January 14, 1446, Saint Vincent, Portugal.
The usually bustling port was eerily quiet today.
Near the main road of the port, the area had been cleared by guards, and carpets and flowers were laid out. Every three meters along the road stood a soldier. To the left were Genoese crossbowmen, and to the right were French knights on foot.
Nearby, a line of warships was docked, with sailors standing in formation on the decks. The purple double-headed eagle flags on the ships fluttered in the wind.
Isaac stood at the dock with his high-ranking officials and the captains of each ship, all in formal attire with military swords at their sides. At the front, Isaac wore a purple robe and held a royal scepter, gazing out at the distant sea.
Suddenly, at the horizon where the sea and sky met, a change in color appeared—first the masts, then the sails, followed by the ship's body, and finally, the entire fleet came into view.
At the forefront was Isaac's flagship, the Morias Duke, which had just completed the mission of transporting the colonization team.
Behind it was a dilapidated warship, still carrying the marks of its name at the bow: St. Nicholas.
On either side of the Morias Duke were two new Caravel ships, positioned a few meters apart, serving as escorts.
At the rear of the fleet were several transport ships, and among them, today's protagonists—the sailors and captain of the St. Nicholas.
The Morias Duke drew closer, eventually occupying half of the sky above the dock.
Boom—Boom—
The cannon fire near the port rang out at the right moment, welcoming the return of the heroes.
On the largest transport ship, Captain Henry, accompanied by 53 sailors, slowly disembarked and walked towards the eagerly waiting crowd.
Henry and the sailors were dressed in brand new uniforms, standing in formation and saluting Isaac.
"Your Highness, Captain Henry and the crew of the St. Nicholas report to you!"
Isaac said nothing. He walked forward, patted Henry on the shoulder, and adjusted his naval uniform.
Henry turned to the back, where a sailor handed him a scroll of parchment.
Henry took the parchment, knelt, and presented it.
"Your Highness, our ship has discovered a large island chain, and this is the nearby sea map. All the known features of the island are recorded!"
Isaac took the scroll and examined it carefully.
The map was rough and unclear. Based on Captain Henry's descriptions of the island's basic geography, Isaac had a rough conclusion.
It was dry and desolate, covered in limestone, and the winds on the northern and southern parts of the island chain differed.
This was most likely the Cape Verde Islands, located in the central Atlantic.
Historically, these islands were discovered by the Portuguese in 1456, and a colony was established there. Prior to that, there were no native inhabitants.
The archipelago was mostly barren land, with little economic value, but its geographic location was incredibly important.
It was the golden key to accessing the New World.
Sailing southwest from the Cape Verde Islands would be aided by the trade winds, making the journey exceptionally smooth.
Once the empire resolved its pressing survival issues, exploration of the New World could be prioritized.
Isaac put down the scroll and asked,
"Captain Henry, since you were the first to discover this archipelago, how about naming it after you?"
Henry looked at the sailors behind him and pointed to the St. Nicholas, which was floating on the sea.
"Your Highness, let the empire's new territory be named after the ship."
"Good! The St. Nicholas Archipelago will soon appear on the map," Isaac said, "The small island with a valley and trees will be named after your surname!"
Henry thanked Isaac.
"Your Highness, there is one thing I'd like to ask for your forgiveness."
"Speak freely."
"When we were stranded on the deserted island, I privately freed the slaves aboard the ship, granting them their freedom. Please, punish me as you see fit."
Isaac looked at the sailors. The freed slaves shrank back when they saw Isaac's gaze. Some were Slavs, some were Turks.
Isaac clapped his hands, and the servants brought forward the slave contracts.
"In the name of God, I hereby break your shackles and release your chains as a reward for your merits."
Isaac tore the contracts apart.
"From now on, you are Romans protected by the empire."
The people behind him applauded.
Then, Isaac ordered the prepared rewards to be brought forward.
Each ordinary sailor was granted 50 ducats, equivalent to five years' worth of their income. They were also promoted and joined the newly formed fleet.
Captain Henry was knighted as a baron and allowed to choose any small island in the St. Nicholas Archipelago as his fief.
Of course, the island was still barren, and Henry would have to develop it himself. During wartime, he would provide soldiers; in peacetime, he would pay taxes.
As for the governor of the archipelago, that would be decided later.
The senior sailors, such as Owen, were all knighted as well and were granted 100 ducats.
The title of "knight" was an honorary rank, derived from the Senate, but did not come with land or pensions.
After the ceremony, everyone shouted "Long live the Emperor!"
"The wreckage of the St. Nicholas will remain here for future generations to admire," Isaac said, looking at Henry, whose face remained calm even after being made a baron.
"I've already arranged for another Clark ship to be ordered from the Genoese merchant family, the Snopea family. It will be named after the St. Nicholas, and you will be its captain."
"Thank you, Your Highness!"
For the first time, a smile appeared on Henry's rugged face.
The crowd began to disperse. The sailors, linking arms, threw their purses in the air, chatting about crude topics, occasionally laughing lewdly.
The officers of each ship gathered around the officers of the St. Nicholas, congratulating them on their safe return.
This was the atmosphere Isaac wanted to cultivate in the army—one of spirited ambition.
As long as you perform well, Your Highness will reward you.
The slave contracts, the title of baron, the knighthood, and the new Clark ship had all been prepared in advance by Isaac upon receiving the news.
It was all for today.
Next, they would wait for the second Clark ship to arrive, then gather the troops and head back to Corinth.
Isaac looked at the flags of the warships, feeling a sense of accomplishment rise within him.
...
February 1, 1446, Ceuta Port.
Isaac summoned all of his ships and troops, gathering his military and political officers for the upcoming arrangements.
He pushed open the door to the conference room and walked forward.
The attending officials stood and bowed.
Isaac took his seat at the head of the table and gestured for everyone to sit.
To Isaac's left and right were Fleet Commanders William and Fidel, with ship captains, Commander Maruna, and Knight Conti seated below them.
Governor Lothair and Governor Gocia had sent representatives to attend as well.
"Anders, report to them on the current situation."
The servant officer, Anders, stepped forward and saluted.
"Gentlemen, currently, the navy has two Clark ships: the Morias Duke and the St. Nicholas, six Caravel ships: the La Palma..."
"Three galleys: the Marquis of Gian, the Sparta, and the Northumbria. The Northumbria is currently on a mission along the Epirus coast."
"An upgraded Kirk ship, and 18 transport ships, including the newly purchased ships."
"In terms of the army, we have a French cavalry regiment of 150 under Lord Conti, an infantry regiment of 350, and 500 mercenaries commanded by Commander Maruna."
"Additionally, Captain Mihail of the Mikhail flag and General Ibrahim's legion have arrived south of the Corinth Wall. The number of their troops is currently unknown."
"This is the current strength of our military."
This was the maximum military force Isaac had been able to assemble for now.
Commander Maruna, with Isaac's financial support, had merged small mercenary groups in northern Italy, recruiting landless knights, totaling over 500 men.
The soldiers' quality varied greatly, but the Genoese crossbowmen were experienced, and the landless knights had solid military ability. However, the other mercenaries were less reliable.
The French troops commanded by Lord Conti were much better, with 150 cavalrymen made up of strong young men from the refugee population. Isaac had spent a large sum to provide them with horses and saddles.
The 350 infantrymen were mainly made up of French refugees and Slavic slaves, with some Portuguese who came to serve as officers.
These French soldiers, having gone through prolonged warfare and natural selection during the chaos, were of relatively good quality.
Isaac had made sure to recruit Conti's group for this reason.
Isaac strictly prohibited religious strife in the army and required all refugees to be baptized by the Greek Orthodox Church before joining the legion. Priests were also hired to teach Greek.
This autocratic behavior didn't cause much disturbance, as the starving refugees likely cared little about these matters.
Overall, the army may not be a match for the Ottoman field forces, but they were capable of holding cities in cooperation with allied forces.
Isaac stood up and cleared his throat.
"Next, the envoys from the La Palma and Bijegos governorates will report."
"The La Palma governorate has received five batches of colonists, totaling 965 people, and 63 black slaves. They have established a piece of farmland and built three grazing areas. The basic facilities of the port are also complete. As more exploration fleets pass through, we believe it will grow more prosperous."
Lothair's envoy spoke first.
"The Bijegos governorate, due to distance, has only received one batch of colonists, totaling 200 people. When I left, Governor Gocia had already established a residential area and built several dugout canoes. He plans to travel to other islands and use raids to survive the initial difficult period."
Isaac nodded, indicating his satisfaction.
"Regarding the grazing areas, the two governorates have a series of islands nearby. Choose an uninhabited small island to transport livestock. They will quickly reproduce, and you won't need to manage them. Once the herds increase, you can go to the islands and slaughter them."
The two envoys quickly nodded and took notes.
The meeting continued with discussions about other matters, such as military pay and logistical expenses.
At the end of the meeting, Isaac tapped the table, signaling everyone to pay attention.
"I have decided to officially establish the Mediterranean Fleet and the Atlantic Fleet."
"The Mediterranean Fleet will be commanded by Fidel, with Henry as the deputy. It will include all warships and ten transport ships, excluding the six Caravel ships."
"The Atlantic Fleet will be commanded by William and will include six Caravel ships and eight transport ships, with La Palma as the flagship."
After arranging the fleet distribution, Isaac paused.
"We've received news from Mistra, the Ottoman army has fully assembled, and Ottoman scouts have been spotted on the Thebes border. The first wave of migration from Athens has been completed, and the Corinth Wall has been repaired."
"Our fellow Romans are waiting for our aid behind the Corinth Wall. I have decided to depart on a selected day, heading for Corinth."
"The fate of the Empire will be determined by this battle!"
"Everyone, fight bravely forward!"