1444, Byzantium Resurrects

Chapter 345 Moorish Warrior
In a blink of an eye, the Mediterranean world entered the dry and rainy July. The sky was clear, the wind was gentle, and the southern Iberia ushered in the midsummer of 7.

Southern Iberia is mostly mountainous plateaus, bordering the Mediterranean Sea and the Atlantic Ocean. Even in summer it is not too hot, with the average temperature remaining around 25°C.

In the past eight hundred years, the Moors living on the Iberian Peninsula have spent countless summers like this. Being hardworking and wise, they have built numerous water conservancy facilities here. Even in summer, farmlands and orchards will not die due to drought, but thrive due to the stronger sunlight.

In agricultural production, the lack of light and heat is obviously more uncomfortable than the lack of precipitation. The lack of precipitation can be compensated by rivers, lakes and groundwater, but the lack of light and heat is really helpless.

Europe is a high-latitude continent with average sunlight and heat levels lower than those of other major population centers. The further north you go, the worse the light and heat conditions are, and the less arable land there is. This is also an important reason why the flower of civilization first blossomed in the Mediterranean region.

In such a continent, Iberia in the south is extremely precious. The coastal areas have neither lack of light, heat nor water, which is suitable for the growth of a variety of food crops. In addition to conventional grains such as wheat and oats, eastern and southern Iberia are also the few areas in Europe where rice can be grown.

The southernmost region of Andalusia is one of the core agricultural areas of the Iberian Peninsula. Although it is surrounded by mountains, the land is fertile and water resources are abundant. The Moors of the Kingdom of Granada developed a developed agricultural civilization, especially around Granada and the southern coast, where there are fertile fields everywhere, and every time there is a good harvest, the whole place is golden.

However, with the invasion of the Eastern Roman Empire, these phenomena were gone forever. The expeditionary force led by General Gonzalo set out from the British Fortress and marched eastward along the coastline, successively conquering the two important cities of Malaga and Almeria, occupying the entire Costa del Sol, and half of the Kingdom of Granada was lost.

Due to the special matching mechanism of the Iberian region, the military tactics here are quite primitive. The spring breeze of military reform has not yet reached here, and the utilization rate of muskets and artillery is seriously insufficient. Before the start of many battles, the generals of both sides even have to engage in a one-on-one duel.

In the original time and space, the Spanish army did not truly move towards modernization until the Catholic kings came to power. Before them, the old medieval system of "knights + conscripted peasants" was still popular, whether in Castile, Aragon or Granada.

For Spain in the original time and space, the Granada War and the subsequent Morisco War were of great significance. Not only did they achieve a complete victory in the reconquest movement in these two wars, but they also completed the initial national construction and a simple innovation of the military system. Through the war, they recovered a large number of privileges from feudal manor owners and Catholic knights, initially completed internal integration, and provided the best soil for external expansion in the Age of Discovery.

Historically, the Granada War took a long time and progressed slowly. On the one hand, it was due to the steep terrain of Granada and the Moors' abundant martial spirit. On the other hand, it was because Castile and Aragon had to face internal opposition at the same time, and a lot of time was spent on internal integration.

Therefore, the Kingdom of Granada also grew somewhat in this war, and muskets and artillery began to enter the vision of the Moorish nobles. They not only made use of them, but also created some targeted tactics to counter the firearms suppression of the coalition forces of the two kings.

However, in the hegemonic war of aggression launched by the Eastern Roman Empire in 1473, the Kingdom of Granada obviously did not have such an opportunity. The Eastern Roman Empire crushed the old Moorish army with its military tactics that were ahead of its time, and did not rashly enter the continuous mountains, but chose the lowland plains along the southern coast, sweeping all the way from west to east.

The army led by Gonzalo burned, killed and looted all the way along the Costa del Sol, turning countless fertile fields into wasteland and countless villages into ruins. The slave traders of the Eastern Roman Empire followed behind the army, accepting the cheapest war slaves anytime and anywhere.

Thanks to high subsidies and iron laws, the army of the Eastern Roman Empire could be regarded as the most disciplined army in the Western world. They never disturbed the people within the empire and were more restrained when targeting other Christian regions. However, in the land of Moorish Muslims, they were still a group of bandits and robbers like most armies in the world today.

In the enemy's land, there is no need to care about any rules. Being kind to the enemy is being cruel to yourself.

Of course, Gonzalo's sweep on the Costa del Sol was not to vent his anger or to kill for the sake of killing. In addition to destroying the Moors' war potential, the Eastern Roman army's sweep also had a deeper purpose. Industrial bases such as silk textile, wool textile and olive planting were the primary targets. These industries were the pillar industries of Granada, but they were also key industries of the Eastern Roman Empire.

Under the guidance of capitalism, the Eastern Roman Empire needed more sales channels and fewer competitors. Its ultimate goal was to dominate the entire Mediterranean market and achieve commodity monopoly. To achieve this goal, in addition to trying its best to improve product quality and production efficiency, strict crackdown on competitors was essential.

As a result, the Granada silk industry, which had a history of 800 years, suffered a severe blow. Mulberry forests were burned, handicraft workshops were reduced to ruins, skilled mulberry farmers were transported away in batches, and some of the more valuable high-quality silkworm seeds and mulberry seeds were transported back to Constantinople for professional analysis by the Imperial Agricultural Institute.

For the textile industry, this targeted attack was fatal. During the new round of silk peak season, Granada's products were almost nowhere to be seen in major European markets, while silk from the Eastern Roman Empire was selling well.

Among the handicraft centers around the Mediterranean, Venice and Florence had declined rapidly due to the interference of the Eastern Roman Empire, and now it was Granada's turn.

After gradually eliminating these potential competitors, private capital in the Eastern Roman Empire will prosper. Private capitalists will not have to worry about losses. They will just use the money they earn to open workshops and continue to produce various goods. A quarter will be enough to increase output several times.

However, after the easy bones were gnawed, the Eastern Roman Empire's advance into Iberia was also hindered. The crisscrossing mountains locked the army firmly in the coastal areas. Relying on their geographical advantages, the Moors harassed the Eastern Roman Empire's strongholds, burned important plank roads, strengthened key fortresses, dispersed the army, and fought guerrilla warfare in the mountains.

On July 1474, 7, an Eastern Roman detachment responsible for infiltration was ambushed by General Zagar of the Kingdom of Granada while crossing the mountains. This brave and warlike descendant of the royal family brought the Eastern Roman Empire its first defeat since its march into Granada. More than 4 people were captured and more than were killed or wounded.

General Zagar is the younger brother of Ali Hassan, the current king of the Kingdom of Granada, the leader of the war faction in Granada, a strong soldier, and an indomitable nobleman.

The failure of this battle made the Eastern Roman expeditionary force witness the tenacity of the Iberian Moors and realize the disadvantages of mountain warfare. General Gonzalo stopped his advance and began to rest and replenish supplies.

However, the Kingdom of Granada was not having a good time either. They had lost the prosperous southern coast, and the country's second largest city, Malaga, and the third largest city, Almeria, had both fallen. Nearly half of the population, most of the watercraft and all the seaports were destroyed. After losing the rich grain-producing areas, the city of Granada could not even be self-sufficient in food. If King Ali had not made preparations before the war, famine would have spread long ago.

At the same time, the Eastern Roman Empire's conquest of Granada shifted from military to diplomatic, and spies began to enter every corner of Granada to infiltrate and attack the people's hearts and minds.

Granada, the Moorish Red Castle, and the Alhambuddha Palace.

In the residence of the royal family, King Ali Hassan of Granada stared quietly at the magnificent palace outside the window, his eyes red and his lips tightly pursed.

The red walls and white tiles of the palace are still bright and colorful, the plants in the myrtle atrium are still lush and green, and the murals and reliefs on the walls are still lifelike, as if there is not much difference from the past.

However, the Red Fort now seems to be filled with a gray and decadent color, not coming from outside, but from the hearts of the people.

For Granada, this was a war with a huge disparity in strength and almost impossible to win. The enemies they faced were not Castile and Aragon, which were also plagued by internal strife, nor were they the old Catholic knights. They would not stop fighting and make peace because of temporary defeat and lack of funds. As long as the emperor of Constantinople was willing, the war would continue to spread until Granada's war potential was completely exhausted.

At the beginning of the war, the Granadans held out a glimmer of hope for their "patriotic war". As long as the alliance between France and Aragon could cause enough trouble to the Greeks, they might give up the expansion of the western Mediterranean because the gains would not outweigh the costs, and Granada could still survive.

However, with the demise of Venice and the coup in Florence, the problem of "multi-line warfare" that plagued the Eastern Roman Empire was swept away. After the Black Sea, the Eastern Mediterranean became the empire's complete backyard. From the swamps of the Venetian lagoon to the mountains of the Caucasus, from the Nile River in the Egyptian desert to Constantine on the Don River in the East European steppes, the Eastern Roman Empire's surface power was unmatched.

After Venice and Florence withdrew from the war, the momentum of the Barcelona Alliance was stagnant. Prince Ferdinand of Aragon was anxious to seek help everywhere, but King Louis XI of France did not respond.

In any case, Louis XI had not lost anything in this dispute. Instead, he gained Roussillon north of the Pyrenees and Corsica on the western Mediterranean. He took advantage of the Duke of Burgundy's attack on the House of Anjou to extend the king's power to Provence. He also took advantage of the Eastern Roman Empire's lack of time to cross the Atlantic and established the colony of French Colombia at the mouth of a large river in eastern North America.

The decline of the Italian city-states also brought benefits to the French urban bourgeoisie. Among the southern cities, the handicraft industry in Lyon and the resource industry in Vichy flourished. Although the coastal ports were facing threats, they still relied on their developed inland shipping and road systems to sell goods to distant places. French national identity gradually expanded from north to south, and a giant nation-state with a population of tens of millions was gradually taking shape.

For the monarchs who had been deceived by Louis XI intentionally or unintentionally in the past or in the future, this conspirator was certainly cunning and shameful, but for France, he was indeed a powerful monarch. The core French-speaking population was more than 10 million, ranking first on the European continent, slightly more than the Holy Roman Empire excluding non-German-speaking areas, and several times the Greek-speaking population. As long as they could unite, no matter what the method, it would be a great achievement.

As for credibility, promises, and alliances, perhaps in the eyes of Louis XI, these things were worthless compared to his own power and the fate of France.

The rapid fall of their Italian "fellow sufferers", the helplessness of the Aragonese and the indifference of the French were like huge rocks pressing down on the chests of the Granada Moors, making them breathless.

However, even at this time, the upper echelons of the Red Castle did not give up on themselves. Ali Hassan, the last monarch of Granada, tried his best to prolong the life of his country. His younger brother Zagar was even more brave and resourceful. He created the first victory since the war began and broke the myth of the invincibility of the Eastern Roman army.

When Zagar returned, Ali Hassan held a grand celebration banquet for him in Granada. He threw aside all the red tape and put aside the entire dignity of a monarch. He personally went out of the city to welcome him, hugged his brother, had a cordial conversation with every soldier, and received them with the highest etiquette for Muslim warriors, whether they were from Granada, Tripoli, Tunisia or Algiers.

In such a desperate era for Mediterranean Muslims, Ali Hassan's determination and Zagar's fierceness are like two dazzling stars, illuminating the endless cold night and lighting a glimmer of hope for those lonely people who have lost their homes or are losing their homes.

However, the night was cold, the road was hopeless, and the candlelight was dim. In addition to the dual pressures of military and economic pressures, Ali Hassan was facing a greater crisis - internal struggle.

As a Muslim regime without strict inheritance laws, disputes over succession rights are very common and inevitable. In the long past, Granada declined because of this, and in the near future, Granada will also perish because of this.

Ali Hassan can be regarded as the last capable ruler of Muslims in Western Europe. He has maintained peace in the Kingdom of Granada for ten years. During these ten years, the country seemed to have gotten rid of the long internal strife that began in the early 15th century, and everything was slowly and steadily improving.

If Ali Hassan had no children, the throne should have been inherited by his younger brother Zagar, who was young, strong, resolute and brave. However, Ali not only had an heir, but he was also a complete waste and coward.

Now, the internal struggle in Granada is divided into two factions. One faction supports the king's brother Zagar, hoping that after Ali's death, he will lead the collapsing regime to continue to resist. Most of the people in this faction are the main fighters, and the refugee Muslims from North Africa and West Asia are also loyal supporters of this faction.

The other faction supported the young Prince Abdul, the eldest son of Ali Hassan. He was ambitious but weak in character. His only advantage was his passion for literature and art. He was a master in poetry, painting and music. The people around him were either "peace advocates" who feared the enemy like a tiger, or the old generation of beneficiaries who were conservative and conservative. They did not like Zagar's dominance and tyranny, regarded the Muslim refugees as "parasites", and had an ambiguous attitude towards the Eastern Roman invaders.

Before the war, as a father, Ali Hassan would certainly favor Abdul more, hoping to pass the throne to his descendants rather than his brothers. Therefore, he adopted a policy of suppressing Zagar's faction and helped Abdul build his own power.

However, after the war broke out, the country was in chaos and Ali Hassan had to rely on the resolute war advocates united by Zagar. Both political and war resources began to tilt towards his younger brother. Especially after Zagar's victory, his prestige was unparalleled and countless people regarded him as a jihad hero.

On the other hand, the old king also placed his hopes on Abdul and organized a good army for him, trying to help him establish prestige and win merit on the battlefield.

As it turned out, all the old king's hopes were dashed. Prince Abdul's performance was extremely poor. In the battle for Almeria, Prince Abdul was so frightened by the dark mass of the Eastern Roman army that he stood there in a daze. On the second night, he abandoned everything and fled back to the north, leaving behind a puddle of mud for General Hamet who had retreated here from Malaga.

As a result, the prince's desertion made the defenders lose all their morale. General Hamet, who had fled all the way from North Africa, was so angry that he vomited blood. He cursed Abdul's cowardice and incompetence, and believed that even the Latin pirates gathered in Almeria were braver than him. This frustrated man finally led two thousand remaining soldiers to fight to death, and the city of Almeria fell in less than a week.

The old king was naturally furious about this and severely punished Abdul and removed him from all his posts. However, he still made some changes to the real reasons for the defeat. He praised the glory of General Hamet but kept silent about the prince's dereliction of duty.

Ali Hassan thought that things would end hastily in this way, but Abdul gave him another "big gift". After learning of his uncle Zagar's victory, the prince felt not encouragement and excitement, but crisis and jealousy. At the celebration banquet, in front of all the soldiers, he spoke sarcasticly to his uncle's "North African exiles" subordinates, and always put on the arrogant attitude of an orthodox heir and the "elegant style" of a literary and artistic aristocrat, looking down on these refugees from the countryside.

The king's younger brother Zagar was of course furious. He had never liked this weak nephew and was very sad about the tragedy in Almeria, but he kept silent because of his brother's face and the dignity of the family. He could tolerate his nephew's inaction and even "reckless behavior", but he could not tolerate his disrespect and insults to the jihadist fighters.

Faced with Abdul's humiliation, Zagar got furious on the spot, punched Abdul in the mouth, pointed at his nose and cursed him, revealing all the reasons for Almeria's failure, and then left in anger.

His subordinates also looked at Abdul with disdain and followed Zagar away, leaving Abdul with resentment in his eyes and Ali Hassan with a painful face.

After this incident, the conflict between the king's brother and the prince became public and escalated, and Ali Hassan was facing a crucial and difficult decision.

If he is thinking about the country, what he should do now is to depose Abdul, violently eliminate the power of the Prince's Party, make his younger brother the heir, and resist with him until the end of his life.

However, no one is a true saint. Between a son and a younger brother, any normal person will choose his own son. This is the inheritance of bloodline and the continuation of life.

After Zagal's victory, Gonzalo stopped the attack, and many Granada nobles began to hope that the mountains of Granada could lock them in the south, and they could keep the city of Granada and the surrounding towns and villages and continue to live a life without worries about food and clothing.

Against this background, the conflict between the two factions quickly intensified and their respective goals became clear. The King's Brothers' Party advocated driving the Greeks away completely, while the Prince's Party tried to quit while they were ahead and negotiate peace. They tried to ask the Eastern Roman Empire to withdraw its troops through tribute, surrender, ransom and compensation, and even wanted to use money to redeem the lost territory.

However, Ali Hassan certainly would not believe the arguments of the Princes' Party. The Eastern Roman Emperor had no shortage of money or vassals, and their goal was very clear, which was to kill Granada and completely eliminate the Muslim forces.

Even so, he did not completely side with the prince's brother. Zagar's prestige was already too high, and he did not want to repeat the mistakes of his ancestors.

He loves Granada, but on the condition that Granada is his.

Due to his old age and frailty, Ali Hassan still gave Abdul a chance to supervise the Royal Guard, a force composed of good families in the capital. Most of the grassroots officers were sons of aristocrats and their families were mostly powerful. This was a force that could not be handed over to Zagar.

To the old king's surprise, Abdul seemed to be very concerned about his new position, and the guards also liked him very much. This brought great comfort to Ali Hassan, who thought that his son was finally growing up.

So, one evening he ran to the camp excitedly to reward the soldiers, but was shocked to find that his son had turned the camp into an amusement park. The officers were drinking and singing, smoking opium, visiting prostitutes, and enjoying themselves in luxury and debauchery.

Ali Hassan was so angry that he was shaking all over. He pointed at Abdul's eyes, which were slightly frightened but still nonchalant, and was speechless for a long time.

"You are not worthy to be king!"

These were the last words Ali said to his son.

After returning, Ali, who was ill due to overwork, fell ill on the spot. Before he fell into a coma, he sent someone to call his brother back to the city.

Now, Ali Hassan has woken up. Compared with before the war, the wrinkles on his face are more profound, his hair has turned white, and his beard, which he once carefully groomed, has become messy.

"Your Majesty, as you ordered, Lord Zagar is waiting outside the door."

The maid came in and whispered to the old king.

"Okay, let him in."

Ali said slowly.

After a while, the door opened again and a muscular middle-aged man walked in. His footsteps were firm and his voice was loud, and he observed the etiquette between a monarch and his subjects meticulously.

The first thing Ali did after waking up was to summon his younger brother. After the most intense psychological struggle, he had made the final decision.

"I am here, Your Majesty."

Zagar's deep voice reached Ali's ears.

"sit down."

Ali said calmly.

"There's no need to be so distant and polite between us."

Zagar sat down as he was told and waited for his brother to speak.

"How's the situation?"

Ali didn't look up.

"What happened in Granada during my illness?"

Zagar was silent for a moment, licked his lips, and seemed to be choosing his words.

"It's not a good situation, Your Majesty."

Zagar spoke with difficulty.

"The Greek fleet returned to the western Mediterranean, but they did not fight Italy as expected. Instead, they wandered along the coast of North Africa, protecting trade routes on the one hand and continuously sending troops to Iberia on the other."

"The Duke of Abel in the Western Border was extremely angry after being defeated by me. He re-recruited troops from Algiers. One third of the Western Border Legion is wreaking havoc in our territory."

"Gonzalo's Abaddon locust army was divided into many small teams, which kept infiltrating our settlements and carrying out sabotage behind enemy lines. More than a dozen villages and towns were burned to the ground."

"Crown Prince Justinian has mobilized several thousand vassal soldiers from Circassia. They also grew up in the mountains and have a lot of experience in mountain warfare."

"Not to mention the Greek Central Army. Just two weeks ago, I led my troops to raid a Guards station north of Almeria, but I didn't gain any benefit. Their firearms were too powerful. Now it's dry and rainy, and the weather is not on our side."

"The Greek army is gradually improving and adapting, but we don't have the time or energy to do so."

Zagar sighed.

"As for the Knights Hospitaller, they have completed the final handover. Most of the Knights Hospitaller have arrived in Malaga. They are well-equipped. In a head-on confrontation, we are no match for them."

"The Greeks never thought of sparing us. The replacement of Malaga and the arrival of the Knights Hospitaller are the best proof of this."

"It's so fast."

Ali muttered to himself. "It seems like their resources are inexhaustible. If they continue like this, they will only drag us down."

"Your Majesty, according to intelligence, King Henry of Castile is dying and could die at any time. Castile is beginning to be in chaos. The Greeks are likely to launch a full-scale attack on us before the storm arrives to clear the last obstacle to Toledo."

"Greek Queen Isabella and Greek Prince Carlos have arrived in Malaga by ship and were crowned King of Granada in the presence of the Archbishop of the Rovere family."

Zagar smiled bitterly.

"The Greeks probably don't consider us as opponents at all. We are just a roadblock to their ambitions. If they defeat us, they will overthrow Castile."

"After overthrowing Castile, their New World strategy was completely secure."

Ali closed his eyes and said nothing.

"What about at home?"

Zagar remained silent after hearing this.

"What's wrong? This isn't like you."

Ali forced a smile.

"If you have anything to say, just say it."

"The Hebrews betrayed us."

Zagar raised his eyes, full of resentment.

"A group of Hebrews accepted bribes from the Greeks and told the Greek army the structural diagram and weaknesses of the Ronda Fortress. The Ronda Fortress was completely lost."

"Now the Greek army can move unhindered through the mountains into the north."

"how come!"

Ali stood up, incredulous.

"Whether it's Greece or Rome, they are all mortal enemies of the Hebrews! It was the Roman emperor who drove them out of Jerusalem!"

"The Greek Empire will not accept their beliefs. Even if they betray us, what can we do?"

"The Greeks gave them a lot of money, and although they didn't accept them, they sent ships to take them to England, where people were more open-minded."

Zagar said.

"I was against you accepting Hebrew refugees from the beginning. They are always like that. They will betray everything for money."

"They see no hope, they are afraid of the Greeks, and they will just go with the flow under the money offensive."

"I have taken the initiative to eliminate all known Hebrew communities. I hope you will punish me."

Zagar got down on one knee.

Ali was stunned and speechless, so he had to help his brother up.

"It's okay, you did the right thing."

Ali sighed.

"what about others?"

"Food storage—"

"My son, Abdul, how is he?"

Ali interrupted Zagar and asked pointedly.

"he……"

There was a hint of anger between Zagar's brows.

"He is still the same, indulging in wine, women, money and anger all day long."

"But the merchants, nobles, and old men who supported him were not so peaceful. They talked about your... your actions and tried to stop me from returning to the city."

"Many wealthy merchants have already fled. They are afraid of losing everything, and they have taken their property to Aragon, even though the King of Aragon will levy nearly half of their wealth."

"Abdul was also a little panicked. I heard that he came to visit several times, but was stopped every time due to your order."

"Huh, visit? I guess you want to see if I can still be alive?"

Ali snorted.

Zagar did not continue speaking. This was his brother's family affair and it was not appropriate for him to comment.

He knew that although Abdul was a pure coward, Ali's rule was wise and fair. He had been in power for more than ten years and had a high prestige among the people and officials. He also had the largest number of troops at his command. If he wanted to become king, a military coup would obviously be a dead end.

After venting his anger, Ali turned his head and stared into Zagar's black eyes.

"Early after you won the victory, someone told me that it was enough to fight until now, which was enough to prove our loyalty to Allah and we should strive for a decent ending for ourselves."

"Now, I want to ask, what do you think of the current war situation?"

Zagar thought for a moment and spoke slowly.

"If you're asking me if I have a winning mentality, I can tell you that I don't."

Zagar also looked his brother in the eyes.

"But if you are asking whether I have the determination to die, then I will prove it to the world with my blood and life!"

"Good! Good! Good!"

Ali nodded heavily, his beard trembling.

"It seems that my choice was not wrong. Our Nasr family may have produced cowards and traitors, but as long as you and I are still here, we will never allow outsiders to taint us!"

"In the name of Allah, I have decided to make you my successor. If one day I fail to see the day when the Greeks are driven out, you will become the new king and lead all the people to continue the resistance."

Zagar was stunned, ecstasy and sorrow surged up at the same time.

Zagar knew that what his brother feared most was the end of the Nasrid dynasty in his hands. This Moorish fighter had been doing his utmost to save the country from destruction and his family from ruin. Like other monarchs, he tried to pass on a complete kingdom to his descendants.

Putting aside his own son and making him the crown prince only proved one thing: the country was indeed in danger and hope was indeed slim.

Zagar suppressed his inner thoughts, knowing that he couldn't show too much excitement, and organized the words he was about to say.

"Your Majesty, I think now is not the time to appoint a crown prince. The Greeks have already reached the Sierra Nevada Mountains. Granada is in imminent danger. They are not Castilians. Their goal is not to replace a pro-Greek monarch, but to completely destroy it."

Zagar licked his lips.

"If you insist on doing this, I will gladly accept it, but please also make reasonable arrangements for Prince Abdul and his cronies. Otherwise, it will only cause greater chaos."

Ali looked at Zagar and knew what he was thinking.

To provide reasonable resettlement means to delegate power to him and to suppress him by force.

"Don't worry, the kingdom has reached a critical moment of life and death. I will arrange everything properly."

"I will keep Abdul under control and make arrangements after the war is over."

"As for his party, I will adopt a conciliatory policy. If they still refuse to obey, I will let the army of Granada suppress them."

Zagar nodded heavily, but he still felt a little regretful deep down.

Control Abdul, and after the war, if there is a day when the war is won, the struggle for succession will continue.

"I hope you can take on the heavy responsibility of defending the capital and wait for changes to happen."

Ali continued.

"My son Abdul is a useless person. He must not be entrusted with important tasks. He should just be an idle nobleman in the future."

"Thank you for your trust, Your Majesty. I will stay by your side and fight until the last moment."

Zagar said firmly.

"That's it, that's good."

Ali nodded wearily.

"My son is not very capable. He doesn't dare to resist, nor does he have the ability to resist. I know this very well, but this matter cannot be delayed for too long, otherwise something bad will happen."

"After committing so many sins, it's good to calm down for a while."

"I will immediately send troops to detain Abdul and his followers. Those wealthy businessmen must also be placed under surveillance. Their wealth and materials should have been taken over by the state long ago."

"You don't have to worry about these things. Their dissatisfaction and anger will be borne by me alone."

As he was speaking, a servant rushed in hurriedly, his face full of anxiety.

"Your Majesty, the prince has defected!"

"what!"

Zagar roared and grabbed the servant by the collar.

"This... this was found in his residence..."

The servant was so frightened that his legs and feet went limp, and he tremblingly handed a badge to Ali.

Ali took it. It was the familiar style and the familiar cursive Greek text, but this time it was no longer Prometheus, who was in charge of technology, but Athena, who was in charge of diplomacy.

Looking at the lifelike goddess on the badge, Ali's eyes went dark and he collapsed to the ground.

……

In the summer of 1474, the Eastern Roman Empire's intelligence services conducted several operations in Granada, the most important of which were the rebellion of the Hebrews and the defection of Prince Abdul.

A rebellion by the Hebrews allowed the fortress of Ronda to fall into the hands of the Eastern Roman Empire, and the passage to the north of the mountains was opened.

Prince Abdul's defection was a natural thing. The prince knew that he had completely lost his father's trust. After learning that his father summoned Zagar to Beijing, he fell into despair and spent his days drinking.

He was too cowardly to rise up in rebellion, but when faced with the proposal of the Eastern Roman Empire, he almost immediately agreed, escaped from Granada through a small road, and hid under the flag of the Eastern Roman Empire.

Abdul's defection made the situation in Granada even worse. On his way to defect, he opened the gates of several towns through his old friends and relatives, further clearing the obstacles for the Eastern Roman army.

On August 1474, 8, General Gonzalo led an army of 2 to raid the city of Almaha, thus launching a full-scale offensive.

On August 8, another piece of news broke out and quickly spread throughout Iberia.

King Henry IV of Castile died of illness and old age, a good death for such an absurd, strange and foolish monarch.

The death of Henry IV plunged Castile into deeper chaos. Various princes formed cliques and colluded with outsiders, vying to divide the remnants of the Trastamara family.

On August 8, after learning of Henry's death, Portugal and the United Kingdom of the Algarve began to claim the sovereignty of Galicia. Crown Prince João personally led a large army to the north, demanding a referendum and respecting the will of the people.

On August 8, Juana, the illegitimate daughter of Enrique, was crowned king in Toledo with the support of some loyalists and became Juana I of Castile.

On August 8, Prince Ferdinand of Aragon, also from the Trastamara family, proclaimed himself King of Castile with the recommendation of the northern princes of Castile and the support of the Kingdom of France. He was crowned in Zaragoza as Ferdinand IV of Castile.

On August 8, Carlos, a descendant of the Palaiologos family, nephew of the late king and son of the former Princess Isabella, was crowned king in Malaga with the support of the southern nobles of Castile and the endorsement of Pope Rovere. He was known as Carlos I of Castile.

At this point, there were three kings in Castile at the same time. They all insisted that they were the only legitimate monarch of the Kingdom of Castile and regarded the other two as usurpers. A War of Three Kings was inevitable.

(End of this chapter)