098 teaser: REGIONAL BUILDINGS by JoC

[Jurand of Cracow]

Neat table. Isn't number of building or building chains hardcoded though? Are you not worried about crash?

It's under control:

;=== INFO FOR THE NEXT GENERATIONS OF MODERS
;---- Buildings conditions and capabilities
;---- Recruitment of units
;---------------------------- CODING RECRUITMENT
;---------------------------- RECRUITMENT POOLS
;---------------------------- HISTORICAL DATES (for reference while coding)
;---- Descriptions of the rosters


;; CURRENTLY: 119 BUILDINGS, planned to be removed 19 (hardcoded limit: 128)


; HIDDEN RESOURCES


; 2 CORE BUILDINGS
;---- Core: city
;---- Core: castle


; 7 BASIC INFRASTRUCTURE
;---- Roads
;---- Agriculture (farms)
;---- Nomads (ex-grassland)
;---- Builders


; 4 POLICIES
;---- Landowners
;---- Local autonomy
;---- Tribute
;---- Justice (gallows)


; 13-3 MILITARY
;---- Barracks
;---- Castle Barracks
;------- Stables
;------- Ranges
;------- Military Academies
;------- Siege Works
;------- Artillery
;------- Armourers
;------- Towers


; 14-9 RELIGION
;---- Catholic
;---- Orthodox
;---- Muslim
;---- Pagan temples


; 8-2 PUBLIC ORDER
;------- City Hall (city)
;------- Taverns
;------- Sports (Bullring, Horse Races, Tourney)
;------- Art (Ikoner, Music, Artist)


; 4 POPULATION GROWTH
;---- Water supply
;---- Bread (city)
;---- Charity (city)
;---- Bimaristan (city)


; 8-1 ECONOMY
;---- Ports
;---- Sea trade
;---- River Ports
;---- Trade
;---- Money (city)
;---- Mines
;---- Mills


; 6-2 EDUCATION
;---- School / Library
;---- Alchemist
;---- Admiralty
;---- Paper


; 16-1 REGIONAL BUILDINGS
;---- Military Orders
;---- Slavemarket
;---- Caravan
;---- Oasis
;---- Ksar
;---- Alcazar
;---- Holy Place
;---- Turbe
;---- Italian Traders
;---- Palazzo
;---- South Italy
;---- Hansa Teutonica
;---- Stavkirke
;---- Kaiserpfalz
;---- Var
;---- Chude
;---- Rus Monastery


; 22 WONDERS
;---- Constantinople
;---- Jerusalem - Holy Sepulchre
;---- Mecca - Kaaba
;---- Cordoba - La Mesquita
;---- Compostela - Santiago de Compostela
;---- Rome - Castel Sant Angelo
;---- Venice
;---- Pisa - Campo dei Miracoli
;---- Rouen - Mont Saint Michel
;---- Paris - Notre Dame
;---- Speyer - Kaiserdom
;---- Wien - Stephansdom
;---- Edinburg - The Rock
;---- London - The Tower
;---- Krakow - Marienkirche
;---- Poznan - St. Adalbertus
;---- Gdansk - The Great Crane
;---- Sigtuna - Uppsala Domkyrka
;---- Ras - Petrova Crkva
;---- Kiev - Zoloti Vorota
;---- Tbilisi - Narikala Fortress
;---- Kernave - Vilnius Castle


; 9 Guilds
;---- Theologians
;---- MASONS
;---- MERCHANTS
;---- EXPLORERS


; 3 OTHER
;---- Technical

[Majkl]

I will finish this (7th et 8th lvl) by Sunday as not to delay other parts of mod. Feel free to fix horrible grammar and stylization of sentences.

1st lvl – fundamentals
Ever since dawn of history, in times of imminent threat, people sought dense forests, seclude or elevated places that offered shelter and protection from any potential outside threat. Many of those places were later reinforced with earth walls and wooden palisade on top of them. When celtic and germanic people left Carpathians basin, these abandoned settlements were prone to erosion due to their wooden-earth construction.
When slavic people settled in Carpathian mountains and Danubain basin from 6th century onward, some of these places were rebuild again and even extended with new layers of walls. New hillforts (grad) were also built on places not inhabited before. Gradual increase of population resulted in extending older hillforts and building new. Depending on population density and its importance, many of those hillforts became permanently settled and later became important centers of administrative and military organization of early feudal states. During 10th and 11th century, when Magyars seized Carpathian basin, this process repeated itself. Some of hillforts were destroyed, while many remained alive and even prospered in first centuries of feudal Hungarian kingdom.

2nd lvl – wooden tower
The evolution of castle architecture in first centuries of existence of kingdom is obscured by lack of historical records. It is safe to say that many hillforts from preconquest period were preserved, rebuilt and became new centers of military and administrative organization – comitatus (hung. vármegye, slv. župa, španstvo). Castles such as Visegrád, Novihrad, Csongrád, Nitra, Bratislava, Pest, Zemplín and some others were built on places previously inhabited by Slavic people.
There were also many new fortifications built by arriving Magyars who were gradually establishing their control of Danubian basin all the way to the Carpathian ridge. Those early predecessors of castles were built in strategically important places – along trade routes, important corssroads, natural resources and in some cases borderlands.
Both, rebuilt slavic fortified settlements and early medieval castles built by Hungarians acquired new architectural expression. Core of these early „castles“ (or rather predecessor of castles) was made of wooden tower of quadratic or round shape. These towers were situated mostly on naturaly elevated places or in some cases artifical manmade earth mounds.
This early form of castle made of single tower and (sometimes) surrounded by walls was ideological successor of „motte“ castles that appeared in western Europe as early as 10th century. Generally, it is believed that this architecture was brought into central Europe from Italy through Pannonia and it found its place not only in defensive system but also urban architecture and manor houses of lesser nobles in countryside.
3rd lvl – stronghold
Most of castles in early (10 to 12th century) period in new kingdom were in hands of a king. The most important of them, which were to become seat of castle county, were further reinforced by defensive walls. In this period they were made of earth and timber frame, in rare cases fired clay (so called shard-castles). Occasionaly, if conditions demanded it, there might have been more than one layer of walls. Such was the case with castle Serednye (slavic Seredne), seat of a county with same name in northeastern part of Hungary, now part of Ukraine. Impressive 18 metres wide tower of quadratic ground plan was reinforced with two layers of rampart and ditch.

4th lvl – foritfied house
New type of castle has appeared in early 13th century. Contemporary archeologists call them castles with compact disposition. Compared to previous fortifications which were mostly composed of single tower and occasionally reinforced by ramparts, this compact style of castle was characterised by block disposition – two towers, two palaces, palace between two towers or similar floorplan. Such is the case of Medzianky castle (mag. Megyes) on the border of Šariš and Zemplín counties. It was built at the end of 12th century from initiative of a king and it was held by order of Knights Hospitallers. Indeed, castles of similar disposition are known from areas where knightly order experienced much more dynamic development, such as Podstreda and Hmeljnik castles in Slovenia or Swobnica and Pezino in polish Pomorian area. Another compact disposition similar to Medzianky castle was used in Kapušany (mag. Kapy) on top of older castle – Tubul. Castle of rectangular disposition is closed from two sides by donjons. Built on highest point of mountain range some 13km from Medzianky, both castles protect important trade route from Tisa region to Poland and Baltic area.

5th lvl – stone tower
During 13th century, important social changes took place in Kingdom of Hungary. Houses of great magnates that began to expand their land ownership at the expense of royal dominion reinforced their efforts to achieve political and military power in this period. Disputes in succesion of new kings created a favoruable situation that greatly benefited this process. Every future king tried to gain favour of most powerful nobles by donating more land into their possesion. This process reached its peak during reign of Andrew II. (1205 – 1235), who granted large parts of royal lands into the hands of great houses. Among land donated to them was that of many comitatuses, which resulted in decline of economical and military power of ruling dynasty and king himself. Along the lands granted to magnates, king lost considerable amount of his income. Many royal subjects, such as lesser nobles – castle iobagiones, people living on royal lands that belonged to castles as centers of comitatus, even craftsmen and peasants felt threatened by ever growing power of magnates. Together with unwise economical policy of royal house and unsuccesful military campaigns into Halych forced many king’s servients, iobagiones and people settled on royal lands (populus castri) to demand some form of security for themselves. The king Andrew II. issued so called Golden Bull in 1222. The interests of middle and lower nobility was mirrored in its content. Granting of entire castle comitatus was permitted, Bull protected proprietary rights of middle and lesser nobility, reaffirmed their old priviledges, and established rule according which servientes can be judged only by king himself or palatinus. Some of the regulations even protected simple peasants. Nevertheless, political and military power in country was divided. Many nobles sought to expand both their lands and their political and military power. In doing so they begun building their own seats of power. Stone towers were first step in later development into knightly and baronial castles.

6th lvl – knightly castle
Already in the first half of 13th century there is apparent division of royal holdings and slow transition of ownership into the hands of nobility. This process was accompanied by increasing wealth and subsequently political and military power of nobility. In an effort to hold on their power and not to become a victim of more powerful neighbour or raiding party, many nobles spent respectable amount of their wealth into building their own residence. In high medieval period it was usually small castle. Many new castles were built after Mongol invasion in Central Europe. King Belo IV. abandoned centralistic policies of his previous rule and allowed his loyal servants to build their own castles. Lesser nobles usually built small castle of simple disposition, such as a single defensive tower with ring of wall made of stone and mortar. Little more complex were castles with living tower used as a palace with smaller defensive tower on the oposite side. Area between two towers was often reinforced with walls which resulted in small enclosed yard, where other wooden buildings could be placed. It was also a place where most of daily tasks took place. However, this was only one of many different types of outlines along which there were many others.

7th lvl – baronial castle
New policy of increased donations to loyal servants led to diminshing of royal holdings as well as ruler‘s military and political power. This shift in political landscape of hungarian kingdom resulted in feudal anarchy. Some oligarchs acquired enormous lands and subsequently power that they often acted as independent entities, without king’s approval This led into bitter rivalry. Such was the case of Matthias of house Csak. He was „child of its time“, who held vast lands in north-western part of kingdom with its seat in Trenčín (Trencsen). During reign of a relatively weak kings – Stephen V. and Ladislaus IV. Cuman – he became one of the most powerful individuals in the kingdom. He also acquired highest title in the kingdom, that of a palatine. He was offered this honor after he proved himself during fights against Austrians. He became palatine in 1296 and shortly after, he openly began to abuse his powers. After discreet treaty with castelan of Trencsen, he seized and occupied Trencsen castle. Year later king ordered him to leave the castle, however it was already too late. Numerous strongholds in Nitra and Vah river valley’s already belonged to him. After death of last Arpad king, he supported claim of Bohemian prince Václav III. on the hungarian throne. In return, he then demanded vast lands in Trenčín (Trencsen), Nitra (Nyitra) and Turiec (Turóc) counties. Probably due to his greed, their relationship faded and shortly after Matthias changed his opinion and ultimately supported Charles I. of house Anjou. However, he continued in abusing his position of power to acquire more lands, among which were numerous castles.
Matthias was but one of many oligarchs in medieval Hungary who acquired such a high power, that they could finance building their own castles which often rivaled those of royal house. As was the case with Matthias, sometimes, royal castles were occupied and incorporated into their own holdings. Such castles were often built in latest european fashion, with palaces built in latest trends, numerous defensive walls dividing area of castle into two or three separate yards and defensive towers all around the castle. They were among the biggest and strongest fortifications in medieval Hungarian kingdom and some of them survived well into contemporary times.

8th lvl – royal castle
Increasing power of oligarchy in feudal Hunagrian kingdom and loss of king’s authority led to series of conflicts between king and powerful noble families. In 1301 hungarian dynasty of Arpád has gone extinct. In 1308, the Charles I. Robert of Anjou was elected the new king of Hungary. New king was determined to seize the kingdom and suppress the political and military power of oligarchy. Already in 1310, Matthias Csak of Trencsen was stripped of title palatine (palatinus), one of many steps in reclaiming authority in the kingdom. However, Matthias Csak refused to give up his poisition and continue to use title palatinus even in later period. In 1311 he besieged casle in Buda and plundered royal and church holdings. Conflict between new king and old oligarchy resulted in battle near village of Rozhanovce (in 1312) in northeastern part of kingdom in which king defeated joint armies of Matthias Csak and Omodei Aba, two most powerful houses in northern Hungary. After death of Matthias in 1321 and gradual stabilization of king’s authority, the king reclaimed the most important castles in the country. They were then managed by his loyal castellan’s and invested considerable amount of wealth into their modernization.
Most obvious novelty of later castles (14th century) was improvement of inhabited area (palace). Palaces became residental and representative object of entire castle. While in some reconstructions palace became decisive object of larger castle, on some others, palace remained the only building and was capable of defending without additional walls and towers. Yet elsewhere, palace was locked on its shorter sides by two opposite towers, that created advantegous compact disposition characterised by vast residential and utility areas. On some older „tower“ castles of donjon disposition, new palaces were built, usually alongside entrance area. Generally, there is apparent shift from defensive into residential properties of a castle. They became quasi summer residence for royal family while retaining their defensive properties as well.


9th lvl – Visegrad
The original stronghold was built upon so called Sibrik’s hill right above the Danube river. In 4th century AD Romans built a fortress in shape of a triangle surrounded by outer circle of walls. Walls were protected by numerous towers and in the year 372 AD larger watch tower was built. Fortress was probably part of roman border fortifications – Limes romanus. The name of the stronghold according to Notitia Dignitatum was Pone Navata. Roman guards abandoned site in 5th century.

In 9th century AD Slavic people settled here. Upon Sibrick’s hill, new hillfort was built. It served as protection of river and land routes in Danube strait and nearby fords. However, its most important purpose was to be center of administrative and military organization, which were common during Great Moravia period. These territorial units most probably followed older tribal and supratribal organization, that had formed here during 8th and 9th centuries. In Great Moravia period they were reformed into hillfort disctricts – comitatus (španstvo). However, it remains unclear whetever Slavic people used older remains of Roman fortification itself or built their own hillfort from ground in close proximity.

Archeological reasearch by Hungarian archaeologists from 2013 uncovered base of preromanesque church, underneath which spurs from 8th century were found, remains of clay walls from 8th to 9th century. Outside of church wall, there were human remains, probably belonging to a priest. In their summary archaeologists wrote: „Undoubtedly slavic toponym (placename) recorded in historical records already in 1009 in combination with new results may serve as basis for determination of ethnicity of its inhabitants, who gave fortress its name. In light of findings, we may suppose continuous settlement of aboriginal Slavic population well into Arpád period.“

After birth of Hungarian kingdom in times of Stephen I. Visegrad remained important seat and center of comitatus. Oldest mention of the castle comes from charter of Stephen I from 1009 AD. Visegrad is one of those places of power and administration that lasted from Great Moravian period all the way to early centuries of Hungarian kingdom.

Remains of large stone building dated to beginning of 11th century and standing on ruins of older Roman buildings, were uncovered during archeological research. Building has respectable dimensions of 16,5 x 10 meters, divided into two rooms, one of which was heated by stone owen.

According to Hungarian historians Szőke Mátyás and György Györffy, king Andrew I. issued building of orthodox monastery in small valley beneath Sibrik’s hill even before he issued building of Tihány Abbey. Abbey was built for greek monks, who apparently came with his wife Anastasia of Kijev. The Abbey was taken over by Benedictines in 1220 and then much later, in 1490 it was relegated to Paulines. During Ottoman occupation, womewhere around 1560, it was destroyed.

Similarly to other district castles (centers of comitatus), that did not have advantageous geographic-economical situation position, Visegrad begun to stagnate. Župan’s (comes) did not care about castles themselves, they spent most of their time on their own lands or in close proximity of a king. Seats of comitatus slowly degraded to small trade centers (places) and neglected castles became easy prey for Mongols in 13th century. After they left the country, comitatus castle on Sibrik’s hill was not reconstructed, instead new „upper“ castle was built on top of hill (it stands till today) and „lower“ castle, so called Salamon’s tower was built not far from older hillfort. This new period of construction was result of Belo IV’s policy of defending the country after Mongol invasion in 1241. The original Visegrad was not reconstructed, due to construction of aforementioned modern upper and lower castles. Remains of older stronghold were used in construction of new castle(s).

In the year 1335, back then seat of Hungarian kings, venue of the meeting of Polish, Czech (Bohemian) and Hungarian kings. Its participants agreed, that they will closely cooperate in area of politics and trade. An act that inspired later presidents of Poland, Czechoslovakia and Hungary to create so called Visegrad’s group in 1991 AD.

Upper and lower castles were later connected by defensive walls which resulted in creation of mighty fortress upon Danube. Charles I. of Anjous’s son Luis and later Sigismund of Luxembourg issued reconstruction and further expansion of castle. However, Sigismund moved royal court to Buda in 1405 to 1408. Matthias I. Corvinus used Visegrad as his summer residence. In 1493 he issued building of new palace, which was built in 1476 – 1484 in late gothic style with details decorated by Italian renaissance artist, which is considered as first sign of penetration of renaissance art into Central Europe (or rather Hungarian kingdom). This palace is still standing and is open to public. After the death of Matthias I. Corvinus Visegrad experience slow decline. Its importance was further undermined after defeat at Mohi in 1526. In the year 1543 garrison of the castle surrendered to superior Ottoman forces. Later, in the year 1686 it was blown up by Ottoman’s army and finally, castle was destryoed during series of insurrections in 1703 to 1704.

EDIT: Ok, so I finished this. It might feel a bit cumbersome but it is difficult to fuse history and game, especially with so many levels of buildings. The evolution of castles was not linear, neither their ownership. So, I tried my best, though there might be someone more knowledgeable than me. Sorry for any inoconviniences and being late.

[Jurand of Cracow]

run it on Grammarly!

[Majkl]

Never tried that. But I will, once I finish it.