1444, Byzantium Resurrects

Chapter 241: Disputes in Iberia

In Isaac's large study in the Carthaginian palace, two young boys sat opposite each other at the table. The wine on the table gleamed amber in the candlelight, and the pastries on the plate were also dazzling and neatly arranged.

It was obvious that both of them were worried at the moment and had no interest in the food and wine in front of them.

"Gonzalo, long time no see. I have been patrolling the territory for the past six months. I only arrived in Carthage after receiving your urgent letter. I am sorry to have kept you waiting for a long time."

Justinian looked across at Gonzalo and forced a smile.

"It's okay. I just got here last month. When I heard that you had arrived at the palace, I came straight here. The servant brought me here."

Gonzalo shook his head, thought for a moment, and pulled out from his pocket a letter with the coat of arms of Trastamara.

"I met her not long ago. She was under house arrest at that time. Enrique and Alfonso had not yet completely torn their faces apart. Although she was forbidden to leave the palace, she still had smooth communication with the outside world."

Gonzalo handed the letter to Justinian.

"It happened too suddenly. Alfonso was almost forced to become king by the nobles. Henry IV was very angry and immediately imprisoned the princess in a tower. The tower was guarded by Henry IV's confidants, and almost no one could get close. I tried many methods but failed, so I came to Carthage with the letter she left for you."

Justinian nodded silently, took the letter, stroked the soft envelope for a while, and slowly opened it.

It was still the familiar fragrance, and the familiar beautiful handwriting. The letter was long, but not hurried.

It was obvious that Isabella had already made preparations before Gonzalo went to the palace.

Justinian's face broke into a faint smile, and he perked up a little and began to read the letter.

"Dear Justinian, I am writing to you. In the past six months, Enrique has been interfering with my private life more and more. Several letters have never been replied to after they were sent. I live alone in the palace and must be careful in everything. I believe you will understand my difficulties."

"In your last letter, you told me about the conquest of Crimea. I was sincerely happy about it. The Cossacks are all unruly people. You must have suffered a lot to gain their loyalty."

"What's even more gratifying is that your father has appointed you as the Prince of Athens and agreed that you can form your own private army and manage your own territory. For the whole of Europe, especially for the Eastern Empire, Athens has a special meaning. You should carefully understand the meaning behind this title and read your father's expectations of you from it."

"I know that you were born and raised in war, and you use blood and fire as your banner. You have always hoped to suppress all disobedience with swords and horses, and then use interests and emotions to weave a network of relationships centered on you, just like your father."

"But I want to tell you that in a country, the status of the Home Secretary, the Foreign Secretary, and the Archbishop is always higher than that of the Military Secretary. In the long run, culture and faith have far more powerful power than horses and swords."

"The Mongols conquered half the world with their horses, but they were quickly assimilated culturally, and no trace of the Gray Wolf and White Deer can be seen in them anymore."

"The Vikings, the Rus, the Hungarians and the Bulgars were once enemies of Jesus and caused immeasurable harm to the Christian homeland. We were never able to completely defeat them militarily, but when they began to believe in our gods, learn our culture, and live and pray like us, these outsiders had already lost, completely."

"This is the power of culture and belief. Unconsciously, the enemy has become a friend."

"You have been smart since childhood, and you should know these things better than me. I hope you will not be dulled by the bitter cold and blood in the north. I hope you will always remember the teachings of Jesus Christ and the Twelve Apostles."

Justinian curled his lips, but the smile on his face became more and more intense.

"what happened?"

Gonzalo asked with concern.

"Nothing, still as long-winded as usual."

Justinian quickly turned the letter to the next page and continued reading.

"I believe that you are already a little impatient after reading this, eager to know the news of Castile and to understand the political whirlpool that I am currently trapped in."

"This is a scandal for our royal family and a disaster for all of Castile. My brother Enrique has brought shame upon our family and is unworthy of inheriting the crown passed down by Sancho the Great."

"Princess Juana is not Enrique's biological daughter, but Queen Joana's illegitimate daughter. This is not a rare thing, but what is rare is that Enrique was desperate and insisted on making Juana his heir. He would rather give the crown to a stranger than put it on his brother's head."

"Maybe he just simply hates me and my brother."

"Last year, Enrique was forced by the nobles to temporarily deprive Juana of her inheritance and make my brother the heir. I was excited at the time. If it could be resolved peacefully, no one would resort to force."

"However, Enrique never really gave up. He had been hiding in the dark, trying to win over various forces at home and abroad to pave the way for the queen's illegitimate daughter. This move soon angered the nobles in the country. They immediately held a meeting to plan to depose Enrique and nominate my brother Alfonso."

"While the meeting was going on, I was placed under house arrest. The outcome of the meeting is predictable. Perhaps in the near future, I will be under even closer surveillance. Perhaps in the near future, I will no longer have the hope of regaining my freedom."

"Perhaps, this will be the last letter I write to you."

Justinian's hands trembled slightly and he clenched his teeth.

"I lost my father when I was three years old. I went from being a well-fed princess to a helpless orphan. My mother became insane, my brother was weak all year round, and the nobles had their own ulterior motives. My brother still had some value, but I was just a tool for marriage."

"No one was willing to smile at me from the bottom of their hearts, and no one was willing to have a heart-to-heart talk with me. The priests asked me to serve God with my life, and God seemed to have heard my prayers and brought me brave knights."

"In countless dark days, I lit a crude candle, read your letters in the candlelight, understood your troubles, listened to your voice, and turned over a simple map to find your footprints on it, Constantinople, Carthage, Birinci, Yalta... You seemed to have become my eyes, leading me to appreciate this beautiful world."

"A few years ago, I overheard news from the servants about Carthage. They were talking about the city that never sleeps, your lighthouse and the wine festival. Later I learned that the day the lighthouse was completed, the day the whole city celebrated, was the day I was born."

"That day was the happiest day of my life. It turned out that outside this black wall, there was a beauty and happiness that had been brewing for ten years, waiting for me to capture it."

"You were born in a wealthy family. If you wanted, all the nobles in Europe would be eager to send their daughters and sisters to you. I am an orphan, and I am so lucky to have your favor. I can only attribute it to God's gift."

"Perhaps, only you are willing to deliver letters to the courts of Toledo and Segovia every day for ten years. Perhaps, only your letters will not be blocked by Queen Joana."

"The situation deteriorated so quickly that I was somewhat caught off guard. No one can be sure where the road ahead will lead to."

"No matter what, I will never give up. I am the eldest daughter of the late king and the princess of Castile. If things are impossible and Enrique insists on killing us all, I will definitely take the golden dagger you gave me and uphold the will of Emperor Sancho the Great to launch a final charge against the rebels until the end of my life."

"I know that the Kingdom of Portugal has already put one foot in this political storm. If the future enemy is your aunt or uncle, will you still stand by my side without hesitation?"

“I can only choose to believe it.”

"I believe that one day, the knight in my mind will wear a gorgeous purple robe, hold high the banner of a double-headed eagle of blood and fire, and come to my side with a fleet and cavalry that covers the sky and the sun, and take me back to the world from the endless darkness."

"Yours forever, Isabella."

After reading the letter, Justinian was stunned for a long time before he carefully folded the envelope and put it in his breast pocket.

"Gonzalo, do you think that Henry IV would kill her?"

Justinian looked at Gonzalo.

"If it were a normal person, they would never do that. The princess is not the heir, and the nobles have no interest in her. What gives Enrique the most headache is their brother Alfonso."

"but……"

Gonzalo looked at Justinian's gloomy expression and hesitated to speak.

"But Enrique has never been a normal monarch. He is not only incompetent, but also a madman, right?"

Gonzalo nodded heavily.

Justinian's chest heaved, his lips tightly pursed, and it took him a long time to squeeze out a few words from between his teeth.

"Damn Enrique, if he dares to go crazy, I will make him pay with blood even if I try my best."

Gonzalo hesitated for a moment and looked at Justinian again.

"Justinian, from what I know, the Eastern Empire seems to be different from other countries. Even if you become a co-emperor in the future, it is unlikely that you will devote all your national strength to satisfy...satisfy..."

Gonzalo racked his brain for better words.

"Satisfy my selfish desires?"

Justinian snorted.

"Your perception is correct. The Eastern Empire is indeed different from Western European countries. It has some remnants of the ancient republic. First there were the people, then the country, and finally the emperor."

"So, even if I become a co-emperor, this country does not completely belong to me and my father. I would not bother to let the common people bleed and sacrifice for my personal feelings."

"But Slaves belongs to our family, the Cossacks belong to our family, the two major mercenary groups operating in Egypt belong to our family, the colonies belong to our family, the Guinea Company and the East India Company belong to our family."

"With the strength brought by these private assets alone, Enrique can't ignore us."

Justinian's eyes flickered.

"Besides that, how are you doing in Castile recently? Which side does your family choose to stand on in the War of Succession?"

Gonzalo was silent for a moment, then spoke slowly.

"My father has passed away, and my brother will inherit his title. According to my father's instructions, I should be loyal to Prince of Asturias, Isabella's brother Alfonso, but since you invited me, I came to you."

"My family is a count, and my father has always been very disgusted with Enrique's scandal, but my brother doesn't seem to want to get involved in the royal family's internal strife so soon. I am the second son without the right of inheritance. My brother is very good to me, but he doesn't really listen to my opinions."

"After all, in terms of blood relationship, Enrique, Alfonso and Isabella are all relatives of our family. Our territory is mainly located in the north, far away from the political center, and we have never been involved in these matters."

Justinian nodded, and his eyes softened as he looked at Gonzalo.

"Gonzalo, since you are willing to be loyal to me, I will not treat you unfairly. If you have made contributions, not to mention earl, even duke will not be a problem."

As the two were talking, the door of the study suddenly opened and Isaac and Leonor walked in. Gonzalo quickly stood up and bowed to them.

"No need to be polite. Next time you come here, you don't have to wait for Justinian. Just come to me directly. If you are willing, the door of Carthage will always be open to you."

Isaac helped up the Spanish star who would shine in the future, patted him on the shoulder, and spoke in Portuguese.

"Then thank you Your Majesty."

Gonzalo smiled and nodded.

Leonor, who was standing by, saw her eldest son whom she had not seen for a long time, and quickly pulled him into her arms. She looked him left and right, and when she touched the scars on his body, her eyes immediately turned red.

Seeing this, Gonzalo immediately left and left the space for the family of three.

At his mother's request, Justinian absentmindedly talked about what had happened in recent years. Leonor listened with her slightly bulging belly and wiped her tears.

"Okay, let's—"

"Shut up! I told you not to send my son to the front line, but you didn't listen! Now you've suffered so much!"

Leonor glared at Isaac fiercely and said fiercely.

"The young eagle will always fly. This is his own choice."

Isaac said calmly.

"Mother, the most urgent thing now is Castile's affairs. If you are interested in what I have seen and heard before, I will tell you slowly when I have time later."

Justinian smiled at Leonor and looked at Isaac.

He stood up and looked at Isaac firmly.

"Father, I want to marry Isabella. Please ask for marriage for me."

Isaac was stunned. He didn't expect that he would make his position clear right from the start, and he fell silent.

"There's no rush for this. Let's analyze the situation in Castile first."

"Isaac, my child has never asked you for anything since he was young. Other children live in luxury and spend a lot of money on squandering, but our child has never done that. He has always followed your instructions to prioritize state affairs."

"This time, Justinian encountered a problem that he couldn't solve himself, and he had no choice but to come to you for help. Are you going to put off even your eldest son's marriage?"

Leonor also stood up and looked at Isaac.

"You've opened so many companies, made so much money, maintained so many armies and fleets, and you talk about the country all the time. It's time to think about your family!" "Why are you in such a hurry? You didn't say you wouldn't ask for marriage for him."

Isaac frowned and pushed Leonor back into her seat.

"Castile is now on the verge of civil war, but it is far from the final step. Prince Alfonso and King Henry have each recruited a group of confidants. In other words, they have been pushed to the forefront by the power groups behind them."

"Do you really think that those great nobles opposed Enrique solely because of Juana's unclean bloodline?"

Isaac shook his head slightly.

"The succession to the throne is only a superficial appearance. There are many internal disputes hidden inside."

"Because Enrique was so bad, he forced many nobles to oppose him and had to seek help from external forces."

"Portugal was his first choice."

Isaac looked at Justinian without changing his expression.

"The queen of Henry IV is Princess Joana of Portugal, your mother's sister and your aunt."

"Juana, who is said to be an illegitimate daughter, is your cousin and the niece of King Alfonso V of Portugal."

"That is to say, in the War of Succession, the Kingdom of Portugal is Henry IV's natural ally and is likely to intervene in the situation in Castile because of this."

Isaac paused.

"As far as I know, some of Enrique's closest advisers even suggested that he marry Juana to Alfonso V as his second wife."

After these words were spoken, both mother and son fell silent. They really could not imagine that the situation in Castile was so chaotic that even Alfonso V was involved.

"I can say very clearly that if it weren't for the matter between you and Isabella, I would probably bet on both sides and not allow Aragon and Castile to unite, let alone Portugal and Castile to unite."

Isaac looked at his firstborn son.

"Now, what are you going to do?"

Justinian asked in a low voice.

"What to do? Still bet on both sides."

Isaac smiled.

"Guess what Isabella is to Enrique?"

Isaac asked.

"A thorn in my side?"

"No,"

Isaac shook his head.

"To Henry IV, Isabella was nothing but a tool for marriage."

"For him, it was Prince Alfonso, not his sister, who mattered most."

"Nobles would not consider girls when there is a male heir."

"Enrique IV has always tried to marry Isabella off, on the one hand to reduce potential competitors, and on the other hand to win over external forces."

"But unfortunately, for some reason, Henry IV has never been able to get a satisfactory answer. The only country interested in Isabella is the United Kingdom of Aragon, but Henry IV disagrees, fearing that Aragon will interfere in his internal affairs."

Isaac spread his hands.

"So, Isabella still couldn't find a real marriage until she came of age."

Justinian's eyes suddenly lit up, and he was about to speak, but Isaac waved his hand to stop him.

Isaac pulled out a map of Iberia from his pocket, which detailed the various powers on the Iberian Peninsula, including the United Kingdom of Portugal, the United Kingdom of Castile, the United Kingdom of Aragon, the Kingdom of Navarre and the Emirate of Granada.

The several kingdoms of the Crown of Castile and the Crown of Portugal are also marked with different colors: León, Castile, Galicia, Portugal, Algarve...

"The establishment of Portugal and Castile was full of historical accidents. During the Reconquista, several crowns broke up and reunited, and the entanglement was unclear."

Isaac pointed to the center of the map.

"The Kingdom of Castile, the core of the Castilian crown. Most of the nobles who sided with Isabella's brother Alfonso in the competition for the throne came from here."

"They have the strongest affinity for the United Kingdom and hate the incompetent Henry IV. Some people with lofty ideals even sincerely care about the kingdom."

Isaac looked at Justinian.

"Of course, the great nobles are still ambitious and are trying to gain benefits for their families in this civil war. They are committed to turning Prince Alfonso into their puppet."

“There is also a smaller piece of land in the northwest corner of Iberia.”

Isaac pointed to the plot of land marked in pink.

"Galicia, the main source of conflict between Portugal and Castile."

"The history of the Kingdom of Galicia is very complicated, and I don't want to go into details. As for now, although the people here are under the rule of Castile, they have their own unique language and culture, and they are more inclined to Portugal than Castile."

"In the internal struggle, they were supporters of Princess Juana, hoping to marry her to King Afonso V of Portugal, thereby promoting the merger of the two countries and returning to the arms of Portugal."

Isaac knew that although Galicia was smaller than León and Castile in area, it had an important strategic location and was an important window for the United Kingdom of Castile to the Atlantic Ocean. Its population was also more abundant than the semi-arid areas in the south.

"Things are still so bad in Iberia."

Justinian sighed.

"With such a chaotic political landscape, it's no wonder they keep fighting."

"If they continue to fight like this and continue to cause chaos, sooner or later they will all go to hell together."

“Chaos is not only hell, it is also a ladder to ascent.”

Isaac smiled.

"But, Father, I only want to marry Isabella. Since Enrique IV is eager to marry her off to a distant place, the chaos in Iberia doesn't seem to have anything to do with us, right?"

Justinian asked doubtfully.

"Then have you ever thought about what direction Iberia will develop in if Prince Alfonso, who preceded Isabella, dies one day?"

Isaac asked.

Justinian thought for a moment and spoke.

"If Juana and Uncle Alfonso had married, Portugal and Castile would have likely merged into a new united kingdom once Prince Alfonso died."

"How is that possible? Do you think the nobles of Leon and Castile would allow such a thing to happen?"

Isaac shook his head slowly.

"They don't want to see the Portuguese and Galicians hanging over them."

"They will never recognize Juana's inheritance rights, and they will definitely insist on the issue of her illegitimate daughter."

"So... they will welcome Isabella back?"

A bold idea popped up in Justinian's mind, and he immediately stood up excitedly.

"Maybe, but they certainly don't want to see us dominating them."

Isaac said without comment.

"However, you have to remember that for the land nobles, their greatest wish is to suppress the central authority of the royal family and expand their own power. What they want most is a puppet king, which is what Prince Alfonso is now."

"That gives us the opportunity to profit from it."

Isaac touched Justinian's head.

"Since you want to marry Isabella, I will of course propose marriage for you. If Henry IV is unwilling, then I will have no choice but to provide support to Prince Alfonso."

"No matter what the future situation is, marry Isabella first, and we can talk about the rest later!"

Isaac waved his hand and finalized the marriage.

"Thank you, Father!"

Justinian was overjoyed and quickly stood up to thank him.

"Your marriage is extraordinary. I will make a series of preparations and arrangements. The Iberian Peninsula is of great importance. It not only involves the competition in ocean trade, but also concerns the only outlet to the Mediterranean. I must firmly grasp this maritime lifeline in my own hands."

Isaac emphasized the Strait of Gibraltar at the bottom of the map.

"Justinian, leave the Iberian affairs to me. You should continue your inspections at home recently, understand public opinion, and make up for your own shortcomings."

"After you get married, return to the steppes of Eastern Europe immediately. Haji Glei is about to die. I will support you and strive to conquer more land, preferably to the Don River area."

Isaac knew that there were rich coal resources on the East European steppes, and the Donbass coalfield was a rare large-scale high-quality coalfield, which was an important industrial fuel that the future Eastern Roman Empire urgently needed.

If Isaac did not want the empire he rebuilt to be surpassed by other countries in the first industrial revolution, for the sake of future generations, this place must be taken and stabilized as soon as possible.

"I will, Father."

Justinian nodded heavily.

After seeing Justinian off, Isaac walked with Leonor in the corridor of the palace.

After listening to Isaac's analysis of the situation in Iberia, Leonor became a little worried and remained silent.

"Isaac, if one day you go to war with Portugal, I will definitely stand on your side."

Leonor said softly.

"Why do you have such an idea?"

Isaac shook his head.

"The conflict of interest between us and Portugal is actually not that big at all. Maybe we can join hands and get some scraps from Castile's corpse together."

"Oh?"

Leonor frowned.

"If you exclude my relationship and only consider your own interests, among the Iberian countries, which one is more important to you, Portugal, Castile, or Aragon?"

Isaac laughed and took Leonor's hand.

"To me, none of this matters."

“It’s important to me that there is no Greater Spain.”

(End of this chapter)