kingdom of nations

Chapter 227 The Followers (Part 2) - Two chapters combined
The old knight smiled as he looked at his old buddy, who was old, and whose squire was not much younger either.

The squire was not of illustrious birth; he was not even the son of a knight. His father was merely a blacksmith in the castle who had accidentally captured a knight during a territorial war. When he handed the knight over to his master, the master asked him what reward he desired—a wooden house or a field?
After much deliberation, the blacksmith secured a servant's job for his eldest son, who thus came to the old knight's side. Of course, the old knight was also very young at that time—they hunted together, fought together, married and had children together, and then, when the Pope issued a call to action to form the Crusades, the old knight unhesitatingly joined them, and his most loyal servant immediately decided to follow him to the Holy Land.

“I remember your son wrote last time saying that you already have a great-grandson,” the knight said. “If possible, I will give you some money so that you can go back on the next ship when it comes.”

These words, spoken with such sincerity, left the old squire dumbfounded. He almost cried out in despair, "What are you saying, Master? I've been loyal to you. I've been to so many battlefields with you, with the Grim Reaper's scythe slashing fiercely over our heads—and I never left you then. Now you're just going to dismiss me so easily?"

“You should know that I am sincere,” the old knight said, but the squire felt not comforted, but rather insulted: “Are you saying that I advised you not to serve that young man for my own sake? I admit that if you would be willing to put down your sword, mount your horse, board the sailboat, and return to our castle.”

Of course I would be delighted; we would return together to the castle and spend the last years of our lives by the fireplace.

But if you only wish to remain here, to exhaust your last ounce of strength and blood for God, my lord, when your sarcophagus is lowered into the tomb, I swear, your old Brown will also follow you closely, to heaven or hell together.”

So what are you afraid of?

“My lord, I have heard about that person—we have seen many young people like that in the castles of counts, dukes, and even kings. They are naive, pure, and full of spirit, always thinking that there is nothing in this world that they cannot solve, and no conspiracy that they cannot see through. Such temperament is certainly valuable, but it always makes them stumble and fall hard in real life,” he glanced at his master, “just like you.”

In fact, given the favors bestowed upon the old knight by the saint and his performance on the battlefield, his loyalty to his lord should have earned him a place in some court long ago. Why is he still unknown?

It was precisely because his owner had a stubborn streak that was worrying.

The only favor he remembered was from a battle with the Saracens, when he was captured after his horse stumbled and Joseph II ransomed him for one hundred gold coins. From that moment on, he swore to fight for Joseph II to the last night. But he was not the only knight ransomed by Joseph II at that time; hundreds had sworn oaths. However, their oaths vanished without a trace after Joseph II himself became a Saracen prisoner.

The knights who had fought alongside him in the tournament, and even those who had been defeated by him, had become highly sought-after figures in the court, while this old knight was still just a knight.

But being of humble status also has its advantages (compared to those prominent figures). He may not have close friends, but he also has no vicious enemies. Although he was unable to return with gold, silver and power like others, he could still spend his old age in his own castle.

But the young count was different. His greatest weakness lay in his youth, and, whether by divine grace or devil's cruel trick, he had risen to a position unimaginable to most in just a few years. For those who looked up to him, his current position was certainly enviable. But equally, if he were to fall from such a height, the suffering he would endure would be far greater than that of those who had only suffered minor setbacks.

His concern was that if his master insisted on becoming the young count's vassal, he would suffer the same fate. Furthermore… if the young man also possessed the common flaws of his age—arrogance and self-will—an older knight who had served his grandfather, Joseph II, might not be a good choice as a vassal—he assured the old knight would frequently offer the young man guidance and admonition…

That's why he insisted on asking his master to leave Cyprus, leave the holy land, and return to their castle. Although their territory was small and barren, it was more than enough to support an elderly knight and his squire.

"But don't you want to see?" the old knight retorted. "If he were a figure like Joseph II, perhaps I would leave. After all, a knight who has lost his edge and is unlikely to achieve merit on the battlefield is not what a lord needs."

But even Joseph II, no, even Godfrey of Bouillon, who was hailed as the 'most devout,' never insisted on this—he would still forgive knights who had committed crimes.

Judging from our young heir's past behavior, he is not a foolish, ascetic figure. He knows what he is doing and understands that his stubbornness will cost him much of the knights' support.

“I really don’t see any benefit in this,” the attendant said.

The old knight smiled. "He reminds me of those martyrs—not for money, not for titles, not for land; they gained nothing, yet they did a very difficult task—many would give up after realizing this, but if they succeeded..."

He paused for a moment, then posed a seemingly unrelated question to his squire: “You and I have fought many battles, so let me ask you, of all the people we have faced on the battlefield—the refugees, the bandits turned refugees, the jackal-like mercenaries, the tiger-like other lords and their knights, and the devilish Saracens we faced after arriving in the Holy Land—which one is the most ferocious and frightening to you?”

After thinking about it seriously, the attendant replied, "Of course, it's those heretics."

"And our knights, though our faiths differ, the power of faith is the strongest and purest; it is almost unaffected by any external conditions," the old knight said. "People say that the boy is not devout, but I think he is very devout, no one is more devout than him. However, his devotion is not the superficial kind that the priests advocate, but the purest kind from hundreds of years ago, a belief as bright as a snow-white thunderbolt."

Humility, honor, sacrifice, valor, mercy, holiness, honesty, and justice. He read it aloud. “How many knights today still keep their oaths to God? Very few, but you have to admit that every knight who does is a guest of honor at every lord’s house.”

Even if they did something that displeased the king or even went against his wishes, in the end it would not be him who admitted his mistake, but the high and mighty monarchs, who were the true embodiment of the saints and even God's grace in the world, far superior to those hypocritical cardinals.

Look at the people of Arazarus, they call our little count a little saint. If he did it only for himself or for his king, that honor would be enough.

But his aim wasn't just that; he also wanted to recruit knights who shared his ideals, beliefs, and convictions. He looked at his speechless squire and let out a deep, hearty laugh. "My poor old friend, don't you understand? I want to stay here precisely because I'm old, I've lost my youth and ambition, but I still have my faith, and an opportunity that no one who still loves God and the world He created would ever forsake—the chance to witness this holy miracle."

"But... sir, what if he still dies young?"

“Even if he dies young, as long as I live, I will record his story and bring it back to our castle. I will let my children and grandchildren read his story, planting new seeds in people's hearts, and perhaps one day, a little saint will emerge among them.”

“What a wonderful hope that is,” the attendant murmured, making the sign of the cross on his chest.

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.

This was a busy day for César, as the three people who had openly dueled and fought in the square had been imprisoned in his jail.

The priests from Rome were still protesting—claiming they shouldn't be tried by a secular court—but soon, several high-ranking clergy arrived from Arazari, bringing with them a personal letter and authorization from Patriarch Heraclius of Arazari. He authorized one of the high-ranking clergy as a judge of the religious court to try these lawless scoundrels.

The priests fell silent. They should not forget that although the lord of Cyprus was a secular man, he was a student of Patriarch Heraclius of Arrassa. This fact had been made public long before his identity was confirmed. In fact, it could be said that if he had not been knighted and recognized as the legitimate son of Count Josephine III of Edessa, inheriting his title, he might have already entered the church and would have inherited the mantle of the patriarch in the future.

While the priests of the Roman Catholic Church could despise the Byzantine Empire and their so-called princesses, and could refuse to acknowledge the title of "despotic monarch" bestowed upon Cesare by the Byzantine Empire, they were nothing more than insignificant figures before Patriarch Alassa.

They sat in the prison, facing each other with the officials of the Byzantine Empire, each day feeling like an eternity. They trembled, their bodies radiating cold air, fearing that this young lord, to demonstrate his authority, would hang them one by one on the rack. At this moment, these arrogant scoundrels began to regret and fear. Yes, this lord could hang the priests of the Byzantine Empire, so why couldn't he hang the priests of the Roman Catholic Church?
And even if the Pope in Rome were furious and punished them, so what? They would all be dead by then.

As for the Venetians, they were not far from the group of officials and priests.

However, compared to those fools, the Venetian leader had calmed down. He was, after all, someone the Doge valued, and he couldn't believe such a coincidence could happen. Coincidentally, on this very day, a merchant arrived with the very goods they wanted, and they arranged to meet so early, at the busiest market outside the Doge's Palace.

And just like that, they stumbled upon the conflict between those two groups.

He remembered the young man who had urged him to try to quell the disturbance, but found that he wasn't among their group. He then carefully recalled the young man's face and surname, and realized that the young man's family was indeed inclined to be the Doge of Venice.

But he was also very close to the cunning old man, Dandolo.

He immediately guessed that they had been used and framed by someone. But it was useless to talk about it now. He didn't even tell his companions about this guess. When some of them couldn't help but cry, he even scolded them. Then he whispered to comfort them, "Don't worry, we are still Venetians after all."

If Dandolo doesn't want to completely fall out with the governor, their lives shouldn't be in any danger.

He guessed correctly.

Cesar never expected that the gift Portia had mentioned to him would be this.

Although he has already chosen Portia, the niece of the Doge of Venice, how to respond to the other two suitors is also a problem.

The situation was relatively easier for the Byzantine Empire. Regardless, the emperor wouldn't coerce them too much. Although Anna was dead, he still held the title of Cesare's father-in-law. Unfortunately, Anna and Cesare had no children, so he couldn't reclaim Cyprus by killing Cesare and then using the pretext of regent for his grandson. He and his successors would undoubtedly try to bring Cyprus back into the Byzantine Empire's fold, but the distance between the Byzantine Empire and Cyprus meant they didn't need to be so anxious.

In contrast, the distance between Rome and Cyprus is simply too great; even the Pope cannot extend his reach that far. Moreover, for Alexander III to allow his "niece"—his illegitimate daughter—to marry Cesar was already considered a condescension.

Illegitimate children did not have inheritance rights in this era or throughout the Christian world, but their status was relative. They were certainly lower than their father's or mother's legitimate children, but definitely higher than those whose status was lower than their father's or mother's.

A king's illegitimate son could very well become a duke or prince, or even a regent while his legitimate son is still young. Their illegitimate daughters could also receive titles and marry someone favored by the king or pope, usually a duke, marquis, or even a grand duke from another country.

The Pope's niece had once contemptuously referred to César as a landless count, a statement that was not unreasonable in the eyes of Christians. Therefore, if César wanted to refuse the marriage, he would inevitably face the Pope's wrath. Moreover, if the priests were shameless enough, he would find it difficult to fob them off with a simple excuse.

Portia's actions made things much simpler.

Regardless, Cesar is now the true master of Cyprus. These suitors are outsiders, and while they enjoy the rights of guests, they must also fulfill the obligations. The most important duty of a guest is not to offend the master. If these people were Cypriots, Cesar would have imprisoned or flogged them; now, he has shown leniency by expelling them all.

If the Byzantine emperor and the Pope of Rome still wished to continue the marriage, they would send a new delegation, but this would certainly take time, and certainly not as quickly as a third marriage proposal.

Portia had already told Cesar that he could drive all the Venetians away. Another group led by her grandfather Dandolo was already waiting on Crete (an island between Italy and Cyprus), waiting for her dove to fly back to him so that he could immediately come with his men. Portia also reminded him that the dowry her grandfather had prepared for her would only be more, not less.

That afternoon, just as one of César's attendants was anxiously telling him that some knights were unhappy because he had imprisoned the priests, another group of people arrived at his governor's palace.

The leader was the old knight who had once followed Joseph II. He brought fifteen knights, along with their squires and armed attendants, totaling nearly 150 people, which was completely unexpected by Cesare.

This old knight could not be considered an unknown figure. Although he never boasted of his achievements before the king or showed his piety before the bishop, he enjoyed a great reputation among knights.

When Edessa fell to the Saracens in 1144, Count Josephine II was away fighting. During this time, the old knight followed him closely. After Josephine II became a prisoner of the Saracens in 1150, this loyal man never gave up hope of rescuing and redeeming his master. Even after Josephine II's widow sold Edessa to the Byzantine emperor for a very low price, he refused the emperor's offer but still led the remaining knights of Edessa to continue fighting against the Saracens.

To this end, he sold all his possessions, keeping only his horses and armor. Every knight who had fought in Edessa knew him, and some even suggested that he establish a knightly order, like the Knights Templar and the Knights of the Good, but the old knight ultimately rejected the proposal.

He thought that if he established a knightly order, it would be a very awkward situation when his master, Joseph II, returned. But he never saw Joseph II, nor did he see Joseph II's son, Joseph III...

He now came before Cesare, knelt before him, and once again swore an oath of eternal loyalty.

Then he introduced the group of knights behind him one by one. They looked unremarkable, their armor was not bright, and their robes were tattered. But no one could match their loyalty, because they were the same as the old knights who continued to fight against the Saracens after the fall of the County of Edessa. They even sold all their possessions to keep the oath they made before God, just like the old knights.

They are no longer young, and some even suffer from incurable ailments and injuries, but without a doubt, they are the subjects that Cesar needs most right now.

These knights also carried a sense of worry and doubt. They had been recruited by lords and kings before, but the people in those courts would whisper and mock them upon seeing their appearance, and even those high-ranking officials who had only heard of them but never actually seen them would show disappointment upon seeing them.

Some knightly orders tried to recruit them, but no matter what kind of knightly order it was, they no longer had the purity and steadfastness of a hundred years ago. After a short period of time, they found it unbearable and had to leave.

It could be said that if it weren't for César, they might have been like those who refused to succumb to temptation, quietly disappearing into the endless sands and eventually being swallowed up by history.

They didn't take César's promises—that he would provide them with new armor, swords, and horses, and grant them fiefdoms—to heart. What surprised the knights, however, was that after they settled into the governor's palace, César hosted a small welcome banquet for them.

It is described as small because it only consists of them and Cesar.

At first, they thought their little count had ulterior motives, but they eventually discovered that it was because their new lord could only cook for so many people.

The old knight and the other fifteen knights were all personally entertained by Cesar. It was a truly personal treat. Cesar prepared for them pickled olives, roasted lamb, stir-fried shrimp, roasted octopus, abalone soup, and honey balls (similar to cream puffs). These knights had long since tasted the bitterness and sweetness of life and thought they would not be moved by one or two delicious dishes.

In fact, they accepted everything offered to them. They ate everything that was presented to them, whether it was fruit, vegetables, meat, or dessert, and kept urging their servants to add more food. Some knights even gave up drinking wine—the wine provided by Cesar was certainly fine, but if they drank too much at this point, they wouldn't have room for all the delicious food.

Finally, they returned to their room in a daze, and unusually, this daze came not from alcohol, but from food—a novel and rare experience.

The old knight fell into a deep sleep with a smile on his face. Cesar, who had been busy for quite some time, had not yet had a chance to rest, because at this time, some Cypriots requested an audience with him.

The visitor was none other than the Cypriot nobleman whose daughter had been violated and whose son had been murdered by members of the Gerard family. He had a Greek surname, Georgius, and like all Cypriots, his given name was that of a saint, Joseph.

Joseph Georgeou did not come alone; he brought ten young members of his family with him.

These young men were all knights who had been blessed by God. Each of them was accompanied by two or three squires and four or five armed attendants. The head of the family of Giorgius had made it clear that the armor, horses, craftsmen and priests needed by these men would all be provided by the Giorgius family, without Cesare having to expend any effort.

They would pledge allegiance to Cesare, becoming his subjects and knights, and would obey even if Cesare asked them to convert to the Roman Catholic Church.

Then he laid out three large trunks in front of Cesar, each large enough to fit an adult woman.

Cesar had never seen such a large box before. After receiving permission, Joseph Georgeu had the young men open the box themselves. The first box was filled with brightly colored, finely textured silks. A rough estimate suggested that this amount of fabric would be enough to make a hundred silk robes.

Then they opened the second chest, which was filled with coins of gold and silver. Gheorghiu's parents personally presented a handful to Cesar. These were genuine Roman gold and silver coins, the most recognized currency in the Holy Land and surrounding areas. Each coin was of full weight and pure material, unlike the defective coins minted by dukes and kings of Christian countries.

César looked at it and saw that the gold was one-third the size of the silver, which was still quite considerable, almost equivalent to the dowry promised by the papal envoy.

But this was not the end. When the third box was opened, even Cesar couldn't help but slightly change his expression.

What he saw was a box of gold and silver vessels and countless jewels. These jewels were not even neatly arranged in boxes, but were scattered haphazardly among the vessels, looking more like looted than collected.

Gheorghiu's parents noticed César's hesitation and quickly explained, "We only received the news this afternoon, so we were in a bit of a rush." ​​Pointing to the precious jewelry, they said, "There were not only men's brooches and rings, but also women's tiaras, bracelets, and necklaces. Because time was so tight, I had to have the young people carry boxes through the rooms, drop the utensils into the boxes, and then take off their jewelry and throw it in."

Although César is currently short of money—a common problem for almost every ruler—he will not easily accept these things; it's simply not the case yet, nor is it necessary.

But Georgius's parents immediately shook their heads. "I know you're not the greedy kind of person." In fact, some people had advised him not to place his bet so quickly, since no one knew how long these crusaders would stay here.
But Gheorghiu's parents had already decided that, in any case, Cesar had avenged his son and daughter. Elsewhere, regardless of whether the lord would be willing to make such a fair and swift judgment so that the innocent victims could rest in peace, even if he still favored his own people and then used various pretexts to extort money, the Gheorghiu family would still not be able to keep these things.

“Besides,” said the head of the family, “there is another reason: you rejected the Pope’s marriage proposal and expelled his priests, along with his niece—he will surely be furious. After that, even if you have allied with the Venetians, you will inevitably encounter some considerable trouble.”

The Father will surely do everything in his power to create problems and obstacles for you.

So please take these things to a trustworthy person and have him bribe those cardinals in Rome. Although the Pope has great power, if those cardinals are willing to outwardly comply but inwardly defy him and make excuses for not doing so, then…”

He didn't finish his sentence, but everyone present understood his meaning. Then Georgeou's parent continued, "I've heard that the Holy Father's health is not as good as before. Although his desire for power is still as strong as ever, perhaps in just two or three years, the master we are to serve will be replaced."

By then, you'll be married and have an heir, so the new Holy Father might not have such a big appetite.

(End of this chapter)