My father Zhu Gaoxu

Chapter 855 Constantine

Fama Port was originally a small port on the island of Cyprus, but as the entire island was handed over to the Han Dynasty and the Han Navy was stationed at Fama Port, the port also attracted many merchants.

Especially the merchants of the Han Dynasty, they are more accustomed to doing business under the protection of the navy, so many merchants transport goods to this port, which naturally attracts many Mediterranean military merchants to do business.

Constantine stood in the cabin and looked at the port at night through the window, especially the tall and majestic steam battleships in the distance, which made his eyes reveal incomparable envy.

"Those should be the legendary Han Dynasty's invincible battleships. Look at the cannons on their ships. There are more than a dozen cannons on one ship. It's such a luxury!"

At this time, a young man standing behind Constantine also said very enviously.

"Yes, it's such a luxury. If we can dismantle these artillery pieces and install them on our city walls, we will no longer have to worry about the Ottoman attack!"

Constantine looked at the black muzzles and sighed with envy.

Constantine is a very special name. It comes from one of the greatest emperors in Roman history, Constantine I. His greatest achievement was to reunify Rome and move the capital from Rome to Constantine. Fort Tantino.

The reason why Constantine's father gave him this name was because he hoped that he could follow Constantine's example and revive the prestige of the Eastern Roman Empire. And Constantine's father was the last emperor of the Eastern Roman Empire. Emperor Manuel II, the current Eastern Roman Emperor John VIII, was his brother.

"Thomas, have the people sent out heard the news? How should we go to see the general stationed here by the Han Dynasty?"

The envy on Constantine's face suddenly subsided, and he turned around and asked the young man behind him seriously.

This young man named Thomas was the younger brother of Constantine. As the brothers of the Eastern Roman Emperor, the two of them were stationed in the Principality of Morea, which is the Peloponnese Peninsula, and jointly took charge of the Eastern Roman Empire. The last fertile land of the Roman Empire.

The land of the Eastern Roman Empire was almost completely annexed by the Ottoman Empire. The once prosperous Constantinople has now been reduced to a large farm surrounded by tall walls. Residents farm and graze in the city to obtain very limited food. .

Only the Peloponnese Peninsula, far away from Constantinople, was preserved by the empire, but all the valuable ports on the peninsula were controlled by the Venetians. If the Ottomans wanted to invade the peninsula, they could only pass through the narrow Isthmus of Corinth. , can be said to be easy to defend but difficult to attack, so the Ottomans have never been able to break through the Principality of Morea, and it has become the last hope of the Eastern Roman Empire.

"We have inquired clearly. The general in charge of the Han Navy is named Zhang and lives in the military camp at the port. If we want to see him, I am afraid we have to identify ourselves and see if the other party is willing to see us?"

Thomas also looked depressed when he spoke to the end.

As princes of the Eastern Roman Empire, although their status is very noble, everyone knows that the Eastern Roman Empire is in decline and may perish at the hands of the Ottomans at any time, so they only have this noble status left.

In order to protect Constantinople, their brothers had been traveling around Europe many years ago, hoping to persuade some kings or governors to send troops to help them repel the Ottomans and regain the empire's lands. But the Ottomans were too powerful. Although European countries organized armies more than once, they were no match for the Ottomans. As the Ottomans became more and more powerful, European countries could only tremble under the iron heel of the Ottomans, even at sea. Venice is also facing an increasingly powerful threat from the Ottomans.

Under such circumstances, European countries naturally no longer dared to use troops against the Ottomans, and some small countries even began to seek peace from the Ottomans. This made Constantine and brothers Thomas feel extremely desperate.

However, what they never dreamed of was that just when they were desperate, the Han army suddenly appeared in the Mediterranean, and combined with the Venetians, annihilated the Ottoman navy in the Mediterranean in one fell swoop.

This result immediately caused a sensation throughout Europe, especially as some Venetian businessmen spread the word, making everyone aware of the existence of the Han Dynasty. Even the closed Principality of Moria had rumors of the Han Dynasty's invincible battleship everywhere. s legend.

It was after hearing about the Han's battle front that the brothers Constantine and Thomas decided to leave the Principality of Morea and take the risk to meet the generals of the Han, hoping to persuade them to help them defeat the hateful Ottomans.

"I believe that the big man will definitely meet us. Although our strength is already very weak, our Roman Empire is the most orthodox ruler of this land. The big man can cooperate with the Venetians who are greedy for money and profit, and he will definitely be willing to cooperate with us. Because we can offer them something that the Venetians can’t offer!”

Constantine analyzed it very calmly.

Later generations called the Eastern Roman Empire the Byzantine Empire, but in fact, both names were wrong, because the people of the Eastern Roman Empire had always called themselves Rome. In their view, they were the orthodox Romans. As for the long-dead Western Rome The empire is just a part of them.

"If the other party is willing to see us, how can we convince the other party to help us?"

Thomas frowned and asked again.

The current Roman Empire is extremely weak in strength. Constantinople can only barely protect itself and cannot send any troops at all. However, the Principality of Morea where Constantine is located has been governed by their brothers for many years. However, some strength has been restored and thousands of soldiers can be organized. This is already the last army and hope of the Roman Empire.

Therefore, in Thomas' view, with the little strength they have in hand, they are not qualified to talk to the big man on an equal footing. It is even more difficult to persuade the other party to send troops to help them drive away the Ottomans.

"How can you know if it doesn't work if you don't try it? Thomas, don't forget, although the big man is powerful, he is an outsider after all, so they first cooperated with the Ottomans and then the Venetians. In fact, they all wanted to have a legitimate Identity intervenes in the Mediterranean, and when it comes to identity, what could be more orthodox than our Roman Empire?”

Constantine said again very confidently.

Before he came, he had already bribed some Venetian businessmen and collected a large amount of intelligence about the big man. It was through the analysis of this intelligence that he had some confidence and ventured to Cyprus to contact the big man.

(End of this chapter)