Sorry for the delay folks! But sickness has kind of been holding me down for almost a week. Anyway I hope you will find this worth your wait.
crusaderknight:Well first of thanks a lot for the praise. Politically Andronikos hand is beginning to show a little, but where dynastics are concerned. Well that shall be resolved in a latter chapter.
Chapter Five: A rulers pains
The fault, dear Brutus, is not in our stars,
But in ourselves, that we are underlings..
Cassius, "Julius Caesar" (I, ii, 140-141)
Constantinople, 19th of August 1066
People say it is lonely at the top. Perhaps this was true, but even if so Despotes Andronikos Doukas didn't care. To him the world afforded not greater joy than to check and command. And this he had done for some 5 months now. His uncle had defied all expectations through not exactly living but at least withering on for quite a while now. The old patriarch Xiphinilions had not been quite as lucky. He passed away only two weeks after Andronikos investment. With the imperial authority (and treasury) to back him up the Despotes found it not too difficult to push Georgios Katrares through as promised and install him as "
Ecumenical Patriarch of Constantinople Georgios II". Asides from this the Despotes had tried to widen the basis of support for his regime in any way shape and form. For the first time in many years grand games where once again held in the city, known corrupt officials were fined, dismissed, exiled or tried and executed according to the greatness of their felony and their political connections. "Thus where rich where hanged by the purse and the poor by the neck", was the laconic remark of a chronicle. Furthermore extensive presents of gold and gems, worth thousands of solidii had been sent to important provincial dynatoi, such as Bardas Skleros who held great power in the Serbian Marshes, an area where central authority was traditionally weak. Furthermore he had massively cut the direct taxation in the provinces, a calculated move to win the support of the chief benefactor of this change, the nobility.
All of this had of course cost a fortune. A lot more in fact than the imperial treasury, depleted from decades of mismanagement, waste and corruption, could pay for. The Despotes had therefore been forced to invest his own accumulated fortune and resort to heavy borrowing. But now he had reached the limit of his financial possibilities. These measures would have to suffice to solidify his power. But after all he still had an ace in his pocket. And that was the grand imperial edict lying in front of him ready to be signed and sealed.
It was nothing less than the most revolutionary decree in the history of the empire. Though couched in the usual high flown imperial rhetoric (
"In the name of his most serene autocratic Highness Konstantinos X we decree...") it was in a way an admission of imperial weakness. For the document endowed the leading noble families with wide ranging powers in the provinces they dominated. They where to act as the emperors lieutenants (the official titles where "Praetor" and "Kephale", the formers being the superiors of the latter). They where to collect taxes, speak justice and oversee the administration and development of the provinces in the emperors name. Obviously most of the provinces revenues would end up in the dynatois hands and not in the imperial coffers, but that was more or less the case already anyway, so this charter would only formalize what had been going on outside of Constantinople for decades. An important novelty was that the Praetors and Kephales where required to keep a military force in readiness to serve at the emperors pleasure at their own expense. The size of these forces would be assessed every five years according to the economic strength of the province.
Andronikos had mused long about the dangers of solidifying the position of an already very powerful nobility, but in the end figured that the possibilities outweighed the risks. The empire was to great and its nobles to wealthy and powerful to be ruled like serfs from Constantinople and the conflict between the emperor and his leading subjects had already had devastating effects on the effectiveness of government. This imperial decree offered the chance of a new concord between the capital and the provinces, between the emperor and the nobles, between center and periphery of the empire.* And last but not least Andronikos was in no position to engage on a haughty crusade against the leading noble families ala Basileios II.
"How much longer will this take, my dear", a soft voice interrupted the Despotes musings on destiny. "There was hardly ever a document more deserving of your patience, my love", he replied. "But it will be only a few more moment before it's sealed and ready to be circulated around the empire." The Lord protector pressed his signet ring on the still fluid wax, engraving the imperial seal on the decree thus giving it the full authority of the empire. "See it is done.", he said looking up two his wife Maria, currently lying on a luxurious couch, but with an expression of incredible boredom on her face. Maria was a tall, well built woman with shoulder long blond hair, still a rarity in Byzantium. Though her features were distinctive, she was not considered a beauty. What made her attractive was here dignified countenance, pared with a considerable intelligence and self confidence. Maria of Bulgaria, thus she was simply known, since her family could trace their ancestry back to the pagan khans of Bulgaria that had once been so troublesome to the empire. To Andronikos this ancient royalty had seemed more tempting than to marry some upstart courtiers daughter, whose family line pointed into the nowhere of history.
Maria of Bulgaria, consort of Despotes Andronikos
Once the wax on the document had solidified a servant at once rushed along to bring it to the imperial chancellery to be copied and distributed. The Despotes meanwhile gallantly assisted his wife in getting up. "Now with this done we two have truly earned ourselfs this cruise on the Aegean. A few days of leisure.", he whispered to her. Of course enjoyment wasn't the only thing Andronikos had in mind. He was far to practical a man for that. No he would combine work and leisure in a delicious way. When in Adrianopolis he would inspect the "safety precautions" for Kaisar Michael Doukas, he would make sure to sail past the Isle where master Psellos was now teaching grammar to the daft sons of peasants, he would...
"MY LORD URGENT NEWS FROM THE EASTERN THEMES!", the cry of a messager who had unceremoniously flung open the rooms doors and stumbled in catapulted Andronikos back into reality. "What news! Speak man!", he at once demanded having cast aside all thoughts of leisure at once. "Armenia Minor is in rebellion. The lord of the Armenians Reupen Rubenid declared that he will not suffer the orders and the yoke of a "archaic barbarian" any longer."
Hearing this news Andronikos eyes almost began to twitch with rage. "This Armenian scum dare call me a barbarian?! I swear the people of Armenia will repent that prince Reupen betrayed this 'barbarian' till the day of judgment.", he fumed. "And what sort of a commander of the Eastern Themes is Alexios, if he let's rats like Reupen openly sow the seeds of treachery. Get me the Megas Domestikos at once!"
"But Mylord", the messager humbly begged, "I have traveled the last two days without rest and nourishment to bring this message to your Highness. I beg your Highness to allow me to refresh myself..."
"I said get me the Megas Domestikos, damn you!", the Despotes yelled while striking right across the poor messagers face. "Now get out of here or I will personally send you where you will never have need of nourishment no more."
Terrified the messager picked himself up as best he could and hurried out. Andronikos meanwhile was pacing up and down like a wild cat. "Armenian bastards. I show them the greatest signs of favor just like all other nobles of the empire and what do they do? Deceive me! Blasted hillfolk! They are without honor! Basileios II or any other emperor worth his salt should have banished them to the bleakest spot of the empire to rot! AND WHERE THE HELL IS THE MEGAS DOMESTIKOS!", he barked.
The object of Andronikos hatred: Reupen Rubenid, Prince of Armenia Minor
Maria remained quietly in the corner. She knew her husband well enough. He was normally a very controlled, calculating man but once he got into a rage it was better to stay clear of him for a while.
At last Romanos Diogenes, Megas Domestikos of the Empire, arrived. "Ah Romanos", Andronikos noted slightly more composed now. "You've heard the news." The strategos simply nodded. "Mobilize the eastern Themes. I want you to deal with Armenia Minor in archaic barbarian fashion. Turn it into a wasteland! Leave non alive!".
"My Lord I will take precautions against the traitors at once. But I fear the campaigning season is to far progressed to mount a campaign this year..."
"FOR THE LOVE OF GOD DOES NO ONE UNDERSTAND MY ORDERS TODAY!", the Despotes responded now visibly agitated once again." I WANT ARMENIA MINOR BURNING ERE THIS YEAR IS OVER! I WANT THE PEOPLE OF ARMENIA LAMENTING THEIR FATE ERE THE YEAR IS OVER. I WISH THAT THE BUSY NOISE OF TRADE, THE HAPPY REJOICING OF IT'S PEOPLE BE BANISHED FROM IT'S STREETS AT ONCE."
"My Lord I will do what I can to set the army in motion as soon as possible.", Romanos replied while bowing. "Good. But remember always that this affair is as much about your fate as it is of theirs." Andronikos ended the audience with a sinister look.
Thus with much to contemplate Romanos Diogenes withdrew. Just outside of the great audience hall he could hear the fast tippling steps of a woman rushing after him. "Despoina Maria", he noted with amazement as he turned around. "Do not think to harshly of my husband, Lord Romanos.", she said looking him directly in the eyes. "His temperament is ill suited to deal with betrayal. But just like a summer storm it is a violent occurrence that quickly passes. Had you come an hour later you would have found him in his usual manner and as always well disposed towards you. I pray you deal with this matter as prudence would dictate you should even if it should run counter to what my husband said in his rage. I will be your advocate and see to it that it shall not be held against you."
"For this I thank you and remain your humble servant.", the Megas Domestikos stated, with a sense of relief.
*As you probably guessed: I instituted "Feudal contract. I hope I managed to integrate it into the story line in a believable fashion.