Chapter 377 Citizenship Charter
It was already evening. In the administrative palace of the Southern Greek province, the provincial governor Costas sat at the table drinking coffee, while his clerk sat beside him, reading aloud the government reports of the recent period.
Costas is now 48 years old, his face full of the vicissitudes of life. Although he has become a civil servant, he still retains many habits from his military service. Swords and knives are hung on the side walls of his study, and a wolf's head is nailed above the wooden door. This was a trophy he got when he participated in a royal hunting trip in North Africa.
"In the first half of 1476, agricultural output in the southern Greek province increased by % compared to the previous year. The main reason was the advancement of agricultural technology. Fertilizers and pesticides greatly increased agricultural output..."
The clerk read out.
"The handicraft industries in the southern Greek provinces are mainly concentrated in Mystras in the Morea region and Chalcis in the Attica region. They are light industries such as textiles and cigarettes. The cultural industry in Athens is booming. Several paper mills, printing houses and book publishing houses have mentioned an increase in orders in recent months. This should be related to the growth of cultural demand in the northern big cities..."
"The stationery industry that you encouraged to develop has also prospered. The feather pens, oak gall ink, carbon ink, and scented ink produced in Athens are in short supply..."
"Very good. This industry must be vigorously developed. You are responsible for negotiating with those workshop owners."
Costas nodded.
"I just came back from Constantinople. Thrace has started a literacy campaign. There is a huge demand for stationery. The high-quality inks favored by the dignitaries cannot be left behind. The Latin white iron gall ink and Anatolian mignonette ink are also excellent. We can find craftsmen among Italian immigrants and Turkic converts and open a workshop to produce them."
"Also, it is said that several college students in Constantinople were inspired by shepherds and found that they often used graphite powder to mark livestock. So they began to study graphite pens, and it seems that they have achieved some results. We have to follow up."
Costas thought.
"Quill pens are still too expensive. Since Your Majesty intends to encourage cultural undertakings, cheap writing tools are indispensable. This is Athens' opportunity."
"Anyway, the southern Greek provinces will never be able to compete with the northern metropolises in industries such as metals, chemicals and shipbuilding. We might as well change our thinking."
"Yes, I will discuss this with the workshop owners."
Mark the document.
Because Athens pursues cultural freedom, whether it is local culture, Turkic culture or Latin culture, they can all find a place here. Cultural prosperity has brought great benefits to the city. Immigrants from all over the world bring the unique crafts of their hometowns here. The speed of cultural innovation in Athens is quite amazing.
"What about the arts? Send someone to talk to the leaders of each ethnic group. His Majesty has allocated 4,500 solidus to allow us to build a concert hall in the center of Athens."
Costas finished his coffee and stood up.
"His Majesty named this music hall the 'Athena Golden Hall' and the construction order was given to the Royal Construction Group. It is expected to take three years to complete."
"During these three years, we must instruct the various ethnic groups to develop their own music careers, especially the Italians. Their harpsichords are loved by Your Majesty and may become the darlings of the upper class of Constantinople in the future."
Costas recalled the harpsichord he had seen inside the Grand Palace.
"His Majesty gave it a very strange name, the fortepiano, and believed that this harpsichord would become the king of musical instruments in the future."
Costas didn't quite understand and shook his head.
"As for the Armenian Dudukdi, the Turkic Saz and Kamancha, they can all be allowed to develop freely."
“In the future, we can also form an international orchestra, using traditional instruments from various cultures to create harmonies, organize tours in major cities in the north or Italy, and promote the international culture of the city of Athens.”
"In addition, we must also work hard to develop the manufacturing industry of musical instruments, which can make a lot of money."
"Do you know how much the rosewood and phoenix-patterned harpsichord presented to the royal family cost?"
A hint of envy flashed in Costas' eyes.
"Twenty-five hundred solidus!"
"Athens is a city of literature and art, an international city, and the Balkan city with the largest number of Italians. Their artistic talent is undoubtedly outstanding. Although we can only attract farmers and lower-class citizens for the time being, as Athens' international culture becomes more and more prosperous, there will definitely be high-quality Italian artists willing to settle here."
"Sir... Compared to music, the citizens actually like sports more. The councillors of Athens are planning to organize a football club."
The clerk curled his lips.
"Football is just a sport for barbarians. They cannot appreciate the elegance of art."
"No, sports are also a form of culture, which is a good thing."
Costas shook his head.
"How about this, you tell them that the club in Athens will be called International Athens, and I will attend the ceremony when the club is completed."
"The leather industry is a traditional industry in Athens. We can produce Athens-style footballs and add owl patterns on them... I will write to Mr. Balsamon to see if we can make the Athens football the official ball for the Olympus football match..."
Costas paced back and forth, muttering to himself, and the clerk shut up at the right time and concentrated on taking notes.
The clerk knew that this was a habit of the quartermaster, who always liked to haggle over every little thing.
"In recent days, the Italian region has observed a surge in the number of immigrants from Milan and Genoa. We suspect that this has a lot to do with the unrest in Milan. The Duke of Milan, Galeazzo, has been tyrannical in Genoa, Milan, and La Spezia, and society is in turmoil..."
Seeing Costas sitting back at the table, the clerk continued.
"Greek MPs want to increase security to prevent new immigrants from causing trouble..."
"What happens abroad has nothing to do with us. We will definitely strengthen security... What about citizen registration?"
Costas rubbed his brow.
"The chaos in the past few years is understandable, but everything should be running stably now, right?"
“Basically OK.”
The clerk replied.
"After Athens' economic recovery, the number of government employees has increased, and almost every ethnic group has representatives in the government and parliament to ensure fair registration of citizens."
"In the last registration, a total of more than 200 people obtained full citizenship, more than 1,200 people obtained limited citizenship, and more than 300 people obtained Latin citizenship."
"Very good, we are finally on the right track."
Costas said.
"What's the situation in the Morea region? Tell me about it. Anyway, they have always claimed to be the third largest region after Thrace and South Macedonia. They have always looked down on the Attica region and are not willing to let me interfere."
"Well... the population and economy of the Moria region are indeed larger than ours, with a population of 500,000. The capital, Mystras, has a population of more than 80,000. It mainly develops economic agriculture and corresponding handicrafts."
The clerk said.
"As you know, the Morea region is the only place other than Constantinople that has not been destroyed by the Ottomans. Emperor Isaac spent a lot of effort here before he ascended the throne. After the destruction of Granada, the Morea silk industry has become even stronger."
"They are also recruiting immigrants, but they are Albanians who are particularly fond of having children. This has been the policy since the reign of Emperor Constantine XI. After decades of immigration, the Albanian community in Morea is very prosperous."
"Okay, help me arrange my itinerary. I'm going to Moria for an inspection next month."
Costas ordered.
There was a knock on the wooden door, and Costas's old servant came in to report.
After a while, a young man in plain clothes entered Costas' office with confusion and surprise in his eyes.
"Dear Sir Costas, I am Jorges from the Sfrangis family, an inspector sent by the Imperial Inspectorate to the city of Athens, and I am here to perform my supervisory duties!"
Jorges said as he handed Costas the written certificate issued by his superiors.
"I have made a brief inspection of the situation in Athens and I am somewhat confused about your governance philosophy. I have come to ask you to explain it to me!"
Costas looked at it, nodded at the empty seat next to him, and ordered the old servant to bring a cup of coffee to Jogues.
"Logically, an inspector of your level has no authority to investigate me."
Costas looked at Jorges with interest.
"However, in order to satisfy your curiosity, I will tell you everything I know."
"First, you said you saw the city of Athens. How did you feel about it?"
"It feels good."
Jorgs said truthfully.
"Every ethnic group has been given its own political rights and channels for advancement, and can live freely in Athens without much discrimination and exclusion."
"There are taverns run by Italians on the streets of Athens, Armenians playing the flute to earn money, the simple and easy-to-use Turkic national costumes are loved by many workers, and there are even many mixed-race natives setting up stalls to sell ethnic snacks in the market, which is really eye-opening."
"Haha, have you ever eaten it?"
Costas laughed.
"Uh... I had two Mexican tacos, a skewer of Khoisan grilled sausages and an Italian pizza, and it felt pretty good."
Jogues said somewhat awkwardly.
"Although Constantinople also has these, there is not so much innovation. Several pastry chefs seem to be preparing to add fruit to pizza."
"I also watched the election of councillors in the Athens Port area. Although most of the candidates were capitalists and large landowners, they were at least able to represent the interests of some people. Citizens were very interested in this ancient model."
"I interviewed some ordinary citizens, and they are quite satisfied with the current situation of Athens. At least they can achieve a higher status through hard work."
"Well, that's not bad. This shows that although you come from a wealthy family, you are still willing to take root at the grassroots level and pay attention to the lives of citizens, rather than being high and mighty and writing reports directly based on statistics."
Costas nodded slightly.
"The city of Athens began to be rebuilt in 1453, but there was almost no progress in the first five years. Why do you think that was?"
“Without capital and population, the advancement of navigation technology allowed ships to travel long distances without relying too much on coastal ports.”
Jogues said.
"We rely on agriculture and animal husbandry and simple processing of agricultural and animal husbandry products for our livelihood, and can only become low-level suppliers for big cities."
"Yes, you are quite right."
Costas affirmed.
"My governing policy is mainly to solve the two problems you mentioned: funding and population."
"I used archaeology to help Athens solve its funding problems. I know you may look down on this approach, but it did restore some vitality to the city of Athens, and the first citizens engaged in the antique business earned their first pot of gold."
"Then there is population. I made Athens an international city through rights reforms, stabilized foreign immigrants through democratic elections, and passed strict legislation to prohibit discrimination. I attracted many discriminated converts from the northern cities and Anatolia, and many civilians who suffered from tyranny from Italy."
"After we have the capital and population, Attica's business will really start. I don't plan to compete with northern cities in industries such as iron smelting, textiles, and shipbuilding. I will concentrate on the cultural industry, which is consistent with the positioning of an international city."
Costas waved his hand ambitiously.
"Next, I plan to start two projects. One is the future landmark of Athens, the Golden Hall of Athena."
"The other is rail transit in the Isthmus of Corinth. I plan to use the rail carriage technology of Constantinople to connect the Ionian Sea and the Aegean Sea to promote the exchange of goods and the flow of people."
The Isthmus of Corinth is kilometers long and is the only connection between the Peloponnese and Attica. It is bordered by the Ionian Sea to the west and the Aegean Sea to the east. It has been a military pass and transportation hub since ancient times. The ancient Roman tyrant Nero once dug a canal here in an attempt to promote ocean transportation, but the project was ultimately aborted due to technical limitations and political turmoil.
Corinth's rail transportation also has a long history. A long time ago, the ancient king of Corinth built transportation tracks here with hardwood and marble as the main materials, which were eventually abandoned due to war.
"That is very good, sir."
Jogues chose his words carefully.
"You have indeed made Athens stable and prosperous through a series of measures, but your Majesty's policy of cultural assimilation does not seem to be prescribed in this way."
“Those Italians and converted Turks didn’t live like the Greeks.”
"Then how do you think the people should live? Wear the same clothes? Eat the same bread? Speak the same Greek language?"
Costas twitched his lips.
"Each ethnic group is good at different things. Only by absorbing and learning from all the strengths can science and technology and culture develop rapidly. Isn't this what your majesty said?"
"Your Majesty naturally knows this truth, otherwise he would not provide so much funding to the Prometheus department to steal advanced technology from all over the world every year."
"For the past thirty years, Your Majesty has not been able to carry out the next step of reforming the existing citizen system. To put it bluntly, it is because the administrative organization is not good enough. This is the only way to do it for now."
Costas' eyes flickered.
"Your Majesty granted citizenship to all Orthodox Christians who came to the Eastern Empire, and to all Turks who were willing to convert to Orthodoxy, but in reality? Discrimination and exclusion still exist."
"Your Majesty registered all those Slavs who believed in Orthodox Christianity and could speak Greek as Greeks. Did they really become members of the Greek race? Without any barriers at all?"
"Under this model, the old citizens are dissatisfied because outsiders easily obtain their birthright without any work at all, and they certainly don't like these unearned gains."
"Under this model, new citizens are also dissatisfied because they will be discriminated against by old citizens. It is said to be completely equal, but in reality it is just a formality."
“Allowing differences, embracing the different, reforming citizenship, unifying rights and obligations, and using national identity to build citizen awareness is the long-term solution.”
"Shut up!"
Jorgs shouted.
"How dare you question His Majesty's decision! You are being disloyal!"
"Haha, you suspect I'm unfaithful?" Costas sneered as he took off his gloves, revealing his left hand with only three fingers.
"I have been following your majesty to fight all over the world since I was 17 years old. We have fought at the Great Wall of Corinth, the Surt Desert, the Green Mountains of Bilinchi, the Bulgarian Steppes... When I dedicated my youth to the emperor, you were nothing!"
"I am a quartermaster. I have met many different people during my campaigns and have dealt with dozens of nationalities. I can tell you very clearly that in this damn world, 90% of people live desperately just for a piece of bread on their plates."
"Your Majesty's tough assimilation method has not actually solved all the problems. It has only covered them up temporarily. Your Majesty just hopes to eliminate all ethnic conflicts with a few decades of iron-fisted rule, promote ethnic identity based on a common language and religion, and create a large majority ethnic group."
Costas' tone softened.
"If Your Majesty stops here, stops fighting, stops recovering the Eastern Empire's inherent territory, and devotes all his energy to cultural assimilation, then I can say with certainty that his method is feasible."
"However, the Saracens are now at their second lowest point since the Mongol invasion. Your Majesty will never stop. In order to stabilize our rule in the Islamic occupied areas, there will be more and more immigrants from Europe, as well as more and more Turkic converts and Saracens who have escaped slavery. If the resettlement and governance policies for them are not established, once the economy declines, these people on the margins of society will immediately become unrest factors, endangering public security and leading to social unrest."
"If you doubt my point of view, you might as well take a look at the witch-hunting movement in Western Europe. When the social order changes, those marginalized groups immediately become victims of the majority ethnic group's panic. There are too many foreign races in the territory of the Eastern Empire. When their patience reaches its limit, they will rebel!"
"As long as His Majesty is here, no one dares to resist."
Jogues whispered.
"Look, you know that the current stability and order are all due to the emperor's personal authority. If he is gone, this set of tough policies will inevitably collapse."
Costas shrugged.
"You are still young and have not seen the world. I don't blame you. I just went to the Grand Palace to report on my work not long ago, and I also submitted the reform plan on citizenship to His Majesty. Your family's old Prime Minister Isult, Minister of Education Balsamon, Minister of Commerce Ulrich and Deputy Prime Minister Basilius all support it."
"That's fine. I'm just a minor official. This has nothing to do with me."
Jogues immediately removed himself.
"I will always support Emperor Isaac and his legitimate successor, and resolutely implement their will in every corner of the empire."
Costas glanced at Jorges, waved his hand without further aggrieved.
"Since you have already eaten, continue working and go directly to the economic file. My clerk will help you."
……
A high-level meeting is being held in the Grand Palace of Constantinople, the capital of the empire.
Isaac sat in the first seat, and next to him was Queen Leonor, who had been with him for thirty years. Co-ruling Emperor Justinian and Crown Prince Constantine were also seated in order. Isabella was unable to attend because she was pregnant.
On both sides of the long square table sat important officials of the empire. Since the outbreak of the Iberian conflict, a meeting of this scale had not been held for a long time.
The white-haired Prime Minister Isurtes Sfrangis, wearing glasses, slowly explained to everyone the report from Costas, the provincial governor of southern Greece.
"The cultural assimilation policy has achieved immeasurable results in the past 30 years. Even the Russians from the wild lands have been forced to learn Greek under coercion and inducement, and even the most unruly Turks have been forced to convert to Jesus Christ in order to survive."
Isurt read.
"In the past thirty years, the popularity of the Greek language has risen steadily, the number of Orthodox Christians has greatly increased, and the degree of integration between the various ethnic groups in the empire and the traditional Romans has gradually increased."
"Language and religion provide a good soil for assimilation, allowing those foreigners to have a basic understanding of this ancient and vibrant nation, which is of positive significance for further reform."
"However, we should also be clear that language and religion are not everything about a country. Granting citizenship to foreigners does not mean that they have completely become Roman citizens."
“It is true that assimilation is a long process that often takes several generations. During this period, we need more gentle and tolerant means to stabilize the situation and transform those foreigners into Romans in a peaceful and prosperous atmosphere. It is also progressive to allow different cultures, different lifestyles, and be tolerant of national traditions.”
"As the center of gravity of the empire is about to shift and the expansion of Anatolia is imperative, it is very necessary to reform citizenship rights."
"I suggest that the central government of the empire restore the ancient Roman tradition and grant different rights to ethnic groups according to their level of centripetal force towards the empire. At the same time, it should break down the barriers between different levels, so that those foreigners can gradually join the Roman community while pursuing their rights, and automatically become part of the Roman community..."
“In the process, they were able to improve the Greco-Romans’ views and attitudes toward them by working to narrow the political gap between themselves and the Greco-Romans rather than directly acquiring full citizenship in name only…”
"Rights and obligations are equal, and labor and sweat form the ladder to fairness. This is very consistent with the simple values of the working people."
"In ancient Rome, the Roman government would grant Latin citizenship to newly surrendered ethnic groups. As the territory expanded, the number of people who obtained Latin citizenship continued to increase until all were granted full citizenship. This political model ensured domestic stability and accelerated the pace of assimilation..."
"Your Majesty, please do not underestimate the appeal of the Eastern Roman Empire to foreigners. As long as they can see the hope of a better life, they are willing to join it and become citizens..."
Isurt finished reading the report and looked at Isaac.
"Your Majesty, these are the ones that all the ministers have already seen."
"Very good, thank you."
Isaac picked up the draft bill on the table and began to read it.
"By the grace of God, the Emperor of Rome and of the Romans: In view of the increasing number of immigrants and converts, while civil conflicts still exist and some policies are difficult to implement, hereby declare the following reforms of citizenship:"
"First, anyone who is a devout believer in the Orthodox Church, can speak one of the two official languages of the Empire, is willing to abide by the laws of the Empire, and is willing to pledge allegiance to the Roman Empire and the Roman Emperor will be considered a first-class citizen and enjoy the full citizenship of the Roman Empire and all welfare benefits, including the right to vote, the right to be elected, the right to take exams, the right to take loans, the right to buy property, the right to join the army..."
"Second, anyone who believes in an acceptable Christian sect other than Orthodoxy, speaks one of the two official languages of the empire, is willing to abide by the law, and is willing to be loyal to the emperor will be considered a second-class citizen and can obtain limited citizenship rights, with some rights weakened, and will not be able to enjoy preferential policies for childbirth."
"After a second-level citizen has worked legally in the empire for three years or has begun to perform Orthodox rituals, he or she will automatically become a first-level citizen and can apply to the local government."
"Third, anyone who believes in the Orthodox religion or an acceptable Christian sect and does not speak the two official languages can be considered a third-class citizen and retain citizenship, but their political rights will continue to be weakened, and they will not be able to take exams or run for election. Taxes will be increased appropriately. After learning the official language and passing a simple test, and working legally for one year, they can be promoted to first- or second-class citizens based on their religious sect."
"Fourth, all former Muslims who voluntarily convert to Orthodox Christianity, regardless of their language, can be considered fourth-class citizens and obtain minority citizenship rights. They cannot take exams or run for elections, cannot buy land above a certain size, and have their taxes increased appropriately. They can join the army and work as tenants or laborers. After working legally for three years, they will automatically be promoted to third-class citizens and enjoy the same treatment as third-class citizens."
"Fifth, all former Muslims who were unwilling to convert and were forced to convert in slave camps and became free people, regardless of their language, can be regarded as fifth-class citizens and enjoy amnesty citizenship. They have no political rights except for joining the army and are not allowed to purchase property. They can work as tenants or laborers. After working legally for three years, they will be promoted to fourth-class citizens. After continuing to work for another three years, they will be promoted to third-class citizens."
"Sixth, after the waiting period for conversion, stubborn Muslims who refuse to convert and resist the government will all lose their citizenship rights and be directly regarded as slaves. All their property will be confiscated. Slave guilds authorized by law must strictly manage and train them. If they repent in the slave camps, they can be regarded as fifth-class citizens. Plantation owners and workshop owners must respect their legal rights, but can charge an appropriate ransom."
"Seventh, special ethnic groups such as the Gypsies should be dealt with according to their specific circumstances and should not be treated in a rigid manner."
"Eighth, now, all foreign Christian immigrants who are interested in joining the Eastern Roman Empire cannot immediately participate in the citizenship review, but they enjoy permanent residency. They do not have political rights, but they have property rights and enjoy three levels of taxation. After working legally for three years, they can obtain citizenship according to their own circumstances."
"Ninth, as lower-class citizens integrate themselves into the mainstream group through labor and study, past sins and conflicts will not be mentioned at all. Any form of appearance or cultural discrimination between citizens is prohibited. If discovered, they will be immediately exiled to New Thrace."
"Finally, all power belongs to the emperor, who can grant full citizenship to individuals or groups as needed to recognize outstanding contributions."
Isaac closed the bill and looked around at everyone.
"This is the first Citizens' Charter of the Eastern Roman Empire, which aims to maintain social stability, regulate rights and obligations, deepen the reform and assimilation system, and prepare for the future development of Anatolia."
"This bill is only a draft for now, and there are certainly quite a few loopholes. There will definitely be people who are dissatisfied. In the next one or two years, you will need to work together to get through the initial period of chaos."
"This charter will only be implemented in the core provinces for the time being. There is no soil for reform in the border areas, governorates and colonies for the time being."
Isaac said.
"After the civil rights reform, the education system, examination system, government system, and military system will all undergo changes. I ask you to come up with reform plans as soon as possible to adapt to the new charter."
"Your Majesty, there is no big problem with the examination system. Those who are capable of taking the examination and becoming officials are basically first-class citizens or second-class citizens. Those who can speak Greek may not be able to read, but those who can read can definitely speak Greek."
Minister of Education Balsamon said with a smile.
"By the way, speaking of examinations, I intend to continue to expand the government department, but mainly to expand the lower civil service, that is, the clerk."
"In fact, the reason why I didn't implement this citizenship promotion system before was that there weren't enough ethnic groups and the language wasn't popular enough. The most important thing was that this model required a huge administrative force. It could only mix the various ethnic groups together and suppress them by force and prestige."
"Now, the lower-level civil servants of the imperial government have undergone several expansions. Although the administrative power has been greatly strengthened, it is still far from enough. We must seek new ideas."
As Isaac spoke, he displayed a rectangular piece of cardboard in front of everyone. On the front was densely packed Greek letters, on the back was the double-headed eagle emblem of the Eastern Roman Empire, and below the emblem was a large Greek letter "Alpha", representing the number "one".
"This is a first-class citizen ID card, printed using a Gutenberg printing press. It can greatly facilitate identity recognition and citizen management, but it can only print some unified information for all citizens, such as the "Roman Empire Citizen ID Card" at the top, and the "name column, place of origin column, age column, occupation column, and belief column". The specific information is left blank and needs to be filled in by lower-level civil servants."
"Of course, you can also take some measures to reduce the workload when printing identity cards for different residents. For example, for the Orthodox Christians in Constantinople, which has the largest population, their place of origin and faith can be printed instead of written by hand."
After Isaac finished his speech, the officials passed the ID card around and marveled at it.
In fact, the earliest identity documents in human history originated in the East. Shang Yang in the Warring States Period used wooden or metal plates to register information for the people of Qin. However, because the carving time was too long and the cost was too high, it was not extended to all people in subsequent dynasties and only existed in government offices and the military.
Ancient Rome and ancient Greece also had some similar small innovations, but the scale of their use was not even as large as that in the East, and they did not form a system.
Ultimately, paper is too expensive, labor is too expensive, and it takes too long to be worth it.
However, the advancement of papermaking and the invention of the Gutenberg printing press solved these difficulties. The Western world, with its universal alphabetic writing system, was quite suitable for lead movable type printing and was able to catch up in this regard.
Of course, whether identity documents can be promoted has a lot to do with national traditions. Some countries do not have an identity card system even in the 21st century. The most famous one is the United Kingdom after its decline.
Johann Gutenberg was the first talent Isaac found after he came to this world. He was penniless at that time, and he relied on the Gutenberg printing technology to print indulgences and Latin Bibles for the Vatican. Only then did he earn a few sailboats and set out to sail.
Now, Gutenberg has been dead for more than ten years, but his inventions still shine in the long river of human history.
"Your Majesty, this is still a huge project."
Prime Minister Isurt looked at the ID card over and over again.
"Card paper, ink, printing press, labor... this is a huge expense!"
"I know that there are nearly eight million citizens now, and about five million of them need identity documents. I plan to implement it in ten years, starting with issuing them uniformly in large cities."
Isaac said.
"Constantinople's identity documents will be issued immediately. Civil officials and priests will set up distribution points in churches. Every citizen must come to receive them. From now on, if you want to continue living in the great cities of the empire, you must have an identity card."
"Your Majesty, this is still too difficult. How about dividing it into twenty years?"
Isurt suggested.
"The only alternative is to raise taxes."
"We are not allowed to raise taxes. The reform of the Citizens' Charter will definitely cause unrest among the people. We must also reduce taxes appropriately."
Isaac immediately shook his head.
"This project is expected to cost 200,000 solidus, half of which will be contributed by the government and the other half by the royal family."
"If the government can't afford it, the royal family can also bear it all. The Governor of East India, Albuquerque, is already preparing to march into the Strait of Malacca. Don't worry about me having no money."
"That's not necessary. Since this is a major matter for all citizens, the government naturally needs to take responsibility."
Isurt declined, but Commerce Minister Ulrich looked at Isaac with shining eyes.
"That's it, everyone, go back and continue discussing the details of the regulations. I'll give you two weeks."
Isaac waved his hand, and the ministers stood up, bowed, and left.
After the meeting, Justinian immediately took little Constantine to Isabella's bedroom, while Leonor poured a glass of wine for Isaac.
"Is it really necessary? Instead of spending so much money on civilians, we should build more palaces and churches. Future generations will remember our achievements."
Leonor complained as she looked at the densely packed expenditure statistics on the document.
"You're not willing to give a thousand solidus to little Carlos, and he's your grandson!"
"I didn't stop you from slipping him two thousand solidus."
Isaac rolled his eyes.
"The empire now seems to be flourishing, but internal contradictions have gradually emerged. If I want to take over Anatolia, the Levant, and Egypt, I have to reform as soon as possible. Otherwise, I am afraid that after three generations, it will collapse completely and retreat to the Aegean Sea again."
"It's the colonial people who paid for it anyway, so why do you feel bad about it?"
"Well, you're always right anyway."
Leonor said this, and suddenly an idea came to her.
"If you do everything to perfection and resolve all the internal conflicts of the empire, will our descendants be able to live in this great palace until the coming of the Last Judgment?"
"No, first of all, I can't solve all the problems."
“Second, on the contrary, the faster the development, the stronger the civic consciousness and legal consciousness, and the stronger the nationalism, the shorter the life of the dynasty will be.”
Isaac shattered his wife's fantasy in a straightforward manner.
"But it doesn't matter. We won't live to see that day anyway. What does it have to do with me if my descendants are not good people?"
Thinking of this, Isaac sighed again.
It was up to him to complete this reform that was ahead of its time and could bring huge benefits. Later generations did not have the vision or the motivation.
……
In the early winter of 1476, after nearly a decade of reform and development, the administrative power of the Eastern Roman Empire was greatly strengthened, the commodity economy was very prosperous, the popularity of Greek and the number of major ethnic groups in the core areas were sufficient, and the imperial government timely promulgated the "Citizenship Charter" and began to carry out in-depth reforms to the previously somewhat chaotic citizenship system, clarifying rights and obligations and allowing outsiders to automatically become members of the Romans on the basis of living together.
At the same time, the printing houses in Constantinople worked day and night, printing out identity documents with the scent of ink. Lower-level civil servants came to the issuing point in the church with paper and pen, and citizens living near the palace lined up at the church to register and receive their identity documents.
On that day, even illiterate citizens fiddled with a piece of cardboard covered with words with curiosity, and memorized the few big words at the top under the compulsory requirements of civil servants and priests.
Roman citizen.
(End of this chapter)
It was already evening. In the administrative palace of the Southern Greek province, the provincial governor Costas sat at the table drinking coffee, while his clerk sat beside him, reading aloud the government reports of the recent period.
Costas is now 48 years old, his face full of the vicissitudes of life. Although he has become a civil servant, he still retains many habits from his military service. Swords and knives are hung on the side walls of his study, and a wolf's head is nailed above the wooden door. This was a trophy he got when he participated in a royal hunting trip in North Africa.
"In the first half of 1476, agricultural output in the southern Greek province increased by % compared to the previous year. The main reason was the advancement of agricultural technology. Fertilizers and pesticides greatly increased agricultural output..."
The clerk read out.
"The handicraft industries in the southern Greek provinces are mainly concentrated in Mystras in the Morea region and Chalcis in the Attica region. They are light industries such as textiles and cigarettes. The cultural industry in Athens is booming. Several paper mills, printing houses and book publishing houses have mentioned an increase in orders in recent months. This should be related to the growth of cultural demand in the northern big cities..."
"The stationery industry that you encouraged to develop has also prospered. The feather pens, oak gall ink, carbon ink, and scented ink produced in Athens are in short supply..."
"Very good. This industry must be vigorously developed. You are responsible for negotiating with those workshop owners."
Costas nodded.
"I just came back from Constantinople. Thrace has started a literacy campaign. There is a huge demand for stationery. The high-quality inks favored by the dignitaries cannot be left behind. The Latin white iron gall ink and Anatolian mignonette ink are also excellent. We can find craftsmen among Italian immigrants and Turkic converts and open a workshop to produce them."
"Also, it is said that several college students in Constantinople were inspired by shepherds and found that they often used graphite powder to mark livestock. So they began to study graphite pens, and it seems that they have achieved some results. We have to follow up."
Costas thought.
"Quill pens are still too expensive. Since Your Majesty intends to encourage cultural undertakings, cheap writing tools are indispensable. This is Athens' opportunity."
"Anyway, the southern Greek provinces will never be able to compete with the northern metropolises in industries such as metals, chemicals and shipbuilding. We might as well change our thinking."
"Yes, I will discuss this with the workshop owners."
Mark the document.
Because Athens pursues cultural freedom, whether it is local culture, Turkic culture or Latin culture, they can all find a place here. Cultural prosperity has brought great benefits to the city. Immigrants from all over the world bring the unique crafts of their hometowns here. The speed of cultural innovation in Athens is quite amazing.
"What about the arts? Send someone to talk to the leaders of each ethnic group. His Majesty has allocated 4,500 solidus to allow us to build a concert hall in the center of Athens."
Costas finished his coffee and stood up.
"His Majesty named this music hall the 'Athena Golden Hall' and the construction order was given to the Royal Construction Group. It is expected to take three years to complete."
"During these three years, we must instruct the various ethnic groups to develop their own music careers, especially the Italians. Their harpsichords are loved by Your Majesty and may become the darlings of the upper class of Constantinople in the future."
Costas recalled the harpsichord he had seen inside the Grand Palace.
"His Majesty gave it a very strange name, the fortepiano, and believed that this harpsichord would become the king of musical instruments in the future."
Costas didn't quite understand and shook his head.
"As for the Armenian Dudukdi, the Turkic Saz and Kamancha, they can all be allowed to develop freely."
“In the future, we can also form an international orchestra, using traditional instruments from various cultures to create harmonies, organize tours in major cities in the north or Italy, and promote the international culture of the city of Athens.”
"In addition, we must also work hard to develop the manufacturing industry of musical instruments, which can make a lot of money."
"Do you know how much the rosewood and phoenix-patterned harpsichord presented to the royal family cost?"
A hint of envy flashed in Costas' eyes.
"Twenty-five hundred solidus!"
"Athens is a city of literature and art, an international city, and the Balkan city with the largest number of Italians. Their artistic talent is undoubtedly outstanding. Although we can only attract farmers and lower-class citizens for the time being, as Athens' international culture becomes more and more prosperous, there will definitely be high-quality Italian artists willing to settle here."
"Sir... Compared to music, the citizens actually like sports more. The councillors of Athens are planning to organize a football club."
The clerk curled his lips.
"Football is just a sport for barbarians. They cannot appreciate the elegance of art."
"No, sports are also a form of culture, which is a good thing."
Costas shook his head.
"How about this, you tell them that the club in Athens will be called International Athens, and I will attend the ceremony when the club is completed."
"The leather industry is a traditional industry in Athens. We can produce Athens-style footballs and add owl patterns on them... I will write to Mr. Balsamon to see if we can make the Athens football the official ball for the Olympus football match..."
Costas paced back and forth, muttering to himself, and the clerk shut up at the right time and concentrated on taking notes.
The clerk knew that this was a habit of the quartermaster, who always liked to haggle over every little thing.
"In recent days, the Italian region has observed a surge in the number of immigrants from Milan and Genoa. We suspect that this has a lot to do with the unrest in Milan. The Duke of Milan, Galeazzo, has been tyrannical in Genoa, Milan, and La Spezia, and society is in turmoil..."
Seeing Costas sitting back at the table, the clerk continued.
"Greek MPs want to increase security to prevent new immigrants from causing trouble..."
"What happens abroad has nothing to do with us. We will definitely strengthen security... What about citizen registration?"
Costas rubbed his brow.
"The chaos in the past few years is understandable, but everything should be running stably now, right?"
“Basically OK.”
The clerk replied.
"After Athens' economic recovery, the number of government employees has increased, and almost every ethnic group has representatives in the government and parliament to ensure fair registration of citizens."
"In the last registration, a total of more than 200 people obtained full citizenship, more than 1,200 people obtained limited citizenship, and more than 300 people obtained Latin citizenship."
"Very good, we are finally on the right track."
Costas said.
"What's the situation in the Morea region? Tell me about it. Anyway, they have always claimed to be the third largest region after Thrace and South Macedonia. They have always looked down on the Attica region and are not willing to let me interfere."
"Well... the population and economy of the Moria region are indeed larger than ours, with a population of 500,000. The capital, Mystras, has a population of more than 80,000. It mainly develops economic agriculture and corresponding handicrafts."
The clerk said.
"As you know, the Morea region is the only place other than Constantinople that has not been destroyed by the Ottomans. Emperor Isaac spent a lot of effort here before he ascended the throne. After the destruction of Granada, the Morea silk industry has become even stronger."
"They are also recruiting immigrants, but they are Albanians who are particularly fond of having children. This has been the policy since the reign of Emperor Constantine XI. After decades of immigration, the Albanian community in Morea is very prosperous."
"Okay, help me arrange my itinerary. I'm going to Moria for an inspection next month."
Costas ordered.
There was a knock on the wooden door, and Costas's old servant came in to report.
After a while, a young man in plain clothes entered Costas' office with confusion and surprise in his eyes.
"Dear Sir Costas, I am Jorges from the Sfrangis family, an inspector sent by the Imperial Inspectorate to the city of Athens, and I am here to perform my supervisory duties!"
Jorges said as he handed Costas the written certificate issued by his superiors.
"I have made a brief inspection of the situation in Athens and I am somewhat confused about your governance philosophy. I have come to ask you to explain it to me!"
Costas looked at it, nodded at the empty seat next to him, and ordered the old servant to bring a cup of coffee to Jogues.
"Logically, an inspector of your level has no authority to investigate me."
Costas looked at Jorges with interest.
"However, in order to satisfy your curiosity, I will tell you everything I know."
"First, you said you saw the city of Athens. How did you feel about it?"
"It feels good."
Jorgs said truthfully.
"Every ethnic group has been given its own political rights and channels for advancement, and can live freely in Athens without much discrimination and exclusion."
"There are taverns run by Italians on the streets of Athens, Armenians playing the flute to earn money, the simple and easy-to-use Turkic national costumes are loved by many workers, and there are even many mixed-race natives setting up stalls to sell ethnic snacks in the market, which is really eye-opening."
"Haha, have you ever eaten it?"
Costas laughed.
"Uh... I had two Mexican tacos, a skewer of Khoisan grilled sausages and an Italian pizza, and it felt pretty good."
Jogues said somewhat awkwardly.
"Although Constantinople also has these, there is not so much innovation. Several pastry chefs seem to be preparing to add fruit to pizza."
"I also watched the election of councillors in the Athens Port area. Although most of the candidates were capitalists and large landowners, they were at least able to represent the interests of some people. Citizens were very interested in this ancient model."
"I interviewed some ordinary citizens, and they are quite satisfied with the current situation of Athens. At least they can achieve a higher status through hard work."
"Well, that's not bad. This shows that although you come from a wealthy family, you are still willing to take root at the grassroots level and pay attention to the lives of citizens, rather than being high and mighty and writing reports directly based on statistics."
Costas nodded slightly.
"The city of Athens began to be rebuilt in 1453, but there was almost no progress in the first five years. Why do you think that was?"
“Without capital and population, the advancement of navigation technology allowed ships to travel long distances without relying too much on coastal ports.”
Jogues said.
"We rely on agriculture and animal husbandry and simple processing of agricultural and animal husbandry products for our livelihood, and can only become low-level suppliers for big cities."
"Yes, you are quite right."
Costas affirmed.
"My governing policy is mainly to solve the two problems you mentioned: funding and population."
"I used archaeology to help Athens solve its funding problems. I know you may look down on this approach, but it did restore some vitality to the city of Athens, and the first citizens engaged in the antique business earned their first pot of gold."
"Then there is population. I made Athens an international city through rights reforms, stabilized foreign immigrants through democratic elections, and passed strict legislation to prohibit discrimination. I attracted many discriminated converts from the northern cities and Anatolia, and many civilians who suffered from tyranny from Italy."
"After we have the capital and population, Attica's business will really start. I don't plan to compete with northern cities in industries such as iron smelting, textiles, and shipbuilding. I will concentrate on the cultural industry, which is consistent with the positioning of an international city."
Costas waved his hand ambitiously.
"Next, I plan to start two projects. One is the future landmark of Athens, the Golden Hall of Athena."
"The other is rail transit in the Isthmus of Corinth. I plan to use the rail carriage technology of Constantinople to connect the Ionian Sea and the Aegean Sea to promote the exchange of goods and the flow of people."
The Isthmus of Corinth is kilometers long and is the only connection between the Peloponnese and Attica. It is bordered by the Ionian Sea to the west and the Aegean Sea to the east. It has been a military pass and transportation hub since ancient times. The ancient Roman tyrant Nero once dug a canal here in an attempt to promote ocean transportation, but the project was ultimately aborted due to technical limitations and political turmoil.
Corinth's rail transportation also has a long history. A long time ago, the ancient king of Corinth built transportation tracks here with hardwood and marble as the main materials, which were eventually abandoned due to war.
"That is very good, sir."
Jogues chose his words carefully.
"You have indeed made Athens stable and prosperous through a series of measures, but your Majesty's policy of cultural assimilation does not seem to be prescribed in this way."
“Those Italians and converted Turks didn’t live like the Greeks.”
"Then how do you think the people should live? Wear the same clothes? Eat the same bread? Speak the same Greek language?"
Costas twitched his lips.
"Each ethnic group is good at different things. Only by absorbing and learning from all the strengths can science and technology and culture develop rapidly. Isn't this what your majesty said?"
"Your Majesty naturally knows this truth, otherwise he would not provide so much funding to the Prometheus department to steal advanced technology from all over the world every year."
"For the past thirty years, Your Majesty has not been able to carry out the next step of reforming the existing citizen system. To put it bluntly, it is because the administrative organization is not good enough. This is the only way to do it for now."
Costas' eyes flickered.
"Your Majesty granted citizenship to all Orthodox Christians who came to the Eastern Empire, and to all Turks who were willing to convert to Orthodoxy, but in reality? Discrimination and exclusion still exist."
"Your Majesty registered all those Slavs who believed in Orthodox Christianity and could speak Greek as Greeks. Did they really become members of the Greek race? Without any barriers at all?"
"Under this model, the old citizens are dissatisfied because outsiders easily obtain their birthright without any work at all, and they certainly don't like these unearned gains."
"Under this model, new citizens are also dissatisfied because they will be discriminated against by old citizens. It is said to be completely equal, but in reality it is just a formality."
“Allowing differences, embracing the different, reforming citizenship, unifying rights and obligations, and using national identity to build citizen awareness is the long-term solution.”
"Shut up!"
Jorgs shouted.
"How dare you question His Majesty's decision! You are being disloyal!"
"Haha, you suspect I'm unfaithful?" Costas sneered as he took off his gloves, revealing his left hand with only three fingers.
"I have been following your majesty to fight all over the world since I was 17 years old. We have fought at the Great Wall of Corinth, the Surt Desert, the Green Mountains of Bilinchi, the Bulgarian Steppes... When I dedicated my youth to the emperor, you were nothing!"
"I am a quartermaster. I have met many different people during my campaigns and have dealt with dozens of nationalities. I can tell you very clearly that in this damn world, 90% of people live desperately just for a piece of bread on their plates."
"Your Majesty's tough assimilation method has not actually solved all the problems. It has only covered them up temporarily. Your Majesty just hopes to eliminate all ethnic conflicts with a few decades of iron-fisted rule, promote ethnic identity based on a common language and religion, and create a large majority ethnic group."
Costas' tone softened.
"If Your Majesty stops here, stops fighting, stops recovering the Eastern Empire's inherent territory, and devotes all his energy to cultural assimilation, then I can say with certainty that his method is feasible."
"However, the Saracens are now at their second lowest point since the Mongol invasion. Your Majesty will never stop. In order to stabilize our rule in the Islamic occupied areas, there will be more and more immigrants from Europe, as well as more and more Turkic converts and Saracens who have escaped slavery. If the resettlement and governance policies for them are not established, once the economy declines, these people on the margins of society will immediately become unrest factors, endangering public security and leading to social unrest."
"If you doubt my point of view, you might as well take a look at the witch-hunting movement in Western Europe. When the social order changes, those marginalized groups immediately become victims of the majority ethnic group's panic. There are too many foreign races in the territory of the Eastern Empire. When their patience reaches its limit, they will rebel!"
"As long as His Majesty is here, no one dares to resist."
Jogues whispered.
"Look, you know that the current stability and order are all due to the emperor's personal authority. If he is gone, this set of tough policies will inevitably collapse."
Costas shrugged.
"You are still young and have not seen the world. I don't blame you. I just went to the Grand Palace to report on my work not long ago, and I also submitted the reform plan on citizenship to His Majesty. Your family's old Prime Minister Isult, Minister of Education Balsamon, Minister of Commerce Ulrich and Deputy Prime Minister Basilius all support it."
"That's fine. I'm just a minor official. This has nothing to do with me."
Jogues immediately removed himself.
"I will always support Emperor Isaac and his legitimate successor, and resolutely implement their will in every corner of the empire."
Costas glanced at Jorges, waved his hand without further aggrieved.
"Since you have already eaten, continue working and go directly to the economic file. My clerk will help you."
……
A high-level meeting is being held in the Grand Palace of Constantinople, the capital of the empire.
Isaac sat in the first seat, and next to him was Queen Leonor, who had been with him for thirty years. Co-ruling Emperor Justinian and Crown Prince Constantine were also seated in order. Isabella was unable to attend because she was pregnant.
On both sides of the long square table sat important officials of the empire. Since the outbreak of the Iberian conflict, a meeting of this scale had not been held for a long time.
The white-haired Prime Minister Isurtes Sfrangis, wearing glasses, slowly explained to everyone the report from Costas, the provincial governor of southern Greece.
"The cultural assimilation policy has achieved immeasurable results in the past 30 years. Even the Russians from the wild lands have been forced to learn Greek under coercion and inducement, and even the most unruly Turks have been forced to convert to Jesus Christ in order to survive."
Isurt read.
"In the past thirty years, the popularity of the Greek language has risen steadily, the number of Orthodox Christians has greatly increased, and the degree of integration between the various ethnic groups in the empire and the traditional Romans has gradually increased."
"Language and religion provide a good soil for assimilation, allowing those foreigners to have a basic understanding of this ancient and vibrant nation, which is of positive significance for further reform."
"However, we should also be clear that language and religion are not everything about a country. Granting citizenship to foreigners does not mean that they have completely become Roman citizens."
“It is true that assimilation is a long process that often takes several generations. During this period, we need more gentle and tolerant means to stabilize the situation and transform those foreigners into Romans in a peaceful and prosperous atmosphere. It is also progressive to allow different cultures, different lifestyles, and be tolerant of national traditions.”
"As the center of gravity of the empire is about to shift and the expansion of Anatolia is imperative, it is very necessary to reform citizenship rights."
"I suggest that the central government of the empire restore the ancient Roman tradition and grant different rights to ethnic groups according to their level of centripetal force towards the empire. At the same time, it should break down the barriers between different levels, so that those foreigners can gradually join the Roman community while pursuing their rights, and automatically become part of the Roman community..."
“In the process, they were able to improve the Greco-Romans’ views and attitudes toward them by working to narrow the political gap between themselves and the Greco-Romans rather than directly acquiring full citizenship in name only…”
"Rights and obligations are equal, and labor and sweat form the ladder to fairness. This is very consistent with the simple values of the working people."
"In ancient Rome, the Roman government would grant Latin citizenship to newly surrendered ethnic groups. As the territory expanded, the number of people who obtained Latin citizenship continued to increase until all were granted full citizenship. This political model ensured domestic stability and accelerated the pace of assimilation..."
"Your Majesty, please do not underestimate the appeal of the Eastern Roman Empire to foreigners. As long as they can see the hope of a better life, they are willing to join it and become citizens..."
Isurt finished reading the report and looked at Isaac.
"Your Majesty, these are the ones that all the ministers have already seen."
"Very good, thank you."
Isaac picked up the draft bill on the table and began to read it.
"By the grace of God, the Emperor of Rome and of the Romans: In view of the increasing number of immigrants and converts, while civil conflicts still exist and some policies are difficult to implement, hereby declare the following reforms of citizenship:"
"First, anyone who is a devout believer in the Orthodox Church, can speak one of the two official languages of the Empire, is willing to abide by the laws of the Empire, and is willing to pledge allegiance to the Roman Empire and the Roman Emperor will be considered a first-class citizen and enjoy the full citizenship of the Roman Empire and all welfare benefits, including the right to vote, the right to be elected, the right to take exams, the right to take loans, the right to buy property, the right to join the army..."
"Second, anyone who believes in an acceptable Christian sect other than Orthodoxy, speaks one of the two official languages of the empire, is willing to abide by the law, and is willing to be loyal to the emperor will be considered a second-class citizen and can obtain limited citizenship rights, with some rights weakened, and will not be able to enjoy preferential policies for childbirth."
"After a second-level citizen has worked legally in the empire for three years or has begun to perform Orthodox rituals, he or she will automatically become a first-level citizen and can apply to the local government."
"Third, anyone who believes in the Orthodox religion or an acceptable Christian sect and does not speak the two official languages can be considered a third-class citizen and retain citizenship, but their political rights will continue to be weakened, and they will not be able to take exams or run for election. Taxes will be increased appropriately. After learning the official language and passing a simple test, and working legally for one year, they can be promoted to first- or second-class citizens based on their religious sect."
"Fourth, all former Muslims who voluntarily convert to Orthodox Christianity, regardless of their language, can be considered fourth-class citizens and obtain minority citizenship rights. They cannot take exams or run for elections, cannot buy land above a certain size, and have their taxes increased appropriately. They can join the army and work as tenants or laborers. After working legally for three years, they will automatically be promoted to third-class citizens and enjoy the same treatment as third-class citizens."
"Fifth, all former Muslims who were unwilling to convert and were forced to convert in slave camps and became free people, regardless of their language, can be regarded as fifth-class citizens and enjoy amnesty citizenship. They have no political rights except for joining the army and are not allowed to purchase property. They can work as tenants or laborers. After working legally for three years, they will be promoted to fourth-class citizens. After continuing to work for another three years, they will be promoted to third-class citizens."
"Sixth, after the waiting period for conversion, stubborn Muslims who refuse to convert and resist the government will all lose their citizenship rights and be directly regarded as slaves. All their property will be confiscated. Slave guilds authorized by law must strictly manage and train them. If they repent in the slave camps, they can be regarded as fifth-class citizens. Plantation owners and workshop owners must respect their legal rights, but can charge an appropriate ransom."
"Seventh, special ethnic groups such as the Gypsies should be dealt with according to their specific circumstances and should not be treated in a rigid manner."
"Eighth, now, all foreign Christian immigrants who are interested in joining the Eastern Roman Empire cannot immediately participate in the citizenship review, but they enjoy permanent residency. They do not have political rights, but they have property rights and enjoy three levels of taxation. After working legally for three years, they can obtain citizenship according to their own circumstances."
"Ninth, as lower-class citizens integrate themselves into the mainstream group through labor and study, past sins and conflicts will not be mentioned at all. Any form of appearance or cultural discrimination between citizens is prohibited. If discovered, they will be immediately exiled to New Thrace."
"Finally, all power belongs to the emperor, who can grant full citizenship to individuals or groups as needed to recognize outstanding contributions."
Isaac closed the bill and looked around at everyone.
"This is the first Citizens' Charter of the Eastern Roman Empire, which aims to maintain social stability, regulate rights and obligations, deepen the reform and assimilation system, and prepare for the future development of Anatolia."
"This bill is only a draft for now, and there are certainly quite a few loopholes. There will definitely be people who are dissatisfied. In the next one or two years, you will need to work together to get through the initial period of chaos."
"This charter will only be implemented in the core provinces for the time being. There is no soil for reform in the border areas, governorates and colonies for the time being."
Isaac said.
"After the civil rights reform, the education system, examination system, government system, and military system will all undergo changes. I ask you to come up with reform plans as soon as possible to adapt to the new charter."
"Your Majesty, there is no big problem with the examination system. Those who are capable of taking the examination and becoming officials are basically first-class citizens or second-class citizens. Those who can speak Greek may not be able to read, but those who can read can definitely speak Greek."
Minister of Education Balsamon said with a smile.
"By the way, speaking of examinations, I intend to continue to expand the government department, but mainly to expand the lower civil service, that is, the clerk."
"In fact, the reason why I didn't implement this citizenship promotion system before was that there weren't enough ethnic groups and the language wasn't popular enough. The most important thing was that this model required a huge administrative force. It could only mix the various ethnic groups together and suppress them by force and prestige."
"Now, the lower-level civil servants of the imperial government have undergone several expansions. Although the administrative power has been greatly strengthened, it is still far from enough. We must seek new ideas."
As Isaac spoke, he displayed a rectangular piece of cardboard in front of everyone. On the front was densely packed Greek letters, on the back was the double-headed eagle emblem of the Eastern Roman Empire, and below the emblem was a large Greek letter "Alpha", representing the number "one".
"This is a first-class citizen ID card, printed using a Gutenberg printing press. It can greatly facilitate identity recognition and citizen management, but it can only print some unified information for all citizens, such as the "Roman Empire Citizen ID Card" at the top, and the "name column, place of origin column, age column, occupation column, and belief column". The specific information is left blank and needs to be filled in by lower-level civil servants."
"Of course, you can also take some measures to reduce the workload when printing identity cards for different residents. For example, for the Orthodox Christians in Constantinople, which has the largest population, their place of origin and faith can be printed instead of written by hand."
After Isaac finished his speech, the officials passed the ID card around and marveled at it.
In fact, the earliest identity documents in human history originated in the East. Shang Yang in the Warring States Period used wooden or metal plates to register information for the people of Qin. However, because the carving time was too long and the cost was too high, it was not extended to all people in subsequent dynasties and only existed in government offices and the military.
Ancient Rome and ancient Greece also had some similar small innovations, but the scale of their use was not even as large as that in the East, and they did not form a system.
Ultimately, paper is too expensive, labor is too expensive, and it takes too long to be worth it.
However, the advancement of papermaking and the invention of the Gutenberg printing press solved these difficulties. The Western world, with its universal alphabetic writing system, was quite suitable for lead movable type printing and was able to catch up in this regard.
Of course, whether identity documents can be promoted has a lot to do with national traditions. Some countries do not have an identity card system even in the 21st century. The most famous one is the United Kingdom after its decline.
Johann Gutenberg was the first talent Isaac found after he came to this world. He was penniless at that time, and he relied on the Gutenberg printing technology to print indulgences and Latin Bibles for the Vatican. Only then did he earn a few sailboats and set out to sail.
Now, Gutenberg has been dead for more than ten years, but his inventions still shine in the long river of human history.
"Your Majesty, this is still a huge project."
Prime Minister Isurt looked at the ID card over and over again.
"Card paper, ink, printing press, labor... this is a huge expense!"
"I know that there are nearly eight million citizens now, and about five million of them need identity documents. I plan to implement it in ten years, starting with issuing them uniformly in large cities."
Isaac said.
"Constantinople's identity documents will be issued immediately. Civil officials and priests will set up distribution points in churches. Every citizen must come to receive them. From now on, if you want to continue living in the great cities of the empire, you must have an identity card."
"Your Majesty, this is still too difficult. How about dividing it into twenty years?"
Isurt suggested.
"The only alternative is to raise taxes."
"We are not allowed to raise taxes. The reform of the Citizens' Charter will definitely cause unrest among the people. We must also reduce taxes appropriately."
Isaac immediately shook his head.
"This project is expected to cost 200,000 solidus, half of which will be contributed by the government and the other half by the royal family."
"If the government can't afford it, the royal family can also bear it all. The Governor of East India, Albuquerque, is already preparing to march into the Strait of Malacca. Don't worry about me having no money."
"That's not necessary. Since this is a major matter for all citizens, the government naturally needs to take responsibility."
Isurt declined, but Commerce Minister Ulrich looked at Isaac with shining eyes.
"That's it, everyone, go back and continue discussing the details of the regulations. I'll give you two weeks."
Isaac waved his hand, and the ministers stood up, bowed, and left.
After the meeting, Justinian immediately took little Constantine to Isabella's bedroom, while Leonor poured a glass of wine for Isaac.
"Is it really necessary? Instead of spending so much money on civilians, we should build more palaces and churches. Future generations will remember our achievements."
Leonor complained as she looked at the densely packed expenditure statistics on the document.
"You're not willing to give a thousand solidus to little Carlos, and he's your grandson!"
"I didn't stop you from slipping him two thousand solidus."
Isaac rolled his eyes.
"The empire now seems to be flourishing, but internal contradictions have gradually emerged. If I want to take over Anatolia, the Levant, and Egypt, I have to reform as soon as possible. Otherwise, I am afraid that after three generations, it will collapse completely and retreat to the Aegean Sea again."
"It's the colonial people who paid for it anyway, so why do you feel bad about it?"
"Well, you're always right anyway."
Leonor said this, and suddenly an idea came to her.
"If you do everything to perfection and resolve all the internal conflicts of the empire, will our descendants be able to live in this great palace until the coming of the Last Judgment?"
"No, first of all, I can't solve all the problems."
“Second, on the contrary, the faster the development, the stronger the civic consciousness and legal consciousness, and the stronger the nationalism, the shorter the life of the dynasty will be.”
Isaac shattered his wife's fantasy in a straightforward manner.
"But it doesn't matter. We won't live to see that day anyway. What does it have to do with me if my descendants are not good people?"
Thinking of this, Isaac sighed again.
It was up to him to complete this reform that was ahead of its time and could bring huge benefits. Later generations did not have the vision or the motivation.
……
In the early winter of 1476, after nearly a decade of reform and development, the administrative power of the Eastern Roman Empire was greatly strengthened, the commodity economy was very prosperous, the popularity of Greek and the number of major ethnic groups in the core areas were sufficient, and the imperial government timely promulgated the "Citizenship Charter" and began to carry out in-depth reforms to the previously somewhat chaotic citizenship system, clarifying rights and obligations and allowing outsiders to automatically become members of the Romans on the basis of living together.
At the same time, the printing houses in Constantinople worked day and night, printing out identity documents with the scent of ink. Lower-level civil servants came to the issuing point in the church with paper and pen, and citizens living near the palace lined up at the church to register and receive their identity documents.
On that day, even illiterate citizens fiddled with a piece of cardboard covered with words with curiosity, and memorized the few big words at the top under the compulsory requirements of civil servants and priests.
Roman citizen.
(End of this chapter)
