Just started over with the turks on VH/VH and found that I can get the AI to pay for alliance and trade rights! byzantine gave me 2200, Hungry 800 and Egypt gave me 2800. Combined with the 7k I made from sacking antioch and the first consul mission I've netted around 13k in the first 10 turns :).

That's right, give me 2000 florins for an alliance you will break in 4 turns

hope this helps with starting your budding empire.