Popular science says oxygen is poisonous, and the whole internet scolds me for being sick

So now the Vatican is in a bit of a predicament.

In terms of absolute strength...

The Papacy dispatched the Knights Templar and a host of powerful figures from within the Papacy to annihilate the Albi Crusade.

There is absolutely no problem.

They can also join forces with other kingdoms to besiege them.

However, this also involves the rule of France itself.

Because this is not just a religious issue.

It also concerns the issue of French rule itself.

Because in essence, this was still a war between the nobles of southern France and the royal power of the north.

Moreover, this time it was the Albi Crusade.

The Toulouse family was involved in it.

And here we must mention the First Crusade.

Everything was laid here.

If it's on Ye Zhen's timeline.

Besides the foundation laid by the First Crusade, which established the Crusader states,

The subsequent eight Crusades ended in failure.

This is completely different in terms of timing.

This timeline shows that the previous eight Crusades were all successful.

The power of the Vatican is ridiculously exaggerated.

Muslims are no match for the Vatican's Crusaders.

This brings us to the significance of the First Crusade.

Whether in the previous timeline or in the timeline Ye Zhen is in now.

Both were very important holy wars.

They directly seized Jerusalem.

The original Crusade consisted of four main legions.

Godfrey, one of the four legions, became the first king of Jerusalem.

Among these four main legions, one of them is the Toulouse family.

The head of the Toulouse family at the time actually had the opportunity to become the King of Jerusalem.

However, he politely declined.

The current patriarch of Toulouse, the Count of Toulouse, refused to become king.

Known as the most devout believer, he was awarded the title of Guardian of the Holy Sepulchre.

It can be said that the Toulouse family was not simple to begin with.

He had the ability to become a king back then.

Therefore, to this day, they remain the most prominent noble family in southern France.

That was the most glorious era for the Toulouse family.

However, the Toulouse family declined day by day.

And among the later kings of Jerusalem.

One of them is very crucial.

Because even among the Muslim community, there have been outstanding individuals.

One of them, Saladin, almost succeeded.

To directly conquer Jerusalem and reclaim this holy city belonging to Islam.

Unfortunately, this is not the original timeline.

It is a timeline with extraordinary powers.

Saladin alone possessed the strength of a Radiant Life Form.

The tide of battle could have been turned so easily.

After all, Saladin led the holy war army and directly defeated the army of Jerusalem at that time.

Jerusalem was truly in grave danger under the rule of the Papacy at that time.

We almost failed.

But then, a 16-year-old boy wearing an iron mask appeared.

With 500 knights and several thousand infantry.

Leading these men, he decisively defeated Saladin's army of 26,000.

It was a miraculous victory.

This young man is none other than the infamous Silver Mask King in history.

He was also known by later generations as the greatest king of Jerusalem.

If it's in Ye Zhen's original timeline.

This silver-masked king is none other than Baldwin IV.

He had a nickname: the King of Leprosy.

Because he had leprosy, his entire body, including his face, was covered up.

He was wearing a silver mask on his face.

In the Middle Ages, leprosy was an absolutely incurable disease.

It is considered by the world to be divine punishment, and there is no cure.

Baldwin IV was diagnosed with leprosy.

He knew he was going to die soon.

Like many geniuses in history.

Heaven is jealous of talent.

The Leprosy King was also an absolute military genius.

In Ye Zhen's timeline.

Not long after the death of the leper king, Jerusalem fell completely.

The kingdom collapsed rapidly.

He is regarded as the terminator of the Golden Age of Crusades.

He was the Last Crusader King.

Saladin dared not launch a large-scale attack on Jerusalem because the leper king was still alive.

However, his contracting leprosy sealed his fate of certain death.

But on this timeline...

Baldwin IV did not have leprosy.

But he also wore a silver mask.

Some say he did this to intimidate the enemy.

After all, seeing such a cold, masked person on the battlefield would deter some enemies.

Others say this was actually to conceal his identity.

However, only a few people know that Baldwin IV sought power.

He participated in the training of ascetics and began ascetic practices at the age of nine.

There's practically no good spot on his body.

In the end, he actually obtained the Holy Mark.

It is said that they received the blessing of the Virgin Mary.

Thus, they gained special powers.

Beneath the fully covered clothing and mask, various holy marks were scattered.

However, the strangest thing is that Baldwin IV's stigmata are constantly repairing themselves.

And on the other hand, it is constantly destroying itself.

If you lift the mask, you can see that most of Baldwin IV's face is constantly being disfigured and then repaired.

It is always in a dynamic state.

This means that Baldwin IV was in a state of constant agony.

If a normal person saw such a face...

It could scare ordinary people to death.

So Baldwin IV put on a mask.

Although it differs from the original history, he ultimately wore the silver mask as well.

It was precisely because of Baldwin IV's strength that Saladin was successfully defeated.

To prevent Jerusalem from falling.

However, Baldwin IV later abdicated and went into seclusion.

Some say Baldwin IV is dead, while others say he has taken off his mask.

They have returned to normal life.

So, to whom did Baldwin IV pass the throne?

The Silver Mask King was originally going to pass the throne to Raymond III.

Raymond is actually a member of a collateral branch of the Toulouse family.

He was the great-grandson of the Count of Toulouse during the First Crusade.

Baldwin IV originally intended to pass the throne to Raymond III.

At that time, Raymond was already serving as regent of Jerusalem.

But in the end, he did not become the king of Jerusalem.

It seems that the Toulouse family has no connection with the king.

When the Count of Toulouse refused to become king, was it because he didn't want to?
Or is it really because of some kind of faith or something?

Raymond III, a later member of a collateral branch of the family, also failed to become king.

Although he did not become king.

However, in southern France, Toulouse is the most prominent noble family.

It enjoys complete and high autonomy, almost independent of the French monarchy. (End of Chapter)