Just as the two nations officially went to war, in Northern Crimea, the dominant Haji Giray also turned his attention to Dawlat Berdi's remaining territories, and fierce battles began to rage around the Tatar Isthmus.
However, this currently has nothing to do with the two nations.
The Golden Knight, Carlo Dominus Merlo, who had just been ennobled at the beginning of the month, stood solemnly before Simon Boccanegra, ready to hear his upcoming appointment.
"Sir Carlo Merlo, thank you for your contributions to Saint George."
"Your Excellency the Doge, I merely pacified a few small mountain people, it's nothing worth mentioning," Carlo Merlo said humbly, lowering his black hair.
"There's no need for modesty. If it weren't for your decisiveness and courage, who knows how long those lowly Corsican mountain people would have hindered our progress," Boccanegra said with a gentle smile, then stated the purpose of calling Merlo, "But now, a new enemy has appeared in the Republic's Black Sea territories, and this enemy is not comparable to the disorganized Corsican mountain people."
"My sword will clear all heretics and infidels for Saint George," Merlo said, standing at attention and with a serious expression.
"Good, truly worthy of being called the 'Golden Knight' by the Duke," Boccanegra returned his respect. "Our opponent this time is the Principality of Theodoro on the western side of the Crimean Peninsula in the Black Sea. These shameless Greek heretics used despicable means to seize our Kaffa and refuse to return it."
"I swear by my sword that these Judas-like scoundrels will be utterly annihilated."
"Good. If Theodoro disappears from the map, I will persuade the council to bestow upon you the title of Marquis of Sari. Even if my term is almost over, this promise will not change, Your Excellency the Count of Ajaccio."
"Thank you for your appreciation, Your Excellency the Doge. I will give my all," Merlo felt his heart pounding. From Baron to Count was already a great leap in class, and this time, he could even go from Count to Marquis! Whether for him or for Genoa, he had to win this battle. ①
Meanwhile, in the Kaffa Palace of the Principality of Theodoro—
"I have written down the reasons for these matters in the letter, so your brothers will surely not blame you when you return to Constantinople," Manuel said, handing his handwritten letter to Barbara, who was in front of him, and explained:
"In a few days, we will be facing the army from Genoa itself, which is not comparable to the scattered forces in the Kaffa consulate."
Barbara looked at her young fiancé, with whom she had spent time recently, feeling a little dazed.
"Hey, hey, hey, Barbara, are you listening?" Manuel waved his right hand in front of her, a little worried.
"I'm fine," Barbara bit her lip after coming back to her senses, staring intently at the young man in front of her. After a long pause, she finally made a decision under his strange gaze.
"I'll stay and help you with some chores."
"Princess, I'm not joking. War is not as elegant and unhurried as described in knight novels."
"I know, but you are also the co-commander of the entire army and the lord of this city. During wartime, you need a high-ranking noble who is knowledgeable in history and familiar with writing to help you with some administrative tasks, right?"
To be fair, indeed, Manuel thought so, but he still intended to persuade his fiancée, who seemed to have her head filled with knightly tales, "Barbara, are you sure? If we lose the war, as a woman, you might be forced by the enemy's army to do unspeakable things."
"I think you should be the one worrying about that problem," Barbara retorted, "You're such a delicate and lovely young boy. Don't let yourself be sold to the Ottoman Sultan's harem if we lose, and then..."
"Stop it!" Manuel interrupted her urgently, because if she described it any further, he would quickly visualize it. "Alright, alright, I'll let you stay, isn't that enough? But ahead lies an abyss."
"It's okay, I believe in you," Barbara smiled.
It was like this again, innocently striking his heart. Manuel felt his heart being hit by something pink, warm. To alleviate this feeling, he quickly arranged for Barbara and left the palace to formulate a strategy for defending the entire Kaffa region.
At the previous meeting in Mangup, they had discussed in detail the possibility of a naval blockade, but Falero's detailed analysis made them abandon this idea. His last statement, "Our navy absolutely cannot defeat the Genoa fleet," was a defeatist remark that directly sentenced this plan to death.
It seemed they could only defend by land. The group ultimately devised a plan to defend using a fortress cluster defense line, and the focus of the defense, in addition to the two major cities of Mangup and Kaffa, was the narrow road from Kaffa to Kerch. In addition, at the end of the meeting, Alexius brought out another "secret weapon": "Manuel, do you remember your elder sister who married far to the west? This time, the Genoese won't be able to get their supplies easily."
And what Manuel and the city's key officials were discussing now was the specific implementation of this road defense line.
"With only a little over a month, it's impossible to build strong fortresses," Michael Arno reminded everyone.
Manuel also knew this problem, but sending too many troops to defend would consume the Principality's limited available forces. And in only two to three months, it would be difficult to extract manpower from the Kaffa region unless they resorted to unsustainable methods.
"Crown Prince, do the local Tatar tribes all obey Berdi's orders?" Tukharovsky, who had been transferred to Manuel's command, asked.
"Theoretically, yes," Manuel nodded.
"But in reality?" Tukharovsky pressed.
"The tribes in the southeastern area have long been disobedient. Wait, Tukharovsky, you're not thinking of..." Manuel was a little surprised by his bold plan.
"Yes, Your Highness, I think the local Tatar tribes pose a greater threat to the Genoese than we do to them," Tukharovsky smiled.
"How can you guarantee they will listen to us? You know these infidels don't even necessarily listen to their own superiors."
"What truly binds the Tatar tribes are not the princes whose brains are nearly beaten out, but the chiefs and elders of each tribe," Tukharovsky chuckled, "Your Highness, I have dealt with these Tatars in Lithuania for a long time. Leave this matter to me."
"Good," Manuel began to consider whether to establish a Tatar cavalry unit at the same time.
Meanwhile, in Venice, Pietro Lando, responsible for the future Black Sea consulate, looked at the report of Genoa's declaration of war on Theodoro, gently placed it aside, and smiled:
"Is that all?"
"But Consul, according to our alliance with Theodoro, shouldn't we intervene?" Lorenzo Dandolo, the naval admiral temporarily under his command, asked doubtfully.
"Sir Lorenzo, has Theodoro asked us for help?" Lando looked relaxed.
"Not yet."
"Then let's wait," Lando stood up, looking at his bookshelf, "When they ask us for help or lose most of their war capability, we will intervene and repel the Genoese. By then, they will surely be grateful to us. And we, ha, we are not devils; we will just take the small city of Kaffa."
Lando's smile instantly became incredibly bright.
And in the Khan's palace in Sarai, the capital of the Golden Horde—
"Genoa has officially declared war on the Principality of Theodoro? These infidels are truly arrogant. It's time to fulfill my promise. Tenek Emir, cut off Genoa's trade routes in the Khanate," the Khan of the Golden Horde waved his hand, ordering.
"Yes, Your Majesty."
Thus, in response to the war between the Republic of Genoa and the Principality of Theodoro, all parties made their appropriate responses.
① In actual history, it was this "Golden Knight" who was sent by Genoa to fight against the Principality of Theodoro.