Chapter 39: Storm Clouds Gathering
On 25 April 1447, Isaac arrived in Lisbon, the capital of Portugal.
Compared to his first visit two years earlier, the city had become even more prosperous.
When he arrived, it was early morning, and the city was just waking up. Exhausted from a night's work, fishermen rowed their small boats back home.
From a distance, Isaac could hear sailors calling out to recruit crew members. The promise of wealth in Africa was attracting more and more fishermen to leave their harpoons behind and head out to sea in search of the green land of legend.
Isaac mounted his horse and, accompanied by soldiers, slowly rode through the harbor to the palace to pay his respects to the king.
In 1446, King Alfonso sought to rule alone, which led to a conflict with Pedro, the regent who held power, and nearly sparked a civil war.
Neither side wanted to see such a scenario unfold, so they sat down to negotiate.
Ultimately, they resolved their differences in a remarkable way—marriage.
Alfonso V was to marry his uncle Pedro's daughter, his cousin Isabel of Coimbra.
Even more miraculously, this marriage between first cousins produced three children, one of whom was a remarkable figure:
João II, who would later be called the 'perfect monarch' by Machiavelli.
Isaac came to Portugal to attend the wedding of the siblings and ensure that Regent Pedro's agreement with him would be recognized by Alfonso V, whose desire for power was growing.
After reporting his arrival, the guards led Isaac into the Sintra Palace in Portugal.
Built in the 12th century, the Sintra Palace was originally the imperial palace of the Andalusian governor of Lisbon.
It was renovated several times and gradually took on its present form.
Its white walls, round roofs and warm interior design are beautiful.
Combining Arabic, Gothic and Portuguese design elements, this palace is beautiful and elegant, inviting visitors to linger.
The guards at the door confiscated his weapons and led him to the king's reception room.
Isaac straightened his clothes and walked forward slowly.
"Greetings, Your Majesty, Alfonso V, the legitimate King of Portugal and Algarve."
Alfonso V was fifteen years old, the same age as Isaac.
He was dressed in silk and wore a leather cloak and a dagger; the Portuguese royal coat of arms was visible on all his clothes.
"No need for formalities, my distinguished guest, the Duke of Surt and Prince of Constantinople."
Alfonso said cheerfully.
"My dear friend, come and try some freshly baked cheesecake and honey that has just been harvested. Please also try a glass of wine from our royal estate. May you enjoy eternal health."
"Thank you for your kindness."
Isaac stepped forward and accepted the offer, enjoying the Portuguese breakfast.
King Alfonso ate his breakfast elegantly in small bites, occasionally taking a sip of wine.
Once they had eaten their fill, the two men reclined comfortably in soft woolen chairs.
"On my way here, I passed through the towns and villages of Lisbon, and all I saw was prosperity and stability, hope and prosperity."
"This is all thanks to you; it's amazing."
Alfonso smiled modestly.
"These are the blessings left by our ancestors."
Nevertheless, the young king was very satisfied, and the corners of his mouth turned up.
Isaac summoned a servant and took the wedding gifts prepared for them.
"Your Majesty, this is a magical ornament. It is made of ivory from West Africa and was carved by a master craftsman. It has been mixed with fluorescent powder and spices. You can place it on your bedside table as a decoration."
"At night, it will emit a soft glow and give off a pleasant fragrance."
Alfonso was young at heart, so he immediately picked it up and started to play with it.
He had seen ivory products before, some of which were more exquisitely carved, but he found the clever design of this one particularly intriguing.
"Thank you for your kindness. Isabella and I will cherish this friendship."
The two continued to chat casually, and Isaac casually probed King Alfonso's opinion on exploring West Africa.
Unexpectedly, the king showed little interest.
"My dear friend, I know you are passionate about exploration and spreading the gospel of Christ, but I must remind you that West Africa is full of terrible diseases and cruel natives. We have no chance of conquering it."
"Moreover, over-reliance on trade with West Africa will only benefit profit-seeking merchants, while the truly noble aristocrats will gain little."
"Once they become powerful, they will seek to overthrow us. Northern Italy is a cautionary example."
"Surely you don't want a bunch of greedy merchants in your palace?"
Isaac smiled awkwardly.
"No No, I don't even have a palace."
"To be honest, I'd rather expand our territory to North Africa, the land of the Moors."
He drew his sword and waved it around.
At that time, Portugal was divided into two factions.
The West African faction, led by Princes Pedro and Enrique, wanted to continue south from the Gravel Islands to open a route to the east.
This faction was mainly composed of merchants and explorers.
They were also staunch supporters of Prince Pedro and believed he should continue to act as regent.
In contrast, the North African faction, mainly comprising land nobles, advocated invading the territory of the Marinid Dynasty in North Africa to expand their land area.
They opposed Prince Pedro's regency and insisted that the young monarch rule directly.
Meanwhile, under the influence of his close land-owning nobles, the young Alfonso V was very interested in expanding the kingdom's territory.
"However, Uncle Enrique and his men are doing a good job, and there are great benefits to be gained in West Africa. We need the gold from West Africa to support our conquest of North Africa."
King Alfonso ended the discussion on this issue with a remark that he considered to be very mature.
After a few more casual remarks, Isaac took his leave.
If King Alfonso did not transfer his opposition to Prince Pedro to the West African expedition, Portugal's internal struggles were none of Isaac's concern.
He stayed in Lisbon for a few days, during which time he visited Prince Henry and Prince Pedro, and attended the wedding of King Alfonso and Isabella.
It was a grand and luxurious wedding.
The couple seemed very happy, smiling throughout.
However, the bride's father did not appear satisfied.
Throughout the banquet, Prince Pedro remained silent, wandering around for a while before leaving under the pretext of an urgent matter.
After the wedding, Isaac travelled to Saligesh, where he met Forche, the head of the Greek Guinea Company. Forche was a pure-blooded Greek from Constantinople, recommended by the general manager, Andrew.
Forche was fluent in many languages and had studied at the University of Florence, making him well-qualified for the role of manager.
"Your Highness, I hear that you have opened up a new territory in North Africa, so I drink an extra glass of wine every day."
He was a slightly plump, middle-aged man with a red nose and unkempt hair.
Forche poured a glass of wine for Isaac and smiled as he poured one for himself.
"These are all the financial statements since the Greek Guinea Company was founded. Please take a look."
Then he sat down and drank his wine. Isaac looked at him, took the reports and glanced through them.
The handwriting was neat and clear, and the data and tables were well organized.
Every commodity, every penny of profit, every new colony and every explorer and expedition team working with the company were clearly recorded.
Isaac's cold expression suddenly brightened.
"Not bad."
This person was talented and could be trained.
He raised his glass and drank it in one gulp.
He tapped on the table, drawing Forche's attention from the wine bottle to himself.
"You have done an excellent job. I have a few new tasks for you."
Forche immediately perked up.
"Yes, sir."
"Due to your outstanding work, I am granting you permission to establish a trade fleet under the direct control of the Greek Guinea Company. This fleet will be responsible for cargo transportation and immigration development."
"You will be responsible for securing the necessary funds to establish the fleet. I believe the merchants oppressed by King Alfonso will be willing to invest."
"Your exploration activities will mainly focus on the partially explored areas of Guinea, and you will strive to draw detailed maps."
"Secondly, establish a lending institution under the trading company to provide funds to warriors willing to explore West Africa, on the condition that they pay interest."
"The specific structure can be modelled on that of the Knights Templar and the Venetian State Lending Institution."
This was a change that Isaac had wanted to make for a long time.
A fleet under the direct control of the trading company could combine colonization and trade effectively to maximize the potential of a trading point.
As for the small bank, that was entirely Isaac's idea.
Although early banking systems had existed for a long time, they had been unable to develop due to multiple factors.
West African exploration was a highly profitable but risky venture. If successful, however, both the explorers and the lending agency would make a fortune.
After bidding farewell to Forche, Isaac continued his westward voyage.
On 1 May 1447, he arrived at La Palma Island.
When he left, the island was barren, but two years later, it had been completely transformed.
Under the rule of Governor Lothair, the island's population had grown to over 6,000, and a port city, a small town, and several affiliated villages had been established.
The port relied primarily on fishing and services, and the port area was home to taverns, brothels, inns and repair shops. Governor Lothair had even planned to build a small shipyard and use wood from nearby islands to construct simple transport ships.
Governor Lothair named the port New Athens to commemorate the city that had been ravaged by the Ottomans.
The island's population is ethnically diverse and mainly consists of refugees from southern France and Slavic slaves.
Orthodox Christianity is the main religion on the island, and the establishment of churches of other faiths is prohibited.
There is a huge volcanic crater on the island, around which a small town has formed, with several newly built villages surrounding it. The villagers make a living from agriculture, using the fertile volcanic soil to grow wheat and oats.
Currently, the entire governorate is self-sufficient in food.
Lothair rode around the entire island with Isaac, enthusiastically showing him the efforts he had made to promote the prosperity of the governorate.
"You're doing a great job, dear Lothair."
"Governor Andrew will be proud of you."
"But I still have to point out your shortcomings."
In Isaac's view, although Lothair had done well in civil affairs, he had done little in military affairs.
In the future, La Palma Island was likely to be attacked by Spanish colonizers who would not recognize Isaac's sovereignty over the island.
"Form a militia on the island to be responsible for capturing pirates, maintaining public order, and patrolling the coast."
"In addition, build fortifications and set up gun emplacements in the port area."
Isaac thought for a moment.
"Furthermore, discuss with the Kingdom of the Canary Islands to see if you can purchase a few more small islands."
The islands to the west of the Canary Islands were all undeveloped. Previously, at Isaac's suggestion, Lothar had released cattle and sheep onto the islands to breed naturally, with excellent results.
"Yes!"
Lothair replied somewhat dejectedly.
After bidding farewell to La Palma, Isaac followed the sea chart and headed for the San Nicolás Islands.
He had no intention of developing this arid, limestone-rich island himself, but he encouraged Captain Henry — ennobled as the Earl of Ped — to manage his fiefdom Island well.
He led his fleet to anchor off the coast of Ped Island, where Henry's younger brother Jacques Ped, the count's steward, and others welcomed them at the small port of Ped.
Ped Port was poorly equipped and sparsely populated, with mostly Slavic slaves and a few Greeks in important positions.
"Your Highness, Ped Port currently has 132 residents and 220 slaves." The main industries are fishing and animal husbandry. Sometimes Earl William leads the Atlantic fleet here to resupply, and we can earn some service fees at that time."
Prior to this, Isaac had appointed William Palaiologo as earl, and his fiefdom was also located in the Saint Nicholas Islands.
Jacques Ped showed Isaac his achievements: cleared farms and pastures in the valley, small canals diverting mountain springs into farmland and small shipyards capable of building basic fishing boats.
"Your Highness, this quarter's taxes have been paid to Chancellor Riddle. If you need to conscript men, we can provide forty strong young men."
Jacques stood up straight and said proudly.
In just over a year, they had achieved a great deal.
"Due to your excellent work, Jacques, and Captain Henry's dedicated service, I have granted Earl Ped three years of tax exemption and exemption from military service. You may develop your lands to the best of your ability."
Jacques was overjoyed.
...
Meanwhile, Isaac was travelling across the Atlantic, inspecting his overseas territories and determining the future direction of his colonies.
Meanwhile, Albania, a small country in south-eastern Europe, was undergoing a dramatic change.
Having survived the Turkish invasion, this country was gradually becoming more united under the wise leadership of Skanderbeg, and the entire Albanian alliance was tightly knit.
His arch-enemies, the Ottomans, did not want to see this happen, nor did his former allies, the Venetians.
They feared that the increasingly united Albanian alliance would try to recapture their coastal colonies.
They resorted to all kinds of provocations and intrigues to break up the alliance.
They succeeded.
In autumn 1447, the lord of Dania died without an heir and, ignoring the Albanian League's opposition, Venice invaded Dania.
Skanderbeg announced that he would gather his troops, and the war began.
The Ottomans took advantage of the situation, stationing troops on the border in the hope of reaping the benefits.
Around the same time, the Duke of Milan, Visconti, died without an heir and the Milanese commercial nobility declared the establishment of a republic.
This decision provoked strong dissatisfaction among neighboring powers, and the mercenary leader Sforza declared himself the legitimate heir.
The calm atmosphere of the first half of the year was suddenly shattered.
A storm was brewing.
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