you to please leave my daughter alone. Do not try to make a boy out of her, because you will fail, because she is not like you. She is just my beloved precious little girl and I will not allow her to get sucked into this madness of endless campaigns against percieved enemies which did nothing to harm us."
I: "Look at that. Now you are reminding me of my mother. Yes, I heard your little conversation from behind the door. No, it's no problem, I am not mad at you, Cristina, I love you, you know that. I am surely not going to do to you what you did to my mother. [1] Don't you worry about that!"
C (turning white): ...
I: "Good, I understand that. You don't want Maria to go to war. Fine, I'll respect your wish, but I really do not understand what harm could a little physical education do. I suppose that it is good for the body or am I wrong?"
C: "No, Iulia, of course. Physical education is just fine but..."
M: "I wonder why nobody is asking me what I want to do with my life?"
C: "Sorry, my dear, speak up please."
M: "I want to live safely in Romania and have lots of children, Princes and Princesses for our Empire! I am sorry, Iulia, I tried to please you, but I really do not want to ever go to war like you do."
I: "Very good then, Cristina, you won. Anything else?"
C: "Yes Iulia, could you please get off my little girl now?..."

[1] See Chapter 47.

************

M: "See, Mother, it wasn't so difficult after all. Iulia does understand reason."
C: "Does she? I wonder..."
M: "So, we have one more problem to solve now."
C: "And what would that be, Maria?"
M: "You have to find me a suitable husband."
C (choking) "What?!"

************

I (kissing Maria): "Bye, bye, girls, I'm leaving now. See you tomorrow!... Aren't you going to embrace me, Cristina?"

Cristina did not answer and Iulia forcefully embraced her. Cristina tried to resist but to no avail, as Iulia was much stronger. After squeezing her hard for several seconds, Iulia smiled, kissed her on the forehead and left while humming a march.
For the first time, Cristina felt really frightened. Something was definitely wrong with Iulia. And there was nothing she could do about it. Or was it?


5 January 1642

The Imperial Family left the picturesque castle to return to Alba Iulia.

The newspapers have just informed the Romanian people that their Emperor had passed away during the previous night. Apparently, his body had finally succumbed to the pestilence spreading from the wound inflicted by the accursed Mohammedans. And as there were Mohammedans as well whose who had wounded Iulia in the chest, it was obvious to everyone that the menace of Islam had to be done with once and for all!

The Empire prepared for mourning, for a coronation and for yet another war.

In Alba Iulia, all flags were flown at half mast and the bells of the Churches were ringing incessantly.
Everything looked sombre, just like the geopolitical situation of the Empire.

 

[Zagan]

If you think that there is too much dialogue lately, I have good news for you: The following chapters will contain more narration and facts.

Coming soon, Iulia Imperatrix.

 

[Salvador79]

Still loving this.

 

[Zagan]

Iulia I remains to this day the most controversial Romanian Empress.​

Iulia Imperatrix​

In order to get a glimpse into the mood of the Romanians in that terrible month of January 1642, we must take into consideration the following facts:

- At least in Romania Proper (i.e. excluding the Colonies), news travelled extremely fast, thanks to the extended and reliable network of optic telegraph lines criss-crossing the Country. An important event happening in the Capital (such as the death of the Emperor) would surely become known in all corners of the Country at the end of the following day at the very least.

- Central and local newspapers penetrated to almost all Romanian towns and villages, no matter how small and, although less than 20% percent of the population was literate, a popular Romanian evening pastime involved gathering in the local pub where more often than not important news were read aloud and commented upon passionately.

- In the Churches and in the Schools, the priests and the teachers (usually being one and the same person, especially in the small villages) would inform the people of the latest news and usually discuss their implications.

- The love, admiration, respect and gratitude the absolute majority of the Romanians felt towards their Emperor was immense. The Emperor was universally worshiped as the Father of the Country and Protector of the Nation while some even viewed him as a Prophet of God or something akin a Demigod.

- Most people (especially the younger generations) knew some History, being incessantly bombarded with historical propaganda by the teachers, priests and journalists since 1602. The general image was something like this:
"Before Emperor Mihai Viteazul, we had three little states, together having about one quarter of the area and population of today's Romania. These states were not independent, but under the heel of the Turks, Hungarians, Austrians and Poles. Almost every year, we were invaded and plundered, men were killed, women and children taken as slaves, towns, villages and crops destroyed. Famine, death, oppression, uncertainty and desperation were considered normal. The situation of the Romanians from the South of the Danube was even worse.
Now, Romania is a very large and powerful Empire and one of the World's Great Powers, feared and respected by all its neighbours. Famine has been largely eradicated, an external invasion is now unthinkable, all Romanians are free and live safely inside the boundaries of their great Country. Most peasants have received land and more and more children learn to read, write and cypher. And the future looks really bright!
All of these had only been made possible by the courage, forward vision and strong will of our Emperor, may God keep him safe!"

- Most Romanians have been born under Mihai's rule and have never imagined being ruled by anyone else. While they knew that all men are mortal and that the Emperor would die some day, almost nobody thought that Mihai would die so soon, even if the newspapers had previously reported about the poor state of the Emperor's health.

- When the papers wrote about the Jerusalem attack in which a gang of Muslims had allegedly wounded Mihai, there was a lot of rage against the eternal enemy and some level of concern about the Emperor. The subsequent wounding of Iulia further shocked and enraged the populace. After the Emperor was supposed to have returned safely in Romania, those worries largely subsided. It was simply unfathomable that Emperor Mihai could die and leave the Romanian people unprotected against their many enemies.

- Even though Romania was at war with half of Europe (while allied with the other half), with numerous military opperations taking place all around Romania, the people felt safe in their cocoon, protected by the mighty Romanian Army and the seemingly endless expanse of Romanian territory.

- The news of the Emperor's death struck Romania like a hammer. The Romanians were incredulous, devastated, angry or a combination thereof. In some parts of the country furious or mourning people rioted and attacked the local authorities, albeit lacking a real purpose or clearly expressed grievances. The disturbances subsided by themselves with few arrests being made.

- The following 40 days of National Mourning, with flags flown at half mast and continuous church bell ringing contributed to the overwhelming sense of gloom and despair enveloping the whole Country. Almost all people who could afford it wore black clothes and the rest received black cockades for free.
All over the Country, children, women and men crying was an all too common sight. The Churches where overcrowded with heartbroken worshipers.

It is then no wonder that, in these conditions, the Romanian public opinion largely failed to take note of the power struggle taking place in Alba Iulia [...]


7 January 1642, Alba Iulia

At noon, thousands of people had already congregated in the large and beautiful Union Square, while the grandiose Amphitheatre of the Romanian Senate was already full.
Besides the Senators, there were also present Empress Cristina, Princess Maria, Patriarch Nicodim, other members of the Holy Synod, Generals and Admirals, members of the diplomatic corps, journalists, painters. All of them were dressed in black and many were silently crying. Cristina would wear black for the rest of her life.

Cristina felt actually relieved that, one month after the death of her husband, was finally allowed to properly mourn him. This whole plot was nothing else that madness, pure madness... I should have never tolerated that!
She also felt bad and very, very guilty. I did it for the Country, not for me or for Maria. I love Iulia very much and I respect Mihai's wish but... Something bad had happened with Iulia. She's not being her anymore. She's dangerous and she frightens me and my little daughter. It's as if she had lost her mind. It would not have been safe to let her rule Romania. No, it's better like this. It's safer. For the Country. But still... I shouldn't have done it. It's treason, for God's sake!

Everybody was nervously waiting for Iulia who was being late.
Almost two hours later ovations were heard from the Union Square. Those who went to the balcony witnessed a completely unexpected event...

Dressed in full military attire and riding a superb white horse, Iulia had just arrived in the Union Square, accompanied by the Imperial Guard.
Instead of entering the Senate building, she was acclaimed as Imperatrix by the Army and the masses just like in the old times of the Roman Empire. Then, she crowned herself with her grandfather's Iron Crown and addressed the crowds eliciting a fresh round of ovations.

An hour later, Iulia, leading a group of a hundred legionnaires and already crowned, entered the Senate Amphitheatre, walked in silence down the central aisle and sat on her illustrious grandfather's throne.

"Senators, I, Iulia Imperatrix, demand a straight answer from you... Are you absolutely sure you want to commit high treason?... Good. I have thought so. Now, let's do what shell be done. Patriarch, come and anoint me, we don't have all day!"

Everything was lost. Who knows what would befall to our poor Country! Cristina felt dizzy and had to sit down. Iulia looked at her and smiled. Cristina did not feel very reassured by that smile. She was really scared speechless.

Nobody dared say anything. The memory of Mihai killing all the members of the former Transylvanian Diet was still fresh in everybody's mind.
The Patriarch annointed and blessed Iulia, her Crown, her sceptre and her sword. The Senators acclaimed their new Empress. In less than an hour the ceremony was over. Iulia was Empress of the Romanians.

"Let's cut this short, shouldn't we? We should be mourning my grandfather, not celebrating my ascension to his throne! We will have plenty of time for rejoicing after my victorious return from the war. And you do not have to pretend anything. I know that you do not like me. But I think that you will love me when I'll double the size of our Empire! Anyway, till then, I do not need you anymore. I am able to govern my Empire very well without your help, probably even better... You are doing nothing but fattening yourselves while we are risking our lives for the Fatherland on the battlefield!... In conclusion, as I do not have much time, you are dismissed. I'll convene the Senate again when I will deem it necessary. Have a good day. Oh, and if something happens to me, just let Cristina run things around here until Maria is of age, would you?"

Iulia and the Army held absolute power in Romania. And while she was winning battles and conquering more lands, there was no one who dared to oppose her.

"Long live Iulia Imperatrix!"


20 January 1642, Alba Iulia

The body of the first Romanian Emperor, Mihai I Viteazul, was buried in the Patriarchal Cathedral of Alba Iulia in a grandiose ceremony.

During the previous days, thousands of Romanians from all over the Empire had come to pay their last respects to the greatest Emperor the Romanians will ever have.
From abroad, the only significant visitor was Mihai's daughter, Queen Flora Vasa of Sarmatia, the widow of the former Sarmatian King Sigismund III Vasa and the mother of King Karol. This was understandable, Europe being already engulfed in war which made travelling dangerous.
Flora did not meet her niece, because Iulia was already fighting in Croatia for the greatness of her Empire!


15 February 1642, Alba Iulia

The 40 days of National Mourning were finally over and life began to get back to normal. The new normal, as it has so abruptly been set up by Iulia.

Maria was enjoying a quiet and happy childhood at the Imperial Palace while asking about boys from time to time.
Cristina was pretending not to worry about the increasingly precarious financial and military situation of Romania.
Iulia was waging war against all the enemies and ruling her Empire at the same time.
The Senators were fattening themselves at home instead of the Senate building.
The population was oblivious to the dangers, happily digesting the propaganda fed by the already omnipresent Romanian State.
Everything was just fine. Yet.


27 February 1642, Alba Iulia

The Romanian Orthodox Church sanctified Mihai, making the 5th of January the Feast of Saint Emperor Mihai of the Romanians.

From then on, Mihai was history. Or legend. Or both.
R.I.P.
Amen.

 

[Zagan]

Well, that's it. Mihai is officially dead and Iulia is Empress (unfortunately).

I could have ended Part I here, but I chose to include a few more chapters, for the sake of completeness:
- Iulia during the war;
- the Romanian "Revolution";
- the Peace Treaty;
- post-war situation in Romania;
- and in the rest of the World;
- data, tables, maps, statistics, conclusions, etc.

Part I will be ready in about two weeks. I will NOT begin Part II immediately afterwards, but probably after a break of about one month.

Any more questions or suggestions?

Does anyone want to contribute anything to the story?

Thank you.

 

[gianni_rivera]

What happened to her in Spain?? Have you written about it?

 

[Zagan]

What happened to her in Spain?? Have you written about it?

Next chapter, probably.

 

[DumbersTC]

Why is the technology in this TL more advanced than OTL 1600's would allow?

 

[Zagan]

Why is the technology in this TL more advanced than OTL 1600's would allow?

First of all, technology is only a little more advanced. We don't have steam engines or electricity yet like in some really crazy Roman Empire timelines around here.
Till now we have:
- some experiments with hot-air baloons (still quite far away from being reliable);
- some experiments with rockets (without convincing results);
- kites;
- somehow better steel, cannons, rifles, etc;
- metal plated ships trial and error;
- fire throwers somehow similar to Greek Fire, but using petroleum;
- luminous optic telegraph functioning at night;
- some other advances in mathematics, chemistry, etc.
So, nothing absurdly out of the ordinary. All of these were perfectly possible in the 1600's.

And now the why...
It's quite simple. Lack of invasions and famine, increased stability and safety, more population, more literacy and schooling, etc are bound to result in increased innovation and progress.
Something like this. Plus I kinda' needed it. For the Wank, you know.

 

[Zagan]

Iulia went to war simply because she liked it!​

The Warrior Empress​

Note: For the progress of the European War, please see Chapter 52 and Chapter 53.


Excerpts from "The Warrior Empress" by James Terring, Historia, 15 June 1877, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, British North America, Empire of Britannia

Empress Iulia of Romania, Greece and the Orient (1642 - 1651) is almost universally regarded by the Romanians as their greatest Empress, the Warrior Empress as they fondly romanticize her.

While Empress Iulia is undoubtedly a very interesting historical figure, it is our duty as Historians to investigate a few claims that are usually made about her by laymen or apologists.
These claims, which we shall attempt to disprove in the course of this article can be summarized as follows:
1. Empress Iulia was a great empress;
2. Empress Iulia was a great warrior;
[...]

1. The claim that Iulia was a great empress is perhaps the most outrageous of all. It would be perhaps more appropriate to consider her reign as abyssmal. But let us get the facts first.
Her predecessor was the first Emperor of the Romanians, Saint Emperor Mihai I the Brave, who was everything her granddaughter was not: a great political and military strategist and a wise and fair visionary ruler who during his 48 years reign created modern Romania seemingly out of thin air.
At her coronation, Iulia inherited a huge, cohesive, extremely powerful and rich empire featuring a promising incipient democracy and a highly educated population fueling an yet unseen scientific and technological progress.
At the end of her short reign, Romania, while significantly larger, had lost its ethnic and spiritual cohesiveness, being actually amalgamated with Greece, Croatia, Hungary and the Orient in an amorphous multinational conglomerate filled with internal dissent and ethnic and religious strife while financially bankrupt under a corrupt and inefficient military dictatorship.
[...]
Despite what the Romanians might think about her now, it is quite certain that Iulia was one of their worst rulers. While, obviously, a woman cannot be expected to be equal to a man [1], Iulia's legacy is clearly worse than that of other Romanian Empresses like Maria or Cleopatra.

[1] This way of thinking was considered normal in TTL (and OTL) 1877 and does not reflect the author's opinion on the matter.

2. While undoubtedly a warrior, Iulia was not a great warrior. "Empress Iulia fought a lot, so she must have been a great warrior!" It is easier to spot the fallacy if you compare that statement to the following one: "Someone who paints a lot is a great painter!"
Yes, Iulia fought a lot. No, Iulia was not a great warrior.
[...]
Iulia took one of the finest armies in Europe and used (or should we better say abused) it to overthrow the still fragile constitutional order in Romania while invading all of Romania's neighbours, sometimes even simultaneously, in blatant disregard of all possible strategic considerations.
Leaving aside the obvious fact that women should not go to war and much less lead armies directly from the battlefields, Iulia constantly endangered herself and the country misfortunate enough to be ruled by her. Naturally, a monarch should lead his armies, but from the safety of his capital, not from under direct enemy fire, risking injury, death or capture in every battle! This is not bravery, but lunacy!
[...]
Iulia's complete lack of tactical and strategic thinking can be inferred from her exploits: In twelve years of horrifying never-ending war, she was injured at least three times, got herself captured by the enemy alongside a whole army, lost a staggering 220,000 soldiers killed, maimed or captured, worried all the civilized countries of Europe nearly creating a grand alliance against her country and finally [...].
Only an inordinate amount of luck saved Romania from complete disaster while leaving it scarred for at least one generation!
[...]
Emperor Mihai went to war because it was necessary and beneficial for his country. Iulia went to war simply because she liked it!
[...]
When Empress Maria took the Throne, the situation in Romania was really horrendous. It would take decades for Romania to overcome the economic, financial, demographic, social, political, militar and diplomatic disaster left behind by the romantic flamboyant reign of the Warrior Empress!

Note: While most statements from this article are, even if exaggerated, factually true, the author's bias against Iulia (and women in general) is rather obvious. As usual, the truth lies somewhere in the middle.



Excerpts from the private Journal written by Empress Iulia during her captivity and subsequent voyage around Europe
Note: Published in 1898, Iulia's Journal is considered by some critics to be a forgery, albeit a rather good one.

22 December 1643
It's over. We lost. I lost. A month ago, I was acclaimed as Imperatrice in the Eternal City and now here I am languishing in a prisoner camp in this God forsaken country! At least I am suffering the same fate as my brave soldiers! Till now, they are treating us well, the food and accomodation, while basic, are at least bearable. I hope that they will not dare to rape me.
Note: Actually Iulia was never kept in the Caserta PoW Camp, but in a rather dilapidated castle at the outskirts of Naples.

24 December 1643
I was woken up by some sort of commotion taking place outside my residence. I found out later in the day that a Romanian Balloon flew over the camp presumably attempting to rescue me by air! It would have been truly majestic to rise to the skies in the mighty balloon and fly to the safety of our lines!
Alas, it was not meant to be as the balloon was punctured by a volley of arrows and bullets and crashed nearby.
Note: This incident is not mentioned by any other source.

25 December 1643
Today, being Christmas, we got better food and even some wine. [...]

1 January 1644
A New Year has begun. May it be a better one!
I cannot stop thinking that it was my fault for this unprecedented disaster! I have miscalculated and overestimated our strength and logistical capabilities. The Southern advance of our armies was too fast and we paid the price for it!

3 January 1644
Today, I could hear the beautiful music of constant shelling for the first time since my capture. I think that our great armies are finally going to break the Iberian defences.

7 January 1644
It seems that they are considering that Naples might fall. Fearing that a renewed Romanian advance might free me, my captors decided to embark me in one of their ships and sail... God knows where! I hope not in Africa!

11 January 1644
We were attacked by a small but heavily armed British fleet. While I hoped to be rescued by our allies, I also feared that the ship might get sunk.
My fears seemed justified as less than an hour after the start of the hostilities, the ship was aflame and soon the tremendous blaze was all but impossible to estinguish.
About half an hour later, the Captain ordered everyone to abandon ship. The situation was extremely dangerous as the four Iberian ships remaining afloat were far from one another and the British were shelling us relentlessly.
Someone threw me into the cold waters of the Mediterranian Sea and I began to swim towards the nearest ship. The British were defeated and forced to retreat Eastwards. As my hopes of being rescued vanished, all my energy was focused on staying alive. A sailor helped me when my strength started to wither and we managed to get near a ship and board it. I got to live another day!
Note: This may be embellished a little. Or a little more.

19 January 1644
We stopped in the Balearic Island of Majorca where we changed ship and continued Westwards, presumably towards the Iberian mainland.

23 January 1644
We arrived in Valencia at the end of our journey. Even if I am nothing but a prisoner of war in the land of our enemy, I am glad that I can once again walk on firm land.

22 February 1644
Finally in Madrid, the former Capital of Iberia. They decided to keep me prisoner in the very center of their country, the farthest away from any possible British attempt to rescue me. Anyway, the war will be over soon, as I will get home to my beloved Country!

14 March 1644
An Iberian Prince sent to keep me company (actually to spy on me) was being rude and behaved inappropriately towards me. I could not bear it anymore. I had to do something to protect my honour as there was nobody else there to do it! I challenged the bastard to a duel, but he kept mocking me, an Empress!
Enraged, I hit him with a vase in the forehead, blood pouring down his cheeks. The guards got me, but at least he did not laugh at me anymore and actually accepted to duel me! I will kill this unfortunate being! I have to kill him! Nobody disrespects me like that!

15 March 1644
I lost. Again. I do not understand, how was it possible to play fight with my instructor on an equal footing and to lose so miserably against this Iberian?! He was incredibly powerful. He actually made me drop my sword to the ground with a single blow. I really stood no chance whatsoever. He then placed the tip of his sword on my throat, looked at me for several seconds and then turned around and left without saying anything. I was mortified by endless shame.
Note: This events are corroborated by some Iberian sources and could be safely considered genuine.

1 May 1644
It appears that some sort of rebellion had engulfed Iberia, but the news are contradictory and sketchy. A lady in waiting whom I have befriended tries to get me some reliable information about the confused situation in Lisbon and elsewhere.

3 May 1644
It's certain now that a revolution had toppled the Iberian Habsburg Monarchy and the rebels have crowned a new King in Lisbon as they control Portugal, Navarre, Andalucia and most of Castille. Their forces should capture Madrid in a matter of days and hopefully set me free.

10 May 1644
Still waiting for King John's armies. I cannot stand the suspense anymore!

23 May 1644
As the revolutionary forces threatened to take Madrid by force, my captors forced me into a decrepit couch and we left in a hurry during the night towards an unknown destination. Any semblance of comfort was completely lacking, to put it mildly. I started to fear for my life.

26 May 1644
During the night, our party was suddenly attacked by unknown assailants and a formidable firefight ensued.
A couple of hours later everything was silent once again. The attackers (or would be rescuers, I don't know) have vanished, but only after killing or injuring most of my guards.

27 May 1644
Isabela, my assigned lady in waiting, went outside and talked with the guards. Those injured have died or have been left behind and there were only three men guarding us. Later that day, she passed me a pistol.

28 May 1644
The time was ripe for action. Isabela stabbed a guard and I shot another one. The remaining guard fired several shots towards the carriage but his pistol jammed. He drew his sword and charged towards me. I aimed and fired one more bullet. He died instantly.
I had a bullet in my shin, I was bleeding profusely and the pain was really atrocious, much worse than when that arrow scratched my shoulder last year.

29 May 1644
We were in the middle of nowhere, two women, a broken carriage, three dead men, a dead horse and a injured one which I had to put down. Far away in the West, there was some kind of battle raging on.
We have managed to stop the bleeding from my shin, but the bullet was in there and the atrocious pain prevented me from walking.

31 May 1644
After two more days spent in the ruined carriage, the spectre of hunger raised its ugly head. Obviously, I have never been hungry before, so this experience made me understand the plight of our poor peasants during the years with poor yields.
It was already clear that nobody would come and rescue us there. The road was very small and probably unimportant and the battles must have scaried away the locals.
We could not stay put and resign to wait for our death. We had to get going.

1 June 1644
We left the carriage and headed back Westwards, in the probable direction of the rebel forces. It was a gamble, since we knew neither our location nor the direction to a populated place.
We progressed extremely slowly, because I could not use my left leg. Isabela was helping me, but the pain was getting worse and, more worryingly, it seemed that I was a little feverish.

2 June 1644
As I was unable to walk anymore, Isabela carried me on her back for miles. We advanced, albeit very slowly. My fever was getting worse and the pain was excruciating.

3 June 1644
Isabela's energy was running low. I was obviously a too heavy burden for her weak body.
When she finally stopped, unable to carry me anymore, I was already lapsing in and out of consciousness. The End seemed near.

10 June 1644
I am alive! I have somehow cheated death and here am I in this small Castillian village, in a little peasant house, treated by a doctor called from a nearby town.
I have been operated upon and had the bullet removed. The pain is present but duller. I am more worried about the fever though which can indicate an infection. But there is nothing we can do but pray and hope.

16 June 1644
Forces loyal to King John of Spain (the name of Portugal-Castille) arrived here at noon. They treated me well and here I am now, once again travelling Westwards in a new comfortable carriage. Life is good. Maybe the fever will subside and I will not die. God, I don't want to die now! I am still young!

4 July 1644
We arrived in the Iberian, sorry "Spanish" Capital of Lisbon, on the shores of the Atlantic Ocean.
A British convoy is waiting for me in the harbour, ready to leave for London, Britannia.

7 July 1644
I travel on the Ocean now! Who would have imagined that!
I am feeling much better. Even the doctors are amazed of my quick recovery.
This Atlantic voyage will be quite long but at least safe, because the British Navy rules supreme on these waves!

22 July 1644
We received very good new today. It seems that the war is finally coming to an end. We won again. Long live Romania and her Empire!

6 August 1644
London, the Capital of Britannia, the greatest Naval Power of the World. I feel like an explorer now.
King Henry Frederick and Queen Henrietta Maria (Cristina's sister) are very nice and pleasant and spoil me with their attention and kindness. Britannia is really a wonderful country!

18 August 1644
Britannia is nice and welcomming but I am badly needed back home. Of course, I did not stay here with no reason, my presence in our ally's Capital being a nice boost to our diplomacy.

20 August 1644
On the high seas again! This time heading for Danzig in Sarmatia, the country of my cousin Carol.

1 - 9 September 1644
An important visit to Amsterdam, the greatest Port in Germany. Diplomacy again.

23 - 28 September 1644
It would have been inconcievable to pass through the Danish Straits and not visit our Scandinavian allies as well. King Christian and his new wife, the young and beautiful Anna, came to Copenhagen to welcome me. It felt really good.

8 October 1644
Finally in Danzig, Sarmatia. My dear aunt Flora was already in Danzig, waiting for my arrival. She is so sweet! We did not stay in Danzig, but took another ship upstream on the Vistula.
Although Sarmatia was, militarily speaking, in quite a poor shape, the course of the Vistula was perfectly safe. The war with the Russians was raging far away in the Eastern parts of this huge country.

18 - 30 October 1644
My cousin, King Carol met me and aunt Flora in the Warsaw Harbour. We were both very happy to see each other after so much time! The only sour part of my visit was that Carol's wife did not like me. Of course, the feeling was mutual.

12 November 1644
After almost a year of wandering in and around Europe, I have finally rejoined my Army in Lemberg. There was no time to lose, so we immediately began marching Eastwards to fight the Russians and expel them from Sarmatian soil.

29 December 1644
I have missed real warfare so much! Now we were at last once more at war near Kiew, forcing the Dnieper. We have to cross it into the lands of the Cossacks and punish them for their treason!

4 March 1645
Sadly, the war against Russia is over. These cowards have surrended and a Peace Treaty is being discussed. We won, but I failed to get to Moscow!

19 April 1645
I am back in Romania, on the sacred ground of my Country! God be blessed!
They have finally moved the Capital to Michaelia Iulia, so I suppose I'll go straight there. Although, I would love to spend a few days in Alba Iulia, which will always be my sweet beloved home.

13 May 1645
Relaxing in Alba Iulia. Who knows if I will live to come back here ever again? After all, I have more wars to prosecute. This time, against the Heathens! It's already long overdue!

3 June 1645
Reunited with my family after more than two years! I am overwhelmed with joy seeing Cristina and Maria, despite their former treason. I have wholeheartedly forgiven them! I love them so much! Both of them? But do they still love me? It seems not. They are... frosty. Well, that's life. I'll go to war again soon and I'll leave my family home like any warrior should do! Maybe Cristina and Maria will appreciate me more when I would finish vanquishing all our enemies! Or maybe not... God be with me and protect us all and our Country!
Note: More about the political situation in Romania and Cristina's "treason" in the next chapter.

3 July 1645
One month is enough. If I stayed more, I would feel it even more difficult to leave. But I have to! An Empress has to fight for her Empire!

30 July 1645
Back at war! [...]
Note: More in the following chapters.



This was by no means an easy writing. Questions? Comments? Mistakes?
Thank you.

Next chapters:
- Romania during the War;
- The War in the Orient;
- The Peace Treaties;
- Overview of Romania in the 1650's;
- Overview of Europe and the World in the 1650's;
- End of Part One.

 

[HIM Dogson]

Well, that author sounds like a prick. Also, Cleopatra, eh? Well, no one said the Romanians were humble.

 

[Zagan]

Well, that author sounds like a prick. Also, Cleopatra, eh? Well, no one said the Romanians were humble.

Little spoiler: When that article was written (1877), the Romanian-British relations were not very good (the TL has obviously not progressed to that point).

Romanian historiography (short version): Macedonians were Thracians, thus our ancestors (Romanians = Romans + Thracians). Cleopatra was Macedonian (like Alexander the Great and his General, Ptolemy included), therefore part of our history. Something like that.
More crazy stuff were (and some still are) presented as real history to the masses in various countries.

 

[Zagan]

The wars and travels of Iulia have got to a point were a map is badly needed. So, here you are!

The Wars and Voyages of Empress Iulia during the 1640's​

Legend:

Red Wide AntiDiagonal Lines: Territories under the direct control of Iulia and the Romanian Army (Romania Proper, the Colonies, annexed or would be annexed areas, liberated allies, occupied enemies, etc)
Red Narrow Diagonal Lines: Territories under Romanian influence (Protected States, etc)
Red Wide Arrows: Iulia's travels (voluntary or not)
Numbers: Segments of Iulia's travels
Purple: Iberian captivity
Capital Letters: Territories controlled, influenced or coveted by Iulia
Blue: Annexed to the Empire (de jure or de facto)

0. Army Camp in Lower Macedonia - Iulia decides to invade Greece (in order to save it from the Iberians, of course);
1. Salonika - Iulia is proclaimed Basileus Autokrator of the Greeks;
2. Athens - the end of the "Hellenic Republic";
3. Invasion of Iberian held Morea;
4. Smirna - the end of the "Kingdom of Mikrasia";
5. Invasion of the remainder of Mikrasia;
6. The Holy Land, Jerusalem - to get Cristina back to Romania;
7. The Dardanelles;
8. The Bosphorus;
9. The Mouths of the Danube;
10. Alba Iulia - Empress of the Romanians;
11. Agram (Zagreb) - destruction of the Croatian State;
12. Raab (Gyor) - conquest of Hungary;
13. Back in Croatia;
14. Passing through Venetian Istria and German Trieste en route to the Italian battlefields;
15. Invasion of Iberian held Italy (alongside German armies);
16. Liberation of Rome - acclaimed as Imperatrice;
17. Disaster near Naples - start of Iberian captivity;
18. Naval battle at the Strait of Bonifacio - Iberian phirric victory and continued captivity for Iulia;
19. Majorca;
20. Valencia;
21. Madrid;
22. Escape during the Spanish Civil War;
23. Lisbon;
24. Atlantic Ocean;
25. Britannia;
26. London;
27. Amsterdam, Germany;
28. Danish Straits;
29. Copenhagen, Scandinavia;
30. Danzig, Sarmatia;
31. Warsaw;
32. Lemberg (Lvov) - meeting the Romanian Army deployed to help Sarmatia fight Russia;
33. Kiev - engaging the Russian Army;
34. Easternmost battle of the Russian-Sarmatian war - truce declared;
35. Back to Romania (Oceacov);
36. Back to Alba Iulia (no longer Capital);
37. Michaelia Iulia (new Romanian Capital) - difficult discussions with Cristina and Maria;
38. Conquest of Constantinopole - Iulia is proclaimed Empress of Rome (later changed to Empress of the Orient after the protests of the European Powers);
39. Invasion of Turkey - Angora (Ankara);
40. Invasion of the Levant;
41. Liberation of Jerusalem;
42. Invasion of neutral Arabia - thrust towards Mecca;
43. To be continued.

A. Venetian Corfu (under Romanian administration) - annexed to Romania Proper;
B. Venetian Valona (Vlore) - invaded and annexed to Romania Proper;
C. Venetian Catarro (Kotor) and Ragusa (Dubrovnik) - invaded and annexed to Romania Proper (separated from the rest of Dalmatia);
D. Venetian Dalmatia (under partial Croatian occupation) - invaded and placed under Romanian administration as an Autonomous Province; virtual annexation;
E. Croatia Proper - invaded and placed under military rule; Croatian State dismantled; virtual annexation;
F. Hungary - invaded and placed under military rule; Hungarian State dismantled; virtual annexation;
G. German Federal State of Triest (Trieste) - free passage for the Romanian Army granted by the German Empire;
H. Venetian Istria (under partial Croatian occupation) - invaded and placed under military rule;
I. Part of Continental Italy and Sicily (under Iberian occupation) - liberated and placed under military rule;
J. South-Eastern Sarmatia (Ruthenes / Ukrainians, rebellious Cossacks, partial Russian occupation) - liberated and placed under military rule; deportation of Cossack rebels to Asia Minor;
K. Sarmatian Crimea - occupied as well and placed under military rule despite no Russian military presence;
L. Greece - Personal Union with Romania; placed under military rule; virtual annexation;
M. Marmara Demilitarized Zone (Ottoman State) - invaded and annexed to Romania Proper;
N. Constantinople (Ottoman State) - invaded and placed under Romanian administration as an Autonomous Province; virtual annexation;
O. Asia Minor = Asian coast of the Sea of Marmara and Sinope Cape (Ottoman State) - invaded and annexed as Colonies;
P. Turkey (Ottoman State) - invaded (most of it) and turned into a Protectorate;
Q. Syria (Ottoman State) - invaded and annexed as a Colony;
R. Levant (Ottoman State) - invaded (partially) and turned into a Protectorate (de jure; de facto independent);
S. Arabia Petraea (Arabian Caliphate) - invaded and given to the Levant as a Colony (as compensation for the loss of Syria);
T. Arabian Caliphate - unsuccessfully invaded; plans for annexation;
U. Russian Black Sea coast - occupied and placed under military rule;
V. Georgia - Protected State;
W. Armenia - Protected State;
X. Slovakia - Protected State (later);
Y. Mesopotamia - coveted;
Z. Egypt - coveted.

 

[Zagan]

Help needed from someone more knowledgeable than me regarding the speed of travel on land and on the seas in the middle of the 17th century.

About the timings of Iulia's voyages, on land and on the seas (mainly from Chapter 60) - are they plausible? Or too fast? Or maybe too slow? I am really not very good at this.

Thank you.

 

[FractiousDay]

The diaries seemed a little spotty for a military leader. A Romanian general and empress would have surely studied actual roman stuff, so maybe having her record her thoughts and journeys in a similar manner as the Gallic Wars were written by Caesar would be better. That or its just showing she really is a bit mad

 

[Zagan]

The diaries seemed a little spotty for a military leader. A Romanian general and empress would have surely studied actual roman stuff, so maybe having her record her thoughts and journeys in a similar manner as the Gallic Wars were written by Caesar would be better. That or its just showing she really is a bit mad

1. Oh... I could have written at least 10 chapters with the diary! But that was not the point of it. I only wanted to present the relevant information in a different way.

2. And the reason it look "spotty" is that (as stated) there are only "excerpts", so it is not by any means the whole thing, which would have been really huge obviously!

Excerpts from the Journal written by Empress Iulia during her captivity and subsequent voyage around Europe
Note: Published in 1898, Iulia's Journal is considered by some critics to be a forgery, albeit a rather good one.

3. And, the diary was meant to be private!
Edit: I modified Chapter 60, including the word "private" for increased clarity:

Excerpts from the private Journal written by Empress Iulia during her captivity and subsequent voyage around Europe
Note: Published in 1898, Iulia's Journal is considered by some critics to be a forgery, albeit a rather good one.

4. And it was probably a later forgery anyway, written at the end of the 19th century (150 years after the events described).

But, of course, you have a point. She had certainly read the classics, including De Bello Gallico. And she was a little crazy.

Thank you.

 

[Behemoth]

Travel will be dependent on several factors on both land and sea. If one is travelling by horse on land: the type of horse, conditioning, loads being transported, and terrain. The following link goes over travel by horse and on foot.

https://www.cartographersguild.com/showthread.php?t=19730

Ships will be a different story and were constantly being improved. I have not been able to find accurate information about how fast ships could travel as of yet but I am looking for similar information for my TL. Basing off what limited information that I have, it will be dependent on the style of ship, load, winds, and currents that the ship will be using.

 

[gianni_rivera]

She is crazy because of Christina and the fact she got kidnapped?

 

[Zagan]

She is crazy because of Christina and the fact she got kidnapped?

First of all, she is not batshit crazy, she is only a little out there.

As for the reasons:
- Genetics;
- Childhood experiences (parental neglect, kidnapping*, possible abuse*, rape*, etc);
- Imperial power;
- Who knows?
- ...
- It may make the character (and story) more interesting.

* not certain; ITTL conspiracy theories abound.

 

[Zagan]

In 17th century Romania, nothing was what it seemed to be.
The so called Romanian Revolution was no exception.​

The Romanian Revolution​

In order to understand what happened in Romania during the Second European War and more importantly why did it happen, we have to delve a little deeper into the internal situation of Romania during those momentous years.


The Structure of Power in the Romanian Empire

We have to realize that, while Romania was not an absolute monarchy per se, the Imperial Office held enormous power, both de jure and de facto.
The person of the Emperor was universally revered and even considered sacred by the majority of his subjects which respected the Imperial authority more than anything else in this World.

By the Fundamental Laws of the Country (an ever increasing corpus of laws deemed of great importance, akin to a constitution and into which it would eventually evolve), the Emperor held:
- Executive Power as the Head of State and Government with the sole right to name and remove Ministers and other State officials;
- Legislative Power with the right to propose legislation and to veto any ruling of the Senate;
- Judicial Power as the Supreme Judge, a position analogous to the Supreme Court we have nowadays.
Besides these, the Emperor was the Supreme Commander of the Armed Forces, having thus complete control over the most significant force within the Nation, the mighty Romanian Army.

In addition to the Emperor, there were other institutions which exercised various amounts of power, either de jure, de facto or both.

The Romanian Senate had the power to initiate Ordinary Laws, discuss and vote both Ordinary Laws and Fundamental Laws and adopt various Resolutions (expressing an opinion on an important matter). All laws had to be signed by the Emperor and those days the Emperor was not simply supposed to sign anything the Senate voted as it is customary today.
The Government and the Judges represented the Executive and Judicial Powers.

The Romanian Orthodox Church, as by far the greatest Church in Romania, had a significant amount of soft power, being able to influence the other institutions of the State. However, the power of the Church had decreased considerably since its nationalization and loss of independence corresponding to its new status as a mere Institution of the State.

The Romanian Army was extremely powerful and had to be kept both content and busy at all times as the subsequent events would most clearly indicate.
The Secret Service, the Imperial Guard and the Police somehow complicated this situation.

The Press and the Public Opinion which it very much controlled were important enough to be taken into consideration by the other political actors.
The Press was by no means free, but the Censorship Office had very little work to do since the degree of self-censorship was usually adequate. All newspaper editors knew very well that in order to stay out of trouble they had to refrain from doing three things:
- criticize the Emperor (lèse–majesté);
- criticize the Romanian Nation and State (anti-patriotic);
- delve into anything considered to be a state secret (treason).
Barring these limitations though, the Press could be considered free and its degree of freedom was certainly larger than in all other European Countries.

The Nobility (Romanian boyars from the former Principalities of Wallachia and Moldavia), which used to be very powerful in the previous centuries, had lost much of its power, influence and wealth, especially since the creation of the Imperium.
There are multiple reasons for the downturn in the fortunes of the Nobility:
- Mihai did not trust them and worked continuously against them;
- The execution of disloyal boyars coupled with the complete destruction of the Hungarian nobles in Transylvania and Ottoman nobles South of the Danube with the help of the army and the peasants terrorized them and thinned their ranks in an otherwise ever increasing country;
- With most of the peasants fighting in the army and subsequently generously awarded with newly conquered land, the vast manors of the boyars remained partly unworked and their value decreased, prompting the boyars to sell, thus further increasing the number of free peasants;
- The general trend towards capitalism with the increasing importance of manufacturing and the start of industrialization slowly rendered them obsolete.


The Economic Situation in Romania

In the spring of 1644, Romania had already been at war for three years, fielding an average of half a million soldiers spread over several fronts in Greece, Croatia, Hungary and Italy.
Instead of producing food, all these soldiers had to be fed by those remaining home, who had as well to deliver the supplies to the frontlines and work in factories to make weapons and ammunition. Without the constant help of the large and wealthy Sarmatian neighbour, the Romanian economy would have collapsed altogether.

With the population and army sufficiently fed with Sarmatian grains, nobody seemed to care that the State coffers were dangerously depleted. Romania could not produce anything for export and the army was trying not to pillage the land as Greece and Italy were at least nominally our allies.

In April 1644, there was no money left to pay the soldiers. Something had to give way.


The Military Situation

The Romanian Army was overextended, occupying Greece, Croatia, Dalmatia, Hungary and fighting the Iberians in Central and Southern Italy, more than a thousand miles away from its homeland.
The Romanian soldiers were underpaid and forbidden to rape and loot because they were fighting on allied soil.
Motivation began to lack since, besides patriotism and the will of their beloved Empress, no other reasons for the campaign were apparent to the soldiers.
The disaster at Naples was still fresh in everyone's mind with 30,000 of them prisoners of war, the Empress included.

When they were informed that no more money was expected to come from Romania and that the war was about to end in failure, the Romanian Legionnaires were not amused. And neither were their Generals. Something had to be done. The Secret Service had to do something.


4 April 1644, Alba Iulia

An unlikely coalition consisting of the Boyars, most of the Senators and part of the Church, plus Cristina and Maria took action to save the country from ruin and disaster (as they said) or to betray Iulia and take power for themselves (as their opponents said).

The Romanian Senate was convened for the first time since Iulia's departure in 1642 and, with quorum present, began to legislate, albeit without Imperial assent which was lacking and obviously impossible to acquire as Iulia was prisoner in Madrid.

The most important Resolutions adopted by the Senate were the following (in short):

1. Because Empress Iulia is a prisoner of war and therefore incapable to reign over the Empire, the Senate appoints a Regency consisting of Crown Princess Maria, Empress Dowager Cristina and Patriarch Nicodim.

2. Because the State Coffers are severely depleted, Romania will immediately commence negotiations with both our allies and our foes in order to end this senseless war with honour and a white peace.

3. Because the Romanian Army is greatly oversized and the Romanian Empire has neither the need nor the means to support such a large army, the Romanian Army will be gradually reduced to at most two hundred thousand men.

Because the Patriarch refused to take part in the Regency, his place was taken by the Speaker of the Senate, Boyar Vasile Andronache.

Maria was smiling and looked happy, but Cristina was clearly pale. She knew that what they had just done was nothing less than treason.
May God forgive me for what I have done. Because I cannot forgive myself.


5 - 13 April 1644, Romania and beyond

Very well organized groups of people began to rally against the Regency in Alba Iulia and in other major cities.
The masses proclaimed their support for Iulia, for the Army and for the ongoing war, growing in numbers by the day under a continuous stream of propaganda skillfully produced by the Media. At the same time, the few newspapers which supported the Regency failed to get to their intended readers, being frequently lost by the Romanian Post.

The Romanian Army largely disregarded all orders to disband and fall back towards Romania.
Most of the members of the Diplomatic Corps ignored their orders as well and failed to negotiate for peace.

It became increasingly clear that the coup was doomed, but few people could have predicted the way it would actually fail.


14 April 1644, Alba Iulia

The demonstrators became violent and attempted to storm the Senate.
The police intervened to disperse the attackers, most of whom were well armed. A bloodbath ensued. By the end of the day, 882 civilians and 210 policemen were dead.
The Police had won the confrontation and made over two thousand arrests. Alba Iulia was calm. For the time being.


15 - 23 April 1644, Romania

Helped by the Army and lead by the SS, the whole Country rose in armed rebellion against the putchists from the Capital.
The peasants did what they always loved to do, this time with complete impunity: they attacked the boyars, chased them away, took their lands and divided them among themselves.

Alba Iulia was under virtual siege with a continuously growing furios mob pressing towards the city walls precariously held by less than three thousand policemen and pro-coup militias.


24 April 1644, Alba Iulia

A Legion of the Imperial Guard intervened to restore the peace and prevent further bloodshed. Faced with five thousand elite legionnaires, the rebels quickly dispersed into the surrounding countryside and the Alba Iulia Police and the Militias surrendered at the spot.
The Imperial Guard entered the Capital unopposed and proceeded to arrest the plotters.

In the Union Square, General Matache read aloud a proclamation stating that:
1. The treasonous coup d'état was defeated.
2. The population is adviced to calm down and stay indoors.
3. The Senate is disbanded.
4. All those guilty of being part of the putch are arrested and will be deferred to justice.
5. The Romanian Revolution has succeeded.
6. The Feudal Privileges are completely abolished and all the citizens of Romania are equal under law.
7. Among other consequences, the boyars will have to pay taxes and support the war effort.
8. Romania is placed under direct military rule.

By the end of the day, the Army was in full control both in Alba Iulia and in the rest of the Country.


May - July 1644, Romania

The trials were held behind closed doors.
More than a thousand putchists were convicted. 132 were sentenced to death and swiftly executed and around 800 were imprisoned. All of them had their properties confiscated and turned over to the Army.

Cristina and Maria were not officially involved but were placed under house arrest in the Imperial Palace pending the return of Iulia.

With the exception of sporadic outbursts of anti-Muslim violence, the situation in Romania remained calm for the remainder of the war.


12 August 1644, Romania

With the occasion of the National Day of Romania, the Capital was finally officially moved to Michaelia Iulia.
Cristina and Maria participated in the ceremonies, trying to smile under the close supervision of their guards.


3 June 1645, Michaelia Iulia

Cristina (worried): "Maria, Iulia has arrived. She will be here any minute now..."
Maria: "Hurray! She will finally set us free! I am so happy, Mother!"
C: "But we have betrayed her, my child. Who knows what..."
M: "No! We did not mean to. It was a mistake, she will understand. You will see, Mother."
C: "Let's hope so."

************

Iulia entered the room and rushed towards Cristina and Maria, hugging and kissing them with tears of joy in her eyes. Maria was exuberant, but Cristina was rather reserved.

Iulia: "Finally home with my family! I am so happy to see you, my darlings."
M: "I am very happy to see you as well, Iulia, and I missed you very much."
I: "Yes, sure... But... We still have a little unsolved problem between us. And I do not want anything to cloud our beautiful relationship. So... You have betrayed me..."
C: "But..."
I (yelling): "Shut up! Do not interrupt me! So, let's continue. You have betrayed me and the Country. For betraying me, I forgive you. For betraying the Country, I will punish you. Right here, right now."
M: "What sort of punishment...?"
I: "I am going to slap you on your cheeks. Come here, you first, Maria."

************

Maria stood up and came near Iulia who gently slapped her on both cheeks.

I: "Now it is your turn, Cristina. Maria is nothing but a child, but you are a grown up woman and you knew better, so your guilt is greater. I will have to slap you harder. Please be prepared for it."

Iulia slapped Cristina so hard that Cristina fell on the carpet.

M (crying): "Mother!..."
I: "Shut up and turn around if you can't bear looking at your mother's punishment! Cristina, I told you to get prepared. Now, please, turn the other cheek, like a good Christian that you are!"

************

That time, Cristina managed to stand while being slapped on the other cheek. She was red because of the pain and because of the shame. But it was all over.
Iulia kissed all four cheeks that she had previously hit and shed a few more tears.

I: "We are done here. You were brave, I am glad... Now, everything will be as before. Come on, let's go party! We have to find you a husband, Maria, remember? You are already 17, for God's sake!"