The Undying Tale

The Roman Empire, and surrounding nations and territories:

Our standing army is pitifully small. This I have known for some time, though the Emperor seems to think otherwise.

In the study, me and Emperor Manuel II peered over ledgers and budgets. "We have 10,000 men under arms! There only ARE 10,000 people living in the city, how can we expect to raise more troops? We're already only paying the troops we have half-pay." I nodded solemnly. "We have no choice, The Turk has recently marched a force of 20,000 over the Bospherus just as a casual reinforcement measure. If we are to be victorious over the Turk, we must take action, we must build." He glanced at the purchases. "But cavalry! 4000 cavalry? We can't possibly afford this, this will drain our funds completely!" I shook my head. "We will need more, many more."

"Well, you're the god-sended, you know best."

A page entered the room, with a downcast look upon his face. "The Albanians will not join our alliance sire, they seem to believe they are better off appeasing the Turk."

I shook my head in disbelief. "That's ridiculous, they have to know the Ottomans lust for their land."

"Yes sire, but apparently they feel Ragusa is their true enemy. They declared war a few days ago." Ragusa? What in Ishtar's name is Gjon thinking? Bah, to Limbo with the Albanians anyways.

"Looks like we're on our own"

May 5th, 1419
I was in a particularily foul mood this morning, my neck was sore, the breakfast wine was lousy, and an intelligence report estimated the Ottomans had a 3:1 numerical advantage even WITH the new cavalry.
"Ducas! Get in here." General Ducas saluted stiffly, "Yes lord savior?" I handed him a scroll of orders. "I just declared war on those bastards in Athens, go kill them please." He nodded "As you wish lord god-sended."

This might take some explaining with the Emperor, though if he calls me on it, I'll just use the usual excuse that god told me to do it.

The Athenian Campaign:

Upon hearing the news, my spies tell me the Duke of Athens promptly began building a warship. I don't know whether to laugh at his stupidity or admire his confidence in his men. Regardless, his Italian allies will be knocking on my door any minute, so I'd best keep this short. I promptly mobilized for war, sending my force of 14,000 men onto our mighty navy of 13 ships.

My plans are to unload in Morea and march on Athens from the south, as an amphibious landing would prove overly risky.

Upon arrival in Morea, I raised the funds for all the troops, and gave them the usual pep-talk. "For the glory of the Empire! No go forth and kill or be killed!" Some tell me I need to get with the times, but that pep-talk has served me well for nearly a thousand years, and I'm not about to change it.

We began marching on the fourth of June, but I decided to delay the attack for two weeks until morale among the troops had peaked. As luck would have it this turned out to be a good call. Upon the plains of Hellas we encountered a force outnumbering our own of Papal and Athenian troops, but cavalry inferiority of almost 1:6. I ordered a decimating cavalry charge, leading it myself in fact. Our army shredded into the infantry ranks, many whole battalions fleeing in terror only to be cut to pieces as they ran.

After I woke up from being dead, Strategos Vataces tells me the Italians were routed almost entirely, and a feeble force indeed marches in terror towards Morea, The Athenians fled to the Hellenic countryside, hiding out from our forces. "Leave them to the Morean army, if they survive that encounter, we shall finish them." Word from Admiral Ducas is the blockade should commence in a month or so. The Tuscans have yet to make an appearance however, and victory is not yet assured.

October 1419:
The Athenian would-be partisans soon vanished, likely to desertion, and the Morean Army made short work of the remaining Italians. The Tuscan Question had not yet been answered.

November 1419:
As if in answer to my question, the Tuscan army attempts a landing off the west coast of Pelopponesia. Repelled at a loss, the army marches on Athens.

I prepared my men for the coming battle. "Intelligence has not reached us of the strength of the Tuscans. We must be prepared for a harder fight than the last." If this battle is won however, sufficient troops cannot be mustered to save Athens in so short a time. Athens is ours, barring Tuscan victory.

December 1419:
When the Tuscan Army arrived, I laughed aloud. The army was mainly infantry, with a handful of cavalry. Still, their commander was wily, and evaded defeat for many days, though it cost him many men. The supply issue was becoming a problem, especially with the Tuscans cutting into my army's loot. While my precious cavalry battalions were basically intact, I had taken numerous infantry losses. The pleas for equal rations for infantry were ignored however. After their defeat outside of Athens, the Duke of Tuscany demanded 12,000 ducats in compensation. As their navy had yet to make an appearance, I decided this was as good a time as any to get out of the war, and payed their demands, having doubtlessly cost them far more in damages. Offers of a white peace with the Pope seem to fall on deaf ears however.

January 1419:
The seige is in it's final stages, and Athens will soon be mine.

March 1420:
Athens finally falls, and is in my hands. Now, the Empire finally holds land outside of Constantinople. While the Papal States is still at war with us, and a few wars in Italy as well.

I slide back the massive coin-minting campaign, and begin pondering my options, when one is made available for me. Albania, the same nation which scorned my offer of brotherhood, is completely defenceless. I will have mercy on them though, I shall only force them to bow to the emperor. The Turk awaits my harsher mercies.

January 1421:
War with Albania begins. Since a large Ragusan force seems insistant on using all available supplies in the province, I send a detachment of infantry to cover the fort, while I build more infantry. The Emperor, deferring to my judgement, gives me Hellas as my Despotate. Excellent.

My first act as Despot is increasing taxation, and driving out the French aristocrats. This seems to have a negative impact on almost the entire Catholic world, but no matter. Soon, the Empire will have no need of them.

February 18th, 1421:
The Pope finally agrees to peace, at the cost of 38,000 ducats. As I have more important things to worry about, I agree to his terms. A bargain in the long run. As there are no longer any opponents to fight who actually have troops to fight with, I lower maintanence to peace levels.

September 1422:
After a seige that seemed to go on forever, Albania finally surrendered. Their treasury, and their loyalty, go to us.

Now it is time, to prepare to face the Turk. They have cancelled their access treaty with us, and while most are happy the Turks will no longer be traipsying through the Bospherus, the wise know it is a prelude to an attack.

While the Imperial Guard now numbers 5,000 infantry supporting (while the infantry command would say "providing human shields for") 15,000 mighty cavalrymen, we can win, if we're lucky. Surrounding us, however, is a force doube our own strength, commanded by some very, very capable commanders. I have seen the man now known as Iksander Bey in action, and he is truly brilliant. Murad II and Hamza Bey are extremely competent as well. We need a great leader of our own, and I fear our feeble emperor isn't up to the task. He cares more of Italian poetry and paintings than defeating the Turk. Perhaps his son Ioannes, or John, as his imperial name would be, is up to the task?

August 1423:
Apparenty old Manuel wasn't as feeble as I thought, as a scandal rocks the nation involding him and the ambassador of Ragusa's neice. I didn't know the old goat had it in him.

January 1424:
A miracle! Prince Konstantinos of Morea arrives for training, and the lad's a sheer miracle! I immediately put him in command of the army, and begin preparations for war.

February 1424:
Meeting with several Venecian bankers over a loan.
"Oh believe me, we'll be able to repay it" While their expression is dubious, they do acknowledge the need to fight the Turk. "Very well, we shall fund you 200,000 ducats."
Manuel, who is getting to be very old, grants me almost total power, and I spend the massive loan rapidly, building up an enormously huge Cavalry force. Gaining the help of the Albanians, who should be a distraction at least, I reach for the goal of 25,000 cavalry before the war begins.

December 20th, 1424:
War is declared. The Ottomans immediately send a large force under Hamza towards Constantinople, but it is immediately annihilated by a mass cavalry charge as it attempts to barge across the Bospherus.

I gamble, and begin heading for the force under Murad who is beseiging Hellas, hoping to annihilate his force quickly, though hopefully before Iksander can cross the Bospherus safely.

Murad, believing my force to be less of a threat than it is, breaks off and heads for Macedonia, hoping to catch my force before it can besiege Thessaloniki. Murad is wounded and reteats for days before making it back to Bursa with a handful of men, he will never see combat again. Now only the most dangerous Ottoman commander remains.

Taking a dangerous gamble, I attack Iksander's inferior force in Smyrna, but am driven back regardless of the horrid inferiority of his mostly-infantry army. He is a god on the battlefield!

Driven to Macedonia, I concentrate my siege, as Murad moves his troops to Bulgaria. I take another risky loan, and build more cavalry. in September, Iksander moves again against me, to break the seige, and I seriously contemplate cutting my losses, but no, I must have victory!

Victory is mine! Iskander, wounded, flees towards Albania, his force routed entirely. Now nothing lies between me and reconquest!

I dispatch small armies to cover the Balkans, and move the war to a single front.

Sensing blood, the Knights of Rhodes take advantage of Ottoman weakness and join in the war. While taking down the last vestige of Ottoman resistance in Angora, regretfully the prince suffers a wound which will take him out of service, having only served a handful of years. Regardless, he is already a hero, as the Ottoman Empire's power will soon be next to nothing. Already all their provinces are covered by our troops, and we can seige at our leisure as fortress after fortress falls.


November 27, 1427:
The last province of the Ottomans is under seige. The end is within sight, and soon the Balkans will be free of the Infidel at last!

February 1428: Exiting Thrace harbor, we encounter the last army of the Ottomans in a group of transports, which is rapidly obliterated. The Ottoman Army is now finished.

August 1428:
With the loans and war-taxes, some unscrupulous individual has attempted to defraud the government! At a time like this! This adds to our already dire financial situation... Regardless, only one fortress remains until we are masters of the Balkans.

September 1428:
Perhaps I should tone down the vhement anti-islamic rhetoric, as a revolt springs up in Angora... I'll just promote Hussein over here to be my public relations advisor.

February 1429:
Our first of many loans is paid off

April 1429:
The last Ottoman fortress falls. Now the peace negotiation difficulties. Apparently Murad is still a very proud man, regardless of his one-leggedness, and refuses my very reasonable offer.

January 1430:
Finally, after almost a year of negotiations, Murad agrees to hand over most of his territory to us. I suppose he figured noone was going to miraculously come to his rescue. With their defeat, the Turk is driven from the Balkans and Greece, and the land is free of the Moslem yoke.

With the threat of Ottoman domination of the holy Empire forever obliterated, a great celebration was held in Constantinople for many days. Almost every man who took part in the war was given a vast estate in the new lands, and people flooded into Constantinople from all over the Balkans, Greece and beyond.

The newly crowned emperor Ionnes now ruled an empire many times larger than his fathers, an empire in truth as well as name.
"We owe it all to you, you are truly the chosen one, lord god-sended. What gifts, what titles do you wish? Here, have the entire coast of Smyrna as your personal domain." I shook my head. "No, my place is still here, with you my emperor."
He nodded. "Of course, of course. Come, let us celebrate."

The defeat of the Turks was so amazing an event that the King of Hungary himself had arrived. Zigmund laughed heartily and promised his own war on the Turk, which he had been planning anyways. The Pope officially pardoned the Empire for it's annexation of the Duchy of Athens, and even sent his heartiest congradulations.

It was a new beginning for the empire, things were looking up for the first time in over half a century.

November, 1431:
Castille, on a similar mission to our own, expels Muslims from Spain. I sent a congradulary note, perhaps we can work together sometime.

Soon we will be debt free my brothers, soon!

February 1436:
We now pinch pennies in order to pay the last of our enormous debt to the Venetian moneylenders. Our inactivity is probably for the best, as the world must now grow accustomed to the new order in the Balkans. Diplomatically we are progressing, having gained a new ally in Wallachia. Prince Alexandru shares my feelings about the state of affairs, and good friends are hard to come by in this day and age. The Romanians had been quite a paranoid lot lately, with the Ottomans literally knocking on their door, but thanks to us now have a chance to relax.

I arranged a marraige between young Prince Vlad and pretty young Princess Zoe, they do make a lovely couple. Hopefully marrying off Princess Daria to that Serbian fellow improves the feelings between our two nations. I suppose they feel we have ambitions on their fair nation. They'd be right in assuming that, but still...

OOC:

@Durham : Don't worry, they don't stand a chance

@Thanak : Nahh I have perm cbs, I can DoW for free

@Tyler : Thanks, after I'm debt free I'll 'cleanse' Anatolia, then it's island-hopping time against Venice

Walking through the streets of Constantinople, it is no longer the frightened ghost town of only 20 years ago, it's now a bustling metropolis once again. The newness is breathtaking. I turn towards the inner city, and workmen furiously restore the Hagia Sophia, with dozens of painters from Italy painting in that supposedly new style that made him feel truly at home for the first time since the fall of Rome.

"Ahh it's truly magnificent isn't it general?" Ayrgus grinned "Actually I'm the despot of Smyrna now" 5 years ago this guy was a lieutennant, now he controls Smyrna? This was definitely an interesting time to be a Roman. "Congradulations! So, got your eye on a particular lass eh?" Ayrgus grinned, I of course knew he had his heart set on the daughter of former admiral Ducas, who now lived in a small 800 acre estate in Hellas.

With all the promotions and whatnot, enthusiasm for the military forces was at an all-time high, and the venetian bankers were so happy with the cash from the loans, they donated five warships to the navy. Emperor Ioannes decided to send princess Margarite off to Hungary to marry the nephew of Emperor Zigmund, bonding the empires together, a real step forward in relations between the emperors!

Life was good, in other words, the man once known as Mota prepared for the worst.