Honors associated with the "I Doukas:
WritAAR of the Week Jul. 26th 2009 awarded by crusaderking
Character WritAAR of the Week July 6th 2009 for Andronikos Doukas awarded by Mr. Capiatlist
Character WritAAR of the Week July 6th 2009 for Andronikos Doukas awarded by Mr. Capiatlist
Book One: Restoration and Revolution
Chapter One: The Plan
Lesbos, 12th of February 1066
Romanos Diogenes felt weary, the long and hard ride across Anatolia had taken it's tool upon him and the rough sea voyage to Lesbos hadn't made him feel any better either. More than once he had asked himself whether all of this would pay off in the end. Each time he thought about what had happened over the last two weeks it seemed to make less and less sense. He had received an anomynos letter asking asking him to meet it's author, who described himself as "a friend of the army and the empire" and had a interesting proposal for the armies senior commander to make, at the "St. Georgios Inn" on the Isle of Lesbos. At first Romanos had been distrustful and ready to see in it nothing more than the foolish joke of junior officer but then he had discovered something in the parcel which came with the letter. A ring.
It was a perfectly manufactured piece of jewelry made of gold with a big ruby as the central ornament. It's value was beyond what Romanos could estimate. Such rings where the insignia of men of considerable standing and therefore of a person Romanos could not simply ignore. But doubt's still plagued his mind. Was this perhaps a trap laid out by some members of the imperial court, perhaps even by the emperor himself? The court clique had always been distrustful of the army during the last half century. Was this a way of getting him accused of treason? "Anyway it's to late to worry about that now.", he thought to himself as he neared the center of Lesbos. He threw a quick look at the reflection of his face in one of the windows he passed by. He saw the face of a man in his middle forties with both his hair and mustache combed into perfect order. His eyes had the determined expression of an eagle, ready to snatch it's prey. His forehead on the other hand was already begin to show a considerable number of wrinkles. "God, the stress is beginning to get at you.", he thought to himself half sarcastically. He continued about his way and two minutes later he at last saw the sign for the "St. Georgios Inn".
The Inn was a somewhat gloomy place, dark and fairly dirty and far to warm to Romanos liking. He had wisely traveled in simple cloths without anything that could identify him as a member of the aristocracy. He took a seat at a table, ordered some wine and waited. After all his mysterious informer had told him that HE would make contact with him once arrived. After 30 minutes of waiting another man entered the inn and he seemed a lot more out of place than Romanos. He wore a rich and decorated garment further enhanced by a golden chain at the end of which hung a family symbol or something of the kind and several rings. Although obviously very young he had long brown hair and a full grown, yet very well kept beard that gave him a natural authority well beyond his years. Romanos was at a wonder what a person like this could possibly be looking for in a provincial thiefs den like this. But then he saw the mans determined and somewhat arrogant eyes pierce him and recognized him at once. Alexios Komnenos! He had met him a few months before. He was the scion of one the (some claimed the most) powerful families in the empire and one of the most promising officers in the imperial army. Romanos had discussed some of most famous battles of the empire on that occasion and had found his some of his thoughts and conclusions just as brilliant as his arrogance and vanity repulsive. But there was no more time for thought as Alexios walked up to him.
"Strategos Diogenes!", he said with a smile and friendliness that almost seemed practiced, " Of all men you would have been among the last I would have expected to meet in a dirt whole like this."
"The same thing I could say of you, young master. But do you think it is wise to go boasting about my name and title in this type of area", the general replied in a more subdued voice. "Pah don't worry about these beggars.", Alexios exclaimed with a disdainful gesture, "A few coins will shut their mouths up. And anyway why did you invite me to this place in such a secretive and mysterious manner if you don't even consider it save?"
"I did not." "Well who did then?", the young man replied visibly perplexed.
"I, Doukas, did." A voice from out of the dark answered. Suddenly a man stepped forward from out of a distant corner where he had been perfectly camouflaged so far. He looked neither very young nor yet old so that Romanos estimated him to be perhaps in his early thirties. He was not particularly handsome and the two things that made him stand out amongst the other two men were that he was completely shaved and had a slight hook-nose.
"I am sorry gentlemen for the inconvenience I have surly caused you", the man said with an apologetic gesture while walking up to Romanos and Alexios, "but you will realize that this secrecy was more than justified in due course. My name is Andronikos Doukas, strategos of Paristrium." "And nephew of the emperor.", Alexios hissed unable to hid his distrust.
"Very true noble Komnenos.", Andronikos replied without any sign of being insulted by Alexios remark. "Feel at home in these humble lodgings. I have rented them some years ago and all servants are loyal to my family. So please take a seat. We have business to discuss."
They sat down at a grand table, Andronikos taking the seat a the head of the table with Alexios to his left and Romanos to his right. "As you all know the empire is plagued by inefficiency and corruption which can largely be attributed to the weak government of my uncle Konstantinos X." "About whom we need not worry much since he will be dead soon.", Alexios made a remark once again to the visible displeasure of Romanos but evoking nothing but a smile from Andronikos.
"Very true Master Komnenos. But sadly his eldest son Michael who is to follow him in the purple is not even a shred more competent. He will be just as much of a pawn in the hands of the bureaucrats as his father. Which will hurt the army and thereby both your standing even more and eventually lead the empire to ruin."
"And what is your solution to this problem?", Romanos asked straight forward.
"You ask a blunt question and therefore you shall receive a blunt reply.", Andronikos answered with a visible grin on his face. "Make me emperor."
Romanos was stunned by this unexpected revelation of his hosts ambitions while at the same time he could hear Alexios laughing bitterly. "You honestly expect me to depose one Doukas in favor of another.", he cried still quite unable to regain the seriousness appropriate to the situation. "Now that truly seems to be th perfect way to solve all the empires problems.", he added sarcastically. "Why should I lift you onto the throne with my soldiers? Why should I not make myself emperor instead?"
Once again Andronikos smiled to the disturbance of both Alexios and Romanos. "Oh, Alexios", he said in the tone of a well meaning grandfather, "have you not learned anything out of the career of your uncle Isaakios*, who also happened to be my brother in law. He was a good soldier and statesman just like you and he surly deserved being elevated to the purple by his soldiers. But he had neither the understanding for nor the love of the people of Konstantinopolis and the bureaucrats. And how did he end? As a deposed emperor and wretched, broken, old man in a monastery."
"Why should you do any better!", Alexios yelled clearly enraged by the little credit Andronikos gave his uncle. "I am a Doukas. A member of the royal family. I can command the loyalty of the city. The vast patronage and riches of my family can allow me to bribe the bureaucracy into compliance. But all of that is worthless if I don't have the support of the army. If I don't have your support.", he explained. "The bureaucracy and the army are like the scepter and the sword in the emperors hand. If he has only one the two he is not truly the ruler."
"What is in it for us.", Alexios who by now had regained his calm asked what also had been on Romanos mind. "You mean except for the common good that would come from this?", Andronikos inquired rhetorically. "Well since usurping the throne probably won't endear me to considerable elements of the bureaucratic establishment I would be an emperor who would know to appreciate a effective army as the foundation of his rule. A well funded army, with promotions for it's most competent commanders."
"You Romanos", he said turning towards the old stratgos, "would make a perfect Megas Domestikos** in my eyes. And for young, dashing Komnenos", he said turning towards Alexios," I had the post of Domestikos tou thematos oriens*** in mind.
Romanos and Alexios exchanged a few glances and after a few seconds Alexios nodded his approval to the offer. Yet Romanos still felt nervous. "But how do you wish to bring about this coup? I can't just let the army march on Konstantinopolis and even if I could convince the troops of such an endeavor..."
"Do not worry strategos Diogenes", Andronikos interupted him calmly. "I have connections within the court. I myself will bring about my rise to emperorship. All I ask of you as the senior representatives of the army is to support me once I am there. As you have seen you might profit handsomely from it."
"Well then what have we got to lose", both Alexios and Romanos thought almost simultaneously. Thus began the great conspiracy...
The three conspirators:
Andronikos Doukas, coveter of the purple
Alexios Komnenos, the brilliant but power hungry youth.
Romanos Diogenes, the "grand old man" of the imperial forces.
Andronikos Doukas, coveter of the purple
Alexios Komnenos, the brilliant but power hungry youth.
Romanos Diogenes, the "grand old man" of the imperial forces.
* a brief account of the life of Isaac I Komnenos
** The Megas Domestikos was the overall commander of the byzantine army
*** The Domestikos tou thematos oriens was the supervisor of the eastern themes (military districts) of the empire
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