Crusade against the Pope

Chapter 293 Young Garys - End
In the original history, the outcome of the Third Crusade was somewhat dull. Saladin did not succeed in expelling all the Crusaders, and King Richard the Lionheart did not recapture Jerusalem after a series of victories.

From a purely military perspective, King Richard the Lionheart's conquest of the Holy Land demonstrated an unrivaled strength.

Of course, due to the strength of King Richard the Lionheart himself, the internal conflicts of the Third Crusade were particularly magnified.

As a result, the Third Crusade ended in disharmony after a series of victories.

Among the many military victories, the Battle of Arsuf, which took place on the Sharon Plain, is the most classic and also represents the gap in military strength between the two sides.

The Battle of Arsuf actually broke out in 1191. After King Richard the Lionheart captured Acre, he prepared to march towards Jerusalem.

Like Gellis, the Lionheart also chose to set the next target as the port of Jaffa, and his marching route was also along the coastline, so that it would be convenient to obtain supplies through his superior fleet.

The Port of Jaffa, a port only fifty kilometers away from Jerusalem, means that the transportation cycle of food and fodder on land can be shortened to within two days, thus avoiding the loss caused by the tyranny of distance.

When marching, King Richard the Lionheart chose to march only in the morning when the temperature had not yet risen, and often let the army rest near water sources.

Anticipating a possible enemy attack, he arranged his troops into a tightly packed formation.

In the middle of the team were twelve cavalry squads, each with a hundred knights. Well-equipped heavy infantry were deployed on the inland side to protect the cavalry's flanks from the threat of long-range weapons, and heavy crossbowmen were arranged on the outermost layer of the infantry team to shoot at Saladin's nomadic riders.

Finally, he placed the Crusaders' baggage train and the infantry who had taken off their armor and were withdrawn from the land side on the side facing the sea.

On the one hand, this marching formation arrangement protected the most valuable knights in the Western European military system at that time; on the other hand, through rotation, it allowed a large number of infantry to march without wearing armor and thus save physical strength; and on the other hand, the heavy crossbowmen could gain an absolute advantage in the confrontation with nomadic riders.

After all, the range of a bow shot from a horse is only a few dozen steps, and the force is weak, so it is basically impossible to cause any damage to armored infantry.

Although the crossbowmen who can use heavy crossbows have a much slower shooting speed, their range and lethality are much stronger. More importantly, they should shoot the horse first before shooting the person, as the horse is much larger than a person.

Baha'ad-Din ibn Shadad, a Muslim historian and eyewitness of the war, described the battle: The Muslim army poured arrows on the enemy from all sides, trying to provoke and lure them into charging, but failed. The enemy maintained excellent self-control and continued to move forward in an orderly manner, while their ships sailed with the army on the sea not far away. In this way, they completed their daily journey and arrived at the camp.

Baha'adin also described the difference in power between the Crusaders' crossbows and the Muslim composite bows. He saw with his own eyes that Frankish infantrymen had multiple arrows stuck in their armor, but they did not look like they had suffered any obvious damage, while the Crusaders' crossbowmen could often knock down Muslim horse archers along with their horses.

As King Lionheart's tortoise formation marched, Saladin's soldiers rained arrows down on them again and again, but to no avail.

But such behavior still angered the Knights Templar after crossing a certain limit. Following a counterattack by the Knights Hospitaller who disobeyed orders, the Lionheart's army, which was originally in marching formation, pounced back like a tiger.

Faced with the unexpected counterattack, Saladin's army of tens of thousands collapsed in an instant.

Naturally, Gellis could not repeat such a battle because Saladin now had artillery.

Although cotton armor, armored clothing, and chain mail can resist the invasion of horse bows, they are obviously unable to compete with artillery.

Therefore, this time the battle took a different path.

When Saladin heard the news that Egypt's Lionheart was besieging Damietta, that Jerusalem was facing the threat of siege, and that Damascus was being watched, he could no longer sit still.

He chose to attack.

"The Turks came at us from all directions, both on the sea side and on the land side. In a battlefield less than two miles in radius, the fierce Turks covered every inch of the ground. Then they encountered the last artillery fire in their lives, which was to destroy them."

Countless battle flags fluttered in the sky
Flying and dancing like surging waves
More than 30,000 Turkic cavalrymen lined up in formation, fully armed

They rushed towards us with all their might; their horses were as fast as lightning.

A cloud of dust rose behind him
The trumpeter takes the lead

Emil followed closely behind

Some people beat the drums and shouted loudly

It's like God's thunder has reappeared on earth
……

Simply put, Saladin divided the light cavalry into several groups and launched an attack in the early morning. The Bedouins and Nubians charged first, and faced with artillery and crossbow fire, they began to disperse.

As Saladin's artillery advanced, the two sides entered into an artillery battle.

The Jerusalem artillery, which had received artillery training, used its simple advantage of range and more accurate shooting capabilities to defeat Saladin's artillery units.

Even though there is no obvious generation gap in the weapons used by both sides, there is a huge difference between the two sides in the level of scientific and technological mastery.

In terms of the organizational structure of the military, it is completely different.

The organizational model of the army under Gellis has already reached the threshold of modern times, but it is hard to tell whether the tribes under Saladin are from the slave era or feudal times.

And this was just the beginning of Saladin's nightmare. When Saladin rushed into the battlefield without hesitation with two attendants, trying to boost morale and launch a fierce attack on the coalition positions, the naval ships that were originally cruising in the distance came over and launched a fierce bombardment on Saladin's troops deployed along the coast.

The troops under Saladin encountered the first naval bombardment on the army in human history... The losses were not great, but the panic was severe.

Because they found that they might have a chance to destroy the army artillery positions of the Kingdom of Jerusalem, but they had no way to deal with the shelling from the sea.

After that moment of confusion and chaos, the result was a commonplace knight's charge.

The three weapons of the Knights Ordinance are artillery bombardment, knight charge, and infantry pressure.

These three tactics became the basic operational guidelines for this coalition operation. As both sides were fighting basically along the coastline, there was very little room for Saladin's light cavalry to play.

In the end, they could only clash head-on. And for the Western European knights, such a clash was their favorite tactic.

Among all the knights, the most prominent ones are the Knights of the Imperial Order.

Two captains of the Knights Ordinance, led eighty knights under their respective command, and assembled in the formation. In front of them was the defense line built by the infantry regiment, and behind them were the two veteran knightly orders, the Knights Hospitaller and the Knights Templar.

The fact that the arrogant religious knights gave up the honor of leading the charge to the Imperial Order Knights was certainly related to the arrangements of the Allied Forces Command, but also to the equipment of the 160 Imperial Order Knights.

Mono clenched his iron fists, then knocked on his luxurious polished and silver-plated breastplate. He and the knights behind him were both wearing armor, not just the horses wearing robes.

The armor Mono wore was not plate armor, but a combination of breastplate and chain mail, with quite a few layers.

Although such a structure is heavy, it can provide strong enough protection, allowing him to charge into battle without hesitation.

These 162 knights in armor and horse gear were the most eye-catching team in the army. The sun's rays shone on them, reflecting dazzling colors.

The infantrymen who were maintaining the front line retreated to both sides, leaving a gap. In the army formation, accompanied by the sound of bugles, the sound of horseshoes hitting the ground could be heard.

One hundred and sixty-two Knights of the Imperial Order led the charge, followed by the Knights Templar and the Knights Hospitaller, and then the Tukopo troops and those ordinary noble knights.

All those who participated in that battle and witnessed the charge of the Knights of the Imperial Order will never forget the scene of silver armor stained with blood.

When Monod raised his lance and galloped away, his mind was focused on the Mamluk infantry who were in chaos under the bombardment of the naval guns.

Amid the deafening sound of thousands of cavalry charge, Ansel clearly heard the explosion when his lance broke. He then drew the sword from his waist and slashed at the scattered enemy troops. Under his sword, a road to victory was opened up.

When everything was settled, it was almost noon. Ansel took off his helmet under the scorching sun. He examined his armor and saw a lot of scratches and even a nearly fatal dent, but he survived after all. Behind him, corpses stretched for a thousand meters.

The war was over, there was nothing left to fight for. This battle not only quelled the main forces under Saladin, but also the military forces of Muslims along the entire eastern Mediterranean coast.

The huge Ayyubid Empire could no longer assemble such an army of tens of thousands of people.

……

Unlike the historical Battle of Arsuf, in that battle King Richard the Lionheart led his knights to attack Saladin's troops three times in succession, but because of his cautious use of troops, he only defeated them each time without thinking of a long pursuit.

Although Saladin's troops suffered heavy losses, he was still able to regroup his troops after the battle and prepare for the Battle of Jerusalem.

But this was not the case in the Battle of Arsuf. It can be said that the entire Ayyubid dynasty's elite forces were all lost on this battlefield.

As planned, Saladin saw that the situation was hopeless and retreated to Damascus, while Adil hurried back to Egypt.

At this point, Jerusalem became a completely empty city.

When the flag of the Kingdom of Jerusalem fluttered in front of the Tower of David, not a single arrow dared to be fired at the army waiting to enter the city.

Jerusalem, the holy land of three religions, is a sacred place in the hearts of countless people.

Whether it was Eden, Conrad, or those noble knights of Jerusalem who were expelled from the holy city, the joy in their hearts was beyond words.

Of course, Garys had no particular idea. He came to the city and took it.

This is simply because this is the mission that the Kingdom of Jerusalem must carry out. Without the city of Jerusalem, there would be no Kingdom of Heaven.

Facing the ancient Tower of David in the distance.

Garys looked at the army behind him and spoke briefly to his followers.

“Perhaps one day it would be more appropriate for the country to be called the Kingdom of Palestine.”

"My Lord, what about Antioch and Tripoli?"

Iraklius raised a question from the side.

"The United Kingdom of Palestine and Syria?"

"My Lord, perhaps someone will object."

Although no one mentioned what kind of people would object, Gellis actually knew who they were referring to.

They are the old aristocratic groups who miss their past glory, and may even include the princes of Tripoli.

The transition from the Kingdom of Jerusalem to the Kingdom of Syria had a world of difference in meaning for the Crusader nobles.

Before the success of the First Crusade, there had never been any so-called Kingdom of Jerusalem in history, nor did there exist any County of Tripoli, Principality of Antioch, or County of Edessa.

These four countries were created by the Crusaders in response to local conditions and were important tools and means for European Catholics to colonize the Middle East.

From the beginning to the end, the Frankish group was both the rulers and outsiders in these countries. Even though there was a certain trend of integration in culture and blood, the divisions between different ethnic groups were still very serious.

The Franks held the cities, while the Saracens owned the countryside.

This situation of mutual isolation actually ensured the stability of the rule of the aristocracy, because they did not oppress the other races as individuals, but ruled these countries as a group.

But what if the United Kingdom is established?
This is not just about changing the name of the country. It also means that words like the Levant, Syria, and Sham, which have similar meanings, will be integrated to create a new country.

If Gelis intended to continue to maintain the privileges of the Frankish nobility, or the monopoly on state power, then he would not have to establish a new country.

To understand it with Europa Universalis 4, it is basically because of the expansion of the land area, coupled with the desire to create a new set of national concepts.

Therefore, Garys needs to click on the transformation decision. If nothing unexpected happens, the original main culture Frank will become the accepting culture in the future transformation.

The changes in interests involved are just a few buffs or one or two events for the game, but if implemented in reality, it means an unwilling reshuffle for those vested interests.

"Sir, what shall we do about Damascus?"

"Prepare some troops to support Eden. If possible, I even hope to send all the nobles in the country over there."

If Eden really takes Damascus, it actually means that his conflict with the Muslim groups in the Middle East will continue for a long time.

This would, on the one hand, consume the power of the Frankish aristocracy, and on the other hand, help Gelis contain the Muslim forces and prevent them from always thinking about the city of Jerusalem.

"To the northeast, Damascus and Edessa are for Eden to go to, and Egypt has Lionheart. I think the next few days will be much safer, and we can really devote our energy to building this country."

As he spoke, Garys stomped hard on the ground, trying to feel the history carried by this land. He would continue that history and build a glorious country.

As the army entered the deserted city, Gellis went to the Church of the Holy Sepulchre.

He received the keys to the Church of the Holy Sepulchre from members of the Judah Al-Qaudiya family, while members of the Nusseibeh family opened the door of the Church of the Holy Sepulchre for Gelis.

The most sacred land in the entire Christian world was revealed to Gellis and the people behind him.

The position of "Keeper of the Keys" of the Judah Al-Qaudiya family and the identity of "Guardian and Gatekeeper of the Church of the Holy Sepulchre" of the Nusseibeh family were appointed by Saladin.

They did not abandon the city of Jerusalem; after all, they were actually locals.

And Gairis was not in a hurry to abolish their positions, but instead recognized them in order to appease the tensions of Muslims in Jerusalem.

In fact, their family's identity has been truly passed down from Saladin's appointment to the 21st century.

The dispute over the Church of the Holy Sepulchre has continued from its inception to the 21st century.

The Church of the Holy Sepulchre has been a holy place maintained by Christianity since its completion in the 4th century AD. However, six churches, including the Roman Catholic Church, the Greek Orthodox Church, the Armenian Church, the Syriac Orthodox Church, the Coptic Orthodox Church of Egypt and the Ethiopian Orthodox Tawahito Church, all believe that they have the right to manage the Church of the Holy Sepulchre. Therefore, disputes and even serious physical conflicts often occur between sects.

So in 1757, the Ottoman Sultan Osman III issued an edict ordering Christians, Jews, and Muslims in Jerusalem and Bethlehem to "maintain the status quo."

This means that whoever has the management right at that time, that place belongs to him. From then on, no more disputes over land or property rights are allowed.

And a ladder that had been placed under a window above the main door of the Church of the Holy Sepulchre since at least before 1728 had hardly been moved until Garys traveled through time because of this decree. Even though it was stolen once, it was eventually returned.

By the way, the ladder belongs to the Greek Orthodox Church, while the window belongs to the Armenian Church. The two sides have had countless arguments over the ownership of the ladder.

There have also been many fights. For example, in 2002, on the roof of the Church of the Holy Sepulchre, Orthodox monks felt the weather was hot and moved their chairs to the shade of the Ethiopian Orthodox Church without permission. This was seen as a provocative act and a conflict broke out between the two sides, resulting in 11 people being sent to the hospital.

Church of the Holy Sepulchre...

When Gailis first saw this church, he couldn't help but twitch his lips just thinking about those rumors. He could realize the extent of the trouble this church represented.

Before entering the gate, Gailis even raised his head and glanced at the window belonging to the Armenian sect. Fortunately, a ladder had not been placed there yet.

Following tradition, Gellis completed a service in the church, and was accompanied by Balian who insisted on coming here.

Now, Balian was almost at the end of his life, but he was still brought here on a stretcher.

After everyone else left, Balian stood up with the help of Garys, and they were the only two left in the hall.

Balian coughed twice in this silent atmosphere. Although Balian's mood became positive with the growing prosperity of the Kingdom of Jerusalem, it could not change his deteriorating health.

"Do you want to see where you will be buried after you die?" Balian suddenly suggested.

Garys did not deny it, or rather, he did not want to reject Balian at this juncture, so he nodded after a slight hesitation.

Under the guidance of Balian, they walked into an underground mausoleum in the Church of the Holy Sepulchre, where all the kings of Jerusalem were buried, except Guy.

The sarcophagi in the mausoleum symbolize history and royal power. These monarchs came from three families, namely the House of Boulogne, the House of Le Tal, and the House of Anjou.

The Kingdom of Jerusalem lasted only 90 years, but it had already seen nine generations of monarchs and three dynasties. The throne of the Crusader Kings was forged with the blood of our enemies and mine.

And if nothing unexpected happens, the fourth family and dynasty may continue the name of Villeroy.

"But what if something unexpected happens?" Gailis said to himself.

Balian did not notice what Gellis said. He moved faster and his target was the sarcophagus of the Leper King.
The former king rests here.

Balian knew very well that it was unlikely that he would be buried here, but he still longed to be closer to the young man in front of him after his death.

"Thanks for your hard work."

The hoarse voice rang in Balian's ears.

Turning around, he saw the young man standing behind him. He nodded to Balian, and Balian responded.

Balian felt much more relaxed, and many of his physical ailments were healed.

He no longer needed Garys' support, he stood up on his own and walked towards Baldwin. However, after he took two steps, he suddenly realized something and turned around abruptly, only to find that he was still being supported by Garys.

And Garys also showed a hint of panic, which is not a common expression.

Therefore, Balian smiled a little.

Baldwin on the side said to him:
“You have fought the good fight, you have finished the race, you have kept the faith. Now there is in store for you a crown of righteousness, which the Lord, the righteous Judge, will give to me on that day; he will also give it to you—to those who keep his way.”

(End of this chapter)