The Flame that Burns Brightest: Romans, Mongols, and Black Powder

[Dr. Hochmeister]

Great timeline so far, really like the slow buildup and subtle but realistic timeline for the discovery and utilization of gunpowder. I wonder if the stronger Byzantine presence in the Levant will be enough to prevent the Crusades entirely, I guess a lot depends on how the inevitable crisis after Theodora's death goes down and whether her successor manages to repulse the Turks. On the other hand though, some sort of crucible of unfortunate and desperate events is probably necessary to pressure the Byzantines into making the military and administrative reforms necessary to become a successful gunpowder empire.

The knockoff effects of earlier gunpowder on the rest of Europe will also be interesting to watch, I'd expect knowledge to spread relatively quickly to Italy via Venice and from there to the HRE and beyond. Assuming practical cannons are developed in the 12/1300's it basically short-circuits the golden age of castellation in Feudal Europe which will have all sorts of knock-on effects.

 

[Byz]

With how Rhomania is said to be continent-sized by the time the Mongols arrive, I wonder what areas Rhomania will control compared to Justinian's Empire.

Can't really answer that yet . I would say I'd consider the Justinian-age Empire to be "continent size" as well, all the way up until the Arab conquests, if you want a point of comparison.

Yup classic Roman crisis after crisis, or peace in between upheavals.

Indeed. Though pretty much every crises is OTL. Notably, one crisis Theodora has avoided is the destructive Pecheneg Wars, which really began the process of pulling things apart at the seams IOTL. A relatively stable northern frontier, at least for now, will help the romans as they have to contend with turks and normans. And for a state as big and resource rich as the Roman Empire, these years are actually something of a stable time

Great timeline so far, really like the slow buildup and subtle but realistic timeline for the discovery and utilization of gunpowder. I wonder if the stronger Byzantine presence in the Levant will be enough to prevent the Crusades entirely, I guess a lot depends on how the inevitable crisis after Theodora's death goes down and whether her successor manages to repulse the Turks. On the other hand though, some sort of crucible of unfortunate and desperate events is probably necessary to pressure the Byzantines into making the military and administrative reforms necessary to become a successful gunpowder empire.

The knockoff effects of earlier gunpowder on the rest of Europe will also be interesting to watch, I'd expect knowledge to spread relatively quickly to Italy via Venice and from there to the HRE and beyond. Assuming practical cannons are developed in the 12/1300's it basically short-circuits the golden age of castellation in Feudal Europe which will have all sorts of knock-on effects.

Glad you enjoy it! We're eventually gonna see some crazy stuff ITTL, but I want it to stay grounded and plausible the whole way. You're completely right that the byzantines really aren't there yet, though they have their strengths. It shouldn't be a major spoiler to say that things are about to get worse before they get better.

Western Europe's reaction to these events will eventually be one of the major pillars of this TL. They aren't really that relevant to part 1 with the exception of the adventurous Normans, but part 2 we're going to see some major changes going both ways as a result of interaction.

 

[Byz]

I'm feeling pretty excited about this TL, so the rate of updates is coming pretty fast. I'll definitely calm down in mid April, but for now, updating and your comments have been quite enjoyable

1050: A Roman military response in Italy chases off encroaching Normans, but fails to make headway into Sicily. The Empire, already strained by war, gives up on Sicily and makes peace with the Norman bands after nominal shows of submission are given to the Basileus, leaving them in control of Sicily and a few Italian fortresses in the Imperial name. The Roman army withdraws back to Europe, and immediately after the Normans begin poking around the frontiers again.

Turkic migrations and raids are starting to become a yearly occurrence in Armenia. While generally not so damaging as to threaten Roman cities or fortifications, they ravage the countryside, upsetting the agricultural economy. Those Roman commanders who are smart fall back on the actions of their ancestors; retreating the people into forts and harassing the raiders until they leave, sometimes being able to fall on retreating enemies and inflicting damage. The less intelligent commanders attempt to face the Turks in open battle, where the roman and armenian infantry invariably gets mauled by turkish arrow volleys.

1051: In a rarity, 1051 is spent at peace. Some minor Turkic raids cross into Armenia and the Normans begin laying the groundwork for future conquests, but nothing to warrant a major military response.

In Constantinople, the monophysite Armenian bishops are released after a great deal of theological argument. Theoretically, they have been brought into line, though the reality is that areas of common ground are emphasized and differences ignored. The attempt by Patriarch Leo to impose Orthodoxy on the East has been, in essence, an annoyance to the Armenian Church.

1052: Tyre is recaptured by the Fatimids. The Roman vassal state had become virtually independent over the years anyways, and for a floundering Fatimid regime, it’s a nice moral victory. In response, Theodora increases the garrison at Antioch, and the Romans make demonstrations in Syria, marching right up to the gates of Tyre. With a Fatimid army bearing down on them and the city’s defenses having been reinforced, the Romans content themselves with firing a volley over the walls and withdrawing.

Increasingly, the Romans’ edge in gunpowder weapons is deteriorating. Outside of the network of roman satellite states, roman neighbors built structures that were more fire resistant. The Romans copied them as well as they began to see siege weapons similar to their fire slingers used against them. Gunpowder weapons became a useful defensive weapon, but their usefulness on the offense receded. Like Greek fire, the sting of these weapons is fading, alongside the surprise.

Meanwhile in Italy, a Roman force is beaten back by the Normans, who again reassert themselves in Campania and Calabria. The Normans sack Churches, drawing condemnation from both Rome and Constantinople.

Patriarch Leo dies, his attempts to expand Orthodoxy and Church rule something of a dud. Theodora chooses a replacement that will go in a new direction, the bishop of Corinth, named Ioannes*. This time, none objected to her ability to select a priest, though many murmured about the particular candidate.

Patriarch Ioannes is a much more vigorous and energetic figure than Leo, who has been rising in the ranks for years. Starting out as a minor priest in Sicily, in the 1040s he was appointed to a more major see in Greece, eventually catching the Emperor’s eye. He has reformist tendencies, seeking to help the poor with the Church's wealth, and strongly believes it is his mission to protect the souls and bodies of God's children with charity and kindness. This has made him many enemies in the Orthodox establishment, but Theodora likes him for two reasons. First, his criticism of the great wealth of churches make him more likely to side with the State in dispute over monastic privileges. And more importantly, he is utterly loyal to Theodora, like many a man who grew up under the shadow Basil II. Ioannes sees the Macedonians as the natural rulers of the Empire and the protectors of the poor, which fits right in with his religious outlook.

1053: A Roman bishop from Ohrid, named Leo, draws up a list criticizing the western rite in regards to Chalcedonian Christianity, causing a great deal of annoyance in the papacy. The Pope is forced to swallow their objections, however, as the Normans defeat a large papal force sent to defeat them.

The Holy Roman Emperor unveils two fire slingers of his own, demonstrating the lack of secrecy around this weapon.

1054: After repeated raids and living under the shadow of the growing Norman threat, a papal embassy arrives in Constantinople. An alliance is quickly agreed to to curb the Normans, while a religious compromise is reached. Patriarch Ioannes actually gets along fairly well with the papal emissaries- both sides are reformist, and though they have serious disagreements about where the center of power in the Church should lay, the humble and christian nature of Ioannes impresses the Papal delegates. Bishop Leo is swept under the rug, and the delegates are made to understand his writings are not the official stance of the Patriarch. Despite this, the Romans maintain several issues they will not denounce. The idea of papal primacy is one, and the other that resurfaces at this time is the issue of the western addition to the Filioque (where those under the authority of Rome add “and from the son”). For now, the two sides agree to disagree, and strike the alliance.

1055: A Roman force returns to Italy. In open battle, the Normans are formidable, but Roman diplomacy turns the what is more a large quarreling band of mercenaries than an actual state against each other. Bribes cause a portion of the Norman force to defect, and the battle is won. The strongest intact Norman leader, Robert Guiscard, flees back to Sicily, and begins marshaling his strength there.

Discontent grows in the east. Continued zealous activity on the part of the Romans in Syria and Armenia systematically alienates the Christians there to their rule, and low scale revolts become common, especially in the countryside. Vassal states like Aleppo continued to be undisturbed by this, but the growing centralization efforts in Armenia and in parts of Syria sidelines muslims and Myaphisites alike. Even Orthodox Chalcedonians in these regions are disturbed by an increasing call to Orthodoxy, and the growing attempts by the Patriarch of Constantinople (most notably under Leo, but Ioannes also moves to expand Church authority) to subordinate the entirety of the east under their authority, even above that of Antioch or Jerusalem.

1056: A peace settlement is arranged between the Romans and the papacy on one hand and the Normans on the other. It is surprisingly light on the Normans. The western mercenaries had proven resilient, as fortresses in Calabria stayed under their control despite Roman sieges. The political will to dig them out of these fortresses in Italy and Sicily simply isn’t there for the Romans, and the papacy has no desire for Roman dominance of southern Italy. The Norman states are broken up, and a large part of Roman Italy is restored (in the "heel", centered around Bari), though Sicily remains under the centralized rule of Guiscard.

The reason the political will is not present is that Basileus Theodora is dying. All of the major players rush back to Constantinople, where the 76 year old Emperor lies on her deathbed. She had reigned for 14 years, far longer than anyone thought she would. She breathes her last, and is to be buried in the Great Church (Christ the Redeemer) she built, alongside her sister. When Theodora dies, the Empire is at a large territorial extent, but its control over its outer territories is sketchy at best. She is the last Macedonian Emperor, and with them gone, the Empire will not be the same.

Depiction of Theodora Macedon, by Bulgarian Painter Atanas Atanassov

*Ioannes is an original character who I could see arising in this environment ITTL. Unlike, say, the roman nobility, there are far more opportunities for members of the church to rise and fall with butterflies. IOTL, Ioannes would be someone blocked from advancement under muslim rule, though perhaps he had a small parish.

 

[Sceonn]

A nice precedent of a female reigning in her own right, this will make it easier on future Basilissa.

 

[HerodotosofBerlin]

Is tripolis still under roman control ?

 

[Byz]

A nice precedent of a female reigning in her own right, this will make it easier on future Basilissa.

Certainly a much better precedent than Irene!

Is tripolis still under roman control ?

Yes, though it's a vassal, not a province, and now right on the border with the Fatimids.

 

[cmakk1012]

So the formal Great Schism (as opposed to the informal doctrinal differences) is, for now, averted. That could easily change soon, but for now that’s a pretty big boon for the Romans. It helps that the Papacy and Romans have this common enemy in the Normans, and they’re not likely to go away soon.

This probably means that in the event of a Seljuk breakthrough in the East that Western European support will be faster and more vigorous. The Pope will be more willing to drum up support for a Crusade-like campaign earlier, at least IMO.

 

[MagicalPhantom345]

So who are the big players in the upcoming succession war/crisis?

 

[E_x_c_u_b_i_t_o_r_e]

Great timeline so far, really like the slow buildup and subtle but realistic timeline for the discovery and utilization of gunpowder. I wonder if the stronger Byzantine presence in the Levant will be enough to prevent the Crusades entirely, I guess a lot depends on how the inevitable crisis after Theodora's death goes down and whether her successor manages to repulse the Turks. On the other hand though, some sort of crucible of unfortunate and desperate events is probably necessary to pressure the Byzantines into making the military and administrative reforms necessary to become a successful gunpowder empire.

The knockoff effects of earlier gunpowder on the rest of Europe will also be interesting to watch, I'd expect knowledge to spread relatively quickly to Italy via Venice and from there to the HRE and beyond. Assuming practical cannons are developed in the 12/1300's it basically short-circuits the golden age of castellation in Feudal Europe which will have all sorts of knock-on effects.

Thats not gonna matter too much since most of the good gunpowder residue that can be found are on greece itself.

After all how do you think the Ottomans conquered so much in little time? europeans in general had to find good gunpowder relatively far and not really good quality level of a gunpowder.

 

[Byz]

So who are the big players in the upcoming succession war/crisis?

That will be the focus of the next update. I'm considering turning the TL I had for that into a series of short vignettes, because there are some colorful characters in this drama that deserve some fleshing out.

Thats not gonna matter too much since most of the good gunpowder residue that can be found are on greece itself.

After all how do you think the Ottomans conquered so much in little time? europeans in general had to find good gunpowder relatively far and not really good quality level of a gunpowder.

Interesting, I didn't realize just how rare it was in western europe until you posted this! I assume you're referring to saltpepper?

I also read Spain has some in western europe, which creates an interesting dynamic. I'll have to work some of my longer term plans around the fact of this mineral shortage.

 

[E_x_c_u_b_i_t_o_r_e]

That will be the focus of the next update. I'm considering turning the TL I had for that into a series of short vignettes, because there are some colorful characters in this drama that deserve some fleshing out.

Interesting, I didn't realize just how rare it was in western europe until you posted this! I assume you're referring to saltpepper?

I also read Spain has some in western europe, which creates an interesting dynamic. I'll have to work some of my longer term plans around the fact of this mineral shortage.

Learned it from a user from another tl, searched it and found it true. So it doesnt matter that the west knows it. What matters is how much they have and if it is high quality. Which is admittedly very low.

 

[Tabs]

Very interesting idea for a TL, to say the least. I’ll definitely be watching.

 

[Byz]

Constantinople

Great Palace

The purple-covered room smelled of sweet perfumes and incense, covering up the rotten smell of sickness and death emanating from Theodora's bed. It was hot in here, a roaring fire filling up the space uncomfortably, making Nikephoros sweat. Alexios was talking with the dying Basileus as Nikephoros and the others looked on. Well, more like talking at- it wasn't clear if Theodora understood a word the old Eunuch was saying.

"... always been your humble servant. We implore you to name him Caesar, for the good of the Empire."

Theodora let out a great shuddering breath before descending into a coughing fit, but her head tilted. Hurriedly, Alexios motioned for Nikephoros, who knelt before the Basileus in humble submission. Basileus Theodora opened her mouth, and spoke in a gasping breath.

“.... Zoe…”

Though keeping a pleasant face, Nikephoros inwardly sighed. Really, it didn't give him or his allies any joy to bother their Basileus on her deathbed, but it was her own damn fault for refusing to designate a successor. If they couldn't get Theodora’s approval, it'd mean civil war, or worse- a provincial coup. Nikephoros was not about to bow to one of those sheep herders.

Alexios quickly moved over and resumed his whispering to the Basileus. Not really sure what to do, Nikephoros stayed kneeling. The carpet was soft, but his bad knee was beginning to hurt. Behind him, various courtiers glanced between each other. It was critical they could say Theodora named him heir. They held the bureaucracy, but they needed the support of the army, and only the blessing of the last Macedonian could give them that. And if we have the army, that cabal of dynatoi can pound dirt.

Alexios spoke more clearly now. “Basileus Autokratōr, we beseech your wisdom and guidance. Do you approve of this noble candidate to carry on your legacy?”

Theodora’s head moved up. A general inhale swept the room as the Basileus considered Nikephoros. Kind of. She was looking in his general direction, or at least the spot of the floor he was near. Slowly, trying not to draw attention to his movements, Nikephoros scooted his prostrate body over, to place himself better in the center of her vision. Theodora’s glassy eyes seemed to almost be considering him.

Then her head sagged and she let out a long snore. The whole room let out the breath they had been holding, and Nikephoros began to panic. What in God’s name were they to do if this didn’t work? The story would certainly get out, and then it was open season. He doubted Komnenos, or Doukas, or whatever other aristocrat they chose would look kindly on him for his actions. He wondered, if he gave himself up, would his family be spared? Or would they-

“The Basileus has chosen”. Alexios’ high voice rang out, causing Nikephoros to break out of his thoughts. “You have all seen her. She nodded at Caesar Nikephoros. She approves of the choice.”

Murmurs of affirmation swept the room, turning into many voices speaking with relief. That was pretty much a nod, wasn’t it? The Basileus had held her head up, and then sagged it. If that wasn’t a nod, what was? There was no need to concern themselves- it was clear the old Basileus had agreed, and named an heir after all.They could all swear it to be so, and speak the truth before God and the Empire. Nikephoros quickly got up, and his friends in the bureaucracy began to bow to him and promise their loyalty. When no one was looking, he made sure to mouth a “thank you” to Alexios.

Three hours later, Basileus Theodora died. An hour after that, Patriarch Ioannes crowned Nikephoros Proteuon as Basileus of the Roman Empire.

Gangra

Theme of Paphlagonia

Anndronikos’ head was still swimming with anxiety as he was led to the Strategos’ tent. This was it. He wasn’t sure what exactly Strategos Isaac wanted from his men, but he knew that this was what they had been training for. The call had gone out- the enemy had invaded Rome. And there was only one enemy that could be- the Turks. Things must be worse than anyone had thought if they had penetrated this deep into Anatolia.

As he was escorted by the Norman infantryman serving the Strategos, he passed by officer Basil going the opposite direction. Andronikos gave him a friendly nod, but Basil merely tightened his jaw and walked on, looking slightly sick. Definitely worse than we thought.

Inside the tent, Andronikos saw a who's who of celebrities. Sitting down, reading a book, was an old priest he quickly recognized as the Bishop of Amastris. The brothers Constantine and Ioannes Doukas, both battlefield commanders of some note, nodded to him as he entered the room, both of them already dressed for battle with the enemy. And standing upright in the back of the room was the Strategos himself, with two attendants near him, keeping a hand on a gleaming scabbard and dressed as finely as Andronikos had ever seen a Strategos dressed. Andronikos didn’t think he had ever been in a room with so many important people.

He saluted, which Isaac acknowledged and dismissed. Having never been this close to Strategos Isaac before, Andronikos had no idea how to begin the conversation, and so fell back on military discipline, offering his men (a squad of only a dozen, paltry when compared to these notables) to Isaac’s command. Isaac smiled warmly, and graciously accepted.

“Officer Andronikos, it’s good to meet a loyal soldier such as yourself. We’ll need you in the days ahead. It’s time we take the fight to the enemy.” Andronikos gulped. If the enemy was nearby, his village might be in danger already. The Turks could outrun even Roman cavalry, let alone an entire army.

Isaac continued. “Foreign agents and selfish eunuchs have seized control of Constantinople itself. It’s time we saved the empire from their degeneracy.” Andronikos was shocked. What foreign agents? It was said the Queen of Cities could not be taken by any army.

“Who, strategos?”

Isaac’s smile was now tightlipped. “Doux Nikephoros Proteuon. It’s time we took back our country.”

Andronikos froze.

“My friend, I’m going to need your help. If I’m going to clear the court of the enemies of Rome, I will need good, strong men like you to fight with me.” He clapped Andronikos on the back, a little more forcefully than was called for. “And when it’s done, we’ll make sure the men who rendered loyal service are rewarded. What do you say, Andi?”

The officer was still young. He had heard tales of rebellions in the past, of the great Roman civil wars. But he’d never imagined that he could find himself caught up in one. Since Basil, they were simply not a thing that was done. The idea of fighting other Romans, his brothers- that was something to avoid at all costs. It could never possibly be worth it.

But Andronikos looked at the celebrities around him in a new light. He saw the would-be Emperor, clad head to toe in first rate armor, standing tall and proud, with a warm smile that was betrayed by hard eyes. He glanced at Ioannes Doukas, absentmindedly cleaning his sword with a cloth, standing between him and the exit. Next to him, his brother Constantine tapped his foot impatiently, keeping an eye on him at all times. Beside the Strategos, what must have been his son or nephew serving as an aide placed himself ready to jump between Andronikos and Isaac, while outside the tent still stood the Norman mercenary. Taking only a second, he made his decision.

“Of course you can count on me, my Basileus.”

A little bit of tension let out from the room, Isaac’s smile turning genuine. “Good man. There’s just the matter of the oath…”

And so Andronikos swore his sword and his fealty to Basileus Isaac Komnenos before God and the Bishop of Amastris, and his path became set. The Basileus gave him another indulgent smile before he left, then dismissed him and turned to the others in the tent.

He passed another officer, Michael, being escorted into the same tent he was leaving, but barely paid him any mind. His mind was racing. No matter what the truth actually was, that oath tied him to Basileus Isaac. Either he was to be a loyal man of the Emperor, or a traitor Nikephoros would put to death. He would have to get his own men to see things the same way.

One officer at a time, the Roman army in Anatolia rallied to Isaac Komnenos.

 

[Byz]

We'll resume the TL after this, just thought it would be fun to add a bit of color to this era. We won't start a narrative in earnest until Alexios' generation.

Both of these chapters are actually loosely based on events that happened OTL. Civil wars and succession is... messy. And I want to emphasize that, these sorts of shenanigans are happening every time there's a succession crisis.

 

[New Potomac]

Civil War was to be expected yet it is a shame all the same.

Very hilarious scene though of them dragging a near dead empress to court just so she could nod her head at a would be successor. Good update!

 

[Byz]

Civil War was to be expected yet it is a shame all the same.

Very hilarious scene though of them dragging a near dead empress to court just so she could nod her head at a would be successor. Good update!

Thanks! This is what OTL wikipedia has to say on the subject:

Theodora became gravely ill with an intestinal disorder in late August 1056. On 31 August her advisors, chaired by Leo Paraspondylos, met to decide whom to recommend to her as a successor. According to Psellus, they selected Michael Bringas, an aged civil servant and former military finance minister whose main attraction was that "he was less qualified to rule than he was to be ruled and directed by others". Theodora was unable to speak, but Paraspondylos decided that she had nodded at an appropriate moment.

Details reshuffled, but you can't say history doesn't have a sense of humor sometimes

 

[Byz]

1057: To succeed her Theodora (or perhaps her advisors) chooses Nikephoros Proteuon, the Doux of Bulgaria. Basileus Nikephoros III does not have Theodora’s strong position, however, and after over a decade of being kept out of power, the aristocracy coalesces around Isaac Komnenos, an accomplished eastern general, as their candidate, who leads a rebellion.

Nikephoros raises an army to crush Isaac from the European tagmata and marches into Anatolia to meet him. The battle begins, and Isaac quickly demonstrates himself as the superior military commander in a series of maneuvers. But though Isaac is able to gain the advantage, both sides have disciplined troops, and it is a bloody slog to victory for the Komnenos. In a bloody clash outside Nicomedia over 3 days, Isaac and his men ultimately emerge victorious. Unlike the revolt of Maniakes, this one is devastating to Roman arms; with over 5,000 casualties on Isaac’s side, and over 9,000 on Nikephoros'.

Fleeing to Constantinople, Nikephoros is assaulted by a man with a large firestick, setting off a burst of flames in his direction. He narrowly escapes the assassination attempt, and horribly scarred, he vows to fight on. He attempts to enlist Patriarch Ioannes' assistance in providing funds, which Ioannes refuses. He has no love for Isaac, but is not willing to involve the church in this fratricidal conflict.

1058: But when Isaac approaches Constantinople, the crowd comes out in his favor, and Nikephoros is forced to flee. In the violence, Nikephoros’ sons are killed, eliminating any possibility of a peaceful resolution. Isaac gets to work settling accounts; having come from the eastern provinces he well understands the threat of Turkish raids. With a strained but not empty treasury, Isaac is able to promote an expansion of military service in eastern and central Anatolia in exchange for tax breaks, harkening back to the old theme system. Over the following years, this would provide a steady trickle of manpower to the Anatolian armies. He also cut many court salaries held by urban officials, many of whom had fought against him in the rebellion.

1059: Betrayed, deposed, and mutilated, a bitter Nikephoros arrives in the court of Tyrek, the leader of the Pechenegs, who has been on the Imperial payroll for more than a decade. He is unable to convince him to help invade the Empire, but does draw together a small band of minor Pecheneg chieftains, who invade with promises of riches in Constantinople and Thessalonika in exchange for seating Nikephoros on the throne. Isaac draws together the European tagmata, battered by civil war, and marches out to put down the rebellion. In the meantime, several towns in Bulgaria are sacked as the pechenegs make their way to Thrace.

1060: Determined to not leave the eastern frontier unguarded, Isaac makes a gamble, drawing only from European forces and not any Anatolian ones. Barely outnumbering the Pecheneg invaders, he nonetheless defeats them in battle, driving off their forces and reducing the foe to a handful of Nikephoron partisans. Nikephoros cuts his way to Isaac and is cut down by the Varingians, screaming his vengeance. But before his death, he delivered a sizable wound to Isaac's leg. Isaac is magnanimous to the surviving Pecheneg tribes, returning them to the Pecheneg Khan, who is put back under the Imperial payroll, and swears eternal bonds of friendship. He does, however, parade the chieftains before Constantinople and have them executed, a clear warning to future interventions.

1061: As the emperor looks west, a large turkmen raid crosses into Armenia, driven off by Katakanos Katakalon. This action nonetheless led to a shift in power- the Turks had demonstrated an ability to raid Rome and carry off much wealth, even if a good portion of their force had been wiped out. The Marwinids, longtime Roman vassals, begin to favor the Seljuks, as that great Turkish Empire begins dominating the lands up to the Euphrates.

Isaac’s wound by Nikephoros begins to fester. The now limping Emperor faces a new budget deficit thanks to the Civil War, and begins working on a reform to the taxation system. Isaac seeks to establish obligations for cities to pay taxes, rather than drawing from general themes. This would in effect shift some of the tax burden off of the rural poor, who are so heavily taxed that tax evasion has become commonplace, to the urban poor and middle class.

Not content with simple tax reforms, Isaac begins to reform the administration. The Basileus begins to staff as many positions as he can with aristocrats from major dynatoi families (including his own), and cracks down on any instances of creating eunuchs in the provinces to limit new members. But the Roman bureaucrats are simply too vast an institution to get rid of whole cloth, and fight back by slowing and obstructing Isaac’s reforms. Isaac’s tax plans are continuously shelved as a result.

1062: Isaac dispatches his friend, Constantine Doukas, to Sicily, to fight the Normans. Constantine is ambushed and killed by Robert Guiscard’s forces, though a good portion of the army is able to withdraw. This first attempt to reconquer lost territory instead emboldens Guiscard, who rallies his forces for a renewed offensive in Italy.

The Basileus becomes increasingly ill. In Constantinople, this triggers outright street fighting between Komnenian and bureaucratic factions; Komnenian supporters accuse the eunuchs of poisoning Isaac. In reality, the Basileus is suffering from the wound delivered to him by Nikephoros, which has never truly healed, but this does nothing to quell rumors. A massive riot erupts in the middle of a chariot race on a particularly hot august day that starts rampaging through the city. Komnenian supporters are outnumbered, but have the support of elements of the army, still within the city. The Imperial government is initially paralyzed by Isaac’s sickness, and at first the rioters begin to kill Komnenian supporters, but when Ioannes Doukas aggressively intervenes with the army, it quickly turns into a bloodbath for pro-bureaucratic rioters and anyone caught up beside them. Over the course of a day, almost 8,000 Romans lose their lives on both sides, mostly civilian rioters. Things would have been far worse if not for the personal intervention of Patriarch Ioannes, who organizes churches throughout the city to act as places of sanctuary. It is not forgotten by citizens of The City that the Church did a much better job protecting their lives than the Imperial government.

Now nearing death, Isaac names Ioannes Doukas, Constantine’s brother, heir to the throne. In doing so, he passes over his own family, desiring to see a reliable military commander over nephews or brothers. This is both selfless and practical- after the riots, Ioannes had placed himself as the leading candidate for the army by his quick action, and hard line against enemies of the Komnenids. Whatever the case, it is one of Isaac’s last acts, as he dies before the new year.

 

[Byz]

This update sets the scene for what next update will be all about: the constant, desperate frontier struggles that will define Ioannes Doukas' reign.

1067
Manzikert

The knight rode deliberately forward, seemingly unconcerned with the dozens of bows pointed at him. Hoisting a flag of truce in one hand and a his weapon in the other, and kitted out with full armor, he moved forward, past the frontlines, towards where the Turkish commander stood. Next to the Turk were his siege works, an impressive display of might that had made this siege, which had already lasted the better part of a month, nearly impossible to repel. It was time to put an end to it, before these Turks could kill them all.

"Come, Roman. What are your terms?" The Turk spoke in badly accented Greek, which suited the knight just fine, as he was, after all, a Norman by birth.

"I have offer for you from Commander Nikephoros", the knight began casually, moving closer and closer to the Turk, whose bodyguards moved forward, placing themselves between the two of them. Unbothered, the knight moved parallel to the Turk, towards his real target, and drew the large bag from his saddle. "Leave, and your lives will be spared."

As he spoke, he flung the pack at the siege works, lighting the fuse and turning to go. Immediately, the Turks began scattering and peppering him with arrows, which bounced off his armor harmlessly. Still, if they hit his horse, he was dead, so the knight rode as fast as he could, not even turning when he heard the sound of an explosion behind him. It was only later, when he had finally returned to Roman lines, that he looked back, and saw the devastation the greek fire had wrecked on the Turkish siege works.

Roussel de Bailleul smiled, and immediately went to collect the pile of gold promised by the Greek quartermaster for any man mad enough to do this. Fortune, it seemed, favored the bold.

 

[Byz]

Do people prefer less detailed timeline posts with more little vignettes, or more detailed TL posts with only occasional narrative posts at major moments?

For example, in the coming update, the Patriarch will force Ioannes to do penance for his actions in the riot before crowning him. This will be a paragraph in the TL. But for future similar events, I could make that confrontation have its own vignette, and gloss over the implications in the TL only briefly.

Curious to hear feedback.

 

[unix_fan]

I personally prefer a more detailed timeline. I need context for some of these.