"Your Majesty...... Is that really okay? ”

Jeffrey was on crutches and followed John all the way to Port Yavel. He had thought that he was the most daring and radical of the upper echelons of the Empire.

It wasn't until the New Roman phalanx was basically formed that John suddenly proposed to go with the caravan to the Mamluk Sultanate. As a dynasty that dominated Egypt and encompassed most of North Africa, especially the two patriarchates of Alexandria and Antioch, John felt that it was necessary to organize "diplomatic relations" with the Mamluks.

"The peak of the Mamluks came to an end a hundred years ago, and the Mamluks today are just empty lands and financially strapped husks." John took Sophia and Evelet aboard the ship bound for Mamluk.

"Rest assured, Geoffrey, the current power of the Mamluks is not stable, the military officers and vassals are usurping land and taxes, and the nominal sultan has no real power. When we followed the merchant ships to Egypt, we simply familiarized ourselves with the current situation in the Mamluks, and we did not necessarily sign any treaties...... Of course, if we can establish a trade line between spices and silks, that would be the best outcome. ”

"But we're scheduled to ...... with the Ottomans at the end of the year."

"Don't worry, there's still more than half a year to go. I'm a little tired of seeing the mountains and green trees in Epirus, so I took this opportunity to see what the ship of the sand sea looked like. ”

The attendants were small in number, with no more than twenty servants, except for the customary secular knightly guards. Because it is a diplomatic trip to follow a merchant ship, I am afraid that bringing too many people will have a bad impact.

"We have spoken with the Mamluk sultans, and in addition to being shocked by the resurgence of the empire in recent years, the Mamluk sultans have very warmly invited me to Cairo to see the splendor of Egyptian civilization. It's hard to be gracious, it's hard to be gracious. ”

John and Sophia walked into the cabin one after the other.

For the empire, the more complicated the diplomatic relations, the more profitable they could be from them, and in addition to the already torn Ottomans and Genoa, there were countless "allies" on the continent and North Africa that could be used to contribute to the revival.

"The friendship between the empire and the Mamluks will endure forever and be unbreakable......"

At the end of his reply, John wrote:

……

Although piracy was rampant in the southern Mediterranean, I am afraid that no pirate would target the Eastern Empire's envoy fleet, and the β top of the mast of the frigate and the flagship was enough to blind the eyes of all passing ships.

"The Romans are crazy? A bunch of in the Aegean Sea has not been dealt with, dare to dye the guide to the Mediterranean? It seems that this is still the main fleet of the Romans? Could it be that their emperor is on board? ”

The Tunisian pirates took one look at the tiny galleys under their feet, and then at the Ebius Radiance, which was like Noah's Ark, and hurriedly lowered the skull flag and left in a huff.

The baths of the Romans were also not so spacious, and naturally it did not take much time to cross the north and south banks. According to the itinerary given by the Mamluk Sultan, the fleet will dock in Alexandria, and then the group will go to Cairo, Giza and other places, and the whole trip will return to Epirus at the end of the trip, which will probably not take more than three months, which is more than enough to catch up with the big drama at the end of the year.

"Sister Evelei...... Are you seasick? ”

"After floating on the sea for so long, I suddenly stepped on the ground again, and my legs were a little weak......"

Sophia has always been insensitive to the status of royalty and servants, and even helped Evelet down from the landing board herself. Although the number of visitors had been informed in advance, the Mamluk soldiers who set up their guard of honor in Alexandria still could not tell who was the princess of the Purple Room of the Empire.

"Well, distinguished guests from afar, welcome to an oasis in the sand sea, the lord of the golden bay, the Mamluk Sultanate. On behalf of everything here, I send greetings to the emissaries of the Empire"

The diplomatic envoy who came to greet him did not know anything about Greek, but was using broken Latin to communicate with John. Sophia knew that John's level of Latin was really impressive, and hurriedly urged the accompanying interpreter to roll out of the cabin.

John knew that as early as 50 years ago, the rule of the Mamluk dynasty in the sea of sand was already in danger of collapse, and there was even an embarrassing situation that "the worst sultan is always the next sul". After a massive outbreak of the bubonic plague in Egypt, the population was decimated, and the plague was originally on a scale no less than the black disease on the European continent, and the incompetence of the rulers exacerbated the decline of the Mamluk dynasty.

Mass exodus had become the norm for the Mamluks, and Epirus was one of the beneficiaries of the exodus. Many Mamluk refugees have quietly taken root in the Epirus mountains. Although it does not provide stable tax revenue, it is also a pretty good human resource in the future.

"Are we going straight to Cairo to meet the Sultan? The sunshine here is just as welcoming as you are......"

"Your Majesty, the Co-Emperor of the Romans, if you wish to visit Alexandria, we are more than happy to accompany you."

Tourism? Touring a fart! John secretly complained to himself that although the deserts of North Africa and the hinterland of America, Europe and Egypt were so hot, this land was full of many unbearable memories for the Empire. The half-collapsed Pompeii Column stands in Alexandria, and it keeps an eye on us every day! If you have to invite the descendants of the empire to visit, you might as well wait for Alexander's victory!

"Let's go straight to Cairo, we both have limited time, don't we?"

"Couldn't be better, Lord Sultan will definitely entertain guests from afar! We have received an edict from the Sultan that caravans from Rome may trade freely within the borders. ”

The Mamluk envoy, though very small, was in fact quite intelligent. At least the words are not leaky, and everywhere shows respect for the imperial mission. However, John also had in mind that the Mamluk Sultan's support for the free trade of the imperial caravans was actually due to his lack of control over the actual power of most of the region. Most of the fertile land was usurped by military generals who wielded military power, and the propensity for independence was quite high, and the Mamluks exercised only superficial jurisdiction, and any treaty with the empire depended on the face of the nobility. The fact that the Iqta system has developed into what it is now can also be said to be humiliating enough.

"Then let's go, I don't think your Lord Sultan will be happy to wait too long."

"Best, Your Majesty, please—"