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Rebirth of Laskarid
or one more ByzAARntium Tale
Last of the Palaiologos
State of the Empire and the Latin Wars
Empire and surronding major states.
Basileus Manuel II Palaiologos
John (VII) Palaiologos, nephew of Manuel II, presumed heir, briefly Emperor in 1390, controls Selymbria outside Constantinople
Patriarch Matthew since 1397
Despot of Morea Theodore Palaiologos
The city of Constantinople, and some minor thracian villages are all that remains under direct imperial rule, recently ravanged by Bayezid I
Despotate of Morea controls southern Peloponnese surrnended by scattered Venetian fortresses and the Prinicpality of Achea. He has recently resisted an attempt by Bayezid I to invade, the Prince of Achea, Pietro I de Saint-Superan had aided in the attack, but after the turks retreated, was defeated and ransomed for his freedom by Theodore.
Recently as the siege of Constantinople was on going, Jean Le Maingre "
Boucicaut", broken through the Turkish blockade with men, and ships to aid in the defence of the city. If Bayezid had struck then they would have been all the west had sent as the city fell to the Turks... Epirus under Esau de' Buondelmonti had been overrun. Morea had survived but only by hiding in the hills of the Peloponnese. And Constantinople shivered behind it's walls.
But then, after the failed Christian "Crusade" of Nicopolis had been completely destroyed in 1936, in Eastern Anatolia a new threat emerged to the Ottoman Empire. Timur, a mere "Emir" who's empire, which would take his name, stretched from Caspian to the Gulf, from India to Tigris, had arrived.
Bayezid's consolidation in Eastern Anatolia had lead minor turkish rulers to flee to the court of Timur for years, and in 1399 he had formed a coalition with the Beys of Karamanoglu and Dulkadiroğlu and began war on the Ottoman Empire and it's slavic and turkish vassals. Bayezid took the threat very seriously, he concluded a truce arbitrarily with the Romans, broke the blockade and siege of Constantinople and gathered his forces for war with Timur.
Boucicaut said to the Basileus, that this was his chance, he must travel west, once more to seek aid, to gather what he could for a new crusade to liberate the empire. Manuel had been to the west more then once before, and all had led to false promises and half hearted or simply disarstous failures. But he had to try. He had to go once more west to beg for what he could for whatever he could get, once more union with Rome, and perhaps further west, to France, Espana, and even far off island of Britannia and the Kingdom of England.
It is said, among peasants, that before he went west to beg once more he was near the docks, and locked out across the sea at some small rock, poking above the water like a drowning man. A turkish pirate in venetian service, it is said, mocked him.. you are nothing but king of that rock..
- George Sphrantzes
In a moment, history had changed..
Who knows what would have happened if Manuel had gone, west, more false promises and idle talk? Perhaps more catastrophic crusades battered before turkish armies. But he did not. He conviced Boucicaut,raising him to Megas Konostaulos, Grand Constable of Constantinople, to join him in an invasion of the islands under the lordship of the latin princes of Naxos. He gathered what merger forces he could, and the french mercenaries, and what ships he could provide, and they had brought. With Bayezid away, the mice would play.
While he was away he would leave his currently appointed heir, his nephew, and the former usper John "VII" Palaiologos as guardian of Constantinople. They boarded the ships, and passed through the gates of Gallipoli during the dead of night to a future unknown.
Latin War
The remainder of the Latin Empire, scattered holdings of Venice, and two princily states. That of Achaea, ruled by Prince Pietro I de Saint-Superan, and the Duke of Naxos, Giacomo I. Also, but far to the east lay the titlular King of Jerusalem, John II in cyprus but such things lay behind us, for the moment. It was an opportune moment to attack. Trade and tribute disagreements among Venice, and her former allies left them in a virtual state of war. Venice in her turn letting loose her pirates apon them, and supporting Turks to do the same. While the mighty Empires of Osman, and Egypt lay distracted with war in the east, with Timur.
Giacomo was not idle to the news of approching ships of and sent his admiral, Demetrios Crispo to Achaea to discuss cordinating an attack. Demetrios met with Pietro I of Achaea and his admiral Dimosthenes Tocco to discuss a plan in August of 1399. Beliving they have time, they agree on the following plan, Naxos will hold out while he invades Morea, Thedore had only a few years ago ransomed him out, and will be unprepared for an attack, they when Morea falls he can relief Naxos if it has not already been, and they can join up and ravage Constantinople's suburbs, and capture what minor islands, and thracian villages remain.
He returns to Naxos to bring the good news to his duke, Giacomo. But it is too late. Chalis and Euboea has been captured in daring raid by Boucicaut , the Megas Konostaulos. And Naxos is otherwise blockaded, and he to is now blockaded in Naxos to, with his men, to speed up the starvation of the Italians. But he does bring some good news, some supplies from the Prince of Achaea, and that he has already invaded and blockaded Mystras himself, where Theodore Palaiologos, the very brother of the Emperor himself is holed up. When it falls, he could be ransomed for peace at worse. With Mystras and Naxos under siege, the slow war of mine, and counter mine, and the creeping work of starvation begin a slow moving race to see which fortress, Naxos or Mystras will fall first.
It is April, the 21st, the next year and Naxos finally succumbs, and surrenders. No major battles, on land or sea, and the Naxosian phase of the war is over. It is two months, not till June, can Manuel finally combine his land forces under Boucicaut, though himself nominally in command and they face a disorganised force of 1000 troops in Achaea, outside his capital of Andravída. But Manuel does not order the siege to begin, they have wiped out one small army they must finish the job in Morea. Pietro I personally commands the siege, but he has left himself exposed and does not realise his reserve in Achaea has been destroyed, let alone wiped out. His small force of 1000 is defeated, and a 1/5 of his force killed or captured, but he manages to retreat to Andravída. In July Manuel II, and Boucicant catuch up with him, and defeat him again, he withdraws behind the walls of Andravída, and siege begins.
Then news reaches Manuel, John II has formed a truce with Venice and Genoa on Cyprus, and disbanded, or released from service the majority of his troops and ships. One bold gamble, appears about to be payed off, will another? Arguments with Boucicaut follow however, and war is declared against John before the siege of Andravida is finished. Needing time to prepare John sends the 1 galley he has off to raid the recent gains in the Cyclades. But Boucicant is sent off with what ships can be mustered and between Crete and Naxos, the 1 lone galley is sunk.
Again April, this time the 16th, and one more Latin state falls, Andravida has caved. Boucicant now leaves the Emperors service, but leaves the men and ships, saying he can not fight even a titular "King of Jerusalem". It falls to Manuel, and his brother Theodore to lead the invasion of Cyprus which begins in August, it is a great battle of miniature proportions. 2000 against 2000, Infantry and Cavalry, but recently raised against Greek and French veterans, the French knights break John's cavalry and the battle is lost, over half is army dead or captured. His army attempts to retreat to the ships seperatly, infantry and cavalry for themsleves, but they are morped up individually in late August one after the other.
Then news reaches him, John II wasn't even in Cyprus! He had taken what troops he could and landed in Naxos, and was laying siege. It looks like he may just be exchanging one Kingdom, for a Dukedom. Manuel raises what fresh troops he can and sails off to relief Naxos. They meet in the cold winter of December, suprised and scattered dug in around Naxos, John the II, King of "Jerusalem" and Cyprus is defeated. In March Nicosia falls and Cyprus is largely in Manuel's hands, the odd minor fortress soon falls, but he hesitates making peace, neogitating with Genoese, and Venetians, not finally settling peace with John till 1405, when he also buys the title of King of Jerusalem off him, vaguely planning to sell it, directly, or onto the Genoese and Venetians to some arrogant western prince.
And Timur's and Bayezid's war in the East?
Latin War
Date 1399.10.14 to 1405.1.4
Location Peloponnese, Aegean Sea, Cyprus, Eastern Mediterranean Sea
Result Destruction of Latin States left in Balkans and Cyprus
Territoial Changes Incorporation of Latin States into Byzantium
Belligerents
Byzantine Empire
Principality of Achaea
Duchy of the Archipelago/Naxos
Kingdom of Jerusalem (Cyprus)
Commanders
Manuel II (Byzantine)
Pietro I de Saint-Superan (Achaea)
Jean Le Maingre (French Marshal, Boucicaut)
Dimosthenes Tocco (Achaean Admiral)
Theodore Palaiologos (Despot)
Giacomo I (Naxos)
Demetrios Crispo (Naxosian Admiral)
Janus (Cyprus) (or John II)
Konstantinos Saraceno (Cypriot Admiral)
Strength and assorted Garrisons
4000 Infantry
6000 Soldiers
*1200 French Mercenaries
*2000 Achea Infantry
2 Galleys, 2 Cogs
*1000 Naxos Infantry
*1000 Cypriot Cavalry
*2000 Cypriot Infantry
1 Cypriot Galley
Casualties and Loses and assorted Garrisons
1100
4000
*1 Galley