kingdom of nations

Chapter 180 Annihilation of the Murray (Part 1)

The shape of the Anatolian Peninsula resembles the head of an eagle looking sideways at the Mediterranean Sea.

The beak and lower jaw represent the Byzantine Empire, the eyes and cheeks represent the Sultanate of Rum, the small patch of skin under the cheek represents Armenia, the four Christian nations are a feather extending from the junction of the head and neck, and the vast expanse of Syria becomes the back of the eagle's head.

Cesar gently placed his finger on the map.

This map is one of the most prized artifacts in the armory of the Castle of Sainte-Croix. Of course, according to the understanding, ideas, and beliefs of people at that time, it was also drawn as a brightly colored religious painting, with portraits of saints surrounding it taking up most of the blank space. The actual map portion is only half of it, without any details, and can only serve as a reference.

Not to mention, the painter used a detailed approach to depict everything from castles to hills, from fields to rivers, even including pilgrims with shells hanging from their hats and the Templars escorting them on the roads.

However, compared to it, the other maps placed to the side were much more detailed and accurate. These were drawn by Cesare after he taught several priests and knights in the Knights Templar, as they escorted pilgrims from the Franks or Apennines to the Holy Land.

What's surprising is that knights are actually more skilled at drawing maps than priests. This is because priests spend so much time copying scriptures that even though they have learned from Cesar how to draw a map accurately, they still can't help but add all sorts of embellishments.

There were dozens of maps here—before they began to draw the maps, Cesar had drawn a rough outline of the peninsula and then divided it into sections. After all, whether knights or priests, ensuring the safety of pilgrims on the long pilgrimage route was their most important duty.

Drawing maps is another important task, but it shouldn't be prioritized. If it's divided into sections, each knight and priest only needs to complete their own part.

Even so, it took several years to complete this map, and Cesar had been trying to find a few credible people to review it, but he never had the chance. Now, however, is a good opportunity.

When Baldwin entered the tent, he saw César deep in thought, studying a map. He walked over, examined it closely, and immediately understood. They were currently in Saint-Simian, a port city in Antioch, preparing to sail from there to the Byzantine Empire, and from there to the battlefield between Manuel I and Arslan II to provide aid and strike.

"There's new information. They're currently besieged in an abandoned military fortress. Although Arslan II's army isn't strong enough to take down a force of 30,000 men, the Turks are moving around to cut off their supply lines."

Baldwin put down the map and walked to a couch. He noticed a silver pot on a low table next to him. He picked it up and poured himself a cup, then poured one for Cesar. But as he brought it to his lips, he realized it wasn't wine, but rosewater of a similar color. He made a face. Cesar still didn't like drinking.

But rose water isn't bad either. With honey added, it has the fragrance of roses, and ice cubes are placed in the silver pot, making it sweet and refreshing.

“It seems we must first open a path,” Cesar said, as he sat down next to Baldwin, took the glass of rose water Baldwin offered, and took a small sip.

“Let me guess what you’re trying to say,” Baldwin said. “Mr. Leigh?”

Cesar smiled. "But we need to persuade Raymond first, as well as the two Grand Masters of the Knights."

Baldwin let out a loud sneer. "Did they have any say in the matter? A year ago, they led a massive army north, intending to destroy Murray's power here. Everyone thought it would be a piece of cake, but in reality, they didn't even see Murray before falling for his trick and suffering his wrath. To this day, Raymond and Bohemond haven't been able to pay back the debt they incurred in that battle."

"Mlay has been entrenched here for over a decade, and must have amassed a considerable fortune—if we can defeat him, Raymond won't be harassed by those merchants to the point of being afraid to return to Tripoli."

He had once held these two older lords in high esteem and regarded them as his uncles, but they always disappointed him.

After he ascended the throne, the tough, imposing, and unshakeable image they had cultivated in front of him gradually faded and crumbled. It was as if he suddenly realized that he no longer needed to look up to them or look at them at eye level, but rather looked down on them.

“I think,” Cesar advised after a moment’s thought, “you should hand this job over to Raymond.”

In any case, he's a veteran who's fought on the battlefield for two or three decades, and he must possess some advantages that we haven't noticed. At the very least, his experience is undoubtedly far richer than ours. Well, while every old horse makes a mistake, temporary success or failure doesn't define his entire life.

Moreover, if persuaded in this way, things would become much simpler; he would certainly want a chance to wash away his shame. As for you,” he looked at Baldwin, “your battlefield should be in a much wider arena.”

"You mean...maybe you're right."

Sigrún has taught at the Iceland University of the Arts as a part-time lecturer since and was Dean of the Department of Fine Art from -. In – she held a research position at Reykjavík Art Museum focusing on the role of women in Icelandic art. She studied fine art at the Icelandic College of Arts and Crafts and at Pratt Institute, New York, and holds BA and MA degrees in art history and philosophy from the University of Iceland. Sigrún lives and works in Iceland.

Raymond was unaware of the conversation between Cesar and Baldwin, but upon hearing that the king was willing to entrust him with the task of attacking Murray, he readily agreed and was even somewhat moved.

Murray's territory happened to be on their marching route, and Byzantine supply caravans might also pass through there. If they ignored Murray, he would surely cower obediently in his castle, not moving an inch. After all, he was an extremely perceptive and opportunistic fellow.

But it was precisely for this reason that he aroused the disgust of many people. Christians need no further explanation, but the Saracens also loathed him. The pilgrims and caravans he plundered were not only Christians—in fact, he treated all his prey equally.

The reason he was able to be so arrogant before was because he had a powerful protector, Sultan Toglöll II.

But who could blame Rum Sultan Arslan II for targeting his benefactor and protector as his first enemy after escaping the threat from Syria? Within months, Arslan II's army had utterly destroyed the Sultan's forces, seizing his palaces and fortresses. Although Mullah had attempted to curry favor with his new master, Arslan II refused, perhaps already weary of this two-faced scoundrel, especially considering that Mullah had previously targeted his own people with his atrocities.

He is only temporarily ignoring M'lay because he is still at war with Manuel I of the Byzantine Empire.

Therefore, this is the best time to strike—if Raymond can defeat Murray, at least most of the previous humiliation will be washed away, and there's also Murray's territory and spoils of war...

But after a moment's hesitation, Raymond asked a rather strange question: whether he could take away the spoils he was entitled to.

Baldwin was somewhat puzzled. He didn't understand why Raymond would make such a request. Had he ever withheld his vassal's spoils of war? Impossible. Regardless of whether he had or not, he had never fought alongside Raymond before. This was the first time they had appeared on the battlefield together—he meant as the commander-in-chief, and Raymond as the general.

“I heard that after the Battle of the Sea of ​​Galilee, you distributed all your spoils, as well as the gifts and money sent by the Saracens, to your knights and soldiers, and to those around you…” He paused, remembering that Cesar was no longer just a squire. “The Count of Edessa did the same…” Baldwin chuckled, “It was just our personal behavior.” In any case, those knights had taken a great risk in the Battle of the Sea of ​​Galilee—if Nur ad-Din or any of the Emirs, Fatah, had been able to control those around them and organize a counterattack, they might have been wiped out: “You didn’t have to do that, not anyone. You can distribute your spoils as you please.”

"That would be best, Your Majesty. It is certainly a good thing, and we shouldn't be too stingy. But as an elder, I must remind you that this practice should only be done occasionally. If you always do this, what will others do?"

They also have their own knights, castles, horses, wives and children... to support."

“Well,” Baldwin said helplessly, “I will try to reduce such gifts in the future.”

“Not just you, but also those around you,” Raymond said. “Do you know that the Earl of Edessa—when he was just a Knight of Bethlehem—generously distributed his share of the money that was rightfully his to those around him on his journey to Damascus and even Apollo?”

Baldwin's eyes became wary, while Raymond also felt a surge of annoyance. He had always harbored a deep prejudice against Cesar, considering him a despicable man.

He had seen too many guys like this who rose from the ashes, willing to do anything to climb up. Even now that Cesar's identity had been confirmed, he still had many doubts about his character. After all, no one could prove that Cesar had received a proper knightly education before, that he hadn't grown up in a Christian castle, and that he might have some character flaws.

However, people always praised him, and the king's trust in him was like a deeply rooted tree that he could not shake for the time being, so he could only give him a tactful warning.

"So you know that there are some knights who even want to leave their order and their lord and join Count Edessa's ranks?"

As mentioned before, it is not uncommon for a knight to be loyal to multiple lords at the same time. Some lords have meager assets and cannot afford the stipends of multiple knights. In order to maintain their unproductive lives, the knights have no choice but to be loyal to other lords.

While such behavior is not commendable, it can be understood. The problem is that some of these knights belong to the Knights Templar and the Order of the Good Samaritans, which is somewhat unacceptable—they are equivalent to armed monks, and they have all sworn an oath to God to maintain the piety, poverty, and humility expected of monks.

However, Count Edessa was, after all, a secular lord. If they wanted to leave the Knights and serve him instead, it would be tantamount to breaking the oath they had made to God, which would inevitably cause dissatisfaction among some fanatics.

Raymond was one of them. He even told Baldwin explicitly that many people believed that the reason those young knights wanted to abandon the knightly order they had sworn allegiance to and serve Cesar instead was because he had given them great freedom, extreme enjoyment, and a lot of money when they were escorting them to Apollo.

These young men love him so much because he allows them to degenerate—Raymond thought, though he didn’t say it explicitly. He knew how much Baldwin favored his brother, but he warned the young king that it didn’t matter how generous a king was, after all, all people were his subjects and should be under his rule, rewarded or punished as he saw fit.

But it's intriguing for a minister to do this. Perhaps it's simply because he's too young, and his parents suffered such a tragedy. Moreover, the territory he should have inherited is in Saracen hands. "He might be indulging in some overly eager delusions." Raymond raised his eyes slightly, observing the king's expression in a subtle way.

If he were facing not Baldwin, but another monarch—whether king, sultan, or caliph—he might have been swayed. What young man, after serving as a servant for over a decade, would suddenly discover he was the heir to an earl's title without wavering?

He would undoubtedly be extremely eager to reclaim everything that was his—his title, his people, and his lands.

But now the County of Edessa has already fallen, and if he wants to take it back, he will definitely need an army. But even if Baldwin is willing to lend him an army, it can't be at this time—he can't just recruit knights at will, even though he has the territory of Bethlehem and the now-defunct Edessa, and the knights are willing to accept employment without territory.

The problem is that these wandering knights are neither trustworthy nor worthy of respect. They are like those wandering knights who once mocked Longinus. Calling them knights is equivalent to calling them bandits, and they have all sorts of bad habits.

But the knights in the knightly order were different. They were originally nobles, and the older knights had almost all been tested in war. As for the younger knights, although they were essentially abandoned by their families, they had been well-fed and clothed since childhood, were well-educated, and were all tall, vigorous, and valued honor.

Such a delicious dish, placed in front of a starving person—Raymond must say, if he were in Cesar's position, he would be tempted by it.

Moreover, it was the king's decree that these ninety knights were entrusted to him in the first place.

Would the king refuse? No, the king would not.

But with these few dozen knights, he could immediately transform from a duke in name only into a lord who truly commands an army.

------

As Raymond stepped out of the tent, he brushed past Cesar. Cesar could sense that Raymond made a rather abrupt movement to avoid him—as if he didn't want to see him or talk to him.

He entered the tent and placed the steaming silver cup in front of Baldwin. Baldwin took it and drank it down in one gulp, only to find that Cesar was looking at him with a strange expression.

"what happened?"

"Do you know what you just drank?" Baldwin then realized the taste in his mouth, and his face immediately scrunched up like a walnut.

"Uh, why didn't you remind me?"

"I thought this didn't need to be reminded." The pungent smell and sticky texture, the bitter taste, and the portion that couldn't be finished in one gulp.

Was Baldwin really that distracted?

"What did Raymond say to you?"

Baldwin put down his cup.

(End of this chapter)