Crusade against the Pope

Chapter 261: One wave comes after another

Saladin's behavior in Jerusalem provides a model.

At least everyone had their prices clearly marked, and they quickly reached a consensus on the issue of using money to redeem themselves.

With such reference cases, things will be easier.

In the subsequent process, Elias and Kanata completed the surrender ceremony together.

The vast majority of Saracen soldiers or officers were freed after paying their ransom.

In the eyes of both parties, such behavior is very effective and can be carried out for a long time.

But not everyone was free.

Some soldiers or officers did not have enough wealth to pay their ransom, while others had blood on their hands.

Killing each other on the battlefield is one thing, but killing innocent prisoners, slaughtering civilians, and abusing women and children outside the battlefield is another matter...

"In the past three days, the Prophet has received a total of sixty-four reports from the citizens of Acre. There are quite a few scums in your army who go against the teachings of the scriptures."

"Among the 8 reports, eight soldiers committed murder, 20 committed rape, and the others involved killing prisoners of war, personal injury, robbery and extortion."

"I need you to make corresponding compensation, and many of you will need to serve jail time."

Elias spoke to Emir of Kanata so formally that it was difficult for the other party to understand what was going on.

The Quran does contain many verses on the conduct of war and humanitarian principles, prohibiting the killing of prisoners of war, the massacre of civilians, and the abuse of women and children.

These verses reflect Islam's emphasis on morality and ethics in war.

But, it is almost the 13th century now, and few people really take those "inappropriate" words in the Koran seriously.

Even Saladin actually implemented it selectively and would not copy it directly.

For example, Saladin once organized Sufi scholars to hold a beheading competition against knights from religious orders.

However, Elias really took the scriptures seriously.

He has no other special skills, but he is particularly good at memorizing scriptures.

“Do not transgress the limits. Indeed, Allah does not like those who transgress the limits.”

"Afterwards, you will either release them or collect ransom until the burden of war is put down."

“Whoever kills someone without cause is killing all of humanity.”

“Don’t kill women, children and the elderly.”

"Don't..."

Kanata opened his mouth wide. Why was this bearded scholar really chanting scriptures in front of him?

I felt that if I tried to decline politely, this bearded man might even explain the situation to me on the spot.

Kanata was in a dilemma. What should he do when he encountered such a stubborn guy?

Of course, what Kanata didn't understand was that Garys and the others weren't actually trying to make a fuss.

Simply speaking from the proportion, these troops under the command of the Emir of Kanata, with a total of several thousand people, only found such a small amount of evidence in a few days. In the end, there were so few murderers, the proportion is already very low.

He had to thank Saladin for maintaining strict military discipline while he was in the city, so compared to those lawless villages, Acre did not suffer much.

It was precisely because their hands were relatively clean and not stained with too much blood that Gailis was able to accept the surrender of the castle defenders and redeem themselves.

"So what is your suggestion?"

Emir of Kanata smacked his lips. His own safety had been guaranteed, so the rest was easy to negotiate. When he ordered his soldiers to surrender on moral grounds, he also needed to make his army abide by morality.

When Kanata realized the situation, the bearded scholar Elias shook his head kindly to show his approval of Kanata, and then made his own demands.

"Those who commit murder must pay with their lives; those who commit rape must compensate the victim for his losses and perform hard labor for several years; and those who cause personal injury must either pay an eye for an eye or give adequate compensation; and those who commit robbery and extortion must pay five times the compensation or perform hard labor."

Kanata nodded. He could totally accept it if the punishment was limited to the person who committed the crime.

In order to demonstrate his own morality, he even took out a sum of money on his own initiative as compensation to the victims in the city of Acre, thereby obtaining reduced sentences or immediate release for some of his valued subordinates.

It can be said that the Second Kingdom and Saladin had exchanges with each other and gradually reached a consensus on the moral issues of war.

Of course, this is also related to the relationship between the Crusader States in the Middle East.

In the Levant, the Crusader States were actually far from being public enemies.

In the chaotic Middle East, there were also deep conflicts among the various Muslim warlords. After the completion of the First Crusade, the territories of the Crusader states were roughly established and had not expanded on a large scale since then.

In the process of getting along with various Muslim warlords, the relationship between them became increasingly complicated and was no longer a simple enemy or friend.

Especially the nobles who were born and raised in the Holy Land, their income often depends on trade with Muslims.

Even Saladin's brother Adil would go hunting with the nobles of Jerusalem when there was no war.

Even Richard the Lionheart tried to form an alliance with him by marrying his sister to Adil in order to establish a multi-faith country.

Although this matter was not put into practice because neither the man nor the woman involved was willing.

However, after Adil usurped the throne of Sultan Saladin, he did not kill all the Franks. Instead, he used the remnants of the Kingdom of Jerusalem to trade with Europe in order to gain more benefits.

……

[My God! Handsome ancestor! He is truly your descendant]

[He opened his mouth and swallowed a pork elbow]

[Drink a gallon of wine in two gulps]

[Whoever he attacks will have his life in danger! ]

——Medieval Poetry·Anonymous
The taverns in Tyre were exceptionally noisy and lively, and the atmosphere was like a festival. Poets, drinkers, dancers... in various taverns... were all trying their best to sing about various heroic deeds.

Of course, this is indeed a festival in Tyre.

The decline of nearly two years since October 1187 was finally reversed after two counterattacks against Acre.

At least since the past two days, the city of Tyre is no longer on the front line, and there is no need to be so nervous.

This was a world of difference for the Franks in the city.

Although dying in the Holy Land or in the Crusades is considered a merit that can lead to heaven.

But after all, it is better to live a miserable life than to die. If there is really no way to survive, why would anyone think about dying?

But besides those who are happy, there are also many people who are sad.

It's not just the high-ranking nobles who are in this situation. Many middle-level nobles and businessmen are in a very awkward situation.

The reasons for this will not be discussed for now.

Of course, Giannis is not among them. After six months of hard work, his pockets are already quite full.

In the past few months, Giannis started working as a team leader. Due to his hard work, his team made good progress. Not only did his salary increase by two levels, he also moved from a temporary worker to a contract worker.

Now that I have a three-year contract with the company, I don't have to worry about being kicked out after the project is completed.

Although, this salary has not actually doubled compared to when I was carrying bags at the dock.

But there is no distinction between peak and off-seasons, and the cost of living has dropped sharply, so I can save a lot of money in my pocket.

Nowadays, even without Garys, one can still afford "alcoholic honey", that is, rum, with just one's own pocket.

However, being able to afford it doesn’t mean you will actually drink it.

After all, Nissa was pregnant.

Although, in the Middle Ages, the main approach to raising children was to let them do what they wanted and to win by quantity.

In a family, as long as there are multiple children who die, they are all taken care of by the Virgin Mary.

But now Giannis has received education after all, and has been working in the company for half a year, so he has some expectations for the future.

I really thought about how I would live in the future.

This is Nisa's first time giving birth, so she definitely has no experience. If she finds a street midwife, she might end up with neither mother nor child.

Although the company recommended a clinic that not only provides examinations but also delivers babies, it is still an expense even with a discount.

The issue of nutritional supplements during pregnancy and breastfeeding costs a lot of money if you calculate it carefully.

Not to mention, he also wanted to buy a bigger house, which would cost even more money...

Squatting in the tavern, sipping the cheap wine mixed with water, Giannis sighed one after another, and couldn't help but think of what he said to Garys.

[Home? Why do I need a home? Women are the source of trouble! What else can they do besides spending my money?]

[As for that kind of thing, would it be more special to have one that belongs only to you? ]

[I mean, the money I earn from buying a house, finding a wife and raising children is enough for me to live happily here for many years! ]

After all, I was careless and fell into a pit!

Giannis laughed at himself in his heart with a strange mentality.

Of course, this kind of self-mockery does not mean that he really hates his current life, nor does it mean that he wants to go back to the past.

If Giannis had expected the same thing when he first joined the company, his current life would have already exceeded that.

With his current financial resources, plus the bonds, he can easily buy a floor in the new city and a house with one bedroom, one living room and one kitchen.

But what was his situation at the time? An illiterate, unemployed worker who had just been laid off from the docks.

What is the situation now? Studying, learning to read, having a stable job...

This house with one bedroom, one living room and one kitchen is not enough to satisfy me!

What's more, Nisa is pregnant. If she gives birth to five or six children, I can get a promotion and a raise. Why not buy a really good house in one go?
The houses that have been renovated today are actually the remnants of military barracks. Most of them are made of wood and stones, and can certainly provide shelter from wind and rain.

It certainly can't compare to the brick and stone house that is currently being prepared for renovation.

A brick and stone house, starting from a small three-story building, with an estimated total area of ​​more than 200 square meters. There is also a small courtyard in front of and behind the house. There is not only a master bedroom, but also a second bedroom, guest room, living room, study, kitchen, toilet... Having a house like this is what living a good life is all about.

Of course, the price of such a house is naturally quite high, and even with Giannis' salary, it is difficult to afford.

Such houses were actually prepared for the "knight" class.

But Giannis felt that he could not only think about it, but even actually achieve it.

Because some time ago, he made a considerable amount of money from bonds.

"Cough cough..."

Just as Giannis was drinking the watered-down wine, someone came up to him enthusiastically.

"John..." the other party called enthusiastically with an accent.

John and Giannis actually have the same origin. The former is often pronounced in Latin, and the latter is the pronunciation in Greek.

In fact, many names in the three Abrahamic religions are like this. The meanings and etymologies are the same, but the pronunciations are like dialects. Some are even completely different.

"Hey, brother, I was confused a few days ago..."

"How come the bond, which is literally worth 20 gold dinars, was sold for only 5 gold dinars..."

"If we calculate the interest, it will be 5 gold dinars in a year..."

The other party was complaining in his words, saying that he was confused, how miserable his life was, and how he was sorry to Lord Balian and Princess Isabella, and that he lacked trust in the kingdom.

In short, he was just playing the victim, but Giannis ignored him.

After all, even if this guy sold a lot of bonds at a low price and lost a lot of money, his family background was definitely not to the point where he couldn't survive.

At the very least, the other party is still drinking good wine without any water, and he can't even control himself by playing the victim.

And Giannis is well aware of the other party's purpose of playing the victim.

Because Barbarossa had died unexpectedly some time before, the Crusaders failed and retreated to Tyre.

Many of Saladin's nomadic cavalry were showing off their power outside the city of Tyre, and some even went to the construction site to cause damage, delaying the progress of the new city area.

At this time when the kingdom was in danger and the new city project was progressing slowly, many merchants and small nobles who had originally bought bonds began to have doubts.

In addition, bonds can be traded on the black market. After all, bonds themselves are bearer and can be transferred.

Quite a few people sold their bonds at extremely low prices.

Giannis wasn't there to sell, he was there to buy.

After all, as the squad leader of the new city area, Giannis knew clearly how hard the Second Kingdom's army was training. Their morale and piety were so high that ordinary people could hardly imagine.

Plus, Giannis also happens to notice that the Prophet Garys himself is making a slightly covert purchase of bonds on a large scale.

Now, based on his trust in the army and his identification with Garys, Giannis began to "gamble".

The bet is that Saladin will not be arrogant for a few days, that the city of Acre will be recaptured soon, that Tyre will no longer be the front line in the future, and that the new urban development plan will be a great success.

Then what……

One day of marching, one day of resting, and half a day of attacking the city.

After two and a half days of hard work, they moved as fast as a rabbit and easily captured Aka.

After the incident, and the arrival of the Venetian sailing ship from Acre to Tyre, the news spread throughout the black market.
In a flash, the price of the bond suddenly went back up.

And because of the high annual interest rate of 18%, after a few days of crazy increases, some people's purchase prices are still higher than the paper price of the bonds!
Someone was willing to spend 10 gold dinars to buy a bond that was originally worth 13 gold dinars.

Giannis naturally didn't borrow money. He just used Nisa's money and his own saved salary to "invest".

It can be said that if Giannis sells the bonds in his hands now, the change will be four and a half times.

As a result, Giannis has become a hot commodity in certain small circles.

However, the guy next to Giannis is not trying to get a high price for his money, but is trying to regret it...

The business that was done previously turned the other party into a complete clown after Gairis recaptured Acre.

The loss of dozens of gold dinars is equivalent to cutting one's flesh, even in the eyes of the other party.

Naturally, he was unwilling to accept this, and he cursed Saladin in private countless times, asking why he lost so quickly!

Then they kept complaining about Garys and Balian, thinking that the other party was setting a trap on purpose, just to suck their blood and cut their flesh.

After this series of operations, the amount of interest the company actually needed to pay was estimated to be reduced by half, and the financial pressure was alleviated.

Giannis said after he couldn't stand the other party's nagging anymore.

"No, if you feel you've been cheated, just go buy it again, right?"

"Anyway, the company's second batch of bonds is about to come out. If we don't continue now, when will we wait?"

As soon as these words were spoken, the fellow on the other side, who was not badly dressed, shut up.

After a long silence, the man's eyes became particularly complicated, and he said, "The second batch is only 12% annual interest..."

Giannis smacked his lips. Well, he actually understood.

This guy is even more fickle than Giannis.

Giannis, at best, has some ideas about the future and wants to move to a better house.

But after seeing the first batch of bonds with an annual interest rate of 18%, this guy looked down on the second batch. When he missed the second batch and saw that the interest rate of the third batch of bonds was less than 10%, I wonder if he would regret it?

In other words, even if such a guy buys bonds, he may not be able to hold on to them. He never knows when he will be frightened like a rabbit by the slightest disturbance and sell them at a low price.

Giannis clicked his tongue again, thinking of what Gillis had said: "Investing is risky. Be careful."

After a few drinks, Giannis couldn't control his mouth and spoke out his opinions directly.

The other party also drank a lot and felt that Giannis was humiliating him. After hearing these words, he became angry and his face turned red.

Then he punched Giannis.

He kept shouting, "Pay back the money! Pay back the money!"

Giannis, who was caught off guard and got punched, is naturally not someone to be trifled with.

He started out as a porter at the docks and built up a strong body. After he started doing plastering in civil engineering projects, he gained even more muscle.

After being punched, he knocked the opponent to the ground without saying a word.

The two men started wrestling on the ground.

I never heard any new news in the tavern, and I don't know when it started.

It is said that Richard "The Lion Heart" has led the British and French Crusaders to conquer Sicily.

……

I love the bright Easter season. It brings green leaves and flowers; I love the joyful songs of the birds that echo through the trees and into the air.

[But I love the tents of all sizes scattered across the grass more; the knights and horses ready to go on the field make me ecstatic.]

[I was overjoyed to see the vanguards dispersing the people and livestock along the road! The fences were destroyed and flattened, the warriors stood by the trenches, and the jagged wooden stakes...]

——Poems in praise of war in the Middle Ages·Anonymous

War means danger and unrest to merchants and farmers. It means that the work and livelihood obtained in peacetime may be difficult to sustain.

But not everyone hates war. At least the nobles, knights and mercenaries are eager for the arrival of war.

All they did throughout their lives was war, whether it was plunder or collecting allowances and salaries from their lords. If there was no war, they would be poor and destitute.

The news of the fall of Jerusalem was not entirely a bad thing for them, but rather another opportunity.

In 1187, when the news reached Europe, Richard "Lionheart" accepted the status of a crusader as Count of Poitou.

However, at that time, England and France were still in a love-hate relationship with each other. The kings of both sides accepted the status of Crusaders just to find a reason to cease fire, so as to make more money and fill the empty treasury.

Due to some influences, the attitudes of Britain and France towards the Crusades are also different from history.

This time, neither Richard's father Henry II nor King Philip II of France declared themselves to be crusaders.

They were both worried that they would be attacked by the other side while they were on expeditions.

Therefore, each of them gathered some of the second-class nobles in the country, plus some volunteer soldiers, as their own representatives, and handed them over to the command of Richard "Lionheart".

So that this troublesome guy can organize a troublesome crusade and quickly get rid of the domestic troubles.

France and England in this era were intertwined with each other, with each being part of the other.

Henry II, who ruled England, was originally the Duke of Normandy, and several of his children, except John, had also pledged allegiance to the King of France.

These various networks of relationships built by feudal legal principles and aristocratic bloodlines constrain the form of war in Western Europe. Compared with the wars fought in the Holy Land, the wars in Western Europe may be more similar to the state of ancient China during the Spring and Autumn Period.

Mainly composed of nobles, both sides follow certain traditions. It is more like a competition bound by certain rules than a battle.

They used these short, fast, small-scale battles to determine the ownership of things, such as castles, cities, succession to the throne, and their freedom.

When Richard the Lionheart left Western Europe, he had under his command volunteers from England, vassal knights who were loyal to him, and the second son of a noble family from France who had no right of inheritance.

These people may have met on the battlefield a few years ago, but now they have come together under the call of "God".

Different from Barbarossa's most elite legion of the Holy Roman Empire, the troops under Richard the Lionheart seemed a bit shabby.

But no matter what, this is also a "Crusader".

Moreover, regarding their arrival, many people in the Holy Land have been looking forward to it for a long time.

After all, most of the so-called foreign aristocratic factions in the Kingdom of Jerusalem actually came from France.

Compared to the German Crusaders, the British and French Crusaders are the real people from our hometown!

(End of this chapter)