kingdom of nations

Chapter 177 Request for Help (Part 2)

But this would obviously damage the relationship between Byzantium and Antioch. Bohemond III certainly wanted a royal grandson, and this child, who could be said to be Komnen's bloodline, was obviously a more worthwhile investment than his little Isabella, whose future would not be seen by Manuel I for more than a decade.

In the letter brought by Manuel I's messenger, the Byzantine emperor gave Queen Mother Maria a rather veiled but direct warning. In fact, according to blood relations, Abigail, the only heir of Bohemond III, was closer to Manuel, after all, she was his "niece".

But so what? It was still Mary who became the wife of the King of Arazarus. She treated the messengers with great hospitality, behaving with considerable humility and fear. She denied everything when questioned by the emperor, trying her best to defend herself, giving reasons that were similar to what the people of Arazarus thought.

Too many children die young in this era. Isabella is only two or three years old now. Even if she were twelve or thirteen, Queen Mother Maria would have no need to do that. Who knows what a child will become? Perhaps a cold or a high fever could take his life. Only the knights who have grown up can truly participate in political or military battles.

She didn't know if the messenger believed her, or if Manuel I had made a decision. More likely, he had only come to warn his real daughter, his nominal grandniece, to behave herself, at least not to cause trouble while he and Grand Duke Bohemond III of Antioch were campaigning against the Turks of the Sultanate of Rum.

He can rest assured.

Maria thought to herself that she wouldn't do anything more for at least the next few years. She had already used up most of her connections and money; if she did anything else, she would definitely be discovered. She smiled gently, gazing tenderly at Baldwin sitting beside her and the daughter in his arms.

This young monarch possessed a rare purity and steadfastness. These two precious qualities combined to form a stubbornness that only a young man could have. There was probably no gray in his world; everything to him was either black or white.

Hibyl's failure here also meant she had to be wary of someone using this to sow discord between Isabella and Baldwin.

She unconsciously turned her gaze to Cesare, who was waiting to the side. In the Byzantine court, the greatest power might not have been held by officials, but by eunuchs, who were the people closest to the king.

He had become even more handsome. Although his face still bore the pallor and thinness of exhaustion, it only made him more endearing.

Even a Byzantine princess would be eager to marry such a young man.

Queen Mary was pondering. Her mother was still very much favored by Manuel I, and she and her real husband had several children, including several beautiful sisters. Unfortunately, she did not get along well with them, and she could not expect them to help her after they came to Arrassa, rather than take the opportunity to cause her trouble.

And what about the others—she meant her aunts and their children—but she couldn't find a suitable candidate among them. After all, they had been enemies before, not to mention that Cesar's future wife would inevitably have to be chosen by Baldwin, who, as the King of Alassa, would certainly prefer Cesar to marry a Crusader's daughter or sister, preferably with a territory, a castle, and a large sum of money.

This marriage would have been difficult before Cesar's true identity was revealed, but it shouldn't be a problem now.

But she always manages to do something.

Baldwin took out the gift he had brought for the little princess. Although the doll was made of bronze, since it was a gift for Baldwin, it was naturally gilded, coated with silver, and inlaid with gemstones, making it colorful and dazzling.

The little princess was immediately captivated by it and hugged it tightly to her chest. Baldwin instructed the maids to be careful while the princess played with the toy, warning her that she might pull the sword from the knight's hand, as it was made of genuine fine steel and had been sharpened to an extremely fine point.

Also be careful of the spikes on helmets, the spurs on boots, and the sharp corners of cloaks.

The maids, upon hearing this, naturally became extremely cautious. Although they were undoubtedly inwardly grumbling about why Baldwin would bring the toy as a gift if he knew it could potentially harm the little princess, they outwardly displayed delight, praising its exquisite detail and charm, and promising to handle it with care. "I will tell Isabella in the future that her first knight was a gift from her brother," she smiled. The gift's monetary value was secondary; the key was that it had been a prized possession of the king and could serve as a talisman in the future. "But since she has a gift, you should have one too."

The maids quickly brought in a box. "This is for you. And for Cesar as well." Queen Mother Maria was certainly not foolish enough to prepare only one gift. Upon opening the box, she found a breastplate wrapped in velvet.

When it comes to breastplates, many people mistakenly believe that they are a type of protective gear originating from the East.

In fact, it first appeared on the bodies of ancient Greek soldiers. Because the ancient Greek region was extremely hot, soldiers wearing armor, whether leather or cotton, would inevitably sweat profusely and feel extremely hot. So, the soldiers used leather straps to cover their bodies with a perforated bronze plate. After the ancient Romans defeated the ancient Greeks, they naturally adopted what they considered useful, and this breastplate became the most conspicuous piece of protective gear worn by Roman soldiers.

While most people now wear chainmail, chainmail has undergone several modifications, evolving from its original long vest-like style to the current long chainmail that reaches up to the knees, and can be paired with chainmail stockings, balaclavas, and iron gauntlets. Recently, some have also begun to consider enhancing localized defenses in key areas, primarily the chest, back, shoulders, elbows, and knees.

The armor plates in these locations require very high quality because they need to be light, thin, and tough.

The two breastplates brought by Queen Mary perfectly met all the above requirements and were exceptionally well-made. Both plates were decorated with lion heads, the difference being that Baldwin's lion was facing forward, its eyes fixed intently on the approaching enemy, while Cesar's was in profile, according to the custom of the time. When Cesar stood to Baldwin's right, his lion was also watching the one on Baldwin's chest.

Baldwin was delighted with the gift. He picked it up, tried it on himself, and then placed another piece on Cesar's chest to see if it could cover those vital areas.

As he turned to thank Queen Mary, he asked, "Do you know we are having new chainmail made? I will have the craftsmen come and see if they can fit these into my new armor."

“You two have grown quite a bit recently,” said Queen Mother Maria. She had initially been a little worried that the two children would only grow into little giants, which was rather daunting.

Fortunately, although their height is already astonishing, their speed has slowed down, and they are starting to develop in terms of strength rather than slenderness.

However, the chainmail they had worn before, even though only a little over a year had passed, was no longer wearable.

Although it can be modified, the reassembled iron rings will definitely not be as sturdy as the original. Neither Baldwin nor Cesar are people who are short of money, so the best option is to forge a new set of chainmail.

However, Baldwin's move also suggests that he might launch a campaign after assuming personal rule, though it's unclear whether it will be near or far, large or small. The Crusader knights, of course, were overjoyed. What they needed most was a king who could lead them to continue expanding their territory, not a dying patient or an infant needing to be held.

But for others, this may not be good news.

Queen Mary didn't say these words aloud, but her actions already showed her support for Baldwin. Even the Queen Mother probably didn't expect that her gift would come in handy so quickly.

Just a few days later, Bohemond sent a message back. At first, people thought it was about the unfortunate stillborn baby of Hibil, but it turned out to be a complete plea for help.

The combined forces of the Byzantine Empire and the Principality of Antioch suffered a major defeat.

(End of this chapter)