Rhodes, the pearl of the Aegean Sea, is located at the junction of the Mediterranean Sea and the Aegean Sea, and has been a very busy port city since ancient times.

Now the city of Rhodes, the main city on the island of Rhodes, is also the residence of the Knights Hospitaller of St. John, but the port where ships come and go has been artificially prevented from entering the port, as if waiting for something.

"Carlo, what's going on today? Why is the port closed? ”

"Don't you understand? Redbeard, there's a 'big guy' coming, hahaha..."

Nivov, a sailor on the side, passed by with a bucket of pickled fish, and did not forget to joke with the "redbeard" Mallory.

"Hey! Nivov, remember to get our goods ready first, and don't worry about your stinky pickled fish anymore. ”

Carlo first shouted to Nivov who was leaving, and received an impatient but affirmative reply from the other party, and then looked at Mallory,

"As Ivov said, we've got big people coming in this place."

"It seems that the status of the person who came this time is not low, otherwise the Grand Master would not be so excited."

Mallory is a little anxious, he still has a batch of goods to leave today, this batch of goods can make a lot of money if it is shipped to Venice, if he wants, he can earn more money by shipping it to the port of Toulon in France, but the risk of going to sea is too great, and he is generally reluctant to go that far.

"If you want me to say, it must be the Pope who is here this time, otherwise, how could the Grand Master be so excited, then no, he was waiting on the dock early."

At this time, Nivov returned from the salted fish, stood beside the two men, and snorted towards the dock, and under Nivof's guidance, Mallory also saw that the Grand Master of the Knights of St. John was saying something to the people around him from time to time.

"Less nonsense, Nivof, how could the Pope come to our place? Why don't you go and inspect the goods, don't make a fuss here. ”

Carlo urges that he is the boss of Niwoff, but Nivov has a wide range of friends in Rhodes Por, and is familiar with many dock workers, so Carlo will allow him to take a break from time to time.

"Hey, that's not necessarily, didn't you organize a crusade a few years ago? The Grand Master did not attend that time, and it is not clear that the Pope had come to reorganize the Crusaders. ”

Nivov laughed and didn't leave until he was kicked by Carlo, but his words made Mallory think.

During the Crusades a few years ago, due to the forcible deposition of the Pope by Alfonso V, and the fact that the Teutonic Knights were mired in war and did not send troops, the Grand Master of the Knights of St. John did not send troops in order to express his opposition to the Council of Terracina, and the Teutonic Knights took the lead.

"Don't listen to his nonsense, the Pope will come to us? Could it be that the Pope himself came to fight the Turks? ”

Carlo scoffed at Ivov's words, anyway, he wouldn't believe Ivov's nonsense, and shook his head disdainfully, and at this time, suddenly, there was a cheer not far away, the two looked at each other, and hurriedly looked into the distance, just like that, Carlo suddenly trembled, and his face turned red,

"It's His Majesty Constantine! It's His Majesty Constantine, this is His Majesty's imperial banner, and His Majesty Constantine, the great 'Defender', is here! ”

It's no wonder that Carlo was so excited, he participated in the defense of Constantinople in 1453, and after the victory, he took the initiative to return to Rhodes, relying on Constantine's reward to start a business, he did not expect to see Constantine in this life, which surprised him.

In the distance, the double-headed eagle flag on the ship is the symbol of the Roman Empire, before the fall of Constantinople, no country in the whole European land dared to say that it was the successor of the ancient Roman Empire, and the single-headed eagle flag of the Roman legions in the entire Christian world was not used by any country, and later the Komnenos dynasty changed the single-headed eagle flag to a double-headed eagle, indicating a powerful empire that shocked the East and the West, and only in the later stage of the empire's imminent decline, the MSL world will not shy away from it, The Difrii Mosque in Anatolia has a double-headed eagle carved on the wall, and the later Mehmed II in history also saw himself as the successor of the Roman Empire rather than a conqueror after the conquest of Constantinople. Dramatized.

Constantine XI can now be said to be a celebrity, and there is no one in the whole European world who does not know him, because King Charles VII of France evaluated Constantine XI as "the defender of the Roman Empire" in a public occasion and was given the title of "defender", the arrival of such a big man, it is no wonder that the Grand Master of the Knights of St. John will personally greet him.

The cheers on the dock were even more enthusiastic, and in the midst of all the attention, Constantine, dressed in a purple robe, slowly walked down the gangway,

"God bless you, Your Majesty Constantine."

Grand Master Pedro Romón Zacsta took two steps forward, bent down, and Constantine reached out in cooperation, and Pedro kissed the ring on Constantine's hand.

Generally speaking, the monarchs of Western Europe were of the lower rank of the Church, and when they met the local bishops, they had to kiss the bishops, and when they met on horses, they had to dismount immediately, and from these details we can see the status relationship between the Church and the nobility.

In front of Constantine, Pedro definitely didn't dare to let Constantine kiss his hand, although he was also a monk, he was not a bishop, besides, even if the Pope came, Constantine could at least be on an equal footing with him, so as not to bend over and bend.

Compared with the huge power of Catholicism, perhaps because of the decline of the Roman Empire, the patron saint of the Orthodox Christians, in many cases, the Orthodox Christians were not strong in the face of the rulers, not to mention the Orthodox Christians in the East under the rule of the pagan Ottoman Turkish Empire, that is, the Moscow diocese that became independent from Constantinople, had no status in front of the monarchs of the Russian Tsardom, so to speak, compared with Catholicism, the Orthodox Church after the fifteenth century was miserable and miserable, but things were in harmony with each otherThe low-key Orthodox Church also safely escaped the Reformation initiated by Martin Luther, and preserved its teachings intact, and the pros and cons of it are difficult to say.

In the current situation, the purpose of Constantine's visit to Rhodes is not difficult to guess, it is nothing more than to seek the help of the Knights, don't underestimate the Knights of St. John, this Knights has more than 700 core knights, plus more than 4,000 hired mercenaries, and the total strength can reach about 5,000, not to mention anything else, at least the goal of delaying the enemy is easy to achieve.

Constantine's actions in Rhodes are not mentioned for the time being, and on the other side of Anatolia, a different picture is also unfolded.

In the Golden Hall, a group of people led by Mehmed II, Zaganos Pasha and Saruga Pasha were discussing state affairs, while Khalil Pasha said that he was ill and did not participate in the royal council.

"Shame, it's a shame, Muñeza is a piece of waste, he lost Cilicia so easily, he disgraced their family's face."

As soon as he said this, even if a long time had passed, Muhammad II's heart was full of anger, in his opinion, even if he couldn't fight, could he still not hold it? Even if it persists for a while, the Romans will withdraw because of lack of food, after all, they are alone, after so long, the beginning and end of the battle have been clarified, but this is the most unacceptable place for Mehmed II, how long has it been, the Romans and the Turks have already attacked and defended aliens, and it is unacceptable to anyone.

"Shame? He did what you commanded, and you were not at fault? ”

Saruga Pasha opened his mouth coldly, and everyone was in high spirits, knowing that the real character was coming.

"Oh? What do you mean? ”

Mehmed II narrowed his eyes, and the anger in his heart seemed to erupt through his eyes, which he hid well.

"I mean, if something so big happened, even if Munieza was at fault, weren't you at fault? As far as I can see, the Sultan... The abdication is. ”

Sarujapasha's words were beautiful, but Muhammad II could see his wandering eyes, his hands that were already frequently signaling to Zaganos Pasha, and soon Zaganos Pasha also spoke,

"Sarujapasha is right, Lord Sultan is indeed in a bad situation, and he should put everything aside for the time being and take a good rest."

Zaganos Pasha said to be more tactful, to take a break? I'm afraid that if I don't go to the Hades Hall to rest, oh no, the West should be hell.

"That's right, Zaganos Pasha meant me."

Saruga Pasha followed closely with Fuhe, and Mehmed II lowered his eyebrows,

"Then I abdicate, which of you will sit in the position of this sultan? Or is it that Khalil is old and has thought about the addiction of the Sultan. ”

"Don't worry, when the time comes, Prince Orhan will naturally take over your position, after you abdicate, we can guarantee that you will be rich and worry-free for the rest of your life, and now that the four major families are all ours, you don't have to struggle anymore."

Zaganos Pasha tried to persuade Mehmed II to give up his resistance, after all, a dying lion could burst out with more terrifying strength, and no one wanted to face Mehmed II's deathbed counterattack.

"Oh, are you willing to set up my blind uncle and overthrow me? How bold you are! ”

Mehmed II seemed to be a little emotional, and slightly stroked the ring on his hand, which was left to him by his father,

"I knew that today, my grandfather, Muhammad I, would have dismantled Orhan in eight pieces, not just blind."

At the beginning, Orhan rebelled, intending to fight for the position of sultan, and was later captured by Muhammad I, but Muhammad I miraculously did not kill Orhan, but stabbed him blind, he did not expect that even a blind man, in the hands of careerists can still play an unexpected role, if Muhammad I knew about this scene, I am afraid that he will only regret why Orhan was not killed!