tbf it could've been corruption and the such, which would be something that ppl should have to deal with?
The eagle's left head
- Thread starter Lascaris
- Start date
tbf the Black Sea trade is salvageable, and I think the Lascarids game plan beyond the 1500s is to promote a strong Christian Crimean state (with some colonisation of the region, especially in the south) to feed the empire and to prop up Georgia against the Islamic empires while they probably absorb trebizond before this point to create a trade network around the region that would make the region quite prosperous.
and I defo think the Lascarids could take down both Genoa and Venice, they just need to kill off Venice first, then deal with Genoa with France or Aragon.
I think the Lascarids should be able to do some slave trade via the Egypt route or from Mozambique to grow sugar in Ethiopia instead. It is where sugarcane is grown in the reigon, and I think if the Lascarids are fine with a Muslim egyptian ally I think they could work with each other against the central Anatolian empire (prob an Ottoman offshoot or the Karamanids).
I also think the Lascarids would promote Cilicia and prop them up in the future too (or reinstate it) as a barrier against the Muslims in the far future, it would be something that would help them.
But I think we should focus on the 'present' of the tl, before the Lascarids move from a plucky, uncertain power to one which can project itself far beyond the Ionian and Aegean seas.
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That's a great argument. What could it be? Perhaps in the case of inflated cost it wasn't the regular cost, but an once-a-time event that was generalized by a historian?
Why do you think the OTL Angevin fleet did not reach its full potential ?
By the way, an interesting bit of information from Norwich's "A History of Venice". When Venice was threatened by Mastino della Scalla, a census (presumably in 1336) revealed that there were 40,100 able-bodied Venetian men in the 20-60 age group.
Speaking of della Scalla, has Cangrande died from drinking foul water as in OTL?
Part 50
Thessaly, June 1333
Stephan Gabrielopoulos had eked a precarious existence in the decade after his defeat by the Catalans a decade earlier and the loss of Trikala to John Orsini in the aftermath of his defeat. He had held out in the remainder of his state thanks to imperial support and the Lascarids and the Catalans being busy with each other. Now his death without a heir opened a power vacuum. Andronikos III was quick to move into it receiving the direct allegiance of Gabrielopoulos army commanders before either the Epirotes or the Sicilians could move into it.
Nicomedeia, August 1333
Ottoman forces blockaded the city. No direct assault would be launched against the imperial garrison, the emir saw no reason to waste men when the city was sure to fall to his hands as long as Constantinople failed to come to its aid. And Andronikos and Ioannis did not seem in thre mood of trying again their luck in Asia Minor after their defeat at Pelekanon.
Malta, August 1333
Alexios Philanthropenos looked in concern at the dozens of war galleys crowding the sea. Alfonso IV, the king of Aragon, had not taken well to the news of the despotate's attack against Malta and had mobilized a fleet of 56 galleys and sailed east at their head to save Malta. He had made a stop at Palermo, adding nine Sicilian galleys to his fleet and then moved south to Malta. With Alfonso's fleet outnumbering his own Alexios was playing for time , trying to delay Alfonso with negotiations while calling on Syracuse for insructions and reinforcements. For now Alfonso was playing along, his 65 galleys were not giving him any overwhelming superiority over Alexios 60 and unlike Alexios he did have a secure port in Malta, so could play for time, when the weather turned bad Alexios would be forced to take his fleet and leave without a fight.
Naples, September 1333
Princess Joanna of Naples the eldest daughter of prince Charles was married with prince Andrew of Hungary. The marriage had been met with considerable opposition within the Angevin court, with Catherine of Valois the titular Latin empress of Constantinople trying to use the influence of her brother king Philip VI of France to block the marriage in favor of marrying Joanna to her own son Robert of Taranto. But the marriage with Hungary was strongly supported by the pope, as long as Charles did not have any sons, out of the six children of Charles and his wife Marie of Valois had, only three daughters survived, Joanna would be the one eventually inheriting the Neapolitan throne and John XXII wanted the two Angevin realms closely linked...
Malta, September 13th, 1333
"Ask and you shall be delivered." Alexios Philanthropenos had asked for reinforcements. Ioannis Doukas Vatatzes had delivered them mobilizing nearly every single galley he could bring together, the only Sicilian galleys not present would be ships serving against Turkish pirates in the Aegean, and leading them to Malta in person. The ensuing naval battle of would be the largest so far in the wars of the Vespers pitting 83 galleys of the despotate of Sicily against 65 of the kingdom of Aragon. In an extremely had fought engagement the Sicilians would lose 13 galleys sunk or destroyed but capture 18 Aragonese galleys with nearly 4,000 Aragonese killed in action king Alfonso IV included. Malta would surrender two weeks later...
Athens, January 1334
Theodore filed the letter of his brother. The army reformation was proceeding apace in Sicily, and the men from mainland Greece sent to take new pronoias in Sicily and Calabria were doing well, just as the Calabrians and Sicilians here in Greece were doing he noted to himself. It was standard policy of the two brothers, start at the time of their father to move new military settlers around when the opportunity granted itself, as a further way of ensuring loyalty to the crown. Given the costs of arming new troops and rebuilding the fleet after the battle of Malta, no more than 20,000 ducats from Sicilian revenues could be spared for the expansion of the fortifications of Athens in the coming year. He shrugged. When his army had kicked the Catalans out of Athens the town had fewer that twelve thousand people and Piraeus was nearly abandoned. Now it exceeded eighteen thousand and Piraeus was turning into a bustling port of its own. He and his brother had not spared expenses of course. Over a quarter million ducats had been spent rebuilding the fortifications, refurbishing first the wall of Athens and then these of Piraeus. At this pace by the end of next year work on Piraeus would be complete giving the despotate a fortified port capable of holding its entire fleet at need. Then it would be time to start restoring the long walls of the ancients...
Constantinople, March 1334
Syrgiannes Palaiologos had been made governor of Thessaloniki when Andronikos III had become sole emperor, just to begin to conspire and try to influence the emperor's mother. Andronikos returning from his campaign in Thessaly the previous year had arrested Syrgiannes and brought him to Constantinople. But Syrgiannes was not the kind of man to stay idle and had organized his escape. But here his luck had finally run out with loyal guards detecting him before he could escape his prison. He would be killed in the ensuing melee by the axe of a Varangian.
Andrammytion, September 1334
The combined Christian fleet, had fielded 50 galleys including 10 from the despot of Sicily, Venice and the Knights of St John, half a dozen each from Cyprus and the empire and eight more from France and the Papacy. It had been more than sufficient to win a crushing victory against the navy of the emirate of Karasi. But post that it would accomplish little. The combined fleet sans the Byzantines who did not want to alienate their ally the emir of Aydin would attack his naval base in Smyrna. A few more victories would be scored by the Cypriots. But neither the Venetians not the Sicilians cared to do much more now that their trade in the Aegean had been secured once again from Turkish raids...
Kastoria, August 1334
The meeting with Stefan Dusan had gone well. But Ioannis Kantakouzenos hadn't failed to notice the silver the entourage of the Serb king was freely spending. The silver Serb dinars appeared to be of excellent quality, very much unlike the empire's own coinage. The silver basilikon coin orriginally minted to equal the Venetian grosso, by now was closer to three fifths of its value, while the golden hyperpyron was at just 12 carats fine. It was thus not surprising that even within the empire Venetian, Genoese and Sicilian coinage was being increasingly used. The despots of Sicily were minting a silver coin the were calling basilikon [1] as well, but it was of fine quality, they owned silver mines after all, and had nearly three times the silver content of the imperial basilikon [2] and gold coins of their own which they called hyperpyra but were actually copying Venetian ducats with one Sicilian hyperpyron worth 10 Sicilian basilika or roughly 1.5 imperial hyperpyra. But then he mused the previous Andronikos had imitated the Venetian silver coin so accusing the despots of doing the same was a bit problematic...
[1] The actual Sicilian coin was called pierreale ie the reale of Peter and reale just like basilikon means royal...
[2] As it happens it is the Lascarids copying the Neapolitan gigliato (3.73gr fine silver) just as the Sicilians did with the pierreale.
Palermo, May 1335
For once his legendary self confidence had left Frederick III, king of Sicily, as he looked in dismay below the walls of his capital. The army of Charles of Anjou, some ten thousand strong, had been joined by that of Ioannis and they were busily digging up trenches and building siege engines around his walls. On the seaside dozens of Angevin and Lascarid galleys had established a close blockade of Palermo. Outside help to break the siege was unlikely to say the least. His grandnephew Peter IV of Aragon was only 16 years old and consolidating his position on the throne after the death of his father in the battle of Malta. Genoa and Venice were both on good terms with the house of Anjou, neither would risk war to save his skin. He scratched his head in perplexion. Arnau de Villanova, back all these years ago, had assured him he had been chosen by divine grace to be the instrument for the purification of Christendom in anticipation of the coming Armaggedon. How was he supposed to accomplish this if his kingdom was going down in flames?
Stephan Gabrielopoulos had eked a precarious existence in the decade after his defeat by the Catalans a decade earlier and the loss of Trikala to John Orsini in the aftermath of his defeat. He had held out in the remainder of his state thanks to imperial support and the Lascarids and the Catalans being busy with each other. Now his death without a heir opened a power vacuum. Andronikos III was quick to move into it receiving the direct allegiance of Gabrielopoulos army commanders before either the Epirotes or the Sicilians could move into it.
Nicomedeia, August 1333
Ottoman forces blockaded the city. No direct assault would be launched against the imperial garrison, the emir saw no reason to waste men when the city was sure to fall to his hands as long as Constantinople failed to come to its aid. And Andronikos and Ioannis did not seem in thre mood of trying again their luck in Asia Minor after their defeat at Pelekanon.
Malta, August 1333
Alexios Philanthropenos looked in concern at the dozens of war galleys crowding the sea. Alfonso IV, the king of Aragon, had not taken well to the news of the despotate's attack against Malta and had mobilized a fleet of 56 galleys and sailed east at their head to save Malta. He had made a stop at Palermo, adding nine Sicilian galleys to his fleet and then moved south to Malta. With Alfonso's fleet outnumbering his own Alexios was playing for time , trying to delay Alfonso with negotiations while calling on Syracuse for insructions and reinforcements. For now Alfonso was playing along, his 65 galleys were not giving him any overwhelming superiority over Alexios 60 and unlike Alexios he did have a secure port in Malta, so could play for time, when the weather turned bad Alexios would be forced to take his fleet and leave without a fight.
Naples, September 1333
Princess Joanna of Naples the eldest daughter of prince Charles was married with prince Andrew of Hungary. The marriage had been met with considerable opposition within the Angevin court, with Catherine of Valois the titular Latin empress of Constantinople trying to use the influence of her brother king Philip VI of France to block the marriage in favor of marrying Joanna to her own son Robert of Taranto. But the marriage with Hungary was strongly supported by the pope, as long as Charles did not have any sons, out of the six children of Charles and his wife Marie of Valois had, only three daughters survived, Joanna would be the one eventually inheriting the Neapolitan throne and John XXII wanted the two Angevin realms closely linked...
Malta, September 13th, 1333
"Ask and you shall be delivered." Alexios Philanthropenos had asked for reinforcements. Ioannis Doukas Vatatzes had delivered them mobilizing nearly every single galley he could bring together, the only Sicilian galleys not present would be ships serving against Turkish pirates in the Aegean, and leading them to Malta in person. The ensuing naval battle of would be the largest so far in the wars of the Vespers pitting 83 galleys of the despotate of Sicily against 65 of the kingdom of Aragon. In an extremely had fought engagement the Sicilians would lose 13 galleys sunk or destroyed but capture 18 Aragonese galleys with nearly 4,000 Aragonese killed in action king Alfonso IV included. Malta would surrender two weeks later...
Athens, January 1334
Theodore filed the letter of his brother. The army reformation was proceeding apace in Sicily, and the men from mainland Greece sent to take new pronoias in Sicily and Calabria were doing well, just as the Calabrians and Sicilians here in Greece were doing he noted to himself. It was standard policy of the two brothers, start at the time of their father to move new military settlers around when the opportunity granted itself, as a further way of ensuring loyalty to the crown. Given the costs of arming new troops and rebuilding the fleet after the battle of Malta, no more than 20,000 ducats from Sicilian revenues could be spared for the expansion of the fortifications of Athens in the coming year. He shrugged. When his army had kicked the Catalans out of Athens the town had fewer that twelve thousand people and Piraeus was nearly abandoned. Now it exceeded eighteen thousand and Piraeus was turning into a bustling port of its own. He and his brother had not spared expenses of course. Over a quarter million ducats had been spent rebuilding the fortifications, refurbishing first the wall of Athens and then these of Piraeus. At this pace by the end of next year work on Piraeus would be complete giving the despotate a fortified port capable of holding its entire fleet at need. Then it would be time to start restoring the long walls of the ancients...
Constantinople, March 1334
Syrgiannes Palaiologos had been made governor of Thessaloniki when Andronikos III had become sole emperor, just to begin to conspire and try to influence the emperor's mother. Andronikos returning from his campaign in Thessaly the previous year had arrested Syrgiannes and brought him to Constantinople. But Syrgiannes was not the kind of man to stay idle and had organized his escape. But here his luck had finally run out with loyal guards detecting him before he could escape his prison. He would be killed in the ensuing melee by the axe of a Varangian.
Andrammytion, September 1334
The combined Christian fleet, had fielded 50 galleys including 10 from the despot of Sicily, Venice and the Knights of St John, half a dozen each from Cyprus and the empire and eight more from France and the Papacy. It had been more than sufficient to win a crushing victory against the navy of the emirate of Karasi. But post that it would accomplish little. The combined fleet sans the Byzantines who did not want to alienate their ally the emir of Aydin would attack his naval base in Smyrna. A few more victories would be scored by the Cypriots. But neither the Venetians not the Sicilians cared to do much more now that their trade in the Aegean had been secured once again from Turkish raids...
Kastoria, August 1334
The meeting with Stefan Dusan had gone well. But Ioannis Kantakouzenos hadn't failed to notice the silver the entourage of the Serb king was freely spending. The silver Serb dinars appeared to be of excellent quality, very much unlike the empire's own coinage. The silver basilikon coin orriginally minted to equal the Venetian grosso, by now was closer to three fifths of its value, while the golden hyperpyron was at just 12 carats fine. It was thus not surprising that even within the empire Venetian, Genoese and Sicilian coinage was being increasingly used. The despots of Sicily were minting a silver coin the were calling basilikon [1] as well, but it was of fine quality, they owned silver mines after all, and had nearly three times the silver content of the imperial basilikon [2] and gold coins of their own which they called hyperpyra but were actually copying Venetian ducats with one Sicilian hyperpyron worth 10 Sicilian basilika or roughly 1.5 imperial hyperpyra. But then he mused the previous Andronikos had imitated the Venetian silver coin so accusing the despots of doing the same was a bit problematic...
[1] The actual Sicilian coin was called pierreale ie the reale of Peter and reale just like basilikon means royal...
[2] As it happens it is the Lascarids copying the Neapolitan gigliato (3.73gr fine silver) just as the Sicilians did with the pierreale.
Palermo, May 1335
For once his legendary self confidence had left Frederick III, king of Sicily, as he looked in dismay below the walls of his capital. The army of Charles of Anjou, some ten thousand strong, had been joined by that of Ioannis and they were busily digging up trenches and building siege engines around his walls. On the seaside dozens of Angevin and Lascarid galleys had established a close blockade of Palermo. Outside help to break the siege was unlikely to say the least. His grandnephew Peter IV of Aragon was only 16 years old and consolidating his position on the throne after the death of his father in the battle of Malta. Genoa and Venice were both on good terms with the house of Anjou, neither would risk war to save his skin. He scratched his head in perplexion. Arnau de Villanova, back all these years ago, had assured him he had been chosen by divine grace to be the instrument for the purification of Christendom in anticipation of the coming Armaggedon. How was he supposed to accomplish this if his kingdom was going down in flames?
Hmm it does feel that ittl the ERE is stronger than otl, with Rustokastro being a lot less brutal and with more periods of peace.
I really wonder when we'd see the Empire break or would it break at all. Especially if we don't even know if Andronikos III would die as per otl, and if he lives long enough for his kid to be on the throne Kantakozenous could've done enough reforms to keep the empire at its feet.
As per otl it seems...
So Naples is going down the same path as per otl if Charles doesn't have an heir that would stay on the throne, and if the banks fall as per otl, we'd probably have a period of bad times fall over Naples, not to mention that if Andrew of Hungary dies as per otl we'd get Louis of Hungary in Naples which would be interesting if that happens.
And the Aragonese have lost. I am a bit surprised about this, but considering that Alfonso dies here and leaves the throne to his son I have no doubt that the other European nations are just as shocked. The Despotate definitely would be seen as more and more important after this.
I could see the French start cooperating/become allies with the Despotate in the future when the Despotate develops even further and becomes a bigger state with more power projection capabilities.
this too, I could imagine Peter IV fighting the Lascarids again in the future. Perhaps in a future Genoese-Venetian war of 1350?
I could see the Lascarids in the 1340s if the Lascarids interfere against the conquest of Majorica too, which would be interesting.
Yeah Athens is going to be the next capital with how the place is being built up, being able to be house the entire fleet in Piraeus just shows how strong the despotate is becoming. And moving military troops around and settling them in the regions is a good move, it'd homogenise the empire and allow new ideas to enter the region. Imagine native sicilian speakers introducing new foods and the such to Corinth.
And we're not going to get Dusan invading Macedonia in the 1330s aren't we? The ERE is getting the break it desperately needs rn, I just wonder how it would fare in the future.
Maybe we're going to get another period of instability in the future, and that's when the Lascarids sweep through the not-too-destroyed ERE?
tbf showing this is quite nice, it shows where the Empire is at now (which is still on shaky ground), and the usage of Sicilian coinage must be a slap on the face for Kantakozenos (and Andronikos too) considering that the face on the coins would most likely be Ioannis and frankly coinage is one of those things that show the soverignty of the ruler in those days. It also feels like that there's no way in reversing the trends that had been forcing the Empire into oblivion.
I'd imagine Sicilian coins being used in trading cities and even in places like Macedonia where Sicilian trade would reach the ERE.
Frederick III is fucked, and even he knows it at this point. There's a huge possibility that he is the first and last king of Trinicaria, and I think it'd boost both Ioannis and Robert's reputations with the ending of this kingdom and put most of Italy under the control of Robert.
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Good news for the Empire!
Since he had lost Trikala, then presumably Kalabaka and Phanari were lost to Orsini as well. That leaves out the major fortress of Tyrnavos and the Elassona province. It would make an excellent addition to the Empire, since Macedonia is now secure against a potential lascarid invasion, while Andronikos can potentially project power in lowland Thessaly. Kantakouzenos would be happy to apply his reforms on a new province.
It is also interesting that Kantakouzenos chose Kallipolis for his reforms. Between the peninsula and Raidestos was Mount Ganos, that hosted perhaps the second most important cluster of monasteries in european Byzantium. I think it might have been plausible that these monasteries held extensive land holdings in Kallipolis.
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Good riddance! Thankfully, less harm done by Syrgiannes Palaiologos ITTL.
Athens is definitely well placed to bounce back and rival with Messina and Syracuse. It can do a great entrepot for trading between the western Mediterranean, the Levant and the Black Sea, with Piraeus and has a much larger hinterland than Messina or Monemvasia, and the security within Lascarid borders is a huge incentive as well.
I'd say it's more enticing than even Constantinople whose fortunes are varying and at the mercy of either Genoa, Venice or the Lascarids on the sea, or the Serbs, the Bulgarians and the Turks on land, whereas the Lascarid arms have just crushed the Aragonese fleet at Malta.
About Piraeus and Athens, the restoration of the walls are a minimum, but I don't see there being an urgency in expanding them or restoring the long walls, yet. Athens is deep inside the Lascarid realm now, with the border in Phocis in the west and Larissa in the north, so there is no immediate threat, except from the sea, which the Lascarids still control. Orsini's Epirus and Angevin holdings are not much of a threat or nuisance as local Lascarid forces in Greece are probably strong enough on their own to deal with them in a quick fashion, and at worst, from there to Athens lies a long, narrow, hilly, perfect for ambush, road. And in the north, the only real threat are the Serbs, who would have to cross or conquer Byzantine Macedonia and Thessaly before crossing into Lascarid Thessaly and then the Thermopylae...
So, not urgent, but useful to provide work and stimulate the local economy I'd say, all while making something useful 'just in case'. That said, when the Serbs begin to progress south (during a possible byzantine civil war), it then become useful.
I'd say it's more enticing than even Constantinople whose fortunes are varying and at the mercy of either Genoa, Venice or the Lascarids on the sea, or the Serbs, the Bulgarians and the Turks on land, whereas the Lascarid arms have just crushed the Aragonese fleet at Malta.
About Piraeus and Athens, the restoration of the walls are a minimum, but I don't see there being an urgency in expanding them or restoring the long walls, yet. Athens is deep inside the Lascarid realm now, with the border in Phocis in the west and Larissa in the north, so there is no immediate threat, except from the sea, which the Lascarids still control. Orsini's Epirus and Angevin holdings are not much of a threat or nuisance as local Lascarid forces in Greece are probably strong enough on their own to deal with them in a quick fashion, and at worst, from there to Athens lies a long, narrow, hilly, perfect for ambush, road. And in the north, the only real threat are the Serbs, who would have to cross or conquer Byzantine Macedonia and Thessaly before crossing into Lascarid Thessaly and then the Thermopylae...
So, not urgent, but useful to provide work and stimulate the local economy I'd say, all while making something useful 'just in case'. That said, when the Serbs begin to progress south (during a possible byzantine civil war), it then become useful.
I don't see what would be their interest in it. First, the Majorcans had acted in open support of Frederick III starting with the ill-fated expedition of Infante Ferdinand back in 1315 and its end at Manolada. If Peter IV and the Majorcans are busy fighting each other, good for the Lascarids then.
Good news indeed as it deprives the Serbians of a good commander. However, I'm not imagining Dusan is renouncing his ambitions on Macedonia all together. If an opportunity arises, say, an unfortunate civil war in the Byzantine empire...
Aren't you meaning Serbian? I don't think we are at the point the Lascarids are willing to dispense with the fiction of their deferrence to the Basileus and invade/vassalize it.
I suppose Kantakouzenos, in his province by province pronoia reform, can apply it to reintegrated Byzantine Thessaly without bothering or troubling the other provinces' magnates.
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Though I wonder, what will Robert and Charles do of Frederick if they capture him? Ioannis and Theodore have a legitimate personal grievance against Frederick for their father's murder twenty or so years ago (it's been a long time), and time and time again, fate has showed it's never good to be on the Vatatzes' wrong side (especially after they just happened to have crushed the Aragonese fleet and killed their king). At the same time, since it's pretty obvious what will become of Frederick if they hand him over to Ioannis' custody, I imagine Robert might think twice about the fallout abroad.
Damned if you do, damned if you don't, right ?
Well, since the Aragonese have got involved and crushed at Malta, what does prevent Alexios and the Lascarids to go for these islands?
Since the Aragonese fleet and Aragon are out of the game for the near future, it would be a pity letting the momentum post battle of Malta go to waste and not capitalize on it to seize Lampedusa and Pantellaria, right ?
If my maths is right, that's a net win of 5 galleys for the Lascarid fleet, right? Or are the captured Aragonese galleys not fit to join the Lascarid fleet?
So, in 'rebuilding the fleet', what is it that you mean? Repair costs, training replacements for lost crews?
With the integration of Thessaly into Lascarid Greece, how is the Despotate situating itself on the grain export markets of the Mediterranean ? I mind Thessaly and Sicily would make the Despotate a particularly important actor of these markets. Genoa was mentionned in the discussion as a market for Sicilian grain, but what of the Byzantine empire (did it need to import much, and if so, from whom ) ?
Serpent
Banned
Exactly 💯
Maybe Lascaris doesn't wanna overextend or stretch his supply lines too far...
It doesn't help that Lampedusa and Pantelleria are the first line of defense against the Maghreb pirates...
But then again one could gain a lot from raiding the Barbary coast when at peace otherwise...
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Well they certainly don't seem to be embark on such policy. Still they are a state more powerful than the Empire and a dynasty with a great claim to the Puple. Damasi next to Tyrnavos that was controlled in OTL by Gravrilopoulos was a strong castle.
Didn't the Sicilians extract tribute from Tunis back in the 12th century?
An aggressive, militaristic naval power like the Despotate might thrive in renewing with such habits, and ship captains make a name for themselves. After all, why should the army and Philantropenos' officer reap all the glory...
If they can force the Hafsids into a tributary status, not only would they secure their hold on the straits, but they would de facto captate the foreign trade of the Hafsids. Did they still produce and export grain as they did back in ancient times ?
Also, from a quick search, I found that the Sicilians controlled Djerba until 1335, when the Hafsids reconquered it, IOTL. Has it been reconquered earlier ITTL, or is it still Sicilian held ? In which case, the Lascarids might take it as well in the aftermath of their capture of Malta.
EDIT: Barring tribute to the Despotate, extensive trading privileges for Greco-Sicilian Lascarid merchants (Messina, Monemvasia, Chios, etc) could enable the despotate to corner a good chunk of the grain market. What's left outside of Lascarid reach? Egypt, Crimea, Angevin Sicily?
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@Lascaris, what's the status of medicine in Lascarid Sicily and Greece? Is there a Faculty of Medicine in Syracuse or Messina?
Just like in the case of banking, I mind the Jewish community of expellees that the Despotate welcomed back in the days of Alexandros would also bring a considerable medical knowledge. Plus, being at the crossroads of the Greek and Arab influences, the Despotate could foster a thriving medical community, which might come in handy when the Black Death hits, and help in better formulating the Lascarid response to it than other rulers in western Europe.
Just like in the case of banking, I mind the Jewish community of expellees that the Despotate welcomed back in the days of Alexandros would also bring a considerable medical knowledge. Plus, being at the crossroads of the Greek and Arab influences, the Despotate could foster a thriving medical community, which might come in handy when the Black Death hits, and help in better formulating the Lascarid response to it than other rulers in western Europe.
Maybe they copy the islamic tradition of showing of via their houses of wisdom/universities and libraries.
Guess I'll have to fix Thessaly for the 1340s map, whoops!
Quite a trial by fire for the Despotate to be able to go toe to toe like that with Aragon, an established Mediterranean Naval Power, wonder how the Venetians like that? Do we have an idea about the strength of the Venetian Naval Power of this period and how it would compare to the Hellenic Naval Powers? Obviously the ERE wont' have a verified navy again until its reforms are completed, but they might prove a useful bump if the Despotate/ERE ever get into a scuffle together against Genoa/Venice?
Hm, glad to see more walls/money being built in Hellas! They will most likely be needed one day soon!
Ah, another relief for Macedonia, perhaps Andronikos will have his decade of peace in the Balkans before his death. I wonder, with a peace accord set between Bulgaria/ERE, Serbia/ERE, Despotate/ERE and Epirus/ERE, would we see Andronikos attempt to relieve Nicomedia again ITTL? We'd probably see him bring to bear a larger army than Pelekanon. If Andronikos could bring 2000 more men at Rusokastro, then he could probably bring more high quality men if he crossed back into Asia Minor this go around compared to when he just ascended to the throne? This time around he, and Ioannis, have reined in Kallipolis, Lesbos, Phokaia, Prilep, Anchialos, and Thessaly. Considering he fought Pelekanon with 4k Men, and Rusokastro with 5k. Perhaps he could bring about 6k against the Ottomans this time? Perhaps hiring a few hundred Condotierri from the Despotate? It has been a few years since Pelekanon now, and Nicomedia fell IOTL in 1337... And a victory in Asia Minor would probably mean that Ioannis could induce his new administrative reforms in Asia Minor as well perhaps?
Interesting to see combined christian naval coordination against the Turks...
Hm, on the one hand having Dusan spending money like this would probably be a boon to the Makedonian region, whereas on the other, it probably doesnt' help Andronikos as much as the people are seeing that Serbia has better economics than the Empire...
Finally! Lets be done with this upstart Trinacarian King! The Vatatzes have other things to do, than to spend time on this fool! Sicily deserves some years of peace before the Black Death...
Presumably , both the captured ships and many of the surviving Sicilian ones have damages that need repairing . Not to mention , those 13 lost ships mean 13 crews lost . Those 18 captured ones will need completely new crews and officers . Plenty of men would also be lost in the ships that didnt sink . Retrofits , repairs and recruitment result in considerable expenses .