1444, Byzantium Resurrects

Chapter 205: Fall of the Black Hawk
In the dim hall, Colleoni frowned, and his sharp eyes swept back and forth between the two envoys, the resentment in his eyes almost becoming tangible.

Several of Colleoni's staff and adjutants stood by trembling with fear, with their brows lowered and not saying a word.

"Dimarco Gattiglusio, lifelong governor of the Free City of La Spezia, and a strong contender for the next Gattiglusio patriarch."

"Peter Espinosa, a well-known slave trader in the Mediterranean world, a close friend and behind-the-scenes supporter of Grey Cardinal Alexander."

Colleoni read the name on the visiting card word by word, gritting his teeth and squeezing out one word after another.

"In just a few months, Ragusa and Montenegro rebelled one after another, and you are all the masterminds behind it."

"It's really awesome!"

DiMarco took a sip of his wine, smiled, and said nothing.

"I'm just a businessman. I don't have that kind of power."

Peter chuckled and waved his hands.

"Then can you tell me why Alexander's Peasant Crusaders suddenly have so many more weapons? Strong bows and crossbows, swords, spears, halberds, armor and leather, new-style muskets, and even two long-barreled cannons!"

"That doesn't mean anything. Maybe they made it themselves?"

Peter said innocently.

"asshole!"

Colleoni was so angry that he started cursing.

"The armor and swords are both finely crafted and of the same model. They are obviously made by the same large factory. You tell me they made them themselves?"

The old marshal threw a scimitar in front of Peter with a clang.

"Look carefully, there's a double-headed eagle emblem engraved on it!"

Peter didn't pick it up, but looked at Colleoni, who was angry, with a smile on his face.

Colleoni continued to curse, from the Venetian senators to the Eastern Roman emperor, from Alexander to Skanderbeg. He cursed for a long time before he stopped, his chest heaving.

In the summer of 1463, the situation in the Balkans changed suddenly. The Republic of Ragusa officially expelled Venetian diplomats, pledged allegiance to the Eastern Roman Empire, and was reorganized into the Free City of Ragusa.

At the same time, a religious rebellion broke out in the Montenegro region occupied by Venice. Grey Cardinal Alexander, who had been preaching in Bosnia, hid near Cetinje with the backbone of the Peasant Crusaders. He exerted his religious appeal and pulled out a large army in a very short time.

Alexander's Peasant Crusaders first wiped out the small Venetian garrison near Ragusa, and then received weapons and equipment sent by Peter in the city of Ragusa, giving the entire army a new look.

In less than a month, almost all of Montenegro fell. Grey Cardinal Alexander led his troops eastward, stationed on the west bank of Lake Skadar, and threatened the city of Skadar.

On May 1463, 5, Isaac, who was far away in the palace of Carthage, was overjoyed when he heard the news. He wrote a letter to Isidore, Patriarch of Constantinople, consecrating Alexander as Archbishop of Cetinje and in charge of the Cetinje Diocese.

At this point, the forces of the Eastern Roman Empire besieged Colleoni's 10,000-strong army in the Scutari area from the north and south, leaving only a few ports connected to the ocean.

"Marshal Colleoni, since you chose to meet with us, it must not be just to vent your anger."

DiMarco shook his wine glass, his narrow eyes slightly narrowed.

"Oh? How do you know I'm not trying to imprison you and then march south with my army to join Castrioti?"

Colleoni said gruffly.

DiMarco raised his chin and pointed to the several staff members present.

"They are all your own confidants. There is not a single official sent by the Venetian Council to monitor you."

"Obviously, you have anticipated the fall of Albania and do not want to waste your mercenaries in this meaningless battle."

"Humph!"

Colleoni pounded his fist on the table.

"If I really disobeyed the order of the Grand Council as you said, who will pay me?"

"If you really follow the order of the Grand Council and defend Albania to the death, who will protect your life and property when your troops are exhausted?"

DiMarco shook his head regretfully.

"Hundreds of thousands of ducats in cash, manors and properties worth hundreds of thousands of ducats, a dozen mistresses and illegitimate children. If you fall, these things will fall into the hands of others."

Colleoni looked grim.

"If the Marshal has soldiers, the Great Council will naturally treat you like a treasure, regardless of whether you completely obey their orders or not."

"If there were no soldiers, your previous behavior of embezzling public property, being extravagant and disobedient would be enough to put you at the stake in St. Mark's Square."

Colleoni thought about it and shook his head vigorously.

"I am a Venetian. I have worked for the Republic all my life. I have sacrificed little but not much. They will not be so indifferent."

DiMarco laughed.

"The Venice Council has always treated you as disposable tools. If you don't believe me, just look at your predecessors."

"In terms of military achievements and prestige, Carmagnola is much better than you. But just because he had a brief contact with the Duke of Milan, the suspicious governor tricked him into being killed for treason."

"And that Galamegata, he is very loyal, he has worked diligently for the Republic all his life, he has never thought of rebelling, and he is willing to be a tool of the rich and powerful."

"What was his fate? His fame was blown to the sky, but he got nothing in terms of material benefits."

"Which of these two roads do you want to take?"

After Dimarco finished speaking, he looked at Colleoni who was lost in thought with a smile.

"You want me to surrender?"

"No, we never thought of it that way."

"Your entire fortune is in Venice. All your assets add up to millions of ducats, which our Majesty cannot afford."

"You know what I mean!"

Colleoni snorted.

"What we mean is that you take all your mercenaries and withdraw from Albania, and never interfere in our war again."

"You can go by sea, our navy cannot reach the Adriatic Sea for the time being, or you can go by land, our people will not stop you."

Colleoni raised his head and looked at Dimarco deeply.

"If Corfu, Duratium, and Ragusa all fall into your hands, the Republic's fleet will be completely blocked in the northern Adriatic Sea, and whether it can reach the Mediterranean Sea will depend on your wishes."

"Why would you, a big landowner who relies on the output of the land, care about the businessmen's affairs?"

DiMarco shrugged.

"If they weaken, you will be stronger. Sforza's success is just around the corner. Marshal, don't you want to give it a try?"

DiMarco looked at Colleoni slyly.

As soon as these words were spoken, the atmosphere suddenly became tense. The two envoys and many staff members remained silent, waiting for Colleoni to speak.

"Abandoning the battlefield without a good reason would greatly damage my prestige."

DiMarco breathed a sigh of relief and exchanged glances with Peter.

"Uh... I remember that before I came here, the Black Army of the Kingdom of Hungary seemed to be moving towards the Dalmatia region. Marshal, you can't let it go!"

"That's right! As the Venetian Mercenary Marshal, how can I allow the Magyar barbarians to act so presumptuously?"

Colleoni stood up righteously.

"Pass my order, the entire army will move to Dalmatia to prevent the Hungarian attack!"

……

On the gentle hillside, two cavalry units were tearing and charging at each other, spears piercing bodies, swords chopping off heads, and from time to time, war horses neighed loudly and fell to the ground, and from time to time, soldiers fell off their horses and fell to the ground, without a sound.

A smaller and poorly equipped cavalry force, dressed in light black armor and flying a flag with a black eagle on a red background, they were clearly the last elite guards of the Castrioti family.

The other cavalry was larger in number. Although their equipment was varied, most of them were very sophisticated. They were wearing blood-red robes with iron armor underneath, and they carried a flag with a blood-stained eagle. They were the famous Slaves Legion.

The Bloody Cavalry's fighting style is very special. They are not like traditional European knights at all. They are more like Saracen cavalry and prefer maces and sabers to swords and spears.

The Blood-Cloaked Cavalry, who had the double advantage of quantity and quality, fought very easily. They fought in groups of three or five, like a pack of wolves, dividing and surrounding the Castrioti cavalry and annihilating them one by one.

The nomadic people who grew up on horseback were much better than the farming cavalry in both horsemanship and mounted warfare. They could use all kinds of skilled horseback moves at will, and from time to time they would take out bags of lime and broken iron horns from their pockets and throw them at the faces of the oncoming enemy cavalry.

puff-

Afif slashed the enemy's chest with his sword, knocking him off his horse, and then he slightly pulled the reins to slow down. Looking around, there were only a few Castrioti cavalry still charging, but their fighting will was very tenacious, and they would never surrender even if they lost more than half of their men.

The battle continued, and when the sun rose overhead, the brutal massacre finally ended. More than 200 Castrioti cavalry were wiped out, with no one surviving.

In their desperate fight, Afif's Slaves thousand-man team also lost more than a hundred cavalrymen.

"Tell the civilians to clean up the battlefield quickly, we have other tasks to do!"

Afif shouted loudly, gathering the remaining Slaves cavalry and rushing towards the distant valley.

After the siege of Kruje, Skanderbeg's army launched a frantic harassment of the army's supply lines, regardless of cost or loss.

In their minds, as long as they could hold Maruna's siege army back in the mountains, Colleoni would surely lead his army to support them, cut off Maruna's retreat, and lock them in the mountains.

However, the change of flag in Ragusa and the outbreak of the Peasant Crusade completely thwarted Skanderbeg's plan, and the retreat of Colleoni extinguished his last bit of fantasy.

After catching his breath, Maruna quickly launched a counterattack, encircling Skanderbeg's army with an absolutely superior force, and fighting for settlements and supply stations one by one.

Skanderbeg's military talent was outstanding. Not only did he escape from the encirclement of the army several times, but he also won several small-scale battles with a smaller force, achieving a very excellent casualty ratio.

However, Skanderbeg's troops were too small. After a month of consumption, only less than two thousand people were still with him, and there were some small groups of cavalry scattered in the countryside.

The sharp decrease in the number of troops caused many of Skanderbeg's soldiers to lose their morale. Many militiamen could not bear the cruelty of the war and fled, abandoning their commander. Many others left the camp under the pretext of patrolling and then went straight to the enemy camp to lay down their arms and surrender.

On June 1463, 6, due to the betrayal of a mid-level commander, Skanderbeg's tactical deployment was leaked. This time, the more than a thousand remnants led by him failed to escape the encirclement of Maruna's army and were squeezed into a narrow valley.

The valley is like a gourd, surrounded by cliffs. The exit to the south is very narrow. The valley is rich in water and grass, and many herdsmen like to come here to graze.

If it weren't so small, this valley would definitely be able to form a village.

Afif led his Slaves thousand-man team to wipe out the scattered cavalry on the road and rushed to the military camp outside the valley without stopping.

"Afif, you're here?"

At the entrance of the valley, Maruna, dressed in military uniform, smiled and patted the young man on the shoulder.

"Count, my troops have just wiped out more than 200 Albanian rebels, with the loss of more than 100 men."

Afif reports.

"Not a bad victory. I'll take credit for it."

"We are your Majesty's most loyal servants. There is no need to ask for credit."

Maruna smiled and turned his gaze towards the valley.

"We have captured the last of Castrioti's main forces. If we destroy them, Albania will be completely pacified."

"I am willing to take the lead!"

Afif shouted for battle.

"I will select some elite troops to attack together. No need to fight for it."

Maruna shook his head.

"My Lord, our troops are fully prepared and are only waiting for your orders!"

Afif looked back and saw that Captain Di Lin of the Armored Holy Cavalry was fully armed, riding a tall and majestic warhorse. On the packhorse next to him, a five-meter-long lance was flashing a cold light.

"Okay, all troops, march forward!"

……

In the flat valley, Skanderbeg slowly wiped the arrow wound on his shoulder, gritted his teeth to put on his armor, and forced his sore and weak muscles to stand up straight.

The remaining guards and militiamen formed a circle and looked at their commander in silence.

"Commander, the Greeks are about to attack."

Skanderbeg nodded, his eyes full of desolation.

"Those who are willing to leave and don't want to fight anymore can leave now."

"You have fought till the very end. You have done your duty to our ancestors and the people. You owe no one."

Skanderbeg said kindly.

There was a sudden commotion among the militia. A frightened militiaman hesitated for a moment, dropped his weapon, and came to Skanderbeg.

"Commander, I can't die here. My parents, wife and children are waiting for my return."

"I……"

"Go."

The militia bowed deeply to Skanderbeg in shame and hurried towards the valley entrance.

Then, more and more soldiers threw away their weapons, looked at Skanderbeg with shame, and turned away in a hurry.

Everyone knows that in the army of the Eastern Roman Empire, there are two orders that come directly from the emperor and must never be violated.

First, those who surrender will not be killed.

Second, as Orthodox Christians, we should not be reduced to slavery.

In the end, less than three hundred people remained with Skanderbeg.

Skanderbeg looked at these old brothers and sighed bitterly.

"Commander, they are coming."

The bright flags were hoisted high, the heavy horses' hooves stepped on the ground, the fine iron armor rubbed against each other, and the shadows of swords and spears were looming in the forest.

"Surrender, Castrioti!"

The army stood still, and Maruna rode forward.

"His Majesty said that if you are willing to surrender, you can choose to live permanently in either Constantinople or Carthage, and he will ensure that you spend your old age in peace!"

Skanderbeg twitched the corners of his mouth.

"I appreciate his kindness, but I'm used to living in Albania and I'm afraid I can't leave."

"Born here, buried here, the mountains are my cradle and my coffin."

"I just hope that after he takes over this land, he will treat the Albanian people well."

"There are no Albanians anymore, only Romans, and your Majesty will treat them well."

Maruna replied.

Skanderbeg shook his head.

"The last Albanian is standing before you now."

"Do you have to?"

Maruna's expression was also somewhat complicated.

Skanderbeg did not answer. He wiped the black eagle emblem on his chest that was stained with blood and rust. The three hundred remaining soldiers behind him had silently formed a battle formation.

"In that case, I can only grant your wish!"

Maruna waved his hand, and the Ironclad Holy Cavalry Regiment began to charge. Hundreds of heavily armored cavalrymen rushed towards the enemy with unparalleled power.

……

On June 1463, 6, George Castrioti Skanderbeg was defeated and killed in an unknown valley south of Kruje Castle at the age of fifty-eight.

Maruna ordered his men to collect the remains of Skanderbeg and his three hundred guards and buried them together in the valley, which was renamed the Valley of the Fallen Eagle.

Within a week, Skanderbeg's eldest son and nephew surrendered to the Eastern Roman Empire one after another. Under their guidance, the lords who were originally prepared to wait for a price finally faced the reality and pledged allegiance to the Eastern Roman Empire.

From then on, all ports of the Republic of Venice in the southern Adriatic Sea were occupied by the Eastern Roman Empire, and the Venetian fleet was forced to withdraw to the northern Adriatic Sea.

Since then, the Albanian region, which had been separated from the empire for hundreds of years, officially returned, and the Albanian Military District was officially established with its capital in Duratium.

On June 1463, 6, the Eastern Roman Empire army captured Corfu with the help of the navy and placed it under the jurisdiction of the Morea region.

The next day, the Western Mediterranean Fleet sailed north along the Adriatic Sea and stationed in the city of Duratium.

The storm in the Balkan Peninsula soon spread to Italy across the sea, causing a huge stir on the Apennine Peninsula.

(End of this chapter)