The True History of the Conquest of Vinalia

The True History of the Conquest of Vinalia

Title page of an edition of 1632
Author	Captain Bohdan Okhremovich
Original title	Cправдива історія завоювання Віналія Spravzhnya istoriya zavoyuvannya Vinaliyacode: ukr promoted to code: uk
Country	Soravia
Language	Soravian
Subject	Kosh, Grigori, -- 1519-1588. Orlev, Afanasij, -- 1528-1596. Vinalia -- History -- Conquest, 1568-1573.
Published	1598 1647 1963
Media type	Print
Pages	1760
ISBN	0-14-044123-9 (1963)
OCLC	723180350

Spravzhnya istoriya zavoyuvannya Vinaliya (The True History of the Conquest of Vinalia) is a first-person narrative written in 1598 by military adventurer, Zavoyovnik, and colonist settler Bohdan Okhremovich (1528–1610), who served in numerous Asterian expeditions; those of the expedition of Grigori Kosh to Chistovodia (1547), and Afanasij Orlev (1567) to the eastern coast of Chistovodia and latter Vinalia; the history relates his travels and life in the Asterias but particular interest is in his participation in the fall of Itzel, and the Mazanan Empires.

Late in life, when Okhremovich was in his 60s, he finished his first-person account of the Soravian conquest of Chistovodia and Vinalia. He wrote The True History of the Conquest of Vinalia to defend the story of the common-soldier Zavoyovnik within the histories about the Soravian conquest of the Asterias. He criticized the histories of the hagiographic biographers of Afanasij Orlev, specifically that of Yevhenii Sibelius who Okhremovich believed minimized the role of the enlisted soldiers instrumental to conquering Vinalia, additionally he criticized the portrayal of Orlev, which Okhremovich believed had committed serious crimes against the Soravian crown and Grigori Kosh. In his eyewitness account, narrated in the first-person plural "we," Okhremovich strongly defends the actions of the Zavoyovnik.

Background

Following the discovery of Asteria Superior in 1488 by Assim Asteris, Euclean interest in the new continent quickly grew. Soravia at the time an important power in west Euclea, had desired to launch expeditions into the new continent, to establish colonies. The first such expedition was conducted in 1547, as a Soravian fleet under Grigori Kosh set sail for the Asterias. At the time Bohdan Okhremovich was a young officer in the Soravian military, and had agreed to the expedition following the death of his first wife and son a few months prior.

At the time, modern-day Chistovodia was a collection of nomadic tribes, who maintained trade links with the Tecpan kingdom of Itzel in modern day Zamara, Vinalia. At the time Itzel was involved in a major conflict with the Mazanan Empire which was a rump state established following the collapse of the Tzapotlan Empire in 1523 following its conquest by Povejan conquistadors. Novo Poveja held limited suzerainty over the rump states created following the collapse of the Tzapotlans but in most cases their control existed only on paper. Such suzerainty would serve as the basis of Povejan-Soravian and latter Ardesian-Vinalian disputes over the Chyhyryn/Granoso region.

Vinalia for its part had initially been a Gaullican colony called New Francis. Following a lack of interest and inability to assure its defense if Povejans or Soravians attempted to take the settlements, Gaullica offered New Francis and the island of Materu as a dowry for an alliance with Soravia. Most of the already established settlements were quickly abandoned by Gaullican settlers, leaving many settlements with few individuals. Fearing a possible Povejan overtake, Kosh ordered the formation of an expedition under Afanasij Orlev to ensure the newly obtained land did not fall into rebellion, the natives, or the Povejans.

Plot

The book gives a brief overview on the life of Okhremovich, who had been born in a rural village close to Samistopol to peasant parents in 1528. After joining the army as a volunteer at a young age. He details his first wife, Anna, noting her beauty and their first son, Ivan born in 1546. His son would die in January 1546 following a smallpox outbreak, with Anna dying on February during the birth of their second son, Sergei. With the backdrop of such tragedy, Okhremovich agreed to join the expedition of Grigori Kosh, looking to reach the Asterias in 1547.

The book details the first expedition by Kosh, citing the harshness with which the sailors suffered to reach the new lands. Which they named Chistovodia and the founding of Fort Ruda in 1547. Okhremovich would rise among the ranks from a common foot soldier until an officer, stating his 6 trips from the new world back to Soravia, including the beginnings of the lucrative fur trade between the Soravians and the natives. During this time Okhremovich became a wealthy man and an officer, marrying into a noble family in 1563, before returning to the new world the following year.

Following the Gaullican dowry payment of New Francis, and Materu. Soravia came into control of a large amount of land, and fearing danger to their new territories. Kosh ordered the formation of an army to establish Soravian control over the remaining territories, under the command of Afanasij Orlev. Okhremovich details the founding of Orlavo in the north of the territory, and the establishment of a Soravian presence in the former Gaullican territory. With the army returning at the end of 1547 back to Orlavo. During this time, Orlev and Kosh had a major disagreement resulting in Orlev being branded a traitor and ordered to return to Ruda, to receive punishment. Orlev instead decides to move his army out of Orlavo deep into Vinalia. Okhremovich recounts no knowledge of Orlev's banishment, but many doubt this perspective.

The army makes contact with the Itzel empire under Ahluic III, who quickly makes an effort to use the newcomers to aid his campaign of conquest against the Mazanan Empire. Orlev fearful of returning back to Orlavo, agrees. Okhremovich recounts fighting for several months against several Tecpan, and Zapoyan cities such as Ahau-Kin, Socotl, Zacallan, and Hun Batz. With the latter city being burned down to prevent revolt. At the same time Kosh, orders a new army under Devletko Chkonia to seize Orlev and his army, along with establishing contact with the Mazanan Empire. Chkonia arrives on January 1569 to Catherinsk, and quickly establishes an alliance with the Mazanan empire, who provide him with men and equipment. Upon learning of this, and the threat of Itzelian insurrection following a smallpox epidemic. Orlev orders Anhluic seized.

The Soravians trapped inside Itzel spend the next 2 months besieged by Itzelian relief armies looking to free their captured king. An army of some 300 Soravians arrives with 5,000 Mazanan warriors, who destroy the Itzelian army with ease and begin to siege the 350 men of Orlev. Many do not support the idea of fighting fellow Soravians, and unrest grows, prompting Orlev to order a sally out during the night against Mazanan troops. However Soravian soldiers which had exchanged their armor for indigenous cloth armor, were mistaken for Mazanans. During the sally out Chkonia and several of his officers are captured. Having just defeated both armies, Orlev moves to Hun-Cane. Burning it down on August 1569, and destroying the Mazanan Empire.

Okhremovich explains that the Emperor of Soravia pardons Orlev for his actions and welcomes him back to Soravia. Okhremovich returns to Ruda where after two years finds his wife dead, and his two children on the verge of starvation. Okhremovich reestablishes his standing with Kosh, and in 1572, returns to Vinalia at the head of a royal sugar plantation in Kisharsk. Okhremovich would remain in Kisharsk until 1588 when he would return to Samistopol as a wealthy man.

Analysis

The book has been noted for its simple style, and vast attention to detail. With vivid images painted for the reader, which gave the reader an image of an idyllic country. His accounts although necessitating critical overview, are considered mostly correct, with historians preferring Okhremovich's first hand accounts over others.

The biographers of Okhremovich coincide in that the book was finished somewhere around the mid 1590's. With the first official copy dated to 1598. The printing of the book wouldn't occur until 1647, which is recognized to have been made out of a second edition of the book. The first edition has never been discovered and is believed to have been made posthumously.

Each of the 215 chapters are converted into a unique experience for the reader, who in his simple style of writing narrates a fabulous tale of a new world to the reader. At the time few people had travelled to the new world, and information regarding the conquest was limited. In the following excerpt, Okhremovich describes his entry into the city of Itzel.

The city of Itzel was built on the coast of the largest of 3 lakes. The sights of the city were immaculate. The city had been built by the most graceful hands ever made, every rock felt like it had been made by the creator with the idea of it being place in such a stupendous building. From a far one could observe immaculate pyramids, and temples to their pagan gods.

Bohdan Okhremovich, pg 414

The book sparked controversy during its publishing, as the title "The true history", is a direct criticism of Yevhenii Sibelius book "The Conquest of the Asterias", published in 1593. Sibelius was the personal secretary and biographer of Afanasij Orlev, and utilized his patron along with selected sources in creating his narrative. The book was noted by contemporaries as defending Orlev, and many noted that the book had been published only after Grigori Kosh was dead, to prevent criticism or accusations of defamation from such a famous individual. Okhremovich is noted to have only published his book after the death of Orlev, although this might not have been intentional.

Okhremovich wrote about both Kosh and Orlev noting their contributions to the Soravian empire, and the mission of the Episemialist Church. However he proceeds to not defend Orlev, and notes the lack of information the general, provided to his men. Stating that they were not aware of any illegal acts being done in their time in Vinalia. Many historians have disputed this view, stating that the letter indicating the removal of command from Orlev would have been read by multiple officers and men. Making it unlikely that all men who read it, did not feel the need to communicate words from an imperial governor to their fellow soldiers. Additionally most men had served under Kosh, and owed wealth, and rank to the man, making their blind loyalty to Orlev incredibly unlikely.