Chapter 378 Foreign Legion
The winter of 1476 arrived as expected with a light snow. On the Balkan Peninsula, the big cities in the north began the annual coal-burning peak season. Billowing black smoke rose into the sky and drifted in the cold wind of the Black Sea.
After the cold wave of 1470, the temperature in the Mediterranean world rose slightly, but this brief rise obviously could not stop the arrival of the Little Ice Age. The winter of 1476 was extremely cold again, with thousands of miles of ice and snow.
During this cold winter, the Eastern Roman Empire ushered in a change. The number of lower-level officials in government departments expanded rapidly, and priests at all levels were mobilized to begin surveying the population situation in the core areas of the empire, registering the civil rights they should obtain, and issuing identity documents of different levels.
It is true that this reform has only been implemented in large cities for the time being, which has well confirmed the expectations of senior government officials and brought about a series of problems.
Such a large-scale population investigation was unprecedented in the history of the Eastern Roman Empire. The early chaos, unrest and turmoil were all natural phenomena, and the pain of reform was inevitable.
This massive movement was a severe test for the government departments of the Eastern Roman Empire. The central government of the empire temporarily established a Citizenship Reform Office headed by Prime Minister Isult to oversee the reform and identify and change the shortcomings of government departments in the process of executing orders.
Of course, the resistance to reform was not as great as expected. Different ethnic groups reacted differently to the reform. Some were happy, some were dissatisfied, but at least no one dared to rise up in rebellion.
The dominant Greek Orthodox Christians were very happy about this, because they had always considered themselves superior and had long been dissatisfied with the previous "nominal equality". For a time, the citizens of Constantinople praised the emperor's virtues and no longer called him "the emperor of the Turks and Russians", but instead called him "the greatest and most wise emperor of the Romans."
The Latin Americans, who were given a lot of rights, were very surprised by this. Their status was directly reduced to "second-class citizens". Many Latin Romans began to return to their hometowns to recruit friends and form groups to immigrate to the Eastern Roman Empire, either choosing open cities like Athens, or going to the border areas and "virgin lands" like Anatolia.
In the supplementary clauses of the "Citizenship Charter", merit can be gained by actively attracting immigrants to the empire, and the time required to upgrade citizenship can be appropriately reduced.
As for the third and fourth class citizens, some of them protested, but most of them accepted the government's arrangements indifferently. The political rights they were deprived of were basically closely related to literacy. Even in the past, illiterate citizens had no way to exercise these legal rights. They didn't have much money to buy property, so they basically had nothing to lose.
Now, since they can read and write, they can be directly registered as first-class citizens and enjoy all political rights. The "sword" of reform cannot fall on these highly qualified talents.
Some people speculate that the emperor may have wanted to use this method to separate the different classes of an ethnic group, so that the upper class would always stand on the side of the Romans rather than speak for their own people.
However, this bill caused some negative reactions in the army. Some foreign soldiers who could not speak Greek were very dissatisfied when they learned that they were about to become third-class citizens, and even organized a collective appeal.
Subsequently, another supplementary bill quickly came out, which provided that all foreign soldiers in the army were given a two-year training period, during which they enjoyed first-class citizen treatment, provided that they learned Greek.
In this way, the Eastern Roman Empire reached a compromise with the foreign soldiers and took advantage of this opportunity to achieve language unification of the Eastern Roman central army.
While the citizens were being screened, the literacy campaign was also in full swing. Many foreign citizens who aspired to higher positions were no longer lazy, and more and more of them joined the literacy night shift. They studied desperately just to improve their citizenship rating from level three to level one or level two before the deadline so that they could enjoy better treatment.
In order to convince citizens who were assessed as level three, four and five of the government's "upgrade commitment", the Sniper Corps of Constantinople began to crack down on discrimination against other citizens in the city. Some tavern plaques that read "Turks and pigs are not allowed to enter" were forcibly removed, some fanatical nationalist associations advocating the supremacy of pure-blooded Greeks were closed down and destroyed, and some demonstrators who refused to change their ways were tried in public.
Where do you put the royal family when you want to engage in pureblood sports?
You have been given the greatest rights and the highest status. If you are still not satisfied and want to be the only one in the entire empire, then go to New Thrace to find your place.
Against this background, the government and the royal family spent money like water, including funds for literacy campaigns and new village movements, tax cuts to quell discontent, necessary concessions to capitalists to lower coal prices, costs for organizing citizen rights reviews and printing identity cards... A large amount of fixed funds flowed into society, including the rapid development of industries such as cement, mining, papermaking, printing, and pen and ink manufacturing, providing jobs for more and more people and bringing more and more people into the social governance system of the Eastern Roman Empire.
At the same time, the Palaiologos royal family joined forces with several large industrial and commercial families to open a large number of workshops in major cities along the Aegean coast, mainly absorbing citizens classified as levels three, four, and five. These citizens who might become factors of social instability were temporarily accommodated, provided with living expenses and study space, and strengthened national cohesion while participating in labor.
Now that the "Charter of Citizens' Rights" has been promulgated, the former "Regulations for the Protection of Orthodox Workers" has also been revised again. The regulations have been renamed "Regulations for the Protection of Roman Christian Workers". Different protection policies are implemented according to different levels of citizens. At the same time, advanced technical vocational education continues to be promoted, so that the first-level Roman citizens can become high-quality talents as much as possible and stay away from blood and sweat exploitation.
Of course, since the Eastern Roman Empire was in a period of rapid development of the capitalist economy and rapid colonial expansion, there was a shortage of high-quality talents everywhere, and this protection law could still be implemented for the time being. After the population exploded, the "Roman Christian Workers Protection Regulations" would likely become a dead letter due to the wanton behavior of capitalists and the shortage of jobs, and the Eastern Roman Empire might become no different from the early capitalist countries in history.
But then again, this regulation was originally intended to increase the population size and quality of Greek Orthodox Christians, and by the time job shortages began, the regulation’s mission had been largely accomplished.
Time flies, and the first two months of the great reform passed in a hurry in busyness and hard work. The shooting troops who were eyeing the streets covetously gradually reduced the number of people on guard, and the Royal Mounted Police in the fields also gradually reduced the frequency of patrols.
In the Bulgarian region, heavy snow was falling over the province of Moesia. In an uninhabited mountain valley, a group of young soldiers in white uniforms, carrying full equipment, were trudging through ankle-deep snow. Not far to the side were instructors on horseback.
"With your idiotic appearance, do you still want to join the army? Do you still want to take shortcuts?"
The instructor yelled.
"Hurry up, everyone. Once you get there, you can eat!"
As he spoke, the instructor kicked the horse's belly, making the horse trot, raising clouds of snow dust.
These soldiers had obviously been running in the snow for a long time and were panting heavily. Seeing the instructor speed up, they gritted their teeth and moved their lead-filled legs.
Some soldiers could not hold on and fell on the snow on the spot. The military doctors following on horseback would give them treatment, and the instructors would take out charcoal pencils and record books and draw a cross behind their names.
This valley is oriented north-south, and the cold wind from the north poured into the valley. The soldiers had just conducted a simulated river crossing, and the cold wind from the north made them feel the cold deep in their bones. The sheltered camp ahead was right in front of them. In the open space in front of the camp, dozens of stew pots with thick soup were bubbling, and the rotating barbecue on the iron rods was sizzling with oil. In the simple brick oven, the baked bread exuded an enticing aroma.
"The ten people running at the back will have their physical fitness points deducted and can only eat hard bread!"
"The first ten people to arrive will receive extra points and a small can of Imperial Camp Vodka!"
The instructor yelled.
The soldiers could only grit their teeth and persevere, panting as they ran towards the camp.
Finally, most of the soldiers completed the cross-country race in the snow and successfully arrived at the designated location. The first ten warriors who arrived were full of joy, while the last ten who arrived knelt on the ground, gasping for breath, and wanted to cry but had no tears.
Just as several soldiers were about to enjoy the food, the instructor walked over quickly and kicked them several times, knocking them over.
"How many times have I told you? We just went on a long cross-country trip from the river bank all the way here. We can't eat right now! It will kill people!"
The instructor scolded.
"This is for your own good!"
"Everyone, go to the shooting range and complete the last task of this month. Shoot the bow ten times, the crossbow and the musket five times each! Your scores will be fully recorded!"
"This is the last assessment of the training camp. Your overall score will determine whether you stay or go!"
The soldiers were exhausted, but thinking of their persistence and hard work over the past month, they still got up, stumbled to the shooting range, and drew their bows and arrows.
"It's not so bad, don't you think, Mr. DiMarco?"
On a wooden tower in the center of the camp, a young general in military uniform put down his telescope and looked at the middle-aged man beside him with a smile.
"There are more than 15,000 applicants in total. With rounds of selection, it is estimated that only 4,000 people can be admitted, but these 4,000 people are all top-notch talents."
"That's very strict, Prince Titius."
DiMarco sighed.
"Even the Central Army doesn't have such a strict inspection test, right?"
"Well, it is indeed harder than the daily training of the Central Army, but since they want to take a shortcut, they naturally have to prove their worth."
Titius nodded.
"Besides, they will get quite a lot of benefits in the future."
Both people in the conversation were considered royal relatives of the Eastern Roman Empire. Tetisius was the eldest son of the Knight of Conti, the emperor's nephew and godson, while Dimarco was the former mayor of the Free City of La Spezia and the mainstay of the Gattilusio family.
As one of the Emperor's earliest followers, Chevalier de Conti from southern France died of illness a year ago and was buried outside the family castle in North Africa. The funeral expenses were paid by the royal family.
The Knight of Conti was once a follower of Joan of Arc. He was extremely disappointed with the French royal family because of Joan of Arc's death. After being chosen by Isaac, he helped him recruit a number of French wandering knights. Most of these people became grassroots officers in the early days of the business, making the Eastern Roman Central Army very different from bandits even in the initial period. He can be said to have made great contributions.
In his later years, Conte stopped caring about military and political affairs and stayed at home wholeheartedly, growing flowers and plants, and enjoying his grandchildren. In his spare time, he also wrote a memoir of hundreds of thousands of words, recording his ups and downs in life.
After Conti's death, his title and fiefdom in North Africa were inherited by his eldest son Tetisius, and the position of Grand Master of the Order of St. Simon was elected by the knights. Conti's wife Helena Palaiologos became depressed after his death and died suddenly soon after.
Since Titius lost both his parents in a very short period of time and he himself was a maternal descendant of the Palaiologos royal family, the emperor decided to make him Prince of Ephesus to show special favor to the children of meritorious officials.
Although the title of prince does not come with fiefdom and cannot be inherited, but can only be conferred by the current emperor, he ranks above all nobles, and the royal foundation will provide them with a certain subsidy every year.
Now, there are only seven princes in the Eastern Roman Empire. In addition to the four sons and one grandson of the current emperor, only Prince Titius of Ephesus and Princess Charlotte of Famagusta can enjoy this honor. Their annuities are provided by the royal family and have nothing to do with the government.
"Sir Dimarco, I recently heard that the boy you brought to Carthage seems to be quite talented. He got the first place in the entrance test of the Navigation School, and several colleges are vying for him."
Titius looked at Dimarco.
"I think he's handsome and very brave at a young age. My sister is about the same age as him. Why don't we let them get to know each other?"
"You mean Andrea Doria?"
DiMarco recalled with a smile on his face.
"Okay! Since His Royal Highness favors this boy, he will surely be happy to accept it."
Dimarco was somewhat happy, as he knew very well that these large Eastern Roman families would sometimes try to win over talented people of humble origins, using marriage ties to make them feel a sense of belonging to the family, and using their own family's political resources to pave the way for them, each taking what they needed and forming an "investment" relationship.
“Well, that’s good.”
Titius thought.
"The situation in the Duchy of Milan has become increasingly chaotic. Duke Galeazzo has angered almost everyone. What do you think of this?"
"I have already seen His Majesty."
DiMarco said.
"His Majesty said that if circumstances allowed, he would use diplomatic means to recover the Free City of La Spezia and restore contact with the Palaiologos branch of Parma."
"La Spezia may become the first stop for Italians to migrate to the empire in the future."
DiMarco thought about it and added with a smile.
"Your Majesty said that Galeazzo was a complete fool and his son was just a child, so he was nothing to worry about."
"But his younger brother, Ludovico the Moor, is a capable man who has some of his father's talents."
"The Sforza family is either geniuses or fools. Never mind. It has nothing to do with me anyway."
Titius shook his head and looked at the open space in front of the camp.
"That's it. I've seen the last training camp. I have to go."
……
The soldiers who had completed the shooting mission returned to the stew pot one after another. Their breathing gradually stabilized and they quickly changed into dry and warm clothes, but their hungry stomachs kept growling.
"Okay, let's eat!"
The instructor shouted loudly, and the soldiers immediately took action, scrambling for the freshly baked flatbreads, scooping up the fragrant beet beef soup with wooden spoons, and cutting slices of roast meat with the daggers they carried with them.
"Hey, finally I can have a hot meal!"
In front of a stew pot, a soldier dipped a scone into the beet soup, rolled up a piece of roast meat, took a big bite, and immediately a satisfied smile appeared on his face.
"It's really a blessing to be a soldier of the Emperor. The food is so good and the allowance is so high..."
"Moor, I thought you didn't eat pork."
Next to him, a tall young man with blond hair was munching on a scone and looking at him teasingly.
"What's your name? Muhammad? Muawiyah? Or Uthman?"
"Oh, shut your filthy mouth, Moritz."
the Moor cursed.
"According to them, I'm a Morisco named Fabian, a damn German, remember that!"
"Damn it, I'm Italian. I grew up in the Alps and on the banks of the Po River!"
Moritz said in Italian.
"I didn't expect you to understand what I said."
"Haha, my native language is Spanish, so I should be able to understand roughly what you are saying."
Fabian curled his lips, suddenly seemed to remember something, and sighed.
“Even though I always spoke Spanish, they couldn’t tolerate me.”
"who?"
Moritz became interested and took the initiative to scoop a spoonful of soup for Fabian.
"Are you from Valencia?"
"Yes, I am a native of Valencia and have lived by the golden beach since I was a child."
Fabian narrowed his eyes and recalled his beautiful hometown.
"The Iberian War changed everything. The Germans in Valencia joined forces with the Vatican to try to drive out all the Mudejars and Moriscos, even though we had not caused trouble for a long time and even though we had been tolerant in everything."
"Prince Fernando is unable to protect us. Countless people are losing their homes..."
"So where should all these people go?"
Moritz was stunned for a moment and looked at Fabian with some sympathy.
"In my hometown, the great tyrant Galeazzo is also losing the support of the people. This winter is too cold, and many people will leave their homes as well."
"We are different from you...there are so few places we can go."
Fabian sighed, took a small can of vodka he had just won from the snow next to him, and put it next to the fire to heat it.
"The Mudejars and Moriscos are fleeing, more than 20,000 of them have left the peninsula this year alone."
"We are not welcome anywhere. In order to gain acceptance from the Christian kingdom, the Mudéjars have long since fallen out with mainstream Islamic society. Even if we go to Morocco, we will still be discriminated against."
"Now, the Western Border Region of the Eastern Empire has implemented a policy of tolerance, and many Mudéjars have fled there."
"As for us, since the Western Church cannot tolerate us, we have no choice but to go east. North Africa and the Balkans are both immigration destinations. We will go to the Kingdom of Granada first, and then be transported to the Empire by the Emperor's ships."
"Will the emperor still pick you up?"
Moritz was a little surprised.
"You know, the Inquisition was jointly promoted by the Emperor and the Church." "Of course I know this, and the Eastern Empire also has an explanation for this."
Fabian twitched his lips.
"The Eastern Empire believed that if we were allowed to flee to Morocco or Egypt, we would most likely become pirates due to exclusion and discrimination, which would be a huge threat to Christian trade in the Mediterranean."
"The emperor of the Eastern Empire doesn't care much about the opinion of the Holy See anyway. The senior bishops of the Holy See are only after their own interests, especially that Sixtus IV. He completely regards the church as his own private property. Among the new local bishops in Iberia, nearly three-quarters are related to the Rovere family."
"What about your status? Are you the same as us?"
Moritz finished his soup and put the bowl aside.
"Naturally, the Mudejars are not allowed to enter the core provinces, and the Moriscos are foreigners who have temporary permanent residency."
Fabian nodded.
"After working for three years, you can become a lower-class citizen. After waiting a few more years and meeting certain conditions, you can be promoted to a first- or second-class citizen. But it takes too long and I can't afford to wait."
Fabian touched the jug of wine to test the temperature.
"The emperor funded the establishment of a large number of low-level workshops in order to provide jobs for outsiders like us, so that we don't cause trouble and can integrate into mainstream society peacefully... To be honest, the salary is actually not bad, but if you want to make a name for yourself, you have to come here."
"My parents died very early. I came here with a younger brother and a younger sister. I am the eldest brother, and I have to take care of them all."
Fabian patted his chest and tried to straighten his back.
"If I can become a soldier in this legion, they can directly obtain third-level citizenship. After learning Greek, they can be upgraded. In the future, they can go to school, study, and take exams... At least there is hope."
"Among the outsiders, the honest ones can go to the royal workshop to work and earn money, and wait for the improvement of citizenship rights. The rebellious and ambitious ones can join this legion. The main purpose is probably to suppress the unstable factors in society. Your Majesty's policies have always been continuous."
Fabian looked at Moritz and shrugged.
"That's what the priest said when I came here."
"No more talking, I'll buy you a drink!"
Fabian found two wooden cups and poured warm vodka into each for himself and Moritz.
"Thank you so much, hehe, you are so awesome, if you become an officer in the future, you have to protect me..."
Moritz took the wine glass with a chuckle, took a sip, and smacked his lips.
"My grades are good enough for me to stay here, but I definitely can't become an officer."
The soldiers ate and drank, some talked to each other, while others were silent.
"Have you noticed? Most of the people in our training camp are Spanish, Italian and Wallachian. If we speak slowly, everyone can basically understand each other's language."
Fabian looked around and said to Moritz.
"While every soldier in the legion had to learn Greek, each training camp was obviously different."
"Well, I heard from the instructor that if we don't count the auxiliary forces, our army only needs four regiments with a total of 4,000 people, each with 1,000 people. Each regiment has a different focus, and the future stationing and combat directions will definitely be different."
Moritz was a little drunk and spoke with a slurred tongue.
"I heard that there are two regiments composed of black people. Most of them are slaves who have made meritorious contributions in the shooting army and became free people. They don't want to leave the empire. The Carthaginian mercenary house doesn't need so many people, so Your Majesty has recruited them together. Maybe he wants to use military life to dilute their wildness."
"One of the black regiments is called the Third Rainforest Regiment. They will go to the African rainforest or the Brazilian rainforest for training in the future and become the backbone of the empire in the colonies."
"This is a bit strange. Don't the colonists like to use mercenaries?"
Fabian was a little confused.
"Haha, mercenaries can't represent the will of the country after all. Moreover, mercenaries are sometimes disobedient, and their behavior of killing their employers and temporarily increasing their wages makes many people distrust them."
Moritz chuckled.
"I heard that a group of Carthaginian mercenaries were hired by Congolese natives to enter the depths of the rainforest. As a result, most of them died of various diseases, and only a few black people walked out alive. It seems that the cinchona antimalarial drug is not safe. Acclimatization is a fatal flaw. If the emperor wants to interfere in the internal affairs of the native countries in the colonies, he has to use the black army..."
"Have you all finished eating? Everyone line up!"
The instructor's voice sounded like thunder. The soldiers were startled and immediately put down their food and drinks, stood up, and lined up according to their pre-assigned groups.
This training base currently has more than 400 soldiers, but will only recruit 200 in the end.
The chief instructor rode on his horse and glanced at the soldiers who had just finished their meal. The soldiers held their heads high and chests out, trying their best to show their best demeanor.
"After you signed up, you went through several rounds of selection, and the best ones who remained came to this valley to receive a month-long final training."
The chief priest spoke slowly.
"I know that you have worked very hard over the past month just to stay in the legion and have a better future."
"During this period, the instructors also evaluated the performance of each soldier. Whether they can stay or not will be revealed soon."
The main instructor waved his hand, and the other instructors found their groups and began to read out the admission list.
Names were scattered in the wind and snow. The soldiers whose names were called out were ecstatic, while the soldiers who were dismissed looked dejected.
"Soldiers who didn't pass the final assessment should not be too disappointed. You have proven yourselves in the previous trials and can join the Legion's auxiliary forces. The benefits and time required to obtain citizenship are not as good as those of regular soldiers, but they are better than those foreign workers who dare not go to the battlefield."
Seeing that the loser's face looked better, the chief instructor nodded and continued speaking.
"Very good. Next, the soldiers whose names have just been called will immediately head to the central training ground in the west. There, you will be received by the supreme commander and awarded ranks."
"The instructors have already told you our regiment's slogan, oath, and creed of honor. You must repeat them several times on the way. Memorize them all!"
The regular soldiers talked to each other in whispers, their joy and excitement undisguised.
Under the instructor's command, they formed into several long lines and quickly headed west.
……
To the west, in a larger valley, Titius had already arrived and was talking side by side with a tall and heroic young general.
This man was named Zosparfi, the eldest son of Count Yergubai, the military chief of the Doge's District of Venice. He was considered a retainer and distant relative of the royal family. He followed his father to learn martial arts and military strategies since he was a child, and later joined the Royal Knights Academy and became a classmate of Titusius.
Zosparfax's mother also had the surname Palaiologos and belonged to the line of Theophilus, the former civil servant of Constantinople. She was very far away from the main branch of the royal family and could basically be ignored.
The Royal Knights Academy was a transitional military academy established by Isaac during the most difficult period of the Eastern Roman Empire. It has gradually become outdated under the new military system and is about to be reorganized into the Imperial Army Officer Academy. Taitius and Zosparfaith will be the last few batches of graduates from the Royal Knights Academy, and their grades are also excellent.
Even under an absolutely fair assessment system, the children of nobles and aristocratic families can obtain more innate advantages than others, better physical fitness, more sound childhood training, more abundant military books to read and broader channels for information sources... Only a few decades have passed since the revival of the Eastern Roman Empire, and the children of meritorious service have temporarily maintained a good military quality and have not yet been alienated into good-for-nothings by the luxurious and prosperous life.
This time, some military academy graduates represented by the two of them received a new assignment. This newly formed corps does not need to undertake heavy combat tasks for the time being, which is just right for them to practice.
"Your Highness, Dimarco has returned?"
Zothbafe asked.
"What does he think of your regiment?"
"Captain, since we are in the military and you are my senior and superior, why don't we address each other by our military rank?"
Taitius said seriously.
"Mr. Dimarco was very satisfied and has left here and returned to Constantinople."
"Well, very good, Deputy Commander Taitisius."
Zosbafe nodded.
"In that case, I order you as a superior that you must capture the regiment you personally command within a month from today, because you will most likely face your first mission soon. It may not require fighting, but you must be prepared for the worst."
"You are not allowed to rely on your family's power and your status as a prince to bully the soldiers in the army. You are not allowed to look down on those veterans who are of civilian origin. Most of them are the backbone officers sent to us by the Central Army to help us, the graduates of the military academies who have just entered the army, manage this new army. You must respect them and rely on them."
"Don't worry, Commander. I am also a graduate of the military academy, so I naturally know the tradition of respecting veterans."
Titius stood and saluted.
"The regiment I personally lead has some very good talents. I plan to let veterans serve as senior officers, military academy graduates serve as mid-level officers, and low-level officers will be selected from soldiers with outstanding grades. We will start large-scale training immediately to quickly build up combat effectiveness and cohesion."
"Since our regiment's specialty is naval landing, we might as well train repeatedly on the coast and riverbank."
"Yes, that's pretty much what I thought. I'm also going to take my Russian snowmobile group to the Cossack Kingdom for training."
Zosbaffy smiled and patted Titishius on the shoulder.
"Let's go, they're almost here."
The Central Parade Ground is located in a sheltered valley and covers a large area. It was originally the base of a Turkic tribe of the Ottoman Empire. It was later used as a training ground for the Kardzhali Military District. After the Kardzhali Military District was abolished, it was abandoned until the new legion moved in.
More and more soldiers rushed here from various training camps. Led by instructors, they stood in designated positions, waiting for speeches and awards from the supreme commander.
They were divided into four squares, each with about a thousand people.
Zosparra, Titius and several other senior officers walked onto the platform, where a flag fluttered in the wind.
The flag is rectangular and divided into two parts by a diagonal line. The lower left part is green, the upper right part is red, and in the middle is a golden double-headed eagle emblem.
"Everyone, it's a pleasure to meet you. It's an honor to be here and have my first meeting with all of you warriors."
Zosibafei shouted loudly, and the cavalry responsible for delivering the message ran around, translating Zosibafei's words into various languages and conveying them to every phalanx.
"My name is Zosbafe, and the one standing next to me is Taitius. You don't need to know our origins or surnames, our titles or families."
"You just need to know that in your future military years, we will be your legion commander and deputy legion commander. We will receive orders from the emperor, and you must obey!"
The snow was still falling, and Zosbafe looked around at the soldiers who looked excited.
"Ladies and gentlemen, let me ask a question."
"Do you know why this legion exists?"
Zosbafe asked loudly, but the soldiers remained absolutely silent.
"On the surface, this is in accordance with the emperor's highest order to provide more opportunities for foreign immigrants who have not yet become imperial citizens, so that you can develop a centripetal force and a sense of belonging to the empire in your military life."
"But, in fact, His Majesty the Emperor does not want you, the unruly and powerful bastards, to cause trouble to the empire. He does not want you to become desperadoes and wanted criminals, causing social unrest!"
Zosbafei's words were very straightforward and simple, without a trace of aristocratic style. Some soldiers laughed and had a better impression of the young new commander.
"Think about it. If you are willing to obtain citizenship through honest work under the existing system of the Empire, why do you have to suffer so much, why do you have to be selected by others, and why do you have to fight on the battlefield?"
"But since you don't want to work as hard as an honest person and can't make it in your original country, and since you want to quickly obtain high-level Roman citizenship and enough wealth for retirement, but are unwilling to endure years of hard work, this is your best opportunity!"
"When the world abandoned you, the Roman Foreign Legion gave you a matchlock gun and a great mission, and provided you with a new home!"
Zosbafe shouted loudly.
"Tell me, what is the slogan of the Foreign Legion?"
“The Legion is my hometown!”
The soldiers shouted back in Greek.
"Tell me, what are the traditions of the Foreign Legion?"
"Comrades in arms are all brothers in arms!"
"Tell me, what is the creed of the Foreign Legion?"
"Honor and loyalty!"
Zosbafe nodded with satisfaction and raised his right hand.
"Very good, members of the Legion, follow me in taking the oath!"
The soldiers raised their right hands in unison and recited the oath.
"Legionary, you are a volunteer who serves Rome with honor and loyalty. In your military career of at least three years, you will use your actions and hard work to prove your ability and your ability to join the great Roman community..."
"Legionary, you should serve the Roman emperor blessed by God. You swear to maintain his rule, you swear to obey his orders, and you swear to obey his laws even after retirement..."
After the oath was recited, there was another gust of snow and wind.
"Issues of uniforms, legion badges, and Foreign Legion ID cards!"
……
In December 1476, the civil rights reform of the Eastern Roman Empire was in full swing. Europeans who were forced to leave their homes due to climate, tyranny or religious trials began to immigrate to the Eastern Roman Empire in large numbers. While providing a large amount of labor for the empire, they also caused a certain impact on society.
In order to quickly transform them into Roman citizens and stabilize the social situation, in addition to creating a large number of new jobs for honest and hardworking people, the emperor decided to set up a foreign legion to solve the problem of foreign crime in the country.
The selection process for the Foreign Legion is very strict, and only those who are brave and good at fighting can join. According to the law, their families automatically become third-class citizens of the empire. They automatically obtain full citizenship after three years of service. After five years of service, they can get housing issued by the emperor. After ten years of service, they can obtain household registration in Constantinople and housing within the walls of Theodosius. The salary during the service is very high, only lower than that of the Imperial Central Army.
The first batch of foreign legions consisted of four regiments, each with one thousand regular soldiers, namely the 1st Ross Snow Regiment, the 2nd Latin Marine Regiment, the 3rd Bantu Rainforest Regiment and the 4th Guinea Steppe Regiment. The middle and senior officers were Romans and Roman mixed-race, while the lower-level officers were selected from the soldiers.
Due to their different focuses, the four regiments have different equipment arrangements. The first regiment will be equipped with snow ponies, sleds and skis. The second regiment will have its own landing craft. The third regiment will not be equipped with muskets, but will be equipped with poison-coated crossbows and iron-clad wooden shields. The fourth regiment will be equipped with local horses of the tropical savannah.
After the establishment of the legion, the first regiment quickly went to the snowfields of the Cossack Kingdom for training, the second regiment took a ship to the city of Carthage, and the third and fourth regiments needed to undergo two months of Greek training before taking a ship to the African colonies.
The soldiers of the Foreign Legion got the rewards they wanted, and in return they would enter the most difficult areas and the most risky battlefields during their work, using their racial talents to perform tasks that were difficult for the soldiers of the Central Army to perform, ensuring the interests of the Empire around the world and placing the will of Rome above every piece of land under the double-headed eagle.
They may not be loyal to the empire for the time being, but they will transform their original rebelliousness into obedience in the long-term strict military service. They may have lost their hometowns, be full of doubts about any country and monarch, and feel no warmth and care from society, but as the slogan of the Foreign Legion says,
The Legion is my hometown.
(End of this chapter)
The winter of 1476 arrived as expected with a light snow. On the Balkan Peninsula, the big cities in the north began the annual coal-burning peak season. Billowing black smoke rose into the sky and drifted in the cold wind of the Black Sea.
After the cold wave of 1470, the temperature in the Mediterranean world rose slightly, but this brief rise obviously could not stop the arrival of the Little Ice Age. The winter of 1476 was extremely cold again, with thousands of miles of ice and snow.
During this cold winter, the Eastern Roman Empire ushered in a change. The number of lower-level officials in government departments expanded rapidly, and priests at all levels were mobilized to begin surveying the population situation in the core areas of the empire, registering the civil rights they should obtain, and issuing identity documents of different levels.
It is true that this reform has only been implemented in large cities for the time being, which has well confirmed the expectations of senior government officials and brought about a series of problems.
Such a large-scale population investigation was unprecedented in the history of the Eastern Roman Empire. The early chaos, unrest and turmoil were all natural phenomena, and the pain of reform was inevitable.
This massive movement was a severe test for the government departments of the Eastern Roman Empire. The central government of the empire temporarily established a Citizenship Reform Office headed by Prime Minister Isult to oversee the reform and identify and change the shortcomings of government departments in the process of executing orders.
Of course, the resistance to reform was not as great as expected. Different ethnic groups reacted differently to the reform. Some were happy, some were dissatisfied, but at least no one dared to rise up in rebellion.
The dominant Greek Orthodox Christians were very happy about this, because they had always considered themselves superior and had long been dissatisfied with the previous "nominal equality". For a time, the citizens of Constantinople praised the emperor's virtues and no longer called him "the emperor of the Turks and Russians", but instead called him "the greatest and most wise emperor of the Romans."
The Latin Americans, who were given a lot of rights, were very surprised by this. Their status was directly reduced to "second-class citizens". Many Latin Romans began to return to their hometowns to recruit friends and form groups to immigrate to the Eastern Roman Empire, either choosing open cities like Athens, or going to the border areas and "virgin lands" like Anatolia.
In the supplementary clauses of the "Citizenship Charter", merit can be gained by actively attracting immigrants to the empire, and the time required to upgrade citizenship can be appropriately reduced.
As for the third and fourth class citizens, some of them protested, but most of them accepted the government's arrangements indifferently. The political rights they were deprived of were basically closely related to literacy. Even in the past, illiterate citizens had no way to exercise these legal rights. They didn't have much money to buy property, so they basically had nothing to lose.
Now, since they can read and write, they can be directly registered as first-class citizens and enjoy all political rights. The "sword" of reform cannot fall on these highly qualified talents.
Some people speculate that the emperor may have wanted to use this method to separate the different classes of an ethnic group, so that the upper class would always stand on the side of the Romans rather than speak for their own people.
However, this bill caused some negative reactions in the army. Some foreign soldiers who could not speak Greek were very dissatisfied when they learned that they were about to become third-class citizens, and even organized a collective appeal.
Subsequently, another supplementary bill quickly came out, which provided that all foreign soldiers in the army were given a two-year training period, during which they enjoyed first-class citizen treatment, provided that they learned Greek.
In this way, the Eastern Roman Empire reached a compromise with the foreign soldiers and took advantage of this opportunity to achieve language unification of the Eastern Roman central army.
While the citizens were being screened, the literacy campaign was also in full swing. Many foreign citizens who aspired to higher positions were no longer lazy, and more and more of them joined the literacy night shift. They studied desperately just to improve their citizenship rating from level three to level one or level two before the deadline so that they could enjoy better treatment.
In order to convince citizens who were assessed as level three, four and five of the government's "upgrade commitment", the Sniper Corps of Constantinople began to crack down on discrimination against other citizens in the city. Some tavern plaques that read "Turks and pigs are not allowed to enter" were forcibly removed, some fanatical nationalist associations advocating the supremacy of pure-blooded Greeks were closed down and destroyed, and some demonstrators who refused to change their ways were tried in public.
Where do you put the royal family when you want to engage in pureblood sports?
You have been given the greatest rights and the highest status. If you are still not satisfied and want to be the only one in the entire empire, then go to New Thrace to find your place.
Against this background, the government and the royal family spent money like water, including funds for literacy campaigns and new village movements, tax cuts to quell discontent, necessary concessions to capitalists to lower coal prices, costs for organizing citizen rights reviews and printing identity cards... A large amount of fixed funds flowed into society, including the rapid development of industries such as cement, mining, papermaking, printing, and pen and ink manufacturing, providing jobs for more and more people and bringing more and more people into the social governance system of the Eastern Roman Empire.
At the same time, the Palaiologos royal family joined forces with several large industrial and commercial families to open a large number of workshops in major cities along the Aegean coast, mainly absorbing citizens classified as levels three, four, and five. These citizens who might become factors of social instability were temporarily accommodated, provided with living expenses and study space, and strengthened national cohesion while participating in labor.
Now that the "Charter of Citizens' Rights" has been promulgated, the former "Regulations for the Protection of Orthodox Workers" has also been revised again. The regulations have been renamed "Regulations for the Protection of Roman Christian Workers". Different protection policies are implemented according to different levels of citizens. At the same time, advanced technical vocational education continues to be promoted, so that the first-level Roman citizens can become high-quality talents as much as possible and stay away from blood and sweat exploitation.
Of course, since the Eastern Roman Empire was in a period of rapid development of the capitalist economy and rapid colonial expansion, there was a shortage of high-quality talents everywhere, and this protection law could still be implemented for the time being. After the population exploded, the "Roman Christian Workers Protection Regulations" would likely become a dead letter due to the wanton behavior of capitalists and the shortage of jobs, and the Eastern Roman Empire might become no different from the early capitalist countries in history.
But then again, this regulation was originally intended to increase the population size and quality of Greek Orthodox Christians, and by the time job shortages began, the regulation’s mission had been largely accomplished.
Time flies, and the first two months of the great reform passed in a hurry in busyness and hard work. The shooting troops who were eyeing the streets covetously gradually reduced the number of people on guard, and the Royal Mounted Police in the fields also gradually reduced the frequency of patrols.
In the Bulgarian region, heavy snow was falling over the province of Moesia. In an uninhabited mountain valley, a group of young soldiers in white uniforms, carrying full equipment, were trudging through ankle-deep snow. Not far to the side were instructors on horseback.
"With your idiotic appearance, do you still want to join the army? Do you still want to take shortcuts?"
The instructor yelled.
"Hurry up, everyone. Once you get there, you can eat!"
As he spoke, the instructor kicked the horse's belly, making the horse trot, raising clouds of snow dust.
These soldiers had obviously been running in the snow for a long time and were panting heavily. Seeing the instructor speed up, they gritted their teeth and moved their lead-filled legs.
Some soldiers could not hold on and fell on the snow on the spot. The military doctors following on horseback would give them treatment, and the instructors would take out charcoal pencils and record books and draw a cross behind their names.
This valley is oriented north-south, and the cold wind from the north poured into the valley. The soldiers had just conducted a simulated river crossing, and the cold wind from the north made them feel the cold deep in their bones. The sheltered camp ahead was right in front of them. In the open space in front of the camp, dozens of stew pots with thick soup were bubbling, and the rotating barbecue on the iron rods was sizzling with oil. In the simple brick oven, the baked bread exuded an enticing aroma.
"The ten people running at the back will have their physical fitness points deducted and can only eat hard bread!"
"The first ten people to arrive will receive extra points and a small can of Imperial Camp Vodka!"
The instructor yelled.
The soldiers could only grit their teeth and persevere, panting as they ran towards the camp.
Finally, most of the soldiers completed the cross-country race in the snow and successfully arrived at the designated location. The first ten warriors who arrived were full of joy, while the last ten who arrived knelt on the ground, gasping for breath, and wanted to cry but had no tears.
Just as several soldiers were about to enjoy the food, the instructor walked over quickly and kicked them several times, knocking them over.
"How many times have I told you? We just went on a long cross-country trip from the river bank all the way here. We can't eat right now! It will kill people!"
The instructor scolded.
"This is for your own good!"
"Everyone, go to the shooting range and complete the last task of this month. Shoot the bow ten times, the crossbow and the musket five times each! Your scores will be fully recorded!"
"This is the last assessment of the training camp. Your overall score will determine whether you stay or go!"
The soldiers were exhausted, but thinking of their persistence and hard work over the past month, they still got up, stumbled to the shooting range, and drew their bows and arrows.
"It's not so bad, don't you think, Mr. DiMarco?"
On a wooden tower in the center of the camp, a young general in military uniform put down his telescope and looked at the middle-aged man beside him with a smile.
"There are more than 15,000 applicants in total. With rounds of selection, it is estimated that only 4,000 people can be admitted, but these 4,000 people are all top-notch talents."
"That's very strict, Prince Titius."
DiMarco sighed.
"Even the Central Army doesn't have such a strict inspection test, right?"
"Well, it is indeed harder than the daily training of the Central Army, but since they want to take a shortcut, they naturally have to prove their worth."
Titius nodded.
"Besides, they will get quite a lot of benefits in the future."
Both people in the conversation were considered royal relatives of the Eastern Roman Empire. Tetisius was the eldest son of the Knight of Conti, the emperor's nephew and godson, while Dimarco was the former mayor of the Free City of La Spezia and the mainstay of the Gattilusio family.
As one of the Emperor's earliest followers, Chevalier de Conti from southern France died of illness a year ago and was buried outside the family castle in North Africa. The funeral expenses were paid by the royal family.
The Knight of Conti was once a follower of Joan of Arc. He was extremely disappointed with the French royal family because of Joan of Arc's death. After being chosen by Isaac, he helped him recruit a number of French wandering knights. Most of these people became grassroots officers in the early days of the business, making the Eastern Roman Central Army very different from bandits even in the initial period. He can be said to have made great contributions.
In his later years, Conte stopped caring about military and political affairs and stayed at home wholeheartedly, growing flowers and plants, and enjoying his grandchildren. In his spare time, he also wrote a memoir of hundreds of thousands of words, recording his ups and downs in life.
After Conti's death, his title and fiefdom in North Africa were inherited by his eldest son Tetisius, and the position of Grand Master of the Order of St. Simon was elected by the knights. Conti's wife Helena Palaiologos became depressed after his death and died suddenly soon after.
Since Titius lost both his parents in a very short period of time and he himself was a maternal descendant of the Palaiologos royal family, the emperor decided to make him Prince of Ephesus to show special favor to the children of meritorious officials.
Although the title of prince does not come with fiefdom and cannot be inherited, but can only be conferred by the current emperor, he ranks above all nobles, and the royal foundation will provide them with a certain subsidy every year.
Now, there are only seven princes in the Eastern Roman Empire. In addition to the four sons and one grandson of the current emperor, only Prince Titius of Ephesus and Princess Charlotte of Famagusta can enjoy this honor. Their annuities are provided by the royal family and have nothing to do with the government.
"Sir Dimarco, I recently heard that the boy you brought to Carthage seems to be quite talented. He got the first place in the entrance test of the Navigation School, and several colleges are vying for him."
Titius looked at Dimarco.
"I think he's handsome and very brave at a young age. My sister is about the same age as him. Why don't we let them get to know each other?"
"You mean Andrea Doria?"
DiMarco recalled with a smile on his face.
"Okay! Since His Royal Highness favors this boy, he will surely be happy to accept it."
Dimarco was somewhat happy, as he knew very well that these large Eastern Roman families would sometimes try to win over talented people of humble origins, using marriage ties to make them feel a sense of belonging to the family, and using their own family's political resources to pave the way for them, each taking what they needed and forming an "investment" relationship.
“Well, that’s good.”
Titius thought.
"The situation in the Duchy of Milan has become increasingly chaotic. Duke Galeazzo has angered almost everyone. What do you think of this?"
"I have already seen His Majesty."
DiMarco said.
"His Majesty said that if circumstances allowed, he would use diplomatic means to recover the Free City of La Spezia and restore contact with the Palaiologos branch of Parma."
"La Spezia may become the first stop for Italians to migrate to the empire in the future."
DiMarco thought about it and added with a smile.
"Your Majesty said that Galeazzo was a complete fool and his son was just a child, so he was nothing to worry about."
"But his younger brother, Ludovico the Moor, is a capable man who has some of his father's talents."
"The Sforza family is either geniuses or fools. Never mind. It has nothing to do with me anyway."
Titius shook his head and looked at the open space in front of the camp.
"That's it. I've seen the last training camp. I have to go."
……
The soldiers who had completed the shooting mission returned to the stew pot one after another. Their breathing gradually stabilized and they quickly changed into dry and warm clothes, but their hungry stomachs kept growling.
"Okay, let's eat!"
The instructor shouted loudly, and the soldiers immediately took action, scrambling for the freshly baked flatbreads, scooping up the fragrant beet beef soup with wooden spoons, and cutting slices of roast meat with the daggers they carried with them.
"Hey, finally I can have a hot meal!"
In front of a stew pot, a soldier dipped a scone into the beet soup, rolled up a piece of roast meat, took a big bite, and immediately a satisfied smile appeared on his face.
"It's really a blessing to be a soldier of the Emperor. The food is so good and the allowance is so high..."
"Moor, I thought you didn't eat pork."
Next to him, a tall young man with blond hair was munching on a scone and looking at him teasingly.
"What's your name? Muhammad? Muawiyah? Or Uthman?"
"Oh, shut your filthy mouth, Moritz."
the Moor cursed.
"According to them, I'm a Morisco named Fabian, a damn German, remember that!"
"Damn it, I'm Italian. I grew up in the Alps and on the banks of the Po River!"
Moritz said in Italian.
"I didn't expect you to understand what I said."
"Haha, my native language is Spanish, so I should be able to understand roughly what you are saying."
Fabian curled his lips, suddenly seemed to remember something, and sighed.
“Even though I always spoke Spanish, they couldn’t tolerate me.”
"who?"
Moritz became interested and took the initiative to scoop a spoonful of soup for Fabian.
"Are you from Valencia?"
"Yes, I am a native of Valencia and have lived by the golden beach since I was a child."
Fabian narrowed his eyes and recalled his beautiful hometown.
"The Iberian War changed everything. The Germans in Valencia joined forces with the Vatican to try to drive out all the Mudejars and Moriscos, even though we had not caused trouble for a long time and even though we had been tolerant in everything."
"Prince Fernando is unable to protect us. Countless people are losing their homes..."
"So where should all these people go?"
Moritz was stunned for a moment and looked at Fabian with some sympathy.
"In my hometown, the great tyrant Galeazzo is also losing the support of the people. This winter is too cold, and many people will leave their homes as well."
"We are different from you...there are so few places we can go."
Fabian sighed, took a small can of vodka he had just won from the snow next to him, and put it next to the fire to heat it.
"The Mudejars and Moriscos are fleeing, more than 20,000 of them have left the peninsula this year alone."
"We are not welcome anywhere. In order to gain acceptance from the Christian kingdom, the Mudéjars have long since fallen out with mainstream Islamic society. Even if we go to Morocco, we will still be discriminated against."
"Now, the Western Border Region of the Eastern Empire has implemented a policy of tolerance, and many Mudéjars have fled there."
"As for us, since the Western Church cannot tolerate us, we have no choice but to go east. North Africa and the Balkans are both immigration destinations. We will go to the Kingdom of Granada first, and then be transported to the Empire by the Emperor's ships."
"Will the emperor still pick you up?"
Moritz was a little surprised.
"You know, the Inquisition was jointly promoted by the Emperor and the Church." "Of course I know this, and the Eastern Empire also has an explanation for this."
Fabian twitched his lips.
"The Eastern Empire believed that if we were allowed to flee to Morocco or Egypt, we would most likely become pirates due to exclusion and discrimination, which would be a huge threat to Christian trade in the Mediterranean."
"The emperor of the Eastern Empire doesn't care much about the opinion of the Holy See anyway. The senior bishops of the Holy See are only after their own interests, especially that Sixtus IV. He completely regards the church as his own private property. Among the new local bishops in Iberia, nearly three-quarters are related to the Rovere family."
"What about your status? Are you the same as us?"
Moritz finished his soup and put the bowl aside.
"Naturally, the Mudejars are not allowed to enter the core provinces, and the Moriscos are foreigners who have temporary permanent residency."
Fabian nodded.
"After working for three years, you can become a lower-class citizen. After waiting a few more years and meeting certain conditions, you can be promoted to a first- or second-class citizen. But it takes too long and I can't afford to wait."
Fabian touched the jug of wine to test the temperature.
"The emperor funded the establishment of a large number of low-level workshops in order to provide jobs for outsiders like us, so that we don't cause trouble and can integrate into mainstream society peacefully... To be honest, the salary is actually not bad, but if you want to make a name for yourself, you have to come here."
"My parents died very early. I came here with a younger brother and a younger sister. I am the eldest brother, and I have to take care of them all."
Fabian patted his chest and tried to straighten his back.
"If I can become a soldier in this legion, they can directly obtain third-level citizenship. After learning Greek, they can be upgraded. In the future, they can go to school, study, and take exams... At least there is hope."
"Among the outsiders, the honest ones can go to the royal workshop to work and earn money, and wait for the improvement of citizenship rights. The rebellious and ambitious ones can join this legion. The main purpose is probably to suppress the unstable factors in society. Your Majesty's policies have always been continuous."
Fabian looked at Moritz and shrugged.
"That's what the priest said when I came here."
"No more talking, I'll buy you a drink!"
Fabian found two wooden cups and poured warm vodka into each for himself and Moritz.
"Thank you so much, hehe, you are so awesome, if you become an officer in the future, you have to protect me..."
Moritz took the wine glass with a chuckle, took a sip, and smacked his lips.
"My grades are good enough for me to stay here, but I definitely can't become an officer."
The soldiers ate and drank, some talked to each other, while others were silent.
"Have you noticed? Most of the people in our training camp are Spanish, Italian and Wallachian. If we speak slowly, everyone can basically understand each other's language."
Fabian looked around and said to Moritz.
"While every soldier in the legion had to learn Greek, each training camp was obviously different."
"Well, I heard from the instructor that if we don't count the auxiliary forces, our army only needs four regiments with a total of 4,000 people, each with 1,000 people. Each regiment has a different focus, and the future stationing and combat directions will definitely be different."
Moritz was a little drunk and spoke with a slurred tongue.
"I heard that there are two regiments composed of black people. Most of them are slaves who have made meritorious contributions in the shooting army and became free people. They don't want to leave the empire. The Carthaginian mercenary house doesn't need so many people, so Your Majesty has recruited them together. Maybe he wants to use military life to dilute their wildness."
"One of the black regiments is called the Third Rainforest Regiment. They will go to the African rainforest or the Brazilian rainforest for training in the future and become the backbone of the empire in the colonies."
"This is a bit strange. Don't the colonists like to use mercenaries?"
Fabian was a little confused.
"Haha, mercenaries can't represent the will of the country after all. Moreover, mercenaries are sometimes disobedient, and their behavior of killing their employers and temporarily increasing their wages makes many people distrust them."
Moritz chuckled.
"I heard that a group of Carthaginian mercenaries were hired by Congolese natives to enter the depths of the rainforest. As a result, most of them died of various diseases, and only a few black people walked out alive. It seems that the cinchona antimalarial drug is not safe. Acclimatization is a fatal flaw. If the emperor wants to interfere in the internal affairs of the native countries in the colonies, he has to use the black army..."
"Have you all finished eating? Everyone line up!"
The instructor's voice sounded like thunder. The soldiers were startled and immediately put down their food and drinks, stood up, and lined up according to their pre-assigned groups.
This training base currently has more than 400 soldiers, but will only recruit 200 in the end.
The chief instructor rode on his horse and glanced at the soldiers who had just finished their meal. The soldiers held their heads high and chests out, trying their best to show their best demeanor.
"After you signed up, you went through several rounds of selection, and the best ones who remained came to this valley to receive a month-long final training."
The chief priest spoke slowly.
"I know that you have worked very hard over the past month just to stay in the legion and have a better future."
"During this period, the instructors also evaluated the performance of each soldier. Whether they can stay or not will be revealed soon."
The main instructor waved his hand, and the other instructors found their groups and began to read out the admission list.
Names were scattered in the wind and snow. The soldiers whose names were called out were ecstatic, while the soldiers who were dismissed looked dejected.
"Soldiers who didn't pass the final assessment should not be too disappointed. You have proven yourselves in the previous trials and can join the Legion's auxiliary forces. The benefits and time required to obtain citizenship are not as good as those of regular soldiers, but they are better than those foreign workers who dare not go to the battlefield."
Seeing that the loser's face looked better, the chief instructor nodded and continued speaking.
"Very good. Next, the soldiers whose names have just been called will immediately head to the central training ground in the west. There, you will be received by the supreme commander and awarded ranks."
"The instructors have already told you our regiment's slogan, oath, and creed of honor. You must repeat them several times on the way. Memorize them all!"
The regular soldiers talked to each other in whispers, their joy and excitement undisguised.
Under the instructor's command, they formed into several long lines and quickly headed west.
……
To the west, in a larger valley, Titius had already arrived and was talking side by side with a tall and heroic young general.
This man was named Zosparfi, the eldest son of Count Yergubai, the military chief of the Doge's District of Venice. He was considered a retainer and distant relative of the royal family. He followed his father to learn martial arts and military strategies since he was a child, and later joined the Royal Knights Academy and became a classmate of Titusius.
Zosparfax's mother also had the surname Palaiologos and belonged to the line of Theophilus, the former civil servant of Constantinople. She was very far away from the main branch of the royal family and could basically be ignored.
The Royal Knights Academy was a transitional military academy established by Isaac during the most difficult period of the Eastern Roman Empire. It has gradually become outdated under the new military system and is about to be reorganized into the Imperial Army Officer Academy. Taitius and Zosparfaith will be the last few batches of graduates from the Royal Knights Academy, and their grades are also excellent.
Even under an absolutely fair assessment system, the children of nobles and aristocratic families can obtain more innate advantages than others, better physical fitness, more sound childhood training, more abundant military books to read and broader channels for information sources... Only a few decades have passed since the revival of the Eastern Roman Empire, and the children of meritorious service have temporarily maintained a good military quality and have not yet been alienated into good-for-nothings by the luxurious and prosperous life.
This time, some military academy graduates represented by the two of them received a new assignment. This newly formed corps does not need to undertake heavy combat tasks for the time being, which is just right for them to practice.
"Your Highness, Dimarco has returned?"
Zothbafe asked.
"What does he think of your regiment?"
"Captain, since we are in the military and you are my senior and superior, why don't we address each other by our military rank?"
Taitius said seriously.
"Mr. Dimarco was very satisfied and has left here and returned to Constantinople."
"Well, very good, Deputy Commander Taitisius."
Zosbafe nodded.
"In that case, I order you as a superior that you must capture the regiment you personally command within a month from today, because you will most likely face your first mission soon. It may not require fighting, but you must be prepared for the worst."
"You are not allowed to rely on your family's power and your status as a prince to bully the soldiers in the army. You are not allowed to look down on those veterans who are of civilian origin. Most of them are the backbone officers sent to us by the Central Army to help us, the graduates of the military academies who have just entered the army, manage this new army. You must respect them and rely on them."
"Don't worry, Commander. I am also a graduate of the military academy, so I naturally know the tradition of respecting veterans."
Titius stood and saluted.
"The regiment I personally lead has some very good talents. I plan to let veterans serve as senior officers, military academy graduates serve as mid-level officers, and low-level officers will be selected from soldiers with outstanding grades. We will start large-scale training immediately to quickly build up combat effectiveness and cohesion."
"Since our regiment's specialty is naval landing, we might as well train repeatedly on the coast and riverbank."
"Yes, that's pretty much what I thought. I'm also going to take my Russian snowmobile group to the Cossack Kingdom for training."
Zosbaffy smiled and patted Titishius on the shoulder.
"Let's go, they're almost here."
The Central Parade Ground is located in a sheltered valley and covers a large area. It was originally the base of a Turkic tribe of the Ottoman Empire. It was later used as a training ground for the Kardzhali Military District. After the Kardzhali Military District was abolished, it was abandoned until the new legion moved in.
More and more soldiers rushed here from various training camps. Led by instructors, they stood in designated positions, waiting for speeches and awards from the supreme commander.
They were divided into four squares, each with about a thousand people.
Zosparra, Titius and several other senior officers walked onto the platform, where a flag fluttered in the wind.
The flag is rectangular and divided into two parts by a diagonal line. The lower left part is green, the upper right part is red, and in the middle is a golden double-headed eagle emblem.
"Everyone, it's a pleasure to meet you. It's an honor to be here and have my first meeting with all of you warriors."
Zosibafei shouted loudly, and the cavalry responsible for delivering the message ran around, translating Zosibafei's words into various languages and conveying them to every phalanx.
"My name is Zosbafe, and the one standing next to me is Taitius. You don't need to know our origins or surnames, our titles or families."
"You just need to know that in your future military years, we will be your legion commander and deputy legion commander. We will receive orders from the emperor, and you must obey!"
The snow was still falling, and Zosbafe looked around at the soldiers who looked excited.
"Ladies and gentlemen, let me ask a question."
"Do you know why this legion exists?"
Zosbafe asked loudly, but the soldiers remained absolutely silent.
"On the surface, this is in accordance with the emperor's highest order to provide more opportunities for foreign immigrants who have not yet become imperial citizens, so that you can develop a centripetal force and a sense of belonging to the empire in your military life."
"But, in fact, His Majesty the Emperor does not want you, the unruly and powerful bastards, to cause trouble to the empire. He does not want you to become desperadoes and wanted criminals, causing social unrest!"
Zosbafei's words were very straightforward and simple, without a trace of aristocratic style. Some soldiers laughed and had a better impression of the young new commander.
"Think about it. If you are willing to obtain citizenship through honest work under the existing system of the Empire, why do you have to suffer so much, why do you have to be selected by others, and why do you have to fight on the battlefield?"
"But since you don't want to work as hard as an honest person and can't make it in your original country, and since you want to quickly obtain high-level Roman citizenship and enough wealth for retirement, but are unwilling to endure years of hard work, this is your best opportunity!"
"When the world abandoned you, the Roman Foreign Legion gave you a matchlock gun and a great mission, and provided you with a new home!"
Zosbafe shouted loudly.
"Tell me, what is the slogan of the Foreign Legion?"
“The Legion is my hometown!”
The soldiers shouted back in Greek.
"Tell me, what are the traditions of the Foreign Legion?"
"Comrades in arms are all brothers in arms!"
"Tell me, what is the creed of the Foreign Legion?"
"Honor and loyalty!"
Zosbafe nodded with satisfaction and raised his right hand.
"Very good, members of the Legion, follow me in taking the oath!"
The soldiers raised their right hands in unison and recited the oath.
"Legionary, you are a volunteer who serves Rome with honor and loyalty. In your military career of at least three years, you will use your actions and hard work to prove your ability and your ability to join the great Roman community..."
"Legionary, you should serve the Roman emperor blessed by God. You swear to maintain his rule, you swear to obey his orders, and you swear to obey his laws even after retirement..."
After the oath was recited, there was another gust of snow and wind.
"Issues of uniforms, legion badges, and Foreign Legion ID cards!"
……
In December 1476, the civil rights reform of the Eastern Roman Empire was in full swing. Europeans who were forced to leave their homes due to climate, tyranny or religious trials began to immigrate to the Eastern Roman Empire in large numbers. While providing a large amount of labor for the empire, they also caused a certain impact on society.
In order to quickly transform them into Roman citizens and stabilize the social situation, in addition to creating a large number of new jobs for honest and hardworking people, the emperor decided to set up a foreign legion to solve the problem of foreign crime in the country.
The selection process for the Foreign Legion is very strict, and only those who are brave and good at fighting can join. According to the law, their families automatically become third-class citizens of the empire. They automatically obtain full citizenship after three years of service. After five years of service, they can get housing issued by the emperor. After ten years of service, they can obtain household registration in Constantinople and housing within the walls of Theodosius. The salary during the service is very high, only lower than that of the Imperial Central Army.
The first batch of foreign legions consisted of four regiments, each with one thousand regular soldiers, namely the 1st Ross Snow Regiment, the 2nd Latin Marine Regiment, the 3rd Bantu Rainforest Regiment and the 4th Guinea Steppe Regiment. The middle and senior officers were Romans and Roman mixed-race, while the lower-level officers were selected from the soldiers.
Due to their different focuses, the four regiments have different equipment arrangements. The first regiment will be equipped with snow ponies, sleds and skis. The second regiment will have its own landing craft. The third regiment will not be equipped with muskets, but will be equipped with poison-coated crossbows and iron-clad wooden shields. The fourth regiment will be equipped with local horses of the tropical savannah.
After the establishment of the legion, the first regiment quickly went to the snowfields of the Cossack Kingdom for training, the second regiment took a ship to the city of Carthage, and the third and fourth regiments needed to undergo two months of Greek training before taking a ship to the African colonies.
The soldiers of the Foreign Legion got the rewards they wanted, and in return they would enter the most difficult areas and the most risky battlefields during their work, using their racial talents to perform tasks that were difficult for the soldiers of the Central Army to perform, ensuring the interests of the Empire around the world and placing the will of Rome above every piece of land under the double-headed eagle.
They may not be loyal to the empire for the time being, but they will transform their original rebelliousness into obedience in the long-term strict military service. They may have lost their hometowns, be full of doubts about any country and monarch, and feel no warmth and care from society, but as the slogan of the Foreign Legion says,
The Legion is my hometown.
(End of this chapter)
