After setting foot on the land of Bulgaria, the Crusaders' supplies evidently became more difficult to obtain.
This was mainly because Bulgaria, having been ravaged by years of war, had not yet fully recovered and was unable to supply the vast amount of materials needed by such a large army.
The Bulgarian rebellion, which had only recently been quelled, had severely devastated the eastern regions of Bulgaria, leaving them scorched earth even now.
To alleviate the pressure on logistics, Laszlo ordered the continued requisition of supplies from the eastern Kingdom of Hungary, to be quickly transported to northern Bulgaria via the Danube River, and then supplied to the main army.
To ensure that food transported from the rear could safely reach the army, Laszlo, under a pretext, left behind a group of laborers recruited from Hungary every ten kilometers or so, ordering them to stay and build supply stations.
In addition, Laszlo even left them some seeds and farm tools, ordering them to reclaim wasteland on the spot. Nominally, this was to relieve the logistical pressure on the Crusaders, but in reality, he intended to permanently settle some of them on Bulgarian land through this method.
As these laborers carried the banner of the Crusaders, and many Bulgarian lords actually welcomed immigrants, Laszlo easily reached agreements with numerous Bulgarian nobles and church authorities along the way.
They would help Laszlo look after these 'laborers' who were left behind, and during this period, their livelihoods would be jointly resolved by the emperor and the lords.
Once the Crusade was declared over, these lords would gain dominion over the new immigrants, and how they chose to treat them afterwards would no longer be Laszlo's concern.
Even how the people lived on the royal lands of Bulgaria was beyond Laszlo's extensive interference, as these matters had all been handed over to Frederick to manage.
However, those Hungarians who willingly came to the East could not blame him, their emperor, for 'killing without burying,' as they had chosen their own path.
Laszlo knew very well that he could not bring his entire army of over a hundred thousand men to Constantinople. Reducing some non-essential burdens was crucial for the upcoming war.
This idea proved to be very wise after the army arrived in Sofia and rendezvoused with over twenty thousand Crusaders from Serbia, Bulgaria, Wallachia, and other Balkan states.
Even after receiving a large wave of supplies in Sofia, bringing the number of army supply carts to over seven hundred, the provisions were only enough to sustain the army for less than three months.
For this reason, Laszlo intensified efforts to resettle non-combatant personnel during the subsequent march. Apart from retaining essential laborers who provided services to the army, tens of thousands of other laborers were arranged by Laszlo to various locations in central and eastern Bulgaria whenever the opportunity arose.
Lords whose territories were severely damaged and lacked labor due to the rebellion were even willing to pay a price to acquire some immigrants from Laszlo.
Although some Hungarians who followed Laszlo to the East felt slight dissatisfaction at being forcibly settled in Bulgaria and not reaching their expedition's destination, Constantinople, they soon began new lives with hope.
In any case, they had had enough of the harsh life in Hungary; there was probably nothing worse in the world than that.
As a large number of volunteers who accompanied the army settled on Bulgarian land, the Crusaders' logistical pressure finally eased somewhat.
After weeks of marching, the vanguard of the Crusaders finally passed through the ruined Edirne and saw the walls of Constantinople in the distance.
Near Constantinople, within the Crusader camp, Laszlo sat at a table, lost in thought, holding a stack of documents.
During the period of waiting for the subsequent forces to arrive, Laszlo intended to study the Ottomans' plans, logistics, and other intelligence.
In this matter, he now held an absolute advantage.
Judging from the fact that they did not encounter any resistance before reaching Constantinople, the Ottomans should be planning to focus solely on defending the city and resisting the Crusader attack.
This was the only wise choice for them, because no matter how many Ottoman troops were in the city, facing the large-scale Crusader army would undoubtedly be like trying to crush a rock with an egg.
However, if these Ottomans concentrated their forces to defend Constantinople's sturdy walls, it would likely inflict considerable casualties on the Crusaders.
For this reason, Laszlo had to meticulously plan the siege.
Of course, he still held a significant advantage, especially in logistics. Due to the blocked strait, the Ottomans could not send reinforcements and more supplies into the city, which meant that the city's manpower and resources would eventually be exhausted.
The crucial question now was how many defenders the Ottomans had deployed in the city, the condition of their equipment, and the state of their logistical reserves. Laszlo currently only had some intelligence, the reliability of which was uncertain.
For example, one piece of intelligence he held regarding the strength of the city's defenders indicated that the Ottomans had at least thirty thousand troops, and there were also about eighty thousand civilians in the city.
Since this data was provided by the Venetians, Laszlo had to consider it carefully while also maintaining skepticism.
The reason was simple: Venetian statistics often exaggerated for various reasons, and apart from intelligence directly related to commercial interests, other intelligence could not be fully trusted.
Moreover, he had just recently forced the Venetians to submit, and who knew if they would take the opportunity to sabotage him? This also had to be guarded against.
If it was true, as the Venetians claimed, that there were over a hundred thousand defenders and civilians in the city, then Laszlo believed that a long-term siege would be a good strategy.
For no other reason than that the city's supply lines had been cut off. While Crusader supply transport was relatively difficult, it was surmountable, especially now that they had arrived at Constantinople. The Crusader Fleet could escort merchant ships to bring them more supplies by sea, which was more convenient than the Danube River supply line and involved far fewer losses.
As long as they dragged it out, the city's supplies would inevitably be exhausted first, and then Constantinople would fall without a fight.
However, if the Venetians had exaggerated the city's defensive strength, then their supplies could certainly last longer. In that case, choosing a siege would not be so wise, and Laszlo would immediately order an attack on Constantinople.
He was currently awaiting intelligence from both Bulgaria and Genoa, hoping to corroborate it with the Venetian intelligence.
Both nations were wary of and infiltrated the Ottoman Empire. The Genoese had even dispatched and recruited many spies within the Ottoman Empire, and they might be able to bring back more precise intelligence.
"Your Majesty, the Marquis of Montferrat, Governor William of Milan, has arrived."
An attendant announced the arrival of a guest to Laszlo, causing his tightly furrowed brows to immediately relax.
As the Empire's representative in Northern Italy, William had been chosen by him as the commander of the Northern Italian Crusaders. His arrival signified that the Italian reinforcements had arrived, and the day the war officially began was drawing closer.
Laszlo immediately summoned William. He had rushed here, covered in dust, and hadn't even rested for a moment. After instructing his troops to set up camp, he immediately came to the grand camp to meet the emperor.
"William, you've come at just the right time. I'm considering a plan to attack Constantinople."
"Your Majesty, as you say, look what I've brought you!"
William eagerly unrolled the painting he held onto the table, and Laszlo's gaze was immediately drawn to it.
Although the style was quite crude, this painting undoubtedly displayed Constantinople's defensive layout before the two men.
"This is a map of Constantinople drawn by a Florentine painter several decades ago. Although quite rudimentary and with many inaccuracies, it can serve as a reference for us."
Upon hearing this, Laszlo nodded. This map was quite similar to his impression of Constantinople, encompassing the Theodosian Walls, the Golden Horn, and Galata to the north.
This jewel of the Christian world had a generally triangular city wall. To the south, it faced the Sea of Marmara, where the turbulent waves made landing almost impossible, relying on natural barriers. To the north, it bordered the Golden Horn, where a small number of Ottoman ships were anchored, guarding the naval defense. To the west lay the famous Theodosian Walls, the culmination of medieval European city defense construction, making it impregnable.
"Excellent. I happen to have first-hand battle reports from when the Ottomans captured this city a decade and a half ago. This can provide us with some inspiration for our siege operations."
"But before attacking Constantinople, we might first have to eliminate the infamous Throat Castle further north. The Genoese representatives are now impatiently requesting that you destroy it, preferably flattening it.
Previously, the Ottomans relied on Throat Castle and another twin fortress on the opposite side of the strait to block the strait, forcing the Genoese to pay exorbitant tolls.
Moreover, the Crusader Fleet used to blockade the strait is still threatened by these two fortresses. The Ottomans have mounted cannons on the walls to threaten passing ships, and it is rumored that many warships have been damaged by artillery fire while on duty. We must quickly capture this evil fortress."
William did not forget the instructions of the Italian princes, and thus made this suggestion to the emperor.
"Hmm, this fortress can be called a symbol of the Ottomans' barbaric acts," Laszlo nodded. "I have already dispatched a portion of the army to investigate the situation there. Since that castle poses such a great threat, I will send troops to capture Throat Castle."
Throat Castle, known to the Greeks as Rumeli Hisarı, corresponded to Anatolia Castle on the opposite shore and was a preparatory work undertaken by the Ottomans for their attack on Constantinople.
These two fortresses controlled the exit from the Black Sea, cutting off the Black Sea's food supply to Constantinople at the time.
Now, Laszlo also needed the Genoese merchants on this shipping route to provide him with a large amount of food supplies, so as soon as he arrived in Constantinople, he set his sights on attacking Throat Castle.
The Genoese were clearly more impatient; previously, after paying tolls, they could still trade in the Black Sea, but now the Ottomans would shell any ship passing through the narrowest part of the Bosphorus Strait, thus sharply increasing the risk of crossing the strait.
Laszlo would respond to the Genoese's expectations, but he still had some reservations about whether to destroy Throat Castle.
If the Ottomans could blockade the strait, he naturally could too, though it might not be good for his reputation.
When Mehmed II built Throat Castle, all of Europe condemned the Sultan as heartless, and even Laszlo's father, Albrecht II, specifically wrote a letter to denounce Mehmed.
At the time, probably no one would have thought that the Emperor's hand would one day reach the Bosphorus Strait, and that he could claim this fortress for himself with little effort.
"That would be for the best, Your Majesty."
It was then that William steered the conversation to another, more critical issue.
"Regarding the siege tasks to be undertaken by the Italian Crusaders, we await your instructions."
Past Crusades almost always lacked unified command, not only because medieval warriors lacked the concept of unified command, but also because there were significant conflicts among them, and few could suppress and lead all participants in the Crusade based on their status, power, and prestige.
However, the situation has changed significantly in the last two instances; last time, the Duke of Burgundy strongly supported the Emperor in commanding the entire Crusade, and this time the Emperor single-handedly organized this massive Crusade.
Whether the armies came from the Empire, Italy, or other places, they all had to report to the Emperor for deployment. This implicitly strengthened the cohesion of the Crusaders, preventing them from fighting independently, abandoning their allies, and leaving them to face the infidels alone, as happened in several famous Crusades in history.
"I hear that many of the Genoese veterans in your army guarded Galata and know it very well. So, your army will be responsible for the siege of Galata, and I will allocate some reinforcements to you as the situation demands. How does that sound?"
Laszlo made the arrangements almost without hesitation.
After the fall of Constantinople, the Genoese were forced to cede Galata to the Ottomans through an agreement. They have always been unwilling about this, and even the Governor of Genoa had repeatedly mentioned in his letters to him that he hoped to reclaim the Galata region, which was originally a Genoese colony.
Given this, let the Italian army go and capture Galata. Afterwards, the armies of other nations can share in Galata's wealth, and the Genoese can reclaim their coveted trading port.
It is important to know that on the eve of Constantinople's demise, Galata's trade throughput accounted for 65% of the entire city's trade throughput, and such prosperous trade brought enormous profits to the Genoese.
Laszlo still intends to let the Genoese manage this land in the future, but it will certainly be different from the Byzantine period; the necessary taxes will still need to be paid.
"As you command, Your Majesty."
William had no objection to this arrangement; in fact, he had long anticipated it.
As an important suburb of Constantinople, Galata guarded the northern side of the Golden Horn. Taking it would dismantle the Ottoman naval defenses in the Golden Horn, which were constructed with iron chains similar to those of the Eastern Roman Empire, allowing the Crusaders to attack Constantinople's weak points from the sea.
Unless the Emperor also intended to transport a portion of the fleet into the Golden Horn by dry-land boat, capturing Galata was a necessary task.
In other words, his army would be the first to attack Constantinople.
"Your mission is very important; you must handle it with caution."
Laszlo still added an extra caution. Currently, Galata's population should be around five thousand, and the number of defenders would not be less than one thousand, so resistance would undoubtedly be fierce.
The Italians had enjoyed several years of peace, and he wondered if they had forgotten the techniques of past wars.
William nodded solemnly, then took his leave and began to march with the Italian Crusaders towards the outskirts of Galata.
Laszlo continued to consult the scroll William had sent, using battle reports from the last siege of Constantinople to plan this battle.
The Theodosian Walls on the west side of Constantinople consisted of a series of intricate walls and moats, with two layers of walls, comprising a sturdy outer wall and a tall inner wall.
Towers, primarily square but some hexagonal or octagonal, were built every 55 meters along the wall, and would certainly house numerous archers for observation and projecting firepower.
Due to the astonishing 5.5-kilometer length of the Theodosian Walls, a large number of troops were required to defend them.
In the last two sieges of Constantinople, the declining Eastern Roman Empire was even unable to defend both layers of walls, so it concentrated its forces on the outer wall, creating many problems for the besieging armies.
The Ottoman forces would certainly be sufficient to defend both layers of walls, making the Crusaders' siege even more difficult.
What was even more frustrating was that, in addition to the two layers of walls, there was also a wide moat further out. The Eastern Romans had built a series of positions on the inner side of the moat to prevent armies from crossing the river from outside the city, which was the true first line of defense on the west side of Constantinople.
Only after breaking through these three lines of defense would the Crusaders have a chance to glimpse the true appearance of Constantinople, a metropolis that once housed hundreds of thousands of people.
However, Laszlo was well aware that the sight upon entering would likely be somewhat disappointing.
Because Constantinople was no longer as prosperous as it once was, the city gradually degenerated in areas near the outer walls, turning into a series of walled villages separated by large fields.
The city residents primarily lived in the coastal areas, where they were protected by another Constantinian Wall, but that wall was already dilapidated.
The current problem was how to break through the formidable Theodosian Walls on the west side of Constantinople, and Laszlo was greatly troubled by this.
After studying the map and documents for a while, Laszlo decided to go out and see for himself, to verify his approach.
He soon arrived at a vantage point outside Constantinople, escorted by a team of knights.
This location directly faced the "middle section of the wall" between the St. Romanus Gate and the Charisius Gate.
Before Laszlo arrived, a unit had already occupied this position—the Crusader artillery unit.
Following the Ottomans' past experience, they chose to set up an artillery position here, intending to bombard the "middle section of the wall," which was generally considered the weakest point.
Currently, soldiers responsible for transporting the cannons were attempting to deploy the heavy bombard under the direction of Austrian artillery engineers.
Laszlo walked over to a cannon that had already been set up and noticed the inscription on it, "Hammer of the Emperor," a heavy cannon produced in the Graz arsenal.
This cannon had only recently been transported to the army by a combination of land and water. In total, over a hundred various cannons would be sent outside Constantinople, most of which probably wouldn't have much effect, but these massive cannons, weighing several tons, could inflict devastating damage on the city walls.
"Your Majesty, our heavy cannons will clear the way for your entry into Constantinople."
The artillery commander, his face flushed with excitement, stood beside the Emperor and made a solemn vow.
Laszlo smiled slightly upon hearing this, acknowledging the man's oath, but he still pointed in the direction of the cannon's muzzle, drawing everyone's gaze to the distant city wall located in the valley.
That section of the wall appeared to have endured incredibly fierce attacks, with numerous traces of bombardment remaining. The gaps repaired by the Ottomans over the past decade still contrasted sharply with the old city wall.
Moreover, these arduous repair works were still unfinished to this day. To prevent fatal breaches in the defense, the Ottomans had mobilized a large amount of labor to accelerate the repair of damaged sections of the wall.
"In those days, the Ottomans used heavy cannons that shocked the world to shatter the walls of Constantinople, yet they still narrowly avoided defeat.
Cannons are indeed our greatest reliance in siege warfare, but what is more important is whether the attacking warriors possess sufficient courage and whether the commanders possess enough wisdom.
This will be a battle destined to be recorded in history, and I hope each of you will faithfully fulfill your duties. In this process, you will gain salvation and the glory of battle."
Upon hearing this, all those who followed Laszlo were greatly encouraged. They enthusiastically responded to the Emperor, vying to express their loyalty and piety.
Laszlo was also happy to see such a sight; he would need to make frequent appearances in the military camps thereafter to ensure the army's morale remained high.
"I will not overly rely on the power of cannons, but your contribution is indispensable.
As long as you can open a breach in the city wall, all the brave warriors participating in the holy war will remember your achievements."
"Please leave it to us, Your Majesty."
"We will ensure the Ottomans have no defenses to rely on!"
Before the commander could respond, the surrounding artillery engineers were the first to meet the Emperor's expectations.
Before the formal siege, the Ottomans had bombarded the outer walls of Constantinople for several weeks with cannons. This time, the Crusaders' attack would certainly adopt a similar approach, so for a long time to come, both enemy and allied forces would be closely watching these artillerymen to see how they performed.
After a quick inspection of various parts of the camp, Laszlo, who had just returned to the main camp, received news of the arrival of the Ottoman Sultan's envoy.
Outside the western walls of Constantinople, in the Crusaders' camp, Laszlo ordered the Ottoman envoy who sought an audience to be brought before him.
This envoy was not dispatched by the Sultan; in fact, Sultan Mehmed II could barely send anyone across the narrow strait at this time.
Therefore, the Ottoman envoy actually came from Constantinople, sent by the Ottoman Grand Prince Bayezid, who was in charge of commanding the troops defending Constantinople, and his assistant, Jafar Pasha.
This came as quite a surprise to Laszlo; logically, he should have been the one to select and dispatch an envoy into the city to persuade them to surrender.
Yet, the Ottomans had proactively sought them out.
One thing, however, did not surprise Laszlo: the envoy sent was not an Ottoman in the traditional sense, but a Serbian Christian who served Jafar Pasha, the commander of Constantinople.
Jafar Pasha was also a Serb, who, early in his career, gained an opportunity to enter the Ottoman army through the unique Devshirme system of the Ottoman Empire.
He accumulated sufficient experience and prestige in numerous wars, eventually becoming an independent military commander, just like his Serbian compatriot, Gedik Ahmed Pasha.
At this time, Gedik Ahmed Pasha was leading the Ottoman Empire's eastern army, accompanying the Second Prince Mustafa, stationed in Konya to resist the Karaman counterattack.
Jafar's task was similar to his: to assist the Prince, who was guarding a strategic border town, in commanding the army and achieving victory in the war.
However, compared to the ragtag group faced on the eastern front, the pressure on Jafar's western front was significantly greater.
Their communication with the other side of the strait was almost completely cut off, only occasionally managing to contact the Sultan's court across the strait through some clandestine methods, let alone obtaining more supplies and reinforcements from there.
Jafar and Grand Prince Bayezid, who were well aware of the situation inside the city, were confident in holding out against the Crusaders' attack, but if the siege continued, the fall of Constantinople would be inevitable.
Therefore, before the siege truly began, the Ottomans felt that Constantinople could still be salvaged, so they sent an eloquent envoy, hoping he could persuade the Emperor to withdraw his troops.
"Your esteemed Roman Emperor, I come on behalf of the heir of the Ottoman Empire, the guardian of Constantinople, Prince Bayezid…."
"So you've come to surrender the city to me?"
Laszlo was not about to show any goodwill towards the Ottomans, so he roughly interrupted the Ottoman envoy's carefully prepared lengthy speech.
At these words, even though the envoy was still filled with apprehension, his expression could not help but turn grim.
"Your Majesty, I come at the Prince's command to ask why you have violated the peace treaty previously signed in Constantinople, and reignited war during the agreed-upon thirty-year truce."
Before Laszlo could respond, Cardinal Francesco, the Papal legate sitting nearby, stepped forward and retorted, "His Imperial Majesty launched this war to reclaim Constantinople from the infidels, and thereby completely expel the Muslims from Europe.
All of this is in accordance with God's will, and it is evident that oaths made to infidels are not within God's will, so even violating this treaty will earn God's forgiveness.
Christians who grovel before infidels like yourselves will only suffer eternal damnation and will surely descend into the torments of hell after death."
Listening to these familiar words, Laszlo quickly raised his hand to stop Francesco from continuing to unleash his verbal assault on the envoy.
For a Christian living under Ottoman rule, swearing allegiance to an infidel Sultan, such a venomous curse easily caused him profound distress, and his attitude seemed to waver slightly as a result.
As for Francesco's reason for violating the Treaty of Constantinople, Laszlo knew well that this was likely a tactic specifically requested by the Pope to strengthen Laszlo's resolve to besiege Constantinople.
However, neither the Pope nor Cardinal Francesco could have imagined that Laszlo did not believe in God at all, and he did not need such a self-deceiving excuse to hand over the legitimacy of the war to the Ottomans.
"The reason I lead a large army to attack Constantinople is precisely to punish the Ottomans for their dangerous actions of violating the peace treaty and colluding with the Republic of Venice to conspire against the Empire.
You need not argue this point; the Doge of Venice has long since told me everything about your cooperation, and now I will make you pay the price for it."
Laszlo, with a stern expression, explained the reason for this Crusade to the envoy and those present in the tent.
In truth, everyone knew that wars break out simply because both the Emperor and the Sultan desire the great and glorious city of Constantinople.
However, how well the excuse is crafted can influence many things.
Laszlo did not wish to be portrayed as a 'villain' who arbitrarily violated agreements in the name of God, either among the Ottomans or even the Crusaders.
All his actions had to be legitimate and righteous; only then could people willingly follow him.
Of course, with the Holy War buff now active, even if Laszlo used Francesco's clumsy excuse, it would probably still convince people, but he himself disliked that excuse.
This was probably a contradictory psychology of wanting to have his cake and eat it too, but Laszlo believed he had a clear conscience.
The envoy immediately fell silent at the Emperor's stated reason for war; at this point, how could he argue?
It seemed a fierce war was inevitable.
"Since you insist, then we can only respond. If you view the people within Constantinople as lambs to the slaughter, then you will likely pay a heavy price for it.
We will fight on the walls of Constantinople, in its streets and alleys, until all the bandits who have come from the West are slain.
If your undefeated myth is shattered beneath the walls of Constantinople, I imagine a new wave of unrest will sweep across the vast lands from Hungary to the Empire, won't it?"
The Ottoman envoy did not hesitate to mock and threaten the Emperor.
Although the number of Ottoman defenders in the city did not reach the anticipated 30,000 that could make Constantinople "never fall," it was not far off.
And this didn't even count the tens of thousands of civilians behind the Theodosian Walls who could not leave Constantinople.
Their hatred and fear of the Crusaders almost surpassed that of the Ottomans; after all, there was the Crusader capture of Constantinople in 1204, followed by the Roman Papacy's demand for the merger of the Eastern and Western Churches.
Historical grievances and religious differences made the residents of Constantinople prefer to help the infidels rather than submit to the Crusaders.
With their support, the Ottoman envoy was confident that this nearly 100,000-strong army would all perish beneath the tall, magnificent walls of Constantinople.
At the envoy's disrespectful attitude, the Emperor's captain of the guard and the commander of the Guards had already gripped their longswords, waiting only for Laszlo's command to immediately sever the head of this apostate to wash away the insult suffered by their monarch.
Laszlo gestured with his eyes for them to calm down, then responded with a composed demeanor: "I will return the destruction Mehmed II brought to the Eastern Roman Empire to the Ottoman Empire, starting from Constantinople.
You are welcome to try and resist and see what the final outcome will be.
If you come to your senses before the city falls, you can surrender to me, and I guarantee, on the Emperor's honor, the safety and freedom of all within the city."
Just as Mehmed II once advised Constantine XI, Laszlo now issued an ultimatum to Constantinople under Ottoman rule.
Only a mere dozen years had passed, yet the positions of attacker and defender had completely reversed, making one marvel at the wonders of the world.
It was still remembered that when the Eastern Roman Empire warned the Ottomans not to harbor too many extravagant ambitions, Mehmed II responded thus: "Call the Hungarians from across the Danube River; let all the Western nations arm themselves against us; believe me, doing so will only hasten your demise!"
It must be said that his prophecy was quite accurate; the Eastern Roman Empire ultimately failed to receive aid from the West, and the thousand-year empire ended in a single war.
However, at that time, Mehmed II could never have imagined that there would indeed be someone capable of rallying the armies of Hungary and the Western nations to fight him, now causing him immense suffering.
The Ottoman envoy did not take the Emperor's advice to heart; he felt a slight regret for failing to complete his mission, but this outcome was already within his expectations.
Laszlo displayed his magnanimity and did not make things difficult for or even execute this brave envoy.
Instead, he dispatched soldiers to escort him to the city gate, allowing him to convey his response to the Ottomans inside the city.
In the days that followed, new forces continuously joined the siege, with the Imperial Princely Coalition, the Knights Hospitaller, and other factions successively arriving outside Constantinople.
Before these troops arrived, Laszlo dispatched Paul Kinizsi, the Grand General of the Hungarian Border Guard, to lead a Hungarian army of over ten thousand men to Throat Castle, a dozen kilometers north of Constantinople.
Since the fortress was built in only a few months, its scale was not large, and its garrison numbered only a few hundred.
Without external aid and facing a vast disparity in strength, the defenders in the city did not hold out for long before choosing to abandon the fortress and surrender.
It wasn't that the Ottomans didn't want to strengthen the defenses of this fortress; it was simply because reinforcing Constantinople's defenses was already a struggle, and they truly had no extra resources to reinforce this small fortress that served as a toll station to control the strait.
After easily capturing Throat Castle, although the morale-boosted Hungarian Crusaders wished to bring the surrendered Ottoman prisoners outside Constantinople and execute them there to demoralize the city's defenders, Paul, true to his word, restrained the zealous soldiers.
He had previously been entrusted by the Emperor to capture as many prisoners as possible, and therefore did not harm the lives of these captives.
However, for these relieved Ottoman prisoners, this might not necessarily be a good thing.
After leaving enough troops to garrison the fortress, Paul quickly returned to the siege camp outside Constantinople with his army, escorting over four hundred prisoners.
Although this could not be called a major victory, it was enough to boost the morale of the Crusaders, which had been somewhat low after months of marching, and strengthen their confidence.
The fate of those prisoners was also decided; as Laszlo had previously promised the Hungarian, he would take these prisoners back to Hungary and sell them as slaves to nobles whose territories had suffered population losses.
After resolving the trouble at Throat Castle, Laszlo finally saw the grand assembly of all Crusade participants.
In the large military council that followed, after a full day of discussion, the responsibilities of each commander were clearly defined.
"The Hungarian army is responsible for attacking the northernmost Blachernae Walls, as well as the northern section of the walls from the northern end to the Gate of Charisius.
I will personally lead the Austrian, Bohemian, and some Balkan armies, with the assistance of the Knights Hospitaller, to attack the central section of the walls from the Gate of Charisius to the St. Romanus Gate.
The Imperial Coalition, the Naples Crusaders, and the remaining Balkan armies are responsible for attacking the southern section of the walls, tying down the defenders' forces.
The Northern Italy Crusaders will besiege Galata to lift the blockade of the Golden Horn, hoping to form a multi-pronged attack on Constantinople.
More detailed plans will be communicated to you by special messengers later.
This war concerns faith and honor; it is destined not to be an easily won war, so we need even more sincere cooperation and unity to shatter the infidels' defenses.
Therefore, I need to make one request to all of you: all actions must follow orders. If anyone, due to unauthorized action, incurs failure and heavy casualties, he will face my wrath, the Emperor's wrath, and will never receive salvation, understand?"
Laszlo assigned the tasks to each army, still a bit uneasy, and added another admonition.
His gaze swept over the Crusade commanders sitting on both sides; they were mostly familiar faces, and they cooperatively agreed to his demands.
This made him somewhat relieved that this Crusade, due to incessant internal conflicts in various European countries, had to narrow its scope of recruitment, which paradoxically purified the Crusader ranks.
Didn't the Nicopolis Crusade, in the past, suffer a tragic defeat precisely because the French acted on their own initiative and refused to listen to Sigismund's advice?
If some French or English had infiltrated this Crusade, Laszlo would have had to worry about whether these people would secretly betray him.
Now, those gathered under him were either his vassals or deeply allied friends, all sharing a common goal, which was better for confronting the Ottomans.
As soon as the military council ended, the Crusade commanders led their armies to set up new siege camps in areas closer to Constantinople, outside their respective sections of the wall.
This series of camps extended from the Golden Horn coast all the way to the vicinity of the Gate of the Spring in the southern section of the Theodosian Walls, looking as if another layer of defense enveloped the Theodosian Walls.
Such obvious movements naturally could not escape the eyes of the city's defenders, who quickly began to make corresponding defensive deployments under the command of Bayezid and others.
A bloody war was about to erupt.