1622 Winter(December)

“I...I give up. P...please have mercy!”

“Deus lo Vult!”

“Long live Theodore I!”

“Long live Basileus!”

Ali, the head of the Egyptian Mamluk, who had resisted in Cairo until now, surrendered to the allied forces of the Military Order of Cyprus – The combination of Sovereign Military Order of Malta and Ordem Militar de Cristo, which settled in Cyprus – and Coptic rebels.

So, the Kingdom of Egypt was established once again, Theodore I being the 1st king.

“Basileus Eduardo Ivlivs Caesar Avgvstvs, I offer my service.”

And on Christmas, he visited Constantinople, accompanied by the Military Order of Cyprus.

“I will shield your back, and keep your counsel, and give my life for yours if need be. I swear it by the Holy Father, Jesus Christ, and Virgin Mary.”

He pledged loyalty to me, kissing at the back of my hand.

“...And I vow that you shall always have a place by my hearth and meat and mead at my table, and pledge to ask no service of you that might bring you into dishonor.”

“I swear it by the Holy Father, Jesus Christ, and Virgin Mary. Arise.”

Reconquista was a piece of cake. Algeria and Tunisia region was completely annexed, which was

bestowed to the Neapolitan aristocrats in the Two Sicilies, which strengthened their status in the Italian peninsula.

Meanwhile, the Turks in Anatolia were adding insult to injury. With the loss of the Ottoman family, which was both their mental and material core, they entered an endless civil war.

To make matters worse,

“Deus lo Vult!”

‘Slash’

“Death to Turks!”

‘Slash’

“Go to hell, you Muslim nomads!”

“N...no!”

“P, please have mercy!”

The feudal lords in Anatolia were massacring the Muslim Turks, forcing obedience of their subjects via blood and fear.

“Stop the massacre. You’re not barbarians, but Christians!”

Although I’ve scolded the Anatolian aristocrats (*Those who were originally talented low-rank Iberian NCO(Non Commissioned officers)s and CO(Commissioned Officers)s in the 3rd division at the 10th Crusade –who’ve shown astonishing feats during several battles and appointed as barons or viscounts. See The Accolade - The New Roman Empire 2)

I had no intention to punish them.

Why? I had 2 reasons. For one thing, with the decrease of the Turks and Muslims, the rule would be much easier. And another thing, since they’re digging their own grave, why bother to stop them?

The future wolves that might threaten the crown are devastating their own fief and making public sentiment worse, making their ground unstable.

‘Haha! Aren’t they true loyalists? They’re making themselves weaker, which makes the power of the crown stronger’

I barely held the urge to appoint them as court jesters.

“Now that I’ve Egypt in my hands, there’s no need to either circle around Africa or pass through America.”

And that’s what I’ve told to my youngest son, Arthur, who was both blinking his eyes and tilting his head.

Though he’s young (*Arthur was born in 1617 Winter – December) and may not understand what I’m saying right now, he must be aware of it. Since I’m now in the mid-sixties (*MC was born in 1556), as my heir, he should be aware of the triangular intermediate trade of the Atlantic-Mediterranean-Indian Ocean – which is the goose that lays a golden egg.

“The Military Order of Cyprus will escort the merchant ships and the Mediterranean, connecting the Indian and the Mediterranean Ocean.”

“Urr...?”

“In short, the Military Order of Cyprus will be your Varangian Guards, Arthur.”

‘Pat’

That’s what I’ve said to my young boy, Arthur, as I patted his head.

And I whispered to him, with a warm smile

“I, Eduardo Ivlivs Caesar Avgvstvs, am the Imperator of the Rome and the Basileus of the Nova Roma, the King of the British Isles and the Netherlands, king of Iberia, Kaiser of the Holy Roman Empire(Germany), King of the Two Sicilies, King of Greece and Macedonia and Anatolia, Protector of Americans, African and Muslims, Protector of the 5 Holy Sees – Rome, Constantinople, Alexandria, Antioch and Jerusalem – and legitimate Christian faith, Lord of 12 vassals – King of France and Jerusalem, King of Bohemia and Hungary, King of Prussia, King of Bulgaria, King of Romania, King of Albania, Doge of Venice, King of Serbia, King of Denmark, King of Sweden, King of Polish–Lithuanian Commonwealth, King of Egypt – and Patron of the Military Order of Cyprus, Teutonic Order, Knights Templar, Order of Santiago and Order of Saint Stephen, Master of the Order of the Garter and last but not least, the legitimate owner of the Atlantic and Mare Nostrum.”

“H...huh?”

“Don’t forget it, Arthur. You and your elder half-brother, Richard, will inherit this empire and must prosper it, soon.”

Arthur was just rolling his eyes, looking perplexed.

1623 Spring(March-May)

Easter

I’ve summoned the both Pope of Rome – the head of the Catholic(Pope for short) – and the Ecumenical Patriarch of Constantinople – the head of the Eastern Orthodox Church(Patriarch for short) –to Naples and ordered them to officially renounce the Schism of 1054.

Of course, both of their expression sulked.

However

“My, my. Did Jesus make both of you deaf all of a sudden?”

“...”

“...”

So,

‘Smack’

‘Smack’

both the pope and the patriarch had no choice but to kiss on each other’s cheek, with entire European Christians watching them.

‘Just as I expected. They couldn’t dare ignore the authority of me – the First Imperator and Basileus of the New Roman Empire.’

“I’ll give you a year. Use Naples as a place to host an ecumenical council, and summon talented theologians to reunite the Christian faith and the East-West Church by next Easter.”

“And don’t you dare blame on one another for the past, during the discussion!”

Yes, it was a tyranny, which was ignoring both the Church’s autonomy and the authority of the Pope and Patriarch.

However

“Y...yes, Imperator.”

“I...it shall be done, Basileus.”

they had no choice but to follow suit.

The authority of the ‘First Imperator and Basileus of the New Roman Empire’ was that powerful.

‘Yes. Even if I had announced that I’ll destroy the feudal system, abolish all kinds of currency and demolish the market economy, it would have been achieved! Let alone being managed.’

Both the Catholic and the Eastern Orthodox have been down in the dumps for too long, with the conflict against the Protestants and the Muslims, having no room to fight against me.

And it wasn’t my arrogance but truth. No one in entire Europe couldn’t dare criticize me as arrogant.

Instead

“A, am I dreaming? The East and West will be united once again!”

‘Clap’

“God save the New Roman Empire!”

‘Clap’

“Long live Imperator&Basileus Eduardo Ivlivs Caesar Avgvstvs!”

The crowds who’ve gathered in Naples and the others who’ve later heard the news all cheered the Imperator&Basileus, who’s trying to reunite the East and West after 6 centuries of the divide.

And that atmosphere directly led to the pressure on both the Catholic and the Eastern Orthodox Church, which made theologians from both sides to held the urge to throw in the towel and leave Naples - several times - due to theological differences but to continue the ecumenical council.

1623 Fall(September – November)

“Basileus! The Turks who’ve resisted in Antioch till now, with building fortresses, finally gave up!”

“Good, very good.”

Yes, with it, the 5 Holy Sees – Rome, Constantinople, Antioch, Alexandria, Jerusalem – all revived and returned to the New Roman Empire.

1624 Spring(March-May)

Easter

The 5 Patriarchs gathered in Naples.

“By the name of Holy Father, Jesus Christ, and Virgin Mary, we hereby solemnly swear that the East and West Church is united as the Common Church, ending 570 years of conflict!”

“Hooray!!!”

“Long live Imperator!”

“God save Basileus!”

With the cheering crowd behind me, I’ve received 5 items from the Patriarchs, one from each – Golden Laurel from the archbishop of Constantinople, Globus Cruciger from the Pope of Rome, Sceptre from the Patriarch of Antioch, the key to heaven from the Patriarch of Jerusalem and purple toga from the Patriarch of Alexandria – and officially held a coronation as the one and only Imperator and Basileus of the New Roman Empire.

With it, the Mediterranean once again became the Mare Nostrum.