1444, Byzantium Resurrects

Chapter 223 Rushing to Varna

The western coast of the Black Sea, Burgas Bay, Burgas city.

In the summer of 1464, the Eastern Roman Empire launched a general offensive against Bulgaria. Tens of thousands of troops stationed in the city of Burgas headed for the battlefield one after another and rushed to the distance.

The military camp was empty, but the city became bustling. Every day, a large number of ships came from the Black Sea, unloading food, weapons and other military supplies, filling the port to the brim.

The headquarters of the Eastern Roman army was set up in the administrator's residence in Burgas. The surrounding blocks had been completely cleared, and guards armed with muskets and sharp blades patrolled day and night, watching closely.

Civilian officers walked around the headquarters, organizing materials and summarizing military intelligence. Several senior generals pointed at the maps and sand tables on the table, assessing the deployment of enemy and our own forces, and studying the military actions that the enemy might take next.

Isaac sat in his seat, quietly watching the busy hall, while his second son Alexios stood beside him holding a sword.

In fact, in the Western world, since the number of participants on both sides is not large, an organized military staff system has never appeared. When two armies are fighting, the commander-in-chief will often only summon senior generals to solicit opinions, and both sides will send envoys to agree on the time and place of the battle. If the scale of the war is too small, even these steps will not be taken.

With the increase in population, the expansion of the scale of war and the decline of chivalry, some early semi-professional military staff began to appear. They often held some court positions in the monarch's court and were responsible for giving advice to the monarch during war.

In order to cope with the ever-changing war situation, monarchs of various countries also began to deliberately cultivate or recruit some military talents. The sultans of the Ottoman Empire attached great importance to military staff. Whenever there was a major war, there would always be many staff from the East and the West surrounding the Sultan, making plans for him, coordinating logistics, and handling various military affairs.

In order to guard against possible interference from Hungary and Wallachia, Isaac made very thorough preparations for the Bulgarian War, but when the time came, he still felt powerless.

With more than 100,000 soldiers and civilians, every advance and retreat was a big deal. Intelligence, reports and battle situations from various armies flew to Isaac's desk like snowflakes. Even some trivial matters had to be reported, which really made him exhausted.

Therefore, Isaac gathered together his original staff and recruited some talents from various military departments to formally establish a marching shogunate. He delegated power to them, gathered intelligence, came up with some preliminary solutions, and then decided on them himself.

Isaac referred to the modern Prussian staff system and divided the marching shogunate into three offices, which were responsible for marching operations, military logistics, and officer promotion and demotion. He appointed Mehmet, the former commander of the Third Army of the Purple Guard, who had outstanding military talents, as the chief of the shogunate, responsible for overall planning.

Of course, today’s military advisers do not have the same special powers as modern staff officers. The backwardness of communication technology also makes it impossible for them to directly manage grassroots troops to a large extent. They can only handle some less important military affairs and plan the entire battlefield at a macro level.

However, Isaac also planned to continue to develop this early staff system. When the generals retired, he would let them hold positions in the shogunate, teach young officers on a regular basis, assess the complex national defense situation, make predictions for possible wars, draw up war plans in advance, and make targeted arrangements.

This can not only make full use of the military talents of senior generals, but also strengthen the central military power to a certain extent. Most importantly, this system can provide a place for elderly and retired senior military officers to make use of their remaining energy, making the transfer of power smoother.

In addition to the early staff system, Isaac also promoted the use of military maps and military sand tables in the Eastern Roman army to concretize and visualize complex battlefields, making it easier for the shogunate to make strategic arrangements.

"At present, the main force of our army is divided into three fronts heading towards the heart of Bulgaria, namely the Northeastern Front, the Southwestern Front and the Western Front."

In front of the huge military sand table, Chief of Staff Mehmet held a baton and pointed at the mountains, rivers and streams on the sand table. Other staff members stood aside and pushed the chess pieces representing each legion towards their target city according to Mehmet's instructions.

"The Southwestern Front is centered in the city of Kardzhali. Its commander is Salmon Paleologio, the commander of the Kardzhali Military District. The army under his command totals 15,000 people. The goal is to march northward and capture the hilly lowlands surrounded by the Rhodope Mountains and the Maritsa River. In the meantime, they will scout the enemy's movements and disrupt Mahmoud's judgment."

"The Western Front is based in Burgas. Its commander is Ibrahim, the commander of the First Army of the Purple Guards. The army under him totals 30,000 people. The first phase of the mission is to capture the plains and lowlands east of the Denza River and west of the Black Sea. The target town is Yambol."

"If all goes well and after taking Yambol, the Western Front will immediately carry out the second phase of its mission and march west of the Denza River into the central lowlands surrounded by the Balkan Mountains and the Rhodope Mountains, and cooperate with the Southwestern Front to encircle Plovdiv, a major city in central Bulgaria."

Plovdiv was once a frontier fortress of the Eastern Roman Empire, but is now the second most populous area in Bulgaria. It is located along the Maritsa River, surrounded by lush grass and water, fertile land and a dense population. It is the most important agricultural area and grain producing area in central and southern Bulgaria.

Mehmet pointed his baton at Plovdiv, a major Bulgarian city on the banks of the Maritsa River, and an aide immediately marked a black dot with charcoal.

"As for the Northeastern Front, it also uses Burgas as its forward base. The commander is Colonel Conti, who has 28,000 troops under his command."

"Although the Northeastern Front is slightly less numerous than the Western Front, it includes the vast majority of the Empire's elite troops, including the vast majority of Spartan heavy artillery, and has the strongest overall strength."

"The main task of the Northeastern Front is to attack northeastward along the Bulgarian coastal lowlands. The logistical supply pressure is the lightest and the progress is the fastest. According to intelligence, Colonel Conti has led his troops to Oriyahovo and is ready to cross the Kamchia River at any time."

"The Kamchia River is not a large river, and the water flow in the lower reaches is gentle, so it is not enough to be a natural barrier to stop us."

"After crossing the Kamchia River with the help of the Imperial Navy, the Northeastern Front will continue to capture the Dobruja region, with the ultimate goal being Bulgaria's Black Sea city."

"Varna."

Mehmet paused for a moment before continuing.

"Varna was originally called Odessos. It is the most prosperous ocean trade port in Bulgaria. It has a relatively flat terrain and a dense population, which is suitable for the development of agriculture and animal husbandry."

Mehmet pointed to the port of Varna on the Black Sea coast on the sand table.

"If we can capture Varna and continue to capture Constanta, Bulgaria will be forced to retreat back to the western mountains, and communication with the Ottoman mainland will become more difficult."

"However, Mahmud is a very powerful commander. He not only has outstanding strategic vision, but also excellent domestic governance capabilities. He knows the importance of Varna City better than anyone else."

Mehmet raised his head, his expression very solemn.

"According to intelligence, the lord of Varna City is Simeon, a mature and steady veteran. He is of Bulgarian and Turkic descent and is the largest landowner in the Varna area."

"It is said that this person has the oldest bloodline of the Bulgarian pseudo-tsar. His grandfather once married a princess from a branch of the Ottoman family. He claims to be the direct descendant of the Bulgarian pseudo-tsar Simeon I."

"After the Ottomans retreated, Simeon, as a representative of the Bulgarian local faction, had the best chance of being elected as the new Bulgarian Tsar. However, he kept on promoting the "Eastern Roman threat theory" and believed that they should unite with Mahmoud to fight the enemy together. Not only did he not start an army, he also married his daughter to Mahmoud as his wife."

"In return, Mahmud also gave the entire Dobruja region to Simeon to govern. As a result, Simeon's territory increased."

"Before, our diplomats tried to win over this person, but he rejected them outright and ran away cursing."

"In the Thracian War two years ago, he was the first to lead his troops to plunder the city of Burgas, resulting in the tragic deaths of thousands of innocent civilians."

Mehmet waved his baton fiercely.

"Under the joint efforts of Mahmoud and Simeon, Varna became the most solid military fortress in all of Bulgaria. According to reports from spies, they even learned from our experience and adopted a bastion-style modification."

Mehmet glanced at Isaac, and seeing that he showed no reaction, he continued speaking.

"In addition, Varna is not far from the Principality of Wallachia. We must also be on guard against the southward invasion of Grand Duke Vlad III of Wallachia at any time."

"No matter from which level you look at it, Vlad III is an absolute madman, but this madman has quite outstanding military talent."

"In order to deal with our rapid expansion, Vlad III signed a mutual defense treaty with Mahmud. He is very likely to take action against us."

"In addition to Vlad III, Grand Duke Stefan III of Moldavia is also no pushover. He is very capable in domestic affairs, diplomacy, and military affairs. Although he did not directly join the mutual defense treaty, his ascension to the throne was strongly supported by Vlad III. It is neither reasonable nor logical for him to sit idly by."

"Don't worry about Stefan III. I will take care of it."

Isaac interrupted Mehmet's speech, and everyone's eyes were focused on his face.

"There is an entire Wallachian Plain between Moldavia and Bulgaria. Stefan III and Mahmoud did not have any personal relationship, and his attitude towards the Ottomans was mainly disgust."

"Stefan III was displaced in his early years, and the Hungarians were reluctant to help him. It was Vlad III who helped him become the Grand Duke. The two had a good relationship, and the two countries also supported each other."

"If we only attack Bulgaria, Stefan III should not take any drastic actions. After all, we cannot threaten him for the time being."

Isaac groaned.

"We will not attack Wallachia for the time being. There is no direct conflict between us and Stefan III. I will send diplomats to calm him down and persuade him with reason and emotion. There is great hope for a peaceful solution."

"However, due to the principle of "the lips and the teeth are cold", he may provide mercenaries to Vlad III. You should also take this worst-case scenario into consideration."

"Yes, Your Majesty."

Mehmet nodded.

"At present, the three major fronts are advancing steadily and have not encountered the main force of the enemy for the time being. Do you have anything to add?"

"No, I am quite satisfied with your work."

Isaac thought for a moment.

"But, in your opinion, how will Mahmoud respond to our massive attack? Where will he place his main force?"

Isaac stood up, walked over to the wooden table, and looked down at the huge sand table.

In order to make this huge sand table, the craftsmen Isaac found spent two months.

The sand table is very delicate, using different types of models to represent rivers, mountains, cities and villages, depicting the terrain features of Bulgaria as a whole in detail.

Bulgaria's overall terrain is high in the west and low in the east, sloping from the plateau to the ocean.

The Rhodope Mountains are located in the southwest of Bulgaria, running from east to west. Several long rivers run through them. The mountains are steep and rugged and are not suitable for human habitation.

The Stara Mountains are located in the center of Bulgaria, also running east-west, almost dividing the entire Bulgaria into two. Several rivers originate here and flow north into the Danube.

The Rhodope Mountains and the Stara Mountains divide Bulgaria into geographical units. The most valuable of these is the Sofia Basin, located in the west of Bulgaria. It is densely populated and has developed commerce. Sofia, Bulgaria's largest city, is located in the basin. To the east of the Sofia Basin is the vast North Thracian Plain, which is located north of the Rhodope Mountains and south of the Stara Mountains. It benefits from the irrigation of the Maritsa River and is also an important agricultural area.

The North Thracian Plain is part of Thrace, and is connected to the East Thracian Plain by a small section of lowlands. The Rhodope Mountains also come to an abrupt end in this lowland. The famous Adrianople is located here, guarding this important pass.

There are also vast plains to the north of the Stara Mountains, which belong to the lower Danube plain. North of the river is the land of Grand Prince Vlad III of Wallachia.

"Your Majesty, I think Mahmud is likely to gather his army in the Sophia Basin and use the surrounding terrain to block our attack."

A young staff member said.

"Oh? Why? Tell me your reasons."

"First of all, the Bulgarian army is inferior to ours in both quantity and quality, and our war potential is far greater than his. If Mahmoud fights us to the death for every city, even if he can cause us heavy casualties, he will definitely be the first to collapse."

"So, if he doesn't want to end up like this, he will definitely make some choices."

The young aide said so.

"The Sophia Basin is surrounded by mountains and is the farthest away from our main army. It has abundant geographical resources and a large population. He can use this basin and the mountains outside the basin to gradually wear down our army, forcing us to give up."

"Secondly, Sofia is also the center of Ottoman rule in Bulgaria. There are a large number of Turks here, while most of the eastern part is still inhabited by a large number of Bulgar and Greek-speaking people. In a protracted war, these Orthodox Christians are likely to defect to us."

"So, I think Mahmoud is likely to abandon the eastern plains, withdraw his troops, and defend the Sophia Basin."

"That's right, this possibility does exist."

Isaac nodded to the young aide, then looked at the others.

"Any other comments?"

After pondering for a long time, Mehmet broke the deadlock.

"Your Majesty, I do not think Mahmoud would be so unwise."

"Tell me your reasons."

Isaac studied the sand table carefully without looking up.

"If it were an ordinary commander, I am sure that he would definitely stick to the Sophia Basin and protect his core area of ​​rule as he said just now."

"However, Mahmoud is not an ordinary person. He has a longer-term vision and his assessment of the enemy's strength is not limited to the surface."

Mehmet pointed to the sand table.

"If he allows us to occupy the vast plains and hills and completely compress him into the Sophia Basin, then he will be truly in a desperate situation."

"Why do you say that."

Isaac asked.

"First of all, our attack on Bulgaria is not a touch-and-go move. Our main purpose is to recover the land that the empire once lost and to incorporate it into our direct territory for a long time."

"Bulgaria is very close to Constantinople, and the army can arrive at our destination anytime. We can gradually erode the towns in eastern and northern Bulgaria, suppress the rebellion, and establish our own rule."

"The Sophia Basin is located deep inland, surrounded by vast mountains. It is not very large in area, and it is difficult to support an army large enough to pose a threat to us."

"If he allows us to cut off the road that connects the Sofia Basin to the outside world, the commercial and handicraft value of Sofia City will be reduced by half. With only a broken Sofia City, he will not be able to fight us at all."

"As long as we send troops to attack Sofia from time to time and gradually deplete his strength, Mahmoud will eventually be completely defeated."

"Taking the initiative to retreat and being trapped in an isolated city may bring temporary peace, but in fact it is like drinking poison to quench thirst and will lead to slow death."

Mehmet raised a glass of water and drank it all, ending his deduction.

"Well said. I also think Mahmoud would not be so unwise."

Isaac smiled and nodded.

"So how do you think he will respond to our attack?"

Mehmet was lost in thought again, his brows furrowed.

"The gap between his military strength and ours is too great. He has no overwhelming advantage against any of our fronts, but he can't just give up."

"So, I don't think he will place his main force in a specific city. He will probably move around and look for opportunities to outnumber the enemy."

"I think this is why we haven't been able to find Mahmoud's army."

"He and his direct army have not appeared in public for a long time. It's like they disappeared."

"That's true."

Isaac agreed with this.

"Mahmoud is a master at mobile warfare. He may suddenly disappear for a while and then suddenly appear from a place you least expect, catching you off guard."

"Well, you should immediately draft an official document, requiring each front army to slow down its advance and coordinate closely with each other. Don't spread out too far, so that Mahmoud can seize the opportunity."

"Yes!"

Mehmet saluted.

"Also, order all reconnaissance units, including the mountain hunters and Berber light cavalry, to step up their operations and find Mahmoud's whereabouts as soon as possible."

"I will also order the intelligence department to take action and mobilize the spies lurking in various cities in Bulgaria. Even if we have to dig deep into the ground, we will find his hiding place."

"I really don't believe it. Such a large army can disappear just like that. Who will guarantee its supplies?"

Isaac shook his head and sneered.

"Do it now, don't let Mahmoud take advantage of the situation!"

The staff responded and started working quickly. Isaac continued to look at the map, carefully searching every corner that might have been missed.

"Alexios, where do you think Mahmoud might be hiding?"

"In the mountains?"

Alexius thought for a moment and replied.

"Impossible. Even if he only brought elite troops, the number of troops would be at least 10,000. Although the mountains are hidden, it is impossible to support an army of 10,000."

Isaac denied it immediately.

"What a hassle,"

Alexius frowned.

"If he still has a bit of manly dignity, he should fight us with real swords and guns on the vast plains instead of hiding in a dark corner like a rat."

Isaac ignored Alexios' complaints and focused on calculating Mahmoud's possible hiding place.

After thinking for a long time, I still have no clue.

"Forget it, let's wait and see what happens."

Isaac could only sigh.

In the summer of 1464, the three armies of the Eastern Roman Empire launched a large-scale offensive against Bulgaria. As they could not find Mahmud Bey's main army, the three armies slowed down their advance.

Perhaps the Bulgarian nobles had long anticipated possible retaliation from the Eastern Roman Empire and did not deploy many troops in the bordering southeast corner, so the army's progress was relatively smooth.

On September 1464, 9, the Northeastern Army of the Eastern Roman Empire crossed the river and continued to march along the coastline. Soon they arrived at Varna, an important town in eastern Bulgaria. After failing to persuade the city to surrender, they stationed nearly 2 troops and opened artillery bombardment.

The Siege of Varna begins.

(End of this chapter)