Another War with Venice and the fall of Rhodes, 1479-90
Dead William: Thanks a lot. Glad you're enjoying it.
Catknight: Africa, eh? I should be there soon with any luck.
Mike von Bek: I'm just dying to go east, if only my western neighbors weren't such warmongers....
The return trip from his most campaigns in the Crimea were a sad one for Mehmed, as he fell violently ill somewhere in the remote regions of the Kouban Steppes. For the last 2 years of his reign, he was almost entirely confined to his palace and nothing could be done even by the best doctors money could buy. In the 886th year of the Hijra (1481 to the Christians) the Sultan passed away and was succeed by his son Bayezid II. Bayezid was a pious soul, and spent the early years of his reign funding missionaries to the Balkans as well as to Smyrna, earning converts in Smyrna and Bosnia while the Empire's military forces were being rebuilt. In the fourth year of Bayezid's reign, news reached the Porte than Venetian machinations had inspired the last of the Morean despots to abdicate in the favor of the Venetian republic, thus bringing nearly all of Greece outside Ottoman Macedonia under Venetian rule. Similar back-room deals had gained the throne of Cyprus for the republic, which had also acquired Kerch from the Genoese in war. In a tense and lenghty meeting, Bayezid's divan decided that Venetian ambitions in the area were not to be tolerated. Thus on 30 Rabi al-Thanni, 890 (15 May, 1485) war was declared upon the Venetian republic.
Bayezid elected to spare his war-weary allies in Crimea by not calling on allied support though Venice was joined once again by Scotland and the Knights of St. John. Venice's land forces in Greece numberd a paltry 5,000 and were easily swept by the Ottoman army as it descended into Greece, occupying Hellas and the Morea without meating any serious resistance. A second Turkish forces proceeded up the completely undefended Dalmatian coast, capturing Dalmatia and Istria provinces and advancing up to the walls of Venice itself. However, upon seeing the largeness (level 3) of the capital's fortifications, the Ottoman force contented itself with some plundering and then returned back to the Balkans.
While the land war was easily won, the Venetian fleet was large and well-equipped and togehter with fleet of the Scots and the Knights made quite a respectable showing in a series of naval battles in the eastern Meditteranean. The Ottoman fleet was effectively prevented from attempting to break out into the central Meditteranean region but was able to hold the coasts of Anatolia as well as landing beseiging force on the islands of Crete and Rhodes. The southern Italian possessions of the Knights of St. John had revolted away from their control to create the reconstituted Kingdom of Naples, so there was nowhere for the Grandmaster and his lieutenants to run when Rhodes fell to the Ottomans for the second time. No mercy was shown the crusaders, all of whom were exterminated save those willing to abjure their heresies and embrace Islam. From Rhodes, Sultan Bayezid personally drafted an encyclical letter to all the Christian princes proclaiming the dissolution of the Order of St. John, the Ottoman annexation of Rhodes, and a stern message that no further western crusades would be tolerated by the Ottoman Sultan, who proclaimed himslef defender of the Islamic world. The fall of Rhodes was deeply shocking to many of the Western powers as was the growing naval might of the Ottomans.
Bayezid now focused on winning a decisive victory over the Venetians, but news that Russian troops had advanced across the steppes to invade the Sultan's vassals in the Crimea was an unwelcome shock. Bayezid and his ministers once again threw the might of their armies into the steppe regions to perserve the Crimea in Islamic rule. The timely Russian action saved the Venetians from Bayezid's wrath, and Venice escaped the war only losing Hellas and a token idemnity in 893 (1488). The war in the north was far more troubling than the conflict in the south. The Russian armies were enormous and a great many good Muslims lost their lives struggling to hold the Crimean forntier against the incursions of Russia. The only merciful thing about the northern war was its end after two years of difficult and bitter fighting. The Khan surrendered an indemnity to the Tsar, who decided to refocus his miltary machine to west. Soon, to the great relief of Istanbul and thanks in no small part to the porte's agents, Russia and Lithuania were fighting each other and leaving the Islamic lands alone.
At this time whispers began to be heard in the divan and the higher circles of Ottoman officialdom. Many were coming to doubt the wisdom of Ottoman policy in Crimea. The Crimean Khan seemed either unable or unwilling to provide his realm with proper defenses and the wars (3 and counting) that the Ottomans had fought to keep Crimea Muslim had been spectacular successes in the public realtions field but had brought little material or strategic gain to the porte despite immense costs. There was also an ever-growing list of projects dear to the Sultan or other members of the divan which had been shelved indefinitely by the continuing necessity to defend Crimea. Some courtiers now came to believe that defense of Crimea would cheaper in the long-run through direct administration from Istanbul.
Dead William: Thanks a lot. Glad you're enjoying it.
Catknight: Africa, eh? I should be there soon with any luck.
Mike von Bek: I'm just dying to go east, if only my western neighbors weren't such warmongers....
The return trip from his most campaigns in the Crimea were a sad one for Mehmed, as he fell violently ill somewhere in the remote regions of the Kouban Steppes. For the last 2 years of his reign, he was almost entirely confined to his palace and nothing could be done even by the best doctors money could buy. In the 886th year of the Hijra (1481 to the Christians) the Sultan passed away and was succeed by his son Bayezid II. Bayezid was a pious soul, and spent the early years of his reign funding missionaries to the Balkans as well as to Smyrna, earning converts in Smyrna and Bosnia while the Empire's military forces were being rebuilt. In the fourth year of Bayezid's reign, news reached the Porte than Venetian machinations had inspired the last of the Morean despots to abdicate in the favor of the Venetian republic, thus bringing nearly all of Greece outside Ottoman Macedonia under Venetian rule. Similar back-room deals had gained the throne of Cyprus for the republic, which had also acquired Kerch from the Genoese in war. In a tense and lenghty meeting, Bayezid's divan decided that Venetian ambitions in the area were not to be tolerated. Thus on 30 Rabi al-Thanni, 890 (15 May, 1485) war was declared upon the Venetian republic.
Bayezid elected to spare his war-weary allies in Crimea by not calling on allied support though Venice was joined once again by Scotland and the Knights of St. John. Venice's land forces in Greece numberd a paltry 5,000 and were easily swept by the Ottoman army as it descended into Greece, occupying Hellas and the Morea without meating any serious resistance. A second Turkish forces proceeded up the completely undefended Dalmatian coast, capturing Dalmatia and Istria provinces and advancing up to the walls of Venice itself. However, upon seeing the largeness (level 3) of the capital's fortifications, the Ottoman force contented itself with some plundering and then returned back to the Balkans.
While the land war was easily won, the Venetian fleet was large and well-equipped and togehter with fleet of the Scots and the Knights made quite a respectable showing in a series of naval battles in the eastern Meditteranean. The Ottoman fleet was effectively prevented from attempting to break out into the central Meditteranean region but was able to hold the coasts of Anatolia as well as landing beseiging force on the islands of Crete and Rhodes. The southern Italian possessions of the Knights of St. John had revolted away from their control to create the reconstituted Kingdom of Naples, so there was nowhere for the Grandmaster and his lieutenants to run when Rhodes fell to the Ottomans for the second time. No mercy was shown the crusaders, all of whom were exterminated save those willing to abjure their heresies and embrace Islam. From Rhodes, Sultan Bayezid personally drafted an encyclical letter to all the Christian princes proclaiming the dissolution of the Order of St. John, the Ottoman annexation of Rhodes, and a stern message that no further western crusades would be tolerated by the Ottoman Sultan, who proclaimed himslef defender of the Islamic world. The fall of Rhodes was deeply shocking to many of the Western powers as was the growing naval might of the Ottomans.
Bayezid now focused on winning a decisive victory over the Venetians, but news that Russian troops had advanced across the steppes to invade the Sultan's vassals in the Crimea was an unwelcome shock. Bayezid and his ministers once again threw the might of their armies into the steppe regions to perserve the Crimea in Islamic rule. The timely Russian action saved the Venetians from Bayezid's wrath, and Venice escaped the war only losing Hellas and a token idemnity in 893 (1488). The war in the north was far more troubling than the conflict in the south. The Russian armies were enormous and a great many good Muslims lost their lives struggling to hold the Crimean forntier against the incursions of Russia. The only merciful thing about the northern war was its end after two years of difficult and bitter fighting. The Khan surrendered an indemnity to the Tsar, who decided to refocus his miltary machine to west. Soon, to the great relief of Istanbul and thanks in no small part to the porte's agents, Russia and Lithuania were fighting each other and leaving the Islamic lands alone.
At this time whispers began to be heard in the divan and the higher circles of Ottoman officialdom. Many were coming to doubt the wisdom of Ottoman policy in Crimea. The Crimean Khan seemed either unable or unwilling to provide his realm with proper defenses and the wars (3 and counting) that the Ottomans had fought to keep Crimea Muslim had been spectacular successes in the public realtions field but had brought little material or strategic gain to the porte despite immense costs. There was also an ever-growing list of projects dear to the Sultan or other members of the divan which had been shelved indefinitely by the continuing necessity to defend Crimea. Some courtiers now came to believe that defense of Crimea would cheaper in the long-run through direct administration from Istanbul.