Eagle Byzantium

As for the new and old Armenian nobles who surrendered, such as Halem (Ossen's brother-in-law), Manvir (Halem's children and in-laws), etc., they were also awarded the title of "Great Armenian Sword Nobles" (i.e. Nakharar), as well as the new Armenian centurions or captains in brigades and border troops were also awarded the title of "tanuter" (nobility).

In this system, there are actually only two people who actually hold military power, namely "General Security Chief" Orson (Armenian Border Guard System) and "Royal Cavalry Commander" Hercules (Brigade System). The rest are just honorary officers. That's all. As for the lack of political officials, Gawain certainly didn't plan to set one up. Only Gorpan, the archdeacon of the Apostolic Church, was appointed as the "Armenian Archbishop." However, it is still much more formal than the "Little Marash Court" originally established by Feir. The surrendered Armenian nobles were actually very happy, and they were all gearing up to serve the patronage eastward, one to regain their ancestral homeland, The second is to repay Gawain's kindness.

The Armenians are so simple and upright. In fact, when the Ottoman Empire declined in history, all the ethnic groups in the Balkans rose up in resistance one after another. Only the Armenians in the eastern part of the empire still obeyed and served the Sultan. Therefore, they were called "the most loyal" by the Ottomans. Millet” (although soon afterwards the largest genocide on the planet broke out against the Armenian nation).

At this time, a messenger hurried in, "His Excellency Giovanni, the governor of Iconium, sent me an urgent message. Fort Angras, guarded by General Diogenes, has been besieged by the imperial army for two weeks. Slowly."

It turned out that while Gawain was attacking Marashburg, Angrasburg was also under siege all the time: Theodoro and Mikhail were in charge of the siege, while Titicius commanded four thousand new troops. The elite cavalry bypassed the castle and continued southward, fighting with Giovanni's civilian army and Hajib's Ogus cavalry and archery regiment along the Iconium trade road, and looted and destroyed everywhere.

After several consecutive battles, Giovanni and Hajib could not win together, so they could only withdraw their troops to Iconium and Caesarea, and prepare fortifications with their backs to the city. Taking advantage of the situation, General Titicius took advantage and robbed thousands of people and livestock. The vanguard even approached the mouth of the Mut Valley at one point. The entire territory of Gawain and Anna was filled with fear.

"Gather all the civilian troops and rush to the north to block the enemy!" Anna in the palace ordered.

"But Apsomates of Cyprus has also begun to besiege Kyrenia Castle." The ink officer Hertomia said that there was also an emergency situation on the other side of the southern ocean.

"There is no need to hesitate, just block one side with all your strength. As long as the barbarians capture Marash in time, all crises can be solved." Anna was just about to entrust the command of the northward expedition to Andodat when she got Marash. The news of the capture of the castle by Gawain, "Good news! Send spies to the north to spread the news and disturb the enemy's ears and eyes."

At the same time, the mentor Maglendius sent a secret plan: "The great patron now has four brigades in Maras, and he should only send two of them to rush to Caesarea to bluff. John is in a hurry. The assembled troops must be fearful and retreat in separate ways; while the great patron will lead the surrendered Ani New Army and the other two brigades, artillery regiments and red-handed cavalry, do not give up and continue to take advantage of the victory and advance eastward—— First cooperate with Bohemond and Baldwin to defeat Aleppo Prince, then go straight to the direction of Lake Van and drive out all the Danishmend remnants entrenched there. In this way, after the Armenian and Pauline kingdoms are truly revived, our East can gain a vassal and rest easy. The defenders returned to the army, separated the forces of Theodoro and John, and defeated them respectively! After that, they surrendered and absorbed the strength of the Brenus couple, and collected the most fertile areas of Smyrna and Prusa, and then they could start to attack the capital city. All kinds of matters.”

"Oh, this plan is a bit radical." Anna copied it on the letter paper with her own hand and sent it to Kuai Ma's post office with the order, "Ride to Marashburg immediately."

"Now that the injury of the Great Earl Mero has not recovered, I am going to hand over the Red Hand Brigade and the Philomelon Brigade to the command of General Bramson, and go to lift the siege of Angrasburg; and I will command the front All other generals and troops, go south and attack Aleppo!" In the Marash meeting hall, Gawain held the letter sent by Anna and Maglendius in his hands and ordered to all the generals.

At the same time, General Bramson was ordered to lead two brigades on the built military roads from Melitene and Elbistan to the city of Caesarea four days later, and began to transfer to Iko. Nium trade route, slowly moving towards Angrasburg.

At this time, the garrison officer in Angrasburg had lost all the hillside forts and outer walls, and his subordinates were severely injured. There were still about 800 soldiers who could fight, and he retreated with him to the last circle of the city wall guard. In the inner city of Pinnacle, there are still some reserves of grain and fodder, as well as a spring that reaches into the heart of the mountain.

This circle of city walls could be used by Diognis or Theodorus who was attacking the city. The peasants and soldiers of Trabizon began to build many siege towers along the city wall and the surrounding limestone. A large amount of wood was transported from the foot of the mountain, and a stone-shooting machine was erected at the same time.

Probably because they were colleagues in the past, Theodoro showed no mercy to the captured and wounded defenders: the corpses of the hanged defenders were hung on the wooden frames on both sides of the siege tower, swaying in the wind. The remaining guards in the inner city.

But the anger and fighting spirit of the officer and his subordinates were even more intense. He divided the work with the knight named Braptus, divided all his subordinates into two teams, led by two people, and took turns to defend the city wall, facing the special Labzon's besieging army constantly threw burning firecrackers and fired dark crossbow arrows to destroy their projects.

At this time, Titicius in the south of Angrasburg was the first to see a huge army coming towards him, and the battle flag raised was a red hand flag, and heavily armored cavalry also appeared. "Did Gawain himself bring the main force and rush to help from the Marash battlefield?" Not daring to neglect, he immediately broke camp and went back, spreading the news that "Gawain's main force may come to help" to Theodoro and Miha There.

Mikhail, who had always been passive and sabotaged, advocated withdrawing to Paphlagonia.

But the old general Theodoro disagreed. He had 20,000 troops directly under his command. If Angrasburg was captured in time, "I will not be afraid even if Gawain attacks. In addition, I would like to inform His Majesty the Emperor that on this battlefield I am Supreme Commander, both you and Titicius must obey my control!"

So the helpless Mikhail and Titicius could only set up camps on the left and right wings to cover Theodoro as he continued to storm the castle. With the efforts of Chardian craftsmen and miners, some of Theodoro's soldiers Successfully built a Persian-style continuous-firing stone cannon on a raised rock facing the inner city. It used thirty-six cables and could fire twelve stone pellets at the same time, which could destroy it in one day. Crush the city gates and slaughter Diogenes and all the defenders.