"We meet again, Justinian, you old dog."
"I was about to say the same thing, George."
On the morning of Palm Sunday, in the city of Buda, Kingdom of Hungary, Justinian Seresnus, representing the Bosporus, and George Sphrantzes, representing Constantinople, met again as old friends.
After exchanging greetings, they began to share whatever information they were permitted to exchange.
After some discussion, they tacitly understood that their friend and the monarch behind him had the same objective for this visit.
Given this, they discreetly exchanged opinions before the official meeting, privately discussing how their monarchs would act and how to express their stance to win the support of the Catholic nations.
While these two envoys from the Roman states attempted to reach a private consensus, inside the Buda Royal Palace, Hungarian high-ranking officials, including Hunyadi János, who had recently been promoted to Governor of Transylvania, and papal envoys, were also in a secret room beside the main conference, discussing how to treat the Eastern Orthodox who were participating in this Crusade.
Although the two sides had nominally achieved church unity, the accumulated animosity would not disappear with the easing of religious issues.
"In short, remain vigilant against the Serbs, Bosnians, and Wallachians.
As for the Romans, while they should be trustworthy, they are either too weak or too timid, so it is likely that this Crusade will still primarily rely on us Catholics."
Cardinal Julian Cesarini, the papal legate sent by Pope Eugene IV to nominally assist the Crusaders, an old man with the classic Mediterranean-style clerical tonsure, reached this conclusion after organizing most of the intelligence.
He then looked at the young Ulaslo I Jagiellon, inquiring the young King's opinion with his eyes.
Regarding the papal legate's conclusion, the young Ulaslo merely tidied his deep brown curly hair beneath his crown and, with a serious expression, pondered, "So, this time, we Catholics are still the main force?"
"Yes, Your Majesty," everyone present replied in unison.
Hearing this, the young King sighed and shook his head in frustration.
Then, he stood up, as if having made a decision.
At noon that day, the Buda Conference officially commenced.
At this moment, envoys from all Christian nations bordering the Ottoman as well as envoys from other nations who expressed willingness to participate in this Crusade gathered, formally beginning to discuss whether they were willing to join this Crusade, and their status and tasks within it.
"There are quite a few attendees," after greeting the other envoys around the venue, Serenus silently recited the list of participants in this conference in his mind:
"Excluding the Bosphorus Despotate, which I represent, and the host, Ulaslo I, also known as Władysław III, King of Poland, Hungary, and Croatia, those present also include the Empire, the Roman Curia, the Teutonic Knights, the Knights Hospitaller, the Kingdom of Lithuania, the Serbian Despotate, the Principality of Wallachia, the Principality of Moldavia, the Kingdom of Bosnia, the Republic of Venice, the Republic of Genoa, the Republic of Ragusa, and the Duchy of Burgundy.
If we also count the Bohemian territories nominally under Hungarian rule, there are at least 18 nations."
"Although there are many participants, it may not be as powerful as ordinary people imagine.
Differences in interests, enemy-friend relationships, and the actual degree of participation from each party will likely prevent this Crusade from proceeding as smoothly as envisioned."
"The only thing to be thankful for is that, at this meeting, these issues will not immediately erupt.
So, Holy Trinity, please continue to guide the way for us Romans."
And then, just as Serenus had expected, although cracks appeared among the nations present due to conflicting interests, under the terrifying Turk threat, they still suppressed the desire to cause trouble at the conference.
After the envoys of the nations present signed a memorandum for joint action against the Ottoman under the witness of Cardinal Cesarini, Ulaslo I, the young King, quietly rose and, on the spot, drew his sword from its scabbard, declaring loudly as he had always aspired to since childhood, bringing the entire venue to the climax of this Crusade conference:
"Gentlemen, please hear me.
Since the year of the lord became flesh, 1354, when the Ottoman Turks, like Lucifer on earth, landed on the Gallipoli Peninsula, they began their demonic conquest.
From then until today, in these past eighty-nine years, they have ravaged our brethren, established a false kingdom, and are still advancing into the heartland of the Christian world."
"So there is no time for lengthy speeches!
I implore you to take up the scepter, which symbolizes the Lord, and kindly guard it and respect it.
I beg you, if you truly wish to expel the Turks from the Aemos Peninsula, then I implore you to follow the doctrine here, work together, and overcome these difficulties.
I will do my utmost to pray to God, asking Him to deliver us from the current threat."
"May the world forever remember all those present and those who will participate in this holy war.
My brothers, I hope you are ready with swords blessed by the holy light, with the grace and strength bestowed upon you by God, with the help of the Holy Trinity in whom we place our great hopes, to force our enemies to leave our homes in shame!"
On the afternoon of Palm Sunday, Ulaslo I, the 19-year-old King of Hungary, officially drew his sword in Buda, announcing his response to the call of the Roman Curia and leading the Christian nations of Eastern Europe to declare a Crusade against the Ottoman Sultanate.
Cardinal Cesarini also officially acted on behalf of the Curia, issuing the bulla cruciata, declaring a holy war against the Ottoman.
On the day of the Buda Conference, the Kingdom of Croatia, the Kingdom of Poland, and Hungarian Bohemia, as united kingdoms, responded to the call of the Kingdom of Hungary and the Roman Curia, declaring war on the Ottoman;
A week later, on Easter, King Casimir IV of Lithuania responded, as did his brother, the Teutonic Knights, and the Knights Hospitaller, responding to the Curia, all choosing to declare war on the Ottoman on that day;
On April 12, 1443, George Branković, Despot of Serbia, raised a rebellion against the Ottoman to break free from the Turk yoke;
On April 15, 1443, Philip III "the Good," Duke of Burgundy, as commander of the Crusade, led his Duchy to declare war on the Ottoman;
On April 22, 1443, the Republic of Venice, the Republic of Genoa, and the Republic of Ragusa, supporting the Crusade navy, also declared war on the Ottoman, claiming they could not remain uninvolved;
On May 20, 1443, Tvrtko II, King of Bosnia, followed suit, also choosing to declare war on the Ottoman.
By mid-1443, only four nations that had signed the declaration of war at the Buda Conference had not yet formally declared war on the Ottoman: the Principality of Wallachia, the Principality of Moldavia, the Roman Empire, and the Bosphorus Despotate.
"What are they waiting for?"
Upon learning that these four nations had not yet declared war, Pope Eugene IV in Rome frowned and pondered.
At the same time, in the Trabzon Palace, facing the Prime Minister's question after returning to the country, Caesar merely stood up, looked towards the mountains of Anatolia, and slowly and gravely replied,
"'I endure the time of waiting.'①"