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Chapter 133: The Rise of the Cilician Dynasty in Rhomaina
As has been demanded, we will focus our attention now to the hegemonic power of the Eastern Mediterranean. The Rhomaic Empire has lost large parts of inner Anatolia to the Ilkhanate during the past century, but Rhomanian domination has prevailed across most of the Haemic Peninsula and the coastal and northwestern regions of Anatolia. Further dominions of the Rhomanians include Cyprus, Cilicia and the Syrian coast, as well as Apulia on the “heel” of the Italian “boot”. The only part of the Libyan continent, as it was then known in Rhomania was the region of Cyrenaica.
Late Medieval Rhomania saw an increased urbanization (1). The cities of Constantinople, Thessaloniki, Adrianople, Smyrna, Trebizond, Tarsus and Antioch are important cities of commerce and manufacturing. The imperial administration was often concerned with the need of supplying the large urban populations with agricultural products from the hinterland. For Constantinople and Adrianople, this was from the densely populated province of Thrace, producing grain, olives, while the shepherds of the Rhodopes supplied cheese and meat. Thessaloniki was supported by the rural regions of upper Macedonia and Thessaly. Smyrna and Tarsus have large hinterland regions; the growth of Trebizond on the other hand was limited by its lack of an agricultural hinterland, and the diet in the Pontic cities was often composed on fish and sea fruits as well as cheese and typical mountain produce, while baked products were rare. Historically, grain had been imported from Taurica (2) and gradually the trade routes reopen.
The early 14th century saw a renaissance in culture – art and philosophy in the Empire. The largest universities were present in Constantinople and Antioch, while other provincial capitals had their own schools, though their reputation was not as highly regarded as the two aforementioned, and were more concerned with training of professionals for specific tasks needed in the daily life of almost every village – such as medicine, law and theology. These subjects were studied more deeply, following an introduction into the seven liberal arts (music, arithmetic, geometry, astronomy, grammar, logic and rhetoric) .These schools were thus training persons highly demanded in everyday life. However, the universities of Constantinople and Antioch were concerned with a more complex pursuit of wisdom, and philosophers concerned with all disciplines could be found in the universities of Constantinople and Antioch.
View attachment 579048
A reconstruction of the Magnaura Hall, housing the university of Constantinople
Aristotle and Plato remain highly respected and often citied philosophers- and the Academy in Athens is reopened (Athens no longer remains a chief city, but is rather a humble provincial town, renown largely to the educated for its past significance, but not for its present fame).
The work of Demetrios Allatios Human Societies and their Structure has become a classic work of contemporary Rhomaic philosophy. Allatios grounds his ideas in Aristolte, Plato and the Bible. With his premises being the original inequality of human beings and virtue, and evaluating different goods and virtues, he comes to a following conclusion:
“As we know, in the past every city ruled itself and was submitted to no other than themselves. Thus, the citizens of Athens ruled themselves, while they neighbours the Thebans did not at all subject themselves to the laws of the Athenians, and so did Corinth, Sparta and each and every of them. In the present we see societies of different size be found in the oecumene: we see the city, we find the kingdom and the empire. Which, however suits best human nature?
Firstly we take a look at the city. A city is however small and cannot obtain all it needs within its limits. It is not sufficient – say a great fire comes or some sort of natural destruction – who will come to the aid of the citizens? Another city? Why should they? When looking at ancient history, we see a great many of wars, between neighbouring cities, with people of same language fighting their follow neighbours. (…)
Secondly, looking at the kingdom, found among the Franks. The kingdom is larger than the city and usually its people are all of the same tribe. The king cannot listen to the concerns of all of his subjects- only his noblemen, who reside in castles in different parts of the realm. The kings themselves, and their nobles are concerned with virtue, mainly though through glory through war (perhaps due to their barbaric roots), which however leads to wars. (…)
Lastly, there is the Empire. The Empire is not just a big kingdom, but has the noble goal of uniting all humans (…).Some say, that is not freedom a virtue? Freedom to choose which way to govern the city? (…)” The argument goes that freedom to make bad decisions will be ultimately destructive. Ultimately Demetrios asks that what is better- one legionary or an entire legion, composed of many legionaries. He then asks, what is better, the squabbling and scheming pantheon of gods, with Zeus, and Poseidon and Hades, with none of them all-powerful, or an all-powerful God of the Testaments?
Thus his conclusion goes to say that the universal empire led by a virtuous emperor on the throne is the best political establishment. The emperor however, is needed to be able to receive the concerns of his subjects and listen to his counsellors. Furthermore, the emperor ought to allow all peoples regardless of their origin to submit to the Emperor and become integrated into the Rhomaic civilization.
The resulting mind-set in the Rhomaic Empire is that : (a) ideally the entire globe should come under the rule of one emperor, who would establish a lasting peace – the “peace of the Naimans” was a cited example, though it failed for two reasons – the brutality of its conquests, and secondly for the disunity of the khans and (b) societies are graded and systematically categorized according to their level of sophistication (3) – with hunter-gatherer clans ranking ultimately lowest and the “Four Grand Civilizations” – the Rhomanians, Chinese, Persians and Indians are ranked highest, with everyone else ranking in between. Gradually, philosophers in Constantinople and Antioch argue specifically on the categorization of that tribe or that principality into a given category.
Regarding the Senate of the Rhomaic Empire, we have the four primary political factions: the Faction of Reconquest focusing on a strong military and territorial expansion, then Faction of the Market aiming for a strong navy and new trade opportunities. The Faction of the Knights, seeking to strengthen the position of the land-owners and aiming to transform the country into a feudal one appears to be losing ground given the developments in increasing urbanization. The Faction of the Purple, backing Imperial attempts to centralize the Empire can thus be found in a somewhat direct opposition in relation to the Faction of the Knights. One of the primary powers of the Senate was, together with the Patriarch of Constantinople, to be the kingmaker in event of a succession crisis.
It was primarily the Faction of the Market that has been a decisive force in the early 14th century Rhomania, and the empire has become a thalassocracy controlling the Eastern Mediterranean. Large forests were planted across various hilly regions of the empire, as building material for future fleets It was the Faction of the Market that has directed the Rhomanian fleet and army against Sicily in the 1320s, seizing Calabria and the eastern shore of Sicily (subsequently the western part of the island became part of Afirka.
In a few years, the Rhomaic Empire entered into another conflict, this time with the two merchant republics of Ragusa and Venice over control of the )Adriatic trade routes. Venice moreover was very active in the eastern Mediterranean and has set up colonies of Italian merchants on many of the Aegean islands. Venetian merchants were also active in Taurida but very importantly, Venice was engaged in high-intensity trade with Kemet, which was the only contender of the Rhomaic Empire for the control of the Eastern Mediterranean
View attachment 579047
The city of Ragusa was one of the targets of the second campaign of emperor John Palaiologos
The war against these two Italian states occurred primarily on sea, where the imperial fleet proved its numerical superiority. A blockade of the city of Ragusa both from land and fro mesa was established, before the princes surrendered and Ragusa accepted Rhomaic suzerainty, while maintaining their republican institutions. Venice was not attacked directly – the Venetians were able to rebuke the Rhomanians in Istria and ultimately a peace was established, resulting in Venetians paying tribute to the Empire.
By the year 1340 the Salghurid dynasty of Konya has become a major target of the Rhomaic Empire. The then Emperor, John Palaiologos together with the Faction of Reconquest set out on a campaign to regain the region of central Anatolia. Among his best generals was a man of Armenian descent from Cilicia, known as Sarkis of Trazark. His role in designing the battle plan was crucial, and he is also known to have had a great support among his forces, which were composed of mostly Armenian and Syriac horsemen and archers, to a lesser also pikemen.
View attachment 579045
The Turkoman cavalry fielded by the Salghurids
After the victory of the Salghurids, the Emperor was concerned with attacking the Eretnids, to fully secure Anatolia once and for all. Sarkis was delegated to station the troops under his command at Tarsus, to consolidate his forces and was supposed to, according to the plan, attack the Eretnid forces to the south.
However, instead, Sarkis summoned the diocesan councils of both Cilicia and Syria and decided to act independently of the Emperor, as Sarkis was concerned by the fact that Antioch lacked an effective hinterland. Local levies and guardsmen were raised in both provinces, and Sarkis set march on the Malikate of Aram, governed by Qeryaq (4). The Malikate of Aram was one of the successor states of the Ilkhanate, spanning from the Syrian Desert to Gaza. In Syria, it turned out Sarkis achieved important victories, entering ultimately the cities Damascus and Zahle.
Before leaving Antioch, Sarkis has informed the imperial fleet of his ambitions and instructed them to set sail against Gaza. However, it turned out that Kemet took advantage of the opportunity and has marched its army across the Sinai, before Qeriaq pledged fealty to the Pharaoh.
Imperial fleets disembarked on the Galilean coast, in Acre, and Sidon, before learning that Jerusalem, Bethlehem and Hebron were firmly in Kemetian hands. Ultimately it was the Emperor who ordered the imperial troops to stand down, as any form of military campaign against Kemet was against his interest.
Furthermore, it was decided that Sarkis of Trazark committed treason by acting against imperial orders and causing complete chaos from the strategic perspective (the campaign against the Eretnids did thus not begin). Sarkis refused to obey the authority of the Emperor, rather he raised his own banners and instigated a revolt. While the Greek heartland of the Empire supported the legitimate Emperor, a man named Constantine Vargas , commander of the troops stationed on the Pontic coast rallied to his cause.
View attachment 579044
The snow-covered peaks of the Taurus
Sarkis crossed the Taurus and established his camp at Konya, where he rallied a number of previously defeated Turkomans and Armenians under his banner, before marching to the northwest upon Constantinople. Meanwhile Constantine Vargas was moving westwards, seizing the Pontic Coast up to the river Saggarios (5). The host of Sarkis met with Imperial forces near Dorylaeum (6), where his superior tactical skills has given him victory, as well as his Turkoman cavalrymen. The defeated loyalist forces retreated to the city of Nikomedia (6) in Bithynia on coast of the Marble Sea.
The city offered heavy resistance, with many troops pulled from Thrace and Constantinople itself being sent there to halt the advance of the pretender. Sarkis made a decision to fake their retreat, and waited for the forces inside the city to march out, seeking to defeat them in open battle. Ultimately, his idea proved to be a success, especially as the forces of Constantine Vargas attacked the loyalist forces from the rear.
The seizure of Nikomedia gave Sarkis control over Bithynia and cleared the path to Constantinople, and with the help of the Pontic fleet Sarkis transferred his armies across the Bosporus at night, sending roughly one half to secure the Theodosian Walls, and the other part his troops was ready to besiege the City of the World.
However, bloodshed did not occur, as the previous Emperor was killed in a coup and the gates of the city were opened. Thus came to power Sarkis I. of the Cilician dynasty. Sarkis has diverted his attention to Syria and Cilicia – transferring his seat to Antioch in the winter and Trazark in Cilicia in summer. In Syria and among Armenians, he was a popular Emperor. On the other hand, his absence in Constantinople caused a public uproar.
View attachment 579043
A map of the Rhomaic Empire at the end of the reign of Sarkis the Cilician
The security of Syria remained a concern of Sarkis for the later part of his reign- campaigning against the Ak Koyunlu Turkomans over Berroia/ Aleppo and other cities in northern Syria, before it was agreed that the course of the Euphrates shall be the border between the two.
Late Medieval Rhomania saw an increased urbanization (1). The cities of Constantinople, Thessaloniki, Adrianople, Smyrna, Trebizond, Tarsus and Antioch are important cities of commerce and manufacturing. The imperial administration was often concerned with the need of supplying the large urban populations with agricultural products from the hinterland. For Constantinople and Adrianople, this was from the densely populated province of Thrace, producing grain, olives, while the shepherds of the Rhodopes supplied cheese and meat. Thessaloniki was supported by the rural regions of upper Macedonia and Thessaly. Smyrna and Tarsus have large hinterland regions; the growth of Trebizond on the other hand was limited by its lack of an agricultural hinterland, and the diet in the Pontic cities was often composed on fish and sea fruits as well as cheese and typical mountain produce, while baked products were rare. Historically, grain had been imported from Taurica (2) and gradually the trade routes reopen.
The early 14th century saw a renaissance in culture – art and philosophy in the Empire. The largest universities were present in Constantinople and Antioch, while other provincial capitals had their own schools, though their reputation was not as highly regarded as the two aforementioned, and were more concerned with training of professionals for specific tasks needed in the daily life of almost every village – such as medicine, law and theology. These subjects were studied more deeply, following an introduction into the seven liberal arts (music, arithmetic, geometry, astronomy, grammar, logic and rhetoric) .These schools were thus training persons highly demanded in everyday life. However, the universities of Constantinople and Antioch were concerned with a more complex pursuit of wisdom, and philosophers concerned with all disciplines could be found in the universities of Constantinople and Antioch.
View attachment 579048
A reconstruction of the Magnaura Hall, housing the university of Constantinople
Aristotle and Plato remain highly respected and often citied philosophers- and the Academy in Athens is reopened (Athens no longer remains a chief city, but is rather a humble provincial town, renown largely to the educated for its past significance, but not for its present fame).
The work of Demetrios Allatios Human Societies and their Structure has become a classic work of contemporary Rhomaic philosophy. Allatios grounds his ideas in Aristolte, Plato and the Bible. With his premises being the original inequality of human beings and virtue, and evaluating different goods and virtues, he comes to a following conclusion:
“As we know, in the past every city ruled itself and was submitted to no other than themselves. Thus, the citizens of Athens ruled themselves, while they neighbours the Thebans did not at all subject themselves to the laws of the Athenians, and so did Corinth, Sparta and each and every of them. In the present we see societies of different size be found in the oecumene: we see the city, we find the kingdom and the empire. Which, however suits best human nature?
Firstly we take a look at the city. A city is however small and cannot obtain all it needs within its limits. It is not sufficient – say a great fire comes or some sort of natural destruction – who will come to the aid of the citizens? Another city? Why should they? When looking at ancient history, we see a great many of wars, between neighbouring cities, with people of same language fighting their follow neighbours. (…)
Secondly, looking at the kingdom, found among the Franks. The kingdom is larger than the city and usually its people are all of the same tribe. The king cannot listen to the concerns of all of his subjects- only his noblemen, who reside in castles in different parts of the realm. The kings themselves, and their nobles are concerned with virtue, mainly though through glory through war (perhaps due to their barbaric roots), which however leads to wars. (…)
Lastly, there is the Empire. The Empire is not just a big kingdom, but has the noble goal of uniting all humans (…).Some say, that is not freedom a virtue? Freedom to choose which way to govern the city? (…)” The argument goes that freedom to make bad decisions will be ultimately destructive. Ultimately Demetrios asks that what is better- one legionary or an entire legion, composed of many legionaries. He then asks, what is better, the squabbling and scheming pantheon of gods, with Zeus, and Poseidon and Hades, with none of them all-powerful, or an all-powerful God of the Testaments?
Thus his conclusion goes to say that the universal empire led by a virtuous emperor on the throne is the best political establishment. The emperor however, is needed to be able to receive the concerns of his subjects and listen to his counsellors. Furthermore, the emperor ought to allow all peoples regardless of their origin to submit to the Emperor and become integrated into the Rhomaic civilization.
The resulting mind-set in the Rhomaic Empire is that : (a) ideally the entire globe should come under the rule of one emperor, who would establish a lasting peace – the “peace of the Naimans” was a cited example, though it failed for two reasons – the brutality of its conquests, and secondly for the disunity of the khans and (b) societies are graded and systematically categorized according to their level of sophistication (3) – with hunter-gatherer clans ranking ultimately lowest and the “Four Grand Civilizations” – the Rhomanians, Chinese, Persians and Indians are ranked highest, with everyone else ranking in between. Gradually, philosophers in Constantinople and Antioch argue specifically on the categorization of that tribe or that principality into a given category.
Regarding the Senate of the Rhomaic Empire, we have the four primary political factions: the Faction of Reconquest focusing on a strong military and territorial expansion, then Faction of the Market aiming for a strong navy and new trade opportunities. The Faction of the Knights, seeking to strengthen the position of the land-owners and aiming to transform the country into a feudal one appears to be losing ground given the developments in increasing urbanization. The Faction of the Purple, backing Imperial attempts to centralize the Empire can thus be found in a somewhat direct opposition in relation to the Faction of the Knights. One of the primary powers of the Senate was, together with the Patriarch of Constantinople, to be the kingmaker in event of a succession crisis.
It was primarily the Faction of the Market that has been a decisive force in the early 14th century Rhomania, and the empire has become a thalassocracy controlling the Eastern Mediterranean. Large forests were planted across various hilly regions of the empire, as building material for future fleets It was the Faction of the Market that has directed the Rhomanian fleet and army against Sicily in the 1320s, seizing Calabria and the eastern shore of Sicily (subsequently the western part of the island became part of Afirka.
In a few years, the Rhomaic Empire entered into another conflict, this time with the two merchant republics of Ragusa and Venice over control of the )Adriatic trade routes. Venice moreover was very active in the eastern Mediterranean and has set up colonies of Italian merchants on many of the Aegean islands. Venetian merchants were also active in Taurida but very importantly, Venice was engaged in high-intensity trade with Kemet, which was the only contender of the Rhomaic Empire for the control of the Eastern Mediterranean
View attachment 579047
The city of Ragusa was one of the targets of the second campaign of emperor John Palaiologos
The war against these two Italian states occurred primarily on sea, where the imperial fleet proved its numerical superiority. A blockade of the city of Ragusa both from land and fro mesa was established, before the princes surrendered and Ragusa accepted Rhomaic suzerainty, while maintaining their republican institutions. Venice was not attacked directly – the Venetians were able to rebuke the Rhomanians in Istria and ultimately a peace was established, resulting in Venetians paying tribute to the Empire.
By the year 1340 the Salghurid dynasty of Konya has become a major target of the Rhomaic Empire. The then Emperor, John Palaiologos together with the Faction of Reconquest set out on a campaign to regain the region of central Anatolia. Among his best generals was a man of Armenian descent from Cilicia, known as Sarkis of Trazark. His role in designing the battle plan was crucial, and he is also known to have had a great support among his forces, which were composed of mostly Armenian and Syriac horsemen and archers, to a lesser also pikemen.
View attachment 579045
The Turkoman cavalry fielded by the Salghurids
After the victory of the Salghurids, the Emperor was concerned with attacking the Eretnids, to fully secure Anatolia once and for all. Sarkis was delegated to station the troops under his command at Tarsus, to consolidate his forces and was supposed to, according to the plan, attack the Eretnid forces to the south.
However, instead, Sarkis summoned the diocesan councils of both Cilicia and Syria and decided to act independently of the Emperor, as Sarkis was concerned by the fact that Antioch lacked an effective hinterland. Local levies and guardsmen were raised in both provinces, and Sarkis set march on the Malikate of Aram, governed by Qeryaq (4). The Malikate of Aram was one of the successor states of the Ilkhanate, spanning from the Syrian Desert to Gaza. In Syria, it turned out Sarkis achieved important victories, entering ultimately the cities Damascus and Zahle.
Before leaving Antioch, Sarkis has informed the imperial fleet of his ambitions and instructed them to set sail against Gaza. However, it turned out that Kemet took advantage of the opportunity and has marched its army across the Sinai, before Qeriaq pledged fealty to the Pharaoh.
Imperial fleets disembarked on the Galilean coast, in Acre, and Sidon, before learning that Jerusalem, Bethlehem and Hebron were firmly in Kemetian hands. Ultimately it was the Emperor who ordered the imperial troops to stand down, as any form of military campaign against Kemet was against his interest.
Furthermore, it was decided that Sarkis of Trazark committed treason by acting against imperial orders and causing complete chaos from the strategic perspective (the campaign against the Eretnids did thus not begin). Sarkis refused to obey the authority of the Emperor, rather he raised his own banners and instigated a revolt. While the Greek heartland of the Empire supported the legitimate Emperor, a man named Constantine Vargas , commander of the troops stationed on the Pontic coast rallied to his cause.
View attachment 579044
The snow-covered peaks of the Taurus
Sarkis crossed the Taurus and established his camp at Konya, where he rallied a number of previously defeated Turkomans and Armenians under his banner, before marching to the northwest upon Constantinople. Meanwhile Constantine Vargas was moving westwards, seizing the Pontic Coast up to the river Saggarios (5). The host of Sarkis met with Imperial forces near Dorylaeum (6), where his superior tactical skills has given him victory, as well as his Turkoman cavalrymen. The defeated loyalist forces retreated to the city of Nikomedia (6) in Bithynia on coast of the Marble Sea.
The city offered heavy resistance, with many troops pulled from Thrace and Constantinople itself being sent there to halt the advance of the pretender. Sarkis made a decision to fake their retreat, and waited for the forces inside the city to march out, seeking to defeat them in open battle. Ultimately, his idea proved to be a success, especially as the forces of Constantine Vargas attacked the loyalist forces from the rear.
The seizure of Nikomedia gave Sarkis control over Bithynia and cleared the path to Constantinople, and with the help of the Pontic fleet Sarkis transferred his armies across the Bosporus at night, sending roughly one half to secure the Theodosian Walls, and the other part his troops was ready to besiege the City of the World.
However, bloodshed did not occur, as the previous Emperor was killed in a coup and the gates of the city were opened. Thus came to power Sarkis I. of the Cilician dynasty. Sarkis has diverted his attention to Syria and Cilicia – transferring his seat to Antioch in the winter and Trazark in Cilicia in summer. In Syria and among Armenians, he was a popular Emperor. On the other hand, his absence in Constantinople caused a public uproar.
View attachment 579043
A map of the Rhomaic Empire at the end of the reign of Sarkis the Cilician
The security of Syria remained a concern of Sarkis for the later part of his reign- campaigning against the Ak Koyunlu Turkomans over Berroia/ Aleppo and other cities in northern Syria, before it was agreed that the course of the Euphrates shall be the border between the two.
- Contrary to what happened in OTL, which was caused partly by the fragmentation of Anatolia into numerous beyliks. In this timeline, the rural population of Anatolia has moved to a large number westwards into the major cities.
- Crimea
- This idea was originally found in the writing by @Basileus444 in The Age of Miracles Continues
- A possible Turkoman variation of the name Quriaqos
- Sakarya River, Turkey
- Near Eskisehir , Turkey
- Izmit
- Tomislav Addai
- Word Count: 2.3k