The issue of Epirus was resolved.
But who could ignore the nearing, far greater problem? As expected, Serbia was defeated by the wrathful Ottoman army. Though the exact battle reports were unknown, the scale of the defeat must have been significant for the news to reach southern Greece so quickly.
Naturally, the direction of the Ottoman’s next strike was clear—their army had begun its southern march.
However, the most critical strategic objective of this war was not victory on land.
The conflict was more about the proxy war between the Ottomans, who had launched a new fleet to dominate the Aegean Sea, and the Venetians, who had sent their fleet to protect their dominance. The empire was too weakened to play a leading role. Despite seven long years passing and battles raging on former imperial territories, it remained a feeble city-state, swept along by the tides of current affairs. That was the harsh reality of the empire.
Bitter as it was, what could be done?
Victory at sea went to Venice. No matter how much the Ottomans trained, their sailors couldn’t match the centuries of accumulated maritime expertise of a naval nation like Venice. Comparing Ottoman sailors to Venetian seamanship and naval warfare skills was an insult. Venice thoroughly crushed the emerging challenger, sinking or capturing most of the Ottoman ships.
Reports came in that at least fifty ships had been lost. Rebuilding a fleet of that size would take more than a decade. Yet, it was too soon to be relieved. The Sultan might compensate for the naval defeat by launching a direct assault on Morea.
Of course, Venice was well aware of this.
Naturally, they proposed a crucial deal to the empire. Naturally, it was accepted. The deal offered a means to deter the Ottomans: the claimant to the throne, Mustafa, whose demand had sparked this war. This card in hand could provoke division within the Ottomans.
Additionally, with the arrival of prearranged news, it became clear that all preparations were complete.
“Your Highness, Serbia has raised its army once again.”
Their haste would be their downfall. While the Ottomans were busy attacking Serbia, they deemed me a greater threat due to my rapid expansion and turned their forces around. The peace negotiations between Serbia and the Ottomans collapsed with the intervention of a third power. The messenger named that third power: Hungary. This unexpected development was somewhat startling.
Sigismund, leading the Bohemian-Hungarian union, should be preoccupied with the Hussite heretics in Bohemia. Was the war situation more favorable than anticipated? Or perhaps the Ottomans were perceived as a significant threat. However, Hungary’s intervention alone couldn’t explain Serbia’s swift decision to reengage in battle. The will broken by defeat isn’t easily restored, no matter the foreign aid.
I could vaguely guess the cause.
“Sophia… So, there was another means.”
Given my low opinion of Stefan’s judgment, I doubted he had made such a bold decision on his own. If anyone could manipulate Stefan, it had to be Sophia. How? With Ivania closely monitoring her, it seemed unlikely. Yet, Sophia, being of noble court origin, must have found a way to deliver her messages. Perhaps the Jews she had previously employed were involved.
Thanks to Sophia’s instigation, Stefan had raised his army again. Combined with Hungary’s unexpected intervention, it became possible to force the Ottomans into a two-front war. This completed the preparations to halt the Ottoman advance southward.
The annihilation of their proud fleet, the two-front war prompted by Hungary’s involvement, and the throne claimant handed over to their enemy—had it not been for these reasons, the Ottomans would have attacked the empire without hesitation. But now, the Sultan had a more pressing issue: repelling the Hungarian-Serbian alliance.
As a result—
“—Therefore, the Sultan criticizes the empire’s betrayal and demands the immediate return of the unlawfully occupied territories to their rightful owners.”
—before me stood a overconfident envoy. That the Ottomans had sent an envoy was surprising. Instead of wielding their sword against the empire, which had seized control of southern Greece, they chose diplomacy. Only then could I savour the surge of emotion.
Since I first understood the world, striving solely for survival and continuity, I realized it hadn’t been in vain. In this moment, amidst the weight of responsibility and despair, I felt elation.
At last… the empire had grown to be a threat to the Ottomans.
“Did I mishear? As a loyal ally, We only stopped rebellious groups that were being disloyal. The real issue is their arrogance in response to our help, which deserves criticism…”
“…You are insane.”
The furious Ottoman envoy. But it was too late. Returning the painstakingly reclaimed southern Greece to the Ottomans would be madness. Yet, a pretense had to be maintained. The envoy was enraged as if ready to lash out, but in this war, the one holding the reins of negotiation was not the Ottomans. Not even Venice, despite their significant contributions to victory.
The empire, once a declining object of others’ greed, had become the subject of this negotiation. Thanks to the unfavorable circumstances for the Ottomans, much was granted, and even more was gained. But was it a profit or a loss? To know this, one must first recall what had been yielded.
Except for Athens and Thebes, the city-states were returned to their original rulers or their relatives. Epirus was also recognized as an independent principality, not part of the empire. Major ports were relinquished to Venice, and the tribute owed to the Ottomans increased significantly—an amount that could be seen as a de facto declaration of Allegiance.
So, what was gained by these negotiation?
Although the city-states returned to their original rulers, they could not avoid a restructuring of their governance. ‘People’s Assemblies’ were established in each city, and the method of transferring ruling power was changed to require election through these assemblies.
Moreover, ‘legal advisors’ dispatched from the empire were granted the authority to oversee these elections, ensuring the city’s governance remained under the empire’s influence. Additionally, any legislation or amendment required the near-mandatory consent of these legal advisors, effectively stripping the rulers of their freedom.
In exchange for the empire covering the tributes the city-states originally had to pay, the city-states were arranged to pay taxes to the empire instead. This was clearly a disadvantage to the city-states, but it allowed the empire to station troops under the pretense of maintaining order.
The basis for the legal advisors’ forceful authority lay here. The assemblies, established to aid rulers in proper governance, inevitably fell under the empire’s influence. Furthermore, the entity to whom taxes were paid directly correlated with who held dominion over them.
The recipient of the taxes would naturally become the object of their loyalty.
Epirus was no exception. Though recognized as an independent state, its ruler was a member of the imperial family. Even if the connections were to be severed, the bond of blood made it always possible to form alliances. In anticipation of this, Thomas was beforehand supported as a prince. The Ottomans surely understood this, but for now, the Hungarian army was the more pressing concern. The envoy could only create a small opening for future opportunities.
Thus, southern Greece slipped from Ottoman influence. Though nominally a vassal of the Sultan, it was, in effect, no different from imperial territory.
The day the Ottoman envoy left, biting his lip, I leaned back against the throne in Athens’ court, wiping away the cold sweat that had unknowingly formed. It had been a risky act. One misstep, and the gamble could have led to total ruin. The fear when the alliance chosen to counter the Ottomans nearly brought the empire to its end was immense.
“…A triumph, wouldn’t you say?”
Though it felt awkward to say it aloud, such results might finally quiet the hardliners in the capital. Southern Greece, including Epirus, had been fully reclaimed from the Ottomans. There might be regretful murmurs, but no outright condemnation. For the first time in over a century, the empire had reclaimed territory. Even though luck and foreign intervention played roles, the achievement belonged to the empire.
Yet, the lingering unease and the throbbing in my chest urged that now was not the time to rest.
With the possibility of an Ottoman re-invasion nearing, it was crucial to stabilize the reclaimed territories and continue expanding and training the army. Although the Ottomans had retreated, I couldn’t shake the thought that they had done so more easily than expected. There was another reason behind their withdrawal, and uncovering it was essential. Knowing why the Ottomans pulled back might reveal the end of this relentless struggle.
But…
For today, let’s rest.
I had earned a moment of self-congratulation.
TL : Constantine is 17 at this time which is kinda crazy. but not that crazy compared to other fictional novel mcs where mc at 5 year old can fight toe to toe with a knight of the strongest family. This is the novel I am talking about you can check it out Its also interesting but has same plot as the 1000 other novels you might have read :
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