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- The decline of the Byzantine Empire has been foreshadowed since 565 AD, when the two eternal heroes of the Eastern Roman Empire, Emperor Justinian the Great and Marshal Belisarius, passed away in the same year.
The Persians, who were restrained by the emperor and marshal using "carrots and sticks", began a large-scale invasion after the death of the two men. In 611 AD, the Persian army once again infiltrated Byzantium and captured Antioch, the capital of Syria.
In 614 AD, they besieged Jerusalem and used movable wooden towers and battering rams as weapons to break through the holy city. Sixty thousand residents were massacred. This prosperous Christian holy city suffered the heaviest blow in five hundred years. Tens of thousands of prisoners of war were sent to Persia. In the capital city of Taixifeng, the True Cross, the highest holy object of Christians, was taken away as a trophy. This was regarded as the greatest shame by all Christians.
The True Cross was the torture instrument used during the crucifixion of Jesus. It was discovered by Constantine¡¯s mother. Its status is equivalent to the Jiuding of the Chinese Dynasty and is the symbol of the central Christian dynasty.
The consequences of losing the True Cross were very serious, and the small Balkan and Slavic countries rebelled one after another. A small tribe of Alvar people changed their past loyalty and opportunistically in the cracks between the two empires. In the next ten years, they brought great trouble to the empire.
Fortunately, the Byzantine Senate at this time elected a new emperor in time - the talented and strategic Emperor Irakli.
Emperor Irakli the Great was the son of the governor of North Africa. He was strong-willed and extremely talented. Facing the aggressive Persian army, Irakli remained calm and composed. He appointed his two sons to stay in Constantinople. He personally went to Asia Minor to recruit brave and capable soldiers for systematic military training. At the same time, he repeatedly preached to the soldiers about the Persian war. Holiness, the necessity of liberating the Holy City.
In 619 AD, the Persian army captured Egypt, the granary and treasury of the Byzantine Empire. Constantinople fell into a situation of shortage of food and money, and the country reached a critical moment of life and death.
In 621 AD, Emperor Irakli had a truce with his northern rivals, the Alvars, and then led his army to the battlefield. In the summer of the following year, Emperor Irakli launched a counterattack against the Persian army, forcing the Persians to retreat. Then he returned to clear out the enemies in Anatolia. Then, Emperor Irakli the Great led his army to invade Persia, defeated the enemies in the Battle of Maku, and recovered Asia Minor.
The next war started in Persia. In the winter of 623, Emperor Irakli marched along the southern foot of the Caucasus Mountains, went straight to the Persian army base camp, and almost captured the Persian king alive.
The following three years of war entered a stalemate stage. Persia once attacked the city of Constantinople, but was repulsed. At the same time, Emperor Irakli continued to attack cities and territories in Persia and severely attacked the Alvars, leaving this barbarian tribe in ruins.
In 627 AD, the war entered the decisive stage. Emperor Irakli the Great went south along the Tigris River and fought a decisive battle with the main force led by the Persian emperor near the ancient city of Nineveh. He won the battle. The Persian emperor died in battle. Emperor Irakli the Great marched to the gates of Ctesi, the capital of Persia. The new Persian emperor was forced to sue for peace and agreed to return the True Cross.
In 630 AD, Emperor Irakli the Great held a grand celebration to welcome the True Cross in the holy city of Jerusalem. The centuries-old war ended in Byzantine victory.
However, the snipe and the clam quarreled, and the fisherman benefited. Just a few months after the celebration, a group of desert people, dominated by religious fanaticism, started another "holy war" under the banner of Muhammad. This holy war has been It went on endlessly.
The long and increasingly intensified war between the Byzantine Empire and the Sassanid Dynasty made both sides very exhausted. They both appeared very vulnerable in the face of the sudden rise of the Arabs.
When the war ended, they had no chance to adjust and recover. Within a few years, both sides were attacked by the Arabs. The Byzantines compared the Arab attack to a "human tsunami". The endless and unnecessary wars and conflicts in Shanbos gave Islam a good opportunity for its rapid expansion.
When the Prophet Muhammad united the Arabs through conquests and the teachings of Islam, under his leadership, the first conflict between the Muslims and the Byzantine Empire occurred.
Just a few months after Heraclius and the Sassanids reached an agreement to withdraw from Persia, the Byzantine army faced the Muslim army.
After Muhammad died in 632 AD, Abu Bakr undisputedly controlled the entire Arabian Peninsula through conquests and became the first caliph, consolidating the Muslim power in the entire peninsula.
Regarding the cause of the war between these two great powers, Muslims wrote in the biography of Muhammad: An intelligence obtained by the Prophet indicated that the Byzantine army was paying attention to northern Arabia and asserted its intention to invade Arabia. Muhammad decided to lead an army north to preemptively strike.
Of course, this is just an excuse. At that time, the Byzantine Empire had just ended its war with Sasanian Persia., simply did not have the ability to attack the Arab Empire.
In short, in 634 AD, the Muslims began a full-scale invasion of these two countries and occupied large areas of land in both countries.
It is known that in 638 AD, the Arabs completely conquered Syria, and the Caliph's army fought in the Levant with an army composed of royal troops of the Byzantine Empire and local mercenaries.
Heraclius, the emperor of the Byzantine Empire, could no longer lead the resistance in person due to physical discomfort. Instead, he sent his younger brother. However, in a battle, the Caliph's army won a complete victory. Under the command of Khalid, the Muslims eventually captured Damascus. The Byzantine Empire hastily mobilized all available troops to a few generals in an attempt to drive away the Muslims.
As a result, in a famous battle in 636 AD, the Muslims lured the Byzantine army to the human battlefield, resulting in a devastating defeat for Byzantium.
Heraclius, the emperor of the Byzantine Empire, expressed his disappointment at the farewell party when he left Antioch and returned to Constantinople. He exclaimed: "Oh, peace be to you, Syria! What a good land it is for your enemies!"
In April 637 AD, the then Patriarch of Jerusalem surrendered, and the Arabs finally captured Jerusalem after a long siege. In the summer of 637 AD, the Muslims occupied Gaza. Meanwhile, officials in Egypt and Mesopotamia purchased an expensive ceasefire that bought Egypt three years and Mesopotamia one year of relative peace.
At the end of 637 AD, the city of Antioch was captured. By this time, Muslims had occupied almost all of northern Syria. From 638 to 639 AD, when the ceasefire agreement expired, the Arabs ravaged Mesopotamia and Armenia. After occupying Ashkelon and other cities, they ended their conquest of Palestine.
After completing the conquest of West Asia, the new Caliph of the Arab Empire Omar began the conquest of Egypt. However, due to the emergence of Du Rui, history suffered a huge deviation.
The commander-in-chief of the Egyptian expeditionary force of the Arab Empire, Osman, was finally defeated and his army was exhausted. Even Osman himself and his nephew Ali were killed on the battlefield.
But the defeat in the first battle did not dissuade the Arabs from conquering Egypt. After Muawiya came to power, he sent Amr bin As to lead 4,000 soldiers from Palestine into Egypt.
As soon as Amr came up, he surrounded and captured the Egyptian city of Babylon, and then attacked Alexandria. The Byzantines were shocked by the rapidity of the defeat, which led to internal divisions and eventually abandoned Alexander.
The fall of Alexandria ended Byzantine rule in Egypt and expanded the Muslim offensive in North Africa. Amr then conquered the region of Cyrenaica.
After that, Abdullah ibn Said led the Arab army to invade Africa and soon conquered Tripolitania. After the city of Spitela was captured, the Arabs were only 240 kilometers away from Carthage. Gregory, the governor of Africa at the time, rebelled and proclaimed himself emperor. However, he was soon invaded by the Arabs after proclaiming himself emperor, and he was also killed in Sbetra. After this, Gregory's successors made a truce on the promise of a large annual tribute of money, and Abdullah returned to Egypt laden with booty.
At this point, the Muslims had completely occupied the remaining North African territories of the Byzantine Empire, and also occupied a large amount of the Maghreb area. Since then, the Muslims had developed maritime power=, and under the leadership of the Berber general Tariq ibn Ziyad, they had Crossed the Strait of Gibraltar and invaded the Iberian Peninsula, which had been occupied by the Visigoths, occupying and destroying the Carthaginian fortress. The loss of Africa meant that the Byzantine Empire's control of the Western Mediterranean faced a huge challenge from the rapidly expanding Arab navy.
After the great cause of silence consolidated the vast territory from the Aral Sea to Egypt and established the Egyptian governor, he began to attack Anatolia. In order to prevent Egypt from being attacked by the flank of the Byzantine army from Cyrenaica, an Arab army of 40,000 people was The army launched a campaign in North Africa and captured Balka after defeating a Byzantine force of 30,000 men.
However, the Umayyad dynasty's attack was not over yet, and they still regarded the complete conquest of the Byzantine Empire as its ultimate goal. Islamic teachings led them to believe that the Byzantines were infidels and should be thrown into the "house of war." As Islamic scholar Hugh Kennedy said: "Muslims are more willing to attack than to like peace that is always interrupted by conflicts. Real peace can only be when the enemy accepts Islam or becomes their client state."
While attacking on land, the Muslim maritime power also greatly challenged the Byzantine navy. They attacked many islands and coastal ports and cities in the Byzantine Empire.
The Byzantine navy was severely defeated by the outnumbered Muslims in the waters off Finike in Lycia. Since then, "Lake Rome" has gradually fallen into the hands of the Arabs.
During this period, the earthThe trade in the eastern part of the China Sea was also interrupted, which blocked the exchanges between the East and the West. In the past, it was common to take a ship from Italy to Alexandria. However, in the early days of Islam's expansion, the two places were so far apart that they did not even know the most basic information about each other.
After the powerful Muslim fleet broke into the Sea of ??Marmara, Hucus reestablished a base from which they raided the coast of the Byzantine Empire at will.
After completing the strategic siege of Constantinople, Muawiya sent a force from land to invade Constantinople and began the first Arab siege of Constantinople.
Constantine IV, who served as Emperor of the Byzantine Empire, used a destructive weapon called "Liquid Fire" purchased from the Tang Dynasty to repel Muawiyah's attack on the Sea of ??Marmara. After the siege was lifted, the retreating Muslim fleet lost a lot due to the storm, and was raided at sea, losing many soldiers.
The last friend of the Prophet Muhammad, Ayup, was also killed in this siege. This victory of the Byzantine Empire also made the Arabs no longer have the power to invade Europe in a short time.
At the same time, in the Eastern battlefield, the Arab Empire also suffered a devastating blow. The two defeats of Ibrasi Muhammad, the governor of the Eastern Province, in the Western Region and Central Asia, caused the Arab Empire to completely lose Central Asia. It also further shrunk their military strength.
After Justinian II came to power, he reached a ceasefire agreement with the Arabs and jointly owned Armenia, East Iberia and Cyprus, and a brief peace was achieved between the two countries.
However, the peace was short-lived after all. After the Arab Empire gradually regained its strength, after a great victory in a battle in Cilicia, the Muslims reoccupied the entire Armenia.
In addition, Justinian II was deposed, and there were continuous chaos and rebellions within the Byzantine Empire. During this period, some emperors who lacked support and legitimacy appeared. At this time, the Umayyads took the opportunity to consolidate their rule in Armenia and Cilicia, and began to plan another attack on Constantinople.
When the Byzantine general Leo finally seized the throne with Berber support, a large number of Muslim troops, led by the prestigious Yazid and general Maslama bin Abdullah, marched towards the Byzantine capital. go ahead. This army consisted of 120,000 men and 1,800 ships. This was a huge army, much larger than the Byzantine Empire.
Constantinople was surrounded by Muslims from land and sea. The Muslims built a large number of walls around the city in an attempt to isolate Constantinople. But when they attempted to blockade them from the sea, they were repulsed by flowing fire. Because the Arab ships were far away from the city walls, Constantinople's supply lines were relatively smooth. Having to extend the siege into the winter, the besieging Arab armies suffered shocking casualties from the cold and lack of supplies.
In the spring of the next year, the new Alifa Yazid I sent reinforcements. The reinforcements came from Africa and Egypt by sea, and some came from Asia Minor by land. But the sailors on the new Arab ships were mostly Christians, and they began a massive rebellion. The army traveling overland was also ambushed in Bithynia. Starvation and disease raged in the Arab military camps, forcing them to abandon the siege. During the retreat, the Arabs encountered storms and the volcanic eruption of Santorini, causing heavy losses.
With the failed siege of Constantinople, the first wave of Muslim conquests of Christendom came to an end. The border between the two sides along the numerous mountain ranges of Eastern Anatolia has also stabilized. However, military conflicts continued but became increasingly ritualized, and the prospects for the Arabs' complete occupation of the Byzantine Empire were unclear.
During this period, the visits of diplomats from the two countries became frequent and routine, and some mutually beneficial diplomatic results were achieved. In response to the threat from Islam, Leo III began a campaign of iconoclasm.
Although the movement launched by Leo III won the support of some nobles, it made the Byzantine Empire a target of public criticism throughout Europe.
Yezid I seized the opportunity and once again began to conquer the Byzantine Empire. However, just when he was about to succeed, the Tang Empire once again joined the battlefield.
The Tang Empire suddenly joined the battlefield, causing the Arab Empire to face a huge crisis for the first time since its creation. Caliph Yazid I could not begin to re-examine the relationship between the Arab Empire and the Byzantine Empire.
There is no doubt that the Arab Empire and the Byzantine Empire were feuding. They both wanted to become the masters of the world. When the two powers collided, war inevitably broke out.
"But at the critical moment of facing the disaster of destroying the country, the other party is an enemy with deep hatred. At this time, we have to sit down and discuss the way out in the future.
The relationship between countries is always changingIt is unpredictable, but there is a saying that is generally believed by people: there are only eternal interests between countries. Is this sentence wrong? Yes, most of the wars, conflicts, and alliances in world history have verified this sentence.
Although this sentence may sound very uncomfortable, is there only interest between countries?
It is true that the country is ruthless, but the people who make up the country are sentimental. It is too superficial and too superficial to talk about the relationship between countries composed of emotional people and only use the word "interest" to explain them. It's one-sided.
Human emotion is a very strange thing. Sometimes something is good for you, but you just don¡¯t want to do it. As for the reason? That's all kinds of strange things, and it varies from person to person. Maybe a simple feeling made you make this decision, because it feels annoying, so I don't want it. Sometimes it's as simple as that, but once it rises to the national level, you want it. One person's emotions are useless in determining the direction of the country.
Just like now, most Muslims hate the country Byzantium. Some of this hate has penetrated deep into their bones. Sometimes it can be beneficial to unite with Byzantium, but the Muslims are just unwilling. I hate you. It's that simple.
When it comes to how to deal with competitors, everyone has almost the same idea: the winner is the king and the loser is the bandit.
There are only eternal interests, but no permanent friends.
The Byzantine Empire and the Arab Empire are both world powers, and they both want to become the overlord of the world. If they have to create a peaceful rise and a harmonious world, it is simply impossible.
Because there is no trust between them at all.
For example, King Yezid I said to Leo III: Let¡¯s stop preparing our armies and let the soldiers disarm and return to their fields. From now on, we brothers will live together peacefully.
Can you believe Leo III? Do you really think everyone is a fool?
People have never believed what you say, only what you do.
Between countries, true friendship does not exist at all. Because national interests come first, there is no justice or injustice, legitimacy or wrongness in any means. There is absolutely no humility or gentlemanly demeanor. Zhiya, that is not dealing with the relationship between people, that is a game between countries, that is a life and death matter related to the rise and fall of the nation and the country, and there is nothing polite to say.
So after people see some superpower¡¯s performances, they always bang the table at home, throw glasses, and curse them for being extremely shameless, hooligans, etc., while they hold parties at their own homes to celebrate them. His wit and courage after every success, his pride is beyond words. Because they have never thought that their way of dealing with countries is unacceptable.
National interests are paramount, and as long as the purpose is legitimate, the means may be justified.
The country should make a clear distinction between these two relationships. The winner is the king and the loser is the bandit. I don¡¯t care whether this is true or not, but it is indeed an unbreakable fact since ancient times.
"If a person fails, it will have little impact. If a country fails, it will lead to many human tragedies. It is so difficult to revitalize, and how much price has to be paid.
As long as there are countries and nations in this world, there will be games and struggles between them. No matter what form they take, whether they are superficial or invisible, they will always exist. Because in this world, within a certain period of time, the total amount of matter in the world is always limited. If you want to have more matter, there will always be competition and games between each other.
Peace is conditional. If you say you want peace, others will give it to you. If you mess with me, I will beat you without negotiation. What do you want? I want to beat you hard, right? Come on, let's see what happens when the time comes. Who is alive on this earth.
What¡¯s the matter, stop fighting? Want to argue? Then it¡¯s nonsense, who doesn¡¯t have a long mouth?
As for the argument put forward by later dynasties - peaceful rise, this is a typical Confucian concept. Isn't this the new interpretation of Wang Tu in the world? This kind of thinking kills people. The Confucian philosophy basically talks about how to sort out the affairs between people in the country. If it is used between countries, it would be a big mistake.
That¡¯s why it is said that peace is conditional. Just like now, when two countries that have been enemies for generations suddenly find common interests, no matter how big the hatred is, they can be put aside.
When the Tang Dynasty wanted to destroy the Arab Empire, the Muslims naturally did not want to do so. Not only the Muslims, but also the Byzantines also had to think carefully about it.
¡°Once they sit back and watch the Arab Empire be destroyed, they will be completely bordered by the Tang Dynasty. What will happen after the border is reached?
Who can guarantee that Datang will be swallowed up by a whale?After the Arab Empire, they would be satisfied and stop, and their desire for territory would completely disappear.
What if the desires of the Tang Empire are not satisfied?
What will they do next?
The only thing standing on the road ahead of the Tang Dynasty was Byzantium, so it is self-evident what will happen next.
After thinking about this clearly, Leo III could not help but remain silent when facing the envoy sent by Yazid I. He wanted to destroy the Arab Empire and wished that all Muslim pagans in the world would die, but the problem was , the Arab Empire cannot fall into the hands of the Tang Empire.
Once the Arab Empire is destroyed by the Tang Dynasty, the strength of the Tang Empire will be stronger. At that time, the Byzantine Empire will face pressure from the Tang Empire.
And the conditions put forward by Yazid I are indeed tempting. The territory of Syria, good guy, is what he has dreamed of day and night.
The most important thing is that because of conflicts between Egypt, the Byzantine Empire and the Tang Empire, Leo III felt that it was completely unreasonable for the Tang Dynasty to occupy Egypt and refuse to return it to the Byzantine Empire.
He would not think that in the battle for Egypt, the Byzantine Empire did not make any effort at all. He simply felt that the Byzantine Empire was very important to the Tang Empire, and it was natural for the Tang Dynasty to satisfy his desire for Egypt.
The current situation is that the Tang Dynasty does not want to satisfy his desire for Egypt, but the Arab Empire, his enemy for generations, is willing to share Syria with him. Leo III has also reached a fork in his heart.
Helping the Arab Empire block the Tang army in Egypt can be exchanged for most of Syria as revenge, but the danger is also very obvious.
Once the Tang Dynasty finally wins, the betrayal of the Byzantine Empire will immediately arouse the anger of revenge for them. How the Byzantine Empire can resist it and whether they are opponents are all questions.
Of course, Leo III also had another option, which was to send people to get in touch with the Tang army, form an alliance with the Tang army, and launch an attack on the Arab Empire from the west.
The risk factor of this choice is small, and the rewards are high and the profits are large. As long as it succeeds, it may really be able to restore Byzantium's dominance in West Asia.
But what happens after that?
Leo III had to think about this issue. Would the Tang Empire really be willing to let the Byzantine Empire replace the Arab Empire and become the master of Western Asia?
Leo III felt that this possibility was very low.
Just like Egypt, the Tang people would not be willing to give up the vested interests they already had in their hands. Maybe the two sides could achieve peace in a short period of time, but after a period of time, conflicts would inevitably break out between the two big countries, and conflicts would inevitably break out. The point is still the territory.
Leo III's expression was uncertain, and he could not make a decision for a long time. The Arab envoy who was ordered to send the envoy thought about it in his mind and said: "Your Majesty the Emperor! You should be able to see the current situation clearly. The current situation is that Tang Guoqiang Big, while Byzantium and Arabia are weak. Do you think the Emperor of the Tang Dynasty is willing to share this beautiful world with you? It is definitely impossible. I heard that the Byzantine emperor before you stated in the credentials given to the Emperor of the Tang Dynasty. It goes without saying that you cannot call yourself emperor, but change your name to king. In the eyes of the Tang people, even Byzantium, which was powerful and had a very long history, was still a barbarian. If the Arab Empire was really destined to perish, I think the Tang people The front of the army will soon fall on you and your country. This is something I don¡¯t want to see. And the most important thing is that the Tang people are aggressive. They have already occupied Egypt. If they rob West Asia again, The entire Byzantine Empire will be under siege by the Tang Dynasty, and by then, I wonder if you will still be able to compete with them?"
It has to be said that the words of this messenger directly touched the heart of Leo III. He hesitated. He had to hesitate. What the messenger said was exactly what he was worried about.
After continuous wars, the Byzantine Empire has undisputedly declined. Not to mention competing with the Tang Empire for world dominance, even the Arab Empire can firmly suppress them and prevent them from exerting their influence.
"If I agree to Yazid's request, what can you give me in return? Half of Syria is not enough."
When he said this, Leo III had actually made a decision in his heart. He was now fighting for greater interests for Byzantium.
The Arab envoy said: "Of course, for your help, the noble Caliph will reward you with a greater price. If the Tang Dynasty can be defeated, the Caliph is willing to return the province of Egypt to you."
The province of Egypt!
Although Syria is rich, it has little influence on Byzantium.??Egypt is undoubtedly more important. Egypt was the granary of the entire Byzantine Empire. It was precisely because of the fall of Egypt and the hands of the Arabs that the Byzantine Empire declined so quickly.
"Are you telling the truth!?"
Before the envoy could speak, Pienaar suddenly stood up and said urgently: "Your Majesty the Emperor! You cannot agree to these Muslim pagans. They want to drag the great Byzantine Empire into the abyss."
Pienaar was previously ordered to send an envoy to the Tang camp, but without success. Xue Rengui, who had already cleared Egypt, seemed not very interested in attacking westward and helping the Byzantines contain the Arabs, and only agreed to send a small number of troops to feign an attack.
Leo III was obviously very dissatisfied with this result, but when Pienaar came back, he did not make things difficult for him again. Although he was not willing to reuse him, he also left a place for him in the country.
At this moment, seeing Pienaar jumping out to object, Leo III immediately frowned and said: "Duke Pienaar, I am discussing important matters with our guests now. It is very impolite to interrupt others. You As a noble, do you think this is appropriate?"
Pienaar could not care about this and shouted anxiously: "Your Majesty the Emperor, this Muslim heretic is definitely not a friend. He is a poisonous snake. If you listen to him, the entire Byzantine Empire will suffer immeasurable destruction." disaster!"
Leo III was about to rebuke, but Agostino stood up and said: "Your Majesty the Emperor, you should listen to Duke Pinar's opinion. He knows the Tang Dynasty very well, and he may have unique suggestions. !¡±
Leo III took a breath and said: "Okay! Duke Pinar, you can say it, but I don't want to hear those arguments that always sing praises for the Tang people."
Pienaar's heart sank, but he still said: "Your Majesty the Emperor! Byzantium is no longer the original Byzantine Empire. It hurts to say this, but this is the fact. The Byzantine Empire has declined. If we want to survive If we want to survive and eventually achieve revival, we must find a strong foreign aid to help us, and the Tang Empire is obviously the most suitable."
Leo III snorted coldly and said: "Duke Pinar, you'd better get to the point now. I don't want to hear such demoralizing clich¨¦s!"
Leo III¡¯s words made Pienaar feel depressed. Once upon a time, he was the most powerful person in the Byzantine Empire, but now he had to accept the endless teasing of this person whom he once looked down upon.
Sometimes, Pienaar really wanted to leave, but he couldn't worry about his motherland and could only endure it silently: "Your Majesty the Emperor! If we agree to the request of these Muslim pagans, we will definitely anger the Tang people. I know the coach of the Tang Dynasty very well this time. He is a scheming snake who is determined to exact revenge. The most terrifying thing is that he is an invincible commander. He killed Ibrahim Mohammed's million-strong army. The entire army must be destroyed. I don¡¯t think Yezid I will have a chance to win this time. Once we help these heretics, it will be tantamount to betraying our friends. What should we do if the Tang army comes to kill them in anger? ?Does the Byzantine Empire now have any hope of victory?"
"Shut up!" Leo III was finally annoyed. He was a man who thought very highly of himself. How could he tolerate his ministers having other people's ambitions in front of him and destroying his own prestige, "Pinar! You'd better shut up now. I'm tired of your tone. Sometimes, I really doubt whether you are my subject or loyal to the emperor of the Tang Dynasty. The Tang Dynasty stole Byzantine Egypt from me. If they really regarded us as allies, why didn't they return it? !¡±
Although Leo III was angry, he also knew that what Pienaar said had some truth, but the key issue was that even if the three countries maintained the status quo, it was not acceptable to the Byzantine Empire.
The Tang Empire has occupied the province of Egypt and has unimpeded access to the Mediterranean. However, the Mediterranean is the lifeblood of the Byzantine Empire. How can we allow others to interfere with our own back garden?
"Pinar! I think you are no longer suitable to stay in Byzantium. Leave! I can forgive your rudeness. Considering the contribution you have made to the empire, you go! Go where you want to go. place, and I want to fight side by side with those real warriors who are willing to fight for the empire, and restore the glory of the Byzantine Empire during the time of Emperor Constantine!"
When Pienaar heard this, he was stunned. He could not imagine that he was treated as a traitor when he spoke for the future of the motherland.
The reason why he did not suggest that Byzantium offend the Tang Dynasty was entirely because he had been to the Tang Dynasty and knew the strength of the Tang Dynasty very well. In the past, he also felt that Byzantium was the most powerful country in the world, although for a while Subject to the Arab Empire, but that's not?It was just Byzantium that took a nap.
"But after seeing the Tang Dynasty, he understood what true power meant. Compared with the Tang Dynasty, the Byzantine Empire was just a poor thing, and it was really not worth mentioning.
What shocked him the most was the strength of the Tang army. The powerful combat effectiveness displayed by the Tang army in Egypt alone was enough to make him feel inferior.
When the Byzantine Empire challenged the Tang Empire, he felt that there was no chance of winning. Even if they united with the Arabs, it would be difficult to match them, not to mention that this time they had to face the Tang Dynasty warriors led by Du Rui.
In Pienaar's eyes, Du Rui is a wise man, a commander full of infinite charm. He has the ability to make anyone sacrifice their life for him. When he is with Du Rui, Pienaar actually feels unspeakable. Inferiority comes from the heart.
Now that Leo III is arrogantly going to challenge Du Rui, Pienaar is not only shocked, but also full of despair.
"Your Majesty the Emperor! The wrong decision you made will plunge Byzantium into a disaster! God! The whole of Europe will fall into endless darkness because of your stupidity!"
When Leo III saw that Pienaar actually dared to speak rudely, he immediately became angry and said: "Duke Pienaar, I think the most suitable place for you to go now is the water prison. Maybe somewhere you can clear your head. When I return, I will let people tell you the news of victory, and then you will know who is the real fool!"
Soldiers outside the palace swarmed in and tied up Pienaar. Pienaar did not struggle, but looked at Leo III and the Byzantine nobles with sadness in his eyes. After a long time, he said: "I can see Come, I will see the day when Byzantium falls, Constantinople will fall into a sea of ??fire, all the houses and churches will collapse in an instant, and you, my king, you will also Because of your stupidity, you will pay the price with your life!"
"Pull out! Pull out!" Leo III's face turned red with anger, waving his arms, asking the guards to take Pienaar out.
The Arab envoy had been watching with cold eyes. Seeing Pinar being suppressed, he said helplessly: "Your Majesty, I really regret that the goodwill expressed by the Caliph was misunderstood in this way, but it is worth celebrating. What is true is that you are wise, and your wisdom will make Byzantium stronger, and in the future, there will be true peace between Byzantium and Arabia because of your wisdom!"
Although the words sounded nice, Leo III was not a naive person. He would not naively think that Yazid I had really become a defender of peace. The reason why he chose to stand with the Arabs was actually entirely for his own sake. Save.
And he didn¡¯t even want to have a direct conflict with the Tang army. All he had to do was wait and see what happened. He hoped that the Arabs would win, but he didn¡¯t want the Arabs to win too easily.
"I have made a promise, and now it is your turn to give up the land I deserve. I guarantee that no Tang people will pass through my land, and you can concentrate on dealing with those who come from afar. Tang Jun!"
Whether the decision made by Leo III was right or wrong cannot be judged at the moment. At least people should not blame him. However, what will happen in the future and whether Pienaar's prediction can be realized depends on the development of things in the future. - Didn't finish reading? Add this book to your favoritesI'm a member and bookmarked this chapterCopy the address of this book and recommend it to your friends for pointsChapter error? Click here to report
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