Rise of Rurik

John woke up from a short sleep, he subconsciously swiped his hands around the surroundings, and suddenly woke up when he saw the soft existence.

That's not a dream! But really!

John, who was sober, stared at the pitiful eyes cast by the woman beside him in the morning light.

He knew there was no turning back, but this was the road to personal glory, and a fool would try to turn it around.

Obviously this mansion belonged to the Earl of Bamburgh, it became the palace of the King of Northumbria, and now, a junior knight occupied it.

John decided to make himself king, and the news spread throughout the army.

Some people are full of hope, some people just watch the wind and watch the rudder, and many people are very angry about this arrogance.

There is even another kind of person here!

This class of people is indeed hated. They do not hate John's usurpation of kingship and blasphemy against the queen. Their greatest hatred is very simple - why is it you.

John likes to mention the infamy of "usurper", and he himself has been too lazy to think about it.

For those who hated John, anger had to be smothered in their hearts. Even those who bowed and flattered at the door of the mansion had to consider the looming ordeal.

Even if this John is a bastard, there is no one person in the entire Bamburgh city who can integrate the people and raise the morale to resist the invasion of the sea barbarians.

Even if the reckoning of John's evil deeds is to be done, it will have to wait until everyone wins the war.

Ask yourself, what does the mess of the king's family have to do with mortals? What good would it be to be a tyrant, a usurper?

At least this John was able to control the situation neatly when he rode his horse to suppress the looting of food and chaos.

A large number of watchers are neutral, and they don't care whether their king is Ernred or John. They know that they must live in the city until the end of the barbarian war.

Most of the people in the city are neutral, or the hardships of life have honed them into docile sheep.

They still don't know that the magnificent "Great Viking Age" has come, and in the years to come, such as today's defensive fortresses built by dragging their families and bringing their families to the lords will be the norm.

Compared with the family mansion walls built by ordinary village lords to guard against bandits and wild beasts,

The wall of Bamburgh City is also made of wood, but it has a larger range and a higher height.

So you can survive the barbarian attack by relying on the wall?

Pay attention to the official account: Book Friends Base Camp, pay attention to get cash and coins!

Lindisfarne Abbey is a stone wall! The end is still a fall.

Although there was no official coronation, Anna, the de jure queen who could be regent, faced the soldiers and civilians who rushed to the gate of the mansion in the early morning. She firmly endured the pain of the addition and announced John as the new palace minister.

Prime Minister John's immediate responsibility must be to protect the people of Bamburgh City and to force the enemy to retreat.

As for what powers the harem Prime Minister John can gain after everything is over, Queen Anna remains silent.

The people noticed that the once arrogant queen had completely lost her temperament. People were whispering, slandering the woman's indiscretions, and when someone whispered that when the war was over, the woman should go to the convent as a nun to apologize. What's more, the warriors who held a grudge against John's usurping power, they naturally thought that John, a scumbag, had the ability to usurp power, and it must be a scheme made by the young queen.

After all, the city defense work of Bamburgh began in the early morning.

Standing at the head of the wooden wall, John ordered the people to collect stones and transport them to the city wall, and also transport the wooden blocks to the wall.

A large number of pottery urns were also collected, filled with soil, and used as heavy throwing objects, waiting for the opportunity to smash possible enemies who climbed the wall.

After all, Bamburgh and Edinburgh have similar strategic positions. These two cities are essentially military fortresses, and only on this basis have they developed into a regional administrative center. There is a reserve of arrows, swords and spears in the city, and now John does not hesitate to recruit all men from ten to sixty years old, whether they are immature or old, they must all take up arms now.

Young children and old men don't really have to fight the enemy, John just hopes that when the crisis comes, they can protect themselves with weapons.

As for the women and children in the city, they were all driven to some controlled dwellings. They were essentially guarded by soldiers to prevent them from getting in the way in battle, or even to be hopeless victims of battle.

I have to say that John has a certain city defense wisdom, which has a lot to do with the Frankish military knowledge he learned in the cavalry.

Some people began to wonder if the sea barbarians were really going to attack Bamburgh, and some people noticed those who emerged from the woods.

The remnants of the cavalry and a few infantrymen who entered the city were only the fastest fugitives, and there were still a large number of soldiers escaping behind them.

The weary soldiers returned to Bamburgh, and they were immediately given food and water, but they were not given a chance to rest, and were forced to take up arms again by John.

People escaped from the woods throughout the morning, stumbling across the barren farmland after harvest, and eventually made their way back to the city.

John was supported by three hundred exhausted men, and it would take some time for them to recover. One of the good things about these people coming back is to dispel the doubts of the unsettled people in the city about whether the enemy is attacking.

The Viking fleet is coming in Bamburgh, that's for sure!

At lunch time, some soldiers stationed in the tower were horrified to see a sail in the bay not far away.

"The barbarians of the sea are coming!" the soldier shouted, banging the warning bell with all his might.

The call of the alarm was like a thunderstorm, and the cooked wheat in the bowl suddenly became fragrant.

The soldiers scrambled to climb the tower, and John himself climbed high, watching the approaching fleet with mixed feelings.

John consciously used all his strengths to gather the few inherent defenders, gather the armed rout, armed boys and old men in the city, and thus put together an "army" with a strength of up to 2,000.

Is such an army a big army? Among them, only three or four hundred people can really fight.

The situation in Bamburgh City is extremely complicated. This small town, the people of all the surrounding villages, drove a small number of livestock into the city to take refuge.

The sea barbarians have come, and the people who have taken refuge in the city have reached four thousand.

The enemy is already landing!

There was chaos in the city, soldiers and conscripted men shivered, women cried and children cried, and people waited in terror and anxiety for the enemy to attack.

At least the people hiding in the city are at ease because of the shelter of the strong wooden walls. Their homes in the countryside will be plundered and killed by the pirates who landed. Only the city can save their lives.

They naturally believed that the defensive ability of the wooden wall could save everyone's life, but they did not know that the Vikings who landed were carrying the ladder they made when they conquered the stone wall of the monastery.

Of course, Rurik came prepared this time, and he did not intend to attack the city indiscriminately.

The fleet entered a small fjord, where the wind swirled and the waves became more violent.

Large ships like Avrora also swayed violently with the waves, and those warriors who rowed in long boats were often washed by sea water.

The captured Ernred has seen those towers in Bamburgh, is it really a safe place? Will the Vikings keep their promises, as long as they pay the ransom, Bamburgh can avoid destruction?

But he is more worried now that the big ship will be overturned by the waves.

Rurik looked fearless, leaning on the huge mast and looking down at the King of Broken Arms: "Look at this sea, it can be a small port. It seems that your people really don't understand shipbuilding, really don't. Willing to fish."

It is true that the Northumbrian kingdom has long lost its ability to build larger ships, except for a flat boat.

"We're about to land! King of Northumbria!" Rurik patted the man's bearded face. "I'm the Duke of Ross, and you're the defeated king. It's no honor to be captured by me, I will take you to land, and I will let you go back and continue to be king, provided you keep your promise. Will you hand over your tribute?"

"I will." Ernred said without hesitation.

"I'm not afraid of your regrets." Saying that, Rurik faced the bow of the ship, only to turn his back to the king later: "Is that Bamburgh? It's just a wooden city. Remember, if you anger me, I will let you in Witness the fire of this city among the corpses."

Ernred had nothing to say. He felt more and more that the young man in front of him was a little devil, and in a few years he would be a murderous tyrant.

In the Viking torrent, Northumbria is just a small character destined to be destroyed, occupied, and colonized. The huge kingdom will become a colony of Vikings from all walks of life, and the population and language structure of this place will be permanently changed. .

Rurik didn't care about Ernred's attitude towards himself, he was already organizing the landing of manpower.

The longboat rushed directly to the beach with the big waves, the Avlora was parked offshore, and Rurik and others escorted Ernred to land on the beach of Bamburgh on a longboat.

Sometimes, nearby villagers go back to some of the rocky terraces by the sea to pick up the mussel pounding, and as for fishing, they're more than happy to salvage their canoe in a calm creek.

After the Viking army gathered the army aggressively, Rurik left only a handful of people injured in the previous battle, or a total of 100 people who were in poor physical condition to stay at the camp at the landing site.

The remaining 600 fighters used ropes to pull the captured horse-drawn flatbed (the packaged parts were assembled by the sea), carrying materials for the camp, and even the four dismantled torsion slingshots and all the bull catapults and went straight to Bamburgh. .

In this era, six hundred heavily armed soldiers were a formidable military force in Western Europe.

In Frank, only duke-level nobles have the ability to quickly come up with such a mobile unit.

The army marched forward in full gear, strutting across the seaside wormwood meadows and small fields of harvested wheat fields, perhaps less than two kilometers on foot, before arriving at Bamburgh.

The enemy soldiers are coming to the city! The huge force is shocking!

The hands of the Northumbrians on the city walls were shaking with short spears. Even if they had a lot of troops, it seemed that there were many people.

Someone suggested to John, who was in charge of defense, who had just been publicly named palace minister by the queen: "We should send someone to check the truth, we have to check the attitude of the enemy. If we can give some money to let them go, the brothers will not die. "

Originally, John, who was completely obsessed with war, was all thinking about how to defend himself. With a slap on the forehead, he thought it was a good idea to "use money to eliminate disasters".

After all, people only remember who forced the enemy to leave, whether it was defeating or spending money to eliminate disasters, people only look at the results. At that time, the kingship of John Stockwood will definitely be able to gain public users, so that he can legally possess Queen Anna and legally have the kingship.

Who will be this messenger?

Of course, whoever proposes, who implements it!

A soldier named Jacques took up the job of an envoy, and it was he who proposed the opinion. To express Bamburgh's desire for peace, two young priests were forced to follow Jacques' side.

John was willing to implement the plan to spend money on the disaster, but he didn't know the appetite of the savages.

The property of the Earl of Bamburg is now equivalent to being owned by John. He asked Jacques to bring a pound of silver as a gift.

On the other hand, Rurik stood under the castle of Bamburg with a large army.

He looked at the low city wall, and naturally contrasted it with the stone walls of Borgholm Fortress and Lindisfarne Abbey.

The King of Broken Arms was hidden, Rurik turned his head to look at Ernred who was sitting on the ground, pointed to the wooden wall and said proudly: "This is Bamburgh? What kind of city wall is this? Our siege rush Cars can be built quickly with just one hit and a gate opening."

Paul translated truthfully, followed by Ernred's bold request: "Take me to the city, and I will ask them to take out all the money and food, and a group of young and pure women. If you have these, go away."

"Oh? This drives me away."

"This……"

Rurik shrugged and shouted arrogantly with an intriguing smile: "I like your food, your silver coins, and your women. But I like your land more!"

"Ah! You...you're not going to leave?"

"It's a joke." Rurik smiled and touched the head of Ernred's dog, signaling his giggling brothers to set up camp immediately.

Is this a joke? Is it really a joke? How Gasheby's Geiger ignored his father's teachings about developing new territories, the various clan chiefs took an interest in the land itself, and even Bergen immigrants from Shetland were evaluating the area's potential for development.

Biyonni and Guyger, the two were rebellious, they came together and pointed out that a fierce attack could easily break the city.

"You are teaching me to do things? I am your commander, and I still follow my command well."

Biyongni was a little displeased, and pointed at the wooden wall and shouted, "My brother! Are you going to be careful with this flimsy wooden wall like a sheepfold?"

"I still want to resolve this matter peacefully. I intimidated them, forcing them to give up the idea of ​​resistance and hand over their belongings obediently."

"What do you want to do?" Geiger asked promptly.

"Like we did on the coast near the monastery."

"Is there a bonfire everywhere again?"

"Of course. It's not just that." Rurik said and pointed his finger at the open field: "They can see all of our troops now, but not at night. We have to light a bonfire here and also at the landing site. Do it. I will also send a few brothers into the forest to guard against the enemy's surrender camp, and to capture the fleeing enemy."

"I think it's superfluous." Biyonni shook his head dully.

"Brothers, just follow my decision. This is a strategy. When you Balmers carry out expeditions in the future, you can use such intimidation tactics in the face of powerful enemies. It is because we are allies that I tell you this. Rus' tactics."

Biyongni had nothing to say, and he casually said, "Alright. Brothers, rest well. Tomorrow we will restore our perfect spirit. Even if we storm the city, we will be full of strength."

People began to follow Rurik's actions, and those who were ordered to deploy into the wooded areas to the north quickly reap the rewards.

To be precise, it was the defeated soldiers who were still fleeing to Bamburgh. They finally reached the city after wandering all the way, and were captured by the barbarians who were standing still.

But the Vikings did not kill the killer, and in a short period of time, more than 30 prisoners were twisted to the Viking camp.

When these terrified rout soldiers and armed peasants saw their king here, they were shocked at first, and then they were mixed.

It was already the afternoon, and it should have been a leisurely afternoon. The Rus people had already set up an underground camp that seemed to be slack, but had hidden murderous intentions.

There are Viking warriors who have been watching the movements of Bamburgh, and bow-making warriors are also set up in the woods to the north and south.

Finally, the wooden door of Bamburgh's city wall opened a gap, and someone came out carrying the Northumbrian flag.

Rurik, lying on a leather cushion soaking up the afternoon sun, was immediately awakened.

"Master, there is a situation! It may be their messenger." Yevlo said cautiously.

"Emissary?" Rurik immediately got up and complained: "I experienced a morning storm, and now I want to rest, but now I have to talk to the enemy's envoy?"

"This... If you don't want to talk to him, I will kill him with my brother."

"No need. The messenger came just in time. Let the captured King of Broken Arm chat with them. We already lacked a messenger with a message, and now the problem is solved."