1444, Byzantium Resurrects

Chapter 204 The Last Albanians
On May 1463, 5, Count Maruna, commander of the Albanian army of the Eastern Roman Empire, assembled an army of 1 in the city of Duratium and marched towards Kruje Castle in the northeast.

The army progressed smoothly, clearing out the strongholds, outposts and villages in Venice and Albania along the way. In a few days, they arrived at the ancestral home of the Castrioti family - the foot of Kruye Castle.

Kruye Castle is a fortified city, built on a steep and rugged mountain. Several villages surround the castle on the gentler slopes, and the residents make a living by growing wheat and raising cattle and sheep.

More than a decade ago, the former Sultan Murad II of the Ottoman Empire personally led an army of 100,000 to attack Kruje Castle. After three months of siege, they suffered heavy casualties and returned in defeat.

Later, the Ottoman Sultan Mehmed II launched several retaliatory attacks on Skanderbeg, but each time he was locked up in the Kruye Castle and could only look at the red flag with a black eagle on the top of the city and sigh in despair.

Skanderbeg was a famous general of his time. His enemies might say he was pedantic or stubborn, but no one would ever think he was incompetent.

However, Skanderbeg's base was too small. Albania had a sparse population, a small area of ​​arable land, all the high-quality ports were occupied by Venetian colonists, foreign trade was severely restricted, technology was very backward, and economic development was very slow.

In the continuous wars, the Ottoman army's light cavalry looted the entire Albania again and again, making the already sparse population even more depleted.

Skanderbeg had too few troops. He could repel the Ottoman army again and again in Kruje Castle and prevent Albania from falling directly, but he was simply unable to stop the Ottoman light cavalry that penetrated deep into the country. He could only watch as village after village was destroyed and group after group of Albanian people were reduced to slaves.

Before Skanderbeg's uprising, the whole of Albania had a population of nearly 150,000. After the Ottomans withdrew from the Balkans, there were less than 100,000 people left in Albania, and several large cities with larger populations on the plains were all controlled by Venice and Eastern Rome.

In the first Battle of Kruye, Skanderbeg was able to mobilize an army of 8,000, and in the second Battle of Kruye he still had 6,000. In the subsequent wars, he could not even gather 5,000 troops.

When the Ottomans withdrew from the Balkans, Skanderbeg was eager to get a piece of the action and ordered his troops to be assembled at Kruje Castle.

However, he eventually discovered sadly that this time, there were less than four thousand Albanian soldiers willing to follow him.

In the following years, Skanderbeg began to restore the country's strength in a targeted manner, develop water conservancy projects, encourage childbirth, and reclaim wasteland. He achieved success to a certain extent, but due to the harsh objective conditions, the results achieved were extremely limited.

Until now, the actual population controlled by the Albanian Alliance is only 70,000, and a small half is controlled by rebellious princes and nobles.

Albania's terrain is high in the east and low in the west. The east is connected to the Balkan inland through mountain trails, and the west is a flat coastal plain, which is also a major grain production base and population gathering area.

Skanderbeg knew very well that as long as the good ports in the west were still controlled by foreign powers, Albania would never be able to embark on the road of prosperity and wealth, and could only hide in the mountains and survive.

In the early years, Venice was very powerful, so Skanderbeg contacted the Eastern Roman Military District to fight against the aggressive Latin merchants and recaptured some less important villages and ports.

In recent years, the Eastern Roman Empire has emerged as a dark horse, forcing the Republic of Venice into a desperate situation on various battlefields, and the three-way balance of power in Albania has quietly changed.

So, Skanderbeg began to secretly contact the Republic of Venice and agreed to jointly deal with the attack of the Eastern Empire.

At the foot of Kruye Castle, Maruna looked at the sturdy castle built against the mountain, with a solemn look in his eyes.

"What a strong city! No wonder Murad II and Mehmed II were defeated here many times."

Maruna exclaimed.

"Having said that, due to strategic needs, the west side of Kruye Castle is the strongest, while the east side is relatively weak. The east slope is also relatively flat, which is conducive to the deployment of Sparta's heavy artillery."

The captain of the Spartan heavy artillery company, artillery engineer Urban, rested his chin on one hand and assessed the walls of Kruje.

“Urban, the Castrioti family’s private army has begun to appear in the rear. I’m afraid they want to hold us back here.”

"The Castrioti no longer have many elite soldiers, and their militia will not be as resolute against us as they were against the Ottomans. These are our advantages."

Maruna looked at Urban.

"Within a week, I want to see a breach in Kruye Castle. Can you do it?"

Urban rode his horse and looked around for a moment.

"No problem. Kruje Castle is not as strong as it used to be. I can still see the traces left on the wall. Castrioti must have no money to repair all the gaps made by the Ottomans, so he just patched them up roughly."

"If we fail to break through the eastern wall of Kruje within a week, I will have to quit my job as the captain of the Spartan heavy artillery company."

"Okay! I'll celebrate for you after we capture Cruye!"

After nearly a whole day of busy work, on the gentle slope on the east side of Kruye, three Spartan heavy cannons and dozens of matching artillery of various types were deployed, with the steep black muzzles facing the city wall.

The battle-hardened gunners skillfully oiled, wiped, loaded, lit torches, and waited for the commander's orders.

"fire!"

Urban roared.

Boom boom boom——

The cannons roared in unison, and huge shells slid out of the barrels, drawing a perfect parabola in the air, and slammed heavily into the city wall under the horrified eyes of the sparse soldiers on the wall, splashing up a cloud of rubble.

Amidst the deafening roar, the siege of Cruye began.

……

In a secluded valley northwest of Kruje Castle, Skanderbeg's last Albanian warriors set up camp, picked up their weapons, and walked to the open ground to line up and accept the commander's inspection, just like they did twenty years ago.

Skanderbeg was dressed in military uniform with a sword at his waist. His slightly hunched body was trying to hold up the heavy armor. His slightly blurred eyes were still looking at his comrades and brothers who had been with him for many years with deep affection.

Twenty years ago, Skanderbeg, then captain of the Janissary squad, secretly returned to Albania. He gained the trust of the defenders by virtue of his understanding of the Ottoman army. Relying on the prestige of the Castrioti family, he initially organized a personal guard. He gradually expelled the Ottoman army from the country and brought the divided Albania back on track.

During these twenty years, the Guards followed Skanderbeg in his campaigns, resisted the Ottoman army's attacks, swept the Serbian territory, and also followed him wearing sheep-horned hats and charging towards Murad II's camp with absolutely inferior forces.

In the past twenty years, countless people have been beheaded, countless people have been seriously ill, and countless people are dying. Their hair has turned gray, their eyes have become clouded, their bodies have become weak, and their hearts are exhausted.

However, at the commander's call, the last guards put on their armor, picked up their swords, led the old horses out of the stable, and stood without hesitation under the flag of the black eagle on a red background.

Skanderbeg walked through the crowd, and whenever he came to an old guard, the latter would draw his sword, straighten his chest, and loudly swear allegiance to his commander.

Skanderbeg looked into their sincere and enthusiastic eyes, feeling more and more guilty. He pursed his lips tightly and looked deeply at each of his guards, as if he wanted to remember their figures firmly in his heart.

"Brothers, I am George Castrioti, Grand Duke of Kruje and Commander-in-Chief of Albania."

Skanderbeg returned to the front and spoke in a friendly voice to the old guards.

"Last year, Emperor Isaac of the Eastern Empire tried to attack Duratium and asked me to get out of the way and lend them the coastal corridor."

"A long time ago, I lent the city of Auron to Isaac III in order to resist the invasion of the Venetians. This loan lasted for more than ten years, and the other party never had the intention of returning it."

“This is the biggest mistake I’ve ever made in my life.”

Skanderbeg raised his voice.

"I won't do it again this time."

"Isaac's heart is known to everyone. To treat him with respect is like trying to put out a fire with fuel. If the fuel is not used up, the fire will not go out."

"We are a weak nation, so weak that the powerful nations around us want to step on us."

"It is also because we are weak that we cannot directly fight all powerful enemies. We must use their strength to fight them and maintain the balance of power."

“Only when two tigers fight each other will Albania have a chance to survive!”

"If Emperor Isaac really drives the Venetians away, we will surely be his next target."

Skanderbeg raised his right fist.

"In order to stop Isaac III's ambition, I was criticized by many people, misunderstood by the people, and betrayed by the nobles."

"Before I called you together, I was worried that you might have heard some rumors and regarded me as a heretic and a bastard."

Skanderbeg's eyes were slightly red.

"But you're here, which proves that my vision is still sharp and I didn't make a mistake in choosing you!"

"Now there is an opportunity. As long as we operate properly, we can drive the Greeks back to the city of Ohlone and return to the political situation before the war."

"The Venetians are already at the end of their strength. It is difficult for them to pose any threat to us. In order to fight against Emperor Isaac together, they will definitely compromise and give in to us."

"Everyone, for the sake of Albania, please believe me again!"

Skanderbeg wept and bowed slightly. The camp was very quiet, with only the sound of the wind and the chirping of summer insects.

"Commander, you don't have to do this."

An old guard who was about forty or fifty years old grinned.

"You are our commander. We are willing to follow you wherever you go!"

"Whether it's an expedition to hell or a step into heaven!"

Cheers and shouts echoed throughout the military camp, shattering the clouds in the sky.

"I don't want to lead you to death, I want to lead you to pursue glory!"

Skanderbeg climbed onto his horse, put on his old sheep-horned hat, lit candles on both ends of the brim, and looked like a ghost.

"There is a Greek supply station not far away. This is the target of our attack this time!"

"Follow me and fight your way out!"

The guards put on the same hats, mounted their horses, shouted the same slogans, jumped out of the valley, and galloped towards the distant supply station.

……

South of Shkodra City, the naval port of San Gennady.

After the fall of Duratium, it became the base camp of the Venetian fleet in Albania, and all weapons, equipment, food supplies and mercenary supplies were transported ashore from here.

The naval port is particularly lively today. There are numerous Venetian warships docked in the port, and an army of more than 10,000 people is lined up on the plain outside the port.

In the naval port, Venetian mercenary marshal Colleoni stood on the balcony of the city lord's palace in high spirits, looking at the fleet on the sea and the military flags flying outside the city.

"Claire, are you ready?"

Colleoni looked at the adjutant beside him.

"All is well, my Lord Marshal."

A look of excitement also flashed across Claire's face.

"Now we are just waiting for the message from the Castrioti family!"

Colleoni nodded. The scorching sun shining on his face made him feel anxious and irritable.

Pulling up the wine bottle beside him, Colleoni bit off the cork and gulped down the wine. The amber wine oozed from his thick lips, making his shaggy beard wet.

Colleoni breathed a sigh of relief, stroked his beard carelessly, and laughed.

Colleoni had prepared for today's counterattack for a long time. He not only induced Skanderbeg to use the family castle as bait, but also took great pains to persuade the members of the Grand Council to send a fleet to assist his offensive.

Since the outbreak of the Albanian War, due to a slight disadvantage in military strength, Colleoni has been avoiding direct battles, hoping to reduce the combat effectiveness of Maruna's army through strategies and achieve a surprise victory.

If the plan succeeds, Maruna's army will be trapped in the Albanian mountains and will be in a dilemma. They can either retake the city of Duratium, which is defended by more than 10,000 troops, or abandon their heavy weapons and withdraw to the south from the mountains.

Of course, before withdrawing his troops, Maruna would most likely plunder the Castrioti family's direct territory to vent his anger, but Colleoni would not care about that.

Money, power, fame, prestige, these are what Colleoni has always been pursuing.

"If I succeed this time, my influence in the country will be able to expand again, and it won't be a problem to take over the management of several small cities."

Colleoni couldn't help talking to himself as he thought about the exciting things.

"If you succeed, you will be the first general to defeat the Greek emperor in a major battle, and the entire republic will be proud of you."

Adjutant Claire also took the opportunity to flatter the emperor.

"But, Marshal, I still have to remind you that in the eyes of the masters of the Grand Council, we are just mercenary leaders after all. In their eyes, our only value is fighting."

"So, soldiers are the foundation of your life. We can't waste all of them fighting the Greeks."

Claire kindly reminded.

"Of course I understand that. I won't follow in Carmagnola's footsteps."

Colleoni nodded.

"However, if we can win, we must try our best. The prestige we gain will also make it easier for us to recruit soldiers."

"As for the war of attrition, isn't Castrioti very enthusiastic? Let him show his abilities more."

"The Marshal is absolutely right."

The two of them burst into laughter.

Footsteps were heard, and the wooden door was pushed open. A messenger came up to the two of them, knelt on one knee, and handed the letter to Colleoni.

"Did Castrioti deliver the message?"

Colleoni opened the letter impatiently and glanced through it quickly.

His eyes widened, cold sweat appeared on his forehead, and the hand holding the letter trembled more and more.

"Marshal, what happened?"

The adjutant's heart skipped a beat.

"Ragusa has rebelled."

"Marshal, this is not a difficult task. They don't have many troops. It is impossible for them to defeat our garrison in the Montenegro area, and it is difficult for them to threaten our military operations."

"At worst, let them hop around for a few days. After you've dealt with the Greeks, they'll naturally come with gifts to ask for your forgiveness."

Colleoni twisted his neck mechanically, his eyes empty.

"Gray Cardinal Alexander arrived in Montenegro at some point, and with him were the backbone of the Peasant Crusade from a few years ago."

"Their ability to mobilize was so terrifying that within a month they assembled a team of several thousand people, entered Cetinje without a fight, and peacefully transformed Podgorica, with a total number of 8,000 people."

Adjutant Claire's face suddenly turned pale, as if he had fallen into an icy cave.

"Marshal, there is only a lake between Cetinje and Shkodra. If our army moves south, Alexander will definitely take the opportunity to attack Shkodra and cut off our retreat!"

Claire said eagerly.

"Although they don't have heavy weapons, Shkoder also believes in the Greek Church. The residents can easily be instigated by the priests!"

Colleoni waved his arm to stop Claire from continuing.

"Don't worry, let me think about it..."

"marshal!"

The warlord pushed open the wooden door and rushed in hurriedly.

"The envoy of the Castrioti family has arrived. Should we send troops?"

Behind the governor, the envoy of the Castrioti family looked at the marshal and bowed deeply.

"Marshal Colleoni, the Maruna army has begun to attack Cruye Castle, and our rangers have also begun to harass the Greek supply lines, trying to drag them into the mountains."

"Our commander asked me to pass on a message saying that the time has come. Please abide by the agreement and send troops as soon as possible!"

(End of this chapter)