1444, Byzantium Resurrects

Chapter 286 Offering Heavenly Fire for the Emperor's Arrival

In the late summer of 1470, not long after the cold winter, drought followed. The already dry Anatolian Plateau was hit by disaster again. Another year's harvest was wiped out, and another group of people became homeless.

In order to satisfy the hungry stomachs of the soldiers on the front line, the Ottoman Empire's oppression and exploitation of the civilians became increasingly severe. With the tacit approval of Mehmed II and the instructions of senior officials, many soldiers broke into villages, robbed money and food, and plundered in the name of the Sultan. Wherever they passed, there was smoke of war.

The impact of natural disasters was still tolerable, but the man-made famine was unbearable. The Ottoman Empire was trapped both internally and externally, and finally aroused rebellions and uprisings everywhere. Many Turks raised the banner of rebellion in the name of restoring their country, demanding the restoration of the former bey states, and many Greeks held high the eagle flag and demanded to return to the embrace of their motherland.

The Ottoman Empire's army was mainly distributed in cities, so uprisings and rebellions mostly took place in rural areas. These poor peasants were no longer willing to accept war and famine, so they fled their ancestral lands and hid in the mountains and jungles. Under the leadership of those who were interested, they formed rebel armies and ruled the mountains.

However, the military strength of these peasant uprisings was too weak, their weapons and equipment were too backward, and they had no military tactics. Apart from making the already chaotic Ottoman Empire even more chaotic, they basically achieved no results, did not capture any city, and did not win any encirclement and suppression campaigns.

During the Ottoman Empire's two hundred years of conquest, uprisings and rebellions had long been commonplace. They were no strangers to this and adopted the method of "shifting contradictions", which has been very useful throughout history. They blamed all the famines, grain collections and wars on the Eastern Roman Empire and the Roman remnants, and called on the Turks to unite and fight for Allah and for the Ottomans.

Then, they also wooed and divided the various rebel forces. Many of the rebel forces composed of Muslims soon defected and pointed their forks at the Orthodox peasants who held the forks like them, becoming the Sultan's running dogs.

In the face of domestic crisis and foreign pressure, nationalism and religious fanaticism in the Ottoman Empire quickly sprouted and grew. From the common people to the top leaders, everyone turned their hateful eyes toward innocent Christians, and the butcher's knife was ready to be used.

However, while the Ottoman Empire was busy fighting foreign enemies and suppressing internal unrest, a fire was burning in a dense forest on the southern coast of the Black Sea.

The weather was already dry, and the wildfire that was artificially started in Doliana Village quickly spread, spreading far away with the help of the autumn wind, leaving behind patches of charred earth, like a hellfire.

The fire blocked the road, and the Turkic cavalry who came from various assembly points could only watch the wildfire in front of them burn more and more fiercely, hesitating and not daring to move forward.

It was not until late autumn that the long-awaited rains began to fall, and the fires finally showed signs of being extinguished. The Turkic cavalry gathered near Kocaeli, ready to annihilate the invading enemies at any time.

The looting and harassment on various coasts continued, but on a much smaller scale than before. The Ottomans knew that when the wildfires were completely extinguished, the Eastern Roman army crossing the sea from the north would rush out from the charred land and destroy everything they had.

On the dark and gloomy sea, the Light of Cairo was sailing against the wind. Isaac stood on the wide deck and gazed at the village in the distance.

The village at this time was almost unrecognizable from its former appearance. From wheat fields to houses, everything was desolate. Burnt livestock and poultry could be seen on the roadside from time to time. Villagers and soldiers gathered on the coast and set up tents.

"Your Majesty, the vanguard of more than 5,000 people has already arrived at Doliana Village and is patrolling and surveying the terrain."

"Combined with today's transport fleet, our army is enough to complete the siege of any fortress or city."

War Minister Ibrahim stepped forward and bowed.

“Is the wildfire still burning?”

Isaac stared.

"Some places in the south and east are still burning. There is nothing left to burn near Doliana Village. The fire has burned the dense forest clean, which has reduced a lot of obstacles for us."

Ibrahim reports.

"It's almost winter, and rain and snow will become more frequent. This wildfire is expected to stop soon."

"We have to speed up our progress and capture Remusburg before the rain and snow come."

Isaac's eyes moved.

"Natural disasters affect both the attacker and the defender equally. Wildfires burn the forests, and if there is a sudden heavy rain, it will immediately turn into floods and mudslides. Even if they do not form, the muddy surface and damp and cold air will quickly reduce our morale."

"Remusburg is built on a cliff, and the terrain is high. We need to quickly move the army to Remusburg and form a siege before the disaster strikes."

"Yes, Your Majesty, we have taken all these into consideration, and the vanguard troops are mainly deployed in the direction of Remusburg."

Ibrahim nodded.

"This place is very close to Fort Remus. According to our observation, their garrison is not much anymore, only about a thousand at most. Nicomedia does have quite a few troops, but they were scattered in various places to suppress the rebels and patrol the coast a while ago, and they have just gathered together now."

"Our staff shogunate has analyzed the war situation. We will try to surround and attack the reinforcements between Fort Remus and Nicomedia, and fight a war of annihilation, or at least force them back to Nicomedia."

Ibrahim said.

"What is the situation in Remusburg? Have they requested reinforcements from Nicomedia?"

Isaac asked.

"That's for sure, Your Majesty. We have captured several messengers, so the news should be correct."

Ibrahim smiled.

"Due to the obstruction of the mountain fire and the naval blockade, Remusburg has not received supplies from Nicomedia for a long time. However, their fortress commander is a capable man. He is trying his best to maintain the morale of the army and is determined to fight us to the death."

"Their army is small and their morale is low, but they have been hiding in their fortresses, not giving us a chance to annihilate them in the field."

"It doesn't matter. Remusburg is originally a coastal fortress. Most of its artillery is facing the sea, and the strongest wall is on the west. Without reinforcements, they can only hold out for two months at most."

Isaac thought about it.

"The news of our landing in the north can no longer be concealed. Muhammad will definitely gather his army to Nicomedia to block our advance."

"I have already released the self-proclaimed Prince Germiyan back to Anatolia. As for how much noise he can make, it has nothing to do with us."

"Bithynia is surrounded by the sea on three sides. Our military supplies should not be transported by land, but by sea, so as to avoid being attacked by the Turks."

"Yes!"

Ibrahim saluted and left.

In the bay, a huge fleet of warships stood tall, landing craft sailed towards the shore, and teams of soldiers landed on the land of Asia Minor.

This is the starting point of the wildfire and also the first place where it was extinguished. Tens of thousands of troops of the Eastern Roman Empire landed here one after another, fed their elite troops, gathered their strength, and waited quietly.

On the makeshift dock, rows of soldiers stood respectfully, looking at the approaching ship with fanatical and sincere eyes.

On the ship, the four-beta flag of the Palaiologos Cross, representing the royal majesty, fluttered in the wind.

"Blessed be Isaac Gattiluccio Palaeologus, Emperor of Rome and the Romans!"

The herald's loud voice echoed throughout the coast, and the soldiers marched in unison, hammering heavily on the ground with their halberds.

"Long live--"

Isaac jumped off the deck, stood firmly on the dock, looked up, and waved to the soldiers and civilians on the shore.

The earth in the distance was covered with black smoke, the sky was full of dark clouds, and there was a hint of chill in the late autumn air, and there seemed to be rumbling thunder.

Decades later, another Eastern Roman emperor stood on the land of Asia Minor, setting foot on the homeland for which countless ancestors had fought.

"Rise up, my subjects and warriors. The fire from heaven will burn the wicked and bring hope and vitality to the devastated land."

Isaac spoke calmly, his voice was not loud, but it was full of unquestionable determination.

"Anatolia is the homeland of the Romans, the homeland of our ancestors. Now that I am here, those occupiers, speculators, plunderers, and those who do not respect the true God will be taken away."

"They can go die."

"Long live!"

The soldiers and civilians raised their excited eyes and looked at the emperor bathed in glory.

"The fire from the sky will soon die out, the rain will soon fall, our swords will measure every inch of the earth, and we will destroy every traitor."

Isaac continued.

"We will take Remusburg, Nicomedia, Nicaea and Bursa, plant the eagle flag again on our own territory, and spread the flames of war to every wheat field of the Turks."

“The Lord will sit on the throne, with the armies of heaven standing before him. He will protect his people and clear the thorns ahead for us!”

Isaac drew his sword and pointed it into the distance.

"Go, my people, warriors of Jesus Christ, take over Remusburg for me. Let our soldiers build a pontoon bridge. More troops and weapons will cross the chasm along the pontoon bridge and go straight to the Turks!"

"Long live! Long live! Long live!"

In the autumn of 1470, an uprising broke out in Bithynia. A group of rebels deliberately started a forest fire, burning down the dense forest that was blocking the army.

On October 10, Isaac arrived in Anatolia and led his army through a charred forest, quickly reaching the nearby Remusburg.

At the same time, the Eastern Roman Navy, which had completed the transportation mission, also rushed to the Bosphorus Strait and cooperated with the land forces to surround the entire fortress.

……

The city of Kocaeli, on the eastern shore of the Bay of Izmit.

An army of more than 10,000 people slowly marched towards the city. These people came from various backgrounds. Judging from their equipment alone, there were elite Janissary Central Army, conscripted Tima cavalry, and a large number of forcibly recruited militiamen.

The Janissary Central Army was also divided into several types. The most elite "Old Janissaries" were naturally high-spirited and well-trained, but the "New Janissaries" composed of the children of Turkic nobles were far inferior. They had the same equipment and the same supplies, but in terms of momentum, the latter were completely crushed by the former.

The Tima cavalry had different expressions. The Tima cavalry pulled out from the core area of ​​the Ottoman Empire were not only better equipped but also had higher morale. The Tima cavalry recruited from the Anatolian Plateau were obviously not so loyal. Their hometown was in chaos and many of them had long lost the will to fight for the Sultan.

As for the militia, their weapons were poor, their morale was very low, they were all yellow and hungry, with faces full of fear and anxiety. They were fine for defending the city, but their true colors would be revealed once they were used in a field battle.

A large part of these militias were local rebels recruited by the Ottoman Empire. The Muslim people were ignorant and they rose up not to overthrow the rule of the Ottoman family, but simply for food.

The Ottoman Empire adopted completely different approaches in dealing with Muslim rebels and Christian rebels. The former were mainly wooed and recruited, while the latter must be wiped out. When the Muslim rebels transformed themselves into the Sultan's "regular army", they would often become the main force in looting Christians.

These people were extremely snobbish and brutal when they robbed Christians. They were fearless and brave, but when they learned that they were about to be dragged into battle against the army of the Eastern Roman Empire, they panicked and became timid.

In the army formation, Sinan Pasha, the second vizier of the Ottoman Empire, sat on his horse, looking at the nearby city anxiously.

The city of Kocaeli, the largest city of the Ottoman Empire in the northwest corner of Anatolia, is also known as Izmit and Nicomedia. It was once the Nicomedia Fortress of the Eastern Roman Empire. It has strong city defenses and faces the Izmit Bay to the west. It has a very good seaport and developed transportation.

During the reign of Murad II, Kocaeli underwent several expansions and prospered as a transportation transit station between Asia and Europe. Many merchant ships from the Black Sea and the Aegean Sea used it as a stopover and unloading point. It had a large population, and its handicraft and mining industries were also very good.

but now……

Sinan Pasha turned his gaze to the west. In the bay, ten warships with double-headed eagle flags flying high were cruising back and forth. The largest warship was arranged horizontally, and the cannons on the side spewed out large flames from time to time.

boom--

A naval gun roared, and a heavy lead bullet drew a perfect parabola in the air, falling straight into the sea, splashing a large amount of water.

After a while, there were a few more roars, and several shells fell towards the city one after another and hit the sea.

However, Sinan Pasha could clearly see that the enemy's artillery shells were landing farther and farther away, and closer and closer to the walls of Kocaeli.

"Damn it, they're using us as experiments!"

Sinan Pasha said through gritted teeth.

Beside him, the guide from the city of Kocaeli said nothing and looked at Sinan Pasha.

"Aga, this time last year, their artillery fire was still relatively new and their range wasn't as far."

"In one year of war, not only have their gunners become more skilled, but even the guns themselves seem to have improved."

"Two months ago, our coast guard captured some pirate sailors who were too late to evacuate. According to them, the Greek emperor received help from a group of Burgundians. Some Burgundian artillery officers established an artillery academy in Gallipoli, which included both the navy and the army." "They also seemed to have standardized various artillery pieces, unifying the calibers and models to facilitate the mass casting of artillery pieces and the mass production of shells."

The guide smiled bitterly.

"You're right. They're using us as a whetstone."

"God-cursed Greek emperor! How could he have so much money!"

Sinan Pasha looked unhappy.

"It's been a year since the war started, and he hasn't even fought a single ground war with us. He has dragged us into this state simply by relying on his powerful national strength!"

There was silence and no one answered.

After a while, Sinan Pasha took a deep breath and looked away.

"Let's go into the city. We can't panic. Allah will protect us."

The city gate slowly opened, and Sinan Pasha and his officers rushed into the city, while the army camped outside the city.

The atmosphere in the city was very tense. The streets were filled with the sound of discussions. The market was deserted, and several grain stores had closed their doors. Many handicraft workshops run by Greek Orthodox Christians were in ruins, and dried blood was everywhere.

However, the brothels and opium dens in the city were extremely bustling, and Sinan Pasha recognized many familiar faces as he walked along.

When Sinan Pasha walked into the Governor's Palace with a gloomy face, the Governor of Kocaeli was having dinner. The luxurious room was filled with a variety of dishes.

"Kick out all your prostitutes and male lovers. I have something to say."

Sinan Pasha's cold voice shattered the governor's dream.

"Aga, you are finally here! We have been waiting for reinforcements for a long time..."

The governor climbed up quickly, blocking Sinan Pasha's sight with his fat body, and winking at the prostitutes and male favorites beside him.

Sinan Pasha ignored the governor's courtesy, walked to his seat and picked up the exquisite box on the table.

On the box, an exquisitely carved double-headed eagle spreads its wings as if ready to fly.

Sinan Pasha opened the box, revealing a bunch of round cigarettes. The cigarette paper wrapped in the tobacco was obviously not cheap either.

"Good, good, good!"

Sinan Pasha threw the box at the governor.

"The soldiers at the front are starving, and you are smoking expensive tobacco!"

"Roman brand, good taste, huh?"

Sinan Pasha glared at him fiercely.

"Why, do you want to tell me what are the advantages of this Roman deck compared to the Cleopatra deck and the Octavian deck?"

The governor saw that Pasha ignored the opium beside him and stared at the cigarette, his mind was a little confused, so he hurriedly smiled.

"This cigarette..."

"Shut up!"

Sinan Pasha looked at him with dismay.

"You...you are such a disgrace!"

"Uncle, I..."

"I've told you so many times, we use different positions when we're fighting!"

Sinan Pasha grabbed the governor by the collar.

"I regret deeply now that I should not have recommended you, a playboy, to the Sultan!"

"Aga, I was able to get this position mainly because of my father's contribution..."

The Governor argued quietly.

Sinan Pasha's breathing was trembling, and it took him a while to catch his breath and loosen his nephew's collar.

"What's the military situation?"

"The Greeks set fire to the forest, and they still managed to climb up..."

Seeing that his uncle had stopped pestering him, the governor quickly led him to his seat and brought him a cup of Rooibos tea, which again made Sinan Pasha very angry.

"You have a thing for Greek things, don't you?"

Sinan Pasha slammed his teacup on the table.

"That... won't happen. Opium and Arabic tea are not theirs..."

The Governor looked at his uncle innocently.

"These are the goods saved before the war. I gave them to you at that time—"

"Okay, let's get down to business."

Sinan Pasha interrupted him.

"Is the Anatolian Fortress still there?"

"It's still there. The Aegean barriers are still very strong. After a whole year, the Greeks haven't conquered any fortress yet."

The Governor nodded quickly.

"But their army has begun to besiege the fortress, and our communication with the fortress has been completely cut off."

“Are all the wildfires out?”

Sinan Pasha asked.

"Almost. It rained heavily the day before yesterday. I have already sent out rangers to the northwest to gather information."

The Governor nodded.

"What about uprisings and rebellions nearby?"

Sinan Pasha asked again.

"This... this is inevitable. Not everyone is as loyal to the Sultan as I am. However, they are not powerful enough. They lack food and clothing. When winter comes, a large number of them will probably die."

The Governor chuckled.

Sinan Pasha nodded, pondering.

"How many soldiers do you have?"

"Twenty thousand...sixteen thousand."

Under his uncle's stern gaze, the Governor weakly changed his words.

"Including the ones I brought with me and those who will arrive later, there are more than 30,000 people in total."

Sinan Pasha's expression softened a little.

"We still have the strength to fight."

"Aga, we can't just look at the numbers. My army hasn't received new weapons for a long time. Many people's swords are rusty. This..."

The governor was shocked when he saw that Sinan Pasha seemed to be planning to leave the city for a decisive battle.

"I brought some, but not much."

Sinan Pasha frowned.

"I will write another letter to His Majesty the Sultan and tell him in detail about the war in the north."

"Aga, isn't the Sultan coming? The soldiers' morale is a little low, and they are all looking forward to the Sultan's arrival."

the Governor asked doubtfully.

"We were originally going to come, but halfway through, it suddenly started to rain, and His Majesty the Sultan couldn't stand the pain, so he returned to Bursa."

Sinan Pasha sighed.

"The south is also unstable. Right now, almost all of our military supplies and food come from that area, and His Majesty the Sultan cannot leave for a long time."

The Governor's eyes lit up when he heard this.

"Uncle, why don't we give the cigarettes to His Majesty the Sultan? This thing can cure diseases after being crushed."

"Yes, the Greek emperor sent a lot of things over, including cigarettes, tea leaves, kola nuts... He also asked Your Majesty to eat less seafood."

A strange look appeared on Sinan Pasha's face.

"This made His Majesty the Sultan so angry that he ate four large plates of sea cucumbers before he calmed down."

"Oh, what about the east side?"

The Governor felt somewhat regretful.

"East? Not optimistic either."

Sinan Pasha waved his hand in annoyance.

"His Highness Bayezid adopted the strategy of clearing the countryside and retreated all the way to Ankara."

"He still has more than 10,000 men under his command, but their morale is low."

“Uzon Hassan has not moved on for now, and no one knows what will happen in the future.”

Sinan Pasha was silent for a while.

"I brought more than half of the elite troops in Bursa City, including some artillery and muskets."

"Give me all your soldiers. As for how and where to fight, let me think about it carefully."

(End of this chapter)