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POV of Maurus ,The Former Scholai Commander
Anno Domini,833-April-22
''Can you give me your word, Maurus, that our Emperor Theophilos, may he rest in peace and may the Lord have mercy on his soul, was murdered by the eunuchs and the iconodules?'' asked the strategos of Bulgaria.
He watched me from his horse, though his gaze occasionally wandered toward the troops accompanying us.
''And by some scholai who betrayed their oath… Let us not forget that'' I replied, lowering my head.
The admission burned in my throat. Men who had sworn the same oath as I had turned their weapons against the emperor they were supposed to protect.
''And the domestikos Basil Makedon had nothing to do with it? Despite arriving at the city at the head of an army?'' the strategos pressed, urging his horse a couple of steps forward.
''He had nothing to do with it. They used him. The iconodules managed to intercept the imperial correspondence and forged several orders. The eunuchs stole the emperor's seal and used it to authenticate letters declaring Basil a traitor and announcing that he would be blinded or castrated because of the acclamations in Rome. He had prepared to return believing he could explain everything to Theophilos. Even when he received those orders, he did not decide to claim the throne: he wanted to reach the emperor and speak with him. He could not understand such a punishment for something he had never sought… But that was precisely what the conspirators needed. While we defended the palace entrances against the excubitors, their accomplices murdered the basileus'' I explained, staring at the strategos.
''I understand why Basil wanted to speak with him… But what followed in Constantinople… Aristocrats murdered by the hundreds, men dragged out of churches, pagans used to kill priests. Does that not strike you as excessive punishment? In a single day, houses that could trace their lineage back to the ancient families of Rome disappeared. I am not trying to justify treason, but to visit that punishment upon their children…'' the strategos said, shaking his head and clenching his jaw.
''Tell me something. Those children, after learning that their fathers had been dragged through the streets, humiliated, tortured and executed, and that their mothers had suffered abuse at the hands of men as hungry for vengeance as mine, or the fury of the Varangians… Would they have been loyal subjects of the emperor who ordered it? Would you, if that had been done to your parents?'' I asked without looking away.
The strategos sighed and cleared his throat before answering.
''No… None of us would'' he admitted, raising his eyes to mine.
''Did you lose anyone in Constantinople?'' I asked. Even now, through the anger, I was still trying to prevent this battle.
''Perhaps some relatives. I doubt many survived, since they supported Marinos and his faction. Some of my closest relatives are in Armenia, though most live here with me, in Naissos. As far as I know, those in Armenia have recognized Bardas, Marinos's son'' he replied with a grimace.
He shifted in the saddle before continuing.
''They defend his claim to the throne by arguing that Theophilos died before Theodora and that their son therefore became emperor. When the boy died, they say the imperial dignity passed to his mother; from her to Marinos, who supposedly yielded his rights to his son Bardas because he was younger.''
''I can intercede to have your relatives' lives spared if you surrender. Basil might pardon them, though he would almost certainly demand compensation for their support of Theodora's family's claim. You would also have to relinquish command of the theme and accept its conversion into a province under civilian administration. That is not negotiable. Basil will not allow governors to continue commanding armies they can use to defy him. Look at what is happening throughout the Empire'' I replied, bringing my horse closer and extending a hand toward him.
''I want guarantees that I will retain property in Bulgaria and a portion of the theme's treasury. In exchange, I will surrender command of all my troops'' the strategos said.
''Listen to me… I do not have the authority to negotiate every condition you wish to demand on the emperor's behalf. But I must continue the campaign and bring this region under his rule. I can guarantee you a sum of gold when you surrender the treasury. As for the land, I can promise you nothing. Basil is preparing sweeping reforms, and I do not know what he will decide about your estates. You might retain some of them, or you might lose them all… But if we fail to reach an agreement today, tomorrow you may have nothing left to bargain with'' I replied, tilting my head and fixing him with a hard stare.
The strategos studied our camp, then looked back toward the city behind him. A bitter grimace crossed his face.
''What will happen to the iconodules in the theme of Bulgaria?'' he asked, frowning as he raised his eyes toward the sky.
''Those who participated in the conspiracy against Theophilos or helped conceal it will be executed. As for the others, preparations are being made for a council to end the religious persecutions. The veneration of images will be recognized, and the iconoclast position will also be permitted under whatever agreements the Church establishes. In exchange, the Church will have to surrender much of its political and economic power to the emperor of the Romans'' I replied, bringing a hand to my chest.
''Good… It reassures me to know that the churches will not become slaughterhouses the moment I hand over command to an army composed almost entirely of pagans'' he said with a strained smile as he looked at our troops.
''The foederati have honored their oath to serve the emperor. And the man chosen by the Senate to occupy the throne is Basil Makedon. Those warriors serve Rome'' I replied with a curt nod.
''In that case, I relinquish my command and place under your orders the three thousand men of my tagma and the thirteen thousand thematic soldiers being mustered in Naissos as we speak'' the strategos declared.
He dismounted, drew his sword and held it by the blade, offering me the hilt.
''I accept your surrender. You have done the right thing and spared the Empire considerable bloodshed. A prolonged siege would have cost us men we need to defend the borders. It is only a matter of time before our neighbors notice our weakness and try to recover everything we have taken from them'' I said, accepting the weapon.
''The Serbs are already harassing our garrisons. They attack villages to seize provisions, weapons and horses. They will give you plenty of trouble… I assume you will want the road cleared as soon as possible and my men to join your offensive'' the strategos observed.
''That is right. We must secure the border with the Carolingians before they take advantage of the rebellion to seize the fortresses in the Croatian mountains. I do not want to repeat the long siege our current basileus had to conduct to take one of them. My troops must march as soon as possible, just as you must leave for Constantinople to swear allegiance to the emperor. You would be wise not to delay your submission'' I replied, pointing toward the road to the capital.
''I will. I will take my bodyguards and leave the camp under your command. First, I will announce our agreement so the men of my tagma know they must obey you and prepare to march against the Serbs and the Croatian themes'' the strategos said.
He mounted again, turned his horse and galloped back toward his camp.
''Come on. We must tell the foederati there will be no battle. We have recovered the theme of Bulgaria without shedding blood'' I said, spurring my horse back toward camp.
We quickly reorganized and advanced toward the city, whose gates opened to receive us. I sent a small contingent ahead to secure the key positions. I had no intention of letting my guard down: our enemies had already shown how many tricks they were capable of.
With the surrender of the thematic capital, we gained a contingent that would be of considerable help. Although the new basileus distrusted troops who submitted only after finding themselves beaten, they could still serve as our vanguard against the Serbs.
Those Slavs had broken through the imperial defenses long ago, and Basil had demonstrated how dangerous they could be when properly employed. Now we would have to face Archon Vlastimir, who had taken advantage of the civil war to rebel and claim his independence.
Subduing their numerous pockets of resistance could cost us many lives. However, Basil's order was clear: expel the Serbs from those territories and relocate them north of the Danube. He no longer trusted them. He believed it would be easier to keep them under control beneath the foederati governors, without fortresses of their own from which they could organize another rebellion.
While we secured the city, we sent men to the homes of the aristocrats named as traitors to arrest and execute them. We also had to search the churches and determine whether their priests had assisted the iconodule conspiracy.
''What do we do with the aristocrats who have not fled?'' Hjalmar asked.
He was one of Basil's foederati governors and, in practice, acted as a king among the Varangians, since the other governors were his brothers.
''Kill them, burn them, drag them through the streets… Do whatever you want with them. All I care about is that they suffer. Let them suffer as Theophilos suffered'' I replied, looking toward the church in disgust.
Several people were running toward its doors to claim sanctuary.
''It will be a pleasure'' Hjalmar said.
An enormous smile spread across his face as he led his men toward the houses of the wealthy, searching for the aristocrats involved in the betrayal.
I headed for the largest church in the area. My men blocked the doors, and I entered with several former scholai. Inside, numerous worshippers remained on their knees, praying silently while the priests tried to reassure them.
''You cannot enter the house of God bearing arms!'' one of the clerics shouted when he saw us.
We ignored him and continued toward the inner chambers. Some priests tried to block our path and demand that we leave the church, but we did not stop.
In one of the rooms, we found several clerics hurriedly burning letters. When they saw us, they threw another pile of documents into the fire and froze, breathing heavily.
''You must leave this holy place immediately… You will find nothing here that can serve you in your war'' one of them said with a nervous smile.
''I do not need to find a written confession to know what you were doing'' I replied, drawing my dagger and approaching him.
''Stay back! The Almighty will condemn your soul!'' the priest shouted.
''I must avenge my emperor'' I replied.
I seized him by the shoulder and drove the dagger into his chest. I pulled it out and stabbed him again, over and over, until he lay lifeless in my grasp.
Around me, the other scholai were killing his fellow clerics. One of the priests tried to escape, but they caught him and threw him into the fire. His screams filled the room as the flames caught his vestments.
I examined the documents they had not managed to burn. I found nothing proving their involvement in the conspiracy.
But no one seemed willing to stop and examine papers to determine whether they were innocent.
We left the room and returned to the main hall. The priests who had been trying to calm the worshippers had disappeared, along with some of those who had been praying beside them.
I left the church under terrified stares, still stained with blood.
Outside, my men had begun executing a group of aristocrats and the priests they had captured. Their bodies lay in front of the church.
''Do not waste time. We still have other cities to subdue. Stop amusing yourselves with them and slit their throats'' I ordered when I saw them slowly driving a dagger into the hand of a screaming priest.
The men nodded, and one of them slit his throat with a single cut.
''Come on. There are still plenty of bastards to find. We will not rest until the last of those who conspired against Theophilos is dead and none of their descendants remain'' I said as I wiped my dagger clean.
Then I headed toward the nobles' residences to help the Varangians finish off the city's aristocrats.
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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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