1444, Byzantium Resurrects

Chapter 336: Siege of Malaga

To the north are rolling mountains, to the south is the vast ocean, and a small river rushes down from the mountains, carving out a river valley plain and rushing towards the sea.

On the west bank of the river, undulating military tents stood along the river, with chevaux de frise and arrow towers for dispersed defense, trenches and watchtowers in order, various flags fluttering above the military tents, and above the central military camp, a bright golden and red double-headed eagle spread its wings and flew.

It was an early winter evening, the sky was dark blue and clear. This place is located in the south of Iberia, with excellent climatic conditions, no continuous rain, no extremely dry air, and surrounded by lush forests, making it comfortable and pleasant.

As the sun sets, the soldiers are preparing dinner. The cooks fetch fresh water from the river, get flour and dried meat from the warehouse, mix them with various vegetables and seasonings, and cook them into a pot of thick sauce soup.

At the narrowest part of the river, a group of engineers were busy. Planks and stones were piled on the shore, and confiscated civilian boats were floating on the river. They were building a pontoon bridge so that the army could continue to advance eastward.

In the group of tents closest to the river, a group of soldiers sat around enjoying dinner. Each squad was given a small jar of beer. They dipped bread in sauce and drank from wooden bowls. The atmosphere was very lively.

The enemies on all sides have been wiped out, and the Saracen army has been forced across the river bank, which is safe here.

An officer walked around the stew pots, occasionally talking to the soldiers sitting around them, making some jokes, and checking whether there was enough beer in the wooden bowls and whether the food in the stew pots met the standards.

In order to strengthen the combat effectiveness of the army and enhance the physical fitness of the soldiers, the Eastern Roman Empire formulated food standards for the central military system, which were divided into two sets: peacetime and wartime. In peacetime, the food standards and corresponding expenses for each soldier were stipulated, and the expenses were paid strictly in accordance with the standards, and military supplies were equipped and announced to every soldier, thereby avoiding corruption among officers.

At that time, the army ate from a big pot, and this food standard was generally implemented on the basis of a team of ten. When the soldiers were eating, they could make a clear judgment about today's food and clearly tell whether the officers were corrupt.

Of course, this set of standards is obviously difficult to implement during wartime, but the military supply and logistics departments during wartime will also do their best to provide support to ensure that the soldiers have adequate nutrition.

In this era, many armies did not bring much supplies when they went to war. They had to collect and replenish all the supplies locally, and plunder food and supplies from the common people. This would not only slow down the army's speed, but would also gradually undermine military discipline. In the long run, this system would definitely be abandoned.

More protein and fat can make soldiers stronger, and more omnivorous food can protect soldiers from diseases such as scurvy and night blindness. For a standing army, sufficient and orderly logistical supplies are very important.

Thirty years later, the lives of the Eastern Roman people were getting better and better, and food was becoming more and more abundant. The young soldiers who grew up in the prosperous times were already far ahead in overall quality. Their average height increased year by year, and their individual combat ability also improved significantly.

After hastily finishing his own dinner beside the soldiers' stew pot, the young officer gave a few instructions to the night watchman, ended his work for the day, and returned to his tent.

The next phase of the war mission had not yet been communicated, so the soldiers could take a break. The young officer lit a candle, picked up a feather pen, and opened his notes.

The officers' tents were not very luxurious, only slightly larger than those of ordinary soldiers. A sword was hung on the curtain behind, and above the sword was the Armenian Cross flag.

Obviously, this unit belonged to the Fifth Legion of the Guards in the central army sequence of the Eastern Roman Empire, a heavy infantry legion mainly composed of Armenians.

The officer's name was Allen. He was from a small village on the border between Bulgaria and North Macedonia. He had joined the Mountain Chasseurs during the Bulgarian War. Because of his quick mind and love of learning, he was promoted to the commander of the Second Mountain Chasseurs Regiment of North Macedonia. He then passed the performance evaluation and entered the Central Army. He served as the flag captain of the Fifth Corps of the Guards, commanding 500 soldiers.

"This is my fourth month in the Iberian Peninsula with the army, and also the fourth month since the war began. Although it is winter, the weather is still sunny and comfortable."

Alan picked up his pen and wrote.

"In these four months, a lot of things happened on the European continent, but these things have nothing to do with us. We are just soldiers, and the meaning of our existence is to complete the emperor's orders."

"The emperor ordered us to destroy the Moorish regime in Granada. When I first saw the magnificent British Fortress and the large amount of supplies stored in it, I was certain that we would win this war."

"The scenery here is breathtaking. Compared to my hometown, the sunshine here is abundant, but not too hot, which makes people feel happy both physically and mentally."

"The priest accompanying the army was a learned man. He told us that the mountains to the north blocked the cold wind, making this coast spring-like all year round. The locals called it the Sun Coast. Many high-ranking officials of the Moorish regime liked to build manors on this coast to enjoy the sunshine."

"However, the emperor's rich shipping routes attracted a lot of dirty flies. Moorish and Latin pirates used the Balearic Islands and the Costa del Sol as their base to attack our ocean-going merchant ships. Pirates have no hometown and no faith, so it is normal for them to go along with the dirty people."

"So, our first mission is to march eastward, annihilate the Moorish Sun Coast, and relieve the pressure on the imperial shipping routes."

"We, led by General Ibrahim, marched eastward from the British Fortress. We encountered stubborn resistance from the Moors along the way, but their forces were too few and their equipment was too poor. As long as we did not enter the mountains, they could not cause much hindrance to our actions."

Allen dipped his finger in ink and continued writing.

"Now, we have captured the small town of Marbella and will continue to march eastward to Malaga. Malaga is the second largest city and largest seaport of the Moorish regime. It is built on the mountain and has strong defenses. The Moors have stationed a large number of troops here, trying to delay the attack. Obviously, this will be an arduous and arduous siege."

"More and more troops landed in Iberia, and the Portuguese agreed to allow the emperor to use the port of Ceuta in North Africa. Algiers' logistical supplies could first arrive in Ceuta and then be transported north, which greatly reduced the risk of attack."

"Also accompanying the army was a young general with outstanding military achievements. His name was Gonzalo de Cordoba. He was appointed by the emperor as deputy commander-in-chief. His reputation was built on the corpses of pagans. Commander-in-chief Ibrahim did not like this unruly and extremely pious young man, but he also recognized his military talent. The two emperors were in the British Fortress, and he would not provoke conflicts at this critical juncture."

Alan thought about it and continued writing.

"Since I was transferred to the Fifth Army of the Guards, I officially transferred from the local army to the central army. My treatment and status have been greatly improved. Many people envy me, but few people know how much effort I have put in for this. I have learned three languages, two scripts, and have also studied military and theology."

"More than a decade ago, I was a small hunter in a remote mountain village in North Macedonia. More than a decade later, I have achieved a leap in life through my own efforts and even have the opportunity to be knighted. This was simply impossible before."

"The empire is flourishing. As long as you have a dream and are willing to work hard for it, everything is possible."

A smile broke out on Alan's face.

"I have a great time in the Fifth Legion of the Guards. This is a legion with a long history. It is the only heavy infantry legion in the Guards system besides the First Legion. They wear heavy armor and hold halberds. Veterans and officers are also equipped with spring-loaded pistols. They are good at siege and defense battles, and can also become the heaviest shields in field battles."

"Initially, the Fifth Guards Corps was a corps composed entirely of Armenians, most of whom came from the Cilicia region and were rescued by the emperor through population replacement. They spoke Armenian and believed in Armenian Orthodoxy."

"In today's Eastern Empire, Armenians are a relatively special group, with a total population of more than 300,000, mainly distributed in the Caria Province in Anatolia and the Cyrenaica Province in North Africa. They are allowed to have their own beliefs and churches, and have developed their own culture."

"At first, these Armenians belonged to the Kingdom of Armenia, and the emperor also wore the crown of Armenia, but as time went by, they intermingled with us, the barriers between them became smaller and smaller, and the feelings became deeper and deeper. More and more people began to have a Roman identity, and fewer and fewer conservatives wanted to return to their homeland."

"However, the emperor will certainly fight back to Greater Armenia, there is no doubt about that."

Alan took out a document and looked at it.

"Now, the Third Flag Team I lead has a total of 523 people. They speak Armenian as their mother tongue, but most of them can speak Greek and communicate normally with others."

"Language confusion has always been a major problem for the Eastern Empire's army. In order to solve this hidden danger, the emperor really took great pains. He not only required priests to open language classes, but also used real money to encourage soldiers. Soldiers who learned Greek could receive monetary rewards. Over the past decade or so, the popularity of Greek in the army has greatly deepened."

“The army is a melting pot. Through military life, soldiers learned the language of the empire, witnessed the power of the empire, and cultivated loyalty to the emperor and a sense of identity with Rome. After retirement, they would return to the grassroots and spread this loyalty and identity to every corner of the empire.”

"The emperor's army strictly prohibits discrimination. From the land of sunset to the mountains of the Caucasus, as long as you come here, you are a soldier of the emperor and you will enjoy the preferential treatment you deserve."

Alan looked outside the tent. The night gradually deepened. The soldiers on rest returned to the tent under the guidance of the squad leader. It was quiet all around.

"Another day is over. Tomorrow morning we will cross the river and head for Malaga, where the emperor's fleet will shelter us."

"The war is coming, and everyone is gearing up. Countless people will sacrifice their lives, and countless others will ride on the wind and rise."

"In any case, may God bless me, my country and the Emperor."

……

Malaga, southern Iberia.

Malaga is the second largest city in the Kingdom of Granada, shouldering important responsibilities in import and export trade. To the north is the Sierra Nevada Mountains, and to the south is the calm Mediterranean Sea.

Apart from Granada, Malaga can be regarded as the most solid city in southern Iberia. The entire Malaga Castle is divided into two parts, namely the Gibralfaro Castle built on the mountain overlooking the entire city and the luxurious palace built at the foot of the mountain. The two parts are connected by a corridor. Whether it is the castle, the palace or the corridor, they have been repaired many times over the past few hundred years and have good defensive capabilities. They can be said to be armed to the teeth.

After the outbreak of the Granada War, the Granada monarch Ali launched a national mobilization, took out all his savings to deal with the war, purchased muskets through France and Aragon, hired troops, and decided to stop the Eastern Roman army in Malaga. He sent the mature and steady Hamet to serve as the commander-in-chief of Malaga's defense, and gave him 8,000 soldiers. With the addition of the militia, the total number of defenders exceeded 12,000.

In the Gibralfaro Castle in Malaga, Hamet stood on the rooftop fully armed, gazing quietly to the south.

The city in the south is grand and majestic, beautiful and spectacular. It was once one of the most prosperous ports in the southern Mediterranean. Countless merchant ships gathered here, bringing precious goods from half the world to the people in the city.

With the coming of war, the former prosperity vanished into thin air. The Western Mediterranean Fleet of the Eastern Roman Empire blockaded this place and prohibited any ship from reaching the port of Malaga. The French and Aragonese, who had once vowed to help, did not provide any assistance, but only asked them to bide their time and buy time.

The Gibralfaro Castle is located on a high point. Looking further south from here, Hamet can vaguely see the dim coast of North Africa, which was once his hometown.

Hamet's fate was very miserable. He was an Arab, born in Birinci, grew up in Tripoli, joined the army in Tunisia, married and had children in Algiers, and fled to Iberia alone. He had been dealing with the Eastern Roman Empire for the first half of his life, and was beaten black and blue every time.

During these nearly thirty years, the rise of the Eastern Roman Empire did bring severe disasters to the entire Muslim world. Millions of Muslims in Africa and Anatolia were left homeless. If they did not want to convert or be captured as slaves, they could only wander around, being driven from one place to another, and then waiting in fear for the next escape.

Almost all of Hamet's family members died at the hands of the Eastern Roman Empire, with whom he had an irreconcilable feud. He also had accumulated many years of experience fighting in North Africa. After arriving in Granada, he was immediately appreciated by Ali, who asked him to form a team of jihadist warriors composed entirely of North African refugees, using religious sentiments and ideas of revenge to make them fearless of death.

There were footsteps and Hammett's adjutant came over.

"Lord Hammett, the French and Aragonese pirates have all evacuated last night. They seem to be preparing to go to Almeria to continue attacking Greek merchant ships."

"Oh."

Hammett said calmly.

“What have they achieved?”

"Two months ago, they seized several Eastern Roman ocean-going merchant ships, all belonging to the Private Chamber of Commerce, loaded with ivory and precious furs. The French pirates were very happy."

The adjutant said truthfully.

"Now, the Greek emperor's great fleet is here, the pirates are scared and are ready to look for opportunities elsewhere."

"They rejected our proposal and were unwilling to accept our employment."

"Forget it, we have to defend our city ourselves."

Hammett's face was calm.

"They are still useful. At least they brought us a lot of muskets."

"What about the merchants? They promised to donate supplies."

"merchant……"

The adjutant hesitated.

"what happened?"

Hammett frowned.

"They don't want to?"

"My Lord, they don't believe we can hold Malaga."

The adjutant said helplessly.

"Merchants tried to raise funds to bribe the Greek emperor and buy peace."

"Bribing the Greek emperor?"

Hammett laughed in anger.

"Do they know how rich the Greek emperor is? Do they know how much gold and silver the Greek emperor has obtained from afar?"

"Bribe him? I think you want to surrender!"

Hamet's eyes blazed with fire and he drew his scimitar.

"I'll go find them right away!"

"grown ups!"

The adjutant quickly stopped him.

"Among these wealthy businessmen, some are relatives of nobles, and some are nobles themselves. You can't act too hastily!"

"His Majesty has entrusted me with an important task and asked me to defend Malaga to the death. I cannot let him down!"

Hammett was furious.

"I have to solve these problems before the Greek army arrives!"

There was a sudden noise at the foot of the castle, and soon a soldier ran up in panic and knelt on the ground.

"what happened?"

Hammett pulled him up and looked into his panicked eyes.

"Sir... the merchants have all fled, heading north to Granada!"

the soldier said hastily.

"The people in the city are very frightened. You have to find a way to appease them!"

"Tell me more carefully, what happened?"

Hammett shook the soldier's body hard.

The soldier fumbled and handed a note to Hammett.

Hamet opened it and saw crooked Arabic words on it, simple and clear.

"Those who surrender will not be killed, but those who dare to resist will be killed in the entire city."

Hammett read it through gritted teeth.

"Gonzalo de Cordova."

"Sir, the Greek knights shot arrows with a note tied to them into the city, and the people all knew about it."

The soldier gasped.

"The Greek general Gonzalo captured all the people in several villages near the city who had not had time to escape, blinded them, and left one person out of every hundred. He then lined them up and cried loudly under the city wall."

"The soldiers didn't want to shoot the refugees. Many of their relatives were in the city and cried with them."

"Bastard!"

Hammett tore the note into pieces.

"When we asked them to run away, they refused. Do they really think the Greeks are kind people?"

Hammett cursed.

"Sir, what should we do now?" the adjutant asked carefully.

Hammett's chest heaved, and it took him a while to recover.

"We cannot surrender."

Hammett spoke slowly.

"I came all the way here from Billinge. My father and brother are dead, my son is a slave, and I have nothing left to lose."

"Send our exile corps to the city walls, and temporarily replace the civilians and local soldiers. If anyone approaches, no matter who they are, shoot them on the spot!"

"The situation is urgent. It is better to suffer a short pain than a long one. The people will understand."

"Yes!"

The adjutant nodded and was about to leave, but was stopped by Hamet.

"grown ups?"

The adjutant turned around.

"After arranging these, you will immediately lead people to seal up the property of merchants and nobles. Anyone who escapes will be considered a traitor. Distribute their belongings to the people and call on them to defend their homes!"

Hammett patted his adjutant's shoulder heavily.

"Don't be afraid of anything happening. You heard what Gonzalo said. If Malaga doesn't hold on, we'll die!"

"Okay, my lord."

The adjutant sighed and walked away.

At the end of 1473, the Iberian expeditionary force of the Eastern Roman Empire arrived at Malaga, the second largest city in the Kingdom of Granada. They erected siege towers and arranged artillery positions outside the city and began a difficult siege.

……

While the war in Granada was raging, the distant Atlantic Ocean was blowing gently, the flag of the Kingdom of Portugal was flying over the archipelago, and the plantations on the islands were lush and green.

This is the Azores, an overseas territory of the Kingdom of Portugal, located in the east-central North Atlantic, just west of the Strait of Gibraltar.

The Kingdom of Portugal managed the Azores for more than 40 years and soon discovered the unique advantages of the Azores. The climate here is suitable and the sunshine is abundant, which is very suitable for growing tropical crops. The Portuguese established plantations on the Azores, mainly growing sugarcane. The produced sugar cane is of excellent quality, providing very good profits for the Portuguese royal family.

As an isolated volcanic archipelago in the Atlantic Ocean, the Azores is a transit station for European explorers traveling to the New World, and it shoulders the important responsibility of connecting mainland Portugal and Portuguese Florida.

A long time ago, the Eastern Roman Empire negotiated sugar trade with the Kingdom of Portugal. The sugar produced by the Eastern Roman Empire was sold to the Mediterranean coast, while the Kingdom of Portugal sold it to the English Channel, the North Sea and the Baltic Sea. The benefits were distributed fairly, and win-win cooperation could be achieved.

Terceira Island, Angra do Heroismo.

Heroismo is a new port on the Azores. It is surrounded by mountains and is easy to defend but difficult to attack. Although it is not large in area, it is very prosperous.

In recent days, the number of ships coming and going has increased, and the dock area of ​​​​Hero Port has become more prosperous. Sailors spend money like water here, and tavern owners and brothel operators are smiling happily.

In a remote tavern, several middle-aged men dressed as sailors sat around a table. The strong liquor on the table made them feel full of passion, and the cigarettes in their hands made them feel ecstatic.

The door opened and a tall and strong man limped in. His face was covered with scars and his eyes were vicious and cruel. He looked around and nodded with satisfaction.

"Not bad! You picked a good place!"

The scarred man spoke with a distinct English accent.

"Baron Bellive, you are here!"

The sailors immediately stopped making noise and made room for Baron Belliveau.

"Have a glass of rum! Moisten your throat!"

Baron Bellivere sat down in his seat with a burly figure and asked for a glass of turbid rum, which he poured down his throat.

"How's your business going? Is it going well lately?"

Bellevi squinted his eyes and looked at several people.

"I have gained a lot, but how can it compare to you? How have you been lately?"

A bearded man chuckled.

"Come on, Moor, I know you went to Bijagos, tell me, what did you get?"

Bellive glanced at him.

"We didn't get much. Bijegos was in chaos, and all the ships nearby were slave ships. We only captured a civilian merchant ship and got a few hundred ducats."

The Moor shrugged.

"But don't worry, no one was left alive and the ship sank."

"Yeah, not bad, it's OK."

Bellive nodded.

"I made a lot of money. Two months ago, I and the Frenchman captured a merchant ship carrying jewels near Gibraltar. The ship was full of Venezuelan gems."

"Not discovered? The Greek fleet has already locked Gibraltar."

The Moor raised an eyebrow.

"I was caught in the west. The ocean is so vast and the Greek fleets are not gods. How could they catch me?"

Bellive shook his head disdainfully and drank the rum in one gulp.

"Of course, you are from a noble family. When your ancestors crossed the English Channel, they beat the French into a rage!"

one of the pirates echoed.

"When Madam Bellevi was famous all over the world, the Greeks were still a famous beggar empire, haha..."

The pirates laughed vulgarly.

"Okay, let's not talk about the past! I now hold privateering licenses from England and France, and I have three ships under my command, all of which are French ships."

Bellive was obviously very pleased with the pirates' compliments, but he still waved his hand modestly.

As for whether he is really a descendant of Mrs. Bellevi, who cares.

"Baron, how many ships do you have now?"

the Moor asked.

"Hehe, I won't hide it from you. There are five ships in total. Three of them were bought from King Louis using my savings over the years. The other two are both top-quality Dutch goods that can run faster than the wind on the ocean!"

Bellevi's face flushed and he looked very pleased with himself.

"Right now, my fleet is in the Azores, spread across five islands to prevent the Portuguese from getting suspicious."

"Oh? Suspicious? Why? We are all legitimate merchants! We have registration documents in England and France!"

The Moor sneered.

"Do the Portuguese really want to stand with the Greeks forever and not even receive merchant ships from England and France?"

"Of course not, but we are all free people. Both Portugal and Greece don't like us. We still have to be cautious to avoid leaking the news."

Bellevi took out a few leaves of tobacco and started chewing them.

"As far as I know, the Greeks have signed an agreement with the Portuguese against pirates. We haven't leaked the news yet and we are still legitimate merchants, so we are still safe. Once we are discovered, they will launch a joint crackdown, and it will be impossible for us to walk into the port openly like today."

"Moreover, the Greeks have changed their escort policy and assembled a large fleet to avoid being left alone."

"If this continues, our lives will be very difficult."

The pirates complained in dissatisfaction, and Bellive admired their appearance and smiled slightly.

"Don't be impatient, would you like to hear my suggestion?"

"Baron, just say whatever you want to say. We all know each other well."

The Moor looked toward Belliveau.

"Okay! Then I'll just tell you!"

Belliveau knocked on the table.

"A few days ago, my spy went to Florida and took the opportunity to spy on the island of Cuba and found a good opportunity."

Bellevue said somewhat mysteriously.

"The Greeks have collected a lot of gold, silver and jewels and are preparing to ship them back. This time, the treasure fleet consists of eight ships, with the flagship being the famous mahogany warship, Nidhogg."

"Their target must be the Canary Islands. Their route is fixed. If we can patrol repeatedly near the Canary Islands, we may be able to catch them."

"Just think about it, this is a whole shipload of gold!"

The pirates were tempted but still very hesitant.

At this time, pirates never dared to confront large warships head-on. Their targets were generally only civilian merchant ships with weaker firepower.

"Baron, although we all dislike the Greeks, we have to admit that their fleet is very powerful. We——"

The Moor was about to speak, but Bellive interrupted him with a wave of his hand.

"That's why I asked you to come here. This ticket is too big for any one of us to handle."

Bellive's eyes were bloodshot, fanatical and ferocious.

"We have fifteen ships in total. If we are lucky enough, it will be enough to bring the Greeks down."

"Baron, this is no small matter. When we robbed ordinary merchant ships, the Greeks might turn a blind eye, but this is Nidhogg..."

A pirate leader said hesitantly.

"This matter is doomed to be hidden. If——"

"Once we have accomplished this, we will immediately head north with the gold. The King of France has promised to protect us."

Bellevi continued to induce.

"From now on, we will definitely not be able to stay in the Azores. We can build a base in Ireland. I have some connections with an official in County Cork."

"We can also use this gold to buy more ships, and even open a base in the West Indies."

"There are so many islands, but the Greeks only occupy a few of them. They are simply the ideal pirate haven."

The pirates were silent and looked at each other, seeing greed and ambition in each other's eyes.

"I did it! Being a pirate is not a timid thing!"

cried the Moor.

"The Black Cain is at your command!"

The strongest Moor spoke first, and the rest of the pirates also made up their minds to take a chance on their future.

"The Bloody Dawn has joined!"

"The Utopia is at your command!"

"Count me in!"

……

"very good!"

Bellive pounded the wooden table with his fist, causing the wine glass to fall all over the place.

"Once this succeeds, I will distribute all the spoils fairly, and my flagship Beowulf will lead the charge!"

"Oh?"

The Moors became interested.

"Isn't your flagship called the Black Baron? Did you change the name?"

"Haha, since the Greeks named their flagship Nidhogg, my flagship should be called Beowulf, specializing in killing evil beasts!"

Bellive waved his arms proudly.

"The Greeks' money came from illegal sources. They stole it in the first place. Now we are robbing them. It's only right that they are being robbed!"

"I'll give you one week to load your ships with supplies. Gather all those who are still in Spain and Portugal and assemble in the West African Sea!"

"Brave and free pirates, the opportunity to make a fortune is right before our eyes. It's time to hoist our sails!"

(End of this chapter)