Constantinople, Galata City on the opposite shore.
"Constantinople… it has truly been long since I parted from you. What a pity that this time, I return not as a mere hostage, but as the Conqueror of this city."
During Emperor Manuel's reign, Bella III spent nearly ten years in the Imperial court; from fifteen to twenty-four, his entire youth was profoundly shaped by Imperial culture.
He had even joined the Imperial army and once marched to war against Hungary.
Later, when Emperor Manuel passed away and Emperor Alexios ascended the throne, he seized the chance to break free of the Empire's control.
He said to the Venetian captain at his side, "I actually have a Greek name as well—Alexios. I've no intention of coveting the Empire's diadem, but once the city falls, the widow of Alexios, that Pearl of the Empire, must be handed over to my disposal."
