Author: Kallum
Original Thread: Basileia ton Romaîon book 1: The return of the Roman Empire



Basileia ton Romaîon book 1: The return of the Roman Empire







A prophetic dream led the Roman emperor Constantine to found a new city, a city worthy of being the capital of one of world largest empires ever know to man. This city would become known as Constantinople

The ancient prestige of Roman Empire is fainting away. Few now remember the great generals, the great armies and the greats conquests of one of the most largest empires of the world. Rather then comparing themselves to the Roman emperors, the kings of late compare themselves to socalled great kings as Charlemagne from Gaul or Otto from Germania, but didn't these kings called themself emperor?

Right now the world is in chaos, Islam gains power in the world, whilst the power of christendom is fainting away. Our orthodox church is small and is being threatenend by the Islamic Turks.

After the great defeat at Manzikert we lost many important provinces and cities. However under my grandfather, the great emperor Manoeul, the empire had regained much of his strengt. He reconquered many cities and provinces back







When my grandfather died I was 3 years old and later I heard that it was never certain what or who killed him, but that my father was very eagerly to claim the throne



My father wasn't very loved by his people, under his rule a lot of terrotories that grandfather had captured were lost to the Turks, only the great cities of Constantinople, Nicaea and Nicomedia are still under our rule


a lot of noble families were killed by my father for he feared plotting an mutiny towards his throne. He killed his two best friends and possible heirs when there military successes became to great that my father's successes were overshadowed by them.



It came as no suprise that the people revolted and welcomed the Turks with open arms for they rather converted to the Islam then being a subject of my father.

After a reign of 14 years my father was besieged in the city of Nicomedia, although he managed to defend the city he died while defending the ramparts. I was 16 years old when he died and I was fighting my very first campaign against rebels in the north. After the news of my father's death I rushed towards Nicomedia. Where I found that the noble families had conspired against him. They had sent al their money and valuables to the Turks to persuade them in attacking Nicomedia. When I arrived in Nicomedia they already started the coronation of one of the chief traitors to be the new emperor, I rode with my horse towards the traitor and instead of a crown on his head he felt the blow of my sword.

Who am I you might wonder. I am Zigavinos, son of Alexios Commenus the Tyrant, grandson to Emperor Manoeul Commenus the great and heir to the throne of basileos of Constantinople.


First Blood

After my act during the coronation in Nicomedia, it didn't take long for the council of nobles to decide who should be the next basilos. It was I who they voted for and who they thought would be a fine emperor.

There were two things my father had done well. He left the empire with a filled treasure chest. The second thing he did well whas that the army was progressing with the time. Whilst my grandfather fought with spearman and simple javelin throwing horsemen. The army my father created was more western styled, with strong heavy infantry, heavy spearman and strong cavalry. The only thing he did wrong was chosing the wrong parties, maken quick and usually bad decisions witch resulted in huge territory loss and he made himself less populair with the aristocrasy for he made them pay taxes ass well.

I had a deja vu when my father was killed by noblemen. For another great king's father was killed by noblemen, this same father left the country when he died with a decent army and a good filled treasury and also in that period the kingdom of that great king was being threatened by a force of the east. The son of this father conquered the entre know world of that age. Although that son didn't last long he died after helding power for a few years. But maybe that I have the same soul as this king, perhaps I am destined to do great things ass well? We shall see.

The first thing I needed to do was to capture the lands lost by my father. As I just said I had a good army at my disposal, So I took control of this army and marched onward towayrds one of the most important cities of our once was realm

Smyrna


The Garrison was very small and it would not be much of a challenge, but stil we need to conquer every lost city quickly before the Turks have a chance to regroup



Just as the greatest of kings did I rode fore my soldiers so they shall see who to follow and who the boss is






My father realised the importance of good siege equipment and I had a good siege train at my disposal, these catapults and trebuchets gave a tremendous sight to us and our enemy





It didn't take long for the walls to crumble under the constant fire of our mighty war machines, an opening was there and we could charge inside the population






I personally led the charge, as the enemy general saw the great morale boost of my army thanks to my personal interference he decided to do it ass well. There was only one problem, I had the armour of one of my soldiers to image that we where brethren on the field but on my scarf I had a symbol, tho let them also realise who was in charge, the enemy general was totally picked up in gold and there fore an easy target for my men






with their general death the enemy forces retreated to the townsquare here they wanted to make a last stand. With the thought of an saying of an Persian warlord in my head I ordered my archers to fire and to block out the sun, the enemy surrendered






Because the population rejected greek rule I massacred the population for their betrayal as a warning to those cities who had to come






I renamed Smyrna to myself as remembrance of my first victory






I stayed one month in the town to oversee the construction of a orthodox chapel and the repair of the barracks who had been destroyed by my trebuchets and catapults. After the buildings were completed I marched onward to another Greek city of old Laodicea, this was one of the richest cities under the rule of my grandfather. Another reason was that my financial advisor adviced me to go for important harbors to boost trade income






As we marched to Laodicea, I heard some of the soldiers talk about our latest victory, we scored first blood they can be beaten they rejoiced. I repeated those words in my mind.



We had scored first blood


Edit: I again changed something and I can see them you asswel??


Carving a path
After our smashing victory at zigovina. I decided to march to Laodicea. The journey was without any danger, we were shadowed by a Turkish army but they didn't attacked us so we could march easily, though we were cautious with such a large army at our tail.

Back home, things were going bad. A new opponent called the Kypchack confederation attacked our noble capital.

We had won the siege but I was afraid that the great kypchap army near Nicomedia would pose a threat so I ordered the recruitment of a new army


Back in Laodicea my spies reported that the governor of this city was no one less than sultan Malik


He was the one who had taken so many provinces from our empire under the reign of my father, He was the one who started this war and he's the one who should be punished


The town of Laodicea is beautifull town and was once residence to the Byzantine governor of this theme


I started the siege just as I started at Zigovina. I led the army in front and onagers and trebuchets would take the enemy walls down


Sultan Malik I want him death


the constant bombardment of the enemies walls had her effect and the walls crumbled



I ordered my men in and a large streetfight began. I also ordered my trebuchets in to support the infantry


This move resulted in a perfect way. The trebuchets stone was perfectly launched and hit the enemy sultan! Although I wanted to kill him up personally I rejoiced this turn of events


The morale of the enemy was decreasing fast and I ordered every men I got to attack, the enemy retreated to the town square where they defended the corpse of their fallen sultan to the last men. I was a massacre on both sides




But we won in the end, although it could have been done with much lesser losses


I gave my men some rest and ordered the construction of a chapel. Once the chapel was completed I gave the first ceremony and then I ordered the march to Doryleaum. En route we met some reinforcements from Nicaea


They told us that the capital was attacked by the large kypchack army who were camping at Nicomedia. But the army I had ordered to recruit was there just in time to halt the enemy siege and to let them retreat out of our lands




I praised the gods, for I could return to matter at hand. I replenished my cohorts to full strength with the soldiers from the reinforcements and I send the wounded and sickly back to Nicaea for treatment and care.

While I continued my march to Dorylaeum, carving a path through the Turkish Sultanate

A hidden lookout

Charge!!!!! I hear him say it. The turks have lured us in and surrounded us with their soldiers, our fellow soldiers run away fearing for their lives. Protect the emperor I call, of us the emperor's bodyguard only few are still fighting, we make sure the emperor is in safety and wait for reinforcements but they do not arrive. I hear the enemy sultan call another charge. I look behind me, the emperor is stil there, as long as he's safe I think. I see 5 seljuks coming at me and I spar with them all at once. When they are death I again look at my back. The emperor is fighting aswell, then a member of the Sultan's bodyguard blocks my view. When I kill the turk my sultan lies death totally surrounded. Oh no the emperor has fallen I cried.....

I wake up, realising it was just a dream. I'm not death I whisper softly to myself. No your not sire. I hear a voice coming from outside the tent. I have word for you my liege. The messenger takes a bow and I ask him what the message is. My liege our scouts report that Doryleaum is heavily guarded. If we attack directly we lose to many men. Then we make a diversion I say to him, lure out these armies and then attack the unguarded Doryleaum. I will send a small part of the army away hoping that this trap will work.

I get out of my tent and send 300 men to Nicaea. Make ready within one hour we will be moving towards Doryleaum I hear my general yell. After one hour we march towards Dorylaeum. Later that day when we march towards Dorylaeum we see dustwaves coming from the north, The army of Doryleaum had sallied. I ordered my men to hide in a nearby forest. The army marched directly besides the forest. We wait one hour and continued the march. at the end of the afternoon we reach Doryleaum and lay siege to it.



The enemy governor was the Sultan, the same sultan in my dreams. I do not hope that my dream was prophetic because if I die the enemy will take advantage of the chaos that will come out of this and we will lose everthing we had fought for just jet.

Doryleaum once was a important stronghold since the loss at Manzikert. The castle could do us huge help in defending our borders



Same as in Zigovina and Laodicea I stood in front of the army and ordered my trebuchets and onagers to fire.


My spies openend the gate, and I marched in, alas my trebuchets were to big so a hole in the wall was needed to get them inside


Once the hole in the wall mas made I ordered my trebuchets inside and let them fire at the enemy sultan. first a tower was hit witch made sure that the sultan wasn't threatenend by our fire


Then the trebuchets did fire and they hit


As a result of this hit the enemy sultan charged forward to my trebuchets, there he was ambushed by my skillfully hidden spearman and a streetfight occurred


Seeing that their cause was hopeless the enemy sultan and his bodyguard fled, only to be massacred in their run from my soldiers



The day was ours. When me marched inside the castle I received a message from Eleftherios, saying that his lookout posts had found the kypchack city, whom had attacked us so many times. I send word to attack the city and to strenghten the position to give our capital some rest from the kypchacks


Eleftherios also send some reinforcements in the form of 2 units of trebuchets. I send my thanks and I disbanded the onagers and the onager crew


After that I went to bed hoping that this night I won't have any nightmares


The Long Year




I stayed in Dorylaeum for 26 days. After our victory I immediatly send out spies for our next target, after 25 days they came back with information about a certain settlement called Amorium, a settlement with a middle sized garisson, not poor but also not rich and no certain strategic value, so I ordered the army to move out and on the 26th day I marched onwards to territory no Basilos ever went through in a century worth of time towards the old border with the persians hoping that I will come across some huge majestic city of the Turks









After a day of marching I received word from Efstathios he came close to the city of Varna and he had defeated a large Kypchack force little was standing in the way of succes. I send my congratiolations and my good luck to him, a second messenger arrived shortly after with the news that Nicomedia was besieged for the 4th time since my coronation I send orders to send reinforcements hoping for the best















When the winter came in I finally reached a city and not just a city but the capital of the Turks, Konya. I immediatly ordered the siege for this was a chance to good to be left alone, however a middle sized garison and a good general could show us some difficulty









At the same time that I besieged Konya word reached me that Efstathios attacked Varna








Due to our fast attack the enemy was still busy equipping and making themselves ready, This time I felt sorry I didn't had any siege towers or ladders with me for we had to wait for the trebuchets to punch a hole in the enemies wall







When the walls finally came down the enemy was waiting for us behind their walls, to bad we couldn't take advantage of their slowness. The gate was also destroyed by our siege machines and I ordered a full scale attack with me as the spearpoint











The defenders managed to keep us at bay and we were forced to pull back. luckily for us the enemy followed us even though with loud protests of the general, in openfield they were cut down by my cavalry and they fled inside the city.






We followed the enemy in and despite the generals heroic efforts to stop our advance, they were cut down to the last man and the enemy general was the last men at the gate who died by the hand of a unknown spearman






When the gate fell there were only 160 men left of Ghulam heavy cavalry when we killed 80 of them the other 80 surrendered Konya was ours









I gave the enemy general the burial he deserved arranged by muslim imans and in muslim way, nevertheless the day after his burial I destroyed the mosque and my architects made plans for a orthodox church.



After 2 weeks of looting and resting I ordered my army back to Nicaea for recruitment and retraining of the lost units. When we arrived at Dorylaeum a messenger was waiting for me and gave word that Efstathios was also succesfull and that the town of Varna was ours and that Nicomedia had led a heroic defence and that all the Turks had been killed or withdrawn







I rejoiced at this most wonder full news and I ordered him to come to me to help me attack the Turks. A few days later at the end of the year of 1199 my forces were ready and were in good heart, especially since the Senate of Constantinople had asked me for permission for the recruitment of a new general from the house of Solomon, every general is welcome was my reply. Now was the time to look at a target that a year before my spies unravelled for me, then it was a good for nothing city, but my spies told me that the governor of the city was no one less than crown prince Gunduz the man who had captured our southern provences when he was still a general, I wanted revenge, and on the first day of 1200 anno domini I ordered the move to Amorium








The New Man



The general who was appointed to help me in my war with the Turks was known under name of Pelekanos Solomon


This young boy was loyal to the bone, still believing in the prestige and power of the Roman Empire this boy would do anything to help restore the power of our once great empire.

Although loyal, every brothel and inn knows him as a scoundrel, having huge debts with some "special maidens" he fled in to the military and went in to service. His superiors didn't liked him they called him a typical boy of aristocracy, rich, lazy and very spoiled nevertheless he showed talent with the sword, is unrivalled in his skill as rider and has leadership skills. A sergeant told me a story about him:

The young boy(Pelekanos) didn't like the way how they learned anything, everything is theoritical, that doesn't help you in real combat you need practical experience. Everytime he made this complaint he got hit by the stick on a naked back and chest. Do everybody agreed with him no one dared to say afraid of the stick. The boy kept arguing with his superior and kept getting the stick. His classmates inspired by his bravery eventually joined him and became the best swordsmen and riders class of that school. those classmates are now his bodyguards and best friends

He was a member of a aristocracy because his father was a friend of my father but his father wasn't a aristocrat, so they decided that my sister Celene Commenus should marry Pelekanos. Although they weren't inlove with each other and both had many lovers they helped each other when needed and his political ambition and her name made sure that he could get a very important mission and therefore she the wife of the general who would help the empire.

I ordered him to clean our lands of the roaming Turkish horse acher hordes I didn't care how he did it as long as he did it. I gave him permission to raise his own army with the treasury of the state, shouldn't do that though florins are going away, But he made his army and his first test came. The end of the year 1199 was a scene full of war and dangerous parties.

The kypchack wanted their city back and laid siege to it


The Turks again tried to capture Nicomedia


And the Turks also tried to get their old capital back


I gave Pelekanos Imperium Maius for the field campaign against the Turkish hordes meaning that he could everything he wants to do his campaign. He conscripted his army from the latin and nomad colonies at the Aegean sea. Soon he had a cavalry army with heavily army Latin knights but also lightly armoured Kypchack horse archers. His first test as a commander was about to unfold. He went to the besieged city of Nicomedia, to deal with them for once and for all.

According to his report this happenend:


He positioned his Horse archers on the flank of his army and let them flank the enemy while bombarding them with arrows


When the enemy army was spread out to seek cover from the constant barrage of arrows he let his heavy Latin knights charge in and they seized the day a great victory and Nicomedia was released, the survivors were taken down by the Kypchack horse archers and few remained to tell the tale




Nicomedia was released and Pelekanos marched land in to see if some other cities needed help.

While Nicomedia was helped by reinforcements, Varna didn't received any help and had to do it al by herself. The Kypchacks attacked


And apparently the siege was broken because months later I still received taxes from Varna. I marched onwards to Amorium to make our lands more a whole unity and to make the front a little bit more solid. A few miles from Amorium we saw smoke dusts coming from the plain. Horse archers were here and I didn't had the men to deal with this kind of a threat. I retreated to a nearby forest camped there and in the night I send a messenger who knows the ways around here. The messenger went to the boy and he would give me help if I would lenghten his imperium maius with another 5 years. I didn't liked the sound of this new turn of events but I had no choice so I gave in. He arrived 4 days later and immediatly attacked the enemy armies.


While he was outnumbered he made good use of the terrain and used the same strategy as at Nicomedia. Use the Horse archers to cut the enemy formation open


And he charged the remnants of the army with his Latin knights


This strategy paid of and a great victory was held. The release forces were defeated and the way was open to Amorium or Solomo as I will call it when I have conquered it



The boy returned to Constantinople to celebrate his first successes and to retrain his losses, and I promoted him to Equitum Magister or commander of all cavalry forces.

While he left I began plannin the siege of Amorium


The other side of the Coin



Few weeks after general Pelekanos Solomon left I celebrated my 22th birthday. 6 Years ago I became emperor I thought. But I never stayed inside the royal palaces of Constantinople since I became emperor. However the experiences and lessons I have learned on my campaign are far more important than everything else I could have learned while being in Constantinople


Besides I've got plenty of time to stay in the royal palaces when our old glory is restored and we truly are once again the Roman Empire. At my 22th birthday I also decided to attack Amorium


While I prepared myself for the assault and put on my armour, I noticed a small iron mask on my table, I asked to my weaponbearer what it was. He answered that he had found it while searching for loot in the amouries of Konya. He said that it was an old Turkish war mask used to scare the enemies. I asked if I borrow it for today's battle and he gave it to me. After 2 hours me and my mask stood besides army for the gates of Amorium


Knowing our coming the Turks had hastily prepared a wooden wall, nothing my trebuchets couldn't handle I thought gladly. However on the walls the enemy had soldiers equipped with crossbows, and they fired on us. "Thank god our shields are large." a spearman right next to me said whilst taking cover behind his shield


The main difference between stone and wooden walls is that wooden walls are way easier and faster to destroy then stone walls,


The Turks retreated from the walls and regrouped in a narrow street, perfect targets for my Trebuchets and I ordered them to target the enemy army


My trebuchets hit everything but the soldiers and soon I couldn't see anything thanks to the huge dust cloud that was blocking my vision. Nevertheless I didn't cancel the bombardment and when the trebuchets wore out of ammo I still couldn't see or hear anything. So I ordered the army to take up position closer to the city. Then out of nowhere I heard someone yell Allah Akbar, and the entire Turkish army sallied,


Out of nowhere the army came with the commander at front, I was suprised and didn't know what to do so fast. However demoralised by what we had done with our trebuchets the army hesitated, and only the general attacked us, he charged directly in to my bodyguard


However he caused us some casualties because we weren't ready for the blow, his bodyguard was as green as grass and was quickily subdued by my veteran bodyguard. While he tried to save a companion of his who had to parry three of mine al by himself he got hit by a mace and was thrown of his horse. The enemy routed and left their general on the ground laying there.

I stepped of my horse, and walked to him, he looked my in the eyes and said:
"Hello Greek emperor, it must give you pleasure to see me laying here with all my bones broken at your a mercy."
"Even if I would give you mercy, what good would it bring you? No kingdom, Empire or sultanate has the means of curing your afflictions."
"Well then emperor, you have the reputation of showing no mercy against my people, but can you get it over your heart to kill me to release from my pain and far worse being your captive."
"You are a heir a person who can be sold for many money, a person who could be used as a valuable trading item, it's only that you are of noble blood otherwise you would have lived at my court." With that said I stapped my sword into his stomach, knowing that he would die, but it would be a very slow death,
"That's the only blade that will be used against you."
"Curse you infidel!"
Hoping that he would die slow he actually death instantly, seconds after he passed away the sun came loose and warmed our heads


When I was busy with the enemy commander the enemy army fled inside the city and took up position at the towncentre, my army who was bloodthirsty didn't wait for my orders and attacked


The attack was done with so much fierceness, that the enemy quickly surrendered. My soldiers ignored it and killed every Turk that was standing. And whilst I rided inside the city to see what happenend I met my army victorious at the townsquare.


After the battle I walked to my weapon bearer and said:
"I finally understand it now. The Turks are so easily beaten because they can't see anything with these things on."
I gave the mask back to my weapon bearer


I gave orders that the town wasn't allowed to be sacked and plundered, for I was still thinking about what the Turk said when his live was in my hands. After my victory I immediatly went looking for the reason why the Turks were armed with the crossbows. Inside the residence of the former governor of this town I found scrolls with the reason:

Along with us the Turks were also engaged in a war with the Crusader states in the Holy land. In contrary to our war, the Crusader states were losing their war, the most important reason for this was that in every battle that the Turks won, they didn't killed their prisoners but used their skills with their weapons. The only thing that the prisoners had to do was to swear an oath of allegiance and convert to Islam.
The sultan divided the prisoners up into 2 groups, the captured archers and the captured heavy infantry, I couldn't find any report about captured cavalry, As the western armies had almost all of their missile troops armed with crossbows, this group was the largest group. Those who were captured with bows were used as slave
The captured infantry was also divided in to two groups, The ones who had served as shock infantry and the ones who had served as spearman, Those who had served as spearman were used as slaves, those who were used as shock infantry were armoured in Turkish style but they kept their swords and axes and their corpse was called janissary. This group was the smallest for to wear an axe or sword one must be wealthy.

When I found out about his I send a diplomat to the crusaders hoping to forge an alliance. I was already making plans for our next target when a messenger from Constantinople came to me:

"My lord the situation in Constantinople is dire, the people want to see their new emperor who they only heard from in stories. They want to know who you are and sir please hurry, the people said that if you didn't come the entire city will rebel. And senate also want you to come home to discuss some new law proposols they have been thinking of"

Realising the seriousness of the situation plus the idea of giving my soldiers a lengthy rest period, plus a change for them to increase our nation's population with future soldiers, I gave in and went to Constantinople. I send my army to the castle of Nicaea for retraining. I also send a letter to my brother prince Efstathios to send his newly trained army to the last city that will our border to one line



Along the road I forfeited the capital tax law. This law meant that the tax in the city of Constantinople was extra high, with this I hoped to calm down the very angry citizens of Constaninople I also renamed Amorium to Solomo to honour the person who save my and my armies live. And I renamed Konya to it's old name of Iconia




I also had reports coming in from a nothern border that had been invaded by 2Turkish armies but that Pelekanos had already moved out. Feeling a bit nervous I continued my march to Constantinople

Meanwhile at Pelekanos

"My lord there is the enemy!"
"Charge!!!!"


"Mylord I see almost no cavalry battalions."
"Let the horse archers fire their quivers empty wait for my single to charge."


"The enemy is routing sire, a few men are still holding their ground on top of that hill."
"That aren't Turks."
"No they look a little bit French or Spanish, what shall we do my lord these men are obviously not Turks but Europeans?"
"They fight with a Turkish banner and not a Roman banner, so I see them as enemies. Get the knights here and make ready to charge at my command."


"They are all death sire"
"Take the prisoners to our camp"
"As you wish sire"


later that night

"Why should I grant you mercy."
"Please sire we are europeans just as you, we have families at home."
"You have betrayed your faith you should deserve death to see the punishment god has for you. But then again you once fought for a noble cause. I shall grant you mercy but go home immediatly."
"May Allah be mercifull on you. Thank you oh great lord"
"Allah doesn't exist, there is only god, for your heresy only one punishment exist. ARCHERS!!!!!!"
"No no noble sire I meant god, please don't."
"AIM!!!"
"Please don't do this I beg you, please I'll do anything for you. I'll go to Naples and stay with my Norman brethern please let me live."
"That's the second mistake you made for I loath the Normans. FIRE!!!!!!!!."
"Noo pleaaaa."
"Revenge for what you Norman people did to our people."


The next day, the army moved north to attack the second and last invading Turkish army



Full Scale War

"My lord shall we wait for reinforcements or shall we attack?""
" I heard that a small band of Latin knights and Kypchack horsemen are in the area."
"They have already joined our army mylord."
"Then we shall attack."



As this is the cavalry army of the two Turkish hordes, I didn't want to risk my army getting killed by horse archers, so my first order was to let my mounted archers advance and take down as many Turkish archers as possible



We waited for the sign of the horse archers to let us come, when a white Turkish banner crossed my eye behind a hill. Aaaaah fleeing enemies I said to myself and I ordered my army to move to that banner



However it was a trap behind the hill a small force with catapults was waiting for us, the catapults shot at us, but the boulder flew just over our heads destroying some spears in the process, but we didn't mind we still had our swords



When we killed all the ambushers I focused my attention to my horse archers. They had been able to force a rout not without some casualties however but the day was ours, and our army celebrated





This was the report that arrived to me the day after I made my entrance into our capital of Constantinople. My coming had been a celebration and it reminded me of a triumph festival of old Roman times. I earned it, for a lot of land was reconquered and the empire was growing day by day thanks to able commanders as Efstathios, Pelekanos and not forget myself ofcourse.

My son who I conceived with my wife in Laodicea some 2 years ago was celebrating his first birthday, this was the first time since Laodicea that I had seen my wife again and the first time I had seen my boy. I was glad that I arrived just in time to be at this birthday, and according to my wife his first steps. My first days in Constantinople were days filled with joy and laughter. Also a week or two later two boys of nobility became of age and would now be able to lead armies.



I send the young Solomon boy to his brother to help coordinate the field battles, and for Draganos I didn't knew a task so I let him join me in my council of advisors



However the happines quickly went away when a very worrying letter arrived my court. It was from my diplomat who I had send to the Crusader states to forge an alliance. He said:

My lord,

I have to apoligize for this, but I wasn't able to make an alliance between our most noble of realms and that of the kingdom of Jerusalem. The Crusaders had been made vassals by the Turks and they were entrenchend in a losing war with the Egyptians. They didn't want to betray their overlords because of fear that they would be attacked by them and all hope would be lost. I'll go to the kingdoms to of Armenia and Georgia to seek an Catholic alliance my lord but I don't know if I will succeed.

Greetings your most trusted diplomat



I was saddenend but I knew that iff I wanted to restore the empires former glory I had to make war with the Crusaders one day, knowing that the Muslim Egyptians would defeat them would give me a more appropriate reason.

The senate kept asking for a speech to the citizens to introduce myself and to thank them for their support and more softness I gave in. However I loved my family and the life as a father, I would be rather on campaign then sitting here on my throne listening to boring men who have nothing to say but only exist to the aristocracy and wealthy think they had a voice in my government. Ofcourse they had not nevertheless sometimes you had to do something you don't want my father sometimes said. And I made the speech.

In the middle of the speech I heard hooves and calling for emperor. I looked up and say a wounded messenger from Nicomedia. He said that Nicomedia was again being sieged by the Turks and this time the towns defence needed help, they couldn't do this on their own. I asked permission to go from the citizens as the last time I was on campaign they were so bold to order me to come home. The scary citizens afraid that the Turks would come to them if they would win hastily gave permission and I mustered my old army and marched onwards leaving Draganos in charge of he city.



My army existed mostly out of my veterans from my last campaign, however I had replaced two light horse battalions replaced by two heavy horse battalions



While arriving in Nicomedia I learned that the siege was already broken, I was glad and I wrote a letter to the City of Constantinople, I would go punish the Turks for invading our lands and for their permission for campaigning every citizen would get 500 gold coins. 4 Days later a messenger arrived with the permission and I marched onwards. A day later another messenger arrived and I feared that the citizens called me back. However to my relieve it was a letter from Efstathios with his battle report. He had besieged Attalia as he was ordered but the Turks, tired of losing ground, had send all of their forces to the aid of Attalia and Efstathios was forced to fall back. However instead of running back he took a stand at the other side of the Attalian bridge, knowing that if he won here, the Turkish sultanate had lost all their armies and their lands were ripe for plunder



He took up position at the bridge as told and he ordered all his infantry to defend the bridge, at their rear he posted his trebuchets, his elite infantry who would be used if the battle turned dark, himself and his horsemen. At their flanks he posted his archers



The Turks knew that if they wouldn't charge fast they would be killed by our trebuchets and archers.



However our swordsmen did a wonderfull job and they held the line. The Turks were still charging and soon a the entire army was at the bridge making very easy targets for our trebuchets. They fought like cornered snakes but our infantry held the line



Soon the great Turkish army was reduced to individual men fighting and firing arrows thanks to our archers and trebuchets



They routed and fled, However Efstathios and his host of cavalry didn't allowed this and killed them all on the bridge



The other army seeing what our noble Roman soldiers did to their comrades fled and withdrawed. Again Efstathios didn't allowed them and chased them down.



Although some enemies escaped the majority of the enemy was killed our taken prisoner. It was our greatest victory since my grandfather in both numbers and importance



The enemy had no decent field army left and their lands were ripe for plunder. Attalia never liked their Turkish rulers and closed the gates for the survivors but openend her gates for our victorious army.



The prisoners were offered in a ransom the Turks ,who were now bankrupt, denied and the prisoners were killed. I send all possible soldiers to Efstathios to retrain his losses and for myself I marched onwards to Ankara, the largest troopproducing center of the Turks and with that Fortress down. Every last hope for the Turks would be gone.



Unless the Turkish enemies of the Armenians would ceize their attacks, but with the help of some Greek coin this would be unlikely, but then again in the history of war a lot of traitors existed so nothing is certain....

With the coming of the army of Efstathios in the south the campaign no longer lasted on the shoulders of one man and one army this time more tactical maneuvres could be used and we could attack more targets together. I send message to Pelekanos to train a huge cavalry force so that he could do the field battles if there were any. From a invasion our battle with the Turks involved in a full scale war. And we were winning

Preparing the War


After the victory of Efstathios at Attalia turkish diplomats came to my camp asking for a truce.


Finally they show signs of weakness I thought to myself, they wouldn't ask me for truce if they didn't have problems at home. So I counteroffered them, the Turks had to give me 5000 florins and then I would halt the attack. Ofcourse I wouldn't do that but 5000 florins would be a great way of paying the salaries for my soldiers. But they refused the counteroffer and so we were still at war. My diplomat in Armenia however did succeeded in his goal, he managed to trade map information and becoming allies. I send him 500 gold coins as a bonus


Another cheerful event happenend. My sister Theophana commemnus had become in love with Draganos, staying everyday with him to advise him in state affairs, they became friends and later their feelings to each other became stronger. He returned her love and they married. I send my congratiolations and I offered to pay the marriage as a wedding present


However marriages and alliances are good cheerfull events. I'm still in a war and I can't linger around. I called down a war council between the 4 generals in Iconia. As this city was at the front. As my main army was still camping in the north, it was logical that I marched via the north inside the Turkish heartland. Efstathios' army was camping in Attalia and he would logically march from the south. However Pelekanos strategy and role wasn't certain. I knew that we destroyed the armies of the Turks. They had been retraining in their cities of Karaman and Ankara.

Thanks to my spies I had a very good idea of the cities and castles of the Turks. Luckily for us the main troop recruitment centres were nearby. Karaman was an easy target. Ankara however wasn't. The Turks had hastily prepared themselves for us and now we were facing a huge army.

We made our plan. Efstathios would march to Karaman and from Karaman to the Turkish capital of Kayseri. I would march with my army to Ankara and from there to Kirsehir. And from Kirsehir to Kayseri if Efstathios requested for help. Pelekanos and his brother would do all the cleaning work. They would first aid me and clear any armies that would cross my path. And when I would march to Kirsehir then they would assist Efstathios who should be marching to Kayseri by the time.


Our armies had undergo some changes. I had replaced all my light cavalry with the heavier Stratatoi cavalry


Efstathios had added a fresh battalion of heavy swordsmen to his army


Pelekanos added a fresh battalion of Latin knights and some kypchack horsemen to his army plus 4 mercenary archers. He was commander for he had the most experience.


His brother was his second in command and could be used like Pelekanos wished. However after the warcouncil Pelekanos begged me to send his brother home. He thought that he was to green to be second in command and he feared for his live. I said to him that is normal that you are worried over your brother but nothing would happen as he learned how to fight. And as the commander he could put his brother up on a safe position.

"You want your brother to grow right?"
"Yes but I'm afraid of his live he is fresh and green he never fought in a battle."
"You also didn't when you take control of the cavalry force."
"True but..."
"I didn't when I took control of my army to reconquer the themes."
"True, ah well I shall look after him."
"Good, don't worry Pelekanos everything will go fine."

In Efstathios chamber

"Efstathios are you here?"
"Yes I'm what can I do for you my emperor?"
"Emperor? You are my crown prince we went through our childhood together. We are friends."
"We haven't seen each other in a while so."
"It's okay I only wanted to say good luck, don't get killed"."
"I won't, try to stay alive emperor, we don't want that our emperor get's killed don't we."
"My bodyguard will keep me here.""
"Good"



The Turkish Wars part 1

The garisson of Ankara was huge and to be sure of a Greek defeat the Turkish sultan send in some relieve forces.


The situation became hopeless so I ordered Pelekanos to come here. He came, attacked and was victorious over the Turkish relieve forces. The garisson of Ankara sallied to help their attacked comrades. They were defeated ass wel and so Pelekanos made my job a lot easier


I faced a double ringed castle, and just as usual I ordered my trebuchets to knock down the enemy walls


The enemy had learned from our successes with the trebuchets and they posted some behind their walls


When the walls were breached I ordered all my men in to help them from the trebuchets and to quickly kill the enemy general who took the defence of the breach on him


every soldier swordsmen, spearman and cavalry were send inside the breach


The battle for the breach was hard, many men perished


But thanks to our many numbers we walked over the defenders killing the general in the process. The defenders retreated to the second ring where they left the gate open ready for our soldiers to walk through



The few men who still remained were easily defeated and so the first step in our battle plans was a succes. We had managed to conquer Ankara


I ordered to repair the walls and to expand the city. For Ankara would become a very troop center for us as it has been for the Turks


Meanwhile rumors from far away arrived my ears. A distant land was conquered and defeated in the far lands of India. Were Alexander the Great once was I thought, oh wel one kingdom less means one enemy less


Meanwhile I waited for news from Efstathios to hear his siege was going and send Pelekanos with newly trained recruits from our homes to him


At karaman

"My lord general Pelekanos sends message!"
"Oh great mister saved emperor's life one time and now he thinks he's the best general since Alexander the great, is here. What does he want?"
"He says that he will attack the relieve forces while me make our way inside the city."
"Phah I don't need him. Where was he when I defeated the largest Turkish army that existed since Manzikert. I don't need him let him go play with his horses I go siege."
"I'm sorry sire but he already attacked them."
"How do you know?"
"At the the bottom of his letter he says: nevermind I'll deal with him and help you in the siege."
"No! I don't want him in the siege. The sieges were the job of me and Zigavinos. Let him go play with his horses and let the real generals do the real battles okay."


"Men breach that wall quick I want to be the city's conqueror and Pelekanos can rot in hell with his support."


"The walls are breached forwards!!!!!


"Captain charge the enemy cavalry from the front with your swordsmen. I'll go attack them in the flanks."
"As you command sire."


"They are retreating. Kill them all! Take no prisoners! Leave none alive! Show no mercy!"


"My lord general Pelekanos has entered the castle."
"That swine didn't want me to have the honour of capturing this city. The spoiled brat."


"My lord General Pelekanos is about to flank the enemy garisson."
"Send our own cavalry with him I don't want him there alone."

"The enemy are all death sire."
"I want to speak with that general."


"Pelekanos who do you think you are! Attacking the city was my job."
"Yeah and you did a horrible job. Your infantry was getting bottlenecked but no worry I was there with my cavalry to seize the day."
"You little."
"Easy general we still need him for the campaign."

Efstathios gets calmer and walks to his tent. While Modestos wallks to his brother."
"What was that all about?"
"Efstathios is angy that he almost lost the day but that we helped him."
"Well that is stupid"
"I know but what can you do about it."

The news reached me of the combined victory of Efstathios and Pelekanos. I was glad that the two were getting along. I send them a new version of the battle plan we made with a few adjustments.


I made this small adjustments because word reached me that the Turks had a few small settlements at the black sea. As I don´t want a Turkish army ready to attack us coming from the north I send Pelekanos there to deal with them. I would help Efstathios in the siege of Kayseri as the last great Turkish army was there and were probably staying there till the end, there was no chance that Efstathios could handle this by himself, I was still thinking if I would go to Sinop and let Pelekanos help Efstathios, as the two men seemed to like each other but there was still enough time to make a change when needed. When the messenger left I made me and my army ready for phase two of the battle plan



The Turkish War part 2

Immediatly after the news of the victory at Karaman reached me I set course to Kirsehir. I ordered that the army of Pelekanos would be disbanded and that he would train an proper Greek army for the assault in the north, he did it and went to Nicaea taking some Greek colonists from Ankara and Karaman with him.

After a steady week of marching I arrived at Kirsehir. I waited for news from Efstathios and it came but not the news I was expecting. He said that the most desired woman from Georgia had come to his court in Karaman. This women was a princess descendant from the Bagrationi dynasty. She asked for help her country was being overrun by all kind of foreign powers. She offered herself in marriage with Efstathios to strengthen an alliance. I was a bit sceptical but nevertheless I send my congratiolations to the new couple.


I also gained news from back home. My wife asked me if I would be home before our second little boy turned one. I replied that I wouldn't but I'll be home very quick.


Draganos also had news for me. He said that the Kypchacks after endless skirmishing with our nothern armies gave in and send a diplomat to call a cease fire. He asked me if it was okay that he had accepted it, I replied that I had no problems with it.


Sometimes I ask myself how my grandfather did this, combining state work with the military life. I was tired and so were my soldiers, although they probably from the long march. But I gave them a rest, I called in my officers with me for a plan I had been thinking of and they agreed. We all went to rest and the next day we all get up very early and assaulted the Turkish town of Kirsehir


Just as my first sieges I went at the front at the army and tried to bolster their morale and spirit


Again the trebuchets played a vital role and the siege and bombarded the walls. When a breach was made I went inside with my cavalry and spearman units


I ordered the spear units to go via the main road to the town square where the most soldiers were holding up still getting awake from the very anxious night and small amount of rest. My spearman went via the main road and very soon they met fierce resistance. The captains asked where I would go to.
"I go search for ambushes." was my reply


I saw that my soldiers were having a tough time at the fiercely defended main road so I called in my trebuchets to bombard the resistance. The trebuchets again proved their importance.


I said to my soldiers that I would go search for ambushes. Ambushes in a city right, infact I marched via a alley to the town centre and attacked the defenders in the flanks. They were suprised at first but they held their line and from attacker having an advantage I became the defender in a very dangerous position


A lot of men from my bodygaurd died and I had no choice then to sound the retreat. I rode away until I heard a Roman horn. My spearman had broken through the defence and were heading to the main road.


The defenders quickly taken up position to tackle them, focused al their attention on the new threath thinking I was already gone. Well unluckily for them I wasn't and attacked them in the back. A classical hammer anvil movement and the defenders were easily defeated the day was ours



The Turkish Wars part 3

Normally after a great victory I tend to linger around the newly captured city or castle to retrain my losses and waiting for news. This time however I hastenend towards Kayseri. The reason for my haste was that Efstathios was already there and already laying siege to the place. Trying to impress his newly bride he wanted to take the settlement by himself. However the army of him was just as large as the army of the Turks.

On the road I received a letter from Modestos Solomon. He wrote that the soldiers blood wasn't streaming through his veins as it does with his brother and me. So he stept out of the campaign because he wasn't helping but only slowing the army down. "My life was saved dozens of times and I couldn't save my own life. If I can't even save my own life how can I save the life of those of my fellow soldiers. Now my place is in a city." I thanked him for his services and I gave him the governorship of the newly conquered theme of Kirsehir.


I also received word from his brother that he had mustered an army and that he was marching towards the north. Starting a new campaign at the black sea coast.


When I finally arrived at Kayseri, Efstathios wasn't happy. He said that he wanted to become victorious here.
"I don't have many chances to prove my skill as a general my lord, and you already had and did. Please can you in all your greatness decide to leave this place and let me capture this city."
"If you were able yes I would leave now, but you don't have enough men to gain victory here, you need my men. I'll give you command of my army. I shall operate as your second in command, tell me what you want that I do and I will do it."
"Thank you for this great honor Zigavinos."

And with this said we began our assault of Kayseri


The plan was simple: The trebuchets were used to bombard the enemy walls.


Efstathios would send his men in when a breach was formed. I had to wait for his signal to move in.



In the city the 720 swordsmen of Efstathios were faced with 1900 Turkish soldiers who fiercely defended their last great city. Efstathios' men became disheartend by the fierceness and valor of the defenders, and with great losses they retreated back to the gate


Efstathios was upset with this turn of events but he nevertheless went on. He send in his trebuchets to bombard the now retreating defenders, the trebuchets hit their targets well and once again proved their importance with a shot that drastical turned the tables in favour for us




After Efstathios found out that the enemy commander was death and the morale of his soldiers was wandering. He ordered a full scale attack, every soldier was used to attack


The enemy retreated to the town centre. Here a captain tried to bolster the morale and what he did paid of. The enemy held a heroic defence against us while we were fighting towards our friends at the other side of the town centre




Although their last defence was one that looked like a reinactment of one of Homer's greatest poems. The Turks were still not as good trained and lacked the experience of my seasonend soldiers. They fought like heroes and died like legends for their countrymen. Those who now bow to me, can be proud of their last defenders here in Kayseri. The only Turkish soldiers who I can give this honour.



After our victory I dispatched messengers to every city and castle in our empire. This victory had to be celebrated. For we had finally given our arch enemies a mortal blow and it would just be a matter of time before the last cities at the black sea were ours as well. I ordered the army of Efstathios to go to Karaman to retrain. My army stayed here untill I would go back to the west to see my wife and to train an elite army worthy of only be commanded by the emperor.


And later that day at night, I openend the victory festivities. The whole town gathered and celebrated along as the majority of the population was still Greek-Roman. But the Turkish side of the population also joined for they accepted their fate.

That night I also met the bride of Efstathios. Shorena Bagrationi or Shorena Basilacius as she will be called from now on. Efstathios always brags about something to make him look good, however about one subject did he not bragged and that was the beauty of his new bride. I have never seen such a beautiful wife, and she made me think about Helen of Troy. Efstathios after introducing us to each other quickly left us to tell everyone who wanted to hear it about his most glorious victories at the Attalian bridge and ofcourse his latest victory here in Kayseri.
Shorena and I started talking to each other. First we talked about politics such as the problems her home country of Georgia faced, she told me that Georgia was at war with the mighty Seljuks and that a lot of land was taken from them, however that Georgia had taken advantage of the Roman war with the Turks by taking some neglected Turkish lands. Our ally of Armenia was also at war with Georgia and that war was being lost asswell.
However after a few drinks we started to talk about more personal stuf and I learned that she and I had a lot in common, we danced together with the permission of Efstathios ofcourse, when I asked he said that everything I did was fine but if I please don't interrupt him again it made him lose track in his stories.
When the moon was at his highest point we decided to call it a night and go to sleep. Efstathios was still telling about his battles and he had now landed on the subject of Karaman and how he saved Pelekanos from certain death. Well he won't be ready for a long time I said to Shorena and so we decided to go. I asked her where she slept and she answered that she slept at the other side of the castle from where I slept. She convinced me to go with her as she was afraid of walking alone at night. I walked with her.
When arriving at her sleeping place she invited me in for a night drink and so we were again talking about the same subjects we did at the party. After a few drinks she asked me if I liked her. I said yes, she in reply said that I had to show her how much I liked her. and so it came that this night it wasn't the groom who spend the night with the newly bride.
When it was still night I secretly went to my place and slept there. the following day a letter was given to me saying.

Dear Zigavinos,
I enjoyed last night very much please come visit me in Constantinople when you go home to your royal seat.
I live in the Bastarnae palace, please come visit me, for I loved our "talks"
I'm looking forward to it already, I already left on a boat from Karaman to Constantinople so I can't say goodby
With all my love
Shorena

My heart was pounding heavily but I destroyed the letter scared of when someone found it. A few hours later an captain came to me and asked to come with him. Efstathios had arranged a war council and he wanted to decide of a new campaign target to reinstablish the power of the Roman Empire as I once said to him what goal was I wanted to achieve during my reign. At the council I was shown a map with al our themes on it, undiscovered territory and themes from friendly, neutral or hostile lands


The Islands Wars

The whole day captains, generals, my strategos and senators argued over our next target. One said Egypt, when I asked him why he said that Egypt has practically destroyed the Crusader States and was now invading Armenia. "Soon they will be on our doorstep. We need to make a premptive strike and come to the aid of our allies." A senator said
"We could also use them as valuable allies, merchants in Constantinople are talking about an menace coming from behind the Caspian sea uncharted lands for us. This menace is said to be unstoppable. Let the Egyptians handle them and when they are both weak in strenght we can attack them." another one argued
"The Armenians are our allies but they rule their lands like fish on land. If Egypt takes them, we have a reason to attack Egypt. Noble senators, generals, captains and members of my staff, the menace you speak of is coming from far away and to reach us it first has to enter the lands of kings and sultans by the time they reach us they are spend and easily beaten back to where they come from." I yelled through the council chambres of Kayseri
"What do you suggest then noble emperor?" A senator asked
"I say we take our old Greek colonies back from the independent rulers that are ruling them now. I want that every Greek speaking person obeys the will of Constantinople and not the will of a local ruler."
"What about Armenia ,our allies, and sir not to forget it but every Greek speaking person already obeys the will of Constantinople, except maybe for the city of Antioch, were still a majority of the population is Greek. But for the rest Greece and Asia minor is ours the places were the Greeks live, and General Solomon is busy capturing the last bits of old Greek colonies."
"Noble senator you forget about the island states of Cyprus, Iraklion and Rhodes. Yes I know what you think I thought these lands still obeyed our rule but under the reign of my father and the loss of lands, these islands managed to get out of the light of attention and managed to become independent states. These states were responsible for the blockades of our harbors. They helped the Turks. I say we punish them."
"Cyprus is already ours?"
"No the northern part of Cyprus managed with the help of the Turks to become independent from the theme of Nicosia. I say that we let them know that the Roman Empire is strong again and will not tolerate rebellions from pathetic islands."
"Agreed, you have permission to make these states obey Constantinople again, what's your plan."
"Acording to my spies report the states are allied to eachother and work together in a some sort of republic, every state gives 50 men the authority to make decisions for them and in that way the states what to do, how they do it and where they do it."
"And where do these "senators" meet? On witch island lays their headquarter?"
"I don't know."
"If you pick the wrong island then the rebels might be able to regroup and become a serious threat."
"That's why I have decided to attack every island at once."
"How you have 3 generals but one of them is campaigning."
"Then it's time for a governor to exchange his pen for a sword."
"Who did you have in mind then?"
"Draganos Basilacius. His superiors were impressed by his leadership qualities but in swordsmenship he never became very handy. But a general doesn't need to be in the heat of battle."
"And who will control Constantinople then?"
"I always thougth that was done by the senate."
"As you say so my liege.""


The meeting ended and the new campaign had been planned and walked over, and Efstathios came to me.


"Shall I order a messenger to go Draganos?"
"No I'll go myself I have trained a new army in Nicaea that will be the army who will follow me in combat. Plus I have some unfinished business in Constantinople that needs attention."
"What shall I do?"
"I shall tell your brother to come here as well as I wil order the Royal Fleet to pick you up and bring you to your targets.
"Fine."
"After the campaign send your army to a retraining spot and come to Constantinople. Tell that to Draganos as well."
"I will, have a good trip Zigavinos.
"Thank you and may god help you with your mission."
"Thank you my lord."

13 days later in Constantinople

Draganos was in the Blachemae palace welcoming his new sister in the family as well as in the capital. Shorena had arrived one hour ago, and now the emperor had came back from his many victories as well. An scribe came to the Bastarnae palace to give the news of the arrival of the emperor. Draganos hastenend towards the gate of Apollo welcoming his friend and emperor.


"So what have you been up to Draganos while ruling this city?"
"I have founded a new university. Wise men from al around the world come here now to learn about Greek and Roman wisdom, but they also learn us about their own wisdom making us a very advanced nation


"And what more?"
"The usual, Oh before I forget Pelekanos had send a message. He had won the battle of Heraclea and added it to our realm."


"Great news. Draganos I have another task for you that needs to be accomplished, go to your brother Efstathios he will tell you what needs to be done."
"Why can't you tell me?"
"I'm afraid of spies but please go quickly."
"I'll pack my things and I'll leave in one hour."
"Good and thank you. I need to get to some state affairs and to my wife."
"The senate wants to offer you a triump festival."
"I'll talk to them myself later on for now hurry."

With that said Draganos quickly walked to his palace and made himself ready for the journey. 2 Hours later a scribe told me that a ship with Draganos and his company of friends and bodyguards had gone to the south. After Draganos left to his palace I went to my wife and children and I stayed with them for a week. The last day of that week I was so busy with state affairs that I couldn't be home, that was what my wife thought in fact, the meeting with the senate council was quickly over and I went to the Blachemea palace to welcome it's newest resident in the way she wanted.

At the end of the week my newly trained army arrived from Nicaea, before I left I stayed the whole day with my wife. The children were out to school or were at their care taker. While I stayed with my wife all day and night and the next day on the eight day after my arrival I marched out with my newly trained army.


This army composed out of elite swordsmen and a elite unit corpse called the Emperor's guard. These men were trained just as bodyguards for the emperor, but they fought on foot. To symbolise their position they wore a purple cloack.

The battle plan was that every army would attack at the same time. The scheduled day for the attack was 29 of July.

My target was Iraklion, the smallest city of the republic, but the closest to Constantinople and posed the most danger.


Draganos would attack Famegusta and make Cyprus one whole again


Efstathios would attack Rhodes


The siege of Iraklion commenced at the 29th of July 3 hours after I set foot on Crete.


As this was an battle against rebells I felt no need to ride in front of my army to show the rebels honour, instead I took my place behind my royal guard.


The enemy not ready for my unexpected assault took refuge at the town centre and I let my trebuchets bombard them from behind the walls


Knowing that they would be killed if they holded their ground. They marched onwards and they threatenend my trebuchets. I send forward my archers who quickly and easily killed the unarmoured and packed formations of the rebels



only 200 rebels were left after my archers were done and the trebuchets had no boulders left to fire with. These 200 Greeks were not Spartan warriors and were very easily killed by my bodyguard. The day was ours with minimal losses


The siege of Rhodes commenced on July 29. Few hours after the landing on the island


The trebuchets were used to make a breach in the walls


After the breaches were made, Efstathios immediatly send in his swordsmen to cut down the defenders of the walls


The enemy was easily driven back from the walls and forced into a retreat to the towncentre. The retreat was unorganized and unordely so it was a chaos and many rebels and imperial troops founded death. At the town centre only the enemy captain remainend and he fought brave but he also was killed in the heat of battle and so Rhodes was ours


The siege of Famegusta commenced at July 30th. Draganos had been strikken ill and he wasn't cured to led the assault on the planned date. The rebels gained very precious time and their defence was wel prepared


As every Roman general had done the last 10 years. Breaches were made inside the cities walls


Draganos ordered his spearmen in to cut the defenders down on the main road. Along with his spearmen he send in his archers and trebuchets. And under the cover of these two the spearmens' resistance was minimal.


At the town square the enemy spearmen made a some kind of shield wall and blocked the way for the spearmen and a lot of them perished here not able to find a weak spot. Draganos heard of this event and he ordered his cavalry in and they went via a down alley and flanked the enemy formation the day was his


And two weeks later every general was in Constantinople to celebrate every succes the Roman Empire had for the last 14 years. The festivities went on for 7 days and the next 7 days the city celebrated the Emperors' 32th birthday. After 14 days filled with joy and laughter, The emperor called another war council meeting to plan a new campaign.


Editor: With such a council I mean you the reader. Give me plans for what I should do.

The meeting

Zigavinos walks inside the Senate. Every senator rises up as he enters the room. He puts the map on the table so everyone can see it. He gives permission to sit down and the meeting begins.



All right the island wars were an succes, but now we have to decide on what to do next. We can all see the map. Now it's time to think about our next campaign. Personally I would like to strike at the holy land, recapturing Jerusalem from the Egyptians, the strategic value of this is that their lands become divided, and not able to contact each other making it easy targets.


When Pelekanos is ready with the Turkish campaign we could attack Georgia, their lands are being neglected due to the war with the Kypchack confederacy, and in those lands a lot of Greeks live, we could bring them together under our rule


The only problem is that a princess of Georgian blood has married inside my royal family, I wouldn´t like to betray my family in law, plus if we conquer the Georgians, there is a big chance we face another war with the Kypchack, I don´t like the sound of that so sorry but I deny your plan senator...?


Senator Nolios


Well senator Nolios I´m sorry but I don´t agree with your plan are there any others who agree with my plan?


You have made a cunning plan indeed my lord, but capturing Jerusalem wouldn't hurt the Egyptians as much as we hope it would. Those lands have faced wars for years and are as poor as Rome was after the sacking of Alarik. I would suggest attacking the Egyptians in their heartland, taking their breadbaskests away from them, by capturing the Nile witch would give us a huge foodboost. Plus I hear that the cities of the Nile are very rich, so much loot can be found.


A cunning plan indeed, what's your name noble senator?


Musthavius


Well Musthavius how would you plan this war?


I would make Cyprus our base of operations. It´s close to all of our targets, Cyprus could be used as a refuge and as a reinforcement centre. I would suggest taking only the coastal cities of Egypt with perhaps a great city at the Nile, but I wouldn´t go to far in uncharted destert territory, those cities probably aren´t worth taking. After you have taken the important cities of Egÿpt you could travel northwards by sea to Armenia and claim the conquered Armenian towns by the Egyptians as your own. And from there with the help of the fourth army of Pelekanos attacking the heartland


Clever plan I like it. Everybody agree? Then I will give the orders for moving the armies and generals to Cyprus. When Pelekanos comes back send him to Cyprus and let him wait there for us.


Efstathios send this plan to your brother. We will send al our armies to Cyprus and from there we will attack Egypt.


Okay I´ll send these orders to Draganos, and after Egypt?


I will explain everything on Cyprus, move you army there. See you there



See you there




The Desert Foe

After the senate meeting I took the first boat I could get and sailed towards Nicaea. Here I picked up my army and went towards Cyprus. I arrived at Cyprus at Oktober 12 in the year of 1212 AD.


In December 28th of the same year Draganos arrived, with news that Pelekanos had invaded the last theme of the Turks. Also he brought news that the Armenians despite great efforts, were defeated and conquered by the Egyptians. According to our scouts they are right beside our borders.




After 5 months of waiting Efstathios finally came with his army and he brought also news. Pelekanos had besieged Sinop and he was victorious. The Turks as a result abondenend their lost lands and they went east towards the lands of the kingdom of Georgia.



When everybody was finally here we debated about our options and how we were going to use them.


I think our best option is to retake the lands of Armenia, by that we secure our eastern front, and we can make a push in the direction of Egypt herself. Even though Egypt's greatest armies are here, if we defeat them nothing stands in our way,


We never are fast enough to completely consolidate our power over these provences. When Egypt comes back to strike at us we will be defeated, sure we have defeated Egypt's greatest armies, but when we arrive at the holy land new armies are trained and ready to strike at us. I say we take the holy land, by that we split the armies from their retraining areas. This will make our job easier.


I don't agree with both of you. If we attack Armenia then Efstathios is right. And for the holy land, if we attack that and take it, then we still have the problems of our manpower. We don't have enough men to attack both areas. We need all te men we can get for attacking the Egyptian main armies and we need all the men we have for the training centres wich are unlike the Turks heavily guarded. I say we attack Egypt, this will give us the food income of the Nile, plus we take out the training hotspots for the Egyptian armies, that way they will bleed out, and we can safely take the lands of the crusaders and the Armenians. I'll send word to Pelekanos that he has to come here soon 4 armies is better then 3 armies


We don't need him let him clean the rebel armies in Turkey or guard the borders.


Yes we need him he has proven himselve during the Turkish campaign he's a able field general who can win battles with mediocre units


mumble mumble


Good now prepare your self I want to sail out tomorrow


yes sir


Tell your men to sleep well take the pleasures in the local brothels and tell them to rest. War is upon us, some of them will not their homes again

And so on may 5th of 1213 we sailed out towards a land were no Roman army ever has been since the days of emperor Heraclius


1 Week after our sail we arrived at Egypt. We decided that Draganos and I would secure the coastal provences, and that Efstathios would march inland to secure a beachhead, I arrived and attacked the harbor city of Damyut


The trebuchets maded breaches inside the enemy walls


The trebuchets were made and me and my army marched in. As I did earlier I fought as Alexander. I charged first and I made the first kill, just as with the great Macedonian king the army followed me.


The Egyptians holded their ground at the town centre. Knowing that they would be overwhelmed at the walls they tried to fill the gap of the streets with their spearman. Unfortunately for them and thank god for me, these men weren't well trainend and there fore didn't knew a answer to the heavy charge of my Greek bodyguard. There formation became disorganised they held their ground till the last man something you couldn't say of their Turkish counterparts, but nevertheless we won


After my victory I renamed Damyut to Porta Aegyptus, as this would be the dock where the reinforcements and supplies would arrive.


An messenger arrived a few hours later by boat, telling me that the Georgian kingdom, also an ally of the Egyptians, has chosen the side of the Egyptians. Furious of this betrayal I send worth to Pelekanos to form a new army and march onward to Georgia and the Greek-Georgian cities and castles to free the Greek citizens of Georgian rule.



Meanwhile news arrived me of Draganos' battle at Alexandria, the city founded by the Macedonian king and the city who had become a wealthy metropolis under Egyptian rule


Though he was the lesser general of our team, he still did a good job. He used the trebuchets to breach the walls after the walls were breached he send in his spearmen who steadily advanced in the town under the cover from archers, the same thing he did in Famagusta. He drove the enemy soldiers back from the walls and drove them to the town centre, here his cavalry could run freely and so the day was his


So Draganos had won, now it was waiting time for the messengers of Efstathios, who came after a week.

Efstathios besieged the great castle of Bilbeis. He faced the cream of the Egyptian army though they were in small numbers and didn't made a huge threat, if good positioned they could make Efstathios' job very hard


The opening face was the bombardment of trebuchets at the walls. The enemy were nowhere to be seen and so Efstathios and his men cautiously marched in


Inside the city they were ambushed by Mamluk Tabardiyya, the elite soldiers of the Egyptian empire, and they showed why they were the elites, according to Efstathios report:
"If I hadn't pulled back my cavalry then I wouldn't have cavalry for the rest of the campaign."


Nevertheless they were eventually surrounded by Efstathios' swordsmen who after a hard fight made short work of them. The Mamluk archers were easily routed and destroyed by the bodyguard of Efstathios. The enemy commander knowing that he had no chance, withdrawed. Efstathios catched him up and with no supporting troops the fight became a commander versus commander fight.


The fighting was hard and with the support of the coming swordsmen the enemy bodyguard was eventually surrounded and then destroyed the castle of Bilbeis was captured.


After I heard of the victory I gave the order to move out. I left a Greek officer here to train a local garisson. On the road I met with Draganos who would help me with the upcoming battles. I send Efstathios back to Cyprus for retraining. For he had suffered the most losses.


Where are we going to now?


I have always wanted to see the valley of kings at Luxor, they say that the structures are beautifull but most of all filled with treasure and riches.


Just give the word and I'll do it


glad to hear that

And with that said we went south towards the last great cities of Egypt in Egypt herself


My noble fellow senators I have received a letter from our most glorious emperor, who tells us that his grand strategy paid of and that Egypt is on the brink of fal, I hereby let you know that the great cities of Alexandria, Dumyat or Porta Aegyptus as it now been called and Bilbeis have been captured and added for the glory of the empire!

The senators cheer and celebrate although in the corner one man sits not eager to party


His great strategy? Phah if it wasn't for me he would now be on a fighting retreat being overwhelmed by the Egyptian Forces in the area. He would be death now if I didn't told him his great strategy


Are we a little bit angry Musthavius? You didn't expect at al that this would happen? That the noble emperor himself would give you your share of the rewards that are now being spilled by his soldiers in brothels and foreign markets.


Shut up Nolios, why are you happy anyway, the emperor is now using your plan partially, and he will give you no credit for his victory in Georgia.


Who said that I was happy, and since when does Zigavinos himself reside near the borders of Georgia? No it's my brother in law who resides at the borders of Georgia, my brother in law who I put forward in the council as a worthy general and look how my prospects awarded the empire


Why aren't you celebrating with our fellow senators then?


Because I have a plan that will fullfill both of our dreams, the reinstatement of the republic, were we the senators have the power and not some sort of advicing role.


I'm intrigued let's hear it


The other day I was having dinner with a friend of mine when I saw senator Kasrkinios walking by with a man a friend of him I suppose. Anyway I walked to him to discuss the meeting of that day. They went in an alley and they stopped there, When I was ready to follow him in the alley I heard his voice speaking to the other and I waited around the corner to hear what he said.


three days ago

What I'm going to tell you now has to be a secret okay?

unknown voice
yes, what's your big secret that you have been on an on about whole day.


My sister's brother in law is a doctor as you know.

unkown voice
Yes I know please tell faster I have a important appointment that I have to attend


Well four days ago he had to give birth to a baby, not just any baby, but a future prince

unknown voice
really did the Augusta gave birth to another child


No not the Augusta, that Georgian princess, Shorena I think her name is.

unknown voice
Shorena, that's the wife of prince Efstathios. The most beautiful women in the entire empire, but what's wrong with a women that gives birth?


That the husband hasn't been in Constantinople for 5 years. While the lady has been since they married, the child is not Efstathios'

unknown voice
He was here with the triump festivities


No he wasn't he had send someone in his place, and the most curious thing is that the emperor when he's in the city he always visit her, and the last visit of him was practically almost

unknown voice
a year ago.


Exactly


So the emperor is cheating on his wife and the wife of Efstathios is cheating on him, what's the big deal?


You also want to see the republic restored just as I do right?


Yes


Then you have to come with me.


Where are we going to?


To Cyprus to visit a young general


Okay I shall pack my things,


I have already borrowed a boat who can bring us there. Meet me tomorrow in the docks at twelve hours.

The next day


Ah Musthavios you are here, great now we can sail out


Nolios I still don't understand your plan,


I will tell you when we are out the docks, come quickly now the ship is about to set sail

The two men hastily climb the wooden plank to the boat and on the boat they are being called


Senator Nolios and senator Musthavius, what a great pleasure to meet you here


Senator Kasrkinios???


What are you doing here?


I received a letter from the emperor witch instructs me to come to him and join his army.


Why would you do that?


My brother who's a senior officer at his army recommended me and now he called me to join his army as his Strategos died and he didn't find anyone good among his current officers


Why were you asked?


I have fought in the emperor's bodyguard in the Turkish wars, I was wounded terribly at the siege of Ankara, and the emperor had send me home, I recovered and now I'm here to help my former general out, Why are you going to the emperor?


We're not actually, we are going to cyprus, we had made reservations for this ship so we could travel there quickly


This ship is going on a direct tour to Porta Aegyptus I'm afraid, the ship you mean was a few hours ago being taken in control by that Georgian princess, I don't know where she is going to though. Anyway I'm going to unpack. Bye


Bye, Nolios now what are we going to do? We can't get out now this ship has already set sail.


When this ship arrives in Zigavina we will get of and we will wait for another ship or we should do another plan I have been working about. I'll tell you everything, right now unpack your things and relax, enjoy the trip, after this trip it wil be a hell ride

The War of The Nile

After arriving in Zigavina


Captain
We can't sail any further, the wind is to harsh, everybody stay here and when the wind goes down we will sail out immediatly


To bad I want to get the emperor as quickly as possible, I want to join him. I could always visit general Pelekanos.


Is he here?


Yes didn't you know? He arrived according to the locals two or three days ago, every field army was given the order to go to Egypt.


Why?


I think for wrapping things up in Egypt and later on ofcourse the invasion of the Holy Land and Armenia.


I hope you can excuse us we want to visit the noble general, could you stay here and look after our luggage please? Oh and if you don't mind could you call us when the boat will be sailing out again?


Ofcourse fellow senators.


Thank you


I thought you didn't want to go to Egypt?


Sometimes my good friend Musthavius you can be as dumb as you are smart, ofcourse I don't want to go but we need to speak with Pelekanos for our plan.

When they arrive at the residence of Pelekanos


Ah noble senators, good to see you here! I always thought that you senators weren't warriors, but this proves I'm wrong. So you are thinking about answering the call of the emperor


Well actually


Ofcourse


You are the first senators to respond to the order of the emperor, are you the only senators here?


No senator Karskinios is here to but what letter are you talking about?


The letter that states that every army in the field with their generals must come to Porta Aegyptus as wel as every senator

After he said that a loud horn is heard


Ah the wind went down, my fleet will be moving soon. I'll see you in Aegyptus

The two senators are to confused to talk and end up staring at each other.


Got any ideas?


I have always wondered how warm the sun is in Aegyptus. I suggest we sould find out

And later that afternoon after the war fleet of Pelekanos had sailed out so is the boat of the three senators



I thought you would stay here in Zigavina?


Change of plans, apperantly the emperor has ordered every senator to come to the new capital of Aegyptus Porta Aegyptus, and here he would us what his next plan would be and what for advice we could give him


Atleast I won't be alone on my travel towards Egypt

Meanwhile in Egypt

I gave order to Draganos to attack the city of Qahira, while he would do that my army could go further south to rat out the last Egyptian forces in the desert of Aegyptus so we couldn't be attacked in the back.


The citizens of Qahira were being aided by the last field army of the Egyptians in Aegyptus itself


As usuall the walls were being pounded by the trebuchets untill breaches were being made


While Draganos and his cavalry force would attack the enemy reinforcements, so would his infantry force attack the city its selve



The enemy cavalry quickly attacked Draganos and his cavalry to make sure that at least a portion of the relieve force could get safe inside the city. These heavy cavalry were armed the same way the Mamluks were they were only lesser trained and their primary weapon is the bow


Due to their heavy armour they held out long, while the infantry forces clashed inside the streets of Qahira


Finally due to their sheer numerical overweight the enemy cavalry routed and they were cut down by Draganos and his men. He quickly returned to the infantry who were facing heavy resistance and needed some way of aid, so Draganos decided he himselve was the rest cure for this Egyptian illness. The Turks showed us the weak version of the infidels the Egyptians showed us the strong version. There ancestors would be proud upon them


The battle at the gate was harsh but thanks to the arrival of Draganos the tide turned and the enemy retreated to the town centre were they would hold their last stand. Draganos ordered all his men in and he posted his archers behind the infantry lines who launched deathly volleys at the Egyptians.


The enemy knowing they would be killed if they would do nothing quickly charged suicidally in our lines. The soldiers of Draganos were startled and a portion fled. However Draganos ordered the remnants of his cavalry to charge in the rear of the enemy and they surrendered or died. Draganos chivalrous as he is let those who surrendered live


After the battle Draganos immediatly send his army to Cyprus were they could get retraining.

While Draganos went rebuilding Qahira as a true Roman city I went further south to the last great true Egyptian city called Luxor.


The city was being defended by a fastly trained garisson and doesn't need to be reported. If you want to know what happenend read the other reports and you will get a clue. We won there and we only lost men to archery fire


After my victory at Luxor I ordered the construction of a stone orthodox chapel and when it was done I led the first service inside the chapel, I ordered the recruitment of a few archer battalions and after that I ordered the march to the north, were I heard that the armies of Efstathios and Draganos had returned from their retraining duties and were we all would wait on the coming reinforcements of Pelekanos and the senators who were ordered to come here and to aid and advice me on my new campaign




okay entered it:original:





A month after they left Constantinople the three senators arrived at Porta Aegyptus were they are welcomed by the emperor himselve


Greetings noble senators, I hope you had a pleasant trip,


We had to come didn't we, I heard you ordered it


True I need you here to guide me in my campaign for the one that comes now will be the hardest. As you were here first I'll promote you to the rank of Strategos, this position means that you are second in command and is a very important position. Musthavius for your great military skill, I ask you to aid Draganos as his skills for a general needs to be developed with a proper tutor, Kasrkinios because you fought at my side I ask you to aid Efstathios, I know what you can do and know that someone like him could use someone like you. And that leaves Nolios, you have foreseen the problem of Georgia may you foresee many more problems while at my side. Now senators this is the situation at hand

Torturing the prisones was a dirty job but gave information about the Egyptian empire. They have conquered all of the Arabian peninsula but they are driven back by the Imamate of Oman.Our southern Mekurian neighbors have also invaded the Arabian peninsula. The largest forces of the Egyptians are in the holy land Armenia and their north eastern border near Edessa is very threatenend by foreign countries. They are assembling their troops in Armenia for a push in our lands. I have already precautions for this and two field armies are already being trainend and being send to this border






And now I ask you as my tactical advisors what must I do to achieve victory?

Beggars in Constantinople





Enrikos my good friend, how are you doing?


I'm fine thank you senator Masakyus.


Do you feel like going for a walk with me my liege? My wife went to our mansion in Hadrianople she took our kids with her.


Ofcourse Masakyus, let me prepare myself, I'll be right back


When Enrikos returns he finds senator Masakyus patiently waiting at the door.


Come my lord. The sun is shining.

The two men walk through Constantinople.


You were right senator the sun is lovely, I see a lot of people have thought the same thing we thought Although it really seems crowded don't you think, I have never seen so many people at our forum at the same time.


Maybe a special price at the market stalls? I don't know ah well Constantinople is a large city my liege, since our victory at Zama against the rebellious Crusaders a lot of people fear the foreign threats and are coming to live within the save walls of our majestic city.


Look at al those women and men begging for some coins. Senator since when did the whole population of our great empire go poor?


Where do they all come from?



Come let's go walk through the woods of Constantine,


Okay some fresh air would do us some good

The two men walk towards the gatehouse, were they leave the city of Constantinope to walk through the woods of Constantine.


The only good thing that Romanus Diogenus left us the great forest of Constantine.

A few hours later


Well friend my feet begin to hurt let's go back to enjoy the pleasures of some good Greek wine,


I agree

The two men walk back to the gates and when they get out of the woods, they see something unbelievable. the royal road is filled with horse carts carrying peoples belongings as far as the eye can see.


Okay senator since when does the entire Roman population move towards the Constantinople?

A cart driver hear what he said and replies:
Do you think we like moving to our great city, do you think we like leaving our belongings behind in our cities?


Why are you moving then?


Why should I stay, if I could get killed by some honourless horde?


Noble farmer are you treatenend by a rebellion if so I'll send a message to our troop centres at the Aegean sea.


Rebellion PHAH. the Farmer spits before the feets of the senator. Don't you know it yet noble senator. We were besieged by an army carrying the GEORGIAN FLAG, only thanks to general Stratiocus did they fled




If the themata is safe why are you moving then?


Because senator, according to rumours from the north, pirates wearing the Pagan flag are harrassing the northern docks and they are sieging there old city, the two who once were enemies are now allies and they have found a common enemy



I'll go to my father, he needs to be informed about this


God speed Enrikos


Oh you are the son of the emperor. He's a damn fine general, he brought 15 years of peace towards the Turkish lands were once were constant hierarchycal wars between the sultan and his sons.

Later that day Enrikos sails out with the fastest ship in Constantinople and sails out to his father.

The holy land

The day after Pelekanos arrived he immediatly left to help the attack from the old Armenian border. When he left I ordered for a last time every general and his strategos together for a last tactical meeting.

At this meeting we decided that we would invade the poorly defended lands of Palestine. We would attack by boat at a different time to make the enemy run to their lost lands to lose another province in the city that they left. The first to sail out were Efstathios and his strategos Kasrkinios, 3 days later Draganos and Musthavius would go sail out and after 4 days I and Nolios would sail away. Before we all made our preparations I send the majority of my royal fleet to the north to Antioch to make the enemy think I would attack there.

One week after the sail out of my royal fleet Efstathios left with a prosperous wind. When he was just a dot at the horizon a small boat returned with a messenger telling me that my royal fleet was attacked near Tyre.

Tyre was the headquarters of the Ayyubid fleet since they lost Alexandria four months ago. Because the majority of the fleet was then in Armenia putting out the last fires of the Armenian armies, their fleet was largely intact. They were succesfull and good in their job and they progressed so fast that they could return quickly before the land army was done. When they heard that Alexandria had fallen they went to Tyre making it their new naval base.

When they heard that a huge Roman fleet carrying the Emperor's banner was sailing nearby they couldn't resist the temptation of the attack. They had even more luck as a huge storm hitted the coast the night before they had set sail and so not a few ships were damaged. They charged out and were commanded by the same admiral as the admiral that led the fleet at Armenia, his name as Baruk Aj Bars. Our fleet had infact lost some ships due to the heavy storm, but these boats were made in Greek dockyards and the Greeks still possesed the greatest craftmanship when they builded boats, and so less boats were lost then the enemy thought. This fleet was led by the noble senator-Admiral Raunous.

The fleets were almost even in size with a small numerical advantage for the Ayyubids, I don't call them Egyptians anymore for they have lost their home land so what's the point, instead I give them the name of their royal family.

When admiral Raunous heard of the enemies' advance he didn't waste any time to give the orders for that day. The fleet of the admiral cosisted mostly out of Dromons but also a few ships with catapults who fired balls with one of the greatest Greek inventions: Greek Fire. The admiral also had some ships from when the time when the great city of Rome still was a part of our empire, triremes I think they are called and some ships who's main role was to transport units, these ships were loaded with units and they still had the legendary corvus, who was still used with sufficient efficience

He positioned his fleet between two sand banks, the Ayyubids didn't know of this and in their initial charge a lot of ships stranded to be quickly destroyed by the Greek Fire of my Raunous' ships. With that initial charge the enemy lost 22 of their 180 ships. While Raunous still hadn't lost any ship and stil had 168 ships. He ordered his light triremes to sail around the sand banks to attack the enemy in the flanks and rear while he ordered his dromons to sail through the centre under support from his Greek Fire throwing ships. This plan initially failed because the Triremes couldn't move because suddenly the wind went down and the spades were getting destroyed by crashes. The Ayyubids now could focus their full attention on the main fleet of Raunous who without the Triremes only counted 130 ships. But the Greeks still rule the sea and the superior maded ships of the Romans held firm against the Ayyubid ships who were to broath to make an efficient force through the sand banks.

The seabattle had already lasted an hour when the wind came up again. The triremes immediatly set sail towards the flanks of the enemy fleet and the suprise attack was devastating. The enemy was very suprised with the sudden arrival of another 30 Greek ships. Witnessed the power of the rest of their counterparts their morale quickly faded away and they tried to run only to crash in one another, leaving their rout a complete disaster with the entire fleet destroyed. Admiral Raunous spotted Baruk Aj Bars who was struggling for his life whilst holding on to a piece of wood. Ruunus got him on board and for the deaths he made under the Armenian population admiral Raunous cut of the head of Baruk Aj Bars.

After this victory the Ayyubid fleet was as good as gone and without their fleet reinforcements from every corner of the empire could now sail in attacking undefended pieces of coast.


Four days after he set sail to his target, Efstathios arrived without facing any resistance. His target would be the huge citadel of Acre, this citadel once was the greatest barracks of the Crusader states but was now used as a resting place between marches, and if Efstathios was lucky no one was using the stop when he arrived there. His scouts reported that the one ruling the place was none less then the enemy sultan. He remembered his orders and he sieged and assaulted the place immediatly. Senator Kasrkinios joined the bodyguard of Efstathios



The citadel of Acre due to it's former importance was defended by three ring wall, The sultan knew that it took time to breach through that kind of defences, precious time that Efstathios didn't had. He asked Kasrkinios what to do who simply replied,


We should take the walls down one by one


Efstathios listenend to him, and ordered his trebuchets to fire and once a breach was made he ordered his men inside to make sure that they wouldn't be attacked by a Ayyubid relieve force




When the last wall fell Efstathios was alone with his bodyguard, The sultan seeing their isolation attacked them and wounded Efstathios. Kasrkinios seeing the great danger Efstathios was in picked up his lance and throwed it to the sultan, the lance hitted the sultan's stomach who instantly died. The bodyguard confused by this turn of events, surrendered but Kasrkinios ordered to kill them all


After the battle Efstathios was brought to a field hospital to recover from his wounds. He gave Kasrkinios the order to siege and attack the city of Tyre, witch he quickly won, and so the first siege who was fought by someone else then a noblemen was won.


While Kasrkinios marched towards Tyre. Draganos landed. His objective was to take the town of Jaffa, but his spies reported that the holy city of Jerusalem wasn't defended properly. Draganos seeing that this was his chance for eternal fame and glory immediatly ordered the march towards Jerusalem. When I set sail towards my goal, he sieged Jerusalem


The enemy didn't wait at the walls but in the streets to put up heavy resistance


Strategos Musthavius was ordered to lead the first assault.


The two armies met in the streets of Jerusalem and a heavy battle occured


Musthavius showed his bravery and skill by fighting in the first line and he killed many Ayyubids. The enemy was succumbed and eventually the streets of Jerusalem was red of infidel blood


The enemy who were eventually being pushed back towards the centre of the town saw that there was no chance of survival and they surrendered. Musthavius being as chivalrous as Draganos granted them mercy.

After his victory Draganos just as Efstathios did granted Musthavius the chance of proving himselve and he ordered him to attack the city that Draganos had to conquer Jaffa. When I arrived at Jaffa 5 days after the victory at Jerusalem, Jaffa was decorated by Roman banners.

Due to a storm I was forced to stay in the port of Jaffa, were a sudden suprise arrived from the sea. My son arrived in a smal fast vessel.


I was so glad that I had the chance to talk with him. He gave me very bad news. The kingdom of Georgia and the Kypchack confederacy had ended the war with eachother and now they felt threatenend by our coming successes. They felt it was their job to halt this turn of events by attacking us. The initial attacks were beaten my son said, and two armies led by Pelekanos and Stratiocus were already send north to invade the lands of the Georgians


Knowing they were vastly outnumbered I went with my army north to aid them in battle. I ordered my son to stay here to gain some experience as a governor of a Themata. My son seeing my sadness told me that not all hope was lost. He saw my confused face and he told me that he personally send a message to the Seljuk Turks to ask for aid. They hated the Georgians and were very eager to join in an alliance with us


Thankfully praying for this good news I gave my son a kis on his cheeck and sailed out. Within the week I was at Cyprus


Leaving the command of the Palestinian-Syrian campaign with my son, the Basilacius brothers and the senators.



Roma victor part 1 The Georgian War


Two weeks after I left Jaffa, I arrived at Cyprus. Here I retrained my army and I stayed here for a month. In this time period nothing interesting happens. So after a month I was relieved to get of that island for I really got bored there. After one day of sailing me and my arrived on the the main land of Asia Minor. we docked at the city of Attalia, the city were Efstathios had one of the greatest victories since the times of Heraclius and Basil. Then a Turkish city it rapidly transformed in a true Roman city and thus I could never see that it once was a Turkish town.

Here the new general of my army waited for me to get his new army. The man who would be taken my army answers by the name of Dionysios Phocas. He is a far descendant of Flavius Phocas one of the worst emperors in New Roman history. But despite this heritage, Dionysios proved himselve to be an outstanding military commander who defended the walls of Varna countless of times.

He grew up in the Roman city of Hadrianople. During his days as a teenager he frequently visited bars and brothels of the city and his parents worried whether or not their son would grow up to be a good man, they decided to send him with the military hoping he would get disciplined. When he became of age he packed his things and moved towards Nicaea, where he enlisted in the army. He fought as a officer in the army of Efstathios when he attacked and conquered Varna. Apparently he made a good appearance as he was tasked with the defence of the city witch he held untill present day. But when I met him he wasn't a mere garisson commander, now in him I saw a true general, the same thing I saw when I looked at Efstathios and Pelekanos. This boy was destinend for glory and greatness, now let's hope he'll act for the empire and it's emperor instead of himself.

Dionysios was given my army without the emperor's guard who were travelling with me to Constantinope to act as my bodyguard. After the army swoar an oath of trust towards their new general, they marched northwards to accompany the rest of the northern field armies.


After he left I stayed in Attalia one day to celebrate the festivities the population was given in my honour. After that I marched towards Constantinope were I arrived after a march of one week. In Constantinople a messenger was waiting inside the royal palace for my return. He gave me the reports of Pelekanos who trusted on his own skills rather then waiting for reinforcements and so he had already invaded the lands of the kingdom of Georgia. He had begun the siege of Amasia when I arrived at the shore of Attalia and now he had sent me battle reports of that battle. Witch has fought the same the day as the assault.


The Georgian defenders though far weaker in numbers, sallied. They had celebrated many victories and they thought that their nemesis in the field was just as easily to defeat as the Kypchacks and the Seljuks


Trebuchets were used to fire at the coming enemy.


The enemy scared of the casualties our trebuchets fled back inside their city. to defend the walls. The trebuchtes bombarded the enemy walls, who quickly breached. Pelekanos angry with the arrogance the Georgians had ordered the entire army in and were ordered to massacre every men that would dare to pick up arms against them



The Georgian defenders seeing the fierceness of our Roman soldiers who even tried to wound each other to kill any of them. The enemy then realised that Roman arms were again beginning to dominate the middle-east and they fled scared of what these Romans could do to them


The fleeing Georgians were being chased by Pelekanos and his cavalry. When Pelekanos stumbled on the last resistance of the Georgian defenders he personally led the charge.


The Romans didn't noticed who they killed, they only watched towards the armour of the man they were opposing, if they didn't recognized it, they attacked it. Among those deaths was the enemy general, who's horse was killed by a dagger of a swordsman who lost his sword. The general was easily killed


When the general got killed the remaining men were holding their ground at the town centre. Hoping to get mercy they were easily killed


And so one of the greatest siege victories in was won. And Pelekanos gave his men one week to loot the newly conquered city. After that week nothing of value remained inside the city


I looked at our newly conquered provence along with the diplomacy chart that was made by my diplomats


We have to move fast, our allies the Seljuks are faced with a huge war. If we abandon them, we will lose another ally, we can't do that as we don't want to have the reputation that our allies quickly get destroyed.

After his victory at Amasia Pelekanos waited for Stratiocus, and together they marched into Georgian territory


When arriving at the first of the many Georgian mountains. The two generals changed main marching line and started to work with cavalry at front and back to protect the infantry who needed more time to deploy from possible Georgian ambushes


That night I slept well. However the next day, a messenger from our Seljuk allies arrived at our doorstep. Saying that they couldn't follow us in battle anymore for they have signed a very bad peace treaty with their warring neighbours. But a treaty is a treaty and this way we can give our country and men some rest.


I didn't liked this for now we didn't had any reinforcements from the eastern border the Georgians could now send all of their armies to the front they have with us.

To calm my nerves I made a walk through the city, were I encoutered the Shorena the Georgian princess. She didn't saw me as I followed her. I found out she talked to a hooded man giving him a letter. I didn't trust this and I ordered a few soldiers of mine to follow the man and kill him in a place where no other people were to give me that letter.


Roma Victor part 2 The Ayyubid War


Here follows the account of Draganos Basilacius, general of the second Egyptian army.

One week after my noble emperor set sail towards Asia Minor my brother and I thought it was time to get the army moving and to conquer more parts of the formerly known Egyptian empire.

I marched onwards to Tripoli and my brother towards Baalbek


My journey went well. And after a fast march we arrived at Tripoli three days after we took off


The city of Tripoli was once a great Crusader city untill it was captured by Saladin the Great. Al though it was an Egyptian city, you could still see the Western styled buildings that had dominated in Tripoli during it's place as an Crusader city


Traditionally the walls were breached by my trebuchets and I send forth the infantry under command of senator Musthavius


He made good progress inside the city untill he encoutered some heavily armoured Mamluk horse archers who halted his advance and even putted him back wards


Musthavius sended a messenger to me for help and I send in the cavalry. The cavalry were supported by the infantry and they quickly decimated the enemy Mamluk horse archers


With the defeat of the enemy Mamluks the road was open for us. However Musthavius asked me if he could charge the last defenders as he wanted revenge for what the horse archers did to his men. I granted him that. He surrounded the enemy with his infantry to make sure none survived. And the massacre began. Leaving none of the enemy alive


After our victory at Tripoli the men wanted to march further, even if it would cost them the rewards of sacking and pillaging a city. So I moved further to the castle of Tartus, I gave the siege command to the senator Musthavius


The garrison was so small that it was easily beaten back. And easily killed. Musthavius hesitated not a single time to take a fleeing enemy prisoner. When only the general was still alive


He surrounded him just as he did in Tripoli but unfortunatly this general once was a sergeant in the army of Saladin the great and thus knew how to fight. He cost us many men before he finally got killed


Unfortunatly I have no account on the battle of Baalbek


I only know that Efstathios putted senator Kasrkinios in the position of commander and he did an excellent job and won the battle


Once I read this report of Draganos my heart was pounding heavily I was glad that the war in the holy land went like this. Some navigators later told me that at this point. The Roman Empire was the largest realm in the known world