1444, Byzantium Resurrects

Chapter 238: Return to Carthage

By May 1465, the war in Bulgaria had basically subsided. Some areas were still resisting stubbornly, but they could no longer pose any real threat to the army of the Eastern Roman Empire.

The Western Front and the Southwestern Front merged into one and advanced westward along the Maritsa River. The Cuman cavalry looted and retreated westward. The Eastern Roman army followed behind them, taking over the dilapidated and dilapidated towns and villages, and had already reached the edge of the Sophia Basin.

The Northeastern Front marched westward along the Danube River, also without encountering any decent resistance. A large number of Turkish nobles and Bulgarian tax farmers swept away the local wealth, crossed the Danube and sought refuge in Wallachia.

In the southwestern mountainous area, the mighty rebel army, led by Torosi Notaras, began to enter the Sophia Basin one after another, preparing to encircle the city of Sophia together with the Eastern Roman army.

The preliminary construction of the Rose Valley was in full swing. The first phase of land for the Royal Reclamation Corps had been divided, the Constanta Theological Seminary began to recruit the first batch of students, more than a dozen Dutch windmills were under construction, and newly purchased heavy draft horses arrived at the port of Varna. Livestock, serfs and farm tools also arrived at major ports along the Black Sea coast and entered the reclamation areas of the lower Danube Plain and the Maritsa River Plain.

Spring is back, and Bulgaria, which has been devastated by years of exploitation and war, is finally beginning to recover.

After handing over trivial matters to his children and other subordinates, Isaac boarded the Constantine the Great in the port of Varna, officially ending Bulgarian affairs and preparing to return to Carthage, where he had been away for several years.

After staying in Constantinople for a few days, Isaac continued his voyage and soon arrived at the port of Chania on the island of Crete.

After several years of war, the Venetian garrison on Crete received no reinforcements and finally ran out of ammunition and food. They surrendered to the Eastern Roman Empire and withdrew from Crete.

Since then, the last colony of the Republic of Venice in the eastern Mediterranean was taken back by the Eastern Roman Empire, and the Latin colonial era that lasted for more than two hundred years came to an end.

After Venice withdrew from the eastern Mediterranean, Isaac integrated the former Venetian colonies including Crete and Naxos Islands into the Crete Region, with Heraklion as its capital. The patron saint was Saint Titus, and it was guarded by the 12th Legion of the Guards and local firing corps.

"Your Majesty, we have accomplished your mission. The Venetians' defenses were so perfect that it took them four years to capture the entire island of Crete."

In the Venetian Doge's Palace in Chania, veteran General Mikhail prepared a dinner for Isaac.

"Thank you for your hard work, Mikhail. I had planned to retake Crete within five years. You guys fought very well."

Isaac took a sip of Cretan wine and looked at the white-haired Mikhail with a smile.

Crete is Venice's most valuable colony in the eastern Mediterranean and its most solid fortress. Its importance is self-evident. Even until now, the Venetian government has never announced its abandonment and has even established an exile government of the Principality of Candia in the city of Venice.

Before Isaac decided to retake Crete, several large cities on the island had not yet completed the bastion transformation and still used old-style fortresses. This allowed the Eastern Roman army to capture the heavily guarded castles and cities within four years.

If they delay for another ten years and wait until their fortresses are upgraded, Isaac will probably crash head-on into the densely packed new fortresses like the Ottoman army in the original time and space. By then, the resources and time consumed in attacking the city will increase exponentially.

New technology cannot be hidden. Constantinople is a world-class city. Spies from various countries coming and going would certainly be able to see some clues from the improved Theodosian Walls and bring bastion technology back to the country.

More than a decade has passed, and major countries have begun to adopt bastion modifications to adapt to the new warfare model.

If the spears used to attack the city improve, the shields used to defend the city will naturally improve as well. This is the law of nature.

"What do you think about the candidate for governor of Crete?"

Isaac asked.

Mikhail wiped his mouth and thought for a moment.

"Your Majesty, Crete has been occupied by the Venetians for hundreds of years. There are many Venetian expatriates and Italians here. If you don't want Crete to continue to be in turmoil and want it to recover its former prosperity as soon as possible, you'd better think carefully about the candidates for the consul."

How could I not know this? It's the same as not saying anything.

Isaac secretly complained.

"Well, I plan to promote Yiannis Kalergis, who has Italian blood, to be the Archon of Crete, and his brother Nicopoli to be the commander of the 12th Legion of the Guards."

"Your Majesty, but will this give the Kalergis family an opportunity to become more powerful?"

Mikhail was a little worried.

"probably not."

Isaac shook his head.

"Once the Cretan shooting army is formed, the 12th Guards Corps will be immediately transferred to the central government and will no longer serve as a local garrison."

"I am also going to give the position of tribune of Crete to Cassim, who is also of Italian descent. He has made great contributions in the uprising and the subsequent war and should be rewarded."

"The Italians who are still willing to stay on the island are probably very dissatisfied with the Venetian government, but they are certainly skeptical about us."

Isaac paused.

"I promoted these Italian-mixed people to high positions to tell them that the empire is big enough to accommodate them. As long as they are willing, the door will always be open."

"Furthermore, I am also planning to build a new seminary in the city of Heraklion to systematically train priests, so that these mobile officials can enter the administrative agencies and restrain local forces."

"Not a bad idea, Your Majesty."

Mikhail nodded.

"As for the Italian expatriates and mixed-race people on the island, if they are willing to convert to Orthodoxy, they can directly obtain Roman citizenship. If they are not willing, they can leave freely, but all their property will be confiscated."

"After all, we cannot be as ruthless to Christians as we are to Saracens."

Isaac groaned.

"The Chania Seminary will raise funds from the entire island of Crete. If the Italian businessmen on the island are sincere about joining our empire, they will surely not refuse."

"Haha, Your Majesty, I'm afraid they will all rush to donate money. Only when you accept the money can they feel at ease."

Mikhail said with a smile.

"In that case, I will set an example by donating a thousand solidus."

"Okay, the Holy Father will protect you, and I will give you rewards in return for your years of fighting."

Isaac crossed himself.

Mikhail was silent for a moment and looked at Isaac again.

"Your Majesty, I am already very old. According to the agreement we made before the battle, I will officially retire after this battle and will no longer be involved in military affairs."

Mikhail stared at the flickering flame of the candle, lost in thought, with a very complicated expression.

"I have followed you in battle for more than 20 years, which can be considered as half a lifetime of military service. All my dreams have been realized. My family is happy, my wife and children are healthy. Although my sons are not very talented, you still give them a lot of preferential treatment."

"In this case, I have no reason to stay. It's time to put down my burdens and return home."

Mikhail was the first person to follow Isaac and was considered half of Isaac's teacher. He had a high prestige in the army and all of his former subordinates held important positions. They all secretly regarded him as their leader and huddled together for warmth.

He knew very well that Isaac would never allow him to lead troops to war again, nor would he allow him to continue to serve as military minister, nor would he allow him to continue to accumulate prestige to prevent others from having improper expectations.

Officially retiring when one has achieved success is a good ending.

Isaac raised the bottle and filled Mikhail with wine.

"You have devoted half your life to the Empire and stayed with me during my most difficult times. I owe you a debt of gratitude."

Isaac stood up, raised his glass and toasted to Mikhail.

"I wish you good health and everlasting prosperity for the empire."

The two drank the wine and looked at each other in the candlelight.

"Mikhail, you are old."

Isaac sighed.

"Your Majesty, you are no longer the naive young man you once were."

Mikhail said.

Isaac said nothing. He was silent for a moment and then spoke slowly.

"I plan to form a staff shogunate to formulate plans, educate officers, and provide advice during war. You will be the first chief of the shogunate, and Mehmet will be your deputy."

"If Your Majesty doesn't mind my age, I am willing to continue to shine."

Mikhail laughed heartily.

For a veteran in the army, they value honor and respect more than wealth and real estate. The Shogunate Chief is also a senior official. He does not have the power to lead troops, but only the power to make suggestions, which is just right for arranging the retirement of senior military officers.

"What suggestions do you have for the new Minister of War?"

Isaac asked.

"Your Majesty, you have given me a difficult problem. Several veterans have been eyeing this position for a long time and have tried to test my opinion before. I am retired now, so you should make the decision yourself."

Mikhail shook his head slightly.

"What do you think of Ibrahim?"

Isaac asked casually.

Ibrahim is also an old minister of Isaac. He has followed Isaac for more than 20 years. He is usually pure and simple, never forms cliques, never seeks personal gain, and is always very low-key.

Most importantly, he was once a Turk and had little to do with the administration and other local forces.

"Ibrahim is a very good general. Although he may not be able to come up with many brilliant ideas, at least he is conscientious and capable of taking on important tasks."

Mikhail said.

"But you must also be prepared to face the questioning of other ministers. They will definitely not be very fond of a military minister of Turkic origin."

"It doesn't matter. I built the army, I paid for the military, and I conquered the land. They can only complain verbally."

Isaac nodded slightly.

"In the future, if we want to recover Anatolia, we will inevitably have to accept many Turks who are willing to convert to Orthodoxy. You must give them hope and let them know that in my place, regardless of their origins, Turks can also serve as the third-highest official in the empire."

Isaac put down his glass, stood up, and straightened his clothes.

"The martial law on Crete can be gradually ended. Go and hand over the work to the Kalergis brothers and ask them to restore order and organize production as soon as possible."

"The sugarcane industry in Crete is probably no longer viable, but the island is strategically located as a major trade hub in the eastern Mediterranean, connecting Asia, Europe, and Africa. If managed properly, it should soon be able to recover its prosperity." "Yes, Your Majesty, I'll go right away."

Mikhail saluted and left.

On May 1465, 5, Isaac signed a series of decrees in the city of Chania on the island of Crete, formally establishing administrative structures in several newly recovered territories.

According to the decree, Crete and Naxos were integrated into the Crete Region, with Heraklion as its capital. The entire Bulgaria was divided into five regions and one military district. The former Kardzhali Military District was incorporated into the North Thrace Region, and the former military district chief Salmon was transferred to the Dobruja Military District.

At present, among Bulgaria's six first-level administrative agencies, the Dobruja Military District, the Northern Thrace Region, the Drasta Region and the Burgas Region are already under control, while the Sofia Region and the Vidin Region have not yet been completely captured, but it is only a matter of time.

Mikhail, who had fought for half his life, resigned as Minister of Military and became the Chief of the Shogunate. Ibrahim, the former commander of the Purple Guard, took his place.

Isaac was grateful for Mikhail's contribution and appointed him as the honorary Duke of Crete, rewarding him with a number of scattered properties in North Africa and the Balkans and one-tenth of the annual land tax on Crete.

After regaining Crete and Bulgaria, the population of the Eastern Roman Empire officially crossed the five million mark, slightly less than the Ottoman Empire after conquering Karaman, slightly less than the Kingdom of Hungary with northern Serbia and Croatia, and not much different from the United Kingdom of Castile. It is five times the size of Portugal and the United Kingdom of the Algarves, making it a populous country.

Of course, the current Eastern Roman Empire still cannot compare with the old powers in terms of population. If the large feudal lords are included, the population of the Kingdom of France is more than three times that of the Eastern Roman Empire. If the subordinate tribes are included, even after experiencing chaos, the population of the Mamluk Dynasty is still more than twice that of the Eastern Roman Empire.

However, it is gratifying that, because the foundation is still there and the infrastructure is well preserved, after more than ten years of development and immigration, the population of Constantinople has exceeded 200,000, making it the second largest city in the Mediterranean world, surpassing Paris, Granada and Venice, and second only to Cairo.

Isaac knew that 200,000 people were far from the upper limit of Constantinople's development. In the original time and space, after the Ottoman Empire established Constantinople as its capital, its population increased more than tenfold in just a few decades, from less than 30,000 after the city was broken and looted to nearly 400,000.

As a window for West African trade, the population of Carthage has exceeded its historical peak, breaking through the 120,000 mark, and will continue to expand with the prosperity of ocean trade.

However, due to the population siphon effect of these two big cities, the development of other medium-sized cities has been somewhat lackluster. The population of Thessalonica has never exceeded 60,000, and the population of Mystras and Birinci has been fluctuating around 40,000. Surt, the place where Isaac started his career, has never exceeded 10,000. This is determined by objective conditions, and it is difficult to make any changes.

Of course, due to the limitations of the times, statistical data are bound to have omissions or exaggerations. Isaac is very clear that some officials, in order to increase their political achievements, even counted the gypsies wandering around the city.

After holding a grand ceremony to consecrate Duke Mikhail, Isaac stayed in Crete for some days, met with local priests, landowners and merchants, talked with several newly appointed local officials, and then boarded a large ship and headed for Carthage.

On June 1465, 6, the fleet arrived at the U-shaped port of Carthage. Isaac left his trivial matters behind, gave a few instructions to his guards, and hurried back to the Carthaginian palace.

Without waiting for the maid to inform him, Isaac rushed straight into the garden and saw his wife and children whom he had not seen for several years.

On the path next to the lavender field, the seven-year-old eldest daughter Salonika was running in front, while Leonor followed behind with her youngest son Basil.

When Thessalonika saw Isaac, she was startled at first, then she ran over, hugged Isaac's legs, and asked him all kinds of questions.

"You still know how to come back."

Leonor took Basil to Isaac. Although her eyes were resentful, she was still full of joy.

Isaac smiled and hugged Leonor, then looked at his young son Basil who was hiding behind her.

Isaac picked up his son, but he was so scared that he started crying and kicking his legs.

"He doesn't recognize you, be careful!"

Leonor complained, patting Basil's back gently and whispering soothing words in his ear.

Isaac felt a little embarrassed when he heard this. He had been away for too long and missed the best opportunity to build trust with the baby. Maybe in his eyes, Isaac was just a stranger who had a special relationship with his mother and sister.

"Basil, call father!"

Salonika held her brother's hand and wiped away his tears.

Basil sobbed, pursed his lips tightly, and said nothing.

"Forget it. I will be staying here for a long time in the future. I will take care of him more often when I have time."

Isaac kissed his youngest son's soft cheek and put him down.

Basil ran away immediately and hid behind his mother, looking at Isaac with his round eyes.

"You should spend more time with him. He is much more timid than Justinian and Alexios. I am usually not around, so Thessalonica should take care of him. It is not good for him to stay with girls all the time."

Leonor held Basil's hand and looked at Isaac.

"I know that when he grows up, I will hire the best teacher to teach him."

Isaac touched Basil's head and held Salonica.

"Father, aren't Justinian and Alexios coming back?"

Salonica looked at Isaac.

"Alexius is on a mission and can't come back for the time being."

Isaac groaned.

"I asked Justinian to walk around the empire and observe the people's sentiments. He is probably in Thessaly now and will probably be back in a few months."

"Justinian is already an adult, and Alexios will soon be an adult too. At this age, you can't teach them. Let them figure it out on their own."

"By the way, after Archduke Thomas and Duke John died, Andreas and Bonifacio came to Carthage to look for you. They left last month, probably to Constantinople."

Leonor said.

"I know. I have met them. The canonization ceremony has already taken place. Bonifacio did not go to Frederick III but came to us. He is a good kid."

Isaac said with a smile.

"Genoa has surrendered to France, Milan has become independent, and Venice has ignored him. Frederick III must be going crazy."

Leonor said gloatingly.

"No, he doesn't bother to care about these things. The Italian princes are getting further and further away from Vienna. He knows it in his heart, but he just doesn't care. There is no way he can do anything about it."

Isaac shook his head.

"Also, how are you going to resolve Salonika and Carlo's marriage?"

Leonor asked.

"I know that noble ladies marry very young, but I don't want Salonika to get married so early. The marriage has been decided anyway, so let's wait until she comes of age."

Isaac squeezed his daughter's hand and said with a smile.

In ancient Europe, noble ladies married very early. It was not uncommon for them to get married at the age of seven or nine, and the latest age would not be more than fourteen or fifteen.

As a father, Isaac certainly didn't want Thessalonika to suffer such an injustice. When she was willing to get married, Isaac would marry her off in a grand manner.

Anyway, my family is big and powerful, so it's more than enough to support a princess.

"Is the situation in Carthage going well lately?"

Isaac let Salonika go and looked at Leonor.

"It's pretty good. Usually, Basil and I attend government affairs together, and your Carthaginian minister who stayed behind helps us. The population has increased, and taxes have been reduced after the alcohol ban, and now they are almost back to the original level."

Leonor said.

"However, I don't like the Carthaginian minister who stayed behind, and I suggest you replace him."

"Basilius? Why?"

Isaac frowned slightly.

"On my way here, I found that he had built several new villages. After all, free villages are more advanced than serfdom manors."

"I'm not talking about that. He may have some talent in politics, but he always likes to make some very annoying remarks, which makes me very angry. There were several times when I had to hold back my anger."

Leonor snorted.

"What about the emperor's office, what about the Senate election? In Portugal, no one dares to talk about such things."

"My ancestors drove away the Moors with swords and spears, so the crown will naturally belong to the Avish Dynasty forever. You drove away the Turks and Berbers with swords and spears, so the crown will naturally belong to our descendants forever, and no one can take it away."

"Last time I mentioned the matter of Justinian and Isabella by chance, but he immediately objected and brought up a lot of reasons."

Leonor's eyebrows were raised.

"This is our family affair. Why should he interfere? He is a man named Angelos who has already brought shame to the Eastern Empire. How dare he question us?"

"Don't like the Princess of Iberia? Just kick me out!"

Leonor said angrily.

"Okay, okay, stop talking."

Isaac had a headache.

"If he can do something, let him do it. I won't listen to his empty talk anyway, so let him do whatever he wants."

"As for the matter of Justinian and Isabella, I will also start to deal with it. If handled properly, we can gain a lot of benefits from it."

They chatted for a while, and before they knew it was evening, one of Isaac's personal guards came to report.

"Your Majesty, according to your order, several important officials of the exploration fleet are waiting in the banquet hall. The nautical charts and surveying data have been confiscated by us. The family of the surveyor responsible for drawing the nautical charts has been transported to Constantinople. These things are done in secret and no one knows about it."

The guard whispered.

"Very good, I'll be there right away."

Isaac nodded, turned around and looked at Leonor.

"You go with me to meet them, and the children can go back to eat and sleep."

Leonor knew the importance of the matter, nodded slightly, and handed Basil over to Salonika.

After bidding farewell to Thessaloniki and Basil, Isaac took Leonor on a carriage and hurried to an estate outside the city.

(End of this chapter)