Rumelia

The one cent changes its color to green, the two cent to carmine, and the twenty cent is suppressed.

Rumelia, this province of Turkey begins its stamp history with a postal card of the value of ten paras, as expressed on the face, but in reality of fifteen paras at which it is sold.

Butterflies and bees.

Butterflies are merry things, gaily painted are their wings, and they never carry stings.

I realized that I was unable to give you much detail of my mission before I left Istanbul.

As you know, I have been sent to Rumeli, to the region administrated from the city of Selanik.

This city was the last to fall to the forces of Murad some hundred years ago and is now an important and busy port.

It is not to Selanik I am to deliver this judgment, but to a small village some way to the north of that city.

A note to you in advance of my return, my flower, for I am making my report to the authorities here in Istanbul, but will be with you shortly.

If I am not as joyful upon my return as I should be given my success, I ask you to forgive me.

It seems the report of the murders in Rumeli have preceded me, no doubt due to some news from the governor of Selanik, In the corridor, I was greeted by one of my fellows with...

This is very disappointing to me.

The one cent changes its color to green, the two cent to carmine, and the twenty cent is suppressed.

Rumelia, this province of Turkey begins its stamp history with a postal card of the value of ten paras, as expressed on the face, but in reality of fifteen paras at which it is sold.

Butterflies and bees.

Butterflies are merry things, gaily painted are their wings, and they never carry stings.

Given the size of the Sultan's host, he did not take the threat seriously.

He detached a force of around 15 to 20 thousand, consisting of Rumelians, Tatars and Janissaries, along with 43 cannons, under the command of Jafar Pasha.

Jafar Pasha, by many accounts, appears to have been an experienced and reliable commander.

It is also worth mentioning that there is still some speculation as to why this force was sent.

The Rumelian cavalry, who had up to this point been holding their own, began to flee.

Fortunately for them, the Janissaries were able to cover their retreat, keeping the chasing Austrian and Hungarian riders at bay with rifle fire.

The Rumelians, however, did not regroup on the opposite bank, but rather continued to flee from the field.

As the Hungarian and Transylvanian infantry began to arrive, a fierce firefight ensued, as they exchanged gunfire with the Janissaries across the stream.