The collapse of a defensive line can always trigger enormous repercussions, and this time Constantinople was no exception.
After the Crusaders broke into the city, the Ottoman defenders still remaining near the city walls were in for a disaster.
They had originally intended to retreat into the city, following in the footsteps of Prince Bayezid, but the Crusaders, having suffered immense losses in many days of bloody fighting, would not give them that chance.
The Ottoman defenders, tightly pursued by the attacking force, were soon encircled and trapped by Crusader units far outnumbering them, ultimately falling into a desperate situation.
Inside Theodosian Walls, Laszlo was personally leading his troops along the main road into Constantinople.
During this time, good news came from all directions.
The Golden Gate in the south fell, and the Palace of Blachernae in the north was also captured by the Hungarian army. The Ottoman defenders who had held out for a long time in the northwest corner of Constantinople were surrounded by armies from outside the city and those who had broken through the sea walls. Of several thousand men, only a small portion managed to escape; the rest either died in battle or surrendered and became captives.
Muslim captives were still quite valuable to Laszlo at this stage, which is why he ordered all Crusader units to accept the surrender of the fleeing Ottomans.
However, the days of these captives after their capture would likely not be easy.
The war of the past few months had already inflamed both sides, and this anger needed an outlet. One way to vent anger was to kill enemies on the battlefield; another was to take it out on these captives.
Even the private execution of surrendering soldiers was common, and Laszlo could only turn a blind eye to it. He could understand the hatred his soldiers felt for the Ottomans; even he harbored resentment towards the Ottomans.
However, he still retained some rationality, and therefore did not order all captives to be executed.
These muslims were valuable laborers. Whether they were transported back to Hungary as compensation for nobles or distributed as part of the spoils of war to the participants of this conflict, they were excellent choices.
Laszlo had already anticipated the collapse of the Ottoman defenders when the Crusaders breached the inner wall, but now a new problem was troubling him.
"Your Majesty, the village ahead has sent an elder to negotiate with our vanguard. They claim they are willing to submit to you and express their allegiance, hoping to be spared from plunder."
A messenger, galloping back from the front of the army, brought this news to Laszlo.
Since Theodosian Walls were breached, Laszlo had led his troops to continuously advance along the main streets of the city.
Although he had previously boosted the army's morale by allowing three days of plunder, he was unwilling to take over a Constantinople that had been completely reduced to ruins.
Therefore, he took his trusted troops ahead, intending to preemptively occupy and protect some important locations to prevent the entire Constantinople from being utterly destroyed by the Crusaders who would soon pour into it.
And after crossing Theodosian Walls, the Crusader warriors finally realized that the rumors they had heard for years about Constantinople's complete decay were indeed true.
Behind Theodosian Walls, there was no prosperous city as they had imagined. What lay before them were dilapidated streets, villages protected by solid walls, and large fields interspersed between the villages.
If it weren't for the towering, sturdy wall behind them that had held them back for months, the Crusader soldiers probably would never have believed that they were already inside Constantinople.
The reason for this scene probably dates back to the Crusade of 1204. Ever since the Crusaders broke through Constantinople, the city and the Eastern Roman Empire never recovered. Dilapidation and disrepair were the first impressions most travelers had of Constantinople.
Although the de-urbanization of Constantinople caused large areas near Theodosian Walls to revert from urban to rural, a significant portion of Constantinople's population gathered there instead.
At the time of the Eastern Roman Empire's destruction, they unhesitatingly chose to submit to the Sultan, thus preserving their lives, property, and faith.
Now, the Ottomans were about to be driven away by the Crusaders from afar, and the prominent figures in these villages, to protect their wealth and status, quickly declared their loyalty to Emperor Laszlo once again.
"Hmm, I know that most of the people living in those villages are Orthodox Christians. Although there are some subtle differences in faith between us, they are ultimately a group who believe in God.
To list them as targets for plunder would go against the original intention of the holy war. If they are truly willing to surrender..."
Laszlo could understand what these people were doing. If given a choice, who would want to be a fence-sitter, at the mercy of others?
To survive, these residents of Constantinople could be said to have resorted to all means, after all, they lived in such a turbulent era.
"Your Majesty, why don't we seize this opportunity to mend these religious differences? You should be well aware of the promises made by the Eastern Roman Emperor at the Grand Duke Conference in Florence.
Although it's twenty years late to speak of it now, if you can turn the consensus reached back then into reality, the significance of this holy war will be even greater."
The Cardinal accompanying Laszlo seized the opportunity to persuade him.
Laszlo, of course, knew what Francesco was referring to.
To seek aid from Western countries, the Eastern Roman Emperor even personally traveled to Northern Italy to participate in the Grand Duke Conference organized by the Roman Curia. At the meeting, although both sides debated fiercely over a few annotations in the scriptures, neither could convince the other. However, the Eastern Roman Emperor ultimately signed an agreement to accept the Roman Curia's proposal to mend the Great Schism between the Eastern and Western Churches.
Whether it was John VIII or Constantine XI, they were both politicians and strategists, so all their actions were very pragmatic and interest-driven.
At that time, the Roman Curia was the only power that could potentially organize a powerful Crusade to save the Eastern Roman Empire. For this, the Eastern Roman Emperors even made compromises and concessions to the Roman Curia, thereby facilitating the reconciliation of the Eastern and Western Churches, solely to obtain an army to rescue them from their plight.
Unfortunately, their intentions were good, but they could not be understood by either side.
The citizens of Constantinople strongly opposed the church merger, claiming the Emperor had sold their souls. Some even named their dogs 'Pope of Rome'.
The Western nations, meanwhile, were busy fighting each other. The Hundred Years' War had not yet ended, and the Hussite had not been dealt with. At that time, no one was willing to help the Roman Empire, which was far away in the East.
Later, the citizens of Constantinople welcomed the Sultan's iron hooves and eventually sold their souls to the Ottoman Empire, starting a new life under the crescent moon flag.
The Western nations finally ended their long period of chaos and returned to a relatively stable state of order. At this point, they also realized the enormous threat posed by the Ottomans who had destroyed the Eastern Roman Empire.
To this end, two successive large-scale Crusades were organized, the purpose of which was to fundamentally crush the ambition of the Ottoman Sultan.
And for those Orthodox Christians who submitted to infidel rulers, whether they could still be defined as Christians was a big question mark.
If the merger of the Eastern and Western Churches was selling their souls to them, then was submitting to the Sultan not selling their souls?
Laszlo had originally intended to liberate the God-fearing citizens of Constantinople as a Christian liberator, but considering their past actions, his attitude had shifted somewhat.
If he hadn't entered the city with a large Crusade, these residents probably wouldn't have thought of submitting to him, nor would they have shown more respect due to the similarity of their faiths.
"Francesco, you are right. I will entrust you to personally go and present my demands to them. If they refuse, then I will not provide any protection, and when the follow-up troops arrive, their fate will be left to God's judgment."
Laszlo quickly made his decision.
"I would be delighted to serve you, Your Majesty."
The Cardinal responded with delight.
These were great achievements! Participating in organizing the Hungarian Crusade, accompanying the Emperor to conquer Constantinople, and now implementing the resolution of the Grand Duke Conference in Florence to heal the Great Schism of the Church. This expedition, though somewhat difficult for him, was nothing compared to the rewards.
It was evident that the Emperor also held higher expectations for him, which made Francesco's mood even more pleasant.
Perhaps, he might even have a chance to reach that sublime and holy position. If that day ever came, he would not forget the Emperor's support.
Francesco quickly went with the messenger to the target village, while Laszlo led the main army slowly advancing behind. Laszlo dispatched troops to garrison important locations along the way, such as churches, hospitals, and squares.
As for the mosques and Muslim communities, Laszlo left them to the subsequent troops entering the city.
He could not completely restrict the plunder by the Crusader warriors, because that would violate the promises he had made in the past.
However, protecting the Christians within the city from harm was still easy for him; he had ample and legitimate reasons to do so.
Even after he decided to force Greek Orthodox believers to convert to Roman Catholicism, there would be a very clear distinction as to which Christians could be plundered and which could not.
Soon, Francesco returned to Laszlo with the results of the negotiations.
It came as no surprise to Laszlo that the citizens of Constantinople, who had once loudly proclaimed that submitting to the Roman Curia was selling their souls, now, facing the powerful deterrence of the Crusaders, unhesitatingly chose to sell their souls again, abandoning their steadfast Orthodox faith and converting to the Western Church.
Actually, in Laszlo's view, the differences between the Eastern and Western Churches were not significant, at most a few interpretations of scripture plus differences in religious rituals. But for people of this era, faith was something very holy, so this was probably a "difficult" decision.
Since these villagers quickly made a wise decision, a small contingent of Austrian troops was left to protect them, and the Emperor's eagle banner was planted on the village walls.
When the Emperor led his army along the main road past the village, the villagers presented him with some gifts, including various agricultural products and a sum of money, as ransom for the entire village.
If it weren't for the fact that winter had already set in, they would probably have gathered a large bouquet of fresh flowers to present to the Emperor, congratulating him on his great victory.
Laszlo gladly accepted these valuables and distributed all of them to the soldiers who followed him.
The troops dispatched by the Emperor and the envoys responsible for negotiations soon visited almost all the villages and towns near Theodosian Walls. Between adhering to their faith and facing death, and changing their faith and continuing to live, their choices were astonishingly consistent.
Thus, the eagle banner rose in more villages and towns. When the subsequent Crusader forces arrived and heard that the residents of these villages and towns were fellow believers with the same faith, now protected by the Emperor, they felt some regret but quickly ceased to dwell on it.
After all, what money could farmers in the suburbs have? The wealthy ones were all in the city districts closer to the sea; that was where they could get rich.
The Hungarian Crusader warriors would probably question this.
They hadn't found a single thing in the old Eastern Roman imperial palace, the Palace of Blachernae; the legendary gold and silver treasures truly only existed in legends.
Although the palaces and churches converted into mosques looked quite luxurious, they were unfortunately just for show; all the truly valuable items had long been plundered by the Ottomans—at least, that's what they believed.
In reality, the treasures in the Palace of Blachernae had already been plundered by the Crusaders during the Fourth Crusade, and the Ottomans didn't get much either.
Ultimately, expecting a dying Eastern Roman Empire to be very wealthy was actually quite counter-intuitive.
And now, a large amount of wealth in Constantinople had already been transferred to Bursa with Mehmed II, so what truly valuable things were left for them to plunder?
This was the reality, but most people were unwilling to admit it.
They then set their sights on the Hagia Sophia and the Eastern Roman Imperial Palace, deep within Constantinople.
Currently, the last Ottoman defenders were still stationed in those places, preparing for a final desperate struggle.
Laszlo, understanding this situation, then led his troops to Augusta Square, not far from which stood the Hagia Sophia, which had been converted into a mosque.
Subsequent troops also advanced in a fan-shaped formation, gradually tightening the encirclement, eliminating any possibility of stragglers and capturing all the fleeing Ottomans.
Finally, large numbers of Crusader troops gathered outside the ancient Byzantine city walls, preparing for the final battle.
In the gradually chilling winter, the smoke of war continued to spread over Constantinople.
Facing the Crusaders' fierce assault after their assembly, the Ottoman defenders' dying struggle was utterly meaningless.
The battle concluded within a few short hours, and with the fall of the Hagia Sophia and the Eastern Roman imperial palace, the core urban area of Constantinople plunged into chaos.
The soldiers began to loot the city at will, as the Emperor had promised, and with the exception of a few protected special buildings, most of the city's valuables were plundered.
All non-Christians were enslaved, and all their property was confiscated.
Soldiers could be seen everywhere on the streets, holding ropes to which many muslims were tied, these being their captured spoils of war.
In the Fener district of Constantinople, the millet community, composed of Christians living in the Ottoman Empire, was one of the few areas that had not suffered extensive looting.
The residents here, like those living within the walls near the Theodosian Walls, quickly pledged allegiance to the Emperor and were thus granted protection by the Imperial Army.
When Laszlo led his army through this district, the people, who had kept their doors and windows shut, also came out into the streets to thank the Emperor for his protection.
Laszlo had heard from the most reputable people in this community that half of the residents living here had been enslaved and even cruelly treated when the Ottomans breached Constantinople.
Later, their fellow countrymen who remained free ransomed them, allowing them to continue living in Constantinople.
Other citizens who were enslaved were taken to the East and are now unaccounted for.
Precisely because of such a painful experience, they quickly thought of using their Christian identity to beg the Emperor for mercy, just as the residents near the city walls had done.
This method indeed worked; the Emperor's army was now protecting them from the Crusaders, and these "sensible" Greeks also raised some money to reward the Emperor's army, as if paying a protection fee.
After experiencing the feeling of "the people sincerely welcoming him," Laszlo led his army directly to the Hagia Sophia, which had been converted into a mosque.
Just outside the cathedral's entrance, from Laszlo's simple aesthetic perspective, the mosque was quite beautiful, but it still needed to be restored to its original form.
Since Emperor Justinian ordered the construction of this church, it had endured nine hundred years of trials and tribulations, witnessing countless dramatic historical scenes.
Many Eastern Roman Emperors were crowned here, and in almost countless riots, the church provided refuge for the Emperor and the Patriarch.
Earthquakes had repeatedly damaged this magnificent structure.
The church's imposing portico had witnessed papal envoys rushing in with bulls of excommunication, publicly announcing the excommunication of the Patriarch.
During the Fourth Crusade, savage Frankish knights mercilessly plundered the place.
As chroniclers wrote, at the moment the Ottoman Empire chopped down the doors of the Hagia Sophia, the Eastern Roman Empire breathed its last.
However, no one expected that more than a decade after its fall, the combined forces of Christendom would once again breach Constantinople and reclaim this magnificent church.
Laszlo slowly walked in, surrounded by his guards, only to find that the scene inside seemed no different from the square outside.
Large numbers of muslims hid in the church, hoping that Allah would protect them at the last moment, but their prayers evidently had no effect.
After Laszlo's most elite Imperial Guard broke open the doors of the Hagia Sophia mosque, they quickly dismantled the defenders' resistance, captured all the muslims hiding inside, and began to separate the crowd according to their market value.
The Imperial Guard soldiers searched every corner here, making sure these muslims hadn't hidden any gunpowder, flammable materials, or similar items, lest these insidious and cunning infidels intended to go down in a blaze of glory.
This was something Laszlo had specifically instructed, though he knew that muslims who believed in Allah in this era had not yet so deeply linked humans with the art of explosion, it was still necessary to be prepared for anything.
After all, during the siege of Prague, Laszlo had witnessed fanatical Hussites detonating gunpowder to destroy a church, perishing with the Imperial Army that had stormed into it.
Fortunately, this mosque was massive and did not appear easy to destroy, and the muslims hiding inside had not conceived of such dangerous ideas.
Upon the Emperor's arrival, the soldiers who had gathered in the central hall of the church were ordered to take their captives to the grand courtyard outside the main entrance, leaving the space for the Emperor and his accompanying dignitaries.
Laszlo and the others looked up, and what met their eyes was the famous massive dome, on which many exquisite Eastern Roman-style frescoes were preserved.
Originally, there should have been lavish decorations here, but unfortunately, three sieges over several centuries had left the church in a state of ruin and decay.
The newest addition to the entire complex was probably the minaret at the church's entrance, ordered built by Mehmed II, but sadly, that tower would also soon be destroyed.
While everyone was touring, Imperial Guard commander Ester, with a few soldiers, brought a disheveled young man before Laszlo.
"Your Majesty, this is Bayezid, the eldest son of the Ottoman Sultan. He led the army in the final resistance here, but he was still captured by us."
Ester puffed out his chest, his face full of pride.
As a Hungarian from Transylvania, his position as the Emperor's Imperial Guard commander often drew criticism.
However, this time, he could finally use his military achievements to silence those who were jealous.
Whether as a Hungarian or as a general trusted by the Emperor, capturing the Ottoman Empire's prince was a great honor for him.
"You did well, Ester, you have not betrayed my trust."
Laszlo did not stint his praise.
He then turned to look at the young man before him, who clearly had Eastern features.
Prince Bayezid was exactly twenty years old, eight years younger than Laszlo, but he appeared mature and steady enough at present.
Even when facing the Emperor and a host of Crusade commanders, his expression remained unchanged, unwilling to show the slightest weakness.
Earlier, he had learned from the routed soldiers who had fled from the front lines that his adjutant, Vizier Ja'far Pasha, had died fighting the Hungarian army, which had initially caused him panic.
Bayezid even considered crossing the strait by ship to escape back to the Ottoman Empire, but unfortunately, the ports had already been captured by the Crusader Fleet, and now, even if he wanted to escape, there were no ships available to him.
Ultimately, Bayezid, in despair, chose to calmly accept his fate, leading his troops to fight until the very last moment.
Seeing him adopt this posture, ready for a heroic sacrifice at any moment, Laszlo had not yet spoken when Ester couldn't hold back.
"Son of the Sultan, you are now merely a prisoner. Upon seeing the Emperor, you must show due respect."
He gave a look to a soldier nearby, and immediately two men stepped forward, grabbing Bayezid's shoulders, intending to force him to kneel before the Emperor.
Laszlo raised his hand to stop their actions.
"Enough. I do not need to humiliate my enemies to assert my own glory. He is a worthy opponent, and a very valuable captive.
I imagine Mehmed II would be very willing to pay a large sum for his ransom.
Take him away and imprison him, but remember to treat him well. I do not want to hear any bad rumors."
"Yes, Your Majesty."
Bayezid was led away, and whether it was an illusion or not, Laszlo seemed to see a clear look of disappointment on the face of someone in the crowd accompanying him.
He looked again and realized it was Prince Vlad, the Prince Vlad of Wallachia. He probably wanted Bayezid to experience impalement, and now that his wish was unfulfilled, he felt regret.
It made sense; as someone who grew up in the Sultan's court with Mehmed II, Vlad and Mehmed eventually became sworn enemies for various reasons. It was understandable that Vlad would have certain thoughts about Mehmed's son now.
However, Laszlo could not agree to any of his dangerous ideas; Laszlo was still counting on Bayezid to bring him a large ransom.
As long as the money was in hand, even if impoverished Constantinople could not satisfy the Crusaders' desires, he could still reward the brave warriors who had fought for months.
After leaving the Hagia Sophia, Laszlo then proceeded to the holy imperial palace where the Eastern Roman Emperors resided, also known as the Great Palace of Constantinople.
To Laszlo's surprise, the place was already in complete disrepair.
Even though he had not restricted soldiers from entering and looting the area, it was still empty and deserted.
The accompanying kings, nobles, and other allies were also greatly disappointed; all they saw were empty halls and pavilions, most of which were already damaged.
During the Fourth Crusade, after the Crusaders captured Constantinople, the palace was looted.
The subsequent Latin Empire, although still using the Great Palace, severely lacked funds for maintenance. The last Latin Emperor, Baldwin II, even dismantled and sold the palace roof.
After Michael VIII recaptured Constantinople, due to the extremely poor condition of the Great Palace, the palace was abandoned, and the imperial family moved to the Palace of Blachernae.
The Ottomans, during the reconstruction of Constantinople, also paid little attention to this long-abandoned palace, even demolishing some of its buildings, further exacerbating the palace's damage.
From this palace, it could actually be seen that the city had never truly recovered from the destruction of the Fourth Crusade and decades of mismanagement by the Latins.
Although the city partially recovered in the early stages after its reconstruction under the Palaiologos dynasty, with the arrival of the Ottoman Empire and the subsequent loss of imperial territories, Constantinople, like the fate of the Eastern Roman Empire, continued to decline.
When it was once again breached by the Crusaders, this "City Desired by the World" in Arab mouths, the "Red Apple" in Ottoman mouths, and the "Queen of Cities" in European mouths, had long since ceased to be worthy of these evocative titles.
And among Laszlo's many upcoming goals, one was to restore Constantinople to its former glory, to once again become the great city that people from two worlds yearned for.
As Laszlo walked through the empty halls of the imperial palace, the long-unseen panel appeared before his eyes.
Event: The Scourge of Europe
The Ottoman threat has steadily expanded over the past century, casting the shadow of infidels over almost half of Christendom.
This ultimately provoked a united resistance from European nations. After a long and arduous struggle, employing both diplomacy and warfare, the Emperor finally fulfilled a wish.
The Ottomans in the East will no longer be able to plague Europe.
With the liberation of the Balkans, the Turks have been driven back to Asia. Many see this as the dawn of a new era, a century where the land of Christ will be free from muslim invaders is about to begin.
Option One: We are finally free from the threat.
The Crusade will stop here. Hereafter, by diligently managing Constantinople, the Ottoman threat can be kept out of Europe.
Gain Modifier (True Catholic Bulwark): Gain a large amount of prestige, increased Papal influence, increased missionary strength, increased Imperial authority.
Option Two: In the name of God, Crusade!
Although Constantinople has been restored, the Ottomans still occupy vast lands in Asia Minor. If they can be decisively defeated while they are weak, the Empire's East will be free from threat.
Gain Modifier (Decisive Defeat of the Ottomans): Greatly increased diplomatic reputation, increased missionary strength, improved diplomatic relations with Crusader nations, and also gain Modifier (True Catholic Bulwark).
Laszlo slowed his pace and began to consider seriously.
Option One was conservative, Option Two was aggressive, and there was a clear progression between the two.
Although he had doubts about the description of the second option, as it was still too difficult to completely conquer the Ottoman Empire with the current strength of the Crusaders, the idea of continuing the Crusade did align with his expectations.
The Crusade had been ongoing for 8 months now, and it had achieved its stated goal. However, if they stopped now, Laszlo would have to face the Ottoman counterattack alone in the future.
Rather than nurturing a tiger for future trouble, it was better to rally the remaining strength of the Crusaders and fight another decisive battle.
He quickly chose the second option, then turned his gaze to his followers.
Princes from Italy, the Empire, the King of Naples, the Prince of Portugal, and the generals and monarchs of the Balkan vassal states—they were all still immersed in the joy of victory, unaware that the Emperor was already planning how to draw them into a grand campaign in the East.
Several days passed in a flash, and the news of Constantinople's renewed fall spread like wildfire with merchant ships sailing to various destinations, reaching the ears of all forces concerned with this war.