People in the Middle Ages, draw cards to get promoted

Chapter 126 Hebron and the Conspiracy
On the vast Gobi, knights in blue robes and red and white robes lined up in a long line.

Climbing steep slopes and crossing criss-crossing dry river valleys.

Behind, are the sergeants of the brigade.

The long and difficult trek made the sergeants complain.

A war that should have lasted for a long time turned into a grand armed parade.

But except for those peasants and soldiers who were forced to be conscripted from the fields, the vast majority of people did not think this was something to be thankful for.

They just feel that the two long-distance treks in succession are really tormenting.

When crossing the Jordan River.

The huge team of nearly 3 people when we came here has shrunk by one-third.

Knights and soldiers from various vassals have followed their lords back to their respective territories.

It is an obligation to serve the lord, and this obligation is calculated by time, depending on the severity of the contract, ranging from one month to three months per year.

In addition, there is often a contract with the characteristics of Jerusalem. When the kingdom is invaded by foreign enemies, it must unconditionally respond to the king's call.

This is why many lower lords and soldiers were dissatisfied with not being able to fight a battle.

Because only when there is a fight, can the spoils be obtained. Whether it is prisoners, war horses, or damaged weapons and equipment, as long as they can be exchanged for money, it is always good.

Otherwise, a grand military parade would only mean unilateral expenditure, and at most one could only get a compensation from the royal family that was not enough to make up for the military expenditure, which would be equivalent to a white job and would not generate any income.

Before his return journey, Baldwin IV enshrined a large number of cavalry who performed well in battle as royal knights enjoying the "public fief".

Royal Knights, in short, are paid landless knights who are supported by the royal land.

In addition, the fiefs of knights killed in battle will be inherited by their heirs, and only a small number of extinct ones will have their territories taken back and re-entrusted to knights with more outstanding military exploits.

And in this war, the one with the most outstanding merit is of course Lothar.

In addition, Guy led people to burn the food and grass of the Saracens, which can be regarded as a great contribution, otherwise the Saracens might not have retreated so simply.

In addition, Baldwin IV confiscated Earl Leonard's title of Earl of Transjordan, resulting in a somewhat imbalance of power between the Queen Mother Party and the Earl Party led by Regent Raymond.

Therefore, in private talks, Baldwin IV also revealed his intention to canonize Guy of Lusignan as the lord of Montgissard.

Mongiza was a town established by Baldwin IV to commemorate the defeat of Saladin with his troops in the Battle of Mengisa. Its population and territory are not large, and it is only similar to Fort Joglius before the "repair".

Lothar and Baron Godfrey rode horses side by side and walked at the forefront of the team.

After crossing the Jordan River, the front is no longer a boundless desert, but a large area of ​​green shade, and the river flows happily into the farmland along the canal.

Some manors and villages are scattered and orderly, distributed along the road.

The population has also become denser.

People looked at the army, and the Christians rejoiced and went forward to chat with the Crusaders and inquire about the news of the war, while the pagans generally avoided it.

"Have you seen that grape plantation? This means that we are about to reach Hebron. If there is no accident, this will be your future territory."

Baron Godfrey pointed to a large stretch of vines not far away, with envy in his tone.

He is the lord of Beirut, Asuf, and Ibelin. The former two are very wealthy towns, but having three baron titles does not mean that they can be merged into one earl.

The title of this era does not have a promotion relationship.

Baron Ibelin, if nothing else, will always be Baron Ibelin.

Unless, like Leopold, the count of the Austrian frontier, he reached an agreement with the emperor to seek independence from the title of the Duchy of Bavaria and "upgrade" to the Grand Duchy of Austria.

Lothar heard the sourness in the other party's tone.

In fact, if he was named the Earl of Transjordan, he would immediately transform himself into one of the top few powerful lords in Jerusalem.

This kind of transformation is really too big, and it is not an exaggeration to describe it as "reaching the sky in one step".

Even if Lothar is the Earl of Transjordan, his territory and territory may not be as good as his vassal, Leonard "Baron" of Kaleburg.

He smiled and said: "If Belian can marry Princess Sibilla, the two territories of Ashcalon and Jaffa under the princess' name will all fall to the Ibelin family. At that time, let Belian take over the territory Entrusted to you, you are the honorable Earl of Jaffa."

Ashkalon, Ibelin, Jaffa, and Asuf happened to be connected together, covering the southern coastline of Jerusalem.

This is much more comfortable than loosely distributed, unmanageable enclaves.

As long as it is carefully built, it will be a country within a country like the Count of Tripoli, and it is not an exaggeration to call him the king of a country.

"Oh, it's just a title, and it won't change anything if you have it or not."

Baron Godfrey said with disagreement: "But you, be careful of Earl Leonard, he will not let it go. The lords of Transjordan will not easily stand in line until the two of you decide to compete."

"He is no longer the Count."

Lothar didn't take Leonard to heart.

This earl is indeed powerful, but he is a cheater.

If nothing else, he won the title of "Count", which is considered to have completed another milestone.

There will definitely be a lot of rewards at that time.

Next, it only takes a period of "farming and development", and Leonard is really not an enemy worthy of Lothar's attention.

Hebron was only [-] kilometers away from Jerusalem, and the soldiers were eager to return, so they didn't propose to rest here. Judging by the speed of the march, they would probably be able to return to Jerusalem before evening.

Lothar, on the other hand, was happy to admire the scenery of this territory that was likely to belong to him.

Outside this ancient holy city of two religions, apart from the vast expanses of plantations, the most unique sight is the endless stream of pagans who come to worship.

Lothar saw some Jews tearing their shirts while walking, and their clothes were full of patches—meaning that after they tore their clothes, they would sew them up again.

This strange custom made Lothar feel completely incomprehensible.

Mend clothes and prove that clothes are precious.

But you still have to tear them apart to show your worship to the gods. Isn't this enough to eat and support you?
Hebron, a town on the West Bank of the Jordan River, has a permanent population of nearly [-] people, not inferior to Montreal, which makes Lothar envious, and even richer.

Because it has more villages and fiefs attached to it.

Baron Godfrey introduced: "Hebron is the main road for many pilgrims to go to Jerusalem. In addition, they can also charge high city entrance taxes to pagans. Before that, Leonard had a three-point One of the time is spent here.”

"Being an earl means that you will have your own court, a mansion with fountains and gardens, marble bathrooms, and groups of beautiful slave girls. It is a very different way of life from the European lords. As far as the lord is concerned, it is only secondary, you have to remember that there is always a deadly venom in the sweet nectar."

Listening to his description, Lothar couldn't help being fascinated.

He couldn't help laughing and said: "If you put it this way, I can't wait to taste this 'venomous'."

Isn't that why power and wealth are desirable?
Baron Godfrey said airily: "Do you know how many heroes and warriors have degenerated into a group of wastes who only know pleasure in the life of the Eastern court?
Amalric, our Lord Chancellor, was once a Minister of Military and Political Affairs appointed by His Majesty. He was also a famous warrior who took the lead in the charge in the Battle of Mengisa.

At that time, who would have thought that he would become a villain who only knew how to withhold military pay and hide behind his brother? "

Lothar suppressed his smile, knowing that this old friend of his father was admonishing himself very seriously.

So he nodded solemnly and said, "I assure you, I will never become that kind of person."

The color of the wine is like a bone scraper, so be careful.

Behind him, in the ranks of knights.

Amalric sneezed suddenly.

"Who is talking about me behind my back?"

He rubbed his nose, and continued to brag to the knights around him: "Do you know how many Saracens I killed that night?"

These days, he bragged about the fact that he and his brother burned the food and grass of the Saracens. He felt that his credit could completely offset his guilt of being greedy for Mexican military pay.

Baldwin IV never intended to dispose of him, which made him feel relieved a lot.

At dusk, the army finally reached Jerusalem.

On the Zoroastrian-style minaret transformed by the Crusades, bells burst out-this is also a unique product of Jerusalem's localized Christianity.

Soldiers of the knights and the city defense army walked into the city tiredly covered in travel and dust. The nobles and citizens who came to greet them offered wine and food, and some wealthy ladies even rode in carriages to the outside world. Throwing out a lot of silver coins and copper coins.

The news has been sent back in advance, and the "truce" has also been exaggerated as a big victory.

The soldiers immediately started looting.

Lothar rode on the horse, watching Baldwin IV perform a series of rituals with some boredom.

All he wanted now was to take a hot bath and sleep in a room with a roof and a bed.

The lady standing on the second-floor building by the road stared closely at the majestic Grand Master of the Royal Knights who followed closely beside the imperial chariot.

She licked her soft red lips and said with emotion: "It's really tempting blood, I like this kind of brave knight the most."

Her companion, a woman covered in a black robe, said with a sneer, "Stop being fussy, if you don't get rid of this guy, that crazy woman will definitely expose our identities to everyone."

There was a hint of sarcasm in the lady's tone: "Oh, it's not that simple. Didn't you see the witch next to him? That's not easy to deal with."

She paused slightly, and said again: "If you want me to say, instead of being threatened by that crazy woman, we should turn around and get rid of her - how many people in Kaleburg, if they are all killed, no one will be able to spread the news right?"

The woman snorted coldly and said, "Don't talk stupid things, Kaleburg has a lot of magic gold, just the two of us, it's impossible to kill them all."

The lady's face became a little gloomy: "When will our noble blood race be threatened by these lowly humans? Let me tell you, at worst, run back to the castle in Wallachia."

Her companion sneered and said: "Don't tell me that you are used to living in a spacious palace, and you are willing to go back to that stinking swamp. If you are afraid, you can leave, but I tell you, I am I will never give up my noble status in the human world."

(End of this chapter)