1444, Byzantium Resurrects

Chapter 191: The Carlegis Family

Billinge, Castle Black.

Five years ago, the Hafsid dynasty fell, and the administrative center of the Eastern Roman Empire in North Africa was moved from the city of Birinci in Cyrenaica to the more favorable city of Carthage. The old capital was handed over to the governor of the Birinci region.

After losing its status as a political center, the development of Birinchi, like the former port of Surt, slowed down significantly, and nearly 20,000 soldiers and family members of government officials moved to Carthage.

Later, the Balkan territories were recovered, the Black Sea trade was revived, and Constantinople once again became a city desired by the world. The wealthy and powerful in Cyrenaica began to immigrate northward, and the textile, iron smelting and shipbuilding industries, which required a lot of water, also moved to areas with better natural conditions.

But at the same time, after more than ten years of immigration and assimilation, the degree of Hellenization in the Green Mountain region continued to deepen, and many rural people migrated northward. The population of the city of Bilinchi and surrounding lands fluctuated several times, and finally stopped at the 50,000 mark.

The Port of Carthage was an important hub for trade between the East and West Mediterranean. The ocean-going fleets that brought huge income to the empire no longer regarded the city of Birinci as their first stop, and its commercial development stagnated.

Of course, the city of Bilinchi still has important value. It is not only the most important agricultural and pastoral distribution center between Tripoli and Cairo, but also an important bridge connecting the North African territory and the Balkan territory of the Eastern Roman Empire, serving as a trade transit station.

Sailing north from Port Billinge, with a favorable wind, it only takes two days to reach the Morea Peninsula.

With its unique geographical advantages, the city of Bilinchi quickly began to recover from its temporary decline and developed its own special industries.

Slavery.

The Balkans had been in chaos for many years, Cyrenaica had suffered severe population loss, the Mamluk civil war was ongoing, and the war between the Ottomans and Karaman was in full swing. This led to a serious shortage of strong labor in the eastern Mediterranean.

In contrast, a large number of Berbers were forced to flee deep into the Atlas Mountains. The local habitable land could hardly support such a large population, and there were frequent conflicts between tribes. The winners often took away everything from the losers, including the right to life and freedom.

As a result, many slave-hunting groups and pioneers went deep into the Atlas Mountains. Most of the time, they would trade with some specific tribal shekhs, exchanging weapons and equipment, food, military supplies and handicrafts from big cities for Berber slaves. Only in very rare cases would they personally take part in the trade.

The large amount of labor quickly stimulated the slave market in North Africa. Due to the backward production methods, the serfdom estates in Africa soon became saturated, and the surplus slaves were loaded onto large ships and transported to the east.

At the same time, the Black Sea trade was reconnected, and Orthodox Slavic and Circassian slaves began to move south in large numbers. The two bloody trade routes converged at the port of Bilinchi.

On this basis, the Eastern Empire government returned to its familiar old path and started a new round of population exchange.

The Eastern Roman Empire soon introduced new slave laws to exercise macro-control over the flow of various slaves.

Orthodox Slavic slaves and Circassian slaves were strictly prohibited from being exported and were settled in Cyrenaica, Surt and Africa at government expense. Because of their common beliefs, they automatically became Roman citizens after learning Greek and served as tenants of government public fields. They could pay off their debts through labor, buy land and become free people.

Some of the Sunni Berbers were transported to the Balkans and distributed to various villages at low prices, some were exported, and some were used for population trade with Mamluks, Karaman and other countries, which was the main way to make money.

The benefits of this approach are obvious. It can quickly change the religious landscape in North Africa and Christianize North Africa.

I can't change your heart, but I have a firm control over your body.

The stubborn Sunni believers were forced to leave North Africa. Although they were very dissatisfied, they could not make any waves in the Balkans where they were unfamiliar with the place and the majority of the population was Orthodox Christians. Through long-term labor, they were smoothed out and assimilated by the locals.

The Black Sea Orthodox Christians who learned Greek filled their living space. These "new Romans" who were liberated would not necessarily be grateful to Isaac, but would naturally become close to the Eastern Roman rulers who shared the same faith and language, and exclude other Muslims. This was the cornerstone of the Eastern Roman Empire's deep rule in North Africa.

Neither the Slavs nor the Circassians have a formed concept of nationality. Throughout their lives, religious identity is much stronger than ethnic identity, and many people do not even know what their nationality is.

The Roman nation is the only fully developed nation in the Mediterranean world today. Its concept of national identity is very simple, and it does not consider race, bloodline, or origin.

Simply put, if you believe in Orthodox Christianity and speak Greek, then you are a real Roman.

It is for this reason that whether they were Copts, Armenians, Georgians, Spaniards or Arabs, they were accepted into the Roman Empire while accepting Roman national identity, enjoying the same treatment as other Romans and could serve as priests, officials and even basileus.

Emperor Marcus Aurelius was from Spain, Emperor Philip was from Arabia, Emperor Severus was from North Africa, and even the Palaiologos family to which Isaac belonged originated from Cilician Armenia.

That is why a true Constantinople native would consider a Greek-speaking Turk who converted to Orthodoxy as his own countryman, but would speak ill of a Greek convert to Sunni Islam, whether his name was Komnenos or Cantacuzenus.

It is for this reason that the Slavs and Circassians who came to settle in North Africa could quickly integrate into the big family of the Roman nation, and after only one generation, they would completely forget their origins.

What? You don't know who you are?

That's easy. From now on you are a Roman.

This method of population replacement certainly has its drawbacks, which is that you will earn less money in a short period of time.

However, after acquiring West Africa, an important source of raw materials and a dumping ground, Isaac had sufficient funds for the time being.

Against this background, the slave industry in Birinci, which served as a transit hub, flourished rapidly. A large number of Orthodox slaves came from the Black Sea, went south or west through Birinci, and went to Cyrenaica and Africa to reclaim wasteland. A large number of Berber slaves came from the Atlas Mountains and were sold to various parts of the Mediterranean.

Up to now, the city of Birinci has become the largest slave trading port in the entire Mediterranean world. Its products are sold all over the world, and it has trade relations with the Mamluks, Ottomans, Karaman, the Free City of La Spezia and even the Hanseatic League.

The flourishing slave trade would of course bring about security problems. Isaac specially placed the Fourth Legion of the Guards and a Slaves 1,000-man team here to crack down on tax evasion and deter scoundrels.

As long as Isaac's foreign wars and foreign plundering continued, the slave trade in Port Billinge would continue to flourish, and when the expansion stopped, it would decline.

After many twists and turns, the Eastern Roman Empire finally followed the path of its ancestors.

In the meeting room of the Black Castle, Isaac put down the financial statements of the city of Bilinchi in recent years and picked up the letter at hand, which was printed with the family emblem of a white sheep on a green background.

Seeing Isaac begin to read the letter, the envoys below finally breathed a sigh of relief, ended their anxious wait, and stepped forward.

"Your Majesty, my name is Yannis Kalergis, from the Kalergis family of Crete, the current Count of Kalergis, Nicopolis—"

"I don't remember the late emperor ever making the Kalergis family counts."

Isaac read the letter and spoke slowly.

"I am the cousin of the current Archon of Kalergis."

Giannis wiped his sweat and immediately changed his words.

"I remember that the male members of the Kalergis family were extinct during the last Saint Titus uprising. You should be the only descendants through the maternal line."

"Yes."

Giannis could only answer truthfully.

"My cousin Nicopoli and I are both the nephews and grand-nephews of the former Count of Carleighgis."

Seeing that Isaac was silent, he continued.

"Currently, the rebel forces on Crete are making rapid progress. Four large rebel armies have annihilated more than 10,000 enemies, successfully moved into the mountainous area, and joined forces at Mount Ij."

"The Venetian garrison on the island is not worth mentioning, as long as you——"

"Really?"

Isaac put down the letter for help and looked at Giannis with a playful expression.

"That's great. My army hasn't finished preparing yet. It would be great if you can drive away the Venetians by yourselves."

Giannis thought to himself that this was not good, but he had to continue talking.

"Your Majesty, the Venetians' defense facilities on the island are very complete. We cannot possibly drive them away on our own. We must rely on your reinforcements!"

"In that case, do you recognize that Crete is part of the Roman Empire and that my father and I have absolute sovereignty over the island?"

“That is admitted, of course.”

Giannis vaguely knew why the emperor was angry and was sweating profusely.

"In that case, why did your cousin refer to the Principality of Saint Titus and the Republic of Saint Titus in the letter he sent me, but never mentioned the Senate and the Roman People?"

"Do you still think that the Eastern Empire is as weak as it was a hundred years ago and wants to establish its own country?"

Isaac stood up and slapped the letter for help in front of Giannis.

"This……"

"I can tell you very clearly that whether you revolt or not, whether you accept it or not, Crete has been part of the Roman Empire since ancient times, and the local people are all Roman people, not citizens of the Republic of Saint Titus."

"As for the Venetians, they are of course my enemies, and retaking Crete is certainly part of my plan, but I will only protect my own people."

Isaac said calmly.

"Go back and think carefully. Are you going to ask for help in the name of the Roman people, or are you going to fight against the royal army in the name of the Republic of Saint Titus?"

Seeing Isaac preparing to drive people away, Giannis finally couldn't stand it anymore.

"Your Majesty! Your Majesty! This was all done by my brother alone. He was instigated by some Italians and insisted on writing such a letter to conduct a so-called test, but the rest of us are your loyal people!"

Giannis fell to his knees with a thud, tears streaming down his face as he begged desperately.

"The first batch of Venetian mercenaries has arrived in Heraklion. They are all Bohemian heavy armored soldiers. It is said that many French and Ottomans have been hired by the Venetian government. We are no match for them!"

"If you don't take action, the rebels will face death!"

"Oh?"

Isaac turned around and looked at Giannis with a smile.

"So, unlike your cousin, you are loyal to the Roman Empire?" "Absolutely!"

"In that case,"

Isaac drew his sword.

"Yannis Kalergis, listen to the seal!"

Giannis was stunned, but the sword was already on his shoulder.

"Your Majesty, I..."

"Are you willing to pledge allegiance to me, Isaac III of the House of Palaiologos, to protect my crown and support my heirs?"

"I...I do."

"Are you willing to treat people well, be fair in your heart, help the weak, and defend justice?"

"I am willing."

"Are you willing to learn martial arts, train soldiers, and conquer the barbarians with my sword?"

"I am willing!"

Giannis vaguely understood something. The expression on his face changed from initial confusion to excitement, and his voice became louder and louder.

"In the name of the Senate and the Roman people, I appoint you as the Baron of Calergis and give you the Calergis family castle."

Isaac placed the sword in Giannis's slightly shaking hands and held out his right hand for him to kiss the family ring.

"Well, Baron Calergis, please go back to your apartment and wait. I will not sit idly by and watch my people being bullied by the Venetians. My army is everywhere, and my fleet is all over the sea."

"From today on, you are the legal baron of the Roman Empire. Don't forget the oath you made today."

"Yes."

Giannis walked out of the meeting room in a daze, holding the sword. Things happened too quickly and he hadn't recovered for a while.

"Tell me what you think about the Saint Titus War."

After seeing Giannis off, Isaac sat back on the throne, his expression back to normal.

"Your Majesty, the uprising in Crete really caught us off guard. Their unauthorized actions have directly put us at the forefront of the storm."

Army Minister Mikhail said with a wry smile.

"Crete is a self-sufficient independent unit and the most important overseas territory of Venice. All other territories put together are not as important as it."

"The Venetian Council has been running Crete as its own country, moving one-tenth of the population here."

"Venice has been operating on the island for hundreds of years. The defense measures of major cities are extremely complete, with dense bunkers and fortresses. The Italian diehards mainly live in major cities and are very difficult to deal with."

"Moreover, because we have abandoned them so many times, the Orthodox residents on Crete are not very loyal to the Empire. During the Saint Titus Uprising a hundred years ago, the rebels were mainly thinking about overthrowing the Venetian government and establishing an independent republic, rather than returning to the embrace of the Eastern Empire."

"Therefore, even if we land on the island and gain a foothold, it is impossible to wipe out the Venetian forces on the island in a short period of time. Instead, our expansion will be slowed down."

Isaac said nothing, but twirled his beard.

Crete is indeed a hard nut to crack. The Venetians regard it as their treasure and there is no way they will withdraw voluntarily.

For the Venetians, the value of Crete lies not only in the fertile land and rich mineral resources on the island, but also in the fact that it is an important hub for controlling the trade routes of the Eastern Mediterranean and the most critical link in the Venetian Republic's commercial hegemony in the Eastern Mediterranean.

If it were easy to fight, Isaac would have taken action in the last Moria War and would not have dragged on until now.

In the original time and space, after the Ottoman Empire entered its heyday, both its army and navy were much stronger than those of the Venetians. They first used the navy to blockade the island of Crete, and then sent out an army of one hundred thousand, gradually removing various fortresses with the support of heavy weapons.

Despite this, the city of Candia managed to hold out for twenty-one years under the siege of the Ottoman army.

"Humph, I really cannot agree with what Marquis Mikhail said."

The Minister of the Navy, Admiral Fidel, Commander of the Eastern Mediterranean Fleet, stepped out and bowed.

"First, Crete has been a territory of the Roman Empire since ancient times. Although the people on the island are extremely disappointed with the previous emperors of the Eastern Empire, they will never join the Venetians for this reason."

"but--"

"Mikhail, I am a Cretan. If you continue to question the loyalty of the Cretan people, I will see you in the duel arena!"

Fidel said angrily.

"Okay! I want to see what kind of talents your Majesty has cultivated with all the military funds he gives you every year!"

Mikhail also shouted angrily, his right hand already on his waist.

"That's enough! If you keep making noise, get out of here!"

"Two important officials of the empire are going to fight for a trivial matter. Aren't they afraid of being laughed at if they tell others about it?"

Isaac roared, and all the officials lowered their heads, not daring to act rashly.

"Fidel, keep talking."

"Second, we actually have a considerable advantage when attacking Crete. The rebels on the island can provide assistance, the vast countryside can provide us with supplies, and the people in the city are not on the same side as the Venetians."

"Besides, Bilinchi is the closest large port to Crete, so we have a natural advantage in deploying troops."

"Third, you have already spoken in Constantinople that you will support the rebels in Crete and will never compromise with the Venetians."

"If you sit back and watch the rebels being crushed by the Venetians, the prestige of the empire will suffer a serious blow."

Fidel looked at Isaac and continued.

"I know that the uprising in Crete has disrupted your plans, but this is the best and last chance for us to retake the island."

"If we abandon them again this time, the Cretans' last hope for an empire will vanish into thin air."

"So, we must attack Crete, and as soon as possible!"

Fidel glared at Mikhail and ended his speech.

Yes, compared with the Ottomans in the original time and space, Isaac has two important advantages, namely geographical location and human harmony.

The Ottomans had to transfer troops from distant ports to attack Crete, and they would encounter joint resistance from the Venetians and the Cretans on the island, so progress was slow.

And as Fidel said, for the sake of prestige and reputation, Isaac had to give an explanation to the Senate and the Roman people even if he had to bite the bullet.

"Fidel!"

"I will follow your orders!"

"You lead the Eastern Mediterranean Fleet to patrol the southern coast of Crete. Do not engage in direct conflict with the Venetian Fleet for the time being!"

"You need to get in touch with the local rebels, try to pull them to our side, and support the forces loyal to the Empire."

"I don't want anyone to bring up the old story of the Republic of Saint Titus like Nicopoli Kalelgis did after landing on the island."

"Yes!"

Admiral Fidel took the order and left.

"Mikhail!"

"exist."

"Gather the troops and prepare for a tough fight."

Isaac said goodbye to his ministers and returned to his study alone, writing and drawing on the map.

The Battle of Crete will surely be a protracted war, and both Venice and the Eastern Roman Empire will place heavy bets here, competing in national strength and luck.

It is definitely not possible to rely solely on the army to push forward. The strength of our own army is already lacking, and the land that needs to be defended is very vast. Once the war is protracted, foreign hostile forces will take advantage of it to invade our borders.

Isaac repeatedly deduced on the blueprint, and a bold plan gradually took shape. He hurriedly wrote down a few names on the paper.

The bell was rung and the servants arrived quickly.

"Go and call these people over!"

(End of this chapter)