CHAPTER 10
1314-1316
FEAR THOU NOT
On 6th day of February in the year of Our Lord 1316 the illustrious High Council of the Basileia Romaion have assembled to debate and advice the blessed Basilissa Autokratissa of the Basileia Romaion Martha Angelos, chosen by Our Lord and Savior as the Protector of the Christendom and Empress of the Romans.
Subject of the 47th High Council assembly: report of the Skrinion Ton Barbaron
Present members of the High Council:
- Leon Angelos, Magistros of Basileia Romaion and Grandmaster of the Brotherhood of the Holy Sepulchre
- Kyriakos the Norse, Strategos of Basileia Romaion and Captain of the Varangian Guard
- Laurentios Doukas, Sakellarios of Basileia Romaion and Doux of Coloneia
- Samuel of Klazomenai, Mystikos of Basileia Romaion and Mayor of Klaozemenai
and His Holiness the Archbishop of Konstantinoupolis and Ecumenical Patriarch Loukas, Ecclesiarch of Basileia Romaion
Minutes made by vestes Isaac, eunuch of the Imperial Palace
KYRIAKOS THE NORSE: He's late. Again.
LAURENTIOS DOUKAS: Mhm.
KYRIAKOS THE NORSE: He's always late.
SAMUEL OF KLAZOMENAI: :sigh:
KYRIAKOS THE NORSE: I hate it when he makes us wait.
PATRIARCH LOUKAS: Patience, my dear
strategos, is a virtue.
KYRIAKOS THE NORSE: He always does this when we're about to discuss the report of the Bureau of Barbarians.
SAMUEL OF KLAZOMENAI: It's no secret that
porphyrogennetos doesn't like to talk about barbarians, blessed
strategos. He prefers to act, with a sword preferably.
KYRIAKOS THE NORSE: Sword can't solve all our problems, illustrious
mystikos. You amongst all men should know it best.
LAURENTIOS DOUKAS: But aren't you a war hero yourself? You didn't seem to oppose the use of a sword while you were leading our armies during the Second Mongol Invasion, my friend.
KYRIAKOS THE NORSE: There is time for everything. We should use the time of peace to strengthen ourselves, not to declare another pointless war. Our borders are already too long to be properly protected against the raiders.
SAMUEL OF KLAZOMENAI: With all due respect, lord Kyriakos, why shouldn't we continue reclaiming our lands? Even the mighty Horde was defeated by the brave soldiers of the Empire. Don you remember the glorious triumph at the Hippodrome?
KYRIAKOS THE NORSE: I will never forget it. That's not important however – what matters is that we shouldn't conquer more lands.
SAMUEL OF KLAZOMENAI: Why not?
KYRIAKOS THE NORSE: Why should we? What could the Basileia Romaion gain from it? More levies? We all know how hard is it to maintain order in the newly conquered provinces and the local peasants aren't a good material for soldier when they pray to the false gods and don't even speak in Greek. We reconquered the province of Aigyptos decades ago and still the cursed Shia are rebelling. And not only there – or have you forgotten the last revolt in Ferrara?
SAMUEL OF KLAZOMENAI: They rebelled because the taxes were too high, not because they wished to secede from the Empire.
KYRIAKOS THE NORSE: Yes, but why the taxes are so high? Because we need a men to protect our citizens – lots of men. We share border not only with the Horde but also with the savages from the Far West, may I remind you. Not to mention the Shia who-
SAMUEL OF KLAZOMENAI: But the infidels are kept busy by a civil war right now, don't they? So why shouldn't we seize the occasion and crush them once and for all. The Empress herself promised this to king Gondar.
LAURENTIOS DOUKAS: Doux. He's a doux now.
SAMUEL OF KLAZOMENAI: It doesn't matter. The Christian kingdom of Nubia-
KYRIAKOS THE NORSE: Has fallen long ago and it's revival isn't in our interest. We've already established border with the Shia near Sennar – there is no need to push forward. Basileia Romaion owes nothing to Nubians.
PATRIARCH LOUKAS: Aren't you forgetting about something? There are Christians living in these lands, our brothers who are suffering under the rule of the cursed infidels. They must be liberated. This is our moral duty.
SAMUEL OF KLAZOMENAI: With all due respect Your Holiness, but didn't the last king of Nubia convert to the True Faith and promised to convert all his subjects as well? The Miaphysites are just-
PATRIARCH LOUKAS: They are not heretics, which was confirmed during the last ecumenical council. Or do you pretend to know more about the matters of Faith than me, dear Samuel?
SAMUEL OF KLAZOMENAI: Oh no, no Your Holiness! I was just trying to-
PATRIARCH LOUKAS: They are Christians. The Empire's holy mission bestowed on it by the Almighty God is to protect the faithful and rule over them. The ancient land of Abyssinia must be reclaimed.
KYRIAKOS THE NORSE: The Empress will decide about this, Your Holiness.
PATRIARCH LOUKAS: Yes. But as the members of this Council it is our duty to council Her Majesty – and as Christians, it is our duty to help our brothers and sisters in Africa.
KYRIAKOS THE NORSE: With all due respect, I won't advise the Empress to do this. There are other pressing concerns and basilissa already-
:trumpets:
EUNUCH: His Excellency, Caesar and Antypathos of Basileia Romaion, Grandmaster of Brotherhood of the Holy Sepulchre, illustrious
magistros of the Empire and Protector of the Realm,
porphyrogennetos Leon Angelos. All hail the caesar!
LEON ANGELOS: My lords. Your Holiness.
LAURENTIOS DOUKAS: My caesar.
SAMUEL OF KLAZOMENAI: Your Excellency.
PATRIARCH LOUKAS: Greetings, my dear Leon.
KYRIAKOS THE NORSE: You are late.
LEON ANGELOS: Matters of the state. I had to deal with the messenger from His Highness king Markos requesting our support in
reconquista. I promised him more troops – I believe this Council will accept this decision.
LAURENTIOS DOUKAS: Of course, caesar.
PATRIARCH LOUKAS: The Church will always support actions against the infidels.
SAMUEL OF KLAZOMENAI: Naturally, naturally.
KYRIAKOS THE NORSE: …
LEON ANGELOS: And now to business. First thing we need to discuss is the situation in the West. The savages had-
KYRIAKOS THE NORSE: Excuse me, my caesar, but what about the Bavaria? Did they agree?
LEON ANGELOS: Yes.
PATRIARCH LOUKAS: In the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit!
SAMUEL OF KLAZOMENAI: This is fantastic!
LEON ANGELOS: However, in return they demanded
hypobolon.
LAURENTIOS DOUKAS: Hmm. How much?
LEON ANGELOS: 900
hyperpera.
KYRIAKOS THE NORSE: Nine hundred? One can buy an army for this!
LEON ANGELOS: I believe that's the reason why they demanded so much. The regent also asked for our military support against one of the rebelling lords of Bavaria.
KYRIAKOS THE NORSE: But isn't that too much for a dower? Can we afford it at all?
LAURENTIOS DOUKAS: Yes, yes we can. The Imperial Treasury is in an excellent condition actually.
LEON ANGELOS: It's decided than. The High Council approves of this betrothal. All it takes now is for Martha to confirm this and the Empire will gain a powerful ally.
SAMUEL OF KLAZOMENAI: Too powerful, perhaps.
LEON ANGELOS: Excuse me?
SAMUEL OF KLAZOMENAI: The Bavarians are a rising power in the West. We should tread carefully to not allow them to grow too much. What if they decide to usurp the title of the so called Holy Roman Empire?
LEON ANGELOS: There is only one Basileia Romaion and as a good Christians the Bavarians know this. The king may be just a child but his regent, duke Giselbert, is too smart to try to betray us. They won't risk a confrontation.
KYRIAKOS THE NORSE: Unless he becomes corrupted by the power he has over the realm as a regent. We all know that this may happen.
LEON ANGELOS: Are you referring to doux Megistos? If so, you should remember that the God himself punished him for his crimes against the Emperor and make him mad. Alone and a broken man he withered, forever remembered as a traitor. But duke Giselbert is not a man like him. I wouldn't concern myself by such speculations.
KYRIAKOS THE NORSE: But what if-
LEON ANGELOS: Enough. Unless some of you would like to disagree with the Empress, I consider the High Council to completely support this betrothal.
LAURENTIOS DOUKAS: …
SAMUEL OF KLAZOMENAI: …
PATRIARCH LOUKAS: …
KYRIAKOS THE NORSE: …
LEON ANGELOS: Good. Now, the situation in the West.
LEON ANGELOS: As you know, the savages declared the war against the heretics from the Teuton Order on 16th August last year. The – where's the map? Oh, right. You may go now.
EUNUCH: Yes, my caesar.
LEON ANGELOS: The heretics situation was hopeless from the beginning, several castles against the Aztec armies.
KYRIAKOS THE NORSE: I still don't understand why the barbarians attacked the order.
LEON ANGELOS: Does it matter?
KYRIAKOS THE NORSE: Perhaps. They control these lands for decades yet they didn't even try to depose the king of France.
LEON ANGELOS: This “king” you are talking about is a heretic and a vassal to the kaiser of Germans. He has no more power than a doux of small
thema – he's irrelevant. And if the savages crush him one day like they crushed the Teutons I say good riddance!
SAMUEL OF KLAZOMENAI: They did resist for a long time though.
LEON ANGELOS: It matters not. What's important is that this conflict terrified all Germans so much that their kaiser finally managed to gain some real authority over his heretic subjects.
KYRIAKOS THE NORSE: Why should it concern us?
LEON ANGELOS: The German heretics are surrounded,
strategos Kyriakos. With the petty excuse for a state of the Bretons almost completely destroyed by the good Swedish Christians and kingdom of Bavaria slow but steady expansion, the days of this heretic stronghold are numbered.
SAMUEL OF KLAZOMENAI: And we want to support Bavaria conquer of Germany because of the betrothal.
LEON ANGELOS: Yes. The savages won't dare to attack the ally of the Empire, not after what happened the last time they tried to defeat us. Just like Aragon, Bavaria will become an impenetrable wall for the invaders from the Far West, thus separating them from the rest of the Christians.
SAMUEL OF KLAZOMENAI: I see. And if they attack, the war won't be fought on our territory.
KYRIAKOS THE NORSE: So they are not our ally – they are a buffer state.
LEON ANGELOS: Of course they are.
KYRIAKOS THE NORSE: But what about Pisa?
LEON ANGELOS: What about it?
KYRIAKOS THE NORSE: If they conquer the Germans before kingdom of Bavaria-
LEON ANGELOS: They won't. The doge Guarnito the Wise himself proposed a non-aggression pact. The Empress accepted it under the condition that Pisa won't intervene in Germany during the next 20 years.
LAURENTIOS DOUKAS: What? Why we find out about this only now? The Council-
LEON ANGELOS: The Council has nothing to say in this matter – it's already done. The secret pact was strengthened by a marriage between the Empress cousin and one of the doge sons.
LAURENTIOS DOUKAS: Of course, we will abide the will of the Throne. But why the secrecy?
KYRIAKOS THE NORSE: Battle of Calcinaia. The army would be greatly troubled if they knew that the Empire is negotiating with Pisans who slaughtered our elite troops. Many of the officers fathers or grandfathers were slained on the fields of Calcinaia.
LEON ANGELOS: Precisely. But they won't know about this – would they,
strategos?
KYRIAKOS THE NORSE: …
LEON ANGELOS: Good. There is another problem however. If I remember correctly, your predecessor excommunicated the Pisans after Calcinaia – am I right, Your Holiness?
PATRIARCH LOUKAS: Yes. But why-
LEON ANGELOS: Church must revoke the excommunication.
PATRIARCH LOUKAS: Oh!
LEON ANGELOS: Your Holiness, I find no pleasure dealing with Pisans or barbarians. But for the good of the realm this must be done.
PATRIARCH LOUKAS: Is it? May I remind you that however the Empress has the power over all Christians, only God Almighty has the power over the Holy Church. Nobody can dictate-
LEON ANGELOS: Haven't my niece already showed how much does she care about the Holy Church? Didn't she travel to the Holy Hierusalem to thank Our Lord for the victory over the barbarian hordes?
PATRIARCH LOUKAS: Well-
LEON ANGELOS: Didn't she showed her generosity by building two grand monasteries on the Mount Athos?
PATRIARCH LOUKAS: I didn't-
LEON ANGELOS: My father protected all of us against infidels, Mongol barbarians and heretics. My nephew destroyed the armies of the savages from the Far West who wanted to enslave us. My niece defeated the unstoppable Horde. My House is the shield of the Christendom. And you dare to oppose the Empress?
PATRIARCH LOUKAS: I would never-
LEON ANGELOS: The fate of the world depends on the Holy Church and Basileia Romaion and they without my House would be dust. We Angeloi were chosen by God to rule over His children. By disrespecting my niece, you are disrespecting God himself!
PATRIARCH LOUKAS: But-
LEON ANGELOS: You will do as you are commanded to. The excommunication of the Pisans will be revoked so that the Empire can grow strong and prosper. This is the what the Empress wants. And it shall be done. God wills it!
LAURENTIOS DOUKAS: God wills it!
SAMUEL OF KLAZOMENAI: Amen.
KYRIAKOS THE NORSE: …
PATRIARCH LOUKAS: O-of course,
porphyrogennetos. Please forgive me the moment of doubt.
LEON ANGELOS: Good. Now, is there-
EUNUCH: My caesar.
LEON ANGELOS: It better be important or I will have your eyes, eunuch. What is it?
EUNUCH: :whispers:
LEON ANGELOS: Dear God...
LAURENTIOS DOUKAS: Illustrious caesar, are you feeling alright?
SAMUEL OF KLAZOMENAI: Yes, is everything alright? You look terribly pale, Your Excellency. Should we-
LEON ANGELOS: The
jihad has been declared.
PATRIARCH LOUKAS: By God!
KYRIAKOS THE NORSE: For Nubia? I knew it! We have to-
LEON ANGELOS: No. For Hierusalem.
SAMUEL OF KLAZOMENAI: What? The caliph is attacking the Ilkhanate?
LAURENTIOS DOUKAS: Shia are attacking the Horde?
KYRIAKOS THE NORSE: That's great news. Let our enemies to bleed themselves out, then we will-
LEON ANGELOS: How
dare they! They are barely surviving in the depths of Africa and now they want to conquer the Holy Land? The lands were Our Lord Iesus Kristos has been preaching? The lands were He lived? Were my niece traveled during her pilgrimage?!
SAMUEL OF KLAZOMENAI: Caesar? You don't look good, shall we-
LEON ANGELOS: Not only that but the cursed Shia are
bold enough to try and take these lands from the Horde!? Do they believe that their false god will help them!? How dare they! HOW DARE THEY!
LAURENTIOS DOUKAS: For the love of God!
LEON ANGELOS: HOW DARE THEY! :choking:
PATRIARCH LOUKAS: Iesus Kristos!
LEON ANGELOS: HOW DARE THEY! :choking on blood: How... dare...
SAMUEL OF KLAZOMENAI: Caesar!
KYRIAKOS THE NORSE: Call in the physician! Call in the Jew!