The Reign of Georgias I Ducas (1574-1589)
Georgias I Ducas became Emperor after he infiltrated the Imperial Palace with a small group of his loyal soldiers and forced patriarch Makarios II to renounce his rights to the throne.
All Generals of the Imperial armies supported Georgias I, the revolution was successful and bloodless.
The Surprise War (1574-1576)
Turkey never expected Georgias I to attack them just after his coup. The sultan was shocked when he received the declaration of war, most of his troops were guarding the borders with Persia and Russia and were a long way from the provinces under attack.
Imperial troops started sieging Angora and Albania and Georgios I himself led an army to Egypt. All three provinces were captured in less than a year and after he lost some battles in Anatolia the sultan handed the Albania and Nile to Byzantium. Georgios I had managed to drive the last Turk out off the Balkan. Constantinople celebrated.
The Empire grows: the Nubian conquest (1577-1589)
Georgia’s I started improving the infrastructure in the newly conquered areas and improving the armament of his army. He equipped his forces with muskets and started to modernize the fortifications through the realm. Georgias I was so loved by his citizens that many of the fortresses were funded by gifts from nobility and merchants alike.
Georgias also improved the economy by creating the famous East-African Trading Company and protecting local merchants by forbidding foreigner to trade in Byzantin cities for over three years. When the merchants complained about the aged ships of the Imperial fleet and the reluctance of the Nubians to trade with them Georgias I acted.
First he started modernizing the fleet, captains had to learn how to use a compass and the range of naval guns was increased. Secondly he declared war on the Nubians.
Georgias I personally led the army that conquered Nubia and he quickly annexed the African state. The economy of the Empire was boosted with the increased slave and ivory trade.
Sadly Georgias I Ducas died from a tropical fever that had lingered in his body for over two years.
