The eagle's left head
- Thread starter Lascaris
- Start date
The despotate at the moment is too small for a major power and too big to ignore and be ignored by the outside world. That's not a good combination...
Part 38
Arta, Epirus, April 11th, 1317
The men at arms hidden among the crowd jumped Thomas Angelos Doukas as he left the church from celebrating Easter Mass. Taken by surprise, or perhaps part of the plot his own bodyguards failed to react as the despot of Epirus was cut down in front of the church. The despot as of late had made many enemies. He had imprisoned his wife Anna Palaiologina, the daughter of co-emperor Michael IX and start a less than successful war against the empire, Imperial troops had marched all the way to Arta the previous year and had tried to resume his relations with the Angevins with less than stellar results since Philip of Taranto still claimed the despotate for himself. Then he had given refuge to the Orsini brothers, sons of his sister Maria, after their father had fallen in the battle of Manolada and Lascarid troops had captured the county palatinate of Cephalonia, while at the same time refusing them their Inheritance from their mother. This had brought him to conflict with the Vatatzes brothers as well. In the end it had been Nicholas Orsini the elder of the two brothers who had conspired to assassinate his uncle...
Arta, Epirus, April 25th, 1317
Two weeks had passed from the assassination of Thomas I of Epirus. Nicholas had brought Anna out of prison, arranged for his marriage with her and proclaimed himself Orthodox and the new despot of Epirus. The army in Arta had joined him. How Naples and Constantinople would react remained to be seen as Nicholas had dispatched envoys to both capitals. But for now Nicholas position while tenous looked relatively safe. It would prove a mistake. A fatal one for Nicholas as his own brother John murdered him in turn. John the more capable or perhaps the less scrupulous of the two brothers would proclaim he had done so to avenge the death of their uncle Thomas. Then he would proclaim himself despot as the sole legitimate heir of Thomas, naming himself Ioannis Angelos Doukas, join the Orthodox church and marry Anna himself...
Palermo, May 1317
Frederick III threw the letter from pope John XXII away. His holiness was demanding, that the king stopped giving refuge to the Spiritual Franciscans. He wasn't going to do so. John like his predecessors was supporting the house of Anjou against Frederick and his house. Frederick was not going to throw to the wolves true Christians popular with his subjects for such a man. After all his reverses last year were a sign from God he hadn't been properly prepared spiritually and materially for the role his house had to take in the coming end of times. Besides he had more serious troubles to deal with. His barons in the interior of Sicily were screaming for help as Philanthropinos men were raiding all over the place burning and stealing everything in their path and letting serfs and slaves run away. And the towns of the royal demense on the coast were also sending complaint after complaint to Palermo. Ioannis fleet was raiding the coast and seizing Sicilian merchant ships as were doing Angevingalleys. The only merchantmen that could ply their trade somewhat unscathed were Genoese ships under escort. And the troubles of the coastal towns were being even further exacerbated by conflicts with his own barons as the serfs escaped to the towns and the barons wanted them back and demanded from him more and more financial concessions on the towns as compensation for their troubles and continuing support of the crown...
Constantinople, May 30th, 1317
Adrienne Palaiologina, queen of Serbia, stole a glance at Theodore as the Imperial procession left Hagia Sophia. It was the Pentecost and it was also her last day in Constantinople. Her father had succumbed once more to the pressure of her so called husband and was sending her tomorrow back to him despite all her entreaties to the contrary. She wondered why she would expect otherwise when he had felt no compunction to throw her away to that monster at age five. But he was her father and the basileus. How could the vice-regent of Christ on Earth stoop so low as to be afraid of not just any barbarian but the scum that was Stefan. But she would follow her father's orders and leave the City. Whether she reached Milutin and his court... why that was a different question.
Constantinople, May 30th, 1317
Theodore emptied his glass of tsipouro and poured down more for himself and his two friends in the room as he nibbled at a piece of fried sausage, this thing was too strong to drink with an empty stomach.
"Damn these monks, in Hagion Oros, who invented this thing knew what they were doing. It his you way worse than wine. But back to our subject. Are you certain Theodore you want to get to all that trouble for my aunt? I know she's beautiful but she's also married to Milutin. Even if the marriage and how it happened is a disgrace for Rhomania. Damn my grandfather and his stupidity.."
Theodore's eyes grew steely. "Yes I am certain. Are you two with me?"
The third man in the room spoke before his impetuous friend could say yes. "What is your brother do Theodore?"
"Tell me I am stark crazy in private and back me to the hilt. As will uncle Alexios. After all even for a strict political calculation what can Milutin do against us? Send the fleet he does not have to attack Syracuse. Or send the allies he does not have in Italy to attack us? Are you with me Ioannis?"
Ioannis Kantakouzenos gave a shrug. "Yes I am. Worse comes to worse, you'll have me in Syracuse for the rest of our days."
Theodore and Ioannis turned to the third man in the room.
"You noticed Ioannis how our friend here, when calculating the political consequences didn't even bother to give any thought to the empire. That's how low my grandfather has brought us since my great grandfather died. Hell Yes I'm in.*
East of Thessaloniki, June 10th, 1317
Scouts had kept the royal party under discreet observation as it made its way west to Thessaloniki from where it was supposed to make its way north to Milutin's capital in Skopje waiting for an opportunity. None had come so far much to the frustration of Theodore and his friends who with a second party followed Adrianne at a suitable distance. Their excuse for gallivanating around Macedonia, ostensibly for Theodore to visit Mount Athos on his way back to the Peloponnese was starting to look thin. Then one more scout had come...
Ioannis looked at the man incredulously, his two friends were still laughing. " So to get this straight. Adrianne escaped on her own and run off to the monastery nearby?"
"Yes sir. Before leaving to come meet you my informant told me that her brother, was on his way to the monastery from Thessaloniki."
"That would be my uncle despot Constantine the governor of Thessaloniki. This may be our... oh ok. Ioannis we are on our way it seems"
Theodore was already jumping on his horse, his Moreots and Sicilians forming up...
The men at arms hidden among the crowd jumped Thomas Angelos Doukas as he left the church from celebrating Easter Mass. Taken by surprise, or perhaps part of the plot his own bodyguards failed to react as the despot of Epirus was cut down in front of the church. The despot as of late had made many enemies. He had imprisoned his wife Anna Palaiologina, the daughter of co-emperor Michael IX and start a less than successful war against the empire, Imperial troops had marched all the way to Arta the previous year and had tried to resume his relations with the Angevins with less than stellar results since Philip of Taranto still claimed the despotate for himself. Then he had given refuge to the Orsini brothers, sons of his sister Maria, after their father had fallen in the battle of Manolada and Lascarid troops had captured the county palatinate of Cephalonia, while at the same time refusing them their Inheritance from their mother. This had brought him to conflict with the Vatatzes brothers as well. In the end it had been Nicholas Orsini the elder of the two brothers who had conspired to assassinate his uncle...
Arta, Epirus, April 25th, 1317
Two weeks had passed from the assassination of Thomas I of Epirus. Nicholas had brought Anna out of prison, arranged for his marriage with her and proclaimed himself Orthodox and the new despot of Epirus. The army in Arta had joined him. How Naples and Constantinople would react remained to be seen as Nicholas had dispatched envoys to both capitals. But for now Nicholas position while tenous looked relatively safe. It would prove a mistake. A fatal one for Nicholas as his own brother John murdered him in turn. John the more capable or perhaps the less scrupulous of the two brothers would proclaim he had done so to avenge the death of their uncle Thomas. Then he would proclaim himself despot as the sole legitimate heir of Thomas, naming himself Ioannis Angelos Doukas, join the Orthodox church and marry Anna himself...
Palermo, May 1317
Frederick III threw the letter from pope John XXII away. His holiness was demanding, that the king stopped giving refuge to the Spiritual Franciscans. He wasn't going to do so. John like his predecessors was supporting the house of Anjou against Frederick and his house. Frederick was not going to throw to the wolves true Christians popular with his subjects for such a man. After all his reverses last year were a sign from God he hadn't been properly prepared spiritually and materially for the role his house had to take in the coming end of times. Besides he had more serious troubles to deal with. His barons in the interior of Sicily were screaming for help as Philanthropinos men were raiding all over the place burning and stealing everything in their path and letting serfs and slaves run away. And the towns of the royal demense on the coast were also sending complaint after complaint to Palermo. Ioannis fleet was raiding the coast and seizing Sicilian merchant ships as were doing Angevingalleys. The only merchantmen that could ply their trade somewhat unscathed were Genoese ships under escort. And the troubles of the coastal towns were being even further exacerbated by conflicts with his own barons as the serfs escaped to the towns and the barons wanted them back and demanded from him more and more financial concessions on the towns as compensation for their troubles and continuing support of the crown...
Constantinople, May 30th, 1317
Adrienne Palaiologina, queen of Serbia, stole a glance at Theodore as the Imperial procession left Hagia Sophia. It was the Pentecost and it was also her last day in Constantinople. Her father had succumbed once more to the pressure of her so called husband and was sending her tomorrow back to him despite all her entreaties to the contrary. She wondered why she would expect otherwise when he had felt no compunction to throw her away to that monster at age five. But he was her father and the basileus. How could the vice-regent of Christ on Earth stoop so low as to be afraid of not just any barbarian but the scum that was Stefan. But she would follow her father's orders and leave the City. Whether she reached Milutin and his court... why that was a different question.
Constantinople, May 30th, 1317
Theodore emptied his glass of tsipouro and poured down more for himself and his two friends in the room as he nibbled at a piece of fried sausage, this thing was too strong to drink with an empty stomach.
"Damn these monks, in Hagion Oros, who invented this thing knew what they were doing. It his you way worse than wine. But back to our subject. Are you certain Theodore you want to get to all that trouble for my aunt? I know she's beautiful but she's also married to Milutin. Even if the marriage and how it happened is a disgrace for Rhomania. Damn my grandfather and his stupidity.."
Theodore's eyes grew steely. "Yes I am certain. Are you two with me?"
The third man in the room spoke before his impetuous friend could say yes. "What is your brother do Theodore?"
"Tell me I am stark crazy in private and back me to the hilt. As will uncle Alexios. After all even for a strict political calculation what can Milutin do against us? Send the fleet he does not have to attack Syracuse. Or send the allies he does not have in Italy to attack us? Are you with me Ioannis?"
Ioannis Kantakouzenos gave a shrug. "Yes I am. Worse comes to worse, you'll have me in Syracuse for the rest of our days."
Theodore and Ioannis turned to the third man in the room.
"You noticed Ioannis how our friend here, when calculating the political consequences didn't even bother to give any thought to the empire. That's how low my grandfather has brought us since my great grandfather died. Hell Yes I'm in.*
East of Thessaloniki, June 10th, 1317
Scouts had kept the royal party under discreet observation as it made its way west to Thessaloniki from where it was supposed to make its way north to Milutin's capital in Skopje waiting for an opportunity. None had come so far much to the frustration of Theodore and his friends who with a second party followed Adrianne at a suitable distance. Their excuse for gallivanating around Macedonia, ostensibly for Theodore to visit Mount Athos on his way back to the Peloponnese was starting to look thin. Then one more scout had come...
Ioannis looked at the man incredulously, his two friends were still laughing. " So to get this straight. Adrianne escaped on her own and run off to the monastery nearby?"
"Yes sir. Before leaving to come meet you my informant told me that her brother, was on his way to the monastery from Thessaloniki."
"That would be my uncle despot Constantine the governor of Thessaloniki. This may be our... oh ok. Ioannis we are on our way it seems"
Theodore was already jumping on his horse, his Moreots and Sicilians forming up...
Last edited:
I think the date for Nicks assassination needs to be changed, as the 18th is only 7 days after the 11th, not two weeks. Great update, love Theodore conspiring with Andronikos III and John Kantakouzenos, between them, could keep the empire together and the turks out of Europe, i believe Gallipoli still has a few years till they take it.
John Orsini getting at the throne of Epirus is interesting, I wonder would the Vatatzes attempt to subvert them when they get the opportunity.
Andronikos iii being part of the Ioannes' friend is interesting, especially when Adrianne escapes to Syracuse and the two andronikoses fight it out in the civil war. If the Vatatzes help Andronikos iii win the civil war I see them being handsomely rewarded. Perhaps they get the rest of Morea and the bits of Anatolia that are controlled by the ERE?
Finally I wonder how we get the Vatatzes on the throne. An alternate conflict where Andronikos iii dies early and the Vatatzes gets on the throne in the early civil war?
Andronikos iii being part of the Ioannes' friend is interesting, especially when Adrianne escapes to Syracuse and the two andronikoses fight it out in the civil war. If the Vatatzes help Andronikos iii win the civil war I see them being handsomely rewarded. Perhaps they get the rest of Morea and the bits of Anatolia that are controlled by the ERE?
Finally I wonder how we get the Vatatzes on the throne. An alternate conflict where Andronikos iii dies early and the Vatatzes gets on the throne in the early civil war?
So Thomas gets the knife a year early, and John is not able to wait five years in his brother's shadow if I get it right.
The first because of their forced exile after Manolada, and the second because John doesn't have the palatine county to enjoy ruling over, right ?
Greece, a queen running away with some dashing young prince visiting... Hmm, where did I hear that ?
Tbf andronikos the third being friends with ioannes make sense considering how he and his Grandpa isn’t…really great in the relationship department
that's very true, I just wonder how things would be considering Andronikos III was part of a serious diplomatic incident that will cost Andronikos II dearly I wonder would the civil war occur earlier. Considering that Alfonso is still at large though I wonder would the Vatatzes attempt to take care of Alfonso and his posse first. Considering that the Catalans would be having trouble getting to the Med more and more as Palmero has a big chance of being taken by Robert, would they lose influence over Italy faster than otl in general too?
Thanks, it was supposed to be April 25. Gallipoli in in 1354 so quite a bit away, it is doubtful the current generation will be even alive at that point. Ioannis would be 74 and Theodore 64 after all.
House Vatatzes technically has a casus belli. Of course in the case of Epirus things get more complicated given Byzantine and Angevin claims as well...
For Andronikos to need to flee to Syracuse things would really need to go downhill for him. As for him giving off chunks of the empire for support I doubt it would be in his character. The man had his personal failings but my opinion of him has distinctly improved over the years.
Yes but technically both Alexandros and now Ioannis carefully avoid any claim to the title of basileus as this would likely bring them to war with both the Byzantines and the Angevins.
He doesn't have the palatine county and he is in Arta at the time Nicholas launches his coup. John strikes me as the more clever of the two. And here he has the opportunity not just to grab the throne but to do so in what will look to Thomas loyalists legitimate... he avenges his uncle after all.
I have no idea what you may be talking about. 😛
That's a bit in the future, till the supposed incident with Manuel the two were supposed to still get along relatively well. But still...
That remains to be seen. 😇
I think it depends on who has the most cards on the table really. If the Vatatzes claims it for the ERE (where they control and rule it for the emperor ofc) I could see the Empire agreeing to it especially if the Orsinis started a conflict.
No I was wondering how the Vatatzes would gain Morea and it being given to them by the emperor would be one of them. One possibility is that Andronikos iii makes one of the Vatatzes the epitropos of Morea when the old one dies so they have effective control over all of Morea.
Part 39
East of Thessaloniki, June 10th, 1317
Despot Constantine, governor of Thessaloniki was frustrated. His half-sister had forced him to ride out of Thessaloniki in a hurry, to stop her from creating even more of a mess of things. He could not blame her for hating Milutin. But this hardy mattered. The good of the state required her to be brought to Milutin and if need be he would just tie her up a deliver her in person kicking and screaming if need be. And 5hus he had forcibly dragged her out of the monastery she has hidden. Then he noticed the three young men waiting for him outside the monastery.
"Andronikos, ioannis and I am afraid I don't know you." The third young man wore plain but very well made and very expensive armour. He was not very likely to be a commoner. Not wearing expensive plate perfect fitting him and being in the company of his nephew. So he would remain polite.
"Theodore Doukas Lascaris at your service."
"The younger Vatatzes" Constantine translated mentally. "So what brings you three, here?". He was afraid he knew what it was, rumors from the palace in Constantinople had already reached his own court in Thessaloniki.
"We came to take Adrianne. If she'll come with us of course. Adrianne?"
"Of course I'll come!"
"She is not going anywhere, I'll deliver her to her husband in person."
"This so called marriage has so many violations a court would have trouble deciding what reason for divorce to declare first.
Constantine shrugged. "I'm still bringing her to Milutin no matter what."
Theodore's face suddenly grew harsh. "No you don't. She's coming with us." He said flatly.
"I don't want to have my guards attack you. But if need..." he was cut mid sentence by Andronikos laughter.
"Oh look around you uncle."
He did and visibly flinched. While he was dragging Adrianne out of the monastery, his own guards had been subdued by Vatatzes men, they must have been Vatatzes and Andronikos men. "There will be grave consequences if you elope with the girl. I admonish you to think better. As for you two" he continued to Andronikos and Ioannis, "just think what will happen when the basileus learns of this."
Theodore was now outright disdainful. "I'm not the basileus to disband the army and the navy in my wisdom and then to fear the grave consequences from every barbarian..."
Theodore and Adrianne would ride away, to the despotate galleys waiting for them nearby. Ioannis prudently would go with them, unlike Andronikos he was not a direct member of the Imperial family. Better be away from Constantinople for a time, till the basileus calmed down. Andronikos would accompany his fuming uncle to Thessaloniki. There had been no violence but Constantine was not going to forget the insult from Theodore any time soon.
Constantinople, June 30th, 1317
Andronikos II Palaiologos, Faithful to Christ the God basileus of the Romans was livid. "Andronikos you are an idiot. In the name of friendship with that other idiot Lascaris you endangered the peace of the empire."
"I was just protecting my aunt. Which as you are well aware emphatically did not want to return to the court of Milutin. We are talking about the man who sent to you his own son to have him blinded grandfather."
"That is irrelevant. Adrienne had to submit to the needs of the state. As had you. One day you may become basileus, after your father. Acting like this does not make you look fit for the role."
"Seen as a matter of policy, alienating Serbia may be bad but alienating the Vatatzes brothers is likely worse. What Milutin is going to do invade Macedonia? He has done this before. The brothers have a large fleet, last year they crushed the Sicilians at Syracuse. And they have a claim to the purple. Even today if they made a play for Constantinople the peasantry in the Asiatic provinces would rise behind them. And we have no fleet to challenge them if they do. How we'll stop them? Give even more concessions to Genoa to defend us?"
The elder Andronikos had to admit to himself his grandson, idiot or not had a point. The empire had been caught in a bind here. But this did not mean anyone could flaunt his authority as the younger Andronikos and Theodore had done here.
"You are banished from the court and this city young man. Just because you are my grandson, you will be made governor of the city of Adrianople. But you are not allowed to return to Constantinople unless I summon you first."
Skopje, kingdom of Serbia, July 10th, 1317
"I don't care about my father in law's excuses. I have been gravely insulted. He will send to me his faithless daughter, or I'm going to come and avenge myself in person tell him. And he better not waste any time. My tolerance is already exhausted."
Enna, Sicily, August 15th, 1317
It had been a good year so far for Ioannis Vatatzes, despot of Sicily. His army was making steady progress, reducing one by one enemy strongholds in Val Demone. Out in the west Robert had landed in force seized Trapani and was advancing inland keeping Frederick tied down. At sea his fleet was virtually uncontested in raiding Frederick's coasts. Thus the news of his younger brother eloping with Adrianne had found him in good mood. It was quite the scandal admittedly but he wasn't going to quarrel with Theodore over Adrianne. By all accounts the girl was beautiful, of good character and horribly maltreated at the hands of Milutin. He could see how Theodore had fallen for her. Besides neither Andronikos nor Milutin could really do much to threaten the despotate. His own bond to Theodore mattered more than what minor inconvenience Andronikos might manage to cause.
Piraeus, September 1st, 1317
The scratch fleet the Catalans had assembled, had had a field day the previous year with the Despotate's fleet away. But this year was different. Theodore's fleet was back and had chased the Catalans back to the ports of Attica. With the Catalans now in Porto Leone Theodore had just barged in, Piraeous was little more than a village with no fortifications, into the port seizing or burning every ship. Catalan troops from Athens would push his marines which had landed and tried to fortify the hill of Kastella out but Alfonso's naval ambitions would need years to recover.
Palermo, November 20th, 1317
Frederick signed a new truce with Robert to last till Christmas day 1320. But the price to be paid was steep as the Angevins would retain control of Trapani and the castles they had conquered in exchange for peace...
Patras, December 20th, 1317
Finding Theodore Doukas Lascaris after his return had proven frustratingly difficult, As soon as Adrianne had been safely in Patras he had joined his men on campaign against the Catalans, a convenient excuse to ignore or avoid the increasingly frantic stream of letters and envoys coming from Constantinople with demands to return Adrianne. The single Serb embassy demanding the same on pain of war, had been flatly told that Milutin could come and take her and no second embassy had come. But his uncle muses Andronikos Asen, epitropos of the Morea was too persistent or perhaps too fearful of Milutin to stop trying. Thus he had ordered the epitropos to come meet Theodore in person. Futile Andronikos thought
"I have orders to retrieve Adrianne by any means necessary." He simply noted to Theodore.
"I understand."
"But you'll refuse."
Theodore just smiled...
Despot Constantine, governor of Thessaloniki was frustrated. His half-sister had forced him to ride out of Thessaloniki in a hurry, to stop her from creating even more of a mess of things. He could not blame her for hating Milutin. But this hardy mattered. The good of the state required her to be brought to Milutin and if need be he would just tie her up a deliver her in person kicking and screaming if need be. And 5hus he had forcibly dragged her out of the monastery she has hidden. Then he noticed the three young men waiting for him outside the monastery.
"Andronikos, ioannis and I am afraid I don't know you." The third young man wore plain but very well made and very expensive armour. He was not very likely to be a commoner. Not wearing expensive plate perfect fitting him and being in the company of his nephew. So he would remain polite.
"Theodore Doukas Lascaris at your service."
"The younger Vatatzes" Constantine translated mentally. "So what brings you three, here?". He was afraid he knew what it was, rumors from the palace in Constantinople had already reached his own court in Thessaloniki.
"We came to take Adrianne. If she'll come with us of course. Adrianne?"
"Of course I'll come!"
"She is not going anywhere, I'll deliver her to her husband in person."
"This so called marriage has so many violations a court would have trouble deciding what reason for divorce to declare first.
Constantine shrugged. "I'm still bringing her to Milutin no matter what."
Theodore's face suddenly grew harsh. "No you don't. She's coming with us." He said flatly.
"I don't want to have my guards attack you. But if need..." he was cut mid sentence by Andronikos laughter.
"Oh look around you uncle."
He did and visibly flinched. While he was dragging Adrianne out of the monastery, his own guards had been subdued by Vatatzes men, they must have been Vatatzes and Andronikos men. "There will be grave consequences if you elope with the girl. I admonish you to think better. As for you two" he continued to Andronikos and Ioannis, "just think what will happen when the basileus learns of this."
Theodore was now outright disdainful. "I'm not the basileus to disband the army and the navy in my wisdom and then to fear the grave consequences from every barbarian..."
Theodore and Adrianne would ride away, to the despotate galleys waiting for them nearby. Ioannis prudently would go with them, unlike Andronikos he was not a direct member of the Imperial family. Better be away from Constantinople for a time, till the basileus calmed down. Andronikos would accompany his fuming uncle to Thessaloniki. There had been no violence but Constantine was not going to forget the insult from Theodore any time soon.
Constantinople, June 30th, 1317
Andronikos II Palaiologos, Faithful to Christ the God basileus of the Romans was livid. "Andronikos you are an idiot. In the name of friendship with that other idiot Lascaris you endangered the peace of the empire."
"I was just protecting my aunt. Which as you are well aware emphatically did not want to return to the court of Milutin. We are talking about the man who sent to you his own son to have him blinded grandfather."
"That is irrelevant. Adrienne had to submit to the needs of the state. As had you. One day you may become basileus, after your father. Acting like this does not make you look fit for the role."
"Seen as a matter of policy, alienating Serbia may be bad but alienating the Vatatzes brothers is likely worse. What Milutin is going to do invade Macedonia? He has done this before. The brothers have a large fleet, last year they crushed the Sicilians at Syracuse. And they have a claim to the purple. Even today if they made a play for Constantinople the peasantry in the Asiatic provinces would rise behind them. And we have no fleet to challenge them if they do. How we'll stop them? Give even more concessions to Genoa to defend us?"
The elder Andronikos had to admit to himself his grandson, idiot or not had a point. The empire had been caught in a bind here. But this did not mean anyone could flaunt his authority as the younger Andronikos and Theodore had done here.
"You are banished from the court and this city young man. Just because you are my grandson, you will be made governor of the city of Adrianople. But you are not allowed to return to Constantinople unless I summon you first."
Skopje, kingdom of Serbia, July 10th, 1317
"I don't care about my father in law's excuses. I have been gravely insulted. He will send to me his faithless daughter, or I'm going to come and avenge myself in person tell him. And he better not waste any time. My tolerance is already exhausted."
Enna, Sicily, August 15th, 1317
It had been a good year so far for Ioannis Vatatzes, despot of Sicily. His army was making steady progress, reducing one by one enemy strongholds in Val Demone. Out in the west Robert had landed in force seized Trapani and was advancing inland keeping Frederick tied down. At sea his fleet was virtually uncontested in raiding Frederick's coasts. Thus the news of his younger brother eloping with Adrianne had found him in good mood. It was quite the scandal admittedly but he wasn't going to quarrel with Theodore over Adrianne. By all accounts the girl was beautiful, of good character and horribly maltreated at the hands of Milutin. He could see how Theodore had fallen for her. Besides neither Andronikos nor Milutin could really do much to threaten the despotate. His own bond to Theodore mattered more than what minor inconvenience Andronikos might manage to cause.
Piraeus, September 1st, 1317
The scratch fleet the Catalans had assembled, had had a field day the previous year with the Despotate's fleet away. But this year was different. Theodore's fleet was back and had chased the Catalans back to the ports of Attica. With the Catalans now in Porto Leone Theodore had just barged in, Piraeous was little more than a village with no fortifications, into the port seizing or burning every ship. Catalan troops from Athens would push his marines which had landed and tried to fortify the hill of Kastella out but Alfonso's naval ambitions would need years to recover.
Palermo, November 20th, 1317
Frederick signed a new truce with Robert to last till Christmas day 1320. But the price to be paid was steep as the Angevins would retain control of Trapani and the castles they had conquered in exchange for peace...
Patras, December 20th, 1317
Finding Theodore Doukas Lascaris after his return had proven frustratingly difficult, As soon as Adrianne had been safely in Patras he had joined his men on campaign against the Catalans, a convenient excuse to ignore or avoid the increasingly frantic stream of letters and envoys coming from Constantinople with demands to return Adrianne. The single Serb embassy demanding the same on pain of war, had been flatly told that Milutin could come and take her and no second embassy had come. But his uncle muses Andronikos Asen, epitropos of the Morea was too persistent or perhaps too fearful of Milutin to stop trying. Thus he had ordered the epitropos to come meet Theodore in person. Futile Andronikos thought
"I have orders to retrieve Adrianne by any means necessary." He simply noted to Theodore.
"I understand."
"But you'll refuse."
Theodore just smiled...
Agree. Love how now we almost have two great stories running in parallel: the adventures of the Vatatzes in Sicily (facing the Latins) and Greece (dealing with usual eastern intrigues and shenanigans).
Glad that this TL is still going strong despite the death of Alexandros.
Yes, this is often forgotten in writing AH, personal interactions, romance, lust & sometimes plain fulfilling personal wishes at the cost of state policy.
Well written 👍.
Well written 👍.
I would argue that the Vatatzes duo now are better described and written than their father. Mainly Theodore for now as Ioannes is in his fathers image , resembles his father is what I am trying to say. But Theodore is far more energetic and charismatic it seems. Well it remains to be seen if that is for the best or for the worst.
I wonder if the descendants of the 2 loving brothers will have a civil war in the distant future. The Capetanate of Hellas as well will it go to Theodore son or will there be conflict there?