Brothers in Arms

Clibanarius

Banned
POD: 500 AD.

527 AD


The room was comfortable and well lit but functional, a tasteful but modest desk sat in one corner while the rest of the shelves were lined with books, many thought the man sitting at the desk couldn't read or write and he was content to let them go on thinking that.

The Emperor Justin could feel something in the air, expectation, while he'd been a competent enough Emperor he could sense that the people were ready and waiting for his heir, most likely his nephew, to take power.

That was all well and good, and truth be told the Throne seemed a lot harder than it used to be except the message the Emperor Kavadh had sent him.

Kavadh wasn't getting any younger and he was requesting that his son be adopted like the Emperor Yazdigerd had adopted Theodosius and Kavadh did have a legitimate point.

The problem was that Justin had already made sure his nephew Justinian would suceed him and an adoption like the one Kavadh was talking about would leave his son Khusrau with a legitimate claim to throne of Constantinople and knowing Justinian . . .

Justin winced at the implications and decided not to continue that line of thought. And if he refused or offered anything less Kavadh would be (understandably) offended and when Persian Emperors became offended. . .

"Julius Caesar never had to deal with things like this." He said to himself. "Don't be stupid, old man, and don't talk out loud to yourself."

He glared at the message and tried to think of some way out this that wouldn't get someone killed, but all he could see was the Emperor of the East moving his Savaran westward-

"Westward," he whispered to himself, "east and west."

He grinned, it was a crazy idea but it was worth a try and it just might satisfy everyone involved.

Justin began to write his reply.

*****

Four days latter a dusty-coated messenger staggered in the Emperor Kavadh's throne room and handed him the message bearing Justin's reply.

He raised an eyebrow as Justin explained the difficult position Kavadh's request put him in and then-

He glanced up sharply at the nobles of Court. "Leave me." They slowly filed from the room and Kavadh went back to reading the letter and at last he folded it carefully and chuckled. The idea was. . . unusual, then again they'd done it Theodosius and the world hadn't ended like some of his nobles had predicted and a Persian still sat on the Throne of the Persian Empire.

He tapped his fingers against his chin and considered how he would reply, he grinned slightly, it would be interesting to see his son's face when he read the message.

He stood and called for writing materials, if nothing else else it was worth a try.

Two weeks later the two Emperor's and their heirs sat around a small but ornate Table in a Tent between the borders far from prying eyes as they argued about the proposal.

Both Justinian and Khosrau could see the benefits and see that it was possible but neither one was comfortable with being adopted by the ruler of what amounted to an enemy nation.

"How many people do you think will even accept the idea and thepossibility of Persian on a the throne of Rome? And for that matter how many Persians would accept a Roman on their Throne?" Said Justinian.

Khosrau raised an eyebrow. "My Grandfather adopted your Theodosius and the world still turns and a Persian still reigns over Persia. Besides that, we did it for you and now it's your turn."

Justinian nodded. "True, but what about the fact that we have very different doctrines?"

Justin took a long pull from his wineglass. "We can hold a Council in Constantinople, persuade the different doctrines to reconcile or at least leave each other be and then pass yet another in a long series of Edicts."

Justinian considered the idea, he was powerful, respected and had many connections and his Uncle was the Emperor Rome after all. He would to smooth down several feathers and tread very carefully around certain factions but it was doable, such Edicts weren't exactly unheard of. The real problem was keeping them together.

He felt a familiar pounding begin behind his temples and sighed. ". . . If such a Council was a sucess and an Edict proclaiming Tolerance for the different doctrines then we could proceed with the proposed adoption, assuming of course," he nodded to Khosrau, "that you're are willing to convert to Orthrodoxy and become a Roman Citizen."

Khosrau grinned sardonically. "Are you willing to switch to our ways?"

Justinian stiffened slightly at Khosrau's challenge and nodded. "Of course I am."

Kavadh beamed. "Excellent! Perhaps you should have Justinian proclaimed Emperor and have him take power shortly after the adoptions take place, I of course shall do the same with my son."

"An excellent idea." Said Justin.

"There will be a matter of Hostages and Justinian will need to marry one of my Daughters and if something should happen to her he must be ready to re-marry one of her sisters."

Justin nodded. "You understand that Khosrau will have to marry a Roman noblewoman and only one, more than one wife is. . . frowned on in."

Khosrau nodded. "If you uphold your end of the bargain, then so will I."

They stood and signed the sheet of Parchment on the Table and left to prepare and win over the necessary people and factions.


*****
The garden was pleasant and his drink even more so, a gentle breeze rustled through the shaded area and a fountain chuckled quietly in the center.

Justinian sat back in his chair and listened to old Bishop talk, he'd spent the last two months in similiar ventures and if his third visit with this old man payed off several of the pieces would fall into place.

"- about these Monophysites?"

At last, we come to it. Justinian considered his next answer carefully, the Bishop was a devout man and Justinian knew that he wasn't one that glib answers and lavish 'gifts' and 'donations' would work on.

He hesitated and then said what he thought. ". . . Truth be told, I think it's heretical but persecution of something will only make it stronger, in fact they're already stronger.

"I'm no Priest I don't recall Christ ever condoning persecution, it seems to me that a better way would be to win them over with kindness and patience, like Christ did and said we should. Besides, contrary to what certain Pastors may scream from their Pulpits, they're hardly a threat. "

The Bishop looked at him unblinkingly and Justinian began to wonder if all his careful efforts had just gone to waste, then the man nodded ever so slowly. "Very well, you will have your support."

"In return for what?"

The Bishop smiled softly. "I have all I need here in my home, I have no need of gifts, although I am grateful for them, those Falcons in particular were exquisite, give our Lord a gift."

Oh, thank God. Justinian thought. "As matter of fact I already have such a gift planned."

The Bishop smiled again. "That is good." He stood and Justinian followed suit, thanked him for his hospitality and left to report his progress to the Emperor.

He found his Uncle in his Office and reported his sucess. Justin grunted. "A sure sign that God is on our side if we had nothing the Bishop wanted or needed like you said."

Justinian nodded at the message on his Uncles desk. "How goes it in Persia?"

Justin grinned sourly. "Another sign that God likes us, Kavadh has made similiar progress and he's even got your bride picked out. Don't worry," he said on seeing the expression on Justinian's face, "I made sure he picked a pretty one."

He looked hard his Nephew. "You aren't involved with anyone right now, are you?"

Justinian shook his head. While he hadn't exactly had many lovers he hadn't lived the life of a celibate either.

"Good." And his Uncle went back to reading the reports and Justinian quietly let himself out.

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From Robert Anderson's Byzantinium and the Council of Constaninople.
Chapter 13:

The Council of Constaninople and what the Emperor Justin and heir Justinian had in mind were hardly novel concepts, the main problem was implementing the idea in the face of the competing doctrines, and the people who had been aggrieved by the previous intolerance and persecution.

While The Emperor and Justinian had spent months smoothing over differences with a combination of Diplomacy and reminding the more stubborn parties who ruled the Empire and who supported them.

However one of the most important factors was having the loyalty of the Army, a factor that had been vital to many Emperor's hold on power and would be prove to be so for centuries to come.

In particular was one Flavius Belisarius, a Thracian of middle-class background who'd been born Circa. 500 AD and while a Christian not particularly religious and so not interested in the various heresies, schisms and doctrinal rivalries and he had little interest in politics making him an ideal candidate for commander of the Emperor's Bodyguards and and later commander of the armies of the Empire's eastern provinces.

Besides all this he shared a common background with with Justinian and was apparently honorable and above all loyal to Justinian and his Uncle. Making him one of the rarest kind of people in the Imperial Court, trusted.

And so the Council of Constantinople began with represenatives from Britain to the Persian Empire's eastern holdings with Belisarius standing patiently at the Emperor's side a very pointed reminder of the Emperor's power and that the Army had little interest in the concerns of the various doctrines.

Soldiers throughout history have cared little for the finer points of their beliefs or the precise form of address for their god, caring more about whether or not their chosen deity would protect them in battle.

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Flavius Belisarius focused on a point a few inches above a Gothic Clergyman's head as the man droned about on about whether or not Mother Mary should be addressed as God-Bearer or Christ-bearer.

They're still arguing about that? For a moment Belisarius entertained a pleasant fantasy of dragging them all outside by their ears and throwing them out on their robed asses, all the while watching for any threat and trying to ignore the severe itch that was building up in his nose and his aching bladder.

From the corner of his eye he could see the two men he'd chosen to protect the Emperor and his Heir, Justinian. Inside the dark recesses of his Spangenhelm Quintus's eyes were narrowed as if in pain and a muscle was jumping in Valentian's jaw.

At last they agreed that Christ and God were one and the same, well most of them that didn't seem to go over so well with Arians and Justinian had to keep bringing them back on track, they weren't here to give one doctrine precedence over another, the point was to agree to let each doctrine leave each the other in peace.

That did not go over well, the minor doctrines and the ones being persecuted approved heartily but for the most part the more powerful and established doctrines met it with steadfast opposition.

How did it go? Belisarius thought sarcastically. Oh, yes: 'And you shall love your neighbor as you love yourself.' I'd say I'm doing a better job of it than most of the people here and my job's killing my neighbors if they decide they want to take a little roman property and territory.

Again the Emperor had to call on his support and reassure the various leaders that they wouldn't be threatened and that they would continue to gain and influence and followers. And again it went back and forth . . . just like the previous two days.

He sighed mentally and hoped it would end, not soon, he'd given up hope on that, now he was just holding out for an eventual end.


 

Clibanarius

Banned
Meanwhile a certain Prince by the name of Khosrau re-read the report and looked at the map on the wall of the War-Council's Chamber.

"Of all the times the damned Hepthalites could have chosen they pick this one."

His father raised a bushy eyebrow and grinned sardonically. "And you can be sure, my son, that it's no coincidence."

Khosrau grunted and considered, the handful that knew about it were oppossed to the idea of the planned adoption that would take place but as there were only a handful of people that had been informed of it, that left a very few who could have been responsible for this.

Truth be told he wasn't exactly keen on the idea himself, and such a peace required many, both roman and persian to forget the proceeding centuries of treaty and war. But deliberately inciting an invasion of one's own country. . . Besides, having a peace in the west would mean freeing up more troops to deal with the damned turks and white huns.

"With your permission I shall call up my retainers and move our forces to destroy this incursion before they can do any real damage."

Kavadh spread his hands and smiled. "By all means, my son."

". . . I have an idea."

Khosrau turned and raised an eyebrow in imitation of his Father. "Oh?"

"The romans fight hard and Justin is eager for this agreement to go through, so I suggest that we ask him, in the interests of further cooperation, to send some of his forces, not enough to weaken him and not enough to threaten us to aid our troops against the turks and huns."

"They won't get here in time."

Kavadh shrugged. "No, but once they've arrived they may be of some use in the future, the romans may be a bunch of bastards but God, they can fight."

Khosrau wasn't convinced. "Justin and his coin-pinching Nephew will want a similiar exchange from us."

Kavadh nodded. "Then we'll have to make a similiar exchange."

Khosrau nodded and left to prepare. Kavadh watched his eldest son stride away with the confidence of youth and smiled softly. "Go with God, my son." He whispered and then shook himself.

"Getting soft in your old age, let his poor Mother cry when he rides away, that's what mothers are for."

Kavadh sat and began considering which of the high ranking nobles might have incited the huns to attack. If in fact one of them had, it could be a coincidence. "Said the amorous Husband as his Wife threw stones at him and his newest Mistress." He muttered.

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Comments? Anyone? (It's not much fun to create a TL that no one reads, apparently.
 
Byzantine timelines are interesting, so are Persian timelines.

That's all I can think of at the moment, but this looks to continue that tradition.
 
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