Board Thread:Timeline Discussions/@comment-25205072-20150422083509/@comment-25205072-20150708101048

The fall of the Empire of Trebizond and the surrender of the Empire of Cyprus

The fall of Constantinople came as a shock to John IV. However that didn't stop him to recapture Constantinople. On january the 6th 1389 John IV brought all his forces from the east to face Andronikos IV and his army. At Nicea, Basil "The Athenian" rode out with the majority of the forces however this would be the last time would ride out. Andronikos and Basil IV bypassed John's army to threatened Ancyra. Andronikos went with a small detachment force outflank John's reserve and destroy the baggage train. With hearing this John IV ignored his generals warnings and rpoceeded with the attacks regardless of the near annhilation of his reserve force. Basil "The Athenian" moved his Infantry of his Vanguard to advance on John's army however John's vanguard of cavalry completely annhilated the vanguard leaving only 7500 men remaining in Basil's army. Luck turned for the better even as Androniko's combined army now numbering 15,000 men was no match for John's army now at 25,000 men due to the destruction of his reserve. However unbeknownst to John, Andronikos IV's 2500 men that had massacred the reserve of John's force mainly comprised of heavy cavalry and infantry were hiding in the hills.The attack would of seemed suicide but Andronikos being the military genius he is used the weather to his advantage. He left the a small contigent of his force on the hills, using the fog and loud noises making it seem like Adronikos's army was more large in number and drew out a majority of John's heavy infantry, much to the dismay of John's genrals dismay. with the heavy infantry gone Andronikos IV and Basil "The Athenian" annhilated the rest of John's now weakened army. Hearing that Basil IV now named "The Deciever" was laying siege to his capital, he moved his heavy infantry and the remainder of his army away back to Ancyra. However again John IV was tricked once again as Basil IV slipped away leaving local levies besieging the castle. Basil "The deciever" then used Venetian Infantry which that had been stationed in Hercleia and move them to face John's amry numbering a more reasonable amount of 17,500, which the Venetians used their rearguard to harass John's army while the Venetians found a more reasonable place to make a stand however, John's rearguard suprised the Venetians. Facing near death, Antonio Venier requested immediate assitance from the byzantines, however the Byzantines already had a plan, Basil III and Andronikos marched their remaining army numbering 10,000 went to join Antonio while Basil IV split up his army numbering 5000 and annhilated their cavalry and scouts giving John's army no intelligence at all. While the main byzantine army fought, the venetian's out flanked John's army, and Basil "The Deciever" converged his army and attacked from the rear of John's army facing near annhilation, John and 2000 troops managed to escape with the rest of his army being massacred. The battle ended in an astounding victory however, Basil III, "The Athenian" was slain however, by holding up John IV, "The Nicean", it allowed his son to annilhilate the rest