He Became Napoleon’S Genius Son [EN]: Chapter 224

(224) Russia Attempts to Enter the Ottoman Empire

In the late 18th century, the most formidable rival of the Ottoman Turkish Empire was Russia.

“However, don’t you think they need our help?”

The Black Sea, a sea that separates the Russian Empire and the Ottoman Empire.

Originally, back in 1783, the Black Sea was entirely the Ottoman Empire’s sea.

The demise of the Crimean Khanate, a vassal state of the empire and the last vestige of the Mongol Empire, occurred that year.

It was also when the northern coast of the Black Sea fell into the hands of the Russian Empire.

Since then, the Ottomans and Russians have engaged in numerous naval battles in the Black Sea.

In particular, the man standing before the Muslim Grand Admiral Hussein was the one who commanded and won all those naval battles.

Fyodor Fyodorovich Ushakov, the legendary admiral whom even Hussein’s original history, [the Soviet Union], honored with medals.

The undefeated admiral.

That was Ushakov’s epithet.

Hussein frowned, adjusted his turban, and retorted.

“What we need is an army, Admiral Ushakov.”

“Alas, our [Tsar] has unfortunately sent all the army to Italy. But, is the Turkish Empire losing because it lacks an army?”

“…I can’t say that. It’s because of their [ships-of-the-line].”

The 53-year-old white-haired admiral, Ushakov, burst into laughter.

“Indeed. We have brought as many as 16 ships-of-the-line. Ha ha ha!”

This is Constanta, the largest port city in Romania in Hussein’s original history.

It was not much different in this era, also serving as the coastal gateway to the Principality of Moldavia.

It was still Ottoman territory, yet Russia had dispatched as many as 16 ships-of-the-line.

Normally, this would be a situation for battle.

However, Grand Admiral Hussein knew all too well that he could not fight Ushakov.

In any case, the memory of the crushing defeat eight years ago was still vivid in Hussein’s mind.

It was the naval battle that took place off the coast of Tendra on the northern Black Sea.

An engagement where he led 14 warships and lost them all.

But now, the entire Ottoman Empire was being shaken.

It was not easy to confront them.

Ushakov, with an arrogant attitude, spoke to Hussein, who was enduring the humiliation.

“Hussein Pasha, think carefully. Only by allowing our fleet to enter the Bosphorus can Constantinople be defended.”

“Call it Konstantiniyye.”

“The name differs depending on the language anyway. That’s not what’s important. What’s important is that the [city] cannot be conquered with ships-of-the-line alone. On the other hand.”

Ushakov pointed to a map hanging on the wall of the Constanta port command center.

“If a combined land and sea attack is launched, it’s a different story. France is capable of doing that now.”

Ushakov pointed to one place.

The boundary between Europe and Asia, the place where the Bosphorus Strait exists.

The empire’s capital, Constantinople.

In the Eastern Roman era, it was called Constantinople, in Italian Costantinopoli, and the Turks called it Konstantiniyye.

The empire’s capital, founded by Constantine the Great, who recognized Christianity, was now under threat.

By the French Revolutionary Army, the embodiment of a revolution that denied religious rule.

If attacked only by sea, it could certainly be defended.

But as Ushakov said, it would be difficult if attacked by land as well.

However, there was a catch.

Russia was always a hostile nation that sought to destroy the Ottoman Empire itself.

Hussein frowned with a somber expression and replied.

“Entry is not allowed.”

“Hussein Pasha, you’re being too complacent. The French army is by no means weak.”

“We know best how strong they are, as we have faced them directly! Admiral Ushakov!”

Hussein glared with wide eyes, then sighed and replied.

“However, passage will be permitted.”

Ushakov had already entered Constanta and sent troops to seize Bucharest.

Even if they were to launch an attack on the Bosphorus, the Ottoman Empire currently had no power to stop them.

If France alone had not attacked, a defense might have been possible.

However, facing formidable enemies on both sides, there seemed to be no way to cope.

So, this was the means Hussein had chosen.

To open the passage but prevent them from landing.

Ushakov stared at Hussein for a moment, then twisted his lips.

“No intermediate stops?”

“I believe you have already been permitted to enter this place, Constanta.”

“So, this is the last place we can make port.”

Ushakov, calculating the sea route, smiled faintly.

“Huhu, it doesn’t matter. After all, we always fought without making port when we fought you.”

Hussein gritted his teeth and stormed off.

He probably wanted to kill the Russians immediately and retake Bucharest.

But Hussein had no other means at the moment.

That was why Ushakov could boldly step onto the harbor almost unarmed.

Suddenly, Hussein, who was leaving, turned his head.

“I hope you achieve a proper victory, Admiral Ushakov.”

Ushakov snorted, watching Hussein’s back as he hurried away again.

“That arrogant Turk. Still putting on airs until the end.”

Then, the vice-admiral sitting next to Ushakov, Gavril Kuzmich Kolenkin, asked.

“Admiral, shouldn’t we ignore that fellow’s words? I can still vividly remember how he ran away in 1790.”

“Gavril, it’s not that simple. Unlike the previous Tsarina, our Tsar has little interest in the Ottomans.”

“Then what is he interested in?”

Ushakov retorted curtly to the vice-admiral who commanded the Black Sea Fleet with him.

“He’s more interested in France. Marshal Suvorov is currently advancing towards Western Europe, isn’t he?”

Originally, the previous Tsarina, Catherine the Great, considered the conquest of Greece her life’s work.

It was also the Tsarina who destroyed the Crimean Khanate and fostered the Black Sea Fleet.

On the other hand, Paul, a man who dreams of glory, has no interest in the Ottomans.

He is only focused on the flames of revolution sweeping across Europe.

This means there is no need to exert all our efforts here.

The reason why the Black Sea Fleet and the Kutuzov Regiment were dispatched was different.

It was to stop the Eugene Corps, which could become a variable in the European war.

Of course, Ushakov had other intentions.

“If so, we need to go out to please the Tsar.”

“To the Mediterranean Sea?”

“Exactly. To do that, we need to obtain passage through the Bosphorus, or…”

Ushakov narrowed his eyes.

“Occupy it. This [campaign] is a march solely for that purpose.”

Indeed, Russia is the Ottoman’s most formidable rival.

Even at this moment, they are dreaming of occupying the capital if given the chance.

***

The soldiers of Moldavia, once commanded by Ipsilantis, were incorporated under Russian command.

“Attention, Moldavian Legion! Parade!”

A handsome Russian noble general shouted loudly.

In fact, he was not a native but from the Kingdom of Georgia, so he looked a bit different from the Russians.

The commander suddenly spoke to the general who was leading the formation.

“How is it? Is it manageable to command?”

The young noble general, Pyotr Ivanovich Bagration, turned around and saluted.

“Have you arrived, Field Marshal Your Excellency? It’s not easy. It seems our entire regiment has to become officers.”

As Bagration pointed out, Russian soldiers were all serving as junior commanders in each unit.

However, the Moldavian army was quite familiar with the Western system, being close to the West.

Furthermore, due to the [pro-Greek] policy that Russia had taken, there were many Greek officers familiar with Moldavia.

So, the takeover itself was proceeding smoothly.

It’s just that, from Bagration’s point of view, he missed the Russian soldiers, the [Ivans], he used to command.

“To only give us one regiment, the Tsar is too stingy. Our imperial army numbers in the hundreds of thousands.”

“Well, Major General Bagration. You should rather be grateful for the Tsar’s grace.”

“What do you mean by that, Field Marshal Your Excellency?”

The one-eyed field marshal, soon to be Kutuzov in modern terms, sneered and staggered.

“Hmph, how fortunate that he didn’t send only us, or send the Tsar’s toys along with us? Ugh!”

A headache seized Kutuzov’s head as if tearing it apart.

It was due to the injury he sustained in the Turkish war.

From a gunshot to the head, Kutuzov lost one eye, and his head suffered a brain-penetrating injury.

Nevertheless, it was a miracle that he was not disabled except for the one eye.

However, the occasional throbbing headache became an unavoidable chronic disease.

When he regained consciousness, he saw Bagration holding his body.

Bagration hurriedly asked.

“Are you alright, Field Marshal Your Excellency!”

“No, I’m not alright! Damn it, the Turk’s bullet still seems to be stirring in my head.”

“You should rest for now.”

Kutuzov shook his head violently.

“I can’t! We must achieve results here. Only then will the new Tsar not send us to Siberia!”

The current Tsar Paul was conducting a massive purge of the military.

340 generals, 2261 officers, and about 3500 junior officers were dismissed or resigned.

In fact, the reason was very reasonable: to expel alcoholics and gambling addicts.

However, because of that, even capable officers who had messed up their lives were kicked out.

Above all, Paul hated Suvorov, and he hated the Suvorov line as well.

So, Kutuzov, who enjoyed alcohol to overcome the pain and was a confidant of Suvorov, was the first to be dismissed.

Also, he might be banished to the Siberian pioneering unit.

In fact, during the reign of Paul I in original history, Russia acquired as much as [Alaska].

That’s how active the Siberian frontier was for the fur trade.

It’s not for nothing that Kutuzov was talking about Siberia.

It was when Bagration hesitated for a moment at Kutuzov’s anger.

“Commander, the unit organization is complete. A total of 50,000 men.”

This time, a rather cold-looking general approached and reported.

In an instant, Kutuzov stood up with a perfectly fine face, as if no one had been sick just now.

The general in front of him was not someone Kutuzov liked very much, and he was from a high-ranking noble family.

Therefore, he shouldn’t be caught with any weaknesses.

But the number in the report he just heard was a bit surprising.

“50,000? It seems to be twice as much as expected. Where did such troops come from, Bennigsen?”

“The garrison that the Governor of Moldavia had under his command was 20,000, the Vidin garrison that remained in the Bulgarian region was 10,000, and the border troops guarding our [Rossiya] Empire’s border were 20,000.”

“Is that so? After this war is over, we should bring Moldavia under our empire. The troop mobilization power is better than I thought.”

Levin August von Bennigsen, or Leonti Leontievich Bennigsen in Russian.

The man who becomes the commander-in-chief of Russia after Kutuzov’s death in original history.

Even now, he doesn’t seem to be on very good terms with Kutuzov, only nodding coldly.

“That’s right. Thanks to the cooperation of the new Governor Muruzis.”

Suddenly, Muruzis showed himself from behind Bennigsen and bowed his head.

“I am willing to be ruled by the Tsar.”

“As expected, Muruzis, you are easy to talk to. I like you very much.”

“If the Sultan of Constantinople had been prepared to defend this land in the first place, would a rebellion have occurred?”

Kutuzov grinned, flashing his one eye.

“That’s right. Well then, shall we run to the Dardanelles to strike the enemy!”

At that moment, the sound of Russian people shouting could be heard in the distance.

-Hurrah!

Bagration turned his gaze and shouted with a happy face.

“Field Marshal Your Excellency. There, the [Unicorn] is coming!”

Unicorn, a magical horse with a horn that appears in myths.

But in the direction Bagration was looking, there were only packhorses.

On the cart that the packhorses were carrying, a huge iron pillar could be seen.

It was a cannon.

Kutuzov also nodded in satisfaction.

“Oh, our [Edinorog] cannon is finally coming.”

“What is that, Commander?”

“Muruzis, haven’t you seen it before? Ugh.”

Suddenly, Kutuzov’s eyes flashed.

“It is a long-range howitzer that our Rossiya boasts of. In particular, it can fire [bombs] instead of shells.”

At the end of the 18th century, the strongest cannon that the Russian Empire boasted of.

Commonly called [Unicorn], or [Edinorog] in Russian, which refers to a unicorn.

History records that this cannon entered the Ottoman Empire.

With the French name, [Licorne] cannon.

***

To kill someone means to become someone’s enemy.

“My father has passed away! Please let me avenge him! Commander!”

Alexandros Ypsilantis’s son, Konstantinos, cried out.

At the time of the fall of Bucharest, Konstantinos barely escaped and ran to the Dardanelles.

Eugene frowned, listening to Konstantinos’s heartbreaking story.

The death of the Governor of Moldavia was a secondary issue for Eugene.

The real problem was Russia.

“Russia has joined the war? How?”

“It’s not strange, Eugene. Russia is right north of the Ottoman Empire, you know?”

“Ippolito, that can’t be. Paul’s only concern should be our France. If not, the Knights Hospitaller!”

Just as Eugene, who knew history, was about to shout, Secretary Rigas Feraios spoke.

“The number is about 1,000.”

Eugene turned to Feraios.

“What do you mean, Feraios?”

“In terms of the French army organization, it would be a regiment level, right? It means they didn’t send a division-level force.”

“You know our military system surprisingly well. Continue.”

As expected, Feraios, who was saddened but still maintained his reason, began to explain.

“The one who killed the Governor-General is a Russian general. But the actual troops were moved by Muruzis.”

“Who is that?”

“He is the former Governor of Vidin and also served in Bucharest. He is from a Greek noble family and originally had friendly relations with Russia.”

At that moment, Konstantinos gritted his teeth and interjected.

“He betrayed our Greeks and sided with Russia. A traitor to the nation!”

Of course, from the Ottoman Empire’s point of view, Konstantinos would be considered a national traitor.

Indeed, depending on the point of view, a person’s position can change very easily.

If Russia had tried to liberate Greece, wouldn’t Konstantinos have been the same?

Instead of saying that, Eugene focused on analyzing the current situation and said.

“So, the Russian army itself will organize local troops.”

“That’s right. But there is a problem.”

“What is it?”

Feraios said in a trembling voice.

“The Black Sea Fleet is coming to the Bosphorus Strait. The number is said to be 16 ships-of-the-line.”

If there are 16 ships-of-the-line, there are 6 more ships-of-the-line than the French fleet.

Even if 10 frigates accompany them, it is not an easy opponent.

The one-legged naval general, Caffarelli, shouted in surprise.

“If this happens, we can’t say that we have the upper hand in the navy anymore, can we?”

“Ha! If it were the British Navy, I wouldn’t know, but the Russian Navy is outside the top 5 in the world. It doesn’t even reach Spain. No, it even lost to the Swedish fleet!”

“Wasn’t that what the escaped Sidney did, Captain Casabianca? If Sidney joins…”

Just as Caffarelli and Casabianca were about to argue, Eugene opened his mouth.

“We have the upper hand in the army. There’s nothing to worry about.”

Everyone looked at each other and nodded.

Even if it wasn’t the words of the victorious general Eugene, all the generals here have more than 5 years of war experience.

Even if the Russian Imperial Army came, 1,000 men would be far from enough.

Even if they command local troops.

Suddenly, Eugene asked Feraios for confirmation.

“Who is the enemy commander?”

“It’s a man named Kutuzov. Uh, so who is this guy?”

“I know.”

Eugene smiled bitterly and tapped the desk in the headquarters barracks of the Dardanelles garrison.