Eagle Byzantium

Then Anna signed several decrees in one go:

She separated Smyrna and Ephesus from the area on the pretext of imitating the system of 200 years ago, and combined them with Chios, Lesbos and Samos into a special "Samos County", and made herself the county governor, firmly grasping this important place of trade and finance. All tax revenues from local commercial ports, cities and villages, as well as the monopoly income of alum, frankincense and myrrh, were directly attributed to Anna and Gawain's "Palace Treasury" (parallel and independent with the national treasury). Then, Lydia, Thrace and South Opsikine were combined into a "Great Frontier District", and the newly conquered Brennus was appointed as the chief as a gesture of favor.

Although Anna did not completely annex and incorporate the 7,000-strong army in the "Lydian Frontier" under Brennus, but preserved the original structure and gave it the number of the border army, Anna still divided it into two: 4,000 people continued to be stationed in the city of Philadelphia, serving as the second-line vassal army of the State of Tarsus; and the leadership of the other 3,000 people was handed over to the newly meritorious Pronian knights Becus and Acropolites, who were stationed in the "Samos County" where the city of Smyrna was located, relying on the sea route to "follow my instructions and comprehensively carry out the military operation of eliminating the party and strongholds of the false emperor (now Anna's name for John) in Respos, Samos and the islands of Chios."

In order to appease people's hearts and avoid fierce resistance (after all, there are 1.5 million people here, and Anna and Gawain lack enough service bureaucrats and tax collectors to manage), Anna was not in a hurry to introduce the "holy beneficiary system" and "conversion hall system" in the Lydian border area, and generally recognized the rights of the old Pronian landlords, as long as they contracted the annual tax revenue of 100,000 Byzantine gold coins and paid it to Tarsus on time.

Anna's slogan was "You will still pay taxes, continue to serve in the military, and keep the warm system unchanged for 50 years."

Anna also announced at the port of Smyrna that from now on, as always, "sea and land pirates will be banned", which was also the reason why she ordered the killing of all the Calegos party, because this group of people "are lawless and have been looting and destroying villages and towns inland"; and now Anna has set her sights on the ocean, especially the routes from Crete, Rhodes to Cyprus, and will never tolerate any behavior that obstructs the shipping routes and robs people as slaves. Her target is the remnants of the pirates under Zahas and Asasidus entrenched in Rhodes, so "Amalfi and Gerard each sent out three large galleys, Pisa sent out four, and together with the commander of the Navy Grand Count Andreev of the Naval Fortress District , and do our best to suppress the pirates of Rhodes Island." "After that, the port cities of each island will implement chambers of commerce and citizen autonomy, and all maritime disputes will be submitted to the High Court of Tarsus for trial, and arbitration will be made in accordance with the Rhodes Code." "One tenth of the rent, taxes and tariffs paid by the Italian city-states that come to trade, and the islands and coastal cities that will soon be under our control, must be used to manufacture and repair escort patrol ships. From now on, all sea merchant fleets will have escort forces to prevent pirate attacks. "

In order to handle affairs nearby and train professional bureaucrats to digest the territory, Anna also planned to build a Greek law school in Smyrna and a She also wrote a letter to the manor where the little sunfish was resting, "Once the island of Lesbos is completely conquered by our army, three-fifths of the land on the island will be transferred to the Plani family, and you will be allowed to build an academy of sciences here to fulfill Gawain's promise to you." After signing these documents one by one, Anna immediately announced, "This is the happiest and richest city, Smyrna! Miletus and Ephesus once competed with it for the blue arch sea in front of it, but the latter two did not receive God's favor. Their shallow ports were all silted up by sand over time. Only the bay of Smyrna is still so deep and steep, with ships shuttling back and forth. So now, as the capital of the Samoest County, it will be more glorious because of my arrival and stay - I will give the residents of this city the same glory as the city of Tarsus. Here, not only will a prosperous law school be built, but also a large bath and a bullfighting arena will be built. In ten years, Smyrna will have a population of 50,000 or more! "

The building materials of the three, wood comes from the Phrygian Mountains, marble from Afyon, lime from Marash, iron components from Tranzac, brocade from the workshop of Lady Kaleadiou, tapestry from the Pauline Synagogue of Melitene Sebastian, and craftsmen are recruited from Lydia, Attalia, and Seleucia. Of course, before these procedures were actually implemented, Anna, the little tyrant, took the lead in building the "royal box" exclusively for her and Gawain in front of the selected bullfighting arena construction site.

It is said that when the news reached Tarsus, thousands of citizens were very depressed. They all said that Caesar would stay in Smyrna soon and even move the capital there. As for Tarsus, she was about to forget it.

The "Royal Box" was completed very quickly. It was originally converted from a monastery, with beautiful corridors and gardens added, waterways and kitchens also renovated, with independent washrooms and small baths. Sitting on the semi-terrace with a roof, you can overlook the entire bullfighting arena - what a female Caesar who knows how to enjoy herself.

"I will stay here with Helena and Christopher until winter before going back."

When the representatives sent by the indigenous nobles of Crete crossed the sea to Smyrna and bowed in front of Anna, this beautiful and elegant little tyrant and queen was lying lazily on the third floor of the royal box. On the long couch, the legs are covered with bright gold, and the top is filled with Persian fabric cushions of various colors and patterns. A silk curtain flutters in the wind hangs on the top of the narrow window. Anna wore a bright scarlet robe, with a slightly raised gold belt that stretched her delicate little breasts, like two small apples protruding eye-catchingly. Her snow-white feet were exposed, and were tied up in her jet-black bun. Purple tortoise shell, the brows and eyes are full of intellectual domineering.

All public opinion representatives suddenly felt awe, and they hurriedly saluted and submitted documents.

"You are ready to surrender to Gawain and me, and to carry out an uprising in Crete to overthrow the rule of the false emperor." Anna read, and then a flash of light flashed in her eyes, "This is good, I have experienced your loyalty and enthusiasm. Arrived. But - this may lead to interference from outside forces, and our fleet is beyond our reach. Yes, I am referring to the Venetians. "

"So I hope His Highness the Patron can give us the support of a brigade, so that we can definitely withstand any external criticism." The leading representative was very confident.