Eagle Byzantium

Next, the army of the New Roman Empire had no time to rest. The three armies were like eagles with spread wings, and their claws were like the wind. They pounced on the important coastal defense town of Durazzo: the Acropolites Army on the southern front had already stationed troops. At the Kastorian Pass, the Emperor's Middle Three The Wing Brigade arrived in Ohrid, and Bramson's Northern Army had already detoured deep into the Za'a-Dukria area, occupied the important town of Kotor, and began to besiege the coastal towns of Bar and Ulcinj. These two were the last bastions of resistance in Ducria.

At this time, the frightened city of Ragusa took the initiative to send an envoy to request surrender. Emperor Gawain graciously agreed and asked the trading city to provide an compensation of 25,000 Byzantine gold coins and send someone to receive it. The military workshops and craftsmen of Ragusa were taken away on the charge of helping the rebel enemy to make firearms, and they were preparing to move these equipment and personnel to Ohrid. "My generosity will set a good example for the Venetians." The emperor said proudly, the implication being that Venice should follow Ragusa's approach earlier.

At this time, the 25,000 Eastern Expeditionary Allied Forces had not yet left Durazzo and were about to be surrounded at the assembly area. The entire military camp was panicked and had different opinions.

In the city-state of Venice, the former consul Ferreille kept making hoarse speeches in the crowded Duke's Palace. His proud "Venetian pigs" also experienced great divisions. Many aristocratic senators wanted to fight with the new ones. The Roman Empire made peace, otherwise "the Venetian state would lose all its routes in the east within three years and its economy would completely collapse." We will be defeated, and our city fortress will be directly threatened and attacked." They raised their fists and violently demanded that the current consul pass the order as soon as possible, "Even if we bear a heavy compensation, we must survive and reunite with the kings. Making peace with the city and serving at sea under the new emperor was the only way to survive."

"This will only lead to an even more undignified death!" The white-haired Felaye's eyes were blazing, and he kept banging the small hammer in his hand on the pine wood lecture in front of him. He was heartbroken, "Negotiating peace and paying compensation is tantamount to inflicting damage on yourself." All the blood that can be used for fighting will be lost. In ten years, Gawain will become more fierce and powerful. He can directly cross the Istria Peninsula (the small peninsula on the east side opposite the Adriatic Gulf and Venice) to hunt down all our noble citizens. , from land.”

"Venice has never been captured due to its steep terrain since ancient times." Many people shouted.

"This time is different from the past. Gawain definitely wants us to die, because he is the emperor of Constantinople now and must let us die. If you don't want to die, you can only fight to the end - to hold on to Durazzo is to hold on Live at the gateway of the sea, so that Venice may still have life, otherwise in the future the tyrant emperor will step on the ruins of Venice and transfer all the maritime wealth and trade to Ragusa, Durazzo and Bari. Go to places like the city." Ferrier tried his best to persuade everyone, but the auditorium was full of fierce quarrels and desperate complaints. Even the current consul Piero was holding his forehead and leaning slumped on the edge of the lecture seat, not knowing what to do. After saying something, he finally sighed and looked up at the magnificent murals on the dome, "Is Venice going to turn into Carthage? This is really the most terrible curse..."

But in the end, the Venetians united and decided to hold on for a while longer. They sent forty galleys to garrison Durazzo and various coastal fortresses, recalled the army mercenaries from Crete, and once again gathered troops from the Slavic coastal areas. Recruiting new troops from tribes and islands, and spending resources to build fortresses in lakes and inland rivers, they must hold on to their lairs.

In addition, little Roger, who landed in Dalmatia, used the expeditionary force to establish a military regime called the "Kingdom of Carinthia", captured Slavic peasants everywhere to enrich the army, and also announced that the capital would be Zagreb Castle. ; and the other from Les The Zupan noble Zavida Negaman, who escaped from the Battle of Wono, went to the north of Zata to establish the "Kingdom of Hum" and formed an alliance with the lords of Bosnia, preparing to continue to resist. After all, the local nobles were very Die hard.

Under the barrier of these two emerging small kingdoms, the Venetians became bolder and began to continue to reinforce the Durazzo camp.

But Almos of Hungary refused. After Constantine Bertin conferred the title, he lost confidence in the entire war situation. In addition, after the split of the Pope, no matter it was France, Aquitaine, or England on the island, There is not much interest in fighting against the resurgent New Roman Empire. They all have their own interests to operate - or to some extent, this situation of the Holy See is actually a good thing for them, just like children in adults. Feel free to play in the garden after leaving home.

On the other hand, a group of poor nobles from Ireland and Scotland traveled across the ocean and came all the way to Tuscany, clamoring to protect the persecuted Pope Eugene. However, "they couldn't even put together a neat set of armor, and their equipment might not even be enough." The border people in Gaowen are far worse."

"Since even the eldest daughter of Rome is not willing to give her dowry, don't have any extravagant expectations for the poor younger daughter." This is what Almosh feels. Anyway, he brought this team here to centralize military power. If it is convenient to go back to seize power, do you want to be killed and captured by Gao Wenquan here?

When the gray waves of the Adriatic Sea brought the masts of Venetian ships, the so-called President Almoche clamored to leave with his army, unwilling to hold on to Durazzo.

The Venetian captains threatened that it would be impossible to provide you with a ship.

Almosh threatened everyone in return. If that happened, he would be willing to take 12,000 Hungarian soldiers and surrender to the Emperor of Constantinople directly along the Via Egnandia, and bring in the Greeks to annihilate all the friendly forces in the city.

The Venetians had no choice but to ask Almosh to make a promise, "Leave half of the people to help defend Durazzo."

When he went to war, the Hungarian King Coroman used three parts of the army, namely the royal court army, the state army with the Baro nobles as the core, and the self-employed Cuman and Szeke mercenaries. Now the Baros who went to war must go back, and they are unwilling to waste time and lives in Durazzo; and the mercenaries can only fight a favorable battle at most. Once the situation changes, they are often the first to slack off or even surrender to the enemy.

So in the end, Almosh agreed to leave the royal court army, because it was composed of all the small nobles in the country.

This also tells everyone the most simple truth: since ancient times, the first to suffer are the middle class and the petty bourgeoisie.

At the port of Durazzo, the pier was crowded with Hungarian compatriots who were abandoned by Almosh and "cursed passionately" at him. There were also many indignant foreign soldiers, and some people shot arrows at the boats. Almosh and Barro under the mast lowered their heads and kept asking the ship owner to sail as soon as possible.

With the president's dishonorable escape, the morale of the entire city of Durazzo fell into the abyss.