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Anno Domini,833-April-8
''We have done everything we can, basileus, but I fear Constantinople no longer has men we can readily recruit. The constant campaigns and Emperor Theophilos's reconstruction projects have exhausted the reserves we used to draw upon. There are hardly any orphans of military age left, or laborers willing to leave their jobs for a soldier's pay. Many moved to the new settlements in Croatia and Bulgaria, drawn by the land and better conditions they were offered'' reported the advisor in charge of recruitment in the capital.
''So few? To the point that we cannot find young men who meet the requirements?'' I asked, concerned by the shortage of recruits in the Queen of Cities.
''There are young men of the right age, Your Majesty. However, not all meet the physical requirements. And among those who do, many practice a trade and work in the workshops that supply our armies. Recruiting them would reduce the production of boots, belts, carts, wheels, cloth, gloves, arrows, swords and armor. The men we could enlist would come directly from the workshops sustaining the war effort'' the advisor explained.
He showed me a list of potential recruits. Almost all held jobs essential to equipping and supplying our troops.
''Do we really need more men? We already have an enormous army fighting in several regions of the Empire'' asked Sigurd, who was examining the maps alongside my commanders.
''Yes, because we must leave loyal garrisons in every city and fortress we recover. Each new conquest reduces the number of men we can keep advancing with. In Thessalonica, we had to leave a thousand soldiers to guard the walls and replace the local troops while we mobilized the men of the theme. But we cannot fully trust them either. Some remain loyal to their former commanders or to the priests who are already preaching my excommunication and demanding the release of the patriarchs'' I replied.
Sigurd continued studying the map as he ran a hand through his beard.
''What about the provinces? We have not recruited as heavily there. We only recently began asking them for men for the standing army'' he pointed out.
''We are stepping up recruitment, but we need reserves to fill the garrisons and replace our casualties. We cannot leave our most experienced soldiers guarding every fortress we take. We need them in the field… What about the farmland around Constantinople? I remember Theophilos granted a great deal of confiscated land to the city's orphans. Could we recruit from those families?'' I asked, turning to the advisor.
''We have census records of their households, basileus, but I would advise against it. Many have only one adult man capable of doing the heavier work. They are young couples with children who are not yet old enough to help in the fields. Recruiting the father and risking his loss in the war could leave the family without the means to keep the farm running. We would seriously undermine the resettlement of the countryside'' he replied.
He consulted several books and handed me one detailing the composition of those households. They were small families, many with only one adult male.
''Very well… We will reserve them for an emergency levy, should we need more soldiers. Do the same in the city. I want a list of young men whose work we can do without, in case we must call them up. Even if we can only give them minimal training and use them in the garrisons. I cannot leave my best men guarding what we have already conquered'' I said, shaking my head.
I had the names of thousands of inhabitants before me, yet I could draw on hardly any of them without harming another part of the Empire.
''We have retaken Athens. It is the region's seat of government and has both an urban and a rural population from which we could recruit. Besides, the soldiers of the theme there are still bound by their service obligations, unlike those in the provinces where we have replaced that system'' one of the commanders interjected, pointing to the city on the map.
''The measures to resettle the frontiers were applied there too. If I remember correctly, many of the Greeks settled in Croatia came from Hellas, the Peloponnese and Thessalonica. Their cities must be in a similar situation… Damn it, I never thought Theophilos's projects would constrain us so much now. But you are right: we still have their thematic troops. Many were assigned to naval service and the protection of trade. Perhaps we can use them to garrison some ports and coastal fortresses'' I replied through clenched teeth.
I would have to be extremely careful with my men. Every garrison we left behind and every casualty in battle would cost us troops we apparently could not easily replace.
''In that case, basileus, I would recommend taking Amorium, the city from which the late emperor's dynasty originated. The region has abundant farmland and a large rural population. Its thematic soldiers are hardened by constant Saracen raids. We could find good recruits there, provided we arrive before our rivals mobilize every man capable of fighting'' one of my advisors proposed.
''That would be the most difficult campaign… I would have to lead it personally to prevent commanders who know the region from using that advantage against ours. Many of my men are accustomed to fighting on different terrain. Although there are good plains there, there are also plenty of hills and mountain passes where an enemy could entrench himself and make us pay dearly for every advance'' I replied, considering the possibility of marching into Anatolia.
''My brother, with the Vigla's support, should be able to bring Bulgaria and Dyrrhachium back under your rule. But the Serbs may give him more trouble, with all those fortresses and their habit of harassing you and withdrawing before you can get your hands on them'' Sigurd pointed out, stepping beside me.
He traced the route Maurus and Hjalmar's Slavic and Varangian forces would have to follow with his finger.
''I left twenty-five thousand men in Italy. Many are soldiers from the themes whose service should already have ended, so I doubt they will be willing to prolong it indefinitely. Besides, the strategos must have very little support among the local population… Sigurd, I have an important mission for you'' I said, looking at the commander of my guard.
''Just give the order'' he replied with a smile.
''You will take part of the fleet and sail to Sicily. Its strategos has proclaimed himself emperor. I do not know whether the other commanders in Italy have recognized him, but I need you to finish him off in his capital. He should have no more than seven thousand men at his disposal. With six thousand Varangians, four thousand Slavs and the support of the imperial fleet, you should have enough men to defeat him. We must also prevent the strategos in Italy from gathering enough ships to land in Greece or move to another rebel territory'' I explained as Sigurd examined the map with me.
''What will we do about the other strategos in Italy?'' one of my commanders asked.
''For now, we will leave them where they are. Without a fleet, they will be unable to transport their armies, and the presence of our ships should be enough to contain them. They depend heavily on the supplies we send them. If they stop receiving food and gold, they will struggle to sustain their forces. Much of the Italian territory has been plundered, and its inhabitants barely have enough to survive until the next harvest. In time, unpaid wages and hunger could turn their troops against them. First, we will deal with the most vulnerable, such as the strategos of Sicily'' I replied.
I turned to another of the officers.
''You will take twelve thousand thematic soldiers to Aegyptus. Andronikos remains loyal and still holds Alexandria, but he is fighting the other two strategos. We must come to his aid before they defeat him'' I ordered as I worked out how to distribute our forces.
''As you command, basileus'' replied the commander chosen to relieve him.
''And you will take the rest of the imperial fleet once it has finished transporting my men to Anatolia. You will occupy Cyprus. We need a base from which to supply our operations in southern Anatolia and Syria when the time comes'' I added, pointing to one of the admirals, who had remained silent before the maps until then.
The man nodded.
''And Jerusalem, Your Majesty? You have personal estates there and a thematic force defending the region's fortresses. Will we send help?'' my advisor asked.
''No. We do not have enough men to attend to every front at once. We will concentrate on winning in Sicily and Aegyptus, then decide where to deploy those forces. I will march into Anatolia with the Serbian foederati, the men of the Varangian Guard and whatever regular troops remain available. We will attempt to recover as much of Anatolikon and Cappadocia as we can before drawing the other strategos against us. We must take advantage of the fact that they are still divided, fighting among themselves or deciding which of the two claimants to support'' I replied.
Jerusalem would have to hold out with its own resources. The Syrian claimant's forces would soon reach its walls, but I could not send men everywhere.
''Understood. I will prepare my men, and we will leave as soon as possible to finish off the weakest'' Sigurd said with a nod.
''Organize a delegation to travel north and speak with the Varangians and their Slavic allies. I also need envoys to head northwest and negotiate with other Slavic tribes about settling in the Empire. It is a risk, but we need men. Almost every region we control is struggling to provide more soldiers'' I said, looking at my advisor.
''I will send some diplomats… Though I will have to find them first. Almost every member of Constantinople's diplomatic corps was executed for taking part in the betrayal'' the man replied with some hesitation.
''Do what you can. I want several missions sent east and others to reach the northern kingdoms to recruit more Varangians. I can offer them ample land, and there is no one left at court who can stop me by arguing that they are pagans. By the way, assign a permanent Varangian guard to each of the five patriarchs. If a religious uprising breaks out, I want their custody entrusted to men they cannot intimidate with threats of damnation or excommunication'' I ordered, looking at my commanders, who nodded.
Without another word, I left the room where we had agreed on the military preparations, and we began putting the orders into practice.
The ports bustled with activity. Men loaded provisions, weapons and equipment onto the ships while the troops assembled to embark. We had to get ahead of our enemies before that multitude of rebellions became a war we could no longer contain.
Sigurd was the first to depart. His army was the smallest of those we needed to move by sea and boarded a large share of the available longships, accompanied by the transports carrying the Slavic horsemen and their horses.
The second army to sail was the one bound for Aegyptus. Its commander was to relieve Andronikos, defeat the two rebel strategos and bring the Empire's granary back under our rule. Millions of Copts also lived there, among whom we could attempt to recruit new soldiers. Unfortunately, some of the regions with the largest reserves of manpower were precisely those that had risen against me.
My army was the last to depart. We began transporting horses and supplies across the sea to Anatolia, where a difficult campaign awaited us. We needed to secure the fortresses guarding the approaches to our territories to prevent any rebel strategos or claimant from attacking them. Those provinces were vulnerable, but they were also wealthy and capable of providing men we urgently needed.
Throughout the rest of the day, the fleet continued transporting my troops. We also sent orders to the provincial forces to join me at Ancyra, from where we would begin the campaign.
My force consisted mainly of Slavic cavalry, several thousand Varangians and the Roman army troops who had accompanied me to Italy and whom we had now made into full-time soldiers. Many of my northern warriors remained in Constantinople. They were the men I trusted most to guard the Empire's most important city, and I was unwilling to leave it in anyone else's hands.
Those forces would be joined by the Serbian foederati I had sent ahead to defend the passes and prevent an incursion by the strategos whose territories bordered ours.
A costly campaign lay ahead of us.
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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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