Session I and Session II: Man is history stranger than fiction.
9 years ago the promised crusade to aid Constantinople ended in the
battlefield of Varna, in Bulgaria.
It is the year of our lord 1453, the 20th of May. Pope Nicholas V has
found aid despite empty coffers. A small fleet, three Genoese warships
and a great Byzantine armed transport lead by the Byzantine Admiral
Flantenalas, have secured supplies, forces and some allies and
arrived early morning at the sea of Marmora, near Constantinople.
The Ottomans reacted too slowly and the ships have come too close to
the Golden Horn. Admiral Baltoghlu Pasha accompanied his smaller and
faster galleys as the Mehmet was furious at such negligence. Baltaghlu
intercepts the Christian ships and began closing in with grappling
hooks and continuous fire. Surprisingly the occupants took a sudden
offensive, boarding one of the small galleys and sowing confusion and
disorder among the troops. One ship was successfully captured and with
another fortunate turn, rallied the slave oarsmen to ram the adjacent
ottoman galley. The opportunity was golden, the defenders now moved
into offensive as morale soared watching the daring unfold.
Baltoghlu Pasha emerged, began giving orders directly and a provided a
vision for his men to rally behind. Unfortunately, the Christians at
the offensive found him and made a desperate gambit to capture the
Admiral. The slower and larger galleys of the Ottomans advanced to
slowly as the winds have died and it was only the current moving these
tangled ships to the coast. The Christian fleet have come too close
together and formed a floating castle.
The elite bodyguards were taken by surprise as precision archery made
attempts at their Admiral. The mercenary, Voltz Eisenmann, and the
Spanish Knight Rodrigo de Vivar, closed in heavily armed despite the
risk of being pushed off board. Ten Janissaries faced them, only to be
cut down because of skill and their lack of armor. It was a massacre
and one of the most unlikely opportunities. Despite, Baltoghlu's calls
for his men the raiders pounced quickly on the general before aid
could arrive in time.
After securing a second galley, the wind slowly began to pick up. The
floating fortress crushed the smaller boats as the wind filled its
sails and oars pushed the ships forward. Greek fire shattered morale
of the other Ottoman Sailors, and before the relief came it was too
late. The chain was raised and Giacomo Coco's fleet secured the
arriving fleet.
But just before the day was won, an ominous vision was caught by one
of the Archers aboard the ship. Ottoman ships were being raised from
the water and dragged inland. Almost a hundred ships were overland
being moved on greased logs around the perimeter of the fortress of
Galata. The cheers and cries of crowd quickly died as the news of the
Ottomans opportunity in gaining control of the golden horn spread.
The 21st of April was marked by the Sultan's revenge. Mehmet II began
with a two pronged assault: a simultaneous attack against the
Mesoteichion and the Gate of St. Barbara. Led by his new admiral,
Hamza Bey, who replaces the captured admiral Balta Oghe. Younger and
spirited, he executes a ferocious attack that took the life of one of
the cities heroes, Grand Duke Loukas Notaras.
Emperor Constantine was busy in the Gate of Charisius, as his
Giustiniani was preparing to land in Galata and win over his fellow
Genoans to the emperors side. Undermanned, the emperor was tasked to
hold the defenses alone. He quickly sent word for aid, but aid would
come two hours late as Giusiniani had to abandon his position at the
sea wall to aid the emperor. Giacomo Coco, Martin de Guesclin, Rodrigo
de Vivar and a mongolian archer, Sychev, took the few ships they to
repulse the attack.
The odds were overwhelming, some 30 ottoman ships against less than 20
genoese ships. Hamza Bey was quick to rally his ships, but Giacomo was
determined to break their attack. Charging headlong into overwhelming
numbers, the larger Genoese ships were able to outflank their
opponents and cut deep into their lines, close enough for Giacomo's
ship to have a chance against Hamza's flagship. It was touch and go,
as desperate Christian forces engaged Hamza's own Janissary compliment
and his officers. The Christian fleet weathered as long as they can,
trying to keep their momentum and suffering a steady loss as they were
almost surrounded. The sea battle reached its climax when Sir Martin,
a french knight, lead a soirée into the ship with a number of
determined Christian militia. The narrow deck proved the advantage for
the lesser skilled christians as their elites, Senior Rodrigo and Sir
Marten held the front and their larger numbers pushed back the fewer
but more skilled janissaries.
Witnesses say, sharpshooters from the Christian side were massacring
officers. This broke down the cohesion of Hamzas forces and made it
possible for a less skilled, well motivated and numerous force to
overwhelm them. Still, there is a discrepancy in the accounts as
Neopolitan archers were with Giustiniani rushing to aid the emperor,
casting doubt on the sharpshooter account.
When the janissaries broke, it was said that the floor of the ship was
thick with blood and Hamza could not bear the dishonor of being
captured like his predecessor. Suddenly, Giacomo found himself face to
face with Turkish Admiral. Accompanied by his remaining officers and
in a better condition than the old Genoas Sailor, Giacomo Coco would
have faced certain death until luck would have it, Hamza's first
Officer fell. The old admiral held out long enough for Sir Marten to
capture Hamza's ship and Senior Rodrigo to relieve him, spiriting away
with yet another turkish admiral, the Byzantines escaped raising the
great chain to cover their rear.
The victory was bitter sweet as it had exhausted the Christian fleet
for a number of days but it gave the ottomans an eye for eye.
Meanwhile, on the Mesoteichion....
battlefield of Varna, in Bulgaria.
It is the year of our lord 1453, the 20th of May. Pope Nicholas V has
found aid despite empty coffers. A small fleet, three Genoese warships
and a great Byzantine armed transport lead by the Byzantine Admiral
Flantenalas, have secured supplies, forces and some allies and
arrived early morning at the sea of Marmora, near Constantinople.
The Ottomans reacted too slowly and the ships have come too close to
the Golden Horn. Admiral Baltoghlu Pasha accompanied his smaller and
faster galleys as the Mehmet was furious at such negligence. Baltaghlu
intercepts the Christian ships and began closing in with grappling
hooks and continuous fire. Surprisingly the occupants took a sudden
offensive, boarding one of the small galleys and sowing confusion and
disorder among the troops. One ship was successfully captured and with
another fortunate turn, rallied the slave oarsmen to ram the adjacent
ottoman galley. The opportunity was golden, the defenders now moved
into offensive as morale soared watching the daring unfold.
Baltoghlu Pasha emerged, began giving orders directly and a provided a
vision for his men to rally behind. Unfortunately, the Christians at
the offensive found him and made a desperate gambit to capture the
Admiral. The slower and larger galleys of the Ottomans advanced to
slowly as the winds have died and it was only the current moving these
tangled ships to the coast. The Christian fleet have come too close
together and formed a floating castle.
The elite bodyguards were taken by surprise as precision archery made
attempts at their Admiral. The mercenary, Voltz Eisenmann, and the
Spanish Knight Rodrigo de Vivar, closed in heavily armed despite the
risk of being pushed off board. Ten Janissaries faced them, only to be
cut down because of skill and their lack of armor. It was a massacre
and one of the most unlikely opportunities. Despite, Baltoghlu's calls
for his men the raiders pounced quickly on the general before aid
could arrive in time.
After securing a second galley, the wind slowly began to pick up. The
floating fortress crushed the smaller boats as the wind filled its
sails and oars pushed the ships forward. Greek fire shattered morale
of the other Ottoman Sailors, and before the relief came it was too
late. The chain was raised and Giacomo Coco's fleet secured the
arriving fleet.
But just before the day was won, an ominous vision was caught by one
of the Archers aboard the ship. Ottoman ships were being raised from
the water and dragged inland. Almost a hundred ships were overland
being moved on greased logs around the perimeter of the fortress of
Galata. The cheers and cries of crowd quickly died as the news of the
Ottomans opportunity in gaining control of the golden horn spread.
The 21st of April was marked by the Sultan's revenge. Mehmet II began
with a two pronged assault: a simultaneous attack against the
Mesoteichion and the Gate of St. Barbara. Led by his new admiral,
Hamza Bey, who replaces the captured admiral Balta Oghe. Younger and
spirited, he executes a ferocious attack that took the life of one of
the cities heroes, Grand Duke Loukas Notaras.
Emperor Constantine was busy in the Gate of Charisius, as his
Giustiniani was preparing to land in Galata and win over his fellow
Genoans to the emperors side. Undermanned, the emperor was tasked to
hold the defenses alone. He quickly sent word for aid, but aid would
come two hours late as Giusiniani had to abandon his position at the
sea wall to aid the emperor. Giacomo Coco, Martin de Guesclin, Rodrigo
de Vivar and a mongolian archer, Sychev, took the few ships they to
repulse the attack.
The odds were overwhelming, some 30 ottoman ships against less than 20
genoese ships. Hamza Bey was quick to rally his ships, but Giacomo was
determined to break their attack. Charging headlong into overwhelming
numbers, the larger Genoese ships were able to outflank their
opponents and cut deep into their lines, close enough for Giacomo's
ship to have a chance against Hamza's flagship. It was touch and go,
as desperate Christian forces engaged Hamza's own Janissary compliment
and his officers. The Christian fleet weathered as long as they can,
trying to keep their momentum and suffering a steady loss as they were
almost surrounded. The sea battle reached its climax when Sir Martin,
a french knight, lead a soirée into the ship with a number of
determined Christian militia. The narrow deck proved the advantage for
the lesser skilled christians as their elites, Senior Rodrigo and Sir
Marten held the front and their larger numbers pushed back the fewer
but more skilled janissaries.
Witnesses say, sharpshooters from the Christian side were massacring
officers. This broke down the cohesion of Hamzas forces and made it
possible for a less skilled, well motivated and numerous force to
overwhelm them. Still, there is a discrepancy in the accounts as
Neopolitan archers were with Giustiniani rushing to aid the emperor,
casting doubt on the sharpshooter account.
When the janissaries broke, it was said that the floor of the ship was
thick with blood and Hamza could not bear the dishonor of being
captured like his predecessor. Suddenly, Giacomo found himself face to
face with Turkish Admiral. Accompanied by his remaining officers and
in a better condition than the old Genoas Sailor, Giacomo Coco would
have faced certain death until luck would have it, Hamza's first
Officer fell. The old admiral held out long enough for Sir Marten to
capture Hamza's ship and Senior Rodrigo to relieve him, spiriting away
with yet another turkish admiral, the Byzantines escaped raising the
great chain to cover their rear.
The victory was bitter sweet as it had exhausted the Christian fleet
for a number of days but it gave the ottomans an eye for eye.
Meanwhile, on the Mesoteichion....
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