There May Be Troubles Ahead...
Regency for Prince Basileios
The regents for young Prince Basileios (what a name!) immediately begin their terms by expanding the bureaucracy and passing new laws against blasphemy. It is clear that they mean to mould their boy king in a manner pleasing to them.
Two of the regents for the late King Alexeios's son are a diplomat and an economist, two vital roles in the successful running of any modern realm. Trebizond's technology and finances are distinctly stretched, however.
Our "mighty empire" extends over just three province, though our vassal Ak Koyunlu controls another three, giving us the heady total of just
six provinces. View them and weep, Ottoman scum!
The regents promptly contract various marriages with all the local Christian powers, both Catholic and Orthodox alike. Given King Alexios' small family, these marriages are mostly drawn from those of the Regents instead, suitably bestowed with new titles to sweeten the deals.
Our technology begins the slow climb up from obscurity, starting in October 1363...
... and continuing in November 1363. We're scorching along now!
A settlement policy is implemented in Erzincan in an effort to bring the people around to the Greek way of thinking. This will likely take a very long time.
In March 1363, the Byzantine Emperor decides that we are worthy of his protection. Whilst we can certainly do with it, I'm not entirely sure that Byzantium is in a position to offer it!
Monetary reforms are put under way in Trebizond in an attempt to bolster our flagging economy, but this requires a better economist.
Thus, Stefan Pertrovic is replaced on the Council of Regents with Manuel Kamil, who is twice as good as his predecessor, and thus the changes are made, however unpopular with the people as a whole.
Things are relatively quiet for the next two years, allowing us to focus on crucial military developments.
Shortly thereafter, Regent-Diplomat Bogumil Lobomirski negotiates better relations with our neighbours, ensuring that he does not meet the same fate as the previous Regent-Economist.
Throughout this period, Armenia sends us frequent requests to ally against the Mamluk aggressors to the south. The regents have to decline each one in the interests of Trebizond's security.
A brilliant young strategist, Nikomedes Atan, is located amongst the rural peoples of Trebizond and is immediately welcomed onto the Council of Regents and appointed as High Strategos of Trebizond.
In the east, the kingdom of Delhi inherits the thrones of Bihar and Gujurat on the same day. If we ever survive against the Anatolian hordes, we may well have a great power in the east.
The Regents begin to stretch their diplomat web far and wide, linking their families with some of the most powerful in eastern Europe.
An increase in the freedom of the people has led to less recruits for the Trebizond armies. This
would be a disadvantage if getting involved in a war didn't spell almost certain doom for us.
On 22nd November 1368, at the tender age of eight, Prince Basileios falls ill and dies three days later, sending the Regents' Council into a complete panic.
It takes a full five months for the Regents to establish that there are no remaining Komnenids eligible to take the throne and they elect one of their members to take the throne instead. Of an undistinguished family, the new king adopts his Danish wife's dynastic surname and is crowned as Alexeios IV Gryf,
Faithful Basileus and Autokrator of All the East, the Iberians and Perateia, his coronation observing the traditional and grandiose forms, despite the perilous political situation in Anatolia.
A month later, Alexios IV enjoys his first military victory over a sizeable number of Ak Koyunlu rebels and settles down to what he hopes will be a long and fruitful reign.