After the triumphal procession concluded with the distribution, or rather the scattering, of spoils to the citizens of Constantinople, showcasing his military prowess, Manuel effectively ruled the city with the hopes of countless Romans. Now, he could finally move into the Grand Palace of Constantinople without concealing his intentions, a desire not only for him and the Bosporus elite who followed him but also for the many citizens of Constantinople who held expectations for him.
In fact, after Manuel's repeated victories against the Ottoman, the calls for him to become the new Basileus in Constantinople grew stronger. This sentiment began to rise after his great victory at Varna, was further propelled before the Siege of Constantinople, and finally reached its climax after the decisive Battle of Adrianople. Now, almost all the people of the city supported the nominally foreign Caesar, and the Palaiologos family loyalists, led by the Lucas Notaras family, could only choose to quietly shut their mouths to avoid further complications.
Manuel was naturally delighted by this situation in Constantinople. After officially moving into the Grand Palace and secretly having Constantine XI's wife, children, and close confidantes closely monitored, he secretly discussed a plan with his generals. However, to show his sincerity and also to test the waters, he still summoned all the prominent Roman nobles in the city to the Grand Palace three nights later, hosting a grand banquet in the ancient imperial palace.
This banquet invited almost all the existing prominent families in Constantinople, but not everyone attended. After mentally excluding those who were genuinely unable to attend, Manuel's eyes quickly flashed with an imperceptible trace of murderous intent as he thought of those who had refused the invitation.
Moreover, not all attendees treated Caesar kindly. Some nobles who had close ties with the Latins and loyal supporters of the Palaiologos family, although they came to the banquet, found it difficult to put on a good face for Manuel, whose ambition was almost blatant. Although Manuel did not make things difficult for them on the spot due to the Prime Minister's repeated private dissuasion, he already knew what choice he should make.
After the banquet, Caesar also chatted idly with the nobles who had actively engaged him in conversation. The following evening, after hinting at some information to them, Manuel walked towards a small antechamber in the Grand Palace. But just before arriving, he suddenly paused, then turned and headed to the palace's small council chamber, summoning his Prime Minister, Justinian Seresnus, who had served him for the past twelve or thirteen years.
After the Prime Minister arrived and they exchanged pleasantries, Manuel chose to ask his Prime Minister, "Serenus, what do you think I need to do if I want to become the Basileus of the Empire?"
As if he had anticipated Caesar would ask him this, Serenus replied without hesitation, "Your Majesty, in my humble opinion, you should first be crowned co-Basileus with the support of the Senate and the people. After years of governance, you should gain recognition for your achievements from the Romans within the realm, and even from His Majesty Constantine, earning the approval of the vast majority of people, and have him designate you as the heir to the Roman Empire. Only then can you officially become a Basileus beloved by all Romans..."
"How long will that take?" Manuel interrupted him with a hint of displeasure, but still tried to keep his tone gentle.
Believing he had persuaded the other party, Serenus happily continued, "At most, over twenty years; at least, nearly ten years. Rest assured, Your Majesty, with your abilities and achievements, wouldn't it be a matter of course..."
"Enough," hearing this, Manuel finally couldn't help but reveal the irritation in his tone. From the beginning, he knew Serenus's adherence to Roman traditions, but when the other party annoyingly emphasized this point to him, he couldn't help but clench his right fist, considering the current situation.
Waiting for Constantine XI to pass away would naturally increase his prestige and preserve his reputation. However, Constantine was only 8 years older than him. By the time Manuel waited for the other party to pass away, he would probably already be middle-aged or elderly. Moreover, during this period, he would also have to expend energy to maintain his authority and popular support, and might even face several tedious and boring court struggles...
He was tired of these formalities.
Not to mention, Manuel's early ambitions were constantly echoing in his heart. He was naturally willing to adhere to Roman political traditions, but he was also willing to actively violate them for his own sake, just like those ambitious founders of new dynasties in the Empire's history.
After seeing his Prime Minister off, Manuel left the room without looking back and strode towards another antechamber:
He was going to become the Basileus of the Empire now!
Half a moment later, seeing Caesar enter the antechamber, his generals all rose, saluting him. After a brief mutual prayer, Manuel looked around at them, drew the scimitar from its sheath, plunged it into the wooden table in front of them, and calmly ordered in a chilling tone:
"Act."
Late at night on February 18, 1445, the three Bosporus Army legions stationed in Constantinople, acting on the secret orders of their Caesar Manuel, forcibly took control of all noble factions that explicitly resisted Manuel's entry into Constantinople. Due to the considerable bloodshed during the process, and because Bosporus soldiers largely carried scimitars during this night's operation, this incident was later referred to by posterity as the "Night of the Scimitars."