Chapter 61: Forced by Circumstances, Prepare for Peace Talks
The Bulgarian system is similar to that of Western Europe, with a dozen great nobles and countless small nobles forming the political system. If the Bulgarian tsar is ruled by a weak tsar, it can only maintain superficial unity.
You want centralization, but those nobles don't think so. They only want to expand their family power and are very easy to be fence-sitters.
For example, the attitude of the emperors of the Palaiologos dynasty when the Ottoman Turks captured Philadelphia, the last city of the Byzantine Empire in Asia Minor. For many years, Philadelphia relied on its strong city walls to resist the attacks of the Turkish army and was unwilling to retreat or surrender. It was not until 1390 that it finally fell into the hands of the Ottoman Sultan Bayezid. Some famous local families, including the famous Tagaris family, led the military and civilians of Philadelphia to fight against the enemy.
During the period when Philadelphia fought against the Turks, the attitude of the Pope of Rome was that if the city supported the Pope and believed in Catholicism, it could provide military assistance. George Tagaris, one of the members of the Tagaris family, agreed to the Pope's suggestion, and later he did become a Catholic. Another member of the family, Paul Tagaris, was originally an Orthodox clergyman, and once disguised himself as the Orthodox Archbishop of Jerusalem. When his impersonation was discovered, he fled to Italy, where he announced his withdrawal from the Orthodox Church and joined the Roman Church. In 1380, Pope Urban VI was deceived into appointing him as the Catholic Archbishop of Constantinople. But around 1385, his deception was discovered, he was arrested and imprisoned, and was not released until 1389.
However, because of the Ottomans, the Bulgarian regime had an opportunity to reorganize. Mircea understood that only with the support of small and medium-sized nobles could he gain a foothold here.
For this reason, Mircea decided to use the method of land ennoblement to regain them. But the specific measures are still to be discussed.
Peter also knew that this was a way to quickly increase the loyalty of the nobles, but if a large number of ennoblements were made, it would cause the power of local nobles to grow, which was not a good idea for Peter who wanted to build a centralized power.
And as expected, Peter was appointed as the governor of Bulgaria by Mircea. His power was greater than before, granting him the power of life and death and the power to mobilize troops to attack.
As for the Bulgarian Tsar, Mircea was going to go to Nicopolis after signing the peace treaty. He should be quite sensible.
After a short rest, the father-son coalition began to move south. It was necessary to show Bayezid that the Ottomans were also under siege.
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At this time, Bayezid had also fled back to Edirne.
The defenders had never seen the Sultan like this, especially the army behind him, which was completely different from when they set out.
Grand Vizier Ali Pasha was summoned to the palace, and he had another bad news in his hand.
"Grand Vizier, I didn't follow your advice before and eliminated Wallachia in advance. Now I have failed. I really regret it!"
Faced with Bayezid's regret, Ali Pasha didn't say much, but talked about another news: the Crusaders were preparing for the Eastern Expedition.
Bayezid was shocked when he heard the news. He should have thought of it earlier. How could those arrogant Europeans give up such a great opportunity? It was already embarrassing enough to lose to Wallachia. If they continue to lose now, what are they doing in the Balkans?
"How many troops do we have now?"
At the current rate, we can get 20,000 troops from Anatolia before the enemy arrives.
"That's not enough!" Bayezid said.
Although he can resolve the cavalry attacks from Eastern Europe, he can only fill in the heavy cavalry from Western Europe.
"Sultan, in order to let the empire concentrate on dealing with the West, I suggest that you sign a peace treaty with Wallachia as soon as possible."
Ali Pasha said the method that Bayezid least wanted, to negotiate peace with Wallachia.
To negotiate peace means to recognize the borders of both sides. Especially the Ottomans, they will lose the two important cities of Burgas and Sofia; at the same time, they also have Bulgaria as a vassal.
Why did the Ottomans expand so quickly? Because during the reign of Murad I, the Ottomans had a bunch of vassal states in the Balkans. They used the tributes paid by these countries to attract Turkish immigrants from Anatolia. This is what created the current Ottomans.
But now, Bulgaria is gone, the city is lost, and the most loyal Serbia has been beaten to pieces. Fortunately, Anatolia did not get the news, otherwise...
"Sultan, we can only do this. When the Western army arrives, they will attack Wallachia together, and that will be really desperate."
The Grand Vizier is right. It is not shameful to negotiate peace temporarily. Didn't the ancestors also become vassals for a while to get their current status? Moreover, if Wallachia takes this opportunity to go south to Edirne, it will be really over.
Stabilize Wallachia first, and then deal with them after the Crusaders are dealt with.
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As for the Crusaders, the armies formed by Venice, Genoa, Naples and other countries began to enter the Aegean Sea by sea; the Western European Crusaders such as France and Burgundy moved along the Danube River in the Holy Roman Empire and entered Hungary; they were joined by some fanatical peasants on the way, but their goal was not the Holy Land, but to make a fortune.
Under the propaganda of the Catholic Church, they believed that in addition to those green pagans, there were also heretics who were bewitched by Constantine. And they went to make these people "change their minds".
The lower-level soldiers were jubilant, but Sigismund's face was a little ugly. Because he had just received the news that Mircea had rejected his suggestion.
What, this is inflated, thinking that he is a hero of the Christian world. Humph, that's because I didn't get out. If I got out, I could drive the Ottomans out of the Balkans.
Since they refused, forget it, don't beg me to go in then.
Under Sigismund's persuasion, Hungary once again assembled an army. And waited for other crusaders in Buda, and then went to Belgrade along the Danube.
Serbia is now in chaos, the great nobles are fighting for land, and other vassal states are also seizing it. Who made Lazarevich Bayezid's brother-in-law, he must have a lot of private money.
As a result, it was all taken away by Mircea. Only the land is worth some money, so what else can I say, go for it.
The originally peaceful Serbia began to be in chaos, and the mining of minerals was interrupted. The peaceful life that was finally achieved was destroyed by the war. Civilians are the group that suffers the most during the turmoil.