“For His Majesty’s well-being!”
With cheerful smiles, people with flushed cheeks twitched as they drank their fill of wine. Although they might suffer from hangovers later, they seemed unconcerned about the consequences. It was clear they didn’t want to waste their joyful day with unnecessary worries.
Athens, finally reclaimed after nearly 200 years.
Athens, long lost from the empire’s embrace, had truly returned through the restoration of the Church of the Parthenon. Today’s festival celebrated this restoration, and more broadly, the reclamation of central Greece. Naturally, the people of Mistra were overjoyed.
The imperial scholars who had fled to Morea shared the same sentiments.
“To think that you would achieve this much…”
Amidst the joyful, swaying crowd, a man murmured to himself. It had been ten years since he fled the declining capital and settled in Mistra.
Back then, disappointed by the carefree Prince Theodoros, he lived quietly. Adding to his despair, the new prince, Konstantinos, was barely ten years old.
He had lost hope and devoted himself solely to his studies.
Yet, ten years later, what did he see? The achievements of the young Prince Konstantinos made him feel foolish for his hasty judgments. Though criticized for his marriage issues, even that was aimed at securing a beneficial alliance for the empire.
There were rumors about a female mercenary captain, but they were baseless fabrications.
Upon closer examination, no ruler seemed as ideal as the current prince.
He was neither blinded by women nor consumed by excessive greed. He made bold decisions that could provoke political backlash and had the wisdom to exploit his opponents’ weaknesses.
How many such temperate yet passionate leaders existed? A young man who had forsaken personal desires, dedicating everything to save his crumbling homeland.
Perhaps this is why people respected the prince.
The passion that seemed to be fading was finally bearing fruit. The faint expectations placed on the perceptive child had grown beyond control.
Prince Konstantinos had become the last beacon of hope for the declining empire, the only leader with the capability to overcome numerous crises.
Only his presence could persuade the master.
Many scholars turned away, shaking their heads at the empire’s downfall, including the man’s mentor. A follower of ancient culture from the classical world, he once advocated for simplifying the tax system to escape the empire’s harsh financial policies but was ignored. He was the greatest scholar in the Balkans of his time.
“If only Master would assist His Majesty…”
The man, sharing his mentor’s lament for the faltering empire, grew fond of the prince, who was tirelessly working to revive it. Though he might not be capable, he believed his mentor, with his keen analytical skills, could help. After much deliberation, the man rose, deciding it was time to visit his isolated master.
- As a result of these events, Georgios Plethon, the man’s mentor, fell into an unusually long contemplation.
Though not one of his favourite students, few of his disciples, shunned by both the government and the church, remained. Pleased to see a student after so long, he listened to his tale and ended up here.
Though he had devoted himself to scholarship after turning away from the empire, he hadn’t entirely abandoned the world.
This aged but still brilliant scholar was well aware of the kind of person Prince Konstantinos was. Indeed, anyone who considered themselves Roman had likely though this: What if Prince Konstantinos had been the eldest son?
Plethon was among them.
The difference was that Plethon didn’t stop at mere regret; he sincerely believed it. Though he had no opportunity to express his views publicly, Plethon truly thought that if the empire hoped for revival, this was necessary, especially considering the prince’s abilities.
Over the past seven years, Prince Konstantinos has developed the previously insignificant standing army of Morea into a formidable force of 3,000.
Moreover, he demonstrated tolerance towards those who embraced the empire’s laws and decentralized some of the power long concentrated in the central government to local assemblies.
Given Plethon’s belief that the centralization of power led to frequent civil wars and corruption, it is natural for him to have a favourable view of the prince’s actions.
Despite being preoccupied with confronting the Ottomans, the prince paid meticulous attention to maintaining stability. Thanks to the well-stocked supplies accumulated over the years, there was minimal enlistment, and the disciplined military parades held before the citizens instilled confidence. Though not a master diplomat, the prince possessed the qualities of a commendable military leader.
His composed and solemn demeanor, combined with an confident presence, painted him as a commander who was unwaveringly confident in victory. Plethon was convinced that the prince was fully leveraging these qualities.
What of his private life?
Despite some unsavory rumors, the citizens could hardly imagine the prince leading a immoral lifestyle. Had he been so inclined, he would have already taken liberties with the maids, yet the reality was that he remained isolated in his office, rarely sparing even a glance.
The saying that he preferred to invest in strengthening a soldier’s armor rather than lavish decorations and ceremonies was no exaggeration.
This frugality, modesty, and asceticism embodied Plethon’s ideal ruler—a philosopher-king. Being deeply engrossed in ancient philosophy, Plethon had a strong desire for such a ruler. In the current era, if one were to choose the most philosopher-like sovereign, it would undoubtedly be Prince Konstantinos.
The issue, however, lay in whether he was skeptical of religion.
Plethon’s true reason for being shunned by the government and the church was not his advocacy for tax reform. He had argued that the church was no longer essential for the empire’s survival and had called for a return to ancient philosophy. His belief that the ancient paganism, once the heart of the classical world, was the key to reviving the empire had driven him into seclusion.
“The real question is how His Majesty would regard such ideas…”
Prince Konstantinos might be the ruler most likely to support Plethon. In an era where religious fervor verged on fanaticism, the fact that he had not launched widespread oppression against the Western Church was sufficient evidence.
Would the prince accept him?
For the first time in a long while, the old scholar felt a spark of hope and expectation.
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