Black Corporation: Joseon [EN]: Chapter 1082

1082. Dog-Rabbit-Go-Peng (12)

As the French commander had predicted, the real battle unfolded before the gates of Konstantiniyye (modern-day Istanbul). The Janissaries [elite Ottoman soldiers], preparing to defend Konstantiniyye, were full of confidence.

“What kind of walls do you think these are!”

They firmly believed in the strength of the walls surrounding Konstantiniyye. The problem was the location chosen by the French and Italian forces, who landed in succession, as their point of attack: the site of the famous ‘Triple Walls’ [a complex system of defensive walls].

* * *

Although they had gained more than 10 years compared to the timeline before Hyang’s intervention, Constantinople had still fallen and was being called Konstantiniyye. At the time, Hyang had a bitter expression when he heard the news and muttered to himself.

‘As expected, ‘those who are meant to go will go, and those who are meant to be will be’…….’

The Ottoman rulers, who became the new owners of Constantinople, excellently rebuilt the walls they had destroyed. It wasn’t just a simple reconstruction; they made them even stronger.

* * *

However, the Janissaries had overlooked something: the ‘mad’ development of cannons since the fall of Constantinople. The European powers, influenced by the Empire, especially France and Italy, had repeatedly strived to create powerful cannons independently.

France realized the true power of cannons while being battered by the Empire’s artillery, and Italy became addicted to cannons while watching France suffer right in front of them.

Thanks to this, France and Italy were the first countries in Europe to successfully develop breech-loading cannons. Although they didn’t have the recoil mechanism that the Empire was hiding, and their siege cannons were still muzzle-loading, their power was far superior. While the caliber was much smaller than the famous Ottoman Urban’s Great Cannon, the propellant was smokeless gunpowder, and the barrel and projectile were made of steel.

Above all, Urban’s Great Cannon was a single piece, but the siege cannons mobilized by France and Italy now numbered over 20 combined, and they possessed nearly 100 other general field guns. To operate such a large-scale artillery force efficiently and safely, a wide plain was needed. Therefore, the area facing the Theodosian Walls became the main attack point. There was another important reason: for Italy and France, the famous walls of Konstantiniyye were an excellent test subject.

“We haven’t had a chance to properly test its power, so let’s test it properly this time!”

“Now that it has fallen to the infidels anyway, let’s destroy it cleanly!”

The French and Italian forces, having completed all preparations, began their attack.

* * *

Bang! Kwakwang! Bang!

“The walls have fallen!”

As the French and Italian forces began their bombardment, the Triple Walls began to collapse as easily as if they were made of nothing. As mentioned before, France and Italy had most thoroughly learned the Empire’s artillery operation methods.

The French and Italian forces concentrated the impact points of 20 siege guns on one location. The walls, subjected to concentrated fire from large-caliber siege guns, collapsed to the point where recovery was impossible. After creating a hole in the wall, the French and Italian siege guns created three more holes in other places.

The siege guns, having created four passages in the outer wall, gradually began to attack the inner wall as well. The key attack points of the inner wall were the walls connecting the defensive towers. The defensive towers on the outer and inner walls were arranged in a staggered manner to allow crossfire against attacking enemies, so the French and Italian siege guns targeted these defensive towers and the walls connecting them.

The siege guns successfully accomplished their assigned mission, creating four passages through which to enter Konstantiniyye, albeit covered with rubble.

While the siege guns were spewing fire to create passages, the other field guns were not idle. Taking advantage of the rapid-fire capabilities unique to breech-loading cannons, they pounded the parapets facing the moat and fired shells at the defending soldiers on the outer and inner walls.

Even more terrifying was that the shells used by these breech-loading cannons were incendiary shells filled with gunpowder. Every time the shells landed, deadly fragments scattered in all directions, and the Janissary soldiers defending the walls fell with screams.

“A path has been opened!”

“Sappers forward! Assault wagons forward!”

“Forward!”

As the commander’s order fell, sappers, carts loaded with materials, and assault wagons to escort them began to move forward.

“Fill the moat!”

The French and Italian sappers, having arrived at the moat, began to drop bundles of wood loaded on the carts into the moat. The round bundles of wood, made by loosely tying together trees cut down from the forests near the landing site and timber obtained by demolishing houses in the village, gradually began to fill the moat.

It wasn’t just bundles of wood.

Tang! Tatang!

“Kuk!”

“Kuaaak!”

Even while being battered by French and Italian artillery fire, the Janissary soldiers desperately tried to interfere with the sappers’ work. Some of the sappers hit by the Janissary soldiers’ fire fell into the moat, becoming part of the filling. Seeing his subordinates falling into the moat, the sapper commander jumped onto an assault wagon and shouted.

“Provide proper covering fire! Our men are dying! If you’re going to do this, I’ll push the assault wagon into the moat!”

“Understood!”

Amid the fierce back-and-forth battle on both sides, the moat was gradually being filled. What contributed to the faster-than-expected filling was the barrier wall across the moat. It was designed to allow the moat to remain filled with water in other sections even if the attacker breached one side, but this time it had the opposite effect.

The bundles of wood thrown by the sappers were blocked by the barrier wall, gradually filling the moat.

* * *

“The moat is filled!”

“Charge!”

“Uwaaa!”

As the signal flares rose from the assault wagons escorting the sappers, the remaining assault wagons and soldiers waiting behind began to advance with shouts.

Tatatatang! Tatatatang!

The Hwachas [Korean rocket artillery] of the assault wagons, arriving ahead of the infantry, poured bullets at the outer and inner walls.

“Kwak!”

“Aak!”

“Defend! Defend the enemies!”

“Where are our Hwachas!”

Even while being subjected to concentrated fire from the French and Italian assault wagons, the Janissaries desperately resisted. Janissary soldiers, braving the hail of bullets, raised their bodies and aimed at the enemies, falling to the ground with screams. However, the remaining soldiers showed a desperate determination.

Tatatatatata!

Bang! Kwakwang!

Finally, the surviving Hwachas and the soldiers they had brought began to pull the triggers at the soldiers crossing the moat, and the cannons that had barely survived from the collapsed defensive towers spewed fire.

“Tell the siege artillery unit to demolish them for sure!”

“Yes!”

“Relay to the field artillery unit to silence those Hwachas!”

“Yes!”

The messengers, having received the commander’s orders, spurred their horses and galloped away. After a while, the siege guns that had been resting spewed fire again at the half-collapsed defensive towers. Thanks to the active offensive of the French and Italian cannons, the vanguard of the Italian and French forces succeeded in breaking through the Triple Walls and entering the Konstantiniyye city.

On top of the half-collapsed inner wall’s defensive tower, the military flag symbolizing Selim was fluttering in the wind.

* * *

“The enemies have entered the city!”

“Send out the reserves! We must prevent further entry!”

“Yes!”

The Janissary commander asked his staff with a bewildered expression at the unexpected situation.

“Is there any contact from the Habsburgs!”

“Not yet!”

“It’s been five days since they departed from Bolu, and still nothing! Even a turtle would be faster than this!”

While venting his frustration, the Janissary commander maintained his composure and continued to command.

“Have the reserves been sent out?”

“Yes!”

“Then what about the remaining reserves?”

“The unit guarding the palace is all that’s left!”

“Use the unit guarding the Golden Horn as reserves. Leave only the minimum force and have them come here!”

“Yes!”

“What about the forces guarding the port?”

“They are on standby, just in case.”

“Yes!”

Having sorted out the situation, the Janissary commander glared at his staff and said.

“The fact that Selim is moving like this means he intends to erase us. This battle is a matter of our survival! Do not forget this!”

“Yes!”

* * *

Topkapi Palace.

As the street battle unfolded, many nobles had taken refuge in the palace. Bayezid II, hearing the gunshots and artillery fire from outside the chamber window, opened his mouth with difficulty.

“It’s noisy outside.”

“A street battle has broken out.”

“Who is fighting whom?”

“The Janissaries and the French and Italians.”

“The French and Italians? Have they invaded?”

“…No. They are carrying Selim’s flag.”

“Selim, huh…….”

Bayezid trailed off with a troubled expression. At that moment, one of the ministers who had been outside came in and reported to Bayezid.

“An envoy has come from the self-proclaimed ‘Army of Selim.’ They request, ‘The Janissaries are unfairly interfering in the legitimate competition to determine the next Sultan. We ask the Sultan to prevent the Janissaries’ unfair interference.'”

“Unfair interference, huh……Hmph!”

Bayezid burst into laughter at the minister’s message. Although he was confined to his chamber due to his weakened state, his eyes and ears were still alive.

“All three of them have joined hands with jackals and wolves inside and out, so what is unfair and what is legitimate? Tell them to resolve it themselves.”

“…….I obey.”

As the minister left after hearing Bayezid’s answer, Bayezid muttered to himself.

“It might be good to sort out what needs to be sorted out this time.”

* * *

Following Bayezid’s decision, the street battle became even more intense. While a fierce back-and-forth battle was taking place, the same report was delivered to the French and Italian forces and the Janissary forces.

-Habsburg army arrives!

-Half a day away!

Cheers erupted from the Janissary camp upon receiving the report, and the expressions of the French and Italian commanders became serious.

“To avoid being caught in a pincer movement, we must stop the Habsburgs.”

“I will go!”

No sooner had the words been spoken than two commanders stepped forward. The other French and Italian commanders nodded at the two commanders who had volunteered.

“They have old grudges.”

One was a commander from a unit that had skirmished with the Habsburg army in the Lorraine region, and the other was the commander of the Venetian regiment. The ‘Second Lorraine Dispute’ had ended vaguely, but the damage was enormous compared to the first. Therefore, the French forces stationed in Lorraine had a deep-seated resentment towards the Habsburgs.

Venice?

There was no need to even mention Venice. Venice had not only been betrayed by the Habsburgs in the last unification war but had also been plundered. Even now, the resentment was intense, so much so that the regimental flag of the Venetian regiment had a picture of a double-headed eagle being stabbed with a knife. When the two commanders, who were grinding their teeth at the Habsburgs, stepped forward, the commander-in-chief nodded lightly.

“I entrust it to you. Do not betray my trust.”

“We will do our best.”

“Move out immediately!”

The two commanders, having saluted, immediately went outside. After some time, a frenzy of shouts echoed from the side where the Venetian regiment was located.