Eagle Flag of Epirus

Everything was finally over. Despite repelling the Venetian siege, Fort Wiscari was still in ruins and devastated. People on the streets did not smile because they had defeated the invaders. On the contrary, the pain of losing their loved ones and the difficulties of life after the war made them sad.

Obviously, the battle with the Venetians has greatly injured the vitality of this castle. It was originally a large number of fleeing Greeks who came to take refuge here, and the population carrying capacity of Wiscari Castle has already reached its limit.

Therefore, at the meeting of the nobles, Justinian offered to take everyone back to Tripolis, the capital of Southern Peloponnese, which was undoubtedly the best choice, but this was met with opposition from the nobles. .

There are various reasons for objection. Some people say that the people are tired now, and some people say that Tripolis is not safe on the front line of confrontation with the Latins. But for all kinds of reasons, they just don’t want to be restrained by Justinian. , If they really reach Tripolis, controlled by Justinian, then their power will undoubtedly be further suppressed.

Naturally, Justinian, who knew this point, did not back down. There was a fierce quarrel between the two sides. Once again, the nobles believed that Justinian was an outsider and did not get the recognition of all the Moria nobles to attack. However, Grand Duke Anastasius, who had been silent, suddenly announced to everyone that Justinian was his adopted son, and he had officially become the heir of Moria's despotism.

And this immediately caused an uproar. At the supposedly serious meeting of nobles, these Moria nobles were in an uproar, panicking with anger.

"What, Grand Duke Anastasius, are you true? How is this possible!"

"You must be deceived by this kid, please take it back and die!"

"How can an Eastern kid be the heir of Moria's dictatorship? This is ridiculous!"

The desperate nobles stood up one after another against it, but Grand Duke Anastasius was unmoved, looking at the various hideous or funny expressions on their faces, he said indifferently: "I seem to have appointed my heir. You, even the emperor has no right to interfere."

"but--"

"But what? Since Grand Duke Anastasius has announced that Lord Justinian will become the heir of Moria's dictatorship, you still have any objections. Are your opinions more effective than the emperor's decree? ?" At this moment, a proud voice suddenly remembered, and the soft words were hard.

I saw a girl wearing a red palace dress and a long dress appeared in front of the nobles of Moria. Her hands like nephrite overlapped in front of her, her long hair curled up on top of her head, and she was fixed with a hair crown of priceless gems. The cautious maid at the tail of the skirt was held in her hands, and it was she who interrupted the nobles' opposition.

"Alexia... Your Excellency Countess, what do you mean?" Although he is still a little unaccustomed, Count Conil still changed his name. Within a short time, the Papadoulos family admitted Alexia, the daughter of the deceased Mrs. Agnes, inherited the title and paternal status. Although they did not know the reason for this, it was undoubtedly related to what Justinian did behind the scenes. Obviously, at this time the entire Papadolos family has fallen to Justinian's side.

I saw that Alexia had no timidity in the eyes of the older nobles, and she was calm and calm: "According to the tradition of the empire, since His Majesty Manuel first adopted the title of autocracy, if there is no heir in special circumstances, They are all decided by the dictator himself, but you directly oppose the decision of Grand Duke Anastasius in public. Don't you think it's a bit rude to get it?"

"This—" Count Conil, who was robbed for a while, had nothing to say for a while.

A girl who is not a young girl in the next year, but she is clever. It is obvious that Alexia has come prepared and has fully expressed her support for Justinian, but this time the balance of the original strength has been shaken. Among the most prominent nobles in Moria except for the dictatorship, the Duke of Leo has fallen, and Papadolos has also taken refuge in Justinian. For a while, Conil discovered that the contrast of power has taken place. The change. He was not the only one, the other little nobles watched this scene, and they, who had stood firmly on the side of Justinian, were also shaken at this moment.

Everyone has understood that at this moment Moria is no longer the same as before, and an earth-shaking change is destined to happen...

Not just Moria, at this moment in the far north of Macedonia, the same upheaval has already taken place——

...

1204 was destined to be an unforgettable year for the Romans. The fragmented empire disappointed anyone with lofty ideals. The Lascaris family, who occupied Nicaea in the east, retreated from the Latin empire and owned the Komunin family in the city of Trabizon. I have completely forgotten the honors and responsibilities of the past. Just when the Romans were about to despair, exciting news came from the western frontiers of the empire.

Epirus, who met Alex V, Emperor Muzfius, raised the banner of rebelling against the Latin invaders, united the Kingdom of Bulgaria to declare war on the Kingdom of Thessaloniki, and made it to the Peloponnese. In the first battle, half of Moria's lost ground was recovered in one fell swoop.

In the campaign of attacking the Principality of Athens~www.ltnovel.com~ due to a surprise attack from the rear, the reinforcements of the Achaean state had to withdraw, making the isolated Duke of Athens Otto de la Roche had to surrender. Surrender in front of the Byzantine army that regained lost ground.

Under the victorious days, the news broke the whole West, and the isolated kingdom of Thessaloniki was even more turbulent. The proud Franks thought that the Romans who had lost Constantinople had been devastated, but this A series of victories gave them a head start, and they even heard that the Venetian fleet suffered a crushing defeat in the south.

In the royal court in Thessaloniki city, King Boniface, who came back from Constantinople, looked at the map in front of him and worried. Although he was originally a Marquis of Memphis, he is now in the fief of Thessaloniki. It is more important to him. However, the attack from Bulgaria and Epirus caused him to be frustrated, and the two important vassal states in the south, Achaia and Athens, had already surrendered to the Byzantines, and the other was also in a precarious situation. Boniface’s territory is now facing a three-sided siege, and all the officials are suggesting that it ask for help from the nominal overlord Constantinople. But this made it difficult for the rebellious Boniface to accept it. Not long ago, he almost met with Henry of Flandre, how could he be willing to keep his breath like this now.

However, the increasingly erosive situation at this time made his original idea greatly shaken. Facing the massive Bulgarian and Greek coalition forces, even if he was the leader of the Fourth Crusade, Boniface still hesitated.

At this moment, another urgent news came from the south. The Achaia state, which was trapped in isolation and besieged in the south, finally chose to surrender to the Epirus. So far, the Greeks and the Bolgarians have allied forces. Completed the three-sided encirclement of Thessaloniki.