1444, Byzantium Resurrects

Chapter 315: Sacrifice your life for a better future
It is already April, the weather has become warmer, the remaining snow has basically melted, the green grass is growing taller, and the hot and dry summer has not yet arrived. It is a good time to march and fight.

For the Ottoman Empire, they successfully survived another winter with the protection of nature. Although the city of Bursa was dilapidated, it still stood tall, and the red crescent flag on the city wall was still fluttering.

However, despite this, the Ottomans still lost a large amount of their southwestern territory in 1471. The inland fortresses had not been converted into bastions and could not withstand the new artillery of the Eastern Roman Empire for long.

The regular army of the Eastern Roman Empire would often go upstream along the river, penetrate a series of cities along the river valley, use a large number of artillery to blow down the old city walls, and then hand over the vast countryside to civilian armed reclamation groups. They did not waste too much time in these places, as there were still a large number of bandit armed forces and Muslim civilians. The rule of the Eastern Roman Empire had not yet penetrated into the countryside.

This was also the most gratifying point for the Ottoman high-ranking officials. In their view, as long as Uzum Hasan could defeat the Eastern Roman army in a head-on decisive battle, they could use the period of the Eastern Roman retreat to re-establish the central government's rule over the local areas.

Of course, if Uzungol Hassan won, the looting of the Turkmen would be inevitable, another group of civilians would be killed, and a large number of refugees would appear. The Ottoman high-level officials were well aware of this, but they didn't care too much.

The Ottoman capital, Bursa.

On the city wall, soldiers patrolled back and forth, and a small number of artillery were aimed below. Mehmed II forced himself to walk to the top of the city wall to visit the soldiers fighting on the front line.

This winter, Mehmed II really did what he said and stood with his soldiers. Even when it snowed heavily, he would go to the barracks and sit for a while, enduring the pain brought by gout, to cheer up the soldiers.

Unexpectedly, the Eastern Roman Empire did not take advantage of the winter to attack the city of Bursa. They did not seem to be afraid of the army of the White Ayun Empire. They did not think that their arrival would revive the devastated Ottoman Empire, and they had enough confidence to defeat them in a decisive battle.

During this winter, the city of Bursa suffered only a few sporadic attacks. The Eastern Roman Empire was unwilling to increase casualties in the winter, and the Ottoman Empire did not have the courage and determination to fight outside the city. The Eastern Roman army remained stationed in the siege camp, occasionally sending a tired troop back to the Nicaea Basin to rest.

Nicaea is surrounded by mountains and has slightly better climatic conditions than Bursa. The surrounding mountains block some of the cold winds from the north.

Seeing the Sultan and the Grand Vizier coming together, the soldiers were still somewhat happy. Although the Ottoman family was no longer as powerful as it used to be, the "deification movement" of more than a hundred years still made many people miss them, and the status of Mehmed II could barely be maintained.

What surprised Mehmed II was that the soldiers today were unusually happy, with hope and vitality in their eyes, in stark contrast to the dullness and despair of the past.

"Your Majesty the Sultan, the Greeks have retreated!"

one soldier yelled.

"The Aries army came to attack, the Greeks were afraid of them, and the Greeks left!"

The soldiers were delighted.

"Once the Greeks are defeated by King Aries, we can return home again!"

"Your Majesty the Sultan, let's fight our way out. I want to take back my hometown..."

Mehmed II looked at the camp in the north of the city. Although the flags were still bright, the number of people was obviously much smaller.

Mehmed II looked at the jubilant soldiers, feeling some joy, but more of deep sorrow.

Once upon a time, the country he ruled was the number one power in Eastern Europe and the leader in the Muslim world. They defeated the ancient Eastern Roman Empire, the successively rising Bulgaria and Serbia, and the holy wars and crusades of the Western world time and time again, and were only one step away from Constantinople.

However, since some time, the Ottoman soldiers have lost their former courage and bravery. They have become less and less confident and desperate when facing the Eastern Roman Empire. They can only pin their hopes on the interference of the Eastern powers.

"Your Majesty the Sultan, there are still some soldiers in their military city, probably to keep an eye on us."

The Grand Vizier pointed toward the camp.

"I suggest you don't act rashly and wait until the result of the decisive battle comes out before making any considerations."

Mehmed II nodded slightly. He knew what his current army was like. It was good for defending a city and winning a battle, but it would be too difficult to attack and capture a city.

The military camp in the north of the city is very large. It hardly looks like a camp, but more like a military fortress.

Commander Ibrahim, who was ordered to lead the Northwestern Army, has always been cautious. He spent more than half a year using soldiers and slaves as labor to build this military city here, with gullies, arrow towers, and artillery towers.

“The Greeks were really good at architecture.”

Mehmed II said sincerely.

"They spent a lot of money to build it up, and only they can afford to fight such a battle."

The Grand Vizier commented.

“Twenty years ago, when we built the Rumelia Castle in the Black Sea Strait, it took us just over three months.”

"Yes, we have experienced this kind of glory before."

Mehmed II said somewhat melancholy.

"But now, it has been renamed Romulus Castle."

"I'm sorry, Your Majesty the Sultan."

Seeing that Mehmed II was in a bad mood, the Grand Vizier quickly lowered his head.

"It doesn't matter. We lost and there's nothing to be unwilling to admit. I will stand with you and get through this difficult time together."

Mehmed II looked at the soldiers.

"O people of Ottoman Empire, our allies from the East have come to support us. They will defeat the Greek army and drive the Greek devils out of our territory!"

"During this period, what you have to do is to defend the city and don't let the Greeks take any advantage!"

"Their cavalry has decreased. I will send cavalry to break out of the siege, contact other cities, and try to get reinforcements and food for us!"

The soldiers had different expressions, some were relieved, some looked indifferent, and some seemed to be hesitant to speak.

The local soldiers in Bursa were certainly unwilling to leave the city; they only wanted to preserve their last refuge.

The Sultan's remaining old soldiers still obey the Sultan's orders. They have no hometown, and the Sultan's military camp is their home.

As for those outsiders who came to guard the capital, their hometowns were either under the control of the Eastern Roman Empire or the White Abyssinia, or were about to face the iron hoof of the Eastern Roman Empire. They hoped that the Sultan would lead them to recover their homeland.

Mehmed II ignored their thoughts, just smiled and nodded at the soldiers, then looked up at the eastern sky again.

If Uzun Hassan could win, he would become the savior of the entire Islamic world, his prestige would reach its peak, it would not be difficult for him to take over Syria and Egypt, the custody of the three holy places would be within his grasp, and the position of caliph would not be a pipe dream.

If this were him, that would be great.

Mehmed II thought silently.

However, Mehmed II was not optimistic about the fate of the White Sheep Dynasty. If they had really defeated the Eastern Roman Empire, Uzungol Hassan might indeed have become a savior, but the country he established was destined to not last long.

As bright as a meteor, as short-lived as a meteor, this is the fate of nomadic powers.

If by then the Ottomans could still preserve their core borders on the eastern coast of the Aegean Sea, they would have a chance to take advantage of the situation and make a comeback.

Thinking of this, Mehmed II became more excited.

"Perform your duties diligently, Ottoman guards. Once the Aries defeat the Greek emperor, I will lead you to recover your homeland and rebuild your glory!"

Mehmed II shouted loudly, and the soldiers gave the most enthusiastic response, which had not been seen for a long time.

From the low-level soldiers to the high-ranking nobles, the Ottomans finally waited for the Aries reinforcements. They cheered for them silently in their hearts and discussed the scene after the Aries army's victory.

In their hearts, they had already tacitly accepted the great victory of the Aries Dynasty. This was not because they had any special affection for the Aries people, nor because they really believed that Uzung Hassan was invincible.

This is simply because the other ending made them feel fear deep in their bones.

……

On the desolate and vast loess land, river valleys and lakes are dotted with green stars, and the deserted villages on the roadside are sparsely populated.

The army advanced slowly; the sounds of armor colliding, wheels rolling, and horses neighing mixed together, blending into a majestic marching symphony.

Above the army, large flags fluttered in the wind. The flags of the central army and the archery army surrounded the golden and red double-headed eagle flag of the Eastern Roman Empire. Under the eagle flag, Isaac and his eldest son rode side by side.

This place is located on the straight line connecting the cities of Bursa and Ankara. According to intelligence, the army of the White Sheep Dynasty has crossed the Sakarya River and is rushing rapidly along this straight line.

The armies of both sides were too numerous and too large in scale to hide their every move, nor was they willing to do so.

The two forces had a tacit understanding and chose this time to launch a decisive battle, using war to decide the fate of the two countries, the ownership of western Anatolia, and the future of Orthodox Christians and Muslims.

This time, Isaac gathered all the soldiers he could use. Most of the main legions joined the army, including the First Guards Legion, the Armored Paladins, the Riorea Legion, the field artillery, and the grenadier companies of each legion...

Because Isaac was very cautious about the decisive battle and his army was mostly infantry, the Eastern Roman army marched relatively slowly, step by step, towards the battlefield of the decisive battle.

This was an opportunity for the Eastern Roman Empire to train its troops. Isaac hoped that his army could gradually get rid of its long-term dependence on the navy and lay the groundwork for subsequent plateau wars.

This was the decisive battle between the Eastern Roman Empire and the Aq Qoyunlu. The previous probing, harassment and intrigues had made both sides very tired. After four years of war, both the Eastern Roman Empire and the Aq Qoyunlu had consumed a lot of energy and time and urgently needed a battle of blood and iron to end it all.

“This place used to be densely populated, but now it’s almost in ruins.”

Isaac looked at the barren fields and abandoned farms not far away. This place was close to the Sakarya River and was once a prosperous place with horses and carriages. "This is obviously the fault of the Saracens. They should go to hell."

Justinian said calmly.

"Once we drive them out of our land, the people of the empire will rebuild civilization here, and this place will become prosperous again."

"How's the situation in the north?"

Isaac changed the subject.

"It's a good situation. Gonzalo won't lose."

Justinian said.

"We have completed the tasks you assigned us. Several tribal nobles from Persia have accepted our gold coins."

"I don't think they're going to surrender to us."

Justinian simply made his point.

"The Saracens are dishonest. They won't necessarily do anything even if you pay them."

"But this will plant a seed of hesitation in their hearts. When the bloody battle begins, they will be afraid and panic. They will flee and think about preserving their strength and abandoning their monarch."

Isaac said.

"This kind of scattered tribal alliance is actually very easy to deal with. They can never cover up their own internal problems. Most of the people have no centripetal force towards the country, which will cause big problems on the battlefield."

Isaac knew that the Aries Alliance forcibly fabricated by Uzun Hassan seemed to have a strong military presence, but in fact it was full of loopholes. In the Battle of Erzincan in the original time and space, those military nobles were unwilling to fight to the death with the Ottomans in order to preserve their strength and were unwilling to suffer too many casualties.

"The gold I'm spreading now will be valuable if it can help them retreat one second earlier on the battlefield."

Isaac smiled.

"It seems that you are sure of victory."

Justinian also laughed.

"There is no such thing as a sure win,"

Isaac shook his head.

"The battle situation is ever-changing. We can only maximize our hope of victory through our own efforts."

"Now, we have done everything we can. The Aries are very aggressive. If we don't defeat them, Anatolia will never have peace."

"Besides, our national strength has made great strides. We have enough capital and can afford to lose."

Isaac narrowed his eyes and looked into the gray distance.

"Your uncle Manuel has arrived in Bursa with the Serbian army. He will enter the military city and guard our retreat route."

"The Turkmen set out ahead of us. They are faster and will probably meet us soon."

"You are responsible for supervising military supplies. In the next few days, you must always ensure that military supplies are sufficient, that food routes are unobstructed, that the soldiers have enough gunpowder, and that the gunners have enough lead bullets."

"I'm afraid that's not necessary, Father."

Justinian pointed to the imperial lanterns floating in the sky.

"Our vanguard has encountered the enemy."

Justinian smiled.

"It seems that they can't wait."

"Well come."

Isaac muttered to himself.

"Send the signal and have Ibrahim and Mehmet guard the left and right armies. We will lead the center army alone."

"The terrain here is open, which is conducive to a decisive battle between large troops, but also conducive to cavalry charges. We need to maximize our firearms advantage and must hold our position tightly to avoid being overwhelmed by the Aries cavalry."

Isaac looked around.

"Uzon Hassan's most elite heavy cavalry must be placed in the center. As long as we can withstand the first wave of charge, we will be halfway to victory."

The army of the Eastern Roman Empire began to organize its battle formation on the spot, artillery positions were set up, the archery corps and the engineering corps in the large square phalanx dug trenches on the spot, placed simple chevaux de frise, and threw triangular spikes in preparation for the cavalry's charge.

In the distant wilderness, the vanguard cavalry of the Eastern Roman Empire appeared in sight, bringing news of the enemy and news of a decisive battle.

After a while, the earth began to tremble, and a cavalryman appeared on the hillside holding the flag of the Aries Dynasty, shouting the battle slogans of the grassland tribes.

Then, more and more cavalrymen trampled on the ground and came here, like swarms of locusts, covering the mountains and plains.

The signal lights of the Eastern Roman Empire exposed their whereabouts. The vanguard cavalry did not rush to charge, but waited quietly for the arrival of the main army.

After a while, the Aries Army burst into cheers, Uzum Hassan's banner arrived at the battlefield, and the most elite heavy cavalry shone in the sunlight.

There were no extra words, no pre-war negotiations. The hatred between the two sides was too deep and the conflict of interests was too great. This was a grudge between nomads and settlers that spanned thousands of years. It was a hatred of blood and tears between Christians and Muslims. It could not be explained in a few words.

Uzun Hassan rode his horse and whipped his horse, walking among the rows of troops, encouraging the morale of his soldiers, promising them rewards after the war, describing beautiful pictures of victory, and praising the glory of Jihad.

The soldiers responded enthusiastically, as if their monarch was invincible and as if Allah was watching them from the dark.

"Father, everything is ready. Just like you said, everything that needs to be done has been done."

Justinian came to Isaac's side.

"Are you scared?"

Isaac asked softly as he looked at the surging nomadic cavalry.

"Born in blood and fire, raised in blood and fire, I will also live out my life in blood and fire, and die in glory."

Justinian drew his sword and kissed it gently.

"You are a monarch blessed by God. There is nothing to be afraid of when I am with you."

Isaac smiled and drew his sword as well.

"Father, in your opinion, which of the artillery, the great square, the grenadiers, or the holy cavalry is the key to our victory?"

Justinian looked at Isaac.

"Artillery, phalanx, grenadiers, paladins, none of these are important."

Isaac shook his head, his eyes far away.

"It is important that a soldier understands that everything he does is for his country."

"They should understand that it is worth sacrificing their lives for a better future!"

Justinian was stunned and nodded heavily.

Uzung Hassan's pre-war declaration was very successful. The morale of the Aries Army was boosted, and there were waves of roars.

They were also divided into three parts according to convention, with Uzum Hassan's white sheep flag and Isaac's gold and red double-headed eagle flag facing each other in the wind.

The soldiers nearby looked at Isaac, as if waiting for him to say something.

Isaac said nothing, but ordered the flag bearer to send out the flag signal he created.

This flag signal was originally only widely used in naval ships. At the suggestion of Mehmet, Isaac promoted it to the army sequence and ordered every commander to learn it.

On that day, the Eastern Roman Army and the Aries Army collided violently on the Anatolian Plateau. For their country, their beliefs, and their kings, they began an exchange of blood and iron, and a clash of horses and spears.

On that day, the war drums rumbled, the military band played passionate war songs, the horses' hooves kicked up dust, and the soldiers tightly grasped their spears and muskets.

On that day, the flag of the Eastern Roman Empire's central army rose slowly and kept changing under the sunlight.

That day, on the desolate and vast Anatolian Plateau, all the soldiers saw the flag signals and heard the emperor's pre-war declaration from the officers.

The Roman Empire hopes that you will perform your duties conscientiously and move forward courageously!
(End of this chapter)