kingdom of nations

Chapter 356 The Star of Bethlehem - The Knights (Part 2)
"Well, putting the others aside for now," Longinus paused, then asked, "what about the young men you know?"

“They are all very good people,” Gian said excitedly, perhaps because he had always been groomed as the heir. Like all eldest sons, he was full of confidence and high spirits, and rarely tried to hide or hesitate in anything he did.

When he found Longinus, Longinus knew that someone must have found him and hoped that he could introduce them to him.

“Marchog isn’t exactly a good place,” Gian said softly. “Of all the good lads I know, maybe only half have received God’s blessing. But the other half…” He hesitated for a moment before continuing, “You know, it’s very difficult for an election ceremony to succeed if it’s not held in a church.”

If he spoke to knights of the Holy Land, such as Berian, William, or David, they might still find it difficult to understand.

But since it was spoken to Longinus, Longinus immediately understood.

Although he was now a chosen one, he still remembered the feeling of watching his older brother go to church and then return to the castle in high spirits and pride. He believed he was no less capable than anyone else, and indeed he was. He did the most work at the castle and trained the most enthusiastically. He even saved the steward and police chief during a peasant riot, but what good did it do?
His father could no longer afford to send him to the selection ceremony.

Outside of the Holy Land, the selection process is a monopoly of the Church. Whether it's a church, a monastery, a place with relics, a place without relics, or a single person or a group, the price is different.

It could be said that if he hadn't resolutely exchanged his only possessions for a horse and armor, he might have ended up with the fate he feared most—falling from his social class to become his elder brother's steward, burying his talents in that small village.

His descendants would henceforth become commoners with only a slight blood connection to the lord.

He wouldn't be afraid if he were a commoner like those in Bethlehem, Cyprus, or Damascus today, but he had seen how his father and brother treated those people.

Among the lords, there were many like his father and brothers.

"Your Highness always finds a way to place everyone in the position that best suits them."

If they are loyal to His Highness, they will surely be rewarded accordingly. But the question is, are they truly capable of accepting His Highness's demands of them?

Cesare required his knights to swear an oath not only of loyalty to him, but also of obedience to the laws he promulgated.

The law is very simple, even basic. It prohibits indiscriminate looting, rape of men, women or children, and attacks or killing of others without trial or prior assault.

These three laws seem almost laughable to people of later generations. Aren't they just basic principles of being a human being?
But there is a major problem here, namely that the knights do not regard commoners, heretics, and cultists as human beings, while Cesar demands that they be treated equally.

Some knights could do it, some thought it was making a mountain out of a molehill, and some even felt it was an insult to them…

Furthermore, they also had to consider the fact that almost everyone now knew that all the knights under Cesar were virtuous and honest men. If a knight was expelled or his lord-vassal relationship was severed, it would be as if the whole world was being told that the knight was morally flawed.

This would not only prevent him from continuing to serve Cesare, but also risk rejection from other monarchs and lords.

“They can do it,” Gian said without hesitation.

In fact, not only were the knights unruly, but their masters were too. Nobles had all sorts of strange temperaments, and some lords were violent. If the knights made the slightest mistake, they would be loudly scolded, even beaten, or given orders that were tantamount to telling them to die.

Some lords, however, were inherently stingy and meticulous in every aspect. When knights fought alongside them, they not only had to worry about their food being cut short, but even the commissions they were entitled to after their service period would be delayed or denied.

If a knight were to encounter such a lord, it was even possible that he would refuse to pay a ransom for a knight captured in war—for example, William Marshall in the past. They completely disregarded the fact that once a knight's family lost this most important pillar, it meant they could no longer serve him, and the knight's family might be stripped of their original lands and property.

Some lords were ambitious and short-sighted. They were not good at fighting, but they were good at changing sides and swaying back and forth. As a result, they either chose the wrong master or misjudged the situation.

Finally, his knights suffered the same fate as them; one can refer to the poor souls who went to the guillotine or gallows with their lords because they committed treason.

In comparison, Cesar, who was almost without flaws except for being too merciful to commoners (and even infidels), was a perfect man.

“The lads over there are all very young,” Gian added.

Longinus was slightly moved. Youth is a disadvantage for some, but it is an advantage for Cesare. Young people are inexperienced and full of enthusiasm, but they lack experience in dealing with people. However, the resentment and frustration brought about by setbacks will not have a great impact.

They still yearn for love, cherish friendship, value gratitude, and are full of hope for the future. Moreover, since they have not yet developed those deep-rooted bad habits, it will be easier to mold them into the shape His Highness desires in the future.

As for whether or not one has ever received a blessing, that doesn't seem to be an important matter now.

Judging from the wars that have taken place in Cyprus, a peasant who is willing to follow his lord and fight for him is more reliable than a half-hearted mercenary or even a knight.

Even if they are outnumbered and weak, so what?
God's blessings are not always present. No matter how strong or sharp a knight is, he needs to close his eyes and rest.

Gian was overjoyed to hear this. He not only paid for the coffee and nuts, but also treated Longinus to a meal of beef stewed in a flat earthenware pot. Afterward, he didn't let Longinus leave easily, and the two of them went to the bathroom for a relaxing bath.

The next morning, when Longinus returned to Cesar's side, he was full of energy and strength.

But as soon as he reached the vicinity of the council chamber, he saw the doors suddenly open, and a group of solemn-looking Saracens with beards and turbans came out.

His eyes met those of the elderly man at the head of the group, and he felt a buzzing in his head, his heart churning.

His saint Barabá seemed to be warning him, and he only had time to glance at them briefly before rushing into the room. He was relieved to see that Cesar was unharmed.

"Your Highness..."

He didn't want to ask who those people were, but Cesar could see the worry on his face: "They are the elders from Damascus."

Longinus knew that among the Saracens, scholars were also their knights and teachers, and they made no distinction in this regard—they could both teach and guide others with scrolls in hand, and also take up arms, mount warhorses, and fight against their enemies, and their leaders were equivalent to Christian bishops and archbishops, and were called elders.

The elders of Damascus, along with their followers and students, had been expelled when Count Raymond of Tripoli was in charge of the city, and when Ibon arrived, they were not allowed to return to the city.

"Are they here to plead with you, hoping you will allow them to return to Damascus?"

“No, they just want us to allow them to stay outside the city temporarily.” Cesar’s heart was heavy—although the dead Damascus were not his people, they were still innocent civilians. Most of them would be taken out of the city, gathered together, and burned to ashes in the flames to avoid any disease that might be brought by the corpses.

However, after entering the city, some Saracens wished to hold funerals for their relatives who had unfortunately died before the Crusaders entered the city, and whose faces were still recognizable with their family and friends.

There were also some who fell ill from prolonged hunger and panic, but could no longer endure it and died with resentment as they saw the dawn.

As long as it doesn't trigger an epidemic, Cesar can understand their desire and longing to mourn their loved ones.

But just like Christians, Saracen funerals also required their priests to officiate, and these priests came to request Cesar to allow them to enter and leave Damascus for a short period of time.

Cesar didn't mind. Some people might worry that leaving these people here could become a destabilizing factor, but Damascus was originally a city whose economy was mainly based on commerce. He only locked down the city for three days, which caused great anxiety among people inside and outside the city. How could he completely close the gates and cut off contact with the outside world?
Once communication between the inside and outside is established, what difficulty would it be for a chosen person to enter the city quietly?

Instead of being on guard against this and that, it would be better to do our best to appease the public, act fairly, and let people live in peace.

After all, for ordinary people, being able to live and work in peace and contentment is the most important thing in their lives; faith, tradition, and even race are not the key factors.

But Cesare explained to Longinus in detail. He was always a very patient man and never looked down on anyone. If his subordinates, his friends, or his wife did not understand his behavior, as long as it was not reckless or stubborn, but they came to ask him in a humble manner, he would patiently explain it to them.

He adheres to all the values ​​and principles of another world, which is incomprehensible to people in this era and place, so it's not surprising.

Moreover, contrary to what some people in later generations imagined, even in this age of ignorance, people's nature was still inclined to good. As he said before, almost all the struggles and conspiracies arose from the scarcity of resources. In order to survive, humans would naturally breed all kinds of evil.

On the other hand, as long as human beings' needs for survival are met, their mood will become more tolerant and gentle.

Longinus wholeheartedly agreed with this view. Having served as a guard for priests and nearly fallen into thievery, he knew all too well that it was easy for humans to degenerate when they were destitute.

Those who are kind-hearted, willing to do good, and have a firm will, even if they are just ascetics, must have lived a carefree life before to accumulate so much... Thinking of this, he couldn't help but fix his gaze on his master.

According to people, his master did not live a good life. He was born in the enemy's castle and was taken out of Apol by loyal guards when he was still a child. He never saw his parents again.

They then spent a long time living among the Saracen herders, but thanks to the wealth hidden by Joseph II, they were not deprived of food and clothing; they only lacked systematic education and thorough care.

Longinus guessed that those loyal guards, though unable to find good teachers for their young masters, must have cherished and loved them very much.

Most fortunately, although they later suffered misfortune, Amalric I saved them before the devil's lash came.

Perhaps it was because God gave this unfortunate boy so much protection that he was able to grow into such a kind person.

"What do you need me for?" Cesar noticed that when Longinus came in, he didn't want to talk to him about the Saracens.

Longinus snapped out of his daze and quickly told Cesar about Gian's request.

In César's memory, Gian was a lovable child.

He was a pure young man, possessing the frankness, innocence, and vitality that people his age should have—qualities that neither he nor Baldwin possessed. He was already an adult before he came here, while Baldwin had to mature quickly because of a great calamity.

Gian's loyalty to Damara was even more unexpected by Cesar.

Having lived in Holy Cross Castle for a long time, he had long been accustomed to the knights' frivolous and dissolute behavior. Not to mention their romantic affairs with peasant women and servants, they even dared to use brutal methods against noble ladies.

Don't be fooled by the romantic chivalric literature of later generations.

In fact, there were quite a few noble ladies who were forced by knights, but this was rarely publicized.

After all, this is a disgrace for both the man and the woman.

However, if a noblewoman were to bring this crime before the bishop or the king, the knight might lose his knighthood and be hanged as a criminal.

Damara unexpectedly received God's blessing in Bethlehem, and was "given" so she decided to vow to become a nun. Her marriage to Gian was effectively annulled, but Gian showed the perseverance that a true lover should have.

The marriage was arranged by their fathers. Gian had only seen a portrait of Damara, and initially felt only of responsibility and obligation. But upon meeting Damara, he truly fell in love with this bright and cheerful young woman. He had never felt such a connection with a woman before; it was as if they were born to be husband and wife. He even thought that even after marriage, his "Queen of Love and Beauty" would only ever be Damara.

After that incident, he said, "I love Damara as Valerian loved Saint Cecilia." The Cecilia he referred to was the daughter of a Roman nobleman who lived around 200 AD. She converted to Catholicism and vowed to remain celibate for life. However, under family pressure, she was forced to marry another Roman nobleman, Valerian. She persuaded Valerian to convert, and they agreed to abstain from sexual relations after marriage, remaining celibate—a promise that was always kept.

Although her husband Valerian, his brother Tiberius, and another Roman soldier Maximes were all executed for offending the Roman emperor at the time because of this decision, Saint Cecilia was also martyred after being struck three times with a longsword for disobeying the emperor's order to bury them.

“And now, although she cannot be my wife, she can be my sister. We serve God and another master on earth in another way,” Gian said. “This is also my long-cherished wish. Compared to this noble purpose, everything in the secular world becomes insignificant.”

Magigues has already left his lands and titles to his younger brother, and he vows to remain chaste in the future.

"But if you wish to establish a knightly order—whether it be secular or religious?"

The Knights of the Holy Sepulchre, the Knights Templar, and the Knights of the Good Church were originally military monastic orders established by the Pope. Members were required to abide by monastic rules and assume military responsibilities. The highest leader was called the Grand Master, who was directly loyal to the Pope.

This is why when Cesar suffered the Great Expulsion, they had to open ports and cities, allowing the army of Constantinople to advance unimpeded all the way to Nicosia.

The relationship between the Roman Catholic Church and Cesare remains strained, and Cesare has no intention of allowing the priests to get involved in the operation of the Knights Order—the priests have always been a restless bunch.

Cesar thought about it and realized that now was indeed the best opportunity to form a knightly order. Amidst blood and fire, fierce battles, and towering city walls, it was the easiest time to forge friendships and develop feelings.

He also knew that the protection he could offer would easily make the knights submit and become dependent on him. "Or we could hold a tournament."

This tournament can be seen as a reward for the knights—because they recaptured Damascus—or as a warm-up before embarking on a new journey, with every knight eager to participate.

William Marshall, who had never lost before, and several other undefeated veteran knights did not participate in the match. Instead, they watched from the sidelines, cheering or cursing. When some curious people asked, they said, "It's time for the young people to show off their skills!"

In fact, if they were to participate, the championship would most likely still belong to them, after all, their experience and accumulated favors are far beyond what young people can match. But everyone knows that the organizer of this tournament is none other than Lord Cesar of Cyprus, and the purpose of holding this tournament is to recruit knights.

Even the knights around Frederick I envied the benefits and stipends that Cesare's knights received, let alone others.

What surprised people even more was that Cesar, who rarely showed himself in public, gave a rather long speech before the tournament.

At first, people were not surprised when they heard him say, “Kindness is an extension of God’s love”—Cesar did just as he said, and indeed countless people shared in the blessings God had given him.

Even his enemies could only use this to mock his weakness, like a woman, but they could not deny that many people had indeed received his help.

He added, “Jesus Christ said to you, ‘A new command I give you: Love one another. As I have loved you, so you must love one another. Give food to the hungry, clothes to the naked, shelter the homeless, visit the sick and the prisoners. Love the Lord your God with all your heart, with all your strength and with all your mind.’ This is the first and greatest commandment.”

Secondly, love your neighbor as yourself. These two commandments are the foundation of all the teachings in the Law and the Prophets.

These were also words from the scriptures, and people nodded in agreement.

Then he continued, “He who does not love his brother whom he has seen cannot love God whom he has not seen. Therefore Jesus Christ also said to his disciples, ‘When you are offering a sacrifice on the altar, if you remember that your brother has complained about you, leave the sacrifice before the altar, go and make peace with your brother first, and then offer the sacrifice.’”

That's true. A murmur rippled through the knights, because Cesar was standing next to his most trusted squire, Longinus, and they assumed the words were addressed to Longinus's brothers.

"No man shall take all the produce of the land. Instead, he shall give a portion of it to his poor neighbor and to help those who need help the most. When he harvests the crops, when he picks the grapes and olives, he shall leave the fallen ears and the fallen fruit to widows and orphans, strangers and the poor."

Every three years you should give one-tenth of your total production to those without property, and to those who gather and live in your city, as well as to orphans and widows, so that they may have enough to eat.

And in the seventh year—the Sabbath year—the fields and vineyards should rest. Whatever they produce should be left to the poor, and even the leftover wild animals may eat it.”

Although these words are from scriptures, they still leave people feeling somewhat bewildered.

Because in the scriptures, the outsiders that Jesus Christ refers to may be pagans and heretics... Should they also be given alms and care? The priests did not say that.

"Store generosity in your treasury, and he will save you from any calamity; and your mercy is better than any weapon, and he will fight your enemies on your behalf." If Cesar had only said this much, the priests' smiles might have remained, but after a moment of silence, he continued.

Jesus Christ also said that he is the good shepherd, the gate for the sheep, and that whoever enters will be saved and will go in and out and have pasture.

I know my sheep, and my sheep know me, just as the Father knows me and I know the Father, and I am willing to lay down my life for them.

I have other sheep that are not in this pen, and I must bring them here as well. They too must listen to my voice and be united into a flock under one shepherd.

Although Cesar still quoted scripture here, even the most obtuse knight understood that this was truly an arrogant man… They sighed inwardly, yet had to admit it. His use of the words of Jesus Christ at this moment was perfectly reasonable.

Yes, he did not only see Christians as his sheep. More precisely, people say he was just because he treated Christians, Saracens, Turks, and even Isaacs the same way. As long as they were willing to come to his door—willing to obey the laws he established—they were his sheep, and he was willing to give his life for them.

In fact, he was using this method to tell the young men who wanted to become his knights that he would not tolerate any kind of evil, just as he would not tolerate wolves that entered the sheepfold or sheep that did not believe in him.

So, should I obey his will?
Surprisingly, Cesar's frankness reinforced the beliefs of many knights. Although they were brave and unafraid of pain and death, they had little interest in humiliating civilians, raping women, or slaughtering the innocent; they were simply being swept along by the tide.

If they did not do so, they would be ridiculed among the knights for being too cowardly, but they knew that this was not their true nature. If their lord could make this request, it would be a complete relief for them.

However, some people, despite their disdain for Cesar's cowardice, still participated in the tournament.

They thought, if their opponents were all cowards, wouldn't they be able to get a lot of armor and horses for free, as well as the rewards given by Cesare and several other kings?

But these men were soon disappointed. Mercy did not dull the spearheads, nor did it shake the knights' resolve. On the contrary, with a firm goal, they became bolder and stronger.

These men's plot not only failed, but they were also knocked off their horses and left in a sorry state. Although their lord paid the ransom on their behalf—after all, with a major battle imminent, they couldn't be without horses and armor—they were still covered in dust and could only curse inwardly a few times before giving up.

Cesar gained another group of young knights who shared his ideals, along with their squires and armed attendants.

Although the squires and armed attendants did not belong to Cesare, as people say, servants follow their masters. After all, the master can dismiss and replace his servants at any time, and if the servants do not act in accordance with his wishes, he cannot continue to stay by his master's side.

Although Cesar left half of his original army in Damascus, by the end of the tournament, he had twice as many knights as before, a result that even Richard, who had always trusted him, was somewhat surprised by.

Many more people were delighted, especially the residents of Damascus and the merchants who traveled along this trade route. They even brought Cesar a lot of information about Holmes and Hama.

"What kind of person is Mishtkin, the current Grand Eunuch of Holmes?"

A Saracen merchant pondered for a long time before hesitantly replying, "Although my opinion may invite your ridicule, I must say that he is a loyal man."

In the Battle of the Sea of ​​Galilee, the Grand Eunuch was captured along with his master, Nur ad-Din.

Mishtkin was a Nubian, but his skin was not as dark as that of typical Nubians. They say his mother was probably white, and he was castrated not during his childhood because he was tall and had a sparse beard.

He was taciturn, and even when the lion was dying, he remained faithfully lying beside him to care for him until the very last moment. Compared to the howling and outbursts of other Saracens, his suffering was clearly silent.

It was he who came to plead with Cesar, saying that no one dared to perform the ritual purification for Sultan Nur ad-Din. The eunuch only wanted to ask Cesar to find him a courageous Saracen. At the time, the eunuch probably did not expect that Cesar would be willing to take on this important task.

For a Christian knight, allowing Nurdin to spend the last days of his life with dignity was already an act of great kindness, and his willingness to comfort a dead man was entirely out of his personal goodwill.

César still vividly remembers the feeling of the Grand Eunuch kneeling before him and touching his forehead to his feet, and the hot liquid falling onto his feet—it was tears.

The chief eunuch might prefer to do the final dressing of his master himself, but unfortunately, his status did not allow it. If he did so, it would not be respect, but rather blasphemy.

Finally, they escorted Nur ad-Din's coffin all the way back to Apol. The Grand Eunuch, like a tangible shadow, became terribly emaciated in just a few days—everyone thought he would be devastated. But as he entered heaven with Nur ad-Din, he became invigorated, especially as they approached Apol. He became more and more spirited, his eyes gleaming with a chilling light, as if some miraculous drug had been injected into his body.

In the ensuing farces and struggles, he seemed to have vanished without a trace, until César fled Apollo and his name was finally heard again in Damascus.

Clearly, in this tragic internal strife and fratricide, he and the First Lady emerged as the ultimate victors, while their youngest son, Saleh, was merely their puppet.

Cesar had only met Saleh a few times and had almost no impression of him; his two grown-up brothers were much more noticeable.

César was unsure whether the young prince possessed any extraordinary talent, but the only certainty was that he was not someone whose exceptional abilities were recognized in his youth, like Baldwin.

What is his opinion of Holmes's people?

"It's neither good nor bad."

The merchant said with a wry smile, "Of course, it's not based on you. If it were based on you..." He didn't finish his sentence, but everyone present understood what he meant. "He brought an army of ten thousand men from Apollo and is constantly recruiting more soldiers. The residents of Holmes are being required to pay war taxes—almost half of their property. Some people have fled, but as long as they haven't taken their property with them, the Grand Eunuch doesn't seem to care."

"I once visited him under the guise of donating military funds," the businessman paused, a hint of unease in his eyes, "...I find it hard to describe his expression. But if I were to see someone like that anywhere else, I would always keep my distance and never see him again."

“So he is indeed a dangerous adversary,” Philip II said worriedly, but Frederick I scoffed, “A eunuch? What can a eunuch do? He’s no longer even a man!”

Having said that, he burst into a hearty laugh. His son, young Henry, however, seemed lost in thought. He exchanged a glance with Richard. Philip II's worries were not unfounded; a person, especially a man, who has lost what is most important to him, will inevitably seek something else.

And what is this hope for? It may be the past glory of Nur ad-Din, the unification of the Saracen world, or the majesty of God.

Either way, the Crusaders will defeat him; this man who is not a man may be even more troublesome than Ibn.

------

The sun has once again left this world, and darkness has enveloped the houses and fields of Holmes. The Grand Eunuch knelt on a silk carpet, meticulously performing his last prayer of the day. When the prayer ended, he did not rise, but silently prayed to God. He was probably one of the few people who knew the secret.

This secret was passed down from Zengi to his second son, Nur ad-Din, in his final year, and then from Nur ad-Din to Zengi.

This secret, because of the imprisonment of Joseph III, also came to the attention of the First Lady, though she never saw the whole picture.

After all, this matter directly involves Zangief's honor.

Although Zengi was the founder of a dynasty, he was also the "Aita Bak" of the Abbasid Caliphate.

But in fact, if you read the history book he wrote with his life, you will find that throughout Sultan’s life, he fought mostly against the Saracens rather than the Franks, and he was always working to unify the whole of Syria.

He acquired Holmes through marriage and then seized Damascus through military intimidation. It wasn't until the last few years of his life that he began attacking Edessa, and the fall of Edessa, just like the first fall of Damascus, seemed utterly inexplicable.

The initial reason was that Joseph II had attacked and plundered the city-states around Damascus along the Euphrates River, and Zengi discovered this—a discovery that was used in a very subtle way.

Was Joseph II, or the Franks, the first to raid the Saracens? Of course not. And as we all know, in this era, if a large army wanted to assemble, set off, or go on an expedition, the commotion would be so great that people hundreds of miles away would know about it, let alone traveling merchants, herdsmen, and patrolling cavalry.

However, according to the records, Zengi's army arrived in Edessa from Apol in an instant, almost as if summoned by God.

The priests' accounts describe his soldiers as numerous as the stars in the sky, and the fields outside the city were filled with people and tents. What's even stranger is that Joseph II not only left Edessa but also took his entire army out of the city, leaving only artisans, merchants, and priests in the city.

The agent representing Edessa was a bishop, and Zangi wasted no time. While sending messengers to demand Edessa's surrender, he began digging at the city walls. The resistance he encountered was so weak—not all the people in Edessa were cowards; they did resist to the best of their ability, but they were not even soldiers, nor did they have any more equipment or weapons. What did he expect them to do?

There is no doubt that Zangi benefited greatly after the fall of Edessa.

This was, after all, the Saracens' first victory after a series of defeats, and it proved to the world that the Franks were not invincible.

The Saracen world was shaken. People placed all their hopes on Zengi. No one mentioned that Zengi had originally been just a slave. One after another, the Saracen Emirs, Sultans and Caliphs put incredibly prestigious hats on Zengi's head, such as the Victorious King that Saladin was now wearing, as well as the Glory of the Saracens, the Protector of the Caliph, and so on.

The chief eunuch knelt on the silk carpet, a mocking smile playing on his lips.

He still clearly remembered that Nur ad-Din had once shown him a document written to Zengi.

This is how Zangi is referred to in the documents...

Emir, General, Great Emperor, Just One, Helper of God, Victor, One of a Kind, Cornerstone of My Faith, Pillar of the Saracens, Light of Faith—yes, the one Nur ad-Din later received—Protector of the Saracens, Treasure of the Dynasty, King of Kings Sultan, Punisher of Traitors, Head of the Saracen Army, King of Kings, Light of Victory, Leader of Syria, Conqueror of Edessa…

These titles show that Zengi's status was at its zenith at the time. People said that the victory at Edessa even sounded the horn for the counterattack against the Franks, and he was indeed recruiting soldiers and building siege weapons. But what is surprising and regrettable is that he only captured Edessa at the end of 44, and in January of 46, he was assassinated.

To date, the Grand Eunuch is still unable to determine whether Zengi's death was related to the fall of Edessa.

Did that secret become a weakness that even Zengi absolutely could not expose after he became the spiritual leader of the Saracens?
Why did Sultan Nur ad-Din decide to embark on the expedition to Arrasa in the final moments of his life?

Perhaps it was so that Zengi and his descendants could still stand in Syria, and even in the whole Saracen world, after this secret was revealed.

(End of this chapter)