1444, Byzantium Resurrects

Chapter 297 The Eve of War
Nicomedia, Marmara Coast, Northwestern Anatolia.

It was late at night, and the pitch-black night enveloped the continent and the ocean. The fortress wrapped in darkness was like a stranded deep-sea monster, lying quietly on the shore. It was obviously covered with scars, but it was surviving with its tenacious vitality. The flickering flames on the city walls were like the eyes of the monster, and the occasional roar of cannons sounded the roar before fighting for its life.

Outside Nicomedia, the camp of the Eastern Roman siege army was undulating and immersed in darkness. More than 15,000 troops and an even larger number of civilians were stationed here.

Although the siege lasted for a long time, the order in the siege camp was still good. The trenches and arrow towers were in order, and the artillery positions and other siege equipment were guarded by special people. Many civilians were busy between the tents, collecting the soldiers' domestic garbage and transporting it to the temporary military port.

The feces would be loaded onto the merchants' transport ships, and other things would be thrown into the sea. Cargo ships would carry food, weapons, ammunition and armor to the camps to maintain daily consumption.

On a hill, siege commander Ibrahim looked at the siege camp he had built and nodded slightly.

Ibrahim was born an Ottoman deserter and was one of the earliest followers of His Majesty the Emperor. He served as the commander of the Purple Guard and participated in more than half of the major battles. He had seniority and high prestige in the army.

In terms of qualifications alone, perhaps only the semi-retired Duke of Crete and Chief of Staff Mikhail can surpass him, and the others are really not good enough.

Nearly thirty years have passed in the blink of an eye. His monarch has grown from a young and naive prince to a middle-aged emperor with a majestic aura. Ibrahim has also become an old man with gray hair. He has children and grandchildren who are gradually growing up. The eldest grandson has already started to talk about marriage.

Ibrahim was a steady and peaceful man. Whether in life or war, he never took risks easily and never pursued fame and fortune excessively. This quality was precious at a time when the Eastern Roman Empire's navy and army were winning successive victories and the trend of greed and recklessness was growing stronger.

It was for this reason that he became the new Minister of War and the commander-in-chief of the siege of Nicomedia.

Ibrahim was also a tolerant person. He was not willing to interfere with the personal choices of his children and grandchildren. Apart from strictly prohibiting them from intervening in royal disputes, he always encouraged them.

The youngest son did not want to join the army or go into politics and was interested in art, so Ibrahim sent him to study in Italy. After he returned home, he donated money to the Academy of Athens to enable his youngest son to open an art department and hold a personal sculpture exhibition. This incident once became a topic of conversation among the citizens of Constantinople.

His eldest grandson was also unwilling to accept his political legacy and insisted on going far away to explore the unknown. After his persuasion failed, he expressed his support. He not only bought him the latest caravelle from the Carthaginian shipyard and hired the best guide, but also later ordered a brass telescope, letting him do whatever he wanted.

The eldest grandson was not very lucky. He sailed in the Atlantic eight times in five years, but each time he failed and found nothing of value. He only got a lot of indigenous handicrafts.

Later, the eldest grandson gave up sailing in anger and went to help the United Fruit Company transport goods. As a result, he lost contact due to a storm during the third shipment and coincidentally found a medium-sized uninhabited island in the South Atlantic.

The uninhabited island was not rich, and the eldest grandson had little interest in it, but after the East India route was changed, the island happened to be located on the triangular route from Rio Port to New Thrace, and its importance increased exponentially.

Since Ibrahim's eldest grandson's surname was Palaiologos, no one dared to compete with him for the right to discover the island first. It was successfully registered with the Colonial Office, and the emperor personally named the island.

St. Helena, Ibrahim remembered the name.

"My Lord, a letter from the Emperor."

Just as Ibrahim was immersed in his thoughts, a voice called him.

Ibrahim looked at the person who came. It was the commander of the 3rd Guards Dragoon Regiment, the Horn of Behemoth, Kaloyan of Dobrudja.

"Thank you, Captain Kaloyan Dobrogea, for coming from afar. Please set up camp and rest with your troops first."

Ibrahim nodded at him.

"I'm old and I can't concentrate, please don't blame me."

"My Lord, you are joking. The troops are well-organized and the division of labor is clear. Your talents are still outstanding."

Kaloyan smiled and stood still.

"His Majesty said that the letter was brief and that there were some matters that needed to be explained in person."

Ibrahim nodded, held the letter close to the torch, and looked at the handwriting on the envelope.

"From Ibrahim Kalikis."

Ibrahim understood and fumbled to open the fire seal.

In recent years, at the suggestion of the prime minister, government departments have advocated the standardization of names, requiring every citizen to give himself a surname to facilitate statistics and management.

In this era, many ordinary people did not have their own surnames, and the new Christians from the original Islamic cultural circle did not have surnames in the strict sense. After the standardization order was issued, the people were very curious about this and gave themselves a variety of surnames.

Wooden barrel, well, windmill, horseman, pig herder...all of a sudden, many surnames popped up.

People of higher status would use the place names of their ancestral homes or fiefdoms as their surnames, such as Garzos for Prince Mikhail and Dobruja for Kaloyan.

There are also many people who like to cling to their relatives. In the Thrace region, people with the surnames Serimbria and Mesembria popped up one after another - these two are the surnames of illegitimate children of the Palaiologos family.

Ibrahim was an exception. He named his family Kalikis, which was neither his fiefdom nor the location of his family residence.

This was a neighborhood in Athens famous for the war slave trade, and where he met the emperor.

Ibrahim finished reading the letter, folded it up, and slightly frowned his mottled eyebrows.

"Your Majesty means that the Ottoman army is counterattacking to the north, and he intends to continue to consume them and find the right time to directly besiege Bursa?"

"Yes, Your Majesty believes that the previous economic war and war of attrition have almost brought down the Ottomans. We must take advantage of the fact that Uzon Hassan is busy annexing land and completely destroy the Ottoman central government."

Kaloyan responded.

"There are three main reasons why our attack speed is so slow. The first is the Aegean barriers built by the Ottomans along the coast. We have to admit that the Venetians designed something very good."

"The second is the bad weather. We can only march and fight for half a year, which also slows down our progress to a great extent."

"Third, the Ottoman central government still exists. They still have a unified military center and material distribution point. Bursa is very close to Constantinople, but we still failed to capture it in a short period of time. If we can capture their capital, the subsequent advance will be very smooth."

Kaloyan analyzed carefully.

"Since there was little resistance, Uzung Hassan did not need to worry about enemies attacking from the flanks. Their marching route on the plateau was almost a straight line."

"This allowed them to capture Ankara in a very short time, but it also required them to disperse their forces for a period of time, capture scattered towns, collect food and fodder, stabilize the area, and sign agreements with local tribes."

"Your Majesty believes that this is our chance. Nicaea has been taken, and Bursa is within reach."

Ibrahim was silent for a moment and looked towards the east.

"From what I know, Uzon Hassan is indeed meeting with the dignitaries on the plateau to establish his own rule. He has also attracted a lot of vassal troops. If we wait for a while, he may bring an army of more than 100,000 to attack us."

"We have calculated with His Majesty, and it is not that much."

Kaloyan smiled.

"Moreover, war is not just about numbers. The quality of the army and the restraint of the arms are also key factors. Your Majesty said that most of Uzon Hassan's tribal vassal troops are useless. They only consume their military rations and slow down their speed."

"The Anatolian Plateau has already encountered several large-scale conscriptions. The elite troops that those nomadic tribes can mobilize are extremely limited. We don't have to worry about it for the time being."

"And what about Nicomedia?"

Ibrahim was a little angry.

"The intention of Bursa's army to move northward is too obvious, and it is obviously creating opportunities for Bayezid's army."

"I know they are on the other side of the Sakarya River, but I have no idea when they will cross the river, maybe last week, maybe today."

"The combined number of my regular army and vassal army is only over 10,000, most of whom are infantry. If they suddenly rush over while we are attacking the city, what can we do?"

"Your Majesty said that we should crack down on radical ideas, so why are you being radical yourself?"

After listening to Ibrahim's words, Kaloyan found it a little funny. It was exactly what the emperor had expected before he left. He was indeed his subordinate for decades.

"My Lord, you don't have to worry. The Ottomans are also confused. Their intentions are too obvious for anyone to see. Your Majesty anticipated this and sent reinforcements."

After saying this, Kaloyan spread out his cloak, drew out his sword, stuck it into the ground, knelt on one knee, and the fire-breathing dragon on his cloak fluttered in the night wind.

"The Guards Behemoth Dragoon Regiment, Commander Kaloyan Dobroga is at your disposal!"

Ibrahim was speechless for a moment and could only signal Kaloyan to stand up quickly.

"Just one regiment?"

"The Nephilim and Mephistopheles are here too. These two legions are scouting and deploying their forces in the east."

Kaloyan said.

"That's pretty much it."

Ibrahim nodded slightly.

"You guys are really fast. Didn't Bursa's counterattack hold you back?"

"That's the original purpose of the mounted infantry."

Kaloyan smiled proudly.

"Oh well,"

Ibrahim thought for a moment.

"Have you filled your quota? The war is coming, and I need to know the actual combat effectiveness of each legion."

"The full strength of the combat personnel is 1,000, and the current strength is 885. The combat effectiveness is basically intact."

Kaloyan said.

"The other two regiments are similar to us, with some casualties in the previous small-scale battle."

"You call this basically intact? You young people always like to brag."

Ibrahim shook his head in dissatisfaction.

"A group of new soldiers just arrived yesterday. You are lucky to have arrived in time. You can go and pick some to fill the quota."

"Thank you very much, Your Excellency."

After thanking him, Carloyan hesitated for a moment.

“Can I ask where it came from?”

"Don't worry, it's not from Constantinople."

Ibrahim gave him a sidelong look.

"The 400 men you can choose from are from Bulgaria and Macedonia. They are all the best among the Royal Canadian Mounted Police. I took a quick look and found that the best ones are from the Larissa Basin. There are many horses there, and the folks there have a strong riding culture."

After the Eastern Roman Empire restored its national strength, it rebuilt a complete military mobilization system, which in many aspects referred to the Ottoman Empire.

Every town will have a recruitment point, and the recruitment system will be adopted in normal times. Brave men who volunteer to join the army will be divided into several levels after rounds of assessments and enter different training camps.

There are fewer training camps at the highest level, which can directly lead to the Central Army, corresponding to the Kapikulu of the Ottoman Empire.

There are more second-rate training camps, and after completing the training, they will be assigned to local garrisons in various towns, including the Rifle Corps and the Royal Mounted Police, which correspond to the Delhi Knights of the Ottoman Empire.

The lowest-level training camps were mainly responsible for militia training. All eligible men in each settlement had to participate in a ten-day training during the slack season. The best of them would be selected as militia captains. When the war was about to start, the emperor would sign a general mobilization decree. These people had to go to the battlefield unconditionally, corresponding to the Ajinki cavalry and Azab infantry of the Ottoman Empire. Of course, these three training camps could be mobile, with the survival of the fittest and selection at each level.

As for the various military regions and border areas, they have their own right to recruit soldiers and assessment system, but the size of the army is determined by the emperor, and they must rely on central government financial support.

Then there are the governorates, nomadic areas, feudal fiefdoms and colonies. These places have greater autonomy and are only summoned by the emperor. In the event of a full-scale war, the emperor's personal representatives will bring family rings to find the person in charge and ask them to honor their obligations and send troops to assist.

The Great Turkish War was a major test for the new military system of the Eastern Roman Empire. Isaac had signed the second-level mobilization order at the beginning of this year, and all three-level training camps were activated.

When the Central Army is short of personnel, the first-level training camp will try its best to supplement them. If there is still a shortage, the local shooting corps and the Royal Mounted Police will also add outstanding soldiers to the Central Army.

After more than ten years of reform, except for a few indispensable heavy armored infantry legions, the other central armies of the Eastern Roman Empire had been fully equipped with muskets and spears and used large square tactics.

The Archery Corps corresponds to the Large Square, and the Royal Mounted Police corresponds to the Dragoon Guards. This allows a legion to retain most of its combat effectiveness after replenishment and recover extremely quickly.

The shortfalls in the central army will be made up by local troops with the same tactical system, and the shortfalls in the local army will be made up by the militia, together forming a good wartime reinforcement system.

The shooting corps has always been understaffed. In normal times, veterans are trained as officers, and a large number of slave soldiers are added during wartime. The extra veterans are added to the Central Army that has suffered losses.

This system is very efficient. Its only drawback is that the garrison forces in some areas will fall into a temporary low period, which requires the coordinated mobilization of rulers and military advisers. Too much garrison forces in areas with weak governance must not be withdrawn.

During the nearly two years of war, this mobilization system performed quite well. With the help of a mature shipping system, it ensured the sustained combat capability of the Eastern Roman army.

However, the losses in the siege were also huge. Ibrahim had already lost more than 15,000 lives under the city of Nicomedia, most of whom were still conscripted West African black slaves and North African white slaves.

Ibrahim knew that as the war progressed and slaves were lost, a new round of slave hunting was launched in the occupied territories of North Africa, West Africa and Anatolia, another round of lives were harvested, and another group of black marketeers took advantage of the situation.

He heard that the city councilors of Birinci had requested at the last Senate Estates General that slavery be added to the Academy of Athens and the University of Constantinople, but had been sternly rejected and scolded by the Minister of Education, Balsamon.

After returning, the slave traders in Bilinchi decided to go all out and raised funds to establish Bilinchi University, which was affiliated with the city council. The most famous course was slave training, which covered everything from selection methods to scope of application to management methods, and guaranteed to teach everyone.

Ibrahim came to his senses, shook his head vigorously, and focused his attention on the fortress in the distance.

"You all just need to do your job. There is nothing else to say. Nicomedia is almost unable to hold on."

"My Lord Earl, I heard that a plague broke out here a few days ago?"

Kaloyan asked.

"Yes, we dropped some feces and corpses into the city of Nicomedia, and due to the hot weather, they had a small plague outbreak."

Ibrahim said frankly.

"I prepared epidemic prevention measures in advance, but the slave shooters who were recruited were not willing to comply and were infected by the garrison."

"Those people had very poor qualities and sometimes even dared to talk back to their superiors. I killed a bunch of them and it took some time to rectify them."

Ibrahim snorted.

"I don't care what he did before, how powerful he is in the local area, or how unruly he is. As long as he comes to me, he is my subordinate and must obey my orders!"

"Your Excellency is right."

Kaloyan agreed.

"His Majesty is very concerned about this matter. He also sent me to ask if there are enough medical supplies and medical staff."

"Very good. I have followed Your Majesty for decades and have witnessed the empire's medical industry improve little by little. It is now very efficient. There are enough military doctors and there are professional departments responsible for the production of medicines."

Ibrahim's expression softened a little.

"The liquor used to clean the wounds is a little insufficient, but I asked the soldiers to drink less. They should be able to hold out until the next batch of supplies arrives."

"The military doctors are also very motivated, especially the clergy doctors. If they want to be promoted, they must have experience in treating injuries on the battlefield."

Kaloyan nodded happily and suddenly smiled.

"If a doctor wants to be promoted, he must have experience as a military doctor. If a priest wants to be promoted, he must have experience as a military chaplain or a colonial missionary. If a noble wants to obtain a title, he must also have served on the battlefield."

"Some people say that in the Eastern Empire, it's not the country that owns the army, but the army that owns the country. If you think about it, it's quite correct."

"Don't say such things anymore!"

Ibrahim looked serious.

"Always remember, the country belongs to His Majesty the Emperor, and the army also belongs to His Majesty the Emperor. This is for your own good!"

"Yes, please keep this in mind."

Kaloyan restrained his smile and bowed slightly.

Ibrahim looked at him and was silent for a moment.

"We have breached Nicomedia's outer wall, and the second layer is also in danger. Their soldiers have dropped to a very dangerous number, and the city will be breached at any moment."

"The Ottomans made this place an extremely tough rock to crack. They drove the people out of the city very early and stockpiled a lot of military rations and supplies. We are moving very fast."

"Yes, I will do my duty, and may God bless us."

Kaloyan crossed himself.

"Your Majesty also brought you some things that may be useful in the future."

boom--

On the distant hillside, the artillery positions began to roar, and flames flashed in the darkness.

On the sea, three Eastern Roman warships were lined up and fired at Nicomedia one after another.

Fires flickered and thunder roared. The Ottoman soldiers on the city wall had become numb and walked towards their own garrison areas in silence.

"Mr. Earl, can we fire the cannon accurately at night?"

Kaloyan was a little confused.

He knew that at the beginning of the war, the Eastern Roman army had used the same tactics to tire out the Ottoman army, but as time went on, this strategy was no longer as effective as it was at the beginning. The Ottoman soldiers had long been accustomed to falling asleep under artillery fire and had established a relatively complete rotation defense system.

"Nicomedia is the painstaking work of Venetian engineers. It uses the latest bastion technology and is the strongest link in the entire Aegean Sea barrier. Its wall is a slope, so even in daytime, the effect of artillery shells is relatively limited."

Ibrahim grinned.

"But we fired at night not to destroy the city walls, but just to make noise and attract their attention."

"You mean..."

Kaloyan had an epiphany.

"Yes, under our feet, Saxony's miners have dug out more than a dozen tunnels. Some of them failed because they hit groundwater and hard rock, but some are almost finished."

Ibrahim stamped the ground beneath his feet.

"These Germans are too rigid. A two-story structure is perfectly adequate, but they insisted on building three or even four stories, which took up a lot of time."

"However, their caution is correct. So far, the Ottomans have not discovered it at all."

While the two were talking, a messenger came on horseback, came to Ibrahim and dismounted.

"My Lord Count, the Saxons report that something has happened."

The messenger looked at Ibrahim.

"They dug up skeletons, but there were no coffins or burial objects. This must be the Saracen cemetery in Nicomedia!"

"Great! There aren't usually many people over there, so it's the best place to break through!"

Ibrahim was also very excited. He immediately asked for his warhorse and called for several other guards.

"All artillery fire to create momentum. Miners reinforce the tunnel and widen the exit. I will select the death squad to attack immediately!"

"Yes!"

Everyone took the order and left.

……

East of Nicomedia, in a vast and desolate field, three soldiers lay on a hillside, with their muskets at hand, their horses tied to the side, and a small telescope in front of them.

They were from the 6th Regiment of the Guards Dragoons, Mephistopheles, which had recently arrived east of Nicomedia to conduct reconnaissance and surveillance.

It was already dawn, and the sky was just breaking. Through the telescope, the three people saw a very shocking scene.

Not far to the north, a cavalry was galloping westward. There were many people and even more horses. Some of them held high the crescent flag of the Ottoman Empire, while others held the flag of the White Sheep Dynasty.

Behind the telescope, the three people stared at each other in astonishment.

"The enemy is attacking, what should we do?"

A young soldier looked at the captain.

"Count Ibrahim has deployed three Slaves Corps here, but two are in the southeast, and there is only one in the northeast, and no one knows where it is."

The captain analyzed carefully.

"The enemy is coming straight at us. Even if we can contact the Slaves, it will be difficult for us to gather them before the Ottomans reach Nicomedia."

"Your Majesty sent us here ahead of time, perhaps thinking of this day."

"Captain, military command is the business of adults, let's just complete our own mission!"

The team members were eagerly dismantling the telescope.

"That's right, we will return to the Corps immediately."

"It's time to take advantage of our dragoons. We can't stop them, but there's still hope of pinning down some of the enemy."

The captain shouldered his musket and pulled his horse over.

"Light the devil's lantern and notify more people!"

The devil's lantern slowly rose up, the flame at its tail dancing in the air, and it floated towards the west along the land wind.

Then, on the rest of the hills, more and more devil lanterns were released, floating in the air, flickering in the dark sky before dawn, like will-o'-the-wisp.

(End of this chapter)