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An Emperor is Crowned
Constantinople, Thrace
The Greeks were victorious at 'The Last Battle', the Battle for Constantinople. The city was taken by the Greeks and the people rejoiced. The minarets of the city's mosques were torn down, used to create a monument for those who died in the war. A monument to all peoples, Greeks, Austrians, and even Turks. For loving your enemy and forgiving them is the greatest gift that God can give someone.
And so the sons of Hellas united the Greek provinces around the Aegean, forging together a mighty state from the burning remains of the Ottoman Empire. And now with Constantinople in the hands of Hellas, the dreams of the Second Greece thrived in the Third Greece, and were reborn anew...
King Zimisces, King of Hellas, arrived in Constantinople soon after the peace ending the Greek War of Independence was signed. The city was magnificent, with its sureal gardens and pristene harbour. It was like a dream to him. Yet something kept ringing in his mind. The words of the late Father Thanasis. Would Zimisces truly live up to his crown and do what was right for his Kingdom, but may hurt himself...
Zimisces' carriage stopped quietly at a small blacksmithy. The cobblestones clattering against the wheels of the carriage were replaced with the creaking of a door.
"Hello!" Zimisces shouted. "Is anyone here?"
Silence.
The King stepped inside. The building was constructed purely in stone, with walls as thick as a fortress. The furnace was still on, and it appeared as if some swords were recently forged. Zimisces picked up a cool one. It was very well-made. He swung it several times. Very light too. Swinging it around some more times, it finally clattered against the anvil.
"Who's there!" yelled a voice.
Zimisces kept quiet.
"I said who's there!" it yelled again. A man of about forty years of age stepped into the main room. His hair was black like the night sky, and his eyes were green as lush forest. "Excuse me, sir. Can I help you purchase something?"
"No, thankyou. I'm here looking for someone."
"Oh."
"Perhaps you can help me," Zimisces asked.
"Certainly," he replied.
"You see I'm looking for a man who's very well-acquainted with a one late Father Thanasis," Zimisces said.
"You're - you're-" the man studdered. "You're King Zimisces!"
He bowed humbly to the King.
"No don't! Please, have you seen this man I speak of?" Zimisces said.
"Many around here knew Father Thanasis."
"Well, how many of them are the Emperor?" asked Zimisces.
The man's face went blank.
Zimisces began, "King of Kings, ruling of Kings"
"What did you just say?" the man asked. "That's my-"
"Your family motto," Zimisces smiled. "Father Thanasis told me before his death of a man here who was the direct descendent to the last line of Byzantine Emperors. That is you. And I gladly give up my crown to you."
"You would give the Crown to me!"
"And I do so by choice," King Zimisces said, lowering the old Byzantine crown from his head. "After Thanasis' death, I was the sole possessor of this knowledge. He told me if I wished, that I could tell no-one and the secret would die with me. The Crown would then go to my family."
"But why would you-"
Zimisces laughed. "I may be a King, but are the Emperor. A king of kings, born to rule other kings. I could never keep this from you. Nor my people. The world is very troubled, indeed. And it needs a proper Emperor."
And so it was that King Zimisces, the only person who knew the true Emperor's identity, gave him the Crown to the Empire. Zimisces could have very well died with this secret, but he chose to grant the Crown to its true owner, a blacksmith names Ioannes. This was the new Byzantine Emperor Ioannes, who would now transform Hellas into the Restored Byzantine Empire...
The Byzantine Empire is reborn within Hellas, ready to regain its former glory.
An Emperor is Crowned
March 1st, 1561Constantinople, Thrace
The Greeks were victorious at 'The Last Battle', the Battle for Constantinople. The city was taken by the Greeks and the people rejoiced. The minarets of the city's mosques were torn down, used to create a monument for those who died in the war. A monument to all peoples, Greeks, Austrians, and even Turks. For loving your enemy and forgiving them is the greatest gift that God can give someone.
And so the sons of Hellas united the Greek provinces around the Aegean, forging together a mighty state from the burning remains of the Ottoman Empire. And now with Constantinople in the hands of Hellas, the dreams of the Second Greece thrived in the Third Greece, and were reborn anew...
King Zimisces, King of Hellas, arrived in Constantinople soon after the peace ending the Greek War of Independence was signed. The city was magnificent, with its sureal gardens and pristene harbour. It was like a dream to him. Yet something kept ringing in his mind. The words of the late Father Thanasis. Would Zimisces truly live up to his crown and do what was right for his Kingdom, but may hurt himself...
Zimisces' carriage stopped quietly at a small blacksmithy. The cobblestones clattering against the wheels of the carriage were replaced with the creaking of a door.
"Hello!" Zimisces shouted. "Is anyone here?"
Silence.
The King stepped inside. The building was constructed purely in stone, with walls as thick as a fortress. The furnace was still on, and it appeared as if some swords were recently forged. Zimisces picked up a cool one. It was very well-made. He swung it several times. Very light too. Swinging it around some more times, it finally clattered against the anvil.
"Who's there!" yelled a voice.
Zimisces kept quiet.
"I said who's there!" it yelled again. A man of about forty years of age stepped into the main room. His hair was black like the night sky, and his eyes were green as lush forest. "Excuse me, sir. Can I help you purchase something?"
"No, thankyou. I'm here looking for someone."
"Oh."
"Perhaps you can help me," Zimisces asked.
"Certainly," he replied.
"You see I'm looking for a man who's very well-acquainted with a one late Father Thanasis," Zimisces said.
"You're - you're-" the man studdered. "You're King Zimisces!"
He bowed humbly to the King.
"No don't! Please, have you seen this man I speak of?" Zimisces said.
"Many around here knew Father Thanasis."
"Well, how many of them are the Emperor?" asked Zimisces.
The man's face went blank.
Zimisces began, "King of Kings, ruling of Kings"
"What did you just say?" the man asked. "That's my-"
"Your family motto," Zimisces smiled. "Father Thanasis told me before his death of a man here who was the direct descendent to the last line of Byzantine Emperors. That is you. And I gladly give up my crown to you."
"You would give the Crown to me!"
"And I do so by choice," King Zimisces said, lowering the old Byzantine crown from his head. "After Thanasis' death, I was the sole possessor of this knowledge. He told me if I wished, that I could tell no-one and the secret would die with me. The Crown would then go to my family."
"But why would you-"
Zimisces laughed. "I may be a King, but are the Emperor. A king of kings, born to rule other kings. I could never keep this from you. Nor my people. The world is very troubled, indeed. And it needs a proper Emperor."
And so it was that King Zimisces, the only person who knew the true Emperor's identity, gave him the Crown to the Empire. Zimisces could have very well died with this secret, but he chose to grant the Crown to its true owner, a blacksmith names Ioannes. This was the new Byzantine Emperor Ioannes, who would now transform Hellas into the Restored Byzantine Empire...
The Byzantine Empire is reborn within Hellas, ready to regain its former glory.
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Return of the Heroes
A small town in the Arcadian mountains
Maria Tsakopoulos put more herbs into the soup, cooking over the fire. The soup bubbled and omitted a heavenly aroma in the room. She looked back at the elderly woman sitting in the chair. She wait quietly knitting, occassionally looking out of the window for something she was expecting.
"She's been like this for God knows how long," said Evelyn, Maria's sister.
"I know. I know," Maria nodded. "Would you not blame her?"
Evelyn sighed and nodded.
The old woman was named Demetria. She had moved to Arcadia in Greece from the island of Chios with her four sons. They had all joined the army and had gone off to war, to fight for their country and for their honour. Her sons had placed her in the loving care of Maria Tsakopoulos, a woman betrothed to marry her son Michael. Yet Michael had not returned, nor did any of her sons. And the war was over...
"Here, have some tsaye," said Maria softly. "It's very healthy."
"No thankyou, Maria," said Demetria, still looking out the window.
Maria worried for her.
The day went by quietly. Farmers pruned their olive trees, shephards moved their flocks to sources of water, and even the local priest stopped by to greet the women. Yet Demetria's sons still did not return...
"Demetria, I think it's time that we realize that they may never return," said Maria, her eyes watering. Evelyn was behind her sobbing uncontrollably.
"No! They're coming back!" the old woman cried. "They have to! They wouldn't leave me!"
Demetria ran old out of the house, crying loudly. She ran down the hillside path, with Maria yelling at her to return. Demetria kept running, until she reached a patch of olive trees. There she wept, for her sons and their fate.
"Mother?" said a familiar voice.
Demetria turned around quickly.
"Michael!" she exclaimed. "Michael! You're back! You're back!"
"Of course mother," Michael said softly. "But... my brothers aren't."
Demetria's face turned somber.
"None of them are ever coming back," he said.
"But at least one of my sons are returning," she said, her tears beginning to fade.
Maria and Evelyn ran down to the patch of olive trees.
"Michael!" cried Maria. "You're finally home! Home at last!" She hugged him and began to cry joyously for the return of her future husband.
Another man came out from behind a clump of trees. He shook Evelyn's hand.
"Evelyn, this is my friend Dimitri Trivolas," smiled Michael. Evelyn and Dimitri began eying each other and introduced themselves.
The war was over, but the future was just beginning...
__________
April 9th, 1561
Bucharest, Romania
The Turks began running from their positions. Horses neighed wildly, while men screamed and ran away. They were losing to a bunch of untrained Romanain rabble. Even the mighty Ottoman Janissaries had to flee, although in a somewhat organized manner.
"Damn it!" cursed the Janissary Commander. "How could a bunch of Romanian rebels defeat the mighty Ottoman forces! Why is it that infidels who defy the glorious Sultan are rewarded with victory!"
Another Janissary commander snickered, "They are very-well led apparently."
"WELL-LED!" boomed the first one.
"Yes, apparently a group of four Greeks lead them. The same four who led the Greeks at the Battle of Constantinople."
"Damn..."
Across the battlefield to the vicious Romanian soldiers stood four Greek officers. The very same four who were also at Constantinople, where the old Sultan and his greatest general Sokullu Mehmet perished.
"That was one hell of a fight, eh Kouli?"
"Excellent display of tactics, Thanos! What did you think Stavropoulos?"
"I was just glad to be in the presence of my greatest comrades," grinned Stavropoulos. "Vasili, are you alright?"
Vasili Demakis turned from the retreating Turks to face the other three officers. "I'm fine."
"Your brother's death was not your fault, Vasili," said Thanos.
"I know," said Vasili solemnly. "It's just that being in the presence of three of his best friends is very... warming."
"Don't get soft on us now, Vasili!" laughed Kouli. "If the Turks find out, we may lose our reputation as the best generals east of Rome!"
"And whenever the liberty of innocent people is threatened by a horde of barbarians, we'll be there," smiled Stavropoulos.
Return of the Heroes
April 9th, 1561A small town in the Arcadian mountains
Maria Tsakopoulos put more herbs into the soup, cooking over the fire. The soup bubbled and omitted a heavenly aroma in the room. She looked back at the elderly woman sitting in the chair. She wait quietly knitting, occassionally looking out of the window for something she was expecting.
"She's been like this for God knows how long," said Evelyn, Maria's sister.
"I know. I know," Maria nodded. "Would you not blame her?"
Evelyn sighed and nodded.
The old woman was named Demetria. She had moved to Arcadia in Greece from the island of Chios with her four sons. They had all joined the army and had gone off to war, to fight for their country and for their honour. Her sons had placed her in the loving care of Maria Tsakopoulos, a woman betrothed to marry her son Michael. Yet Michael had not returned, nor did any of her sons. And the war was over...
"Here, have some tsaye," said Maria softly. "It's very healthy."
"No thankyou, Maria," said Demetria, still looking out the window.
Maria worried for her.
The day went by quietly. Farmers pruned their olive trees, shephards moved their flocks to sources of water, and even the local priest stopped by to greet the women. Yet Demetria's sons still did not return...
"Demetria, I think it's time that we realize that they may never return," said Maria, her eyes watering. Evelyn was behind her sobbing uncontrollably.
"No! They're coming back!" the old woman cried. "They have to! They wouldn't leave me!"
Demetria ran old out of the house, crying loudly. She ran down the hillside path, with Maria yelling at her to return. Demetria kept running, until she reached a patch of olive trees. There she wept, for her sons and their fate.
"Mother?" said a familiar voice.
Demetria turned around quickly.
"Michael!" she exclaimed. "Michael! You're back! You're back!"
"Of course mother," Michael said softly. "But... my brothers aren't."
Demetria's face turned somber.
"None of them are ever coming back," he said.
"But at least one of my sons are returning," she said, her tears beginning to fade.
Maria and Evelyn ran down to the patch of olive trees.
"Michael!" cried Maria. "You're finally home! Home at last!" She hugged him and began to cry joyously for the return of her future husband.
Another man came out from behind a clump of trees. He shook Evelyn's hand.
"Evelyn, this is my friend Dimitri Trivolas," smiled Michael. Evelyn and Dimitri began eying each other and introduced themselves.
The war was over, but the future was just beginning...
__________
April 9th, 1561
Bucharest, Romania
The Turks began running from their positions. Horses neighed wildly, while men screamed and ran away. They were losing to a bunch of untrained Romanain rabble. Even the mighty Ottoman Janissaries had to flee, although in a somewhat organized manner.
"Damn it!" cursed the Janissary Commander. "How could a bunch of Romanian rebels defeat the mighty Ottoman forces! Why is it that infidels who defy the glorious Sultan are rewarded with victory!"
Another Janissary commander snickered, "They are very-well led apparently."
"WELL-LED!" boomed the first one.
"Yes, apparently a group of four Greeks lead them. The same four who led the Greeks at the Battle of Constantinople."
"Damn..."
Across the battlefield to the vicious Romanian soldiers stood four Greek officers. The very same four who were also at Constantinople, where the old Sultan and his greatest general Sokullu Mehmet perished.
"That was one hell of a fight, eh Kouli?"
"Excellent display of tactics, Thanos! What did you think Stavropoulos?"
"I was just glad to be in the presence of my greatest comrades," grinned Stavropoulos. "Vasili, are you alright?"
Vasili Demakis turned from the retreating Turks to face the other three officers. "I'm fine."
"Your brother's death was not your fault, Vasili," said Thanos.
"I know," said Vasili solemnly. "It's just that being in the presence of three of his best friends is very... warming."
"Don't get soft on us now, Vasili!" laughed Kouli. "If the Turks find out, we may lose our reputation as the best generals east of Rome!"
"And whenever the liberty of innocent people is threatened by a horde of barbarians, we'll be there," smiled Stavropoulos.
FIN
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Epilogue - The Empire Lives On
The Empire continued to exist, aided by its mighty ally Austria, and then the great Russian Empire. The Turks were defeated on five additional wars, which granted Byzantium additional moneys for its treasury as well as more land in Asia Minor. Strong unions were forged with the rest of Europe, and the little island of Cyprus was taken from rebels who'd ceded from Venice. In the 1600's a Greek explorer named Vataces was given permission by the Russian Czar Alexi the First. Vataces reached the Pacific Ocean years afterwards with his company of 2,500 cavalry. Greek colonie sprung up in Siberia and the Pacific Coast and Somalia was now colonized. Royal marriages with France, Nubia, Ethiopia, and scores of other nations were made. Manufacturies sprung up across the Hellenic World and Byzantium grew rich and wealth. By the year 1820, Byzantium was the 13th most powerful state in the known world...
Greek explorer Vataces passing through Russia by the Czar's permission.
Byzantine Siberia, c. 1820
Byzantium, c. 1820 (Note: Constatinople has lvl 5 walls)
Land tech: 48
Naval tech: 19
Trade tech: 8
Infrastructure: 7
Monthly income: 91.7 ducats
Final Standing: 13
Epilogue
The Empire Lives On
The Empire continued to exist, aided by its mighty ally Austria, and then the great Russian Empire. The Turks were defeated on five additional wars, which granted Byzantium additional moneys for its treasury as well as more land in Asia Minor. Strong unions were forged with the rest of Europe, and the little island of Cyprus was taken from rebels who'd ceded from Venice. In the 1600's a Greek explorer named Vataces was given permission by the Russian Czar Alexi the First. Vataces reached the Pacific Ocean years afterwards with his company of 2,500 cavalry. Greek colonie sprung up in Siberia and the Pacific Coast and Somalia was now colonized. Royal marriages with France, Nubia, Ethiopia, and scores of other nations were made. Manufacturies sprung up across the Hellenic World and Byzantium grew rich and wealth. By the year 1820, Byzantium was the 13th most powerful state in the known world...
Greek explorer Vataces passing through Russia by the Czar's permission.
Byzantine Siberia, c. 1820
Byzantium, c. 1820 (Note: Constatinople has lvl 5 walls)
Land tech: 48
Naval tech: 19
Trade tech: 8
Infrastructure: 7
Monthly income: 91.7 ducats
Final Standing: 13
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Congratulations on a great story -- I am just sorry to see it end so quickly! Were the Turks really reduced to just their capital at the end?
That's a pretty good Siberian empire you carved out. Well done!
The family scene at the end was very good, showing the human cost even of a great victory.
That's a pretty good Siberian empire you carved out. Well done!
The family scene at the end was very good, showing the human cost even of a great victory.
Well I intended it to be a story story about a certain revolving group of characters (Vasili & Michael Demakis, the friends Michael & Dimitri, the three officers, the Sultan, King Zimisces, and Sokullu). The war itself lasted some four years, and it was actually FAR more interesting to me than the rest of game. So I thought I'd make the AAR focused of the independence war.
Yeah, Siberia got me lots of $$$! And I'm glad you liked the finish.
EDIT: Oh yeah. And the Turks had their capital + sinai + 2 TPs in India.
The Mamelukes ending up gaining independence.
Yeah, Siberia got me lots of $$$! And I'm glad you liked the finish.
EDIT: Oh yeah. And the Turks had their capital + sinai + 2 TPs in India.
The Mamelukes ending up gaining independence.
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