1444, Byzantium Resurrects

On 27 September 1446, Skanderbeg led the Albanian coalition army in repelling the Ottoman Empire's forces once again, winning himself great fame and bringing a brief period of peace to his country.

However, this small victory was insufficient to deliver a decisive defeat to the Ottomans, who remained poised to attack at the Albanian border.

Meanwhile, in Hungary, the local nobles agreed to welcome Ladislaus, the posthumous son of the Habsburg family, as their new king — but only if Frederick III, his current guardian, relinquished his guardianship.

When this was rejected, the Hungarian nobles elected Hunyadi János as regent.

Meanwhile, the Hussites in the Kingdom of Bohemia refused to recognise Ladislaus's claim to the throne, and the Bohemians, supported by parliament, seized political power in Prague.

Eastern Europe was in chaos.

Meanwhile, Isaac had just finished his campaign around the port of Surt and returned to the city with slaves, livestock, and a small sum of money.

At Isaac's request, many newly converted tribal sheikhs sent their sons or brothers to the port of Surt, where they would board ships bound for Morea.

There, they would receive a Greek education at the theological seminary in Mystras.

"Your Highness, I have returned, and the second group of Dobrujan people has arrived."

The dusty Isult entered Isaac's study.

"Back already? Sit down and try this wine, brewed in a local desert oasis. The Muslims drink it in secret."

Isult did not hesitate, taking a big sip.

He smacked his lips.

"Not bad."

"Ha ha!"

"Your Highness, the second group of 2,000 tribal immigrants have arrived at the port. The Knights of Conte are escorting them to Saint Joseph's Land."

Isult said solemnly.

"What do you think of the administrative structure in the Surt region?"

Isult thought for a moment.

"It's generally good, but still a little rough."

"How about you start working on setting up an administrative system suitable for this place?"

Isult was both surprised and delighted.

"Your Highness, what about the immigrants?"

"I've asked Albert to take your place and develop the intelligence network along the Black Sea coast."

Isaac then announced the personnel changes that had been prepared.

Chamberlain Anderson was appointed Minister of Foreign Affairs and would reside temporarily in Constantinople to oversee immigration matters.

Albert would reside temporarily in Theodora and be in charge of immigration affairs.

The Minister of the Interior, Isult, began to officially exercise his authority and oversee the administration of the territory.

The Minister of Finance, Riddle, went to Port Surt to begin establishing the financial system.

"You currently have two main tasks.

"First, assist the Minister of Engineering, Lancelot, in building the city walls and the port.

"Secondly, he was to receive Orthodox immigrants as soon as possible to fill the gaps left by the Muslims who had been sold into slavery."

"That's what I thought."

"Good."

Isaac nodded.

The renovation of Surt Port was still underway.

The rebellious Muslims had been rounded up and sold, and Orthodox Christians had been brought in to replace them.

Agricultural peoples, such as the Greeks and South Slavs, were settled in cities suitable for farming. Meanwhile, nomadic tribes, such as the Dobruja Scythians, were assigned to oases and nomadic areas.

Those living in more remote, semi-arid grasslands, or even barren salt flats, were assigned to local tribes that had converted to Orthodoxy.

Such arrangements were crude, but they would suffice in the short term.

Isult had just left when Fidel knocked on Isaac's door.

"How was the harvest, Captain?"

Fidel grabbed a bottle of wine, took a swig, then spat it out.

"Your Highness, it was OK. We went as far as the Syrian coast this time, but the Mamluk emirs of Syria rebelled again."

"We raided the Mamluks' grain and slave ships, selling everything to Cyprus and the Knights Hospitaller for three thousand ducats."

"Those Mamluk ships were the oldest galleys, not equipped with firearms. They didn't even use crossbows much."

That's the truth. The Mamluks, who claimed to be the guardians of the Three Holy Sites, refused to use firearms in either the navy or the army.

They considered such things to be un-Islamic.

Later, during the Battle of Dardanelles, dozens of Mamluk small boats surrounded the Portuguese flagship, but were unable to attack.

"What else?"

"Karamán took advantage of the Ottomans' focus on Europe to raid the border. The Armenians in Ramazán rebelled, which was a common occurrence."

Isaac thought for a moment.

"Try to contact the remaining Armenian forces in Ramazani and Karaman and see if there is anything to be gained."

"Yes."

Isaac stayed in the city of Sult for a month.

During that time, there were occasional riots among the city's residents and some tribal sheikhs surrendered and then rebelled again. However, Isaac crushed them one by one.

By October, the city had basically calmed down.

At this time, Isaac was walking on the city streets.

He wore a cloak that covered his face and was accompanied by several agile bodyguards.

With the addition of refugees, the city had become slightly more prosperous.

Blacksmiths, butchers, grain shops, taverns and brothels had all opened.

Two passers-by were talking, and their voices reached Isaac's ears.

"Have you heard? Lord Isult has taken the lead in forming a city council, and merchants, priests, citizens, city guards and landowners from the surrounding areas will all be able to elect their own representatives."

"What are the council's functions?"

"It seems that they only have the right to make proposals, but at least it's a position, isn't it?"

The city council was an institution established by Isult at Isaac's suggestion.

Council members were selected from all sections of the city's population, received no salary, and could make proposals to the upper classes.

This greatly helped to coordinate ethnic conflicts within the city, increasing the sense of belonging of all social classes.

"City guard recruitment! No restrictions on ethnicity! Knowledge of Arabic or Greek is sufficient to apply!"

In the small square in the centre of the city, the city guard was recruiting new members.

This force was negotiated by Isult and Urda, with the merchants' association and the administrative department, each bearing half of the expenses.

The initial membership was set at 150, responsible for the city's security and defense.

Recruitment was announced in both Greek and Arabic, and quite a few people signed up.

Isaac continued walking and soon reached the city's largest well.

In fact, the area receives an average annual rainfall of 200 to 250 millimeters, which is not too low. The main cause of drought is the soil quality, as rainwater cannot collect and instead flows directly into the ground.

This has also led to the development of an extensive underground water system.

Well water is the main source of water for the residents, and the large wells in the city are currently controlled by the Purple Guard but will gradually be handed over to the city guard in future.

The advanced drilling technology developed for this underground water system means that many large wells from the Roman period are still in use today. The locals call them 'Roman wells'.

Currently, there are only around 5,000 people living in the city, approximately half of whom are immigrants, primarily Greeks and Slavs, as well as some Goths and Latins.

There is still sufficient water, but when the population grows, it will be necessary to drill additional wells.

"Stop!"

Isaac arrived at the military camp outside the city and was stopped by black guards at the outer perimeter.

He took off his hood.

"Greetings, Your Highness. Welcome."

He nodded and walked into the camp.

The overall situation was not bad. He walked around and found that the sanitation issue he was most concerned about had not caused any problems.

All the manure and rubbish from the camp had been cleaned up by designated personnel and placed in the nearest compost heap to be fermented and used as fertilizer.

Isaac approached a few soldiers at random and found that their complaints were mostly the same.

There was little entertainment, the food was monotonous, and they had few opportunities to see their families.

These were all very practical issues.

"What are your thoughts on the last sweep operation?"

Isaac asked Mehmed, who was on duty.

Mehmed thought for a moment.

"Our horses are clearly not suited to arid areas. They're fine on semi-arid grasslands, but if we enter the desert, we'll be defeated before we even start fighting."

"Continue."

"Our horses are mainly Cappadocian with some Central Asian blood, and they are no longer well suited to desert life."

"During our last sweep, many of our horses were unable to adapt to the climate, which reduced the combat effectiveness of our troops."

"Since you brought it up, I assume you already have a solution?"

Mehmed cleared his throat.

"Firstly, we could replace some of the draughts and pack horses with camels. You are already doing this."

"Secondly, we can purchase desert horses from local herders. These horses are mostly mixed breeds of Arabian horse and are better suited to dry climates."

"Finally, we should establish our own stud farm to ensure an adequate supply of horses. The area around Saint Joseph's Land would be ideal for breeding horses."

Isaac patted Mehmed on the shoulder.

"Very good! Do as you say and I'll write to Ghazi right away."

After another tour, Isaac returned to the city lord's mansion.

Isult arrived hurriedly upon a wave of his hand.

"Your Highness, what is it?"

"Four things. First, strengthen control over the city guard and the village militia. Some retired elderly soldiers can be appointed as squad leaders of the city guard."

"Secondly, arrange for the relocation of military dependents and designate some of the best land in the city as a residential area for them."

"The government will cover half of their relocation expenses."

"Thirdly, instruct your financial staff to purchase horses and camels from the herders and deliver them to the army."

"Fourthly, establish official brothels for the army. This will improve the soldiers' lives and generate income."

Isaac spoke slowly while Isult hurriedly took notes on parchment.

"That's all."

Isult saluted and left.

He was the busiest person in the city at that time. As the basic organizational structure had not yet been established, he was responsible for all matters, both big and small, in the city.

He was busy, but it was good to be busy.

On 10 October 1446, an embassy from Constantinople arrived.

John VIII commended Isaac for his efforts in expanding the territory, formally establishing the Grand Duchy of Surt and conferring on Isaac the title of Grand Duke of Surt.

A simple coronation ceremony was held, attended by clergy from Constantinople and Rome who recognized Isaac's ownership of the land.

The Diocese of Surt was established, with Elster as bishop.

No nobles attended the ceremony, clearly not believing that Isaac would be able to establish himself here.

Isaac chose a flag for his small duchy: a white background with a black eagle engulfed in flames. The eagle held a sword in its left claw and a staff in its right, symbolizing military and political authority.

The eagle also bore the Palaiologos family's coat of arms.

Although he didn't think much of it himself, Isaac's followers were very happy after he officially became an autocratic prince.

Perhaps this would appease them.

Two days after Isaac established his kingdom, the central government of Fezzan sent a mild letter of condemnation.

It stated that Isaac could keep the port of Surt, but he had to give up control of the tribe and stop missionary work.

Otherwise, they would launch a campaign against him.

Maruna read it out loud to everyone in a smooth tone, which caused them all to burst into laughter.

After dismissing the envoy, Isaac looked at his ministers below the stage.

"What do you think, Isaac?"

"Your Highness, our intelligence agency has revealed that internal strife is imminent in Tunisia and that they will not provide assistance to Fezzan. They clearly lack confidence in their ability to drive us out on their own."

Isaac turned to look at the army.

"If we go to war, what is your plan?"

"Your Highness, our army is still adapting to desert horses and camels, and has not yet formed a combat force. We cannot risk entering the desert and taking the initiative."

"If we fight a defensive war, we can extend the Fezzan army's supply lines and wait for an opportunity to engage in a decisive battle. We have a good chance of winning."

Isaac thought for a moment.

"Then so be it. Send the envoy back to report and surrender as soon as possible. There is still room for negotiation."

He threw the letter of condemnation on the ground.

"Notify Norwich to dispatch the new shipment of grain immediately."

"Inform Fidel to transport the First Legion of the Imperial Guard here at once."

"Inform William to send the profits from the colonies here as soon as possible."

"Inform all units to prepare for battle."

"Inform all tribes to assemble at Saint Joseph's Land."

Let's fight!

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