Crusade against the Pope

Chapter 215 Intermission (Two in One)

June is a good month for England.

The rainy days that had lasted for several months finally left this land. You know, in those days, there was not a single week without rain.

The warmth of summer settles over Winchester Castle, bringing with it a fresh, green and tree-filled scent.

Even Eleanor, with the help of her maid, left the tower and went to the city wall to relax.

The air smelled of grass and earth, mixed with the smoke of burning wood—the kitchen stove was where breakfast was being prepared. The flag above the castle fluttered in the breeze, announcing its ownership to all quarters.

Everything seemed fine, but Eleanor didn't think so.

After all, Winchester Castle was an unlocked prison for the Duchess of Aquitaine, Queen of England, wife of Henry II, and mother of Richard the Lionheart.

She was restrained and imprisoned here for 15 years.

Born in 1122, she is now a 66-year-old woman.

As the wife of two consecutive kings and the mother of a total of ten children, Eleanor seemed to have a particularly authoritative say in marriage and family.

Words like marriage, love, and forever make her laugh just by thinking about them.

She should have known the answer when she and her daughter Marie, Ermengarde, the Viscountess of Narbonne, and Isabelle of Flanders... listened to the lovers' quarrels in the Court of Love in Aquitaine.
Where is true love in aristocratic marriages?

Or in other words, in this male-dominated society, how can women be qualified to pursue true love?

Eleanor felt bitter as she recalled her wedding with Louis VII and her subsequent marriage with Henry II.

She understood that she was a pawn used to control Aquitaine.

No matter what position she held, she was never able to truly influence the knights around her, and even the occasional orders she issued were despised because of her female gender.

Even after marrying Henry, their marriage was not happy. In fact, Henry II was fickle and had countless lovers and one-night stands.

Because of family conflicts and conflicts of interest among the lords, Eleanor, the most beautiful woman in Europe, fell out of favor after she grew old and lost her beauty...

In return, Eleanor continued to encourage her children to rebel against King Henry II of England.

These memories always make people feel depressed, especially in England, a land where sunny weather is rare.

The gloomy sky seemed to be just like her mood. Without the bright sunshine of Aquitaine, every day seemed extremely monotonous and depressing.

It's not often that we get sunny days like today!

Eleanor's hand brushed over the city wall. She missed her homeland in Aquitaine.

However, today was different. When the old queen looked into the distance, she saw an army coming from afar, with the emblem of Aquitaine on its flag!

"Alice, go inform the butler and prepare a banquet. Tell him that the future King of England is coming."

Eleanor instructed the maid beside her calmly.

Although she was imprisoned and unable to leave the castle, as the Queen of England, she still had the right to make some insignificant arrangements about the castle's affairs.

Richard the Lionheart looked up at the sun. Such sunny weather was rare in England in a year.

Compared with France, which is full of sunshine and symbolizes romance and passion, England seems to symbolize conservatism and repression.

This is not only a cultural contrast, in fact even the climate is cold, and many people simply call this place a "bitter and cold place."

Now, through compromise with his father, as a prince of England, lord of Aquitaine and Gascony, and vassal of France, Richard the Lionheart finally has the opportunity to reunite with his mother.

"long time no see."

Richard gently hugged his mother Eleanor. Although she didn't understand why Richard came here in person, now was not the time to ask the reason.

A banquet was being prepared for these knights in the castle. There were too many followers around, and I wondered if they were Henry's spies.

When the banquet was over and the mother and son were alone, Richard revealed to Eleanor the real reason for his visit:

"I have promised my father that I will lead a crusade to fight for the Lord in the Holy Land on behalf of England and France. When I set sail, mother, you will be free."

Eleanor was silent for a long time after listening to Richard's statement, and finally said softly: "You compromised."

"Yes, I compromised."

"But once you leave, he will take back your fiefdom. No matter how great your achievements in the Holy Land are, when you return, I'm afraid the throne will have already fallen into the hands of others."

"That's just giving the throne to John," Richard smiled faintly. He had no obsession with the throne.

Although Eleanor and Henry II had five sons and three daughters, the young William died young, young Henry was crowned co-ruler but died young due to illness, and Geoffrey also died in a tournament.

Eleanor now had only two sons left, Richard and John.

Unlike the common royal family, Eleanor's children had conflicts but also had brotherly love.

In history, after Richard's crusade, even though John usurped the throne, Richard eventually chose to forgive him and made John his successor.

When young Henry decided to confront his father, both Richard and Geoffrey supported him without hesitation.

At the French court, the three brothers swore to become vassals of King Louis VII of France and vowed never to negotiate peace with Henry II alone.

"Now, King Philip of France seems unwilling to continue to pester me. Perhaps he thinks that I am just a trouble." Richard said slowly.

It was precisely because of the support of King Philip of France that Richard and young Henry were able to compete with Henry II for a long time. Now, as King Philip II of France wanted to reconcile with Henry, Richard became redundant.

Eleanor sighed softly: "I can't promise you the throne, but I only hope that you will return safely. If John is crowned king, Aquitaine and Ascone must belong to you no matter what."

In Eleanor's heart, Richard and John were equally beloved children.

She just hoped that the dispute between the two would not end in brothers killing each other.

Richard was willing to go to the Holy Land in exchange for his mother's freedom, and even Eleanor could not refuse such sincerity. After all, she had not left this small place for a long time.

"I love you, Mother," Richard whispered.

"I love you too, kid."

A butterfly in the Holy Land flapped its wings gently, because Garys had urged Balian and others to send a delegation to Europe to seek help.

The nobles from Jerusalem traveled around Europe carrying large paintings of Jerusalem burning.

Preach to European Christians about the horrors of the Holy Land.

Therefore, this Third Crusade was organized more than a year earlier than in history.

At the same time, Frederick was also gathering his own legions.

Frederick, the "greatest" emperor in the Middle Ages, brought the word "sacred" to his "empire" with the blood of thousands of Romans.

Before Frederick, strictly speaking, the concept of the Holy Roman Empire did not exist.

According to what this group of Germanic people called themselves, it was the "Roman Empire".

To outsiders, this was the German "Roman Empire".

Under Frederick's rule, the empire's national strength reached its peak and it was undoubtedly the strongest country in Europe. However, the peak of its power actually also meant the beginning of a downward spiral.

When Frederick returned to Germany after his defeat in northern Italy, he was a frustrated and old man.

Not only did the German princes not succumb to the royal authority, but they also gained more firm control over Germany's wealth and power. The fruits of victory accumulated in several previous wars in Italy were also completely lost due to successive failures.

Defeats came again and again...even Conrad in Tyre defeated and captured Frederick's troops.

Power, wealth, glory... these were what he once pursued, and now they are all within his grasp. However, God seems to have warned him through several failures that he could not achieve them.

At fifty, one knows the will of heaven; at sixty, one's ears become obedient. Now, at the age of 65, Frederick suddenly realizes that he has reached the limit of worldly pursuits.

Ambition was gradually taken away from the heart of such an old man and turned into devout faith which was injected into his heart. The emperor intended to seek peace after death.

At this time, a letter from Tyre arrived in Frederick's hands. It was written by Balian and detailed the Battle of the Sea of ​​Galilee and the outcome of the defense of Jerusalem.

The holy land has fallen and the kingdom is in danger!
The Christians wandering in the Levant looked to the West with tears in their eyes, praying that the most powerful emperor in the Christian world could lend a helping hand.

At that moment, Frederick seemed to have received divine inspiration, just like a flash of lightning that streaked across the night sky or spring rain that moistened the earth. He suddenly realized that he still had an unfinished holy mission waiting for him to accomplish.

He firmly believed that this expedition would open the door to heaven for him and welcome the grace and mercy of God.

At the Congress of Mainz, Frederick announced to the many vassals present that he would bear the cross of the Crusade and solemnly declared that the "Holy Roman Empire" was about to launch a "holy full-scale expedition" against the "pagans."

In short, the most powerful empire in Europe was mobilized, and 15,000 elite soldiers began to assemble, including as many as 3,000 knights.

Since Frederick had concluded a friendly agreement with Saladin in 1175, he sent Count Henry II of Dietz to issue an ultimatum to Saladin, formally declaring the agreement invalid.

When the messenger returned from the holy land, he brought back an exciting news.

"Cyprus, openly declared its support for the Third Crusade? And emphasized its willingness to prepare supplies for past Crusaders and provide camps for repairs?"

"How is this possible?"

Although the First Crusade was initiated by Basilius of the Eastern Empire who took the initiative to ask the Pope for help, in terms of the effectiveness of all the Crusades.

In two words: bad luck. The Orthodox Church was the real victim in this process.

This time, the Church of Cyprus actually took the initiative to support the Crusades, which can be said to be a release of strong goodwill to the Catholic world.

And from the map, we can see how important Cyprus is in the eastern Mediterranean and how crucial it is to the situation in the Holy Land.

As the largest island in the eastern Mediterranean, Cyprus, with a population of over 100,000, can easily accommodate an army of 20,000 to 30,000.

As an unsinkable giant ship, Cyprus can also provide a long period of rest for pilgrims and crusaders passing by, so as to prepare for subsequent battles in the Holy Land.

It can be said that Cyprus’ statement immediately made the truly knowledgeable people in the Catholic world full of confidence in this Crusade.

Frederick subconsciously made the sign of the cross and bowed his head to pray. When the prayer was over, he suddenly understood: this was a "real" Crusade under the watchful eyes of the Lord.

If the Lord had not given instructions and personally intervened in the world, how could Cyprus have changed? !
The name of Gellis also appeared in Europe, but some of the news about Gellis was deliberately concealed by Cyprus.

Gellis became a saint recognized by the Church of Cyprus, the holy man from Jerusalem who brought about the conversion of Cyprus.

This must be because the Lord could not bear to see the holy land lost, so he intervened in the human world!
Otherwise, how come a saint suddenly appeared?
There is still a big difference between a saint and the Son of God.

In Christianity, a saint is a person considered to have extraordinary faith, virtue, and spiritual life.

Saints are seen as having special graces and moral examples who can guide and inspire the lives of believers and symbolize the sublime embodiment of Christian values.

In the Christian tradition, especially in the Catholic, Eastern Orthodox and Anglican churches, saints are also believed to be able to convey prayer requests between believers and God and to possess some of God's power and grace.

Therefore, there is only one Son of God in Catholicism and Eastern Orthodoxy, but there are many saints who perform "miracles".

"He is there, looking down upon all living things. He has given us trials, and I will lead you to respond to His call."

"That holy place, where Christ was crucified and resurrected, has now fallen into the hands of pagans. How can we tolerate such desecration? How can we sit back and watch the holy city fall and our faith be insulted?"

"You have fought for me, for my glory. Now, I ask you to fight in the name of the Lord! Give our glory to Him!"

Frederick's voice resounded throughout the hall. He and his vassals devoutly made the sign of the cross. Every movement was solemn and firm, expressing their willingness to shoulder the mission of holy war.

There was determination and fanaticism in their eyes, as if at this moment, this army was not assembled for worldly interests, but fighting for a greater belief.

During this Crusade, because of Cyprus, Frederick gave up his plan to march to Jerusalem by land and decided to take a ship instead.

The butterfly flapped its wings again, inadvertently changing history.

At least, this time, the Holy Roman Emperor Frederick will not drown in the river again.

……

In Frederick's view, the Crusades might be the only way to heaven.

On the Anglo-French side, the situation was quite different. Using the excuse of the Crusade to the East, both King Henry II of England and King Philip II of France worked overtime to collect taxes.

Under the call of the "sacred mission", the three major powers in Europe temporarily put aside their conflicts and jointly assembled a crusade.

However, behind this sacred name, there are many hidden secrets that are unknown. As the Crusaders gathered, some activities that usually took place before the expedition were staged again.

Just like during the First and Second Crusades, the looting that some nobles enjoyed began.

However, there is one group that suffers disproportionately.

When the first wave of Crusades emerged, Europeans' fanatical faith was incredibly high.

At that time, Muslims were far away, but a pagan group was right in front of them.

In parts of France and Germany, Jews are seen as the same enemy as Muslims, after all, in their perception it was Judas who betrayed Jesus.

Therefore, a "thought-provoking" question arose in people's minds: since there are pagans at their doorstep, why should we travel thousands of miles to the Holy Land?
Are Muslims more evil than Jews?

Once this idea spreads, it becomes difficult to control.

Moreover, many Crusaders found themselves forced to borrow money from Jews in order to finance their expedition to the Holy Land.

Since the Catholic Church strictly prohibited usury, the Jewish lending business accounted for a large proportion in this era.

Borrowing... well, the Jews really dare to borrow... What could be happier than a heavily loaded Crusader discovering that his creditor is actually a pagan?

The situation got out of control.

Godfrey of Boulogne, one of the founders of the Kingdom of Jerusalem, asserted before his expedition:

Only by eradicating the Jews from the world and calming the burning anger in our hearts can we be worthy of the crucified Christ.

This sentence literally means: I will not continue the march until I have killed all my Jewish creditors.

The Jews themselves also recorded the tragic situation at that time:

When the Jewish community in France heard these things, fear seized them. They wrote letters and sent messengers to all the communities around the Rhine, telling them that they should fast and seek mercy from God in the clouds so that He could save them from the hands of the Christians.

[When this letter reached the Rhineland, they wrote back to their brothers in France: The community has ordered a fast. We have done what we should do. May the Lord save us, and may He save you from all the sorrow and oppression that may befall us, for which we are terrified.]

In short, almost every wave of Crusades was accompanied by a round of anti-Semitic movement across Europe.

However, Frederick was not an ordinary ruler after all. After he received a not-too-generous "tax" from the Jews, he sent his army to drive away the "Crusaders" who intended to attack the Jewish community.

He also issued an imperial decree: anyone who maimed or killed a Jew would be punished with an eye for an eye.

In the summer of 1188 in Europe, amidst the chaos, looting or being robbed, anti-Semitism or not, the preparations for the Crusades began with great vitality and competition.

……

At the same time, in Acre, the most prosperous port city on the coast of Palestine and the Holy Land.

Saladin had also begun preparing for war.

Although he did not know much about the situation in Europe, he was aware of the enthusiasm for the Crusades in Europe.

Retaking the holy city does not mean the end. As long as Christians are still interested in the Holy Land, there will be a steady stream of Crusaders coming from the West.

In order to prepare countermeasures before a large-scale crusaders land in the Holy Land.

Saladin planned to attack the enemy quickly and slowly, and before the Crusaders arrived, he launched a general offensive against the participating Crusader forces this summer.

However, there were some things that he had not expected.

On the pocket-sized peninsula that extends into the ocean from the city of Acre, there is an L-shaped sea wall where the palace that originally belonged to the Knights Templar was located.

This grand palace is now the residence of Saladin's friend Issa Hakkari.

And today, Issa Hakkari invited Saladin and informed him of a message.

"I have noticed one thing. Smallpox has spread in Acre. You'd better stop assembling troops and quickly disband those troops that have not been assembled in a hurry. At the same time, I have arranged a ship for you to go to Egypt to avoid this plague."

When he heard the news, Saladin was stunned.

Now is the critical moment of war, why...

Compared with the city of Tyre, which had clearly established an isolation and quarantine system, Acre, just a few dozen kilometers away, did not receive any clear information about the smallpox epidemic in Tripoli.

The exchanges between ports along the eastern Mediterranean coast are particularly close.

As long as there were a few patients entering the port of Acre on ships, the plague would easily spread and get out of control in the Middle Ages.

It can be said that this smallpox epidemic directly disrupted Saladin's plan.

Man proposes, God disposes. Perhaps this is God's intention...

Saladin couldn't help but sigh.

"Isa Hakkari, I will not go to Egypt. The legion here in Palestine needs me."

"you sure?"

"I am sure."

After answering this question, Saladin couldn't help but walk to the window sill and look at the customs building not far away, which was also the property of the Knights Templar.

"Everything is God's will. If He thinks that I should die here, then let Azrael take me away."

Saladin knew that this time he could not abandon his army and escape back to Egypt alone.

If we say that in the previous Battle of Montgisard, the Frankish knights had their formation broken by the force, it would be understandable that he had to ride a camel to gain advantage.

During this smallpox epidemic, if he had not done a good job of isolating the plague, he would not have been with the legion.

Then the soldiers below might really spread rumors, claiming that they should not recapture the holy city of Jerusalem because this angered Allah and went against Allah's will.

This was a crisis that greatly weakened Saladin's legitimacy. As a "warlord" who usurped the throne, his legitimacy was extremely weak and could not withstand such a shake.

Therefore, he must and can only stay with his own legion and face the ceiling!

　Two in one, just this chapter

　　
　
(End of this chapter)