1444, Byzantium Resurrects

Chapter 292 Mining Frenzy
It was still chilly in spring and the snow had not yet melted. On the rugged mountain path, several guards on horseback were leading the way, and behind them, a gorgeously decorated carriage was moving slowly.

The body of the carriage is elegant and majestic, and the materials used are extremely exquisite. Different parts are made of different woods. Each type of wood is expensive, revealing the wealth and nobility of the owner.

Rosewood from Brazil, mahogany from South Africa, cedar from the Atlas Mountains... may not be suitable, but definitely luxurious.

On the body of the car, the best craftsmen used precious dyes to paint a shield emblem of a golden elk on a blue background, attracting the attention of passers-by.

There are many pedestrians on the road leading to the mining area. After a day's work, the miners go to the village at the foot of the mountain to relax. Dirty horse-drawn and donkey-drawn carts loaded with the fruits of their labor are being transported down the mountain with a grunt.

Compared with these dishevelled, dusty workers and drivers, the gorgeous carriage seemed so out of place. The tall and handsome horses pulling the carriage and the coachman driving it seemed to sense the workers' envy and unconsciously raised their heads with pride.

"Whose carriage is this? I've never seen this kind of emblem before..."

A middle-aged worker pointed to the coat of arms on the carriage.

"Hehe, I heard something in the tavern. This is the Fugger family of Augsburg, but they have basically moved out of Augsburg and moved to the Eastern Empire."

His co-workers looked at the precious wood and smacked their lips.

"Their head, Ulrich Fugger, has been appointed as the Deputy Minister of Commerce by the Emperor of the Eastern Empire. He has made a lot of money in the East, with textile factories, mines, and rented farms... Tsk tsk, in just a few years, he even has his own family emblem."

"Their family crest was said to have been designed by the Emperor of Constantinople himself as a sign of favor."

The middle-aged worker nodded enviously and thought about it.

"I heard that the Welser family and the Hohenstaedt family have also been growing rapidly in recent days. Compared with Fugger, who is richer?"

"Nonsense, Welser and Hohenstadt are just pure merchant families, how can they be compared with Fugger?"

The worker snorted.

"Besides, as far as I know, the market of the Eastern Empire is unmatched by any other country. A large number of mineral resources in their territory have not yet been developed. It is a hot spot for investors."

"Did you see that carriage? It's made of mahogany, a specialty of the Kingdom of Brazil. The Fugger family built several logging camps and plantations there..."

"How do you know so much? I thought your little eyes only stared at women's waists..."

The middle-aged worker stared at his companion in surprise.

"To be honest, when I save up a little more money, I'm going to take a gamble and take my brothers and sisters to the Balkans to rent a small mine. I've been mining for ten years and have the experience and skills. If I make some money, maybe I can become a lord."

The worker said proudly.

"Hmph, you..."

The carriage went farther and farther away, and the workers' gossip was swallowed up by the spring breeze. Inside the cabin, Ulrich Fugger held a glass of red wine and sipped it gently, with a smile on his lips growing more and more intense.

"Uncle Ulrich, they're talking about us."

Beside him, a young man in gorgeous clothes said with a smile.

"Yakub, now you understand, no matter how talented we are in business, we are still just businessmen. If we want to become oligarchs, we must rely on secular nobles."

Ulrich swirled the wine in his glass.

"We will follow the Emperor's army and fleet wherever they go. No matter what, we will not lose money."

"Just wait and see. After a few more years of operation, I will purchase a colony from the emperor. The title of earl will definitely be no problem."

Yakubu nodded and patted the soft seat.

"The Royal Academy has invented a really nice reed carriage. You can even drink in it."

"Haha, some members of the Royal Academy of Sciences do have some talent, but they didn't invent the reed. The Burgundians and Italians had already made something similar many years ago."

Ulrich shook his head and drank the wine in one gulp.

"This new carriage is indeed good, but the emperor is still not satisfied. He plans to use the rubber from the New World to see if he can wrap a layer of rubber on the wooden tires."

"If we can achieve certain breakthroughs, we can definitely build a larger four-wheeled carriage with increased cargo and passenger capacity, and it can even be used in the military field."

"Not really. I've heard of rubber, but it's too expensive to be popular. This kind of high-end carriage may only be affordable by nobles and wealthy businessmen."

Yakubu thought.

"But then again, necessity also drives progress, and a good idea is priceless."

"Well said, I am very pleased that you thought of this."

Ulrich patted Jakub on the shoulder.

"Just follow me from now on. I will introduce you to the two emperors and try to find you a position in the future."

"Thank you uncle!"

Yakubu was overjoyed.

The horses neighed, snorted in the cold spring wind, and exhaled bursts of hot air.

After going around a small hill and climbing up a high ground, a mine came into view.

The snow on the ground was dirty, but the copper ore in the cart exuded the glow of wealth.

This is the Erzgebirge Mountains located in the Holy Roman Empire, which can be roughly regarded as the boundary between Saxony and Bohemia. To the northwest is the territory of the Elector of Saxony, and to the southeast is the Sudetenland region of the Kingdom of Bohemia.

The Erzgebirge area is extremely rich in mineral resources, including copper, iron, lead, tin, gold, silver and other metals. There are numerous mines of all sizes. Even in cold weather, workers will still enter the mines under the coercion and inducement of the mine owners and transport the precious ores to the surface.

Of course, Erzgebirge means "mines" and is a name that dates back to the 16th century, when the range was known as the Bohemian Forest.

The Bohemian Forest is one of the most concentrated mining areas in Germany, on par with the Habsburg family's Tyrol region.

In the mid-to-late 15th century, the mining industry in Germany experienced great development. Various new technologies were applied to the fields of mining and metallurgy. Miners could mine deeper veins, and smelters could refine better quality metal ingots. The entire market was booming, and various mines sprang up like mushrooms after a rain.

This great change was not only technological but also institutional. The old feudal shackles were gradually broken, mining consortia and mining oligarchs began to emerge, capital and royal power began to combine, which greatly promoted the development of monopoly capitalism.

The technological revolution and institutional innovation brought a boost to the German mining industry. According to Ulrich's speculation, the total amount of mineral output in Germany nearly doubled in the decade from 1460 to 1470, and the output of precious metals in some areas even increased several times.

This time, Ulrich was ordered to come to the Bohemian Forest to recruit Saxon craftsmen, both for civil and military purposes.

The Saxon miners were well-known. During the Battle of Constantinople eighteen years ago, the Ottoman Sultan Mehmed II hired a team of Saxon miners to dig tunnels for him, approaching the city walls from underground and even destroying them, which caused considerable trouble to the Eastern Roman defenders.

The uncle and nephew got off the carriage, wrapped their fur coats tightly, and came to the residence of the mine manager.

After informing them, the servant led the two to the dining room. The table was filled with a variety of dishes, and the host, who was eating, stood up to greet them.

"Welcome, rich Ulrich, extravagant Ulrich, lucky Ulrich!"

The fat middle-aged man walked up with a smirk and gave Ulrich a big hug.

"Don't try that, greedy Gondolf."

Ulrich pushed Gondolf away.

"You prepared so many dishes, are you here to welcome me?"

"Hehe, you are so self-indulgent. This is my dinner every day. Why, are you jealous?"

Gondorff narrowed his eyes.

"Oh, I shouldn't ask that. Your family has made so much money in the East, and is a frequent visitor to the Grand Palace. How could you be interested in these things of mine?"

"Okay, stop talking nonsense. I'm hungry. This is my nephew, and he's hungry too."

Ulrich obviously didn't care about aristocratic etiquette. He sat down at the table, picked up a piece of honey pork chop with a silver fork, and stuffed it into his mouth.

"What about the wine? Brandy, whiskey, white wine. I don't care what the order is. Just bring us any good wine!"

Ulrich gave an unclear instruction.

Just as Gondorff was about to raise his eyebrows, an exquisite box was thrown to him.

When I opened it, I saw that the box was filled with fine cigars.

"The good things of Cuba are worth more than your daughter's chastity."

Ulrich looked at Gondorff with a joking look on his face.

"That's easy! Why don't you take out my treasures!"

Gondorff scolded the servant.

The wine was served and the three guests took their seats one by one. Gondolfo took out a thick cigar, lit it with a candle, took a deep puff, and immediately started coughing loudly.

"You are indeed a Germanic barbarian who knows nothing about the good things of our great Rome."

Ulrich curled his lips, wiped the sauce off his beard with a snow-white silk scarf, lit a cigar, and held the light blue smoke in his mouth.

"Your food is really terrible. It's not to my taste."

"Oh, I'm afraid your appetite has been spoiled in Constantinople. I'm not that lucky."

Gondolf imitated Ulrich and tasted his cigar, sighing with satisfaction.

"Tell me, what are you doing here?"

Ulrich poured himself a glass of amber wine and took a sip.

"I heard that your mine uses the latest technology, and the amount of minerals mined is increasing year by year."

"This is not my mine. I am just a manager, managing the industry for the Elector."

Gondolf shook his head.

"If you need anything, you should go to the Elector. However, he is not the only shareholder. The others will also receive a share of the dividends."

"Okay, I'm not here for business purposes, so I don't need to look for them."

Ulrich interrupted Gondolf.

"You manage this mine alone. Technical and institutional matters have nothing to do with those nobles, right?"

Gondorff snorted but did not refute.

"His Majesty the Emperor sent me to recruit Saxon miners. In addition to miners, mine engineers are also needed."

Ulrich made his intention clear.

"Why, the developed and wealthy Eastern Empire still needs our technology?"

Gondorff chuckled.

"I told you, we can't compare to Italy and the Eastern Empire in art and commerce, but when it comes to industry, Germany is no worse than anyone!"

"As far as I know, the miners in the East Empire are still using the old methods. They are inefficient, unprofitable, and they can't mine deep ores at all."

"Yes, in recent years, Germany's mining technology has developed rapidly and is indeed far ahead. It is worth learning from."

Ulrich nodded frankly.

“I have several mines in Macedonia, Bulgaria and Constantine-on-Don and would like to use your new technology.”

"Don't worry, it's been a while, let's talk more."

Gondorff straightened up.

"I heard that Emperor Isaac implemented an open policy, and merchants from home and abroad can invest in building factories or developing minerals. Is that true?"

"It's not like it's a secret. Didn't you go to Carthage during the Mediterranean wedding? It was announced to be open shortly after."

Ulrich said.

"Of course, the tax policies for domestic and foreign merchants are slightly different. If you want to enjoy the same business treatment as the merchants of the Eastern Empire, you can either become a citizen of the Eastern Empire or develop a joint venture with merchants from the Eastern Empire."

"Oh, I don't dare. Greeks, or Romans, whatever you want to say, they are all a group of cunning and scheming people. If I move to Constantinople, my poor daughter might be deceived by some Greek youths. Alas..."

Gondorff was talking nonsense and thinking at the same time, his pea-sized eyes flashing in the smoke.

"Hehe, even if your daughters with fat faces are given to me for free, I don't want them."

Ulrich sarcastically said.

"you--"

"Stop rambling!"

Ulrich had a headache and raised his voice.

"I want to recruit skilled workers and engineers. You should prepare them quickly. If you can satisfy me, your debt can be forgiven."

"Just for mining?" Gondolf blinked.

"Your Majesty is also planning to follow the example of the Ottomans and regularize the engineering corps so that it can play a role in sieges... This has nothing to do with you."

Ulrich said stiffly.

"His army is in trouble?"

Gondorff asked tentatively.

"The Ottomans have many strongholds, most of which were designed by Venetian engineers and use the latest bastion technology. They are not easy to attack."

Ulrich said simply.

"In addition to siege warfare, we also need to train an efficient and advanced engineering corps, so that the large square infantry can exert stronger combat effectiveness."

"Oh, I see. Saxon miners are brave and skilled. Many monarchs have employed them."

Gondorff nodded, pondering.

"But engineers and craftsmen are very valuable. I can't give you much... How about an ordinary miner?"

"We have no shortage of slave miners, we have plenty of money, and we want as many people as we can get."

"You can take as much kickback as you want."

Ulrich stared at Gondolf.

"Don't shirk your responsibility. You are in charge of four mines, and your mistress's brother is in charge of another one. You don't need to pay for hiring people. You just need to introduce the best craftsmen and engineers to us, and you can get a large sum of gold coins."

"You introduced some of the miners to the English last year, and I know that very well."

"Okay, okay, it's not impossible."

Gondorf sighed helplessly.

"But I have to tell you that there are very few such high-level talents. Even if you promise them real money, there probably won't be many people willing to leave their homes."

"but……"

Gondorff drew out his voice and looked at
Seeing this, Yakub immediately waved his hand and asked the driver to bring a wooden box.

Yakub opened the box and the porcelain inside was neatly arranged.

"Part of it is Roman purple porcelain from Adrianople, and part of it is celadon bought from the East, a small gift from Constantinople."

Ulrich said this, looking at Jakub with satisfaction.

"I know you've made some money and can pay off your debts at any time. I'm not going to use that piece of paper to force you."

"But I want to tell you that if you accept our proposal, you will definitely make money."

"That's pretty much it."

Gondolfo picked up a porcelain vase and looked at it carefully.

"You guys have found the right person. I have some connections in this area."

Gondolf put down the porcelain vase and looked at Ulrich.

"Did you get any information along the way?"

"What information?"

Ulrich frowned slightly.

Gondolfo put out his cigar and stared into Ulrich's eyes, emphasizing every word.

"Just a few days ago, the Bohemian King Jiri Podebrad, who was excommunicated by the Holy See, passed away."

"Oh?"

Ulrich was a little stunned, but soon returned to normal.

"So, King Matthias of Hungary is going to march on Prague?"

"It's still early. The situation in Bohemia is very chaotic. It won't be easy for the Hungarians to take Prague."

Gondolf turned serious.

"The Poles intervened, and King Matthias seemed not to want to engage in a full-scale war with them, so he only occupied half of Bohemia."

"That means..."

Ulrich understood a little.

"The chaos in Bohemia is our opportunity. I have connections and you have gold. We should be able to recruit a large number of talents."

Gondolf grinned.

"The mining industry in Bohemia is closely related to ours, and their technology is also very advanced, not much different from ours."

"The Eastern Empire has adopted an open policy. Coupled with Germany's new technology, it will soon form large and small mining oligarchs, and mineral production will surely increase rapidly."

"Why, are you jealous?"

Ulrich smiled.

"The Pindus Mountains, the Stara Mountains, the Rhodope Mountains, the Atlas Mountains... and the Pontus Mountains and the Taurus Mountains that may appear in the future."

"With so many opportunities in this area, it's entirely possible to set off a mining boom. Anyone who sees this will be envious."

Gondolf shrugged.

"You are also a Roman citizen, right?"

"Yes."

Ulrich nodded.

"Then, can I partner with you to mine the ores in the mountains together?"

Gondorff asked.

"Yes, according to your majesty's regulations, state-owned minerals are leased and contracted. The better the mine, the more rent and tax will be collected. Foreign merchants' dividends shall not exceed one-fifth."

Ulrich explained.

"Of course! I can't afford more."

Gondorff chuckled.

"Then it's settled. You have to prepare the talent for me within two months."

Ulrich stood up and raised his glass.

"I am willing to serve the Emperor!"

Gandalf also stood up and drank the wine in his glass.

……

Northwestern Anatolia, Gulf of Izmit, city of Nicomedia.

A month ago, tens of thousands of troops from the Eastern Roman Empire marched aggressively to the city and surrounded the port city.

At present, due to the limited width of the battlefield, the Eastern Roman army besieging the city totaled more than 20,000 people, and the remaining legions were dispersed, occupying nearby towns and villages, and occasionally clashed with the Ottoman cavalry who came to investigate.

Outside the eastern wall of Nicomedia, the artillery units of the Eastern Roman Empire continued to bombard the thick city walls. More than a hundred large and small artillery pieces were divided into ten companies. Each company was composed of one or two Spartan heavy artillery pieces as the core, and was equipped with various small and medium-sized artillery pieces, which were quite powerful.

It took Isaac a lot of time to successfully transport these artillery pieces to the city of Nicomedia. The spring in Anatolia was actually not suitable for the army's march. Although Isaac, who was wealthy, did not have to worry about military supplies and food, the muddy roads still caused great difficulties for the soldiers.

In the bay west of Nicomedia, several large ships were lined up in a row, with their black broadside guns aimed at the city walls. After every loud noise, a heavy lead bullet would streak across the sky and hit the city wall heavily.

After more than a year of improvement and training, the artillery of the Eastern Roman Empire made considerable progress. Many gunsmiths from Burgundy cast better cannons, and many gunners from the Burgundian army educated students at the Gallipoli Artillery Academy.

The Ottoman coastal defense artillery was still of the old style from a few years ago. It might be powerful, but its range could not catch up with the army artillery and naval guns of the Eastern Roman Empire.

As the attacking party, the Eastern Roman Empire could adjust the position of its artillery positions at will, but the Ottomans could not. Their city defense artillery and coastal defense artillery were bulky and old, and it was difficult to turn them, let alone adjust the elevation angle.

In this era, gunners from various countries still rely on experience to shoot and are not very clear about the principles of parabola.

However, Isaac knew very well that the method to increase the range was not complicated. He only needed to adjust the gun barrel and make the angle between the gun barrel and the ground as 45° as possible. That was enough.

While the artillery bombardment was going on, the Eastern Roman Empire's musketeers and crossbowmen would shoot at the city walls from the siege towers, and the soldiers would hide behind the mud-covered curtain walls and use long-range weapons to kill the Ottoman defenders on the city walls.

boom--

After a round of artillery fire, the battlefield fell into a brief silence. Then, the Eastern Roman soldiers who were ready for battle rushed out from various camps and launched a fierce attack on the city walls.

In the siege command center on the high ground, Isaac sat at the table with a sand table and blueprints in front of him. The generals and staff stood on both sides, discussing in low voices.

The Ottoman army in Nicomedia totaled more than 35,000 men, of which the most elite Kapikulu Legion accounted for about one-seventh.

Isaac spoke slowly.

"Among them, the garrison of Nicomedia totals more than 8,000 people, led by Sinan Pasha. In the south, there are more than 20,000 mobile troops in Nicaea and Bursa, hiding in the countryside."

"They plan to use the strong walls to wear down our morale, so they can take advantage of the situation and defeat the enemy with fewer troops."

"Hmph, Your Majesty, if our numbers were similar, they would definitely not dare to siege this city, but our hard power is far superior to that of the enemy. As long as we are careful and cautious, they will have no way to stop us."

Ibrahim snorted.

"Be careful... this is also a good plan."

Isaac nodded slowly.

"However, our main goal has always been to destroy the Ottomans' manpower and thus achieve a quick siege."

"If we continue to waste time like this, I'm afraid we won't be able to capture Bursa by the end of this year, and the variables will increase instead."

"So what do you think we should do?"

Mehmet, who served as an aide, looked at Isaac.

"Don't worry about the gains and losses of a city or a place. The most important thing is the increase and decrease of living forces."

Isaac smiled and drew a circle on the map.

"This is the richest region in the Ottoman Empire, and the capital, Bursa, is located here."

"We will leave more than 10,000 troops in Nicomedia and have them keep an eye on the enemy. The artillery fire will not stop and we can also drive the Turkic people to charge the city walls."

"The rest of the troops will cross Nicomedia and march straight to the city of Bursa."

Isaac finished speaking and threw the charcoal pencil away.

"Your Majesty... You can't take down Bursa without siege artillery."

A young officer whispered.

"Yes, but my purpose is to put panic in their hearts."

Isaac nodded confidently.

"Doesn't the Ottoman army want to fight a guerrilla war with us?"

"Then we will head straight for their capital and force them into a decisive battle."

"The generals know that Bursa will not be lost, and Mehmed probably knows that too, but what will the nobles, wealthy merchants, and citizens of the city think?"

Isaac shrugged.

"What do you think?"

The generals thought about it, looked at each other, and nodded.

"Your Majesty, I suggest that you send the light cavalry to the south to investigate first, so as to avoid an ambush. Everything should be done with safety in mind."

Ibrahim said in a deep voice.

"Okay, you guys will be responsible for making the arrangements."

(End of this chapter)