1444, Byzantium Resurrects

Chapter 106 Anger sets a prairie fire
Zagan Pasha was annoyed.

As the second vizier of the Ottoman Empire, Mehmed II asked him to lead more than 10,000 troops to keep an eye on the city of Galata and force them to stop helping Constantinople.

He did not disappoint Mehmed II, and even did better than he asked. Not only did he successfully stir up internal strife in Galata, he also took the opportunity to break through the north gate and enter the city, and was about to take the city.

However, the densely packed houses and complex streets in the northern part of Galata did cause considerable trouble for the Muslim fighters.

Since the Fourth Crusade, Galata fell into the hands of the Latins, who made a fortune in the East-West trade by constantly sucking the blood of Constantinople, attracting many Italian merchants and wealthy families to settle there.

Latin merchants mainly lived in the wealthy area in the north of the city and the port area in the east of the city, while the south and west of the city were mostly lower-class Greek Orthodox Christians who made a living by fishing and farming.

The prosperity in the north of the city contrasts sharply with the dilapidated and dirty south of the city. There is a dry canal in the middle, and some areas are separated by wooden fences, making them like two different worlds.

The dilapidated buildings in the south of the city are densely packed along the boundary line, as if this way they can absorb more rain and dew leaking from the upper floors.

There are several strong towers in the north of Galata, where the Mayor of Leinster and the last remnants of his Galata Guards are entrenched.

Since Zagan Pasha's army lacked large-caliber artillery, it was temporarily helpless against these strongholds.

Zagan Pasha ordered part of the army to keep a close eye on these fortresses, and led the rest of the army into the city first to occupy several key points, especially the iron chain of the Golden Horn.

Constantinople's sea walls are long and relatively fragile. If the Ottoman navy could successfully enter the Golden Horn, it would not only greatly tie down the forces of the defenders in Constantinople, but would also deal a heavy blow to the morale of the defenders.

Most of the more than 10,000 troops led by Zagan Pasha were infantry recruited from Azab and knights recruited from Tima in Anatolia, with a small number of Akınki cavalry responsible for outer patrols.

In addition, Zagan Pasha also had his own private army with strong combat effectiveness.

Azabi levies were a type of civilian levy in Anatolia that was recruited by governors in times of war, provided with simple weapons and armor, and promised to be exempt from taxes while serving.

This type of infantry has low combat effectiveness and poor equipment, and is basically synonymous with "cannon fodder".

Tima Levies are a special type of feudal conscripted noble army. Tima Knights have the right to use a small piece of land and do not need to pay taxes. During wartime, they bring their own equipment to serve, the quality of which varies greatly, and their combat effectiveness is difficult to guarantee.

"What's going on? What happened?"

Zagan Pasha rode into the city on his horse with his personal soldiers, but was furious at the mess he saw.

In the northern part of Galata, several teams were huddled together, shouting at each other. More than a dozen horse-drawn carriages loaded with goods had broken wheels and were blocked on one side. The captives and slaves were dejected, tied with ropes, and kneeling in the middle of the street.

Many Muslim warriors who entered the city first had already begun to enjoy the fruits of their war. They rushed into the houses of the Genoese, looting, burning and killing, carrying beautiful women out of the houses and committing adultery in the streets.

At the intersection of a street in the center of North City, several Muslim squad leaders were arguing loudly, and they seemed to be on the verge of drawing their swords against each other because of an uneven distribution of the spoils.

For a moment, the sounds of quarrels, the cries of livestock, the clanging of swords and armor, ferocious laughter and women's cries mixed in the once prosperous streets of the northern part of Galata, playing a symphony unique to war.

"Aga! This person is resisting orders and intends to rebel!"

"Asshole! It's obviously you!"

Seeing Zagan Pasha approaching, several Muslim captains restrained their murderous intent and began to blame each other, trying to gain the support of the commander.

"Didn't I tell you to clear out the enemy first after entering the city, and then distribute the spoils after the remaining enemy forces are wiped out?"

Zagan Pasha was already quite angry at this point, but he tried to keep his tone as calm as possible.

"Aga, the prophet promised us that we could plunder for three days every time we captured a city that refused to surrender."

"His Majesty also promised that as long as we participate in the holy war, all the gold and silver treasures will belong to us."

Several team leaders defended themselves with confidence.

Zagan Pasha was speechless for a moment and didn't know how to refute.

According to the teachings of the Prophet Muhammad, if the enemy is unwilling to surrender, the Muslim jihadists can enjoy three days of looting after breaking into the city. This is something everyone knows.

"The forces in the city have not yet completely surrendered. The Greek Emperor Isaac of Constantinople has led his army to occupy the southern city. We must completely annihilate them."

Zagan Pasha spoke patiently, word by word.

Several team leaders looked at each other but remained silent.

"Aga, we have sent troops to occupy the Golden Horn Tower and several other city gates. The southern cities are defenseless. We can just wait for Isaac's troops to land in Galata, and then gather superior forces to swallow them up in one gulp."

"We have 10,000 people, and they have only a little over 1,000 at most. There is no way we can lose."

"Besides, the roads in the northern part of the city are blocked now, and the houses and streets of Christians are densely packed. You have to give us some time to clean them up."

"We have already occupied several granaries and armories in the north of the city. It is only a matter of time before we defeat the Greek emperor's army."

Several team leaders talked at the same time, and the more they spoke, the more confident they became.

Zagan Pasha looked around and saw that Ottoman flags were indeed flying on several important places in the north of the city. His expression looked a little better.

"Guard the camp carefully. I don't expect the enemy to dare to engage us head-on, but we still need to be fully prepared."

"This time tomorrow, I want to see a northern city area that can be used for the stationing and passage of a large army."

Zagan Pasha waved his hand, and several squad leaders ran away with a sense of relief. They no longer had the mood to continue arguing, and simply allocated a few blocks to each of them and led their troops away.

"Let the rest of the team enter the city as well. These bastards are more likely to cause trouble than help. I really can't rest assured."

Zagan Pasha instructed his adjutant.

The adjutant took the order and left. Zagan Pasha climbed up a dry water tower and overlooked the entire view of Galata.

The current situation is very good. The northern city area has been almost completely occupied by the Ottoman army, which is gradually advancing in the east and west directions.

At the north gate, his own troops were still filing in, striving to overwhelm the enemy with absolute military superiority in the shortest time possible.

In the sea not far to the northeast, Baltoglu's navy was heading towards Galata, waiting for the iron chain of the Golden Horn to be lowered so that the Sultan's sea wolves could rush into the Golden Horn and devour the Christians' bloated ships bite by bite.

In the calm and narrow Golden Horn, the agile and swift Fust warships had the advantage over the expensive and huge carracks.

Near the north gate, the Genoese flag of St. George, symbolizing the city of Galata, was still lingering on several towers and castles in the north. They did not carry much food and had insufficient troops, so they could not hold out for a few days.

The double-headed eagle flag and the Armenian cross representing the Eastern Roman Empire fluttered at the fishing port in the south of the city. It was located in a remote corner and was not a cause for concern.

There were also scattered Christian troops in parts of the West City and East City. They seemed to be small in number and would certainly not be able to withstand the attack of the large army.

They don't have many troops to begin with, and they have to divide them for defense? How can they possibly defeat me?

Has Isaac been overwhelmed by the sudden turn of events?

Even so, Zagan Pasha still felt a little worried as he watched the sun gradually sink into the western plains.

Where did the problem go?
……

Christ Tower, north of Galata City.

After the Fourth Crusade, the land north of the Golden Horn fell into the hands of Latin merchants. The Genoese, who once roamed the world, made it a colony, established cities and castles, and built a complete defense system.

The Christ Tower is an integral part of the defense system surrounding the city.

This tower was built in the 14th century and has nine floors. It is the tallest building in Galata City and a landmark here.

Standing on the top floor of Christ Tower and looking south, you can get a glimpse of the whole view of Galata City and the Golden Horn, and even the domes of the Great Palace of Constantinople and Hagia Sophia are vaguely visible.

There are rumors that the arrogant Griffin built this tower with the intention of showing off his military prowess to the emperor of Constantinople. The mayor of Galata at that time also ambitiously formulated a long and time-consuming plan to continue expanding the Christ Tower.

Unfortunately, the tenacious Venetians fought back in the Battle of Chioggia and brought Genoa down from the clouds. This bold plan came to nothing, and only a lonely Christian Tower remained, still telling of the former glory and splendor of the Republic of Genoa.

The Christ Tower is located in the north of the city. It is solid and towering. It used to be a prison for prisoners and has a well-equipped basement and armory.

It is difficult for ordinary artillery to directly cause damage to the Torre Cristo. Under the threat of the Ottoman army, the current mayor, Leinster Gatilusio, used it as the headquarters for the defense of the north gate and fought a bloody battle with the Ottomans.

Under the joint attack of the rebels in the city and the Ottoman army outside the city, the mayor of Leinster was finally defeated and led the remnants to hide in the Christ Tower and several nearby castles, trying to make a final resistance.

Leinster Gatilusio is Isaac's great-uncle, a stubborn and bad-tempered old man. Like other noble sons, he traveled around the country after he grew up. He was chivalrous and could win the hearts of the soldiers.

With the support of Isaac, he was promoted to the position of mayor of Galata and gradually reduced the power of local nobles, but he aroused their rebellious spirit and the conflict has not been resolved.

Under the instigation of Zagan Pasha, these local tyrants accepted the Ottomans' solicitation without a second thought, which eventually led to disaster.

blow--

An arrow shot into the tower at an angle, hit the stone wall, and fell at the feet of the patrolling soldier.

"Ok?"

When the Genoese soldier picked it up and took a look, he immediately realized the seriousness of the matter and quickly sent it to the desk of the mayor of Leinster.

The mayor of Leinster took the scroll tied to the arrow, and what came into view was the Palaiologos family crest of the cross and four betas.

"Your Highness, Mayor of Galata, Leinster Gattilusio."

When Leinster saw the familiar handwriting, he felt relieved.

"At present, our troops have landed at the fishing port in the south of the city. The northern part of Galata has been completely occupied by the Ottoman army. It is expected that they will launch a full-scale offensive against us tomorrow." "I sent the subordinates of the Turkish prince Orhan to disguise themselves as Ottoman soldiers and use strong bows to deliver this letter to you. Please do not doubt it."

"For this reason, there are some things that need to be notified to you. Please make plans early."

Leinster raised his eyebrows when he read this.

Notice?

In other words, this famous emperor doesn't need his help at all?
Where does the confidence come from?

……

"Your Majesty, Captain Avilon and Captain Nathan have both arrived at their designated locations. The Ottoman army made a tentative attack and then retreated to the north."

At the fishing port south of Galata, Isaac was looking at a detailed map of Galata while listening to reports from several messengers.

The target of these two people's mission was not a military stronghold, and it could even be said to be a death trap. The Ottomans were probably preparing to use their superior forces to completely wipe them out after daybreak. In addition, they were afraid of Isaac in the south, so they did not take action for the time being.

This was also what Isaac expected.

"How is the situation of Corps Commander Orhan's troops?"

"The situation was not good. The Golden Horn iron chain was one of the main targets of the Ottoman army. They sent a large number of troops to attack in turns. In a hurry, Captain Bartholomew, who was patrolling near the Golden Horn, led the sailors to land to assist in the battle. Only then did they hold out until dusk."

"However, General Orhan wrote in his letter that if you don't have reinforcements, I'm afraid they won't be able to hold out until tomorrow evening."

"Get ready, we should go."

Isaac raised his head and tapped the wooden table lightly with his fingers, staring in a trance at the shadow cast by the candle swaying gently on the table.

Sudden——

As night fell, the land that had been exposed to the sun all day began to cool down rapidly, while the ocean was slower. The air produced convection due to the temperature difference, and the candle went out.

The wind is from the southwest.

……

It was late at night and Zagan Pasha was still awake.

The scene from seven years ago flashed through his mind. That failure was still Zagan Pasha's nightmare.

That was Isaac Palaiologos' first war. He and Mehmed II had the upper hand in every aspect, but for some unknown reason, they were defeated completely and confusingly.

The young man always had a plan in mind and could always use unexpected methods to completely destroy the advantages they had worked so hard to build up, and through his victory after victory he established his reputation as the "accuser of the dead".

Seven years have passed, and the young man back then now wears the emperor's crown and has become the biggest obstacle between the emperor and his subject on their road to Constantinople.

Zagan Pasha repeatedly reviewed his military preparations and plans after attacking the city of Galata and confronting the Eastern Roman army in the south, confirming that no mistakes had been made.

Although these Azab soldiers and Tima knights were stupid, they did not dare to openly disobey his orders and completed their tasks well.

As for greed for money and lust, they are common things.

Until Zagan Pasha went to bed, he could still occasionally hear the soldiers' wild laughter and the women's shrill cries outside the window.

War is cruel, especially a siege like this. These soldiers need some indulgence, otherwise they will gradually be driven crazy.

At this time, even drinking some wine is allowed.

As for the night attack by the Eastern Roman army in the south?

If they had five thousand men, Zagan Pasha would have been too cautious to camp in the city.

If they had two thousand men, Zagan Pasha would have strictly restrained the soldiers and forbade them to act so presumptuously.

However, according to intelligence, there were only 800 remnants of these Christians left, all of whom were Armenians, who were known for their cowardice and incompetence.

Their numbers were too small to cause any real damage to his army of more than 10,000 men.

Zagan Pasha also specially arranged his private army on the side of the main camp. Once the Christians were deceived by the image of prosperity and joy in the camp and really came to attack at night, the five hundred elite soldiers who had been well-rested would give them a heavy blow.

Such an arrangement should be foolproof.

As long as we wait until tomorrow dawn, we can completely annihilate the enemy!

With this thought in mind, Zagan Pasha finally closed his eyes and fell asleep peacefully.

……

The summer in Galata is quiet and peaceful, with summer insects often chirping among the flowers and birds occasionally singing on the hedges.

If there were no brutal Turks, there would surely be young boys and girls who would take advantage of the good opportunity to walk side by side under the starry sky, letting the moonlight cast their shadows on the grass.

However, for Galata City, tonight is destined to be extraordinary.

The Turks looted the entire wealthy area, and the Genoese merchants and nobles who did not have time to evacuate suffered an unprecedented disaster.

They now regret very much why they chose to support the mayor of Leinster and the Greek emperor behind him instead of joining the rebels.

Otherwise, they could also keep their property, wives and children, and become guests of Zagan Pasha.

An Ottoman soldier hummed a little tune as he walked out of the bustling camp, went to the junction of the north and south cities, untied his belt, and watered the grass that had died in the summer.

Instigated by several soldiers, they secretly went to an underground wine cellar and drank a lot of fermented grape juice.

So hot!
The Ottoman soldier grunted and opened his chest in an attempt to get some cool air.

"Damn Constantinople, why is the wind always hot!"

The soldier cursed and raised his hazy eyes, but his legs became weak with fright in an instant and he sobered up a lot.

The raging flames were sweeping in from the south.

……

On May 1453, 5, Isaac sent people to pour kerosene on all the flammable houses in the southern part of Galata and set them all on fire. The raging fire instantly spread across the entire sky with the southwest wind in the evening, and swept directly northward along the wind.

The houses in Galata city gradually became denser from south to north, and the fire became increasingly fierce.

The Mediterranean summer is already dry, and the city’s canals and large water towers have run dry. Once a fire breaks out, it will be impossible to extinguish.

At first, the Ottoman army tried to put out the fire, but when they found it futile, they gradually fell into panic and rushed towards the north gate like crazy.

The houses in the northern area were already densely populated, and the Ottoman troops squeezed, trampled, quarreled, and even fought each other.

After the North Gate was blocked, the Ottoman army, with nowhere to escape, under the command of the awakened Zagan Pasha, marched towards the Northwest Gate and West Gate, which had not yet been engulfed by the fire, trying to escape from Galata City, which had become a hell on earth.

However, when they finally bypassed the winding streets and appeared in front of the northwest gate, they saw the double-headed eagle flag standing against the wind.

Avilon Notaras, with six hundred militiamen and four hundred Armenian soldiers, was waiting on the tower of the northwest gate.

A thousand troops were nothing to the Ottoman Empire, but now they became their death warrant.

They fled in such a hurry that they didn't even have all their weapons and armor with them, let alone siege equipment.

Zagan Pasha gritted his teeth, left part of his troops to attack the small gate, and took the rest of the troops to the west gate.

On the west gate tower, Isaac, dressed in a purple robe, looked jokingly at the embarrassed Zagan Pasha and the remnants of his defeated troops below the city.

His eyes reflected the flames rising into the sky, as if they came from hell.

Next to Isaac, the non-commissioned officers who were fluent in Turkish shouted loudly and mocked Zagan Pasha's incompetence.

"Zagan Pasha, my emperor has been waiting for a long time!"

"You have such a cruel heart, you..."

Zagan Pasha was shaking with anger and pointed at Isaac on the gate tower.

As a skilled veteran, he naturally knew how to guard against fire attacks and thought his arrangements were very appropriate.

But who knew that the enemy did not try to go to his camp at all, but directly burned his own southern city area, using the wind to spread the fire to the entire city.

As the fire grew, panic and despair spread among the Ottoman army, and they began to collapse.

With blockades in front and fire behind, Zagan Pasha was in an unprecedented desperate situation and did not know what to do for a moment.

At that moment, he seemed to be back in the night seven years ago, when countless war horses rushed out from the darkness behind him and beat the king and his minister, forcing them to flee in a panic.

Clusters of flames jumped and burned in the darkness, like countless bright red candles, illuminating the earth as if it were daytime.

(End of this chapter)