king of ros

Chapter 530 Jihad Prelude
"In other words, the Pope in Rome is promoting the so-called Crusade?"

In the audience hall of the Vladimir Palace, Rostislav looked at the businessman dressed as a Latin businessman below, and he said this.

The merchant put the shawl hanging from his head at his side and bowed again to Rostislav.

"Yes, Lord Rostislav, the current situation in Rome is very frenzied. Even those ordinary people who are indifferent to war and politics are even frantically discussing jihad, and this frenzy is spreading to the whole of Italy. Many towns in Northern Italy It is already full of people discussing jihad, and the rivalry between the emperor and the pope is no longer the focus of people's attention."

As always, the two sides of the audience hall were full of fully armed Russian bodyguards, and at the head of these bodyguards was Rostislav Vladimirovich sitting on the solemn bench, his finger now is resting on the forehead.

"Thank you very much for your message, this merchant, please go down and get paid, my manager will give you something."

Rostislav dismissed the merchant below, and the man bowed again and stepped back.

As Ross's trade became more and more prosperous, more and more Ross merchants traveled, and now there are many merchants who cross the Strait of Constantinople to trade in the Latin world, and these merchants will bring back some information, for which Rostislav was more than happy to pay.

The door of the audience hall was closed, and Rostislav looked at Domnar standing on the right hand side, his captain, "Is this the last audience?"

"Yes, this is the last one."

Domhnall's familiar answer, this is how many times they have had conversations, and Rostislav always likes to ask this question after the audience.

"Speaking of which, what date is it today?" Rostislav asked a question that seemed a bit idiotic.

"February 1094, 2, my Grand Duke." Although Domhnall had doubts in his heart, he immediately answered the Grand Duke's question. He had already learned to cut off his unnecessary curiosity now.

"Then let Leo come over, I have some new arrangements."

"Yes."

While the captain of the bodyguard went to summon the current mayor of Kyiv, Rostislav was thinking on his throne, thinking about the news he had received.

Rostislav was not at all surprised by the crusade, because he knew very well that this expedition would inevitably take place whether or not Alexius wrote to the Pope.

What prompted this expedition has always been the internal crisis in the Latin world. Abnormal natural disasters have continued in the West for several years. Now the entire Western society is in turmoil, and there are hungry people struggling to die everywhere.

For the Western world, the turmoil caused by such abnormal natural disasters is very huge. Due to the regular mild westerly winds, it is difficult for the Western world to encounter such natural disasters. Natural disasters are a very unfamiliar term for the people.

All kinds of trends of thought are surging up, and heretical sects that intend to resist the ruler are also gaining supporters, and the end-time speeches are popular, and everything is exuding a very disturbing atmosphere.

For the rulers, this increasingly powerful high pressure must find a way to release, and eventually the inevitable explosion will overturn everything.

Not to mention other various unstable factors, such as nobles who are about to move, merchants who want to trade, and churches who want to strengthen their authority... All factors are prompting the brewing of the expedition, and the era that will change the West is about to come .

For Ross, this matter seems far away, but if it is handled well, it can also benefit from it. For example, Rostislav remembers that they made a lot of money by transporting pilgrims and crusaders between the East and the West. Pen.

"My lord, here I am, what order do you have?"

Just as Rostislav was thinking about the benefits he could get from it, the mayor of Kyiv, Leo, had already stood in front of him.

Leo can't see much of the Greeks on his body now, and he is completely dressed as a native of Russia. Since the Grand Duke of Ross took Constantinople, the last knot in his heart about that land has also disappeared. completely unraveled, so he embraced with all his heart the land where he had spent most of his life.

Now Leo has white hair and beard, and with that cane and fur hat, he looks like an elder Ross, and the only thing that can tell his alien identity is his name.

"I want you to go to the imperial capital and ask Emperor Alexios for something so that he can allow Ross's large fleet to cross the strait and head to the Mediterranean Sea if needed."

"Obey, my lord."

Leo didn't ask any more questions at all. As a bureaucrat in Constantinople, the way of silence is already a preliminary skill for them.

But instead of leaving, he informed Rostislav of something.

"My Grand Duke, there must be something to report to you here. A letter came from Emperor Alexios, saying that he wishes to revise the mercenary contract with Ross."

Leo, the mayor of Kyiv, was also the diplomatic attache to the Empire, so it was not surprising that he had such news.

"Oh? What's going on? Let's talk about it."

Rostislav immediately became interested. Over the years, the mercenary contract has made him a lot of money. Now that Alexios is going to revise it, he has to care about it.

"His Majesty Alexios expressed that he hoped that after the arrival of the agreed batch of mercenaries in March, he would stop providing mercenaries to the imperial capital. After repelling the Turkic invasion, the Greeks believed that it would be a long time to come. There are no major battles in time, so the need for mercenaries is not so urgent."

"Really? It's a pity, but since His Majesty Alexios said so, let's do it."

Rostislav was not surprised that Alexios made such a judgment. According to the information he had obtained before, in the battle to repel the Roma Turks, those Turks suffered a fatal blow and suffered huge losses. It is not expected that the Turks will not have the energy to invade in the next few years.

As for the threat to the west, both the Serbs and the Paul faction have been resolved. Now Berdin’s son is a guest in the imperial capital, and the Paul faction are burned to ashes in the big racecourse. A lot of fear, coupled with those failures, it will take at least another ten years before they have the courage to carry out another invasion.

Alexios' judgment was correct. Although he didn't know that a group of crusaders would come for an expedition, it didn't affect anything. Historically, he turned these crusaders into a tool for the expansion of the empire. And it is not surprising that Alexios, who is now in a much better situation than in history, has done this again.

So Rostislav was very sorry but didn't say much, because he knew that Alexios' choice was correct, and he wanted to come to Alexios to do so to reduce the influence of the Varangian guards in the empire.

The Rurik label on the Varangian Guard is too heavy. It can be said that this team is controlled by the Kyiv court, but at the same time it is under the command of the Greek emperor. This force can be relied upon when needed, but it is not needed now. Then You have to start weakening it.

Now the Greeks' own army has also been brought out by Alexios, enough to deal with conventional warfare.

Alexios was not his later unclear grandson Manuel, who knew the bad effects of letting a large number of foreigners occupy high positions. After all, the basis of his rule was the Greek nobles, not those outsiders.

Thinking of this, Rostislav couldn't help laughing, he really deserves to be Alexios.

Just when Rostislav was about to send Leo away, Leo spoke again.

"And one more thing, Grand Duke, recently a girl from Bagration came to Rose under his escort. She was the posthumous son of King George. She escaped the massacre of Monomakh, but was killed just last month. I found out, under the pursuit of Monomacher, she can only come to Rose."

Georgia was also counted among the imperial affairs that Leo was in charge of.

"If she is old enough, then let her study at Vladimir Academy, if not, then give her an annuity."

Of course Rostislav understood what Leo was implying, so such a proclaimer could always use the extremely generous allocation of funds, not to mention, it was a girl, so there was too much room for maneuver.

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(End of this chapter)