I suppose so, but surely, that's having Michael behave more like a stereotypical comic book hero than a real human being? Were he under different circumstances then I could possibly agree with you, but this is a man who's wife has just delivered him twin baby sons, it's hardly as if he has nothing left to live for. Obviously this is KP's TL, and I don't like to criticise what has been a very fine work of AH so far, but this particular scene didn't make a lot of sense to me.
Stefan IV Dusan - Constantine XI
- Thread starter Konstantin Paleolog
- Start date
I suppose so, but surely, that's having Michael behave more like a stereotypical comic book hero than a real human being? Were he under different circumstances then I could possibly agree with you, but this is a man who's wife has just delivered him twin baby sons, it's hardly as if he has nothing left to live for. Obviously this is KP's TL, and I don't like to criticise what has been a very fine work of AH so far, but this particular scene didn't make a lot of sense to me.
I admit I've had issues with the Michael character since his inception but it's not like people haven't run off to doomed battles before with families. Besides the actions as reported might be only half the story. Perhaps he was imprisoned by his soldiers in the city and they tried to hand him over but Tamerlane just stomped them anyway. If he is freed as the Timurids breach the city he might well grab a sword and make a last stand trying to escape. Maybe Michael thought they would have reinforcements and were lied to or the defenders deluded themselves and the story of a brave last stand was made up by those who fled to absolve themselves of guilt. Or maybe something else happened and Tamerlane made up the story to explain his losses (say to disease) in a heroic manner that made him look good for persevering and defeating a might enemy when in reality it was just a costly siege. That there were few survivors from the side of any but Timur leaves open a lot possibilities as to how we got the story.
My main issue with the battle as described is the street fighting. There have been several in my own TL (Toledo in 804, Rome in I think 970, Damascus in 1039) but in general once the wall is breached it's game over. Populaces usually surrender to try and save themselves. In fact in both 804 and 970 the street fighting happened because one group was attempting to escape the city and got trapped not because they intended to sell themselves. It's more probable that soldiers retreat to the citadel and leave the surviving populace to the wolves.
ED: I will be sensing the need for a new map in a few updates....
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Basileus Giorgios said:
Michael had several reasons to stay and fight. While he was devoted to his family, he spent much of his time out in the field, and most of his friends who had survived the massacre at Sivas were not at Konya, determined to stay until the end.
He was also infuriated with Manuel. The emperor hadn't send adequate reinforcements, knowing that it was more important to protect the empire than the puppet Sultan. Michael didn't want to run to Constantinople and go under the protection of one who had basically betrayed him. Not only his legacy but also his dignity was on the line.
Then there are the unsubstantiated rumors that Michael was a bisexual (like another great general he often sought to emulate) and there was someone in Konya who he couldn't take with him.
Sorry for the lack of updates, guys, I probably forgot to mention that I'm in Acruvium in the province of Dalmatia (in other words, around the town of Kotor in Montenegro) for the month of July. I have limited internet access here. Therefore, this thread will probably be on hiatus until the month of August, while everyone's favorite Serbo-Byzantine logothete enjoys some R&R and local women. 
I hope you enjoyed/are enjoying your trip to Montenegro!
Any update coming soon? I know that you must have several new ideas for a Serb Roman Empire being in the Balkans
Any update coming soon? I know that you must have several new ideas for a Serb Roman Empire being in the Balkans
Cuāuhtemōc
Banned
Yes and a usurper is trying to steal your glory by a Vlad Tepes time-line no matter how cool the idea is.
Anyways enjoy your trip.
Anyways enjoy your trip.
Come on, be optimistic!He might not ever be coming back. Maybe he fell in with some local girl and decided to stay.
EDIT: this is my 200th post! It's rather ironic that I got both 100th and 200th in this thread and not at IE, where I write some stories and was basically the reason why I created this account to post
. Still, this thread is awesome too!
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Indeed. I'm losing my hopes. I wanted to see a Timurid siege of Constantinople. However, it's September 7th (Brazil's independence!!Will we ever know how the time-line ends?
) and still nothing.
Cuāuhtemōc
Banned
Indeed. I'm losing my hopes. I wanted to see a Timurid siege of Constantinople. However, it's September 7th (Brazil's independence!!
I wanted that too! It would be a Crowning Moment of Heartwarming to have Byzantine residents of Constantinople, Serb, Greek and Turk unite to expel the Timurid invaders from the Eternal City and from their empire for good. It had so much potential.
Cuāuhtemōc
Banned
I wanted that too! It would be a Crowning Moment of Heartwarming to have Byzantine residents of Constantinople, Serb, Greek and Turk unite to expel the Timurid invaders from the Eternal City and from their empire for good. It had so much potential.
Bumped. This was one of my favorite TLs
Following tradition, I've decided to post my 300th at this thread!
KP, please just say if this TL is dead or not. I'd love to see it continuing (sorry for necroposting!)
KP, please just say if this TL is dead or not. I'd love to see it continuing (sorry for necroposting!
)