1444, Byzantium Resurrects

Chapter 169 Black Sea Trade
The northern coast of the Black Sea, the southern tip of the Crimean Peninsula, the Principality of Theodore, Bangkok.

In the royal palace, the then ruler of Theodore, Prince Manuel from the Gavras family, was lying on the hospital bed, with the princes of the principality, the prime minister and the military minister standing beside him.

"Your Highness, in the past few months, several powerful neighbors around Bangkok have been making unusual moves. The situation around the Black Sea is not optimistic at all."

"The situation is serious, and I have no choice but to disturb your rest. I hope you will forgive me."

"Go ahead, Prime Minister."

Manuel said softly while lying on the sickbed.

"In the west, Mahmud Pasha, who occupied the Bulgarian region, completed the local integration with his reputation and prestige in the army and married the daughter of a Bulgarian landowner as his wife."

"Ottoman Sultan Mehmed II had no choice but to appoint him as the Bey of Bulgaria, and he continued to serve as the Grand Vizier and the Vizier with the Sword."

"Mahmud Pasha also took advantage of the situation and sent some money to the Sultan to ease his urgent needs."

The Prime Minister looked at the Prince, and seeing that he did not respond, he continued.

"At the end of last year, with the help of Grand Prince Vlad III of Wallachia, Stefan III of the Mushat dynasty defeated the pro-Polish Grand Prince Peter Aron, drove him north, and ascended the throne of the Grand Prince of Moldavia."

"Hmph, the Poles are enthusiastic about the Black Sea. First there was the Roman invasion, then there was Peter Aron. What about now? What do they say?"

Prince Manuel snorted coldly.

"The situation in Poland and Lithuania is more complicated. The noble parliaments of both countries hold considerable power. Casimir IV, who is both the King of Poland and the Grand Duke of Lithuania, has no way to effectively coordinate all his power."

"For example, right now, Casimir IV is fighting the Teutonic Knights in northern Poland, but the Lithuanian nobles have little interest in this war and have not contributed much."

“They can’t control the South for now.”

"That's good."

Prince Manuel nodded.

"Just recently, Mahmud Pasha and Vlad III met at the border between their two countries and tried to reach a simple defensive treaty to resist Emperor Isaac's expansion."

"What about Stefan? What did he say?"

Prince Manuel pulled himself up.

"The envoys sent by Stefan III observed the negotiations between the two countries and did not directly sign a treaty, but they promised Vlad III that they would send troops to help resist Emperor Isaac when he went north."

"He also sent someone to Mangpu to ask for your daughter, Princess Maria, in marriage."

"Okay, let's choose a date to get married."

Prince Manuel said quickly.

"Only this?"

The prime minister shook his head and quickened the process.

"Some time ago, the Komnenos family of Trebizond saw the decline of the Ottoman power and, at the instigation of the Kingdom of Georgia and the Aq Qoyunlu, they sent troops to the west and even asked us for reinforcements."

"Didn't I refuse? But they still sent troops?"

The prince frowned.

"Yes, but unfortunately, it failed again."

"Huh, they are really getting worse every year. Mehmed II's main force is probably at the Karaman border. Even so, they still lost?"

The prime minister felt a little embarrassed when he heard this.

"Your Highness, they didn't encounter the Ottoman army at all. They were ambushed by the Kandal Bey Kingdom south of Sinop and were defeated."

The prince sighed in frustration.

"Ignore them and get back to our surroundings."

"What about the Genoese and the Mongols?"

"The situation in Italy is unstable, the major powers in the Mediterranean are sharpening their swords, and the Republic of Genoa is in danger."

The prime minister pulled out another report.

"The new governor of Genoa is a little-known character, obviously a puppet of the major families, with no real power."

"Genoa's chaotic political situation gave foreign forces an opportunity to take advantage of it. The surrounding powers planted spies in the parliament and cultivated their own cronies. The loyal officials who truly cared about the Republic were not appointed."

"Genoa is currently divided into two factions, one siding with the French King Charles VII and the Eastern Roman Emperor Isaac III, respectively, to divide up the Republic's assets."

"Due to geographical factors, the pro-French forces are concentrated in Corsica, while the pro-Romanian forces are based in overseas colonies in the eastern Mediterranean and the Black Sea."

"With the support of Emperor Isaac, the Gattilusio family rose rapidly. Their merchant ships enjoyed many privileges in various ports in North Africa and the Balkans, but the fleets of rival families were always attacked by pirates."

"In this way, the Gattilusio family became the most important family in Genoa in just ten years. The current governor of the Black Sea is Bartholomew Gattilusio, the uncle of Emperor Isaac."

"Unlike the pro-French faction, the interests of the Gattiluccio family actually have little to do with Genoa. The Black Sea white slave trade they rely on must pass through the Bosporus and the Dardanelles, both of which are in the hands of Emperor Isaac."

Prince Manuel nodded heavily.

“How do they treat us?”

The prime minister spread his hands helplessly.

"You also know that you and the late King Alexius had both fought wars with Genoa and recovered many castles and ports from them."

"The Genoese don't like us, no matter which family."

"The spies in Constantinople once reported back that after the Eastern Roman Mediterranean Fleet took control of the Bosphorus Strait, the Gattilusio family repeatedly urged Emperor Isaac to send troops to seize Mangpu to complete the last piece of their Black Sea colonization puzzle."

Prince Manuel gritted his teeth, held his forehead with both hands, and then let go weakly.

"What about the Mongols? We pay tribute every year, and they promise to protect us."

"The Mongols are divided and no longer what they used to be."

The Minister of War took over the conversation.

"The Khan of Batu Sarai has lost Kazan, Nogai and Crimea. The country is in chaos. The Russians in the north are about to rise. He has no time to deal with the situation in the Black Sea."

"Hajji Glei, who ruled Crimea, was quite ambitious. He had always wanted to rebuild Batu Ulus and even Jochi Ulus, and he dreamed of the beautiful dream of the gray wolf and white deer all day long."

The Military Minister snorted.

"Their attitude towards us is more about control than protection."

The prince's already pale face became even darker.

"We are powerless to change these things. You can handle them on your own."

"I have handed over the political affairs to Alexander. You must assist him well."

The prince looked at his mediocre eldest son Alexander and forced a smile.

"Your Highness, these can all be handled, but there is one thing we really cannot decide."

"Oh?"

Prince Manuel pulled himself together.

"Just recently, a letter came from Constantinople saying that one of their fleets will set sail soon to visit Theodore."

"At that time, envoys from the Paleologian family and the Gattiluccio family will come together to conduct diplomatic negotiations with you."

……

"What a magnificent warship!"

At the port east of Bangkok's Phra Nakhon Si Arun, Prince Manuel, dressed in his best clothes, was leaning on a cane, with the Theodore flag fluttering overhead.

"Marcus Aurelius."

The prime minister at the side quietly read out the Greek words on the hull.

Then, one warship after another came from the distant sea, lined up in a column, and appeared in people's field of vision.

The prince was a little shocked, then he laughed at himself.

This powerful fleet, its artillery and sailors alone were enough to destroy the entire Principality of Theodore.

"Send a few of our ships over to welcome them!"

On the caravel Marcus Aurelius, Isaac stood quietly at the bow, with Prince Justinian and Princess Charlotte standing on his left and right.

"Theodore, the pearl of the Black Sea, an important link in the Black Sea trade, and the homeland of the Roman Empire." Isaac looked at the port that was getting closer and closer, his eyes narrowed slightly, and he muttered softly.

"Uncle, what should we do if they don't welcome us?"

Princess Charlotte, who had grown into a graceful young lady, patted the sturdy railing of the Marcus Aurelius.

"Small countries also have their own way of survival. They will not be so unwise."

"That's not necessarily true. I have seen many monarchs who do not know their own limits during my travels."

Princess Charlotte lay on the railing, staring at the dark sea in a trance.

The Principality of Theodore was a small country built on the remains of the Roman Empire's Kherson Military District. The main ethnic group was the Goths, an already very rare ethnic group.

They originally lived on the Ukrainian steppes. After Theoderic moved westward, some Goths who were unwilling to leave asked the Roman Empire for asylum. The emperor settled them in the Kherson Military Region on the northern coast of the Black Sea, where they multiplied and thrived.

These Goths had undergone a long period of ethnic and cultural integration with the Kherson Greeks and had been basically Hellenized. Most of them spoke Greek, believed in Eastern Orthodoxy, and obeyed the rule of the Roman emperor.

After the disaster in 1204, the empire fell apart, and the Goths and Greeks on the northern coast of the Black Sea established their own local regime and pledged allegiance to the emperor of Trebizond.

Later, Trebizond declined and the Principality of Theodore gained de facto independence, nominally pledging allegiance to the Komnenos family while paying tribute to the Golden Horde in exchange for hard-earned peace.

The current Prince Theodoro is Manuel from the Gavras family, a brave and warlike prince. Since he succeeded to the throne, he has taken over the banner of his father Alexius, continued to fight against the Genoese colonists, and recovered a lot of land.

However, Prince Manuel is now old, and the reactionary forces in the country are ready to make moves. His younger brother Secours has been plotting to overthrow his nephew's legal status and is even willing to collude with foreign forces.

"No matter what they think, I must take control of this small country. Its strategic location is too important."

"If Prince Manuel is sensible, I will naturally entertain you with coffee and wine. If you try to fight against the royal army, I still have strong ships and powerful guns."

Isaac patted his eldest son's head and found that his face still looked unhappy.

"Are you seasick again? It's okay, just a little seasickness will make you fine."

Hearing this, Justinian opened his mouth and spit out "wow", and the fish on the sea immediately swarmed over, huddled together, and competed for food.

"It is indeed a rich sea. Fishing alone can feed a large population."

Isaac was amazed.

"I want to go home..."

"No, you are the heir, you must gain more experience."

Isaac interrupted the little boy's mourning.

"During the war, you must guard Carthage and cannot go anywhere else."

"In peacetime, you have to follow me wherever I go."

"They will be here soon. Judging from the situation, they should be able to accommodate us well."

Isaac touched Justinian's head to cheer him up.

Under the astonished eyes of the people in the port, the majestic warship stopped beside the dock. The guards got off the ship one after another. After arranging defensive measures, Isaac jumped off the wooden board and breathed a breath of fresh air on the northern shore of the Black Sea.

"Your Majesty, Emperor of Rome and the Romans, King of the Armenians, Crusader of Jesus Christ, Accuser of the Saracens of North Africa, Isaac III of the House of Palaiologos."

The prince was obviously a little surprised at Isaac's personal arrival, but he quickly put on a smile, walked forward and bowed to Isaac.

"Please allow me, your loyal subject, to lead all the nobles of the principality to pay tribute to you and welcome you."

Isaac smiled and waved, greeting Theodore and the others.

"I guess this must be your son Justinian. After seeing him today, I found that he is indeed extraordinary."

Prince Manuel smiled and nodded to Justinian behind Isaac, bowing slightly.

The prince looked a little pale, but he still maintained his aristocratic demeanor and returned the greeting to the prince.

"This lady is..."

Prince Manuel looked at the heroic female knight beside Isaac, his eyes moved from the sword at her waist upwards, lingering for a moment on the family emblem on her chest, and he couldn't remember it for a moment.

"This is my niece and ward, Charlotte of the House of Lusignan, Princess of Famagusta, Queen of the Kingdom of Jerusalem."

Charlotte held the sword and gave the prince a standard knight's salute.

"Greetings, Your Excellency Ruler Theodore, Prince Manuel of the House of Gavras."

"Some time ago, I took Zoe on a trip around the world and stopped in Bangkok. I was deeply amazed by the prosperity of this city."

"Unfortunately, you were ill at the time, and your son, Alexander, who served as regent, received me warmly, and we met once."

Charlotte looked at Prince Alexander who was hiding in the crowd and pouted at him.

After a brief greeting, Prince Manuel invited Isaac to the Royal Palace in Bangkok for follow-up diplomatic negotiations.

"I came here for three main reasons."

In the reception room, Isaac went straight to the point.

"You tell me."

"First, my niece Charlotte is fourteen years old. During her travels, she fell in love with your son Alexander. I hope to marry the two children. What do you think?"

Hearing this, Charlotte stuck out her tongue, while Alexander looked confused and then blushed.

Just recently, Isaac's envoys consulted and negotiated with domestic forces in Cyprus. After obtaining the consent of Queen Jelena and Princess Charlotte, the island of Cyprus officially joined the Roman Empire, and all people on the island automatically obtained Roman citizenship.

Isaac accepted Charlotte's allegiance in the royal palace of Carthage and named her Princess of Famagusta. The throne of Jerusalem remained reserved by the Lusignan family.

As for faith, under the influence of Queen Jelena, a devout believer, Charlotte had converted to Orthodoxy long before Isaac became her guardian.

"This marriage has been approved by Queen Jelena, and she will give them her blessing."

Isaac continued to add.

In fact, Isaac wanted to marry a Portuguese prince for Charlotte as happened in history, but was strongly opposed by Jelena.

Queen Jelena was so devout in her belief in the Orthodox Church that she killed her daughter's spouse with her own hands in the original time and space, simply because he was from Portugal and was a Catholic.

"That's great. Since they are so sincere, I have no objection."

Manuel responded immediately.

With this marriage as a guarantee, their ending shouldn't be too bad.

"Second, I plan to establish the Crimea Governorate based on the former Kherson Military District to spread the influence of the empire north of the Black Sea."

"The first governor will be your eldest son Alexander. The position of Crimea governor will be hereditary to the Gavras family. The governor must report to Constantinople every two years."

"The port near Bangkok will serve as the home port for the Imperial Black Sea Fleet that is being built, and your ships will also be incorporated into the Black Sea Fleet."

"I will follow your orders, no problem at all!"

Prince Manuel was relieved and agreed immediately.

It seems that this emperor was not as unkind as the legend said, and he did not resort to forceful tactics.

"Third, I plan to revive the Black Sea trade. The Crimean Governorate will be a very important part of this and nothing can go wrong."

"The dispute between you and the Gattiluccio family ends here. If a war breaks out again, I will punish them severely, no matter who they are."

Isaac's stern eyes swept over Bartholomew who was sitting at the corner of the table. The latter quickly stood up and agreed repeatedly.

"Your brother Secus is plotting a rebellion. One of my fleets is on the way to suppress him. His territory will be used as a pirate port and the base of a branch of the Order of Saint Simon, independent of the military district."

"Please—"

"I will save his life and send him to a monastery in Constantinople, where he will spend the rest of his life serving Jesus Christ and cleansing himself of his sins."

Prince Manuel nodded to indicate that he had no objection.

"The Black Sea slave trade is of vital importance and must be stopped. From now on, no matter the Crimean Military District, the Pirate Port, the Knights of Saint Simon or the Gattilusio family, can sell slaves to any party in the Mamluk Civil War without my permission."

"My territory is in ruins and lacks labor everywhere. I will arrange for local administrative agencies to connect with you and will not let you suffer any loss."

On April 1459, 4, Isaac arrived in Bangkok on the carrack Marcus Aurelius and officially established the Crimean Governorate.

A week later, Charlotte Lusignan and Alexandre Gavras got married there and began to serve as governor.

(End of this chapter)