Crusade against the Pope

Chapter 218: The Grand Plan for Hegemony Comes to Nothing
People’s vision is very short-sighted, and almost everyone can only see their own immediate interests.

Before the farmer's eyes are his dilapidated thatched hut, the livestock that sleep with him, and the harvest from the fields.

The knight would think of the manor, honor, family emblem and faith.

As for the lords, they have a lot to consider, but no matter how much, it is often just their own interests.

Everyone has their own aspirations, and the level at which a person resides often affects his or her vision.

But it is one's vision that determines what kind of achievements a person can make.

Those who can break through their own levels and examine history and the world with a more global perspective are often more likely to leave a strong mark in history books.

Of course, thinking that you have a broad vision is not the same as actually having a broad vision.

Now, Prince Bohemond III of Antioch was in high spirits and led an army of 4,000 troops southwards without any one stopping him.

The princes in the north of Tripoli all treated the king with courtesy, and wherever the king's army went, the people provided food and drink.

You know, his biological son, Raymond de Poitiers, is the godson of the current Count Raymond III of Tripoll.

In the absence of any other children of Raymond III, his own son was the strongest claimant to the County of Tripoli.

The northern princes of the County of Tripoli were well aware of this. Faced with Antiochus' army, most of them surrendered directly to show their support for Raymond de Poitiers' succession to the County of Tripoli.

As a result, the army under his command has grown larger and larger, and now has a total of 5,000 people.

Looking at the vast stretch of tents and gazing towards the south, Bohemond the Stutterer immediately wanted to recite a poem.

"Above the wasteland...uh, a tall tower stands in the wind!"

"Battle flags, battle flags...flying everywhere...show your ambitions!"

So, Bohemond, unconsciously, recited a sonnet in front of the vassals around him.

"But, but in the end... who can sit on the throne for long?"

"The winds are rising and the clouds are surging, the years are, they are, they are, they are... they are persistent!"

"What a poem! What a poem!"

After Bohemond finished reading with difficulty, the princes on the side came forward and flattered him in various ways.

Now that the Kingdom of Jerusalem was in a precarious position, Antioch rose to the top of the Crusader states.

Once Antiochus unifies all the countries, he will be the backbone of the Franks and their hope against Saladin!

These guys who have served the emperor well naturally have to flatter him more now.

……

The rain stopped, and the city of Tripoli has changed beyond recognition.

Cowpox vaccination is not a complicated task. First, disinfect it with alcohol or liquor, cut the superficial skin surface, and apply cowpox fluid.

A skilled operator, with the assistance of others, can handle three to five hundred people a day.

It is not difficult to carry out large-scale vaccination in the city of Tripoli.

But due to obstruction from the Tripoli Church, many people have missed the vaccination period.

In the quarantine area, hundreds of straw sheets were spread on the ground, filled with smallpox virus. People lying here were waiting to die.

At least 20% of them will not survive this plague.

But this is the limit of what Gellis can do.

The fight against smallpox epidemic cannot be stopped simply by vaccination against cowpox.

All we can say is that the fight against the plague is an endless war that will not end even after a thousand years.

However, no matter what, Garys has temporarily gained the upper hand.

The dark clouds have temporarily dissipated, and Garys has proved with his actions that the plague is not uncontrollable and not incurable.

There was a sharp contrast between the Greeks who believed in Gelis' words and were willing to obey Gelis's treatment and isolation and the Franks who were originally Catholics.

Because the Greek population had received vaccination against smallpox earlier, the number of deaths was quite small.

This time, about two thousand people died throughout the city, and most of them were concentrated in the Frank group.

When such statistics were announced by Gellis, the reputation of the original Catholic Church could be said to have been completely ruined.

After this, many Franks took the initiative to find Gelis, hoping to convert to Orthodoxy.

……

The rainy season in the Levant has completely passed, and the bright sunlight shines through the narrow windows of the castle into the luxurious bedroom.

However, no matter how luxurious the bedroom is, it seems to be filled with death because of its owner.

The ornate chairs and desks seemed to have lost their former luster, and the wood gave off an unsettling sour smell.

Count Raymond III of Tripoli lay on his soft bed, reciting scriptures.

"Hail Mary, full of grace, the Lord is with you. Blessed are you among women, and blessed is the fruit of your womb, Jesus."

"Mary, Holy Mother of God, pray for us sinners now and at the hour of our death. Amen."

Raymond repeated the Hail Mary over and over again, and it was difficult for him to think of anything else.

He had also heard about the great changes in the city of Tripoli.

But Raymond couldn't come up with any effective response, after all, he didn't even have his own children.

What is the meaning of worldly power and wealth to a dying person?
After he had repeated the Hail Mary countless times, a servant opened the door of the bedroom, came to Raymond and spoke to him.

"Sir, Dr. Gellis is here to see you, but..."

"But what?"

"However, the names he used are: Saint of Jerusalem, Knight of Villeroy, Envoy of the Kingdom... and he has hundreds of troops behind him."

"Villeroy? Villeroy..."

When he heard the name, Raymond reacted.

Although the Villeroy family was not a wealthy and noble family, it was still a noble family with a certain reputation among the Crusader states.

As he recalled what he had seen in the royal court of Jerusalem, he realized who Gairis was.

"Let him in... ahem..."

After the servant who brought the news left, Raymond could not help but start reciting scriptures again, but this time it was the guardian angel who recited.

It was unclear how much time had passed, but when the bedroom door was opened again, Gailis walked in from outside.

Turning his head slightly, Raymond saw Garys, whom he hadn't seen for some time.

Gailis at this moment is different from the past. He is wearing a noble purple robe and the gold-plated scepter in his hand is shining brightly.

All this is to declare that Gillis's identity is unusual.

Of course, Raymond also noticed a detail: Garys was wearing a familiar signet ring on his ring finger.

"You have become Isabella's husband..."

"I knew that Humphrey was a hopeless case, but why didn't you tell me before... cough cough." Raymond couldn't help coughing a few more times.

"The city of Tripoli is rotten. I don't want that church, and I don't want the feudal system of the Franks."

"The authority that is taken from you is a continuation of the old sin."

“I am not the king of the Franks, but the king of Jerusalem.”

"I am a prophet, a priest forever, a king of all... I have no preference for the Franks. In my eyes, Greeks and Armenians are all brothers."

Listening to Garys' words, Raymond couldn't help but speak.

"I guess your next sentence is going to be that you are Melchizedek... ahem."

However, Raymond suddenly felt something was wrong, because Garys didn't say anything, but just looked at him.

It made him feel a little creepy.

A gust of wind blew, and nothing changed, but Raymond felt that something had changed.

Melchizedek is a mysterious and important figure in the Bible.

In Genesis 14, he is described as the king of Jerusalem and also as "priest of the Most High God."

He met Abraham with bread and wine, blessed him, and accepted a tenth of the spoils offered by Abraham.

Melchizedek's name means "King of Righteousness," and as the king of Jerusalem, he is also regarded as the "King of Peace."

His dual identity as king and priest is seen as a foreshadowing of Jesus Christ, symbolizing the combination of righteousness and peace, and the unity of the royal and priestly offices.

In the Christian tradition, Melchizedek is regarded as a foreshadowing of Jesus Christ, symbolizing the eternal priesthood and the union of justice and peace. His appearance emphasizes the uniqueness and transcendence of Jesus Christ as the High Priest.

King Hong once called himself Melchizedek.

"Do you think that the wisdom of people in your era alone can suppress a smallpox epidemic?"

"Or do you think that the wisdom of your time alone is enough to cut open a person's abdomen and take out his internal organs?"

"I've died and come back to life once. I don't belong to this era."

Raymond was a little shaken, because when he carefully recalled the rumors about Garys, he found that what Garys did was somewhat beyond the scope of human understanding.

After a long silence, Raymond finally asked again, "What is the purpose of your visit?"

"I'll just give you a ride, that's all. The land of Tripoli will be returned to the kingdom, and there won't be another Count of Tripoli."

“This is not a discussion, but just a notification.”

There was silence, and another long silence. Raymond finally spoke in a slightly humble tone.

"Your Majesty, can you please give me a ride? The time is almost up..."

It was against the rules for Raymond to address Gellis as "Your Majesty", but at this point, what rules were there to follow?

"I know what you want, I'll grant you that."

"Your coffin can be moved to the Church of the Holy Sepulchre after Jerusalem is recaptured."

Under the Church of the Holy Sepulchre is a huge tomb where the coffins of many kings of Jerusalem are placed.

The Church of the Holy Sepulchre is the place where Jesus is said to be buried. It is the place where Jesus Christ was crucified, where he was buried, and also the place where he was resurrected.

As the place where Jesus was resurrected, the Church of the Holy Sepulchre is also considered the center of the world.

If we talk about where people are resurrected first and where people are most blessed by God, then in the hearts of Christians, the dead buried in the Church of the Holy Sepulchre are undoubtedly the first to be mentioned.

"understood……"

……

As night fell, a few lonely candles were burning in the bedroom, and the swaying light and shadows were reflected on the dome carved with intricate patterns.

Raymond lay quietly on the bed. In the past, Raymond was thin, short, dark-skinned, and had a pair of sharp eyes. His thinking was orderly and cautious, but his actions were powerful and he knew what moderation was.

But now, his face was sallow and his eyes were sunken.

His breathing was heavy and slow, but even so, his hands were still tightly clasped around the crown that symbolized his status and majesty.

The end is near, the time has come.

When the door was slowly pushed open, even the low grinning sound sounded like a death knell, echoing in the silent bedroom.

With steady footsteps, Gailis entered the palace, followed by several silent Cypriot priests.

The priests carried holy oil, bread and incense burners.

It was a last rite of death, and Gérice exercised his priestly ministry.

He brought pilgrims' bread and gave it to Raymond, Count of Tripoli, to receive the Body and Blood of the risen Christ.

This is the seed of eternal life and the power of resurrection.

With the deathbind, this is the passage from death to life.

[Altar of God, please stay in peace]

May the sacrifice I have received from you wipe out my sin debt, forgive my transgressions, and enable me to stand before the judgment seat of Christ without being condemned or panicked.

[I don't know if I still have the chance to come back and sacrifice myself on you again.]

【Lord! Please protect me】

Amen

When it was all over, Gellis stood beside the bed and looked down at Count Raymond. There was no contempt or pity in his eyes, only unfathomable calmness.

This once ambitious lord finally came to the end of his life.

Raymond raised his eyes with great effort and looked at Garys.

His old lips trembled for a moment, and he wanted to say something, but in the end it just turned into a weak sigh.

His fingers trembled slightly, but he still refused to let go of the crown because it was his last remembrance.

"Your Majesty..." Raymond spoke hoarsely, his voice so low that it was almost inaudible.

"Give up your power and position. Ashes to ashes, ashes to ashes. These things cannot be brought with you when you are born and cannot be taken with you when you die. Instead, they will become your shackles, binding your heart and preventing you from ascending to heaven."

"It does not belong to you, it belongs to heaven, to faith, to a will that is more eternal than you and me."

Listening to Garys' words, Raymond's fingers stiffened for a moment, then slowly loosened. The crown slipped from his hands and was caught steadily by Garys.

At this moment, Raymond lost his last support. His body trembled uncontrollably, then he sank back into the bed, his eyes gradually losing focus.

His eyelids closed heavily, like an ancient city gate finally blown shut by the storm.

There was total silence in the chamber, except for the flickering candlelight, quietly singing a song for the deceased old king.

An era in Tripoli has ended, and the door to a new world has been pushed open a crack.

……

　There will be a second chapter later
　　
　
(End of this chapter)