The treaty of Tabriz

The treaty of Tabriz signed at Tabriz in Anatolia on August 2, 1434, and authenticated at Constantinople by co-emperor John, divided the newly conquered lands between the Roman empire and her semi-autonomous vassals of Trebzipont and Georgia. The lands to the North of Tabriz would belong to Georgia and new areas added to the Trebzipod realm. The treaty also mentioned special privileges for the Armenian population in two new semi-autonomous themes under the command of Roman prince Thomas Palaiologos.

At dawn on the eighteen of August, the tagma squadron in which Nicholas Mousoulios served and was in Prince Thomas Palaiologos detachment, moved from the place where it had spent the night, advancing into action as arranged. After marching behind other columns for about six miles, they stopped on the small road.

Mousoulios saw squadrons of mounted royal bodyguards and infantry and artillery battalions pass by and go forward. Then, Prince Thomas Palaiologos and general Petridis ride past with their adjutants. His squadron remained in reserve, and Nicholas spent the next hours in a blunt mood. Later on, he heard distant firing in front and shouts of hurrah. Shortly after, he saw a few wounded carried back. Apparently, the battle was over and, though not significant, had been a successful one. The soldiers and officers returning spoke of a comfortable victory, of the occupation of the town of Ardabil, a small Persian city near the Caspian Sea, and the capture of a whole bunch of Timurid deserters.

The officers gathered around the Tagma's canteen, eating, and talking. "There! They are bringing another!" yelled one of the officers, indicating a captive Timurid warlord being brought in on foot by two royal bodyguards. The officers got up and stood around the bodyguards and their prisoner. The Timurid warlord was a young Persian who spoke few Greek words with a heavy accent. He was breathing with anxiety; his face was red. He soon began addressing the officers, first one, then another. He said his people would pay well for his release. And at every word, he added: "plenty of gold for you."

"Prochora!" said a bodyguard pushing the prisoner's arm to make him move on.

"The Prince! The Prince is coming" was suddenly heard among the soldiers. Quickly everyone began to run, and bustle and Nicholas saw Prince Thomas coming up the road behind him several riders holding the imperial banners. In just a moment, everyone was in his place, waiting. Nicholas, too, ran to his place and mounted his horse.

Prince Thomas's uniform was full of bloodstains; the young Prince, once again, could not restrain his wish to be present at the battle. After a small inspection of the troops, he then gave them a speech. The battle, which consisted of the capture of the town of Ardabil, was represented by the Prince as another brilliant victory over the Timurid remnants.

"Hurrah" rang the enthusiastic voices of his officers.

Prince Thomas was anxious to prove himself a worthy general now that he led the army(1). A few minutes after the Prince's speech, the army got orders to advance. In Ardabil itself, Nicholas saw the Prince again. In the central market, where there had been some rather heavy firing before the Prince arrival, laid several killed and wounded Timurid soldiers. Under Thomas's orders, the Romans sacked the city with some five thousand citizens reputedly killed, devastating the city.

After a stop for a few days in Manzikert, the co-emperor marched southwest again. At daybreak on the seventeenth, a Turkman noble who had come with a flag of truce demanding an audience with the co-emperor was brought in. This officer was Shahlim, a noble from the town of Amida. The Emperor had only just woke up, and so Shahlim had to wait for a while. One hour later, he was finally admitted by the Emperor, and another hour later, he rode off with a segment of Roman cavalry back to Amida. It was rumored that the Turkman had been sent to offer the surrender of the town of Amida. On the eighteenth and nineteenth of August, the army advanced two days' march and entered Amida without a fight.

During the stay in Amida, besides the various scout reports, I received requests from several Christian communities in the Northern Syria region seeking to "liberate" them from the Mamluks. My original plan was not to interfere with the Mamluks, at least not in this campaign, and make a march North of Aleppo straight to invade the lands of last remnants of Muslims controlled Anatolia, the Ramadanid sultanate in Cilicia. The news, although changed my mind, cause as it turns out North Syria is pretty much under minimal Mamlukian control. The area is governed by various small warlords that are in constant fighting with one another. It is no wonder since the Mamluk realm is in a fragile state. The famine and the plague of the last years crippled them severely. So with substantial numbers of Christians in the area ready to welcome us, a South detour is now mandatory to capitalize on the situation. The great victory against Shah Rukh also played a part in my decisions. First of all, it gave me colossal confidence. I can march to India if I want to and smash everyone in my way, but I have read quite a few military histories to know that overextension and weak supply lines are significant issues in the long run.

Shortly after seven o'clock that same day, I called a new council of war to rearrange the campaign plans. Soon all the commanders of the Tagma summoned to the council tent. While they were drinking chamomile tea waited for me to begin the council. I started talking rapidly and indistinctly.

"You can tell me your views later, but now be so good as to look at the map and listen."

The Epilektoi

Finding Ieros skopos becoming something way different from what he envisioned and not open to his ideas, Gemistus Pletho founded a new secret society, based on ancient greek ideas. The name for the new order was Epilektoi. On May 1, 1434, Gemistus Pletho and seven of his students in Mystras, formed the Epilektoi, taking the Owl of Athena as their symbol. The members were to use aliases within the order.

Iakovos Pelopidas initially proved the most active in expanding the Epilektoi. Significantly, while studying in Mystras shortly after the formation of the order, he managed to recruit several more students. Iakovos Pelopidas's enthusiasm soon became a liability in Pletho's eyes, often resulting in attempts to recruit unsuitable candidates. At this time, the order had a nominal membership of fourteen.

With the sudden death of Pelopidas, Pletho immediately applied himself to recruiting more mature and important recruits. The most prized new recruit was Ioannis Alketas, the head manager, by now, of "Morea" publishing. By the end of summer 1434, the order had sixty-eight members in 3 centers; Mystras, Glarentza, and Athens.

During this early period, the order had two grades of rank, Neos, and Mistikos. In the Mistikos class, the member was given secret signs and a password. A mutual espionage system kept Pletho informed of the activities and character of all his members, his favorites becoming members of the ruling council or Areopagus. Latins, Jews, and monks expressly excluded, along with women, and members of other secret societies. Favored candidates were rich, open-minded, willing to learn, and aged 18–30.

(1)The army after the treaty of Tabriz was split in two. With the smaller army, Thomas was sent to conquer the areas east of Tabriz while co-emperor Palaiologos with the main force marched back to Manzikert.