Part 31, La Masacre
Early September: After months of small naval skirmishes, including a separate large Ming Chinese victory at Tämäo in May, the main Portuguese fleet from India meets the Otto-Veneto-Sino-Malaccan alliance fleet off the coast of Colombo. The Portuguese armada consists of 23 naus, manned by just over 2000 soldiers. The alliance fleet consists of 11 Venetian carracks, 7 Ottoman caravels, 3 Malaccan war-boats, and a squadron of Ming junks.
The faster Venetian and Arab ships meet the Portuguese first, with mixed results. Both sides are battle hardened, but the Portuguese have many years of experience. The tide of battle swiftly turns in favour of the alliance when the Chinese junks enter the fray. Their powerful guns, combined with sheer numbers are enough to send the rival flotilla fleeing to regroup. Losses sustained by both sides are moderate.
Mid September: The Revolt of the Communeros finally begins to draw to a close in Spain, thanks to Charles’ realization of the true scope of the riots. At the urging of Adrian of Utrecht, the Emperor quickly announces new policy initiatives such as cancelling many hated taxes, and assigning two new Castilian co-regents. In one fell swoop, Charles negates two of the biggest drivers of the revolts. After large clashes between the opposing factions in April led to the capture and beheading of many high ranking rebel leaders, Charles’ new policies combined with the lack of centralized leadership deals a decisive blow against the previously raging movement.
This seeming end to the conflict further frustrates the already frazzled merchants of Venice, as they see their last hope of Spanish involvement against the Portuguese fade away. Nevertheless, desperate as the group is, one thing they’ve learned through business is that with enough ducats, many things can be achieved no matter what the circumstances.
Mid October: Manuel finally concedes that he must search for help from Europe in order to end this war. While the proud and secretive Portuguese nation is usually content at solving its issues alone, the circumstances at hand prove to be far more ominous; without its trade revenues the war is getting progressively more difficult to fund.
Though taking the Iberian route by requesting assistance from Spain would seem to be the natural course of action, Manuel recognizes that his neighbor is in a hazy situation as well, with a war on France and internal unrest. Despite the wishes from some of his court members to request Spanish assistance regardless of the current situation there, the ever devout Manuel decides to take his own natural route and contacts the Pope. The Portuguese king and the Catholic Church have always shared strong relations, evident by Manuel being the only person ever to receive a second Golden Rose from the Papacy for his Christian endeavors. A Portuguese delegation is sent to Rome with the intent to exploit the prevalent feelings of Venetian jingoism there after Venice’s capture of the coveted Romagna, as well as her unholy alliance with the Turk.
October 25: The surrender of Toledo is orchestrated with the royal government of Spain giving in to some final minor rebel quibbles. All comuneros are to vacate the Alcázar of Toledo in six day’s time, in order for officials to resume governance of the city.
October 27: As night falls over Toledo, so too does commotion in the bowels of the Alcázar, as a screaming match is underway between members of the remaining comuneros. One faction of more extreme rebels has suddenly become disheartened with the result of the negotiations, taking anger that the movement end over demands of such a submissive nature. Those wanting to continue the riots try profusely to convince their counterparts to join them, which is met by adamant refusal. The situation quickly deteriorates as shouts turn to blows, creating dissension in the ranks that ends with one of the extreme rebels spilling that his faction has been nicely paid to continue the rebellion. In an effort to convince the opposing side to join them he further explains that they’ve all been guaranteed funding in order to continue to fight for their cause, until the true ruler, Joanna of Castile, is on her rightful throne. The new revelations have the opposite effect of what was intended, and splinter the factions completely. Some agree to join the prolonged effort until the true goal has been achieved in return for payment, while the side wishing to uphold the current peace maintains furiously that this is not a glorious rebellion anymore, but a mercenary pursuit. The fighting worsens, and swords are drawn. As morning arrives, the massacre of the Toledo comuneros is over, with the numerically superior anti-continuation faction remaining.
Amongst the blood of the dead, Portuguese coins are found scattered about, having fallen from the pockets of the deceased…
Early November: Charles is informed of the comuneros massacre in Toledo. Amid the understandable fury, the wise king spots an opportunity as well. He instructs for his statement to be declared throughout the country, so that all people, comunero and royalist alike, may be aware. The king’s statement honours the brave comuneros who fought and died battling those who wished for continued Spanish quarrel. That these men, though identifying as comunero, laid down their lives defeating those who wish to see Spain burn is a testament to Spanish nationhood, and the fact that though men in the realm may think differently, they all share the common Spanish identity in the eyes of Jesus Christ. Charles’ court applauds his statement, which intends to unify a divided people after the events of the rebellion.
With internal matters understood, Charles now turns his attention to the Portuguese coins found in the pockets of the rebels, and the reports from the few detained that a Portuguese man named “Rui” paid them out. The entire thing sounds overly blatant to Charles, but given the past years’ rumours of Portuguese involvement in the riots, which he had chosen to ignore, this latest event has the emperor far more open to the realization that his brother in law is in fact the puppeteer. Having no trust left in the Portuguese leader, Charles furiously writes his sister asking whether she has any knowledge of her husband’s involvement in the comunero uprisings.
In Portugal, as soon as Manuel is alerted of the presence of Portuguese coins at the massacre in Spain, the already strained monarch has a fit. Regardless of the fact that he was not the one behind the event, this development doesn’t bode well for his case in joining the war against Venice if Spain is an enemy. Manuel is somewhat aware of the whispers in Spain linking the uprisings of the comuneros to his country, but is assured by his wife, Charles’ sister, Eleanor of Austria, that Charles is not under the impression that Manuel has had a hand in the riots himself. The official Portuguese stance on the matter through its duration has been one of contempt for anyone in the country aiding in the internal conflict of their neighbour, as this is not the Christian way.
