The Trapezunta Siege (1)
Back at our base in Lazica, Zoi approached me the moment I returned, asking about the events at the border. I explained everything—from the appearance of Andronikos's forces to how I pressured them into surrender.
Once I finished, Zoi gazed at me with an expression of genuine admiration.
"You've accomplished something truly remarkable."
"Thank you. Honestly, I was pretty tense."
It had been a situation that could easily have escalated into battle. If Andronikos had been a seasoned lord, I might have been the one on the back foot. But he was still young, and his adjutant— a farmer by birth—was equally inept at diplomacy.
In contrast, I had tangled with the nobles' politics in the imperial capital, Constantinople, and learned a thing or two. I had the silver tongue to soft-soak a young, inexperienced lord. Fortunately, I secured the surrender of the Trebizond Citadel without any bloodshed.
"You've become quite the seasoned politician."
"I'm still a long way off. From becoming like you, that is."
Zoi handled internal affairs in my absence. Right now, Lazica was governed by two emperors—me and Zoi. When I dealt with foreign matters, she managed the inside.
As co-empress, Zoi was applying everything she'd learned in the court over her lifetime, one lesson at a time. One of those was checking the noble houses. Since Basil II's death had been caused by assassination at the hands of noble families, she was preparing mechanisms to keep them in line ahead of time.
"How's the preparation for the Imperial Senate coming along?"
Not a modern-style parliament, but something akin to the assemblies of the old Roman Republic—the Imperial Senate. Its core purpose was to prevent noble alliances and foster mutual checks. In a way, it was reviving the Senate, which had become a hollow shell since Constantine I's time. The plan was to empower this largely honorary body.
"The launch of the Imperial Senate, centered on the three elders, is not far off."
The three elders referred to the three families that had followed me here: the Komnenos-Laika, Moselaph, and Seljuk houses.
The Komnenos-Laika had formed when Ioannis settled in Lazica. With the main branch led by Asakios, it naturally became a cadet branch.
The Moselaph house had moved to Lazica en masse under Angelos's leadership from the start, so no separate branch was needed.
Finally, the Turkic Seljuk house. Originally the Seljuk clan, but Chaur's older brother and heir, Tughril, had settled in Khorasan first, establishing the Seljuk house there. Accordingly, the younger brother Chaur—with his adoptive father Arslan's blessing—formed the independent Seljuk house to join the Imperial Senate as an elder. Clan structures were alien to nomadic herders, but after the oath of fealty in Lazica, the Turkic troops had adopted Eastern Roman culture wholesale. Political necessity intertwined with this, birthing the Seljuk house.
"What about the senators afterward?"
"We'll decide that after occupying Trapezunta."
With the Trebizond Citadel now under our banner and Andronikos appointed dux of Kaldia, war with Trapezunta was inevitable. Trapezunta dominated Kaldia. For our easternmost force to expand swiftly, we had to seize it.
"After the occupation, we'll officially announce our marriage in Trapezunta."
The Anatolian Peninsula, roughly the size of the Korean Peninsula times three or four. Holding Kaldia and Lazica would give us territory vast enough to found a kingdom. Nearly matching the historical Trapezunta Empire in scale. We hadn't taken the Crimean tip, but with the much larger Lazica, our lands would surpass it. Larger territory meant greater tax revenue and more conscriptable soldiers. Among the fractured Eastern Roman factions, we'd rank among the top powers—no more need to hide my marriage to Zoi.
"A fine idea. Announcing our union will make the duces more likely to join us."
Many duces sought expansion. Unlike them, conservative ones like Andronikos—smaller fish—were prime candidates to join us. Accepting them would swell our ranks; no reason to refuse.
"And the senators are the carrot for those types."
As Zoi said, senate seats were bait for duces joining us quickly. A promise to preserve their privileges. Irresistible to minor duces and katepanos.
"Of course, refuse, and it's war."
Zoi smiled. That single uncompromising word on politics was enough to send a chill down my spine.
"What?"
"The Trebizond Citadel has allied with Lazica?"
"Yes, my lord."
Serdios was stunned by his adjutant's report. Dux of Kaldia and ruler of Trapezunta, he was an ambitious power-seeker. Starting as a common soldier, he'd risen to dux and founded the Kurtalium house, brimming with faith in his own abilities.
Sensing the empire's drastic changes after Basil II, Serdios had immediately led troops in Kaldia's unification war, subduing all regions except the Trebizond Citadel. Seizing that would complete unification. Then, he'd establish the Kingdom of Kaldia and vie for imperial hegemony.
Trapezunta's small territory generated immense profits from Black Sea trade. Building military might on that economic base, he'd expand. With enough power, displacing the nobles and receiving the throne from Constantine VIII to rule the empire wasn't impossible, he believed.
That's why he'd pressured the young katepano of the Trebizond Citadel. But the boy rejected it and brought in outsiders from Lazica.
"That timid brat went and stirred up trouble."
Serdios scowled and beckoned his advisor.
"You summoned me? I've heard the Trebizond Citadel has joined the Lazica forces."
"Yes, that's why I called you. Tell me everything you know about Lazica."
At the dux's command, the advisor replied promptly.
"Lazica was originally part of Georgian lands. But after the war terminator Rogerius, hero of the Bulgarian Wars, captured the Georgian king, Basil II granted it to him as a fief."
"I've heard of the war terminator Rogerius. Stormed the Georgian palace with a small force and took the king."
"Yes. A Varangian by birth, captain of the Varangian Guard. He was framed by nobles for an assassination plot and became a fugitive."
Serdios shook his head at the advisor's words.
"He had the emperor's favor. It makes no sense that an inspector-general appointee suddenly tried to assassinate His Majesty. Likely nobles bribed a single Varangian to pin it on Rogerius."
Serdios had the situation pegged. That's why he'd defied the nobles' orders disguised as Constantine VIII's edicts.
"You're right, my lord. Anyway, Rogerius escaped the nobles' pursuit, returned to Lazica, regrouped over winter, and restored parts ravaged by war."
"Lazica aims for hegemony too."
Serdios realized Rogerius had been building strength through winter, just like him. Meaning negotiation or intimidation wouldn't work. War between the two was all but decided.
"And with the Trebizond Citadel right under our noses, we're next."
The advisor nodded at the dux's words.
"We'll prepare for war."
Serdios rose, gesturing for a servant to ready his armor.
"Adjutant."
"Your orders, my lord."
"Send a declaration of war to Lazica. And assemble part of the forces toward them."
"Part of the forces?"
The adjutant looked puzzled at the dux's command—it suggested a limited engagement, not all-out war.
"To confuse the enemy. Our real target is the Trebizond Citadel."
The Trebizond Citadel was a dagger at their throat. Marching on Lazica while ignoring it was suicide. The enemy knew that, so Serdios would turn it against them.
"The declaration will make it seem like we're heading straight for Lazica."
Lazica was only just rebuilt. Even knowing it was a trap, they'd have to respond. That was Serdios's gambit: force them to split troops, leaving the Trebizond Citadel unsupported or thinly reinforced.
The adjutant understood. He bowed formally and left the palace to carry out the orders.
Alone in the empty dux's palace, Serdios stood and gazed at the wall bearing his house's banner. The house he'd founded. He intended to make the Kurtalium the foremost house in Rome.
And after that...
"I'll become emperor."
Serdios's grand ambition. To him, Rogerius was merely an obstacle in his path.