“Dragabog!” chortled Stephen.
“Then, in 1491 the Turks, led by Abdul the Damned, invaded. Prince Constantine assembled his army but, before the detachment bringing the thigh bone from the capital could find a way to cross the flooded Draga River, the Turks attacked. The Kosarians were defeated.”
“The country became a Turkish province. The Turks searched long and hard for the thigh bone but never found it. It was hidden by hermit monks in the caves of the Vulture’s Peak.”
“For over 300 years Kosaria suffered under Turkish misrule and oppression. It was not until the war between Austria and Turkey in 1788 that they rose in revolt. The Turks put down the revolt with great cruelty. Many Kosarians believed that their failure was due to not having the sacred thigh bone.”
“The country remained quiet until 1804 when the neighbouring Serbs began to rebel against the Turks. Most Kosarians were afraid to rise in revolt but a bandit chief, Black George Dragavitch, managed to make himself ruler of one valley in the Black Durmitor Mountains. His strength grew only slowly and was only a few hundred men.”
“In 1821 the Greeks to the South also rose against the Turks. The Turks withdrew many of their troops from Kosaria. Black George decided the hour had come and rallied the peasants to his banner. They attacked the Vulture’s Tower, which commands the main road in from the North but they were betrayed and suffered a terrible defeat.”
Inspector Sharpe paused to take a sip of coffee then turned the page. The boys sat silent. He read on, “Black George fled to the rugged slopes of the Dragavista Mountains with a handful of survivors. They were given refuge by the Monastery of the Black Monks. One of the Monks, Friar Silios,”
“Silios!” Graham laughed.
“Siliarse,” Stephen quipped.
Inspector Sharpe raised an eyebrow and frowned before going on. “Father Silios revealed to Black George that the Thigh Bone of St Joris was hidden in a locked room behind the Altar. Black George demanded the relic but the Patriarch Nicodemus refused, saying prayer was the only way.”
“In a fit of rage Black George struck the Patriarch, killing him. He then had the Altar demolished and the door broken open. He found the Thigh Bone but most of his men refused to follow him, terrified that such sacrilege would turn God’s hand against them.”
“It seems that this was the case for soon after that the remnants of the band were almost wiped out in a Turkish ambush. Only Black George and two others escaped and while they were hiding one of them, Driblos Nurkovitch.”
The boys all snickered over the name ‘Driblos’ but said nothing to interrupt the Inspector who read on; “betrayed him to the Turks. The Turks captured both Black George and the Sacred Thigh Bone. Black George was executed in the traditional Turkish manner by impalement and left for the crows to peck out his eyes.”
Roger put up his hand “What’s impalement sir?” he asked.
Inspector Sharpe looked a bit uncomfortable. “Well, er, it’s, er..”
Stephen spoke up. “They shoved a sharp stick up his bum Roger.”
“Yes, well, not quite, but that’s the general idea,” Inspector Sharpe said. “Anyhow, where was I? Ah yes, the loss of the Thigh Bone was a shattering blow to the hopes of the Kosarians. But not all gave up. It fell to the 17 year old son of Black George, the handsome Peter Dragavitch to avenge his father. In a daring raid he .. oh, er. I’ll just leave that bit out .. er, he –“
“Oh Sir! We aren’t little kids. Is that a juicy bit?” Stephen asked.
Inspector Sharpe eyed him coldly. “If you mean does it involve women. Yes it does. He er - became friends with the slave girl Fatima who let them in to the Black Tower.”
“Black Tower,” Peter said. “These guys certainly like black.”
Inspector Sharpe sat up and said irritably, “If you aren’t interested you can go to bed. It’s getting on for eleven.”
“Oh no Sir. Please go on. Shut up you blokes,” Roger called. Normally he found history boring but this was fascinating.
“Alright. Peter got into the Black Tower, which was the Turkish stronghold overlooking the Capital. Here’s a photo of it.” He held the book for them to see. “He killed the governor, Osman Pasha, and recaptured the Thigh Bone.”
“The Turkish reaction was so barbaric and ferocious that the civilized nations of Europe were moved to protest. Despite the suffering Peter became the Hero of the Kosarian people. He fled to the Black Mountains in Western Kosaria and began a guerrilla war.”
“This went on for thirty years. During that time Peter was able to drive the Turks from the whole mountain range. He was helped in this by a rival guerrilla group in the Dragavista Mountains on the east side of the capital. This group was led by Paul Grabovitch. Both leaders claimed to be the rightful Prince of Kosaria, although they were little more than bandit chiefs.”
“Peter was the stronger and more popular. During the Crimean War he managed to free more of the country and declared himself to be ‘King’. No other country recognized this claim but many Kosarians did.”
“In 1858 Peter I died. His son was crowned Peter II by the Patriarch of the church but still no nation recognized this. A three-sided struggle against the Turks and the Grabovitch clan dragged on. It was a dirty little war of ambush, murder and betrayal.”
Inspector Sharpe paused for a moment. Roger had a flood of stark memories. ‘Ambush, murder and betrayal!’
Graham spoke. “Well, we’ve seen that at first hand. The murder bit anyway,” he said.
“Go on please Sir,” Stephen asked.
Inspector Sharpe read on: “Yes. In 1874 the Bulgars rose in revolt against the Turks. Serbia and Montenegro also declared war on Turkey. A Serbian army appeared on the northern border; Serbia claiming that Kosaria was rightfully part of their territory. To unite the people to oppose this extra threat Peter made an alliance with Paul Grabovitch. To seal the alliance he had his son Peter III marry Paul’s daughter Olga.”
“With the forces of the two factions united they were able to block the Serbian Army at the Vulture’s Pass. Then in 1877, on that same plain of the Black Crows, they utterly defeated the Turkish army. The Turks were driven from the entire country. The Kosarians ascribed the victory to the Thigh Bone of St Joris which the King had carried throughout the campaign. Other historians suggest the real reason was that the Turks had withdrawn most of their troops to face a Russian army in Bulgaria.”
Graham gestured across to Peter. “Pete’s Great Grandad. The family have always been troublemakers.”
Peter laughed and turned to Inspector Sharpe. “What Graham means is that I come from a long line of fighters for freedom,” he replied.
“Yes, I’m sure. I’ll go on. In the peace treaty which ended the war Turkey conceded the independence of Bulgaria, Serbia, Montenegro and Kosaria. The last Turkish troops withdrew in 1878. Peter II was now recognized as the King by the Great Powers.”
“In 1893 Peter II died and the 18 year old Peter III came to the throne. He was a good king and very progressive. He introduced a Parliament with limited powers. He also had the first railway built. This work was done by German engineers and with German government aid. German technicians settled in Kosaria to run the railways.”
“However, a proposal to introduce a written Constitution and a proper parliament precipitated a crisis. This move was opposed by conservative elements whose leader was Duke Paul Grabovitch, grandson of ‘Prince’ Paul and brother of Queen Olga. He was the colonel of the Iron Guards Regiment. On the night of 17 June 1895 Paul led a coup. His regiment attacked the palace. The Kings Guard was wiped out and the King murdered.”
“However Queen Olga refused to support her brother. At the time she was expecting and Paul ordered her shot so that no rightful heir could be born. His younger brother, Alexander, refused to allow this and he was supported by the Archbishop Constantine who arrived at the Palace.”
“Queen Olga was allowed to leave with the Archbishop. They at once boarded a train
and left the country. Too late Duke Paul discovered that the Thigh Bone of St Joris had vanished from the Cathedral. He suspected the Archbishop had taken it but his agents were unable to locate the Queen. When the Archbishop returned he was tortured but made no statement.”
“Paul declared himself King. He began to rule the country with an iron hand. All possible opponents were arrested and many just vanished. Taxes were increased. The army was built up with German weapons and German Instructors.”
“Meanwhile Queen Olga gave birth to a son, named Peter (the fourth). Paul next made a secret deal with Greece. In 1897 he led his country into a war with Turkey, hoping to gain half of Macedonia. The Greeks simultaneously attacked the Turks from the South. The Turks defeated both attacks then counter-attacked. Only the intervention of the Great Powers saved Kosaria from another Turkish invasion.”
“Paul denied the defeat was due to his poor tactics and leadership and said it was because Queen Olga (and her son, Prince Peter) who was living in Paris, was withholding the Sacred Thigh Bone just when the country needed it most.”
“King Paul’s unpopularity grew when he again increased taxes. There was much official corruption and his family and friends were given top government jobs. He became even more unpopular when he took ... oh. Perhaps I shouldn’t read this,” Inspector Sharpe paused.
“Oh Sir!” Stephen said. “How can we understand if you leave bits out? It might be the vital clue.”
Inspector Sharpe made a wry face. “I doubt it. It’s just sordid. King Paul took a mistress, an Austrian actress named Magda, who was already notorious for immoral behaviour. This adulterous behaviour scandalised the majority of the ordinary people as Paul was married to a Hungarian Countess, Queen Draga, who was expecting another baby.”
“Queen Draga and her ten year old son the Archduke Paul were sent away and the actress installed in the Palace. Queen Draga went into exile in Budapest with her son. Back in Kosaria matters got steadily worse until, in 1903 there was another murderous Coup. This was led by General Radomir Ritnik, the army Commander. During the coup King Paul and his mistress were shot and their bodies mutilated.”
“Nice people!” Peter commented.
“Yes, we’ve seen that,” Inspector Sharpe commented. He went on. “General Ritnik invited the 18 year old Prince Peter to return as King. He did so and was crowned King Peter IV. During the ceremony the Thigh Bone of St Joris was brought in by an honour guard of Officers of the White Eagle Regiment, and restored to it its place in the Cathedral.”
Graham interjected. “This bloody bone gets around.”
Inspector Sharpe frowned and read on, “Peter was a good king and did much to improve the country. He reduced taxes, cleaned out the corrupt officials, sent away the German officers and reduced the army. In particular he disbanded the Iron Guard Regiment and made the White Eagle Regiment the Royal Guard.”
“Unfortunately for Kosaria it had troublesome neighbours. When the First Balkan War broke out in 1912 she was attacked from all sides. Greece, Bulgaria, Serbia and Montenegro had all made a secret treaty to attack Turkey but in the process they all tried to grab a bit of Kosaria. Attacked on four fronts the Kosarians fought bravely but were forced back. After desperate fighting the Serbs, Montenegrins and Greeks were halted but a Bulgarian Division reached the outskirts of the Capital. Only a heroic counter-attack by the Royal Guard, led in person by King Peter carrying the Sacred Thigh Bone, managed to hold them.”
“Then circumstances turned their way. After a short and uneasy truce the Second Balkan War broke out in 1913. In this all of the former allies fought each other as well as Turkey. Even Romania joined in to attack Bulgaria. The Kosarians took the opportunity to mount a counter-offensive. By brilliant generalship Ritnik was able to drive all of the invading armies from Kosarian soil, but at heavy cost.”
“Kosaria however had no chance to recover from these exhausting wars as World War One broke out in the following year. In 1915 Kosaria was attacked by the Bulgars. The Kosarians allied themselves with the Serbs and Montenegrins. In a series of desperate defensive battles they were able to defeat the Bulgars in the rugged Dragavista Mountains.”
“Then, in October 1915, a combined German-Austrian Army Group, led by Feld Marschall von Mackensen, defeated the Serbians. In December 1915 the German and Austrian forces broke into Kosaria through the Vulture’s Pass, despite a stubborn defence by the outnumbered and outgunned Kosarians. General Ritnik was able to save most of the army by a brilliant delaying defence which allowed time for the regiments facing the Bulgars to fall back to help defend the capital.”
“The Kosarians fought on grimly against a German Army with vastly superior artillery but, as the first snow began to fall, they had to make a bitter choice. The Serbian Army on their left flank had begun to retreat and, if they did not fall back with them, the Kosarian army would be surrounded and annihilated. The King decided to abandon Dragavia and save the army.”
“The Royal Family, Treasury, the Thigh Bone of St Joris, and thousands of civilian refugees joined the troops in an agonizing retreat over the frozen mountains of Albania. German and Austrian forces pushed hard against their rearguards.”
“As the army struggled to cross the flooded Narga River by the only bridge a regiment of Austrian Mountain troops cut into the middle of the column and blocked the road. Ina howling blizzard General Ritnik led a desperate counter-attack using the Royal Guard Regiment. They were able to re-open the road but Ritnik was mortally wounded. The army managed to cross the river in time.”
“The retreat went on in a blizzard. Austrian ski troops harried their flanks. King Peter stayed with the dying Ritnik, personally commanding the rearguard. Snow and bitter cold killed thousands. Others died to bullets, hunger and disease. Ritnik died just as the army reached the sea.”
“British and French ships evacuated the survivors under fire and took them to safety in Corfu or Malta. Among those rescued were the Royal Family and most Government Ministers. They had with them the Thigh Bone of St Joris, and the Crown Jewels. But, sometime during the retreat or evacuation, the Treasurer, Slimo Nikoffovitch went missing. So also did the Treasury of over a million gold coins. Some said they last saw him at the battle of the Narga River. Others thought they saw him disembarking from a French troopship at Bizerta in Tunisia.”
Inspector Sharpe stopped reading and looked up.
“Gold!” Graham cried.
“A million gold coins,” Peter gasped.
“Why, they must be worth - er must be worth millions,” Roger added.
They all laughed.
“Is that what these men are after then, gold?” Stephen asked.
CHAPTER 19
IS IT THE GOLD?
Inspector Sharpe shook his head and made himself more comfortable. “Could be. It would make more sense than an old bone. Are you bored ? You can go to bed if you like.”
“No sir. Keep reading. This is gripping stuff,” Roger said.
Stephen agreed. “More interesting than our boring old history: bloody convicts, goldrushes and depressions.”
“We fought in the First World War too,” Graham defended.
“Have the debate later,” Inspector Sharpe said. “I’ll go on. It is still during World War One. With the invading German and Austrian armies came the Archduke Paul. He was established as King of Kosaria, but owing allegiance to the Kaiser of Austria, with a palace guard of Austrian Imperial Grenadiers. Here’s a photo of him arriving at Dragavia Railway Station and being met by the German General Von Blotwitz.”
“Blotwitz!” Stephen snorted.
Peter frowned. “You’re a blot. Clot rather. Shut up and listen Steve,” he chided.
Inspector Sharpe nodded agreement and resumed, “In 1916 the remnants of the Serbian and Kosarian armies were re-armed by the British and French and then shipped to join the allied army at Salonika in northern Greece. Where’s that on the Atlas Graham ?”
Graham showed them.
Ins
pector Sharpe read on, “The Kosarian army played a small but important part in the Salonika Offensives of 1917 and 1918 which led to the defeat of the Bulgars. The Germans, defeated in France by the allies, withdrew their troops. The Austrians went with them. The Serbian and Kosarian armies followed them north.”
“When the Germans and Austrians pulled out of Dragavia in October 1918 King Paul and his supporters went with them. King Peter returned to his capital amid great rejoicing. There followed 20 happy years for Kosaria. King Peter set about improving his country. He established a democratically elected Parliament with real power. He built schools, hospitals, roads and bridges. There was peace and prosperity. People called him ‘Good King Peter’. There was much joy when he married a beautiful exiled Russian Princess, Princess Kalia. Here’s a photo of her.”
Graham whistled. “Strewth! She’s a stunner alright.”
Inspector Sharpe smiled at his enthusiasm and went on. “There was more rejoicing when a son, Peter (the fifth) was born in 1938. A daughter, Princess Karena, was born in 1940.”
“But trouble was brewing. Paul II had gone into exile in Spain. Before the war Paul had married a German Princess, Helga of Zeitheiligen, and they had a son, Paul III, who was born in 1912. When Paul II died in 1929 the young Archduke Paul declared himself to be the rightful king of Kosaria. However he remained living with his mother in Germany.”
“For a number of years Paul made no active moves to secure the throne but when the Nazi Party, led by Adolf Hitler, became the government of Germany in 1933 he joined their organization. In Germany in 1934 Paul set up a secret organization from Kosarians who supported him. This included a political party modelled on the Nazis, and the Kosarian Schutz Staffeln, the KSS; similar to the German SS who armed and trained them. Well, we already knew that bit as we’ve met some of these chaps haven’t we?”
The others chorused agreement. Inspector Sharpe went on. “The KSS had its own Secret Service Branch, the ‘Iron Claw’. They infiltrated secretly into Kosaria and prepared to take over the government by force. In preparation they carried out murders of selected leaders loyal to King Peter and spread deliberate lies about the Royal Family; that they practised witchcraft and that both the King and Queen had secret lovers and so on.”
Behind Mt. Baldy Page 18