Vikings: Lords of the Ice Sea

Chapter 138 Knight's Manor
With Hughie's death, this bizarre food poisoning incident came to a complete end.

To prevent similar incidents from happening again, Vigé issued two decrees:
First, farmers are strictly prohibited from selling grains adulterated with "toxic ergot". Violators will be fined, and those with serious offenses will be sentenced to death by hanging.

Second, bakeries in towns must cast an iron stamp. After the bread comes out of the oven, the stamp will be used to mark the owner's unique mark, so that in case of disputes such as food poisoning, it will be easy to find the source of the bread in time.

After finishing everything, the sun was about to set when a knight invited the duke to spend the night at his manor.

Traditionally, a lord visiting a vassal's home demonstrates his trust in that person. Refusing to do so suggests the lord has begun to doubt the vassal and believes them to be incompetent.

After a moment's thought, Vig accepted the invitation and walked along the country lane for a while, crossing the low fence to reach the center of the estate.

This is where the manor owner's residence is located, surrounded by a wooden stockade. Nearby are more than thirty low-rise houses, mainly inhabited by Vikings and some local tenant farmers.

According to the knight, the estate has 500 acres of farmland, 200 acres of flat pasture for grazing, 150 acres of woodland, and fishing rights to a nearby creek.

The estate comprises thirty households, initially consisting of eight Viking freemen who farmed in peacetime and responded to conscription in times of war.

Secondly, there were thirteen tenant farmers who were required to work for the lord two days a week, paying one-fifth of their harvest as a tax in kind, and had no obligation to participate in the war. In their spare time, they were occasionally hired by free men to do some farm work.

The remaining nine households consisted of stewards, servants, grooms, carpenters, laborers, hunters, fishermen, and two shepherds.

In addition to the more than 150 permanent residents mentioned above, there are also some temporary workers from the surrounding villages.

Vig stood atop the stockade wall, gazing at the manor bathed in moonlight. "How is the territory's income and expenditure?"

“We receive about 400 bushels of grain each year, and the wool from our more than 300 sheep can also be sold for a considerable amount of money. All things considered, we can earn about 6 pounds of silver. After deducting all expenses, the estate is expected to save 1 to 3 pounds of silver a year.”

That’s all?
Vig frowned. No wonder so many knights chose to serve in the standing army, or take up official positions in the four northern counties, or work in Tyneburg.

Moreover, judging from the income ratio, the profit from wool was nearly 50%, and the cost-effectiveness of grazing exceeded that of farming. This is the reason for the enclosure movement in later generations.
The next day, Vig did not rush back to Glasgow, but patiently observed the daily life of the manor.

Overall, the free people lived a relatively comfortable life, and could even enjoy a glass of homemade ale with their dinner. The tenant farmers lived a poorer life, barely making ends meet, especially since some of them voluntarily paid tithes, preferring to let their families eat a few less bites of bread.

Taking out paper and pen, Vig did a detailed calculation. Without war or natural disasters, this manor economy could be sustained for a long time, and in times of war, it could provide well-trained cavalry, greatly alleviating the lord's military expenses.

In addition, the fief system has another advantage—it increases control over newly conquered territories.

After being knighted, he brought his family and a few Viking freemen to settle in a strange land. With no relatives or friends, he was met with suspicion and hostility from the locals. His only support was his lord and his colleagues.

Once they detected signs of rebellion in the surrounding area, they could promptly notify the prefectural garrison officials, and when the suppression operation began, they would also conscript militia to cooperate. After all, this involved the core interests of themselves and their descendants, and they could not afford to be negligent. Suddenly, Vig was reminded of the garrison system of the Ming Dynasty. The original purpose of establishing garrisons was similar to the fief system—to maintain regional stability and provide manpower in times of war.

Even until the end of the Ming Dynasty, some garrison soldiers who had been owed wages for many years were still willing to serve the emperor. Regardless of their battle record, their loyalty was commendable.

With this in mind, Vig decided to appoint another group of knights.

With the advent of papermaking, the supply of paper increased, and the Duke's Palace began to register the resumes of lower-ranking officers and officials as a basis for rewards and punishments.

Having made up his mind, Vig wrote to Tyneburg, asking them to send a list of those who had distinguished themselves in battle, from which he selected seven lucky men.

The new manor is located north of Glasgow, at the junction of the plains and mountains. Each person will receive a pound of silver as a reward, plus ten of each of the standard knightly items—shield, short axe, spear, and yew bow—to help the new knights and Viking freemen control the territory, as well as one hundred bushels of wheat as emergency rations.

After the ceremony, Vig asked the seven knights, "Would you like to purchase your own warhorses, or do you wish me to help you?"

According to feudal obligations, each knightly lord was required to provide two cavalrymen, two infantrymen, and one groom, at least two warhorses, and an additional two riding horses for daily travel.

Upon learning that they had chosen to use a personal shopper, Vig yawned and explained casually:
"Based on last year's prices, each warhorse cost three pounds of silver. Unfortunately, King Ragnar has decided to impose a tax of 60 pence (0.25 pounds), plus the cost of transporting them from Normandy to the North, raising the price to 3.5 pounds, making the total price for two horses seven pounds. Gentlemen, the warhorses are expected to arrive next spring, so remember to pay then."

so expensive?
The seven knights looked at each other, their joy instantly fading. They went to a corner and whispered among themselves, discussing how to raise this huge sum of money.

"Rob it! Find a few trustworthy brothers, we must scrape together this expense."

A knight named Utgard immediately retorted: "Where do you intend to go? To plunder Britain and incur the wrath of King Ragnar, or to sail to Normandy and ruin the relationship between the Duke and Gunnar?"

After hearing Utgard's words, the others remained silent.

Indeed, the world is no longer suitable for plunder. The risks of plundering wealthy areas are too great, and poor areas can not yield much profit, not even enough to cover the expenses of purchasing equipment and supplies.

Someone complained quietly, "Sigh, being knighted doesn't feel as enjoyable as before."

Utgard chuckled and joked, “It’s alright, you can give up your spot. There are plenty of people willing to take it. Besides, you’ve followed the Duke for four years and participated in the Mercian-Wessex War and the Frankish War. You’ve saved up at least four pounds of silver, making you one of the richest among us.”

The other party replied with a mournful face: "It's all gone, all gone. The first thing to do when dividing up the spoils is to find merchants and brothel owners in nearby towns. They offer a wide variety of services and speak very sweetly. Before you know it, you've spent all your rewards."

After a long time, someone made another suggestion:
"Borrowing money from merchants, it is said that Harry, a merchant from Tyne County, is good at this kind of business. He occasionally lends money to knights who are short of money. His business is very large, and he seems to have even started a Tyne Wool Merchant Guild."

(End of this chapter)