From Speech delivered by Emperor Vasileios Laskaris in the Imperial Palace of Constantinople, March 20th, 1545 AD.
"Fellow Romans, I come to you today with a decision that has weighed upon me greatly these past few weeks. You have all followed the news from the West and East and have pondered greatly over what it means. In the West, I am proud to say that the invasions of the Spanish and the French have been crushed and the territory lost in their initial assaults has been reclaimed and more. In the East, the Muslims are on the run and our generals pursue them to the ends of the earth to destroy that heresy once and for all. Our armies fight valiantly for the Empire and have been successful despite terrible odds and being far from home. I am honored that my own sons lead these forces and share the burdens of war with your own sons, brothers, and fathers. We have much to be thankful for but also much to be worried over.
"There is not much debate as to how to proceed against the Muslims in the East. The campaigns that claimed the lives of my father and brother are nearly over and it would not be prudent to stop now when we are so close to ultimate victory. Lords Vitos and Genessios, as well as General Ioannis, have won great victories against the heathens and assure me that they will continue the offensive until none remain.
"However, I do not intend to have them continue this fight unaided. They have done much for the Empire and deserve whatever assistance we can provide. To that end, I have asked that the new Supreme Latin Pontiff join us today from Pisa.
"Pope Eugenius IV has come far to be here and he has not come empty handed. In consultations with me and Partiarch Spartnos, he has agreed to rally the Latins in the West to our cause in a long overdue unity of arms against the common foe. As the Mongol Empire is our most dire threat, he will call for a Crusade against their capital of Urgench and has assure me that his call will be well received. This combined offensive will speed the pace of conquest and shorten the time when the scourge of Islam is nothing but a memory. We welcome our Latin brothers to this fight and I have sent dispatches to both Lord Vitos and Lord Genessios to welcome them appropriately and coordinate our attacks with their commanders.
"The much larger question is what we will do about the war in the West. Many wise and noble men have counseled me to consider an offer of peace to the Spanish and French kings. They wish for peace in the West and to bring our armies home. These men are not cowards and have all given faithful service to the Empire and so I must consider their words carefully. The hope of peace is alluring to be sure. We have gained so much and there is so much to do to remake the Empire into what it once was. The expenditures of the Army are crushing and the lives lost are high.
"So, what are we to do?
"As always, I look to the example of my brother to show us the way. In his early campaigns, Skantarios cut a bloody swathe through Greece and Anatolia – sacking cities, burning mosques, and killing tens of thousands. However, barely a generation removed from those conquests and these same lands are blossoming. Decades of peace and reinvestment have caused the populations of our major cities to boom. Unrestricted trade flows and fills our coffers. Major construction is undertaken in all of our lands bringing more wealth, health, learning, and culture to the masses. The tax burden is light and the people are happy. Was not the death and devastation that brought the lands to this happy place worth it?
"Beyond all the material benefits, our honor demands that we make war on those who fight against us. Emperor Skantarios offered them an honorable peace and they spat it back in our faces. They were not content to allow us ownership of lands that by all rights should be ours. For what claim do the Spanish have upon Africa? By what rights do the French invade Italy – our ancestral home!
"These Catholics are no better than the Muslims. They have no honor. They want our lives and nothing less. There can be no peace as long as they are allowed the power to make war. So, we shall have to take it from them.
"I always scoffed at the quip that the Roman Empire conquered the world in self-defense. Now, I know the truth of it. When you have wealth, there are multitudes lining up to take it. If we leave them with even a little, they will want the whole thing. So, we must take from them everything and leave them with nothing. Such a brutal equation but this is the way of the world. No sense in fighting it, best just to embrace it.
"Therefore, we will continue the wars in the West as well as the holy campaign against the Muslims in the East. We will continue until the Roman Empire is restored in all of its glory and none are left to oppose us. These were the wishes of Skantarios and these are my orders today.
"Roma Victor!"