1444, Byzantium Resurrects

Chapter 394 Awakening the "Crusaders"

The beautiful but short spring passed in a flash, and the summer of 1478 came hastily. The scorching sun swept away the chilly spring weather and made the land hard and dry.

In the barren and desolate land of Persia, the death of Uzum Hassan brought chaos and unrest. Prince Khalil, who ascended the throne first, failed to stabilize the country like his father. This ambitious but incompetent Muslim monarch reached out to his many brothers as soon as he came to power, trying to get rid of them once and for all.

However, Khalil's delusion did not come true. Several of his less important half-brothers were killed or imprisoned by him, but Jacob and Mahmud, who were the most powerful, successfully escaped from Tabriz. The former was considered by many to be the chosen heir most like Uzohn Hassan, while the latter was the son of Uzohn Hassan and the princess of Trebizond, with the blood of the Komnenos and Palaiologos families.

Of course, for Prince Mahmoud, this bloodline was not a symbol of glory, but instead became a reason for criticism from many Muslim leaders. His power was much weaker than that of his half-brother Jacob, and he had basically no hope of winning in the struggle for power.

The civil strife of the Aq Qoyunlu dynasty provided the Eastern Roman Empire with an excellent opportunity. The large groups of Turkmen troops would never appear on the battlefields of Anatolia again. The remaining Turkic states were like crumbling leaves, about to face wave after wave of storms.

On April 1478, 4, the three armies of the Eastern Roman Empire began to attack. The northern army of more than 2 people set out from Nicaea, heading for Ankara, commanded by General Gonzalo de Cordoba. The southern army of more than people set out from Hierapolis, heading for Konya, commanded by Chief of Staff Mehmet. The Caucasus Army was led by co-emperor Justinian, including more than Cossack cavalry, more than Circassian Guards and a reinforcement from the Knights of St. Andrew.

Long ago, the Eastern Roman Empire formulated a recovery plan based on the natural and human geography of Anatolia, advocating to recover the west first and then the east, the north first and then the south, the coast first and then the inland, starting from places where Christian communities were better preserved, and then relying on these strongholds to gradually penetrate into the inland plateau dominated by Muslims.

At the same time, the various fleets of the Imperial Navy also started operating. The Black Sea Fleet was mainly responsible for providing food and fodder supplies to the Northern Corps, while the Eastern Mediterranean Fleet was also responsible for landing missions and providing naval artillery support for the army's siege.

The Anatolian Plateau is surrounded by the Pontic Mountains in the north and the Taurus Mountains in the south, and appears as a rough oval on the map. The coastal lowlands in the north are extremely narrow, but the situation in the south is different.

The southern coast of Anatolia near the Mediterranean Sea has always been a densely populated area. Mountains and oceans surround two large fertile plains, namely the Pamphylian Plain centered on Antalya and the Cilician Plain centered on Adana. The former was once a naval port of the Eastern Roman Empire, and the latter was a channel connecting Anatolia and the Levant, with a very important strategic location.

The two plains are surrounded by mountains on three sides, and important passes have had standing fortifications since the ancient Roman period, which can effectively defend against land attacks. The defenders can hold back an army several times larger than their own with a small number of troops.

However, the inland passes could not stop the enemy troops coming across the sea. The plains and lowlands along the southern coast provided excellent landing opportunities for the Marines. The several rivers that flowed into the sea from there enabled the maritime countries to project their naval hegemony inland. The seemingly indestructible line of defense was actually unlikely to pose much threat to the Eastern Roman Empire.

At present, the First Latin Marine Regiment of the Foreign Legion, which had been trained in Italy, has arrived in Rhodes by ship. The Marine Corps directly under the Navy established by Giovanni Giustiniani is also on the island of Cyprus, ready for battle. Hundreds of Eastern Roman warships are cruising in the Mediterranean south of Anatolia, ready to launch a fatal blow to the two plains at any time.

By 1478, the military strength of the Eastern Roman Empire had far surpassed that of the Anatolian Muslims. They were lagging behind the times in terms of numbers, quality, and weaponry. The Ottoman Empire that once dominated the Europeans no longer existed. Even the Ottoman Sultanate reorganized by Bayezid II had lost its former bravery and had become a very ordinary Turkic nomadic alliance.

On the front battlefield, it is difficult for the Turkic Muslims to defeat the Eastern Roman army. Their guerrilla warfare and harassment warfare can indeed gain the upper hand on the inland battlefield, but victory in local wars can hardly reverse the overall situation of the war - my army is endless, but your elite troops are decreasing all the time.

For the Eastern Roman Empire, the biggest difficulty in regaining Anatolia was the lack of population. This peninsula has always been the most populous region in the Eastern Roman Empire. It supported a population of eight million a long time ago, and it is more than enough to support ten million people in the current era.

However, the registered population of the Eastern Roman Empire in Anatolia was less than two million, and even the coastal areas were not filled up. Large tracts of villages and farmland were abandoned and turned into extensive large farms and pastures, but even so there was still space left.

As for the former Turkic Muslims in the three provinces, even under such a high-pressure forced conversion policy and such generous citizen treatment, only about one-fifth were willing to convert to Orthodoxy. A large number of people were either captured as slaves, massacred, or fled eastward, leaving behind a mess.

In order to promote the continuation of the eastward movement, the Eastern Roman Empire's Immigration Bureau worked at full capacity to attract European refugees. Using material and spiritual benefits, it induced Christian immigrants including Russians, Wallachians, Moldavians, Italians and Germans to enter the Eastern Roman Empire. Their cultural views and values ​​were not much different from those of Eastern Roman citizens. In this era when the concept of nation had not yet taken shape, it would take about three generations for them to be basically assimilated.

The imperial government had already made up its mind about its attitude towards the Latins. They believed that all the oppression they had put on the Eastern Roman Empire in the past should be blamed on the Venetians and the French. In fact, this was indeed the case, as they were the main participants in the Fourth Crusade.

As for Genoa, another commercial republic during the Latin colonial era, they were considered the best ally of the late Eastern Roman Empire. Several Genoese families exchanged the blood shed on the walls of Theodosius for the respect and understanding of the citizens of the empire. Genoese civilians also tended to become Eastern Roman immigrants because of their blood relationship with the emperor.

As for the Elysium natives and the mixed-race natives of New Thrace, who were at a lower level of civilization, these Orthodox Christians would basically be able to integrate into mainstream society after staying as imperial citizens for ten years.

The Roman Empire never paid attention to skin color or race. The skin color of Mediterranean people is much darker than that of northern barbarians. Ethiopian and Nubian Christians in the classical period were also treated fairly within the empire. Identity was more based on culture, religion and political participation.

In the British Isles, located in the northwest corner of Europe, summer is the most beautiful season. The temperate maritime climate brings abundant rainfall and mild seasons here, but it also brings year-round rain and clouds. A beautiful sunny day is rare.

On a rural dirt road in south-central England, a young nobleman rode slowly on a stallion. The river gurgled, windmills turned, and sheep nibbled on the grass. A beautiful rural landscape unfolded before his eyes.

His goal was a castle located on a hillside. The castle was not majestic, but still grand and elegant.

Crossing the wooden bridge over the moat, the guard at the gate opened the gate. The young nobleman walked into the castle expressionlessly, dismounted, and threw the reins to the servant.

This is the Stafford Family Castle in Buckinghamshire, England. It belongs to Henry Stafford, Duke of Buckingham, one of the most distinguished nobles in the Kingdom of England.

"Duke of Buckingham" may be the youngest duke title in the Kingdom of England. It began in 1444. The first Duke of Buckingham, Humphrey Stafford, was a distant relative of the royal family. He was a staunch Lancaster during the War of the Roses and was loyal to his monarch all his life until he died in battle.

After the fall of the Lancaster dynasty, the newly-crowned York family severely suppressed these "remnants of the previous dynasty". It was not until a few years ago that the young Henry Stafford was re-ennobled as the Duke of Buckingham for his contribution in the negotiations with the Grand Duchy of Burgundy, which prevented the Stafford family from completely falling into silence.

The so-called negotiation was actually the introduction of technology. The English asked the Duke of Burgundy for some cannon makers and gun makers as one of the rewards for King Edward IV of England's attack on King Louis XI of France.

Of course, Edward IV did not fully abide by the agreement. He just took his army to Calais to show off his strength, and then directly signed an agreement with Louis XI, defrauding a considerable amount of annual tribute.

Despite this, the Stafford family was squeezed out of the core circle of power and failed to obtain any valuable official positions in London.

The young nobleman climbed the long steps and went straight into the hall of the main building. He sat down on a chair and poured himself a glass of wine.

"not in a good mood?"

An equally young voice sounded. Henry Stafford was sitting in a chair in front of the square table. He signed his name on documents one by one while speaking.

"Brother, I just came back from London and the situation was terrible."

The young noble complained.

"I don't know what His Majesty is thinking. Those businessmen, civilians, and scholars have gained so much power. They don't take us seriously at all! They don't treat us with the same respect as before!"

"Just keep it brief, Lloyd."

Henry didn't look up and continued signing his documents.

"That's right, brother."

Lloyd immediately started complaining non-stop.

"The people in the High Court have once again questioned the Spencer family's proposal, and Cardinal Morton has also sided with the civilians."

"The famous civilian judge, John More, found a bunch of ancient documents from somewhere and believed that the Enclosure Act we advocated was completely illegal and brutal, and would only cause continuous social unrest."

“He said that commoners, like nobles, were loyal subjects of the king, and that a wise monarch should treat all his subjects fairly and justly.”

"Look at what you're saying!"

Lloyd waved his hands irritably.

"Cardinal Morton thought highly of him and personally baptized his newborn baby, naming him Thomas."

“What are the Spencer Family going to do?”

Henry asked.

"Their wool business is growing bigger and bigger, and they will definitely not be scared by these little judges."

"Hehe, of course not. Although Spencer is only a baron, they are very rich."

Lloyd smiled.

"They also bribed a number of lawyers and clergy to promote the enclosure movement."

"They believe that the Eastern Empire's development model is completely correct and beneficial. Aegeanism represents progress and the future. In such a rapidly changing era, we must not set any obstacles to economic development."

Henry was silent for a moment, then raised his head and looked at Lloyd.

"What did the king say?"

"King... taxes on wool and woolen cloth account for 70% of the kingdom's revenue. What do you think the king would think?"

Lloyd shrugged.

"King Edward was very willing to promote sheep farming and textile industries in England and Wales, and he also imposed heavy tariffs on foreign goods to protect domestic industries, but he also did not want to see too many refugees become homeless and cause social chaos."

"The population around London has increased by tens of thousands in the past few years, and the vast majority of them live in extreme poverty."

"Oh I see."

Henry nodded and tapped his knuckles on the tabletop, thinking.

The revival and rise of the Eastern Roman Empire was regarded as a great miracle by the whole of Europe. Several consecutive large-scale celebrations and increasingly frequent commercial activities allowed many European scholars to have a deeper understanding of the political and economic models of the Eastern Roman Empire. The attitude of Western Europeans towards the Eastern Roman Empire changed from contempt to admiration, and the derogatory name "Greek Empire" gradually disappeared. Humanists began to regard the Eastern Roman Empire as the perfect successor of ancient Greece and Rome, and the true "light of civilization."

This is the fact. When you hold hegemony, praise and admiration come naturally. How civilization and barbarism are judged is defined by the strong.

Against this background, humanists in Western Europe summarized the three major factors for the rise of the Eastern Roman Empire: the centralized political system of monarchy, the open and free civil society, and the advanced development model of capitalism. They advocated emulating the Eastern Roman Empire to carry out reforms and achieve national prosperity and military strength.

Among several Western European countries, England and France have gone the furthest on the road of reform. The end of the Hundred Years' War allowed the English and French to gradually form an identity. Louis XI and Edward IV gradually took back local power and accelerated centralization. The two countries are rapidly transforming from aristocratic feudalism to centralized monarchy.

Although Edward IV of the York Dynasty in England had some shortcomings in his personal morality, he was indeed a very shrewd and powerful monarch. The bloody and cruel War of the Roses greatly weakened the feudal power in England, and Edward IV's centralized reforms were able to be carried out smoothly and gradually. Although the York Dynasty did not last long, it did lay the foundation for the peak of centralization of the Tudor Dynasty.

On this basis, Western European scholars also called the political theory of the Eastern Roman Empire "Aegeanism", which means achieving primitive accumulation through cruel foreign exploitation, supporting domestic industry and commerce, and allowing farmers to enter cities through various means, becoming an indispensable part of the development of capitalism.

But in Britain, the situation was somewhat different. Before the large-scale maritime colonization began, the exploitation and oppression of their own people began first. The old nobles and the new capitalists united to single out the "Enclosure Act" in the "Aegeanism", believing that this method could make the economy prosper rapidly. They demanded that the king relax regulations and allow aristocratic landlords to enclose large amounts of public land and agricultural land to raise sheep and goats, sell wool to workshop owners in big cities, and concentrate on producing various fabrics.

In England of this era, raising sheep required much less labor than farming, and the economic benefits brought by wool were much higher than those of grain. Those who were willing to change made a fortune, while those who were complacent became poor because of the price revolution brought about by the great voyages of discovery and the development of the commodity economy. The bloody reality was before them, and they had no choice but to change.

Due to the chain reaction brought about by the Eastern Roman Empire, the first round of enclosure movement that began in England in the late 15th century was more violent and cruel than in the original time and space - the nobles found theoretical support and had successful precedents to learn from, and even the king believed that this model was beneficial to the country.

You know, in the first round of enclosure movement in the original time and space, His Majesty the King of England imposed many restrictions on the scale of enclosure and provided a certain degree of protection to civilians, although their original intention was only to fear rioting refugees.

What really pushed a large number of English people into a desperate situation was the Second Enclosure Movement. It was not the king who led this "civilian catastrophe", but the parliament that successfully came to the fore and considered itself to represent progress.

Objectively speaking, the large-scale enclosure movement in the Kingdom of England in recent years did bring unprecedented vitality to urban industry and commerce. The wool export quota decreased rapidly, while the wool export quota increased rapidly. The wallet of King Edward IV of England quickly became full. Every day, a large number of refugees poured into the city of London and became cheap labor in textile workshops.

However, the primitive accumulation of the Eastern Roman Empire was built on decades of foreign exploitation. The main victims of the "Enclosure Movement" were also Anatolian Muslims. The number of people directly or indirectly exploited and oppressed by the Eastern Roman Empire was close to 100 million. The Eastern Roman Empire sucked the blood of half the world with the worst means and successfully realized its most beautiful vision: while developing at a high speed, it let its own people bear as little cost as possible.

As for England, their foreign exploitation had not yet begun, and the necessary sacrifices were mostly borne by their own people. The urban industry and commerce that had not yet completed the initial accumulation could not support such a large refugee population, and a large number of refugees were starving and cold.

Furthermore, although the Eastern Roman Empire did not have the excellent coal and iron resources like England, nor the inland river network with great potential, the several territories of the Eastern Roman Empire also had their own unique advantages. The abundant sunlight provided more paths for economic development - sericulture along the southern coast of the Aegean Sea, tobacco industry in the Balkan Peninsula, tea planting in northeastern Anatolia, cotton planting in the Atlas Mountains...

But what could the capital expansion of England be based on at this time? Unfortunately, only sheep.

As a result, the tragic situation of "sheep eating people" occurred on a large scale in the southeast of England, and the docile sheep became tools of killing.

Even in the heyday of the British Empire in the original time and space, there were still so many people leaving their homes and fleeing to the various colonies. The British had their own unique way of exploiting their own people.

Of course, King Edward IV of England was a wise ruler, and he made many efforts to alleviate the situation of refugees, including setting up tariff barriers to promote the birth of more workshops, and supporting opponents of the "Enclosure Movement" to retain the highest voice. However, this was ultimately only a temporary solution and the number of refugees continued to increase.

Therefore, Edward IV, who did not want to slow down development nor allow a large number of refugees to destroy the foundation of the monarchy, thought of other ways - learning from the advanced experience of the Eastern Roman Empire and engaging in large-scale foreign exploitation.

So, after hundreds of years, the English once again reached out to the island of Ireland. King Edward IV of England gradually became dissatisfied with the nominal position of "Lord of Ireland" and began to call on aristocratic landlords and wealthy businessmen to expand the enclosure movement to the island of Ireland, while settling domestic refugees in the already occupied Dublin area.

However, the shadow of the War of the Roses had not yet faded away, and England's central authority was still far inferior to that of the Eastern Roman Empire. Edward IV had no way to devote himself to economic development and external expansion, and still had to fight a life-and-death struggle with domestic forces. In early 1478, Edward IV killed his own brother, and another prince died in the Tower of London.

The nobles and wealthy businessmen in England did carry out enclosure movements around Dublin, but the resettlement of refugees was always difficult due to their obstruction. A large number of refugees appeared both on the island of Ireland and in mainland England, and the scale of the refugees continued to expand.

"So, His Majesty is going to officially promulgate the Enclosure Act?"

Henry woke up from his thoughts.

"Yes, the Woodvilles have expressed their support for the enclosure movement."

Lloyd nodded.

"In the king's plan, we will first take over the island of Ireland, and then start the process of overseas colonization to ease the pressure of refugees."

"But the king is in poor health, the Woodville family is becoming more powerful, and the power struggle in Westminster is becoming more intense. The king's vision is difficult to achieve, isn't it?"

A faint smile appeared at the corner of Henry's mouth.

"Our king is really amazing. He didn't even follow the formal legal procedures and directly executed his own brother."

"His son is so young, isn't he afraid that the Woodville family will take advantage of the opportunity to become more powerful?"

"Isn't there Duke Richard? He is a staunch supporter of His Majesty the King."

Lloyd said.

"However, the power of the York royal family has indeed declined. Apart from His Majesty the King, there is only one adult male left, Duke Richard."

"Richard..."

Henry's eyes flickered and he pursed his lips. "Okay, let's get back to business. I sent you to London to observe the situation. Why did you suddenly come back this time?"

Lloyd was silent for a moment, drank a glass of wine, and handed a letter to Henry.

"The Emperor of the Eastern Empire is waging a holy war against the Turkic Muslims, and His Majesty the Sixtus has called for a crusade. I have no status here anyway, so I plan to try my luck in Anatolia."

Lloyd said.

"I know a few descendants of minor nobles who are good at martial arts. They also have no inheritance rights and want to go to Anatolia to make a name for themselves."

Henry took the letter and read it.

In order to attract as many immigrants as possible, the Eastern Roman Empire issued a call for a crusade to the Vatican, and Vatican Pope Sixtus IV did some publicity for his own reputation, but as everyone expected, few monarchs were willing to respond to his call.

Times have changed. The authority of the Roman Catholic Church is no longer what it was four hundred years ago. It is plagued by internal conflicts, calls for reform are growing, and its control over the dioceses in Western Europe has been greatly reduced.

Furthermore, the Middle Ages had completely disappeared with the victory of the Battle of Constantinople and the end of the Hundred Years' War between England and France. Europe began to transition to modern times. The monarchs of various Western European countries began to strengthen centralization, and there were also constant disputes among secular monarchs. They no longer had much interest in thankless tasks such as the Crusades. The grand occasion of the three great monarchs of England, France and Germany fighting against Saladin would never be repeated.

Several hundred years ago, the Levant was an important part of the commodity trade between the East and the West, and the Crusades at that time could make a lot of money. But now, the opening of new sea routes has made the westward shift of the economic center a historical trend, and the secular value of the Levant is no longer high.

However, although the monarchs were reluctant to travel across the ocean for religion, there were still a large number of people willing to join the Eastward Movement for the sake of sacred mission or secular interests. They might be poor people struggling to survive in their hometown, or they might be second sons without inheritance rights, or they might be adventurers who dreamed of reaching the sky overnight. In any case, let them come.

Although the Vatican failed to organize a crusade like it did hundreds of years ago, it was granted the power to recruit holy warriors in exchange for heavy bribes from the Eastern Roman Empire, which made the Eastern Roman Empire's immigration plan much smoother.

"The Eastern Empire is recruiting holy warriors through the Hanseatic League. We are going to form a mercenary group to see if we can provide services to Emperor Isaac in exchange for titles and land."

Lloyd said.

"Oh? Which noble descendants?"

Henry put down the letter, his expression normal.

"One is George from the Cavendish family. His father is a minor knight, and the family's property is just a small manor. George has great martial arts skills, but he won't inherit anything, so the mercenary team is left to him."

Lloyd said.

"The other one is the youngest son of the family, named William Wellesley. He is also from a young knight's family. His family is planning to move to Dublin, but he doesn't want to go to such a poor place. Instead, he wants to go to the prosperous and wealthy Eastern Empire."

"Most of the members of the mercenary group come from this kind of family, and I am considered one of the best."

At this, Lloyd shrugged.

"You know that our family is not well-received in London. I am still the second son without the right of inheritance. The only people who are willing to make friends with me are a bunch of minor nobles."

"The Spencer, Percy, and Seymour families also want to send a few unimportant descendants to the East, but they do it to make money. The little Spencers are all experts in wool and woolen trade, and the Eastern Empire has monopolized most of the Mediterranean textile market. As long as they are willing to go, they can definitely make money."

"oh, I understand now."

Henry thought about it.

"You want to go east, that's good."

"However, the Eastern Empire has no shortage of soldiers. Spencer and his team's plan is correct. The Eastern Empire has always been welcoming to industrialists and businessmen who are willing to settle down."

"But I have no money! I don't hold any official position either. They look down on me!"

Lloyd said angrily.

"Spencer and his people are only pretending to join the holy war. In fact, they are planning to buy land, raise cattle and sheep, and hide in the walls of Constantinople to become so-called capitalists!"

Henry was silent for a while, then spoke slowly.

"Will the Eastern Empire recognize our noble titles?"

"The heroes who have made great contributions to the development of Anatolia can be granted titles, regardless of their religious affiliation or hometown."

Lloyd said.

"The Eastern Empire represents openness and freedom. Regardless of their origin, the Minister of Commerce is a German, the Minister of Engineering is an Italian, the Minister of War is a Turk, and the largest noble in Anatolia, Gonzalo of the House of Cordoba, is a Spaniard."

"But the native nobles of the Eastern Empire are different."

Henry said.

"They have no local sovereignty, no subjects, and are essentially large landowners with large amounts of private land."

"Haha, my dear brother Henry, do you think it's still hundreds of years ago?"

Lloyd smiled and shook his head.

"I went to London this time and was very angry, but I also figured out some things."

"The era of feudal nobles monopolizing local areas is coming to an end. If we want to avoid being eliminated by the times, we must either enter the center of power and become bureaucratic nobles, or run industry and commerce like those merchants and become the so-called capital nobles of the Eastern Empire."

"Look at our King Edward and King Louis of France. When they took back the power of the feudal nobles, did they ever care about the feudal oaths their ancestors made before God?"

"This is a trend of the times. Whether you admit it or not, the era when the monarch and the nobility shared the country is coming to an end."

At this point, Lloyd sighed.

"You also know what happened two months ago. A prince was killed without permission. King Edward didn't care about our wishes at all. If it happened hundreds of years ago, this would never have happened!"

"Besides, we are the Lancastrian party."

Henry was a little angry and wanted to say something, but he didn't know how to refute.

He picked up the letter and read it over and over again.

"The letter said that peasant uprisings broke out in Franconia and Carinthia in Germany. The Eastern Empire provided Prince Maximilian with a low-interest loan and obtained the right to recruit refugees from these two places. They will serve as holy warriors to fill the population gap in Anatolia."

"Yes, it is true. The peasant uprisings among the Germans are becoming more and more frequent. They are not as docile and polite as the English..."

Lloyd babbled.

"This shows that the Eastern Empire has a very large demand for immigrants."

Henry raised an eyebrow.

"Since Spencer and the others are unwilling to accept you, why not change your mindset and directly organize a civilian crusade."

"Ok?"

Lloyd was a little confused.

"You just said that the Eastern Empire has no shortage of soldiers, let alone these useless militias."

"No, you and your companions will directly recruit refugees from England and Ireland in the name of the Crusades and sail to Anatolia. You don't need to lead them to fight. Just hand them over to the emperor and let him arrange it."

"The refugee issue has already caused our King Edward to have several wrinkles deepened. His Majesty will not stop us from dragging them abroad in the name of holy war."

Henry said slowly.

"You can also try to make the mercenary group work, and if you can get some military merit, I guarantee that you can get an imperial decree from Emperor Isaac!"

"But...these immigrants will certainly be separated and dispersed, and may even be assigned to places closer to the front line..."

Lloyd said.

“Moreover, once these refugees who were forced to leave their homes in England and Ireland enjoy the free life in the Eastern Empire, they will probably soon call themselves Romans and even use the worst words to slander England and Ireland.”

"So, what does this have to do with you?"

Henry asked flatly.

"During the time of William the Conqueror, a group of English people also crossed the ocean and arrived in the Eastern Empire. The emperor generously accepted them and settled them on the northern shore of the Black Sea. The English and the Romans had no hatred and even some old friendships. No matter where you went, you would not be discriminated against and could integrate into their political system. That was enough."

Lloyd thought about it and looked at his brother.

"What about the travel and boat fares? Will you pay for them?"

"Let the Holy See do it. Don't forget, you are holy warriors."

Henry smiled slyly.

"The Holy See will definitely take this opportunity to issue indulgences to the German states. This is an old tradition."

"By then, the cardinals will take 70% of the money, and about 30% will be put to practical use, which is almost enough."

"I will write a few letters to the Belisariupolis merchants stationed at the Hanseatic Station in London. Perhaps they will be able to provide some help."

Henry kept offering advice to Lloyd, and Lloyd nodded repeatedly, admiring his brother's wisdom.

"Henry, why do I have a feeling that you can't wait to drive me away?"

After hearing the last part, Lloyd looked at his brother with some dissatisfaction.

"I have never made any demands for your title or territory. I have always respected and loved you. Before I came to see you, I thought you would be reluctant to leave me!"

Henry didn't say anything, but stood up, walked to Lloyd, patted him on the shoulder, and didn't answer directly.

"After going to the Eastern Empire and obtaining the title and land, you should quickly find a wealthy Greek noble lady to marry. Putting down roots in the East as soon as possible can also be regarded as leaving a bloodline for the Stafford family. It can be regarded as a kind of insurance."

"W-what are you doing?"

Lloyd jumped up and glared at his brother.

"Your son has just been born, and our family has regained the title. Why do you say it as if we are going to be exterminated?"

"You've been so mysterious lately, what are you busy doing?"

Henry remained speechless. He hugged his always friendly brother, waved his hand, and drove him out of the hall.

……

In the summer of 1478, the clarion call of the Eastward Movement was sounded on the European continent. The Vatican called on devout holy warriors and once again issued a large number of indulgences to various dioceses to provide military funds for the so-called "Crusaders".

Within two months, several regions including England, Italy, Germany and Spain formed civilian crusaders under the guidance of the Vatican and the Eastern Roman Empire, with a total number of up to 50,000 people. Most of them were refugees who found it difficult to survive in their local areas and crossed the ocean with a yearning for a better life.

Compared with the Crusades several hundred years ago, Europe has undergone great changes. The main force of immigrants is no longer high-level talents such as craftsmen, merchants, soldiers, and scholars, but poor peasants liberated from feudal lands. They probably have no national consciousness and will be separated and dispersed to various regions of Anatolia to occupy a place in the great development.

By this means, the Eastern Roman Empire could take advantage of the transition period between the collapse of feudal manors and the expansion of capitalism to continuously attract more easily assimilated Christian refugees from the European continent to supplement the Greek Orthodox Christians and fill the vacant lands in Anatolia, the Levant and Egypt.

Compared with the original time and space, the Eastern Roman Empire brought forward the Age of Exploration by several decades, the great exchange of species, the price revolution and the explosion of the commodity economy would all be advanced, the growth rate of the European population would become faster, social contradictions would become more acute, and the immigration market would be very broad.

Of course, the population gap of millions objectively exists, and these immigrants are still far from enough. Isaac wants to completely pacify Anatolia during his lifetime, turning it into the core area of ​​the Eastern Roman Empire and completely eliminate the difficult-to-assimilate Muslim herdsmen. He must find more ways.

In the future, Anatolia must be dominated by Orthodox Christian, Greek-speaking Romans. A single nation means a higher lower limit. Even if it is completely defeated in the world war, there is still hope for revival. It will not fall apart completely like those multi-ethnic countries due to the dismantling of the great powers. At most, it will lose some land, but there is still a chance to make up for it.

In this process, premeditated slave trade and population cleansing are bound to exist. It is better to solve these problems as early as possible in this era, rather than waiting until modern times to start massacres everywhere, like the Ottoman Empire in the original time and space, leaving an indelible stain.

On May 1478, 5, the Eastern Mediterranean Fleet attacked the port of Antalya. Hundreds of artillery pieces bombarded the coastal city for a whole week, reducing half of the city to ruins. The 10 vanguards of the Southern Legion gradually entered the city, and the Marines also landed in time. The Turkic defenders in the city were quickly defeated by their ten times greater number and retreated to the mountains in the east.

Subsequently, the Eastern Roman army forced baptism of Turkic Muslims around Antalya. All Muslims who were unwilling to convert or had no intention to convert were either sold into slavery or slaughtered. After a few weeks, the cities and villages of the Pamphylian Plain were almost turned into a wasteland.

On May 1478, 5, Isaac arrived on the island of Cyprus by ship and presided over the landing operation on the Cilician Plain.

(End of this chapter)