Ok, heres the second part of the TL Venice, dawn of a new power! i personally feel this is better than the first

A few footnotes 1.) croatian PoD from before...long story, don't ask, i'm sure it will come... eventually

2.) Ptolemaic channel= OTLs Suez cannal. 3.) Ottomans and Venetians are very close allies now and are very intent on fighting and destroying the Portuguese at any cost. 4.) The red sea is the focal point of this TL. Heres a map!:
http://www.lib.utexas.edu/maps/middle_east_and_asia/red_sea_87.jpg
if you don't understand something, it should be explained or continued from the first part of this TL. link=
https://www.alternatehistory.com/discussion/showthread.php?t=128475
SO!.. help/comments/suggestions for future scenarios appreciated as usual! also, the third part is already in the works, i didn't want to make this one linger on so you guys will just have to wait
Enjoy!
1516: The third year of Work on the new Ptolemaic channel has started. Estimated time of Completion: 1518
March 17, 1516: Leonardo Loredan, Doge of Venice, meets with Selim I, Sultan of the Ottoman Empire, to discuss in depth the matter of the Portuguese. The Venetians will begin scouting the region, making good tactical maps and befriending native populations. They will also establish an outpost and fort at Aden, with the help of the Ottoman’s manpower and influence in the area, as well as an outpost and fort at Massawa, Tadjourah, Jizan and Al Mukalla. Also, Venice will Finance the rebuilding and refortifying of many Ottoman Forts on the Indian Ocean
April 1516: Work Starts on Forts at Aden, Massawa, Tadjourah, Al Mukalla, and Jisan.
May 19th, 1516: A Portuguese Ocean going Vessel is found off the coast of Al Mukalla. Venetian workers in the area begin to dismantle it, taking down its design and build. The plans will be sent back to Venice ASAP.
June 12th 1516: Plans of the Portuguese ship arrive in Venice. The dodge is thrilled by the plans and how well the ships design was noted. He orders 25 to be built along with another 12 Galleones.
Marco Maranazzo, Commander of the Fort at Massawa, realized that the Venetians are building forts for a reason. This reason, he imagined, is a war against the Portuguese. If so, and in any other instance, he finds it beneficial to befriend the local Ethiopian population. He sends out scouts to do so and the interaction between the two Christian peoples is an instant hit. The Ethiopians are very interested in the Fort and contributed to the building effort.
Maranazzo, realizing his success, sends out the message to all the neighbouring Venetian Forts to mimic his plan and befriend the locals.
July 1516: The Commander of the Fort of Tadjourah tries the same approach as Maranazzo. He finds his fort to be on good terms with the local Adal Sultanate; however, the Sultanate is not thrilled with the Venetians newly acquired close ally-ship with Ethiopia (enemy of Adal). The commander knows the new relationship is not as good as his neighbour to the south, but in a case of war, the Adal Sultanate will be a good ally.
1517: Ottoman Conquest of Yemen. Venetian Forts at Aden, Jisan, and Al Mukalla are surrounded by allies. None, however, as good as the Ethiopians
February 1517: A collapse in the far southern part of the Ptolemaic Channel disrupts construction, moving the date of completion to 1519. Selim I is getting frustrated with waiting for his revenge on the Portuguese, however, Loredan sees this to his advantage. His new forts are set to open around this time as well. This means Venetian ships can make their way to their newly built Forts as soon as the Channel is open.
June 1517: A number of wealthy jewish families are invited to meet in Padua to discuss business. The organizer of this meeting: Leonardo Loredan. This business: The Slave Trade. The Pope had made it immoral for Christians to sell and trade black slaves however; Loredan knew that this would be a big business. Loredan gathered wealthy Jews to manage the Venetian slave trade, under Loredan’s watch. Thus, Venice would keep the majority of all moneys brought in by the slave trade, while paying the Jewish managers a commission on each slave sold. The trade was to begin immediately and would be centered mostly at Massawa and Tadjourah.
August 1517: Marco Maranazzo’s Fort at Massawa is just past the halfway mark under its construction. Massawa is far ahead of schedule due to the vast help of the Ethiopians. Maranazzo is so confident of the Ethiopians and a war with Portugal that he feels he can (and should) mould an elite fighting force out of the Ethiopians and surrounding tribes. He will call them the Nubian Guard (which will be referred to in short as NG).
September 1517: Enrolment for the NG begins. The soldiers must be or convert to Christianity (stressed but not enforced Catholicism). They must meet gruelling physical requirements and will be trained inside the Fort of Massawa.
October 1517: The Senate puts Loredan on the spot. It appears the serenessima repubblica does have a limit to its finances and with the recent conquests of Bosnia, Croatia and the building of 5 new massive stone forts as well as the restoring of many Ottoman ones, the money in Venice is running short. Especially now since trade has not been as active now that the Portuguese have moved in. Loredan assures the senate that he has a new money making plan in action (the slave trade, though he does not say it due to the Catholic stance against it) and that the forts are being built for a good reason and that Venice will again return to its past greatness and beyond. The Senate gives Loredan 2 years to restore cash flow or he will be thrown out as Doge.
March 1518: The NG now has 50,000 members and is considered to be the most powerful army south of the Ottoman Empire. Its membership is increasing at a staggering rate and Maranazzo is confident that his fort will be able to handle any threat.
April 1518: Due to some fear of a takeover of Adal and extreme loyalty to the Venetians at Massawa, the surrounding areas including Asmara ask for addition to the Venetian “Empire”. This is the first time this context is used.
May 1518: Loredan and the Senate agree to allow the annexation of willing Eritrean territory. They also enjoy the term of “Empire” and they decide to call every Venetian possession outside the Mediterranean part of the Venetian Empire. The newly annexed area will be called l’Africa Orientale Veneziana (Venetian East Africa. In this TL, it will be referred to as AOV)
Late May 1518: the AOV begins working with the Ethiopians to harvest sugarcane and coffee (a new drink in Europe).
November 1518: Coffee is a hit in Europe. Along with the recent profits from the slave trade and the massive profits generated by the high price of coffee, and sugarcane, Loredan proves to the senate that Venice will again bring in massive revenue by whatever means necessary.
December 12th, 1518: Leonardo Loredan meets with his war council to plan out the future war with the Portuguese. They devise a five point plan:
Firstly: Lacking enough Forts, the logistics will be on Venice’s side to begin praying on Portuguese shipments in the Indian Ocean.
Secondly: As Portuguese retaliation starts, Loredan and his commanders are set that the Portuguese will expect the weak, inexperienced Arab corsairs from the battle of Diu (1509) and send few ships. They will instead, find the experienced and equally as powerful (literally due to the new Portuguese galleon replicas nearly completed in Venice) Venetian navy
Thirdly: When it comes to land battle, the Portuguese will find it extremely difficult to field large armies due to the distance from their bases
Fourthly: For whatever Portuguese armies do assemble, the Ottomans will be more than enough. Ottoman forces will also begin to be shipped to the new impenetrable Venetian Forts. The technically advanced Venetians (compared to the Ottomans), combined with the manpower of the Ottomans will be sure to destroy the Portuguese. (OTL a Portuguese commitment to support Ethiopia against the Muslims turned out as an utter failure).
Fifthly: Once the Portuguese have strained their logistic capabilities, The Venetians will take the fight to them in a massive strike against all Portuguese outposts in Africa and Asia. At the same time, spies will be sent out all around the Indian Ocean to destroy the Portuguese reputations in the local populations, giving the retreating Portuguese forces nowhere to seek safe refuge except Portugal itself!
The plan is taken to Selim I who approves.
December 25th, 1518, Leonardo Loredan gives orders to spend quite a substantial sum on building a further navy to send to the Indian Ocean once the Ptolemaic Channel is complete.
January 6th, 1519: 25 replica Portuguese galleons along with 12 Galleones are ready for battle in the Indian Ocean.
May 5th, 1519: Peace is reached between the Ottoman and Safavid empires. The Ottomans are considerably weaker than when the war started and all remaining troops are headed south to reinforce their refurbished forts, as well as provide manpower for the new Venetian forts.
May 10th, 1519: Venetian Forts at Massawa and Aden are completed.
May 25th, 1519: The remaining Venetian Forts are completed.
June 12th, 1519: Ottoman troops begin to fill Venetian Forts, giving them brute force if needed against the Portuguese.
July 2nd, 1519: The remaining orders for the Venetian navy are completed. Venice and many Venetian owned ports all around the Adriatic and Mediterranean have reached full capacity with navy craft ready for war. The majority of these ships will be drained into the Indian Ocean to fight the Portuguese when the Ptolemaic Channel is opened.
July 28th, 1519: After years of labouring the Ptolemaic Channel is finally opened. Leonardo Loredan, Doge of Venice, and Selim I, Sultan of the Ottoman Empire, are extremely joyful of the completion. The Venetian navy or Venetian Armada as those in the know are calling it will split up and sail to assigned ports first thing. Profits from the Ptolemaic Channel will be split 60% to Ottomans 40% to Venetians.
September 1st, 1519: The first Portuguese replica ship il Veneziana, crosses the Ptolemaic Channel and heads to port in Aden. The Venetian Portuguese replica ships will be called the Venziana class after the original.
October 1st, 1519: The Venetian and Ottoman troops are in full position and ready for war. It is now time for the war of revenge to start. It is time for Venice to truly become, a new power…
