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Anno Domini,833-February-March-19-April-6
''It's done, Skleros…'' I said, entering the room where I was keeping him confined.
''I'm old, Basil, but not deaf… I heard what happened a few days ago'' he replied.
He was sitting at a table, writing in a book he had been given to keep himself occupied during his captivity.
''I've come to speak with you again, to try to prevent a civil war from spreading throughout the Empire. Your army surrendered when my forces left the city and your men realised you hadn't returned. Obviously, I cannot count on their loyalty, but having the troops from the tagmata and the themes you gathered in Macedonia would be a great help. Those nine thousand men could prove decisive in what lies ahead. Besides, your presence at my side could bring over many of the commanders you yourself recommended'' I said, looking at my mentor.
Skleros returned my gaze with indifference.
''You must have thoroughly enjoyed murdering the people of Constantinople, didn't you? Their screams reached even this prison. And now you fear the consequences of your actions? No, Basil. You're alone in this. I fulfilled my duty to the Empire… Though not as well as I thought, since I was the one who opened its gates to its worst curse. Another Caligula, perhaps'' he replied, shaking his head before dipping his quill into the inkwell.
''I do not fear the consequences. I'm willing to die fighting to reform the Empire so we never have to resort to this again. What I want is to prevent the strategos from rising one after another and proclaiming their own emperors. A war like that could cost hundreds of thousands of lives, perhaps millions. You can help me prevent it. Many commanders of the themes respect you. With your support, we could contain the rebellion before it spreads. Because I am going to fight, Skleros, and I will do whatever it takes to win'' I replied firmly.
''My answer remains the same, boy. I will not support what you're doing. I eagerly await the day the strategos dethrone you and make you pay for everything you have done in Theophilos's name. His soul must be suffering as he watches you exploit his memory'' Skleros said before returning to his writing.
''I understand. Then the Empire will continue to bleed… I only hope nothing happens to your dear wife while my men occupy Adrianople'' I replied, turning towards the door.
''You damned coward! Leave my wife out of this! She has done nothing!'' Skleros roared.
I heard him rise from his chair.
''Close it'' I ordered the member of the Varangian Guard standing beside the entrance.
The man closed the door and secured the steel bolts to prevent it from being opened from within.
''Have they finished fitting the bars to the windows?'' I asked.
''Yes. The workers finished yesterday. The room is secure, though I doubt the old man would try jumping from the third floor. He would break his legs'' the Varangian replied.
''He doesn't need to jump to attempt an escape. He is still a respected commander, a man who has devoted his entire life to the Empire. There are still people who would be willing to help him, especially after what I've done. He must have no shortage of supporters now that so many consider me Rome's worst enemy'' I said before continuing on my way.
I reached the study that had belonged to Theophilos and which I now occupied. Some of the officers still in the capital were waiting for me there, gathered around the campaign plans.
''Basileus Rhomaion'' they greeted me, bowing their heads.
''Very well. What is the situation?'' I asked.
With my new responsibilities as ruler, I had barely been able to give military affairs the attention they required. These men were better informed than I was about our forces' latest movements.
''Optimatoi, Boukellarion, Thrakesion and Opsikion have recognised you as emperor. Their governors have placed their troops under your command. In total, five thousand men are available for the war, including the local guards who have joined the mobilisation'' one of the officers reported, pointing on the map to the provinces where the reforms had already been implemented.
''Their administrations have also begun the purge in accordance with your instructions. Aristocrats and local dignitaries are being arrested, and those with direct ties to the families punished in Constantinople are being executed'' another commander added.
''The fleet has already sailed for Smyrna to seize the harbour and depose the strategos. A land force is also advancing through Opsikion and will march on the theme of the Kibyrrhaiotai. If we secure those territories, we will control much of the Anatolian coast and prevent the fleet at Smyrna from being used against us. It is one of the Empire's largest naval forces after the central fleet'' the first officer continued, pointing to the city on the map.
''Adrianople surrendered yesterday. A messenger has just arrived with the news. Without their strategos and with only a reduced garrison, the defenders opened the gates. We have seized the treasury of the theme of Macedonia. Several fortresses along the road between the Danube and Constantinople are also surrendering as the foederati coming to reinforce us pass through'' a third commander reported.
He traced a path across the map with his finger before continuing.
''Another fleet is heading for Thessalonica to occupy it and take its strategos into custody. He is a capable commander and could become a dangerous enemy if we give him time to gather his forces. Afterwards, operations should extend towards Hellas, the Peloponnese, Nicopolis and Cephalonia. The latter also has a substantial naval force that we would do well to secure'' he added, pointing out the planned route for capturing the capitals of the themes.
''We must make the most of these next few days. For now, many provinces have probably only received news of my coronation, and that gives us an advantage. But the time will come when they learn everything that happened, and we will no longer be able to count on their confusion'' I said, studying the map.
''Yes. We have sent letters and orders to the strategos whose loyalty we hope to retain. The granaries are full for this year, but if our enemies unite as we expect, we will have to fight on several fronts. The theme of Bulgaria is likely to rebel. Its commander was recommended by the basilissa's father, as were other governors in the region'' one of the officers replied, pointing to the northern territories, too distant for us to advance on all of them immediately.
''Have we heard from the basilissa's relatives? My marriage ties me to them; perhaps we can count on their help. Their support would allow us to retain much of eastern Anatolia's themes'' I said, pointing to the regions near Armenia governed by relatives of Theodora and my wife.
''Not yet, basileus. We do not know what decision they will make. We will inform you as soon as we receive word'' the commander replied.
''Very well. I will continue working on reforming the administration. There are things we must change if we want a more stable Empire. Let me know as soon as you hear anything'' I said before returning to my desk.
While a group of trusted officers took on an increasing share of directing the war, I had to attend to the duties Theophilos had carried out for so long. And there were no few of them.
It was no longer enough to have hundreds of ships to transport food and thousands of carts and draught animals to supply the armies. Now it also fell to me to secure the funds needed to keep all of it running.
I could no longer simply advance the money from my personal coffers and wait for Theophilos to repay me afterwards. Keeping the imperial treasury in order was now my responsibility.
I began by suspending shipments of gold to all the themes except those that had confirmed their loyalty. I was not going to fund strategos who might use that money to pay their men and march against me. However, many possessed personal fortunes large enough to support their troops for months, perhaps even years.
Until then, my greatest responsibility had been to defeat the enemy on the battlefield and keep my forces supplied. Now I had to ensure that every army under my commanders had enough men, weapons, food and money to prevail.
Fortunately, Rome's coffers were full.
The imperial treasury held vast reserves of gold and silver. Much of that wealth had been set aside for Theophilos's ambitious projects to rebuild the Empire. Now it would have to fund another war.
I began spending hundreds of thousands of gold coins buying back the equipment my men had looted from the tagmata barracks. I needed to recover those weapons and suits of armour, some of the finest the Empire's smithies and workshops had produced.
I also had the soldiers from the themes whose loyalty remained uncertain summoned one by one. We offered to replace their service obligations with permanent positions in the army, with regular pay. Maintaining a professional force would be far more expensive, but I hoped a steady wage would reduce discontent and bind them to my service.
At the same time, we distributed large quantities of weapons and armour among our Greek troops.
Hjalmar's forces arrived soon afterwards. They were better equipped than I had expected. The Varangian smithies had made good use of the techniques I had taught them and were producing high-quality arms and armour in ever greater quantities. Even many of the Slavic horsemen wore brigandines.
I sent Maurus with the Vigla, which had already absorbed the surviving scholai, to accompany and guide Hjalmar's forces in the campaign against the theme of Bulgaria. Concentrating so much cavalry in Anatolia would not serve me well, as I expected much of the fighting there to take place in mountain passes.
The treasury's reserves began to dwindle rapidly as we turned our troops into a standing force, improved their equipment and used the time available to complete their training. All while trying to strengthen our hold over the provinces that obeyed us.
But soon messengers began arriving with the rest of the Empire's responses to the massacre in Constantinople.
Virtually all of eastern Anatolia had rebelled. The strategos were already mobilising their men. Fortunately, they had not recognised a single leader: they were grouping together according to their friendships, family ties and individual alliances.
The most troublesome were Marinos and Bardas. The latter had proclaimed himself emperor of the Romans, claiming the throne as the brother of the late basilissa. The themes of Armenia had sided with him.
Sicily had also rebelled, and its strategos had claimed the imperial title. In Italy, Skleros's former trusted commanders had risen upon learning of his arrest. The Empire's Italian territories had fallen under their control.
In Serbia, the archon was leading a rebellion against imperial rule and attacking our garrisons. The strategos of Croatia had also turned against me.
In Syria, the strategos had proclaimed himself emperor and, according to the reports, was marching towards Jerusalem with the intention of besieging it.
In Aegyptus, two of the three strategos had rebelled. Only Andronikos remained loyal, and he was already fighting his former comrades for control of the region.
Not all the news was bad. Thessalonica had fallen into our hands, and Hellas had surrendered before a prolonged campaign became necessary. Other themes, mainly in the Greek regions, had yet to declare openly whom they would support.
We had also managed to seize Attaleia and the fleet in its harbour, though that did not mean we controlled the entire theme of the Kibyrrhaiotai.
On Rhodes, the tourmarches had surrendered after the fleet tasked with defending Crete appeared off the city. The presence of the Varangian ships had been enough to force him into submission.
Just as I had anticipated, the Empire had fractured into a multitude of rebellions.
I was virtually alone. It seemed we would soon control Greece and Bulgaria, but we had to recover the rest of the Balkans before marching towards Anatolia or Italy. The choice would depend on how the war unfolded. In the east, two men were claiming the imperial title; perhaps they would end up fighting each other while I dealt with the other fronts.
''The situation is difficult, but we still have our Varangian allies and the foederati. We can request more Slavic horsemen, offer land to other tribes in exchange for their service or recruit more warriors from the north. That is why we must keep the routes through which those reinforcements will arrive open. Send the Serbian foederati to Anatolia to defend the mountain passes and buy us time. Meanwhile, prepare the fleet. We will strike hard in Serbia to regain control of the Balkans and recruit more men for the Anatolian campaign'' I ordered as we studied the map.
''Anything else, basileus?'' one of my commanders asked.
''Yes. Summon the ecumenical patriarch. I have a marriage that is no longer worth anything, and I want it dissolved'' I replied without looking away from the map.
The officers nodded.
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If there are spelling mistakes, please let me know.
Leave a comment; support is always appreciated.
I remind you to leave your ideas or what you would like to see.
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