The Church’s power in Vale Sangora grew when Athanasius of Parlita became the new bishop. One of his crowning achievements was to expand the Svartrau Cathedral complex to also include an almshouse for the poor. This was funded by Knyaz Tiberiu, who was said to be but a pawn in Bishop Athanasiu’s bejeweled hands.
When Tiberiu Boarescu died in AD 1213, his son and successor Alexandru immediately announced that the bishop’s services as advisor to the knyaz would not be needed anymore.
The bishop did not take this offence lightly and the valley was soon mired in an internecine war. After a two-year conflict, Alexandru prevailed by outsmarting his opponent. He promised the Holy See all the profits from the silver trade for the next ten years, and soon the pope took interest in Athanasius’s meddling. The bishop was summoned to the Vatican, but died in a bandit attack on the way. The new bishop, Coman, was much less ambitious.