May 1505

“Ban Franjo, I wanna thank you for helping me organize this meeting here today. And also the other heads of the Three Banates. Franjo Berislavić from Jajce. And from Srebrenik we have with us the Ban and all the other associates who have come with us; Jakšić, Šabac, and the other territories around the country.”

“How did things ever get so far? I don’t know. So unfortunate. So unnecessary. The Turk’s on our doorstep.”

Theme music: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=X-jdl9hcCeg

The Ban of Belgrade and the titular Despot Ivaniš Berislavić found themselves tasked with the most important problem that has faced a Christian since Nicaea: King Vladislaus had entrusted in Belgrade the defense of the entire southern border – Belgrade and Berislavić would now coordinate defensive planning not only in Belgrade, but also in the Banates of Srebrenik and Jajce, crucial inroads to the heartland in Bosnia.

Jajce was crucial to the defense of Bosnia, and one of the best fortifications in those lands – beyond increasing its garrison and larder, there was little that the Ban Council, the Tribanovi, could think of to improve its position. Rather, Srebrenik was the crucial area to reinforce. Srebrenik Fortress, Tešanj Castle, Teočak Castle, and Zvornik Castle were vital areas of interest, and petitions to the King were made to fund their reinforcement and, in some cases, expansion. Largely modernized armaments were to be forged for the castles, with defensive artillery and falconettes to better defend against attacking armies – improved larders and cisterns to prolong sieges – and, most notably, the construction of dozens of small signal fires in the Bosnian mountain villages from where scouts could communicate Ottoman movements to the heartland.

In the Jajce Banate, it was requested that Ban Franjo and the Berislavić family, with investments from the King Vladislaus, build a new fortification on the hill of Palivuk, along the mountain pass north of the Ottoman forward holdings in Zenica.

In Ivaniš most egregious move, one he expected Vladilsaus to veto immediately upon seeing the plans, it was requested of the treasuries in Buda and Pest that funds be given for the construction of two large fortifications on the North Bank of the Danube; one in the mercantile town of Pancevo to reinforce Belgrade and provide support to the plains north of the Danube east of the city, and one in Kovin – almost directly across the Danube from the Ottoman held former Serbian capital of Smederevo, inevitably the spot from where Ottoman incursions would begin. The fortress would modelled on the old Despot’s design for Smederevo, though modernized for the 16th c.

[m. Daddy Vladislaus pls give money]