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Anno Domini 829, April-21-May-12
"Deny them surrender for the moment" I said as I turned and observed the walls of the inner fortress of Pliska.
"Do you not wish to hear the terms the Bulgarians offered my strategos?" the messenger asked hesitantly.
"Unless the terms are the unconditional surrender of the city they do not interest me" I replied calmly.
"They say the khan is willing to yield the fortress without a fight if he is granted safe passage for himself and his men away from the front" the messenger said at last.
"That was to be expected but no. We must kill that Bulgarian khan and his nobles to cast Bulgaria into total chaos, where we will exploit the vacuum to recover all imperial territories and secure the Danube" I said and motioned with my hand for him to leave.
"Send a letter to Theophilos informing him of what has occurred this day, that we shall soon have the Bulgarians on their knees and that if he is able he should come here to hear their proposals himself or send me written instructions on how to proceed" I said after reflecting for a time.
"At your command my strategos" one of my guards replied and immediately began to carry out my orders.
Now it depended on time. I doubted I could break the walls before an imperial response arrived. If Theophilos wished to negotiate some form of treaty with the Bulgarians to free thousands of men from this campaign and take advantage of what was unfolding in the East he might grant them respite instead of driving the final nail into their coffin.
But if I wanted to guarantee the result I sought I would have to sacrifice thousands of men in a costly assault to take the heads of the Bulgarian nobles and ensure that Theophilos did not attempt to negotiate a swift victory instead of a great conquest.
I would not sacrifice thousands to secure something like that. I was still their commander and unless it was absolutely necessary for victory I would never sacrifice anyone for something as petty as possessing the head of one of them. I would rather accept their surrender and run them through afterward than do that.
In the following days the siege continued while the looting finished leaving the city an empty place where only soldiers remained moving siege equipment, arrows, bolts and stones to hurl against the walls.
I sent all my cavalry to raid the nearby villages, riding with shattered Bulgarian standards to force the surrender of the surrounding fortifications. I offered honorable surrender and spared the families of the garrison if they yielded the walls without resistance to avoid prolonged sieges, but I enslaved the rest of the Bulgarians who did not belong to the garrison.
Preslav and Varna were the first to surrender. Many survivors of the battle had taken refuge in those cities, they knew what had happened and they yielded. The great transport of Bulgarians toward the slave markets of the Empire began under the condition that they were not to be sold in large groups nor to the same master to prevent dangerous concentrations, and that they were to be sent to Anatolia to labor in the fields and the mines.
The following week I received news that Dionysopolis, Kallatis and Dorostolon had surrendered in the same manner. I continued securing the coast and at the same time we reached the Danube. Only the frontier remained to be secured since there were not many fortified settlements in that region.
Three days later reports arrived that the Bulgarian fortresses guarding the Danube and the coast had surrendered without a fight. Pereyaslavets, Noviodunum and Dinogeteia were now ours, securing control of the entire Bulgarian coastline and the Danube in that region.
I also received the reply from Theophilos. He would march as soon as possible with an escort to evaluate the situation and decide on the ground what would happen in the region.
Another week passed quietly while thousands upon thousands of Bulgarians were seen traveling south, just as the Greeks had been carried north years earlier when the khan Krum defeated the previous Byzantine emperor.
The siege continued as far as it could. The walls were solid and although we concentrated the fire of the trebuchets more time was still needed before they would fall. The inner fortress of the Bulgarian palace had been well built.
From within the pleas to end the siege continued, offering ever more favorable terms. They handed over thousands of men who were trapped inside with them if they were allowed to escape. Yet they always insisted that the nobles such as the khan must leave unharmed.
That was not going to happen.
At last after several more days of siege Theophilos arrived accompanied by several thousand riders of the Scholai.
From the walls of Pliska I watched as he rode swiftly through my camp and entered the city searching for me. It did not take long before he climbed one of the towers from which I directed the siege and from where the best view of the inner fortress could be seen.
"My basileus Rhomaion" I said inclining my head slightly while continuing to observe the walls.
"Basil you damned bastard you did it" Theophilos said and embraced me with a broad smile.
"It was difficult but it was done. I separated the khan's forces within the city and drew the reinforcements into a battle on ground of my choosing. And by God Varangian reinforcements arrived and compensated for the numerical disadvantage. The Bulgarians outnumbered me" I replied and returned the embrace.
"My father would be so proud to see this day. He always told me that I would be the one to restore Rome's greatness and today we are one step closer Basil. With this we have returned to the Danube. When the siege is over and we march north the river will be under our control" Theophilos said, his eyes shining as he held back tears.
"It is already secured. As soon as we won the battle I sent cavalry with the shattered Bulgarian standards to announce the defeat. The garrisons surrendered on favorable terms. Many crossed the Danube but the frontier is secured for the most part. The work of enslaving the captured Bulgarians continues. I plan to send men west to recover Nikopolis and Tarnovo. With that we will consolidate the region and be able to fortify it" I replied.
"Far better than your messenger claimed. These are extraordinary tidings. Then all that remains is to finish this siege. Is the khan inside?" he asked and pointed toward the fortress.
"Yes… or so I believe. The attempts at negotiation have intensified. They insist that we allow them to depart because their khan is inside. It seems some are negotiating in secret to save him and his family" I replied with a faint smile.
"Typical of Bulgarian scum. Have you had time to organize the future themata?" Theophilos asked.
"Not yet. There are many Greeks in the region but I have not been able to assign men to census them and establish administration. In the south it is simpler but here we will have to move themata troops to secure the frontier" I answered as another trebuchet hurled a stone against the walls.
Theophilos remained silent for a few seconds before speaking again.
"There is something we must discuss. It is serious. I trust you completely but the situation in the capital is growing tense. Some members of the clergy have begun to murmur that you should be arrested and tried for paganism. They say you get along too well with the Varangians and that you may be under their influence."
"Who is the fool saying such stupidity?" I replied but Theophilos raised his hand.
"I know it is ridiculous. But the rumors reached the patriarch. He is troubled that the custodian of Jerusalem commands thousands of pagans. Even more that the majority of your army is such. That unsettles the clergy especially now. How many Varangians do you have?"
"Around twenty thousand. More than half the army" I answered without hesitation.
"That is precisely my point. Relying on a single group is… dangerous. You know the history and what happened with the foederati do you not?" Theophilos said.
"Yes. But you are aware that without them we would not be speaking of victory. They came from the north seeking land to cultivate and they have no issue spilling blood for it. Unlike certain Greek nobles I sleep soundly knowing they stand watch. Some of our own officers would kill me the moment they saw a chance to claim the glory of this campaign" I replied with a frown.
"But look at it this way. Do not let Crete fall under their control. I have watched the fleets sailing toward the island and they grow larger each time. I fear that soon you will have hundreds of thousands at the gates settling Crete and we do not wish to lose it again. According to the clerics there are few conversions and you do not seem eager to force them" Theophilos said.
"And what do you propose? I summoned them. Here they have the two things they seek an honorable death in battle and fertile land to leave behind the northern cold. Many more will keep coming. If you do not want them in Crete where shall I place them? If you refuse them then we will truly have a problem. They will come regardless. They will demand land and there will not be enough. Then the fighting will begin and they will turn against us" I said looking at him steadily.
Theophilos bit his lip unsure how to respond.
"I will not betray those who bled for us. But if it causes such trouble what of settling them north of the Danube?" I proposed.
"North of the Danube? That is Bulgarian territory… but if we continue the campaign and take it we could place them there. I have no intention of extending the frontier farther north and they could serve as a barrier against invasions and raids" he replied thoughtfully.
"Then all land north of the Danube could be granted to the Varangians to govern and defend" I said with interest.
"Yes… provided they commit to conversion to Christianity it could be feasible."
"Very well. Even if those lands are inhabited by Slavic tribes I will see that the Varangians rule them with an iron fist and use them as a defensive line. But I will require support from the imperial treasury" I answered while walking around him.
"What do you propose?" he asked raising an eyebrow.
"That you create some political rank placing me in charge of the Varangians north of the Danube. I would be the authority there. I would keep them under control fortify the passes and settle the men in castles and towns. If your plan is to rebuild Rome we cannot reject troops willing to fight for you. But we must treat them with honor. They respect agreements and remember every insult. I am the most suited for this. I speak their tongue and they respect me" I said as I sat down noticing the discomfort of the Scholai.
"Well… at last you show fangs full of ambition Basil" Theophilos said with a smile.
"Fuck off Theophilos. I do not do this for political power. The intrigues of Constantinople exhaust me. When this campaign ends I will retire as commander. But I will not be made the scapegoat if the Varangians rebel because promises were changed" I answered irritated. The Scholai moved their hands to their swords and my guards did the same.
"Enough" Theophilos ordered. "I see that your men are loyal."
"They swore an oath and they will uphold it unto death" I replied calmly.
"We can establish them as foederati north of the Danube. I will grant you funds and create a kind of ministry for the barbaroi. But if we are to do this you must eliminate the Bulgarian leaders and leave their lands vacant" he said turning toward the field.
"May I kill them all?" I asked.
"All of them. Bring me the head of Omurtag and of his sons. Even that of Krum if necessary. We shall repay the favor they did to Nicephoros" he replied with a hard smile.
"So it shall be."
"I will march west toward Dyrrachium. I will speak with the Serbian Slavic tribes. Perhaps we can draw them as foederati as well and settle them north of the Danube if they accept our terms."
"I will speak with my Varangians and adjust the offer. There will be no issue if we grant them those lands" I replied rising to my feet.
"We shall meet again. Good fortune with the siege" he said before departing with his riders.
I watched him ride away from the tower while the fire of the trebuchets continued to pound the inner fortress.
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If there are spelling mistakes, please let me know.
Leave a comment; support is always appreciated.
I remind you to leave your ideas or what you would like to see.
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