People in the Middle Ages, draw cards to get promoted

Chapter 26 The Situation in the Holy Land

"Knight Lothar, do you want to join the Templars or the Hospitallers?"

At the end of the monk's sermon, he said enthusiastically to Lothar: "Listen to me, for a pious and heroic knight like you, it is perfect for you to join the Knights Templar."

"The Knights Templar are brave and good at fighting, and they never compromise with the heretics. Compared with the conservative hospital knights, they are more suitable for you to make contributions!"

"Sorry, Father Beckett, I don't intend to swear a lifelong vow. My father served His Majesty Baldwin and participated in the famous Battle of Mongiza, defeating the king of Ayub. I also hope to continue this In the tradition of feudal lords, they are loyal to the king."

"It's no wonder that the burqa you wear looks like the old-fashioned burqa of the royal knights of Jerusalem. It turns out that it is disrespectful for my father to have received such a prestigious honor."

Beckett thought about it.

"But Knight Lothar, please forgive me for being straightforward. You don't understand the situation in the Holy Land. As far as I am concerned, it is not wise to choose to directly serve His Majesty."

"Your Majesty may not still be interested in seeing you, let alone granting you a fief."

"The Knights are indeed a good place to go, especially the Knights Templar. Joining the Knights will not affect your allegiance to His Majesty the King."

Beckett began to introduce Lothar to the prominence of the Knights in this era, as well as the terrifying influence in the Holy Land.

Although the Knights Templar is only a military order in name, they own tens of thousands of manors and castles in the Catholic world, and dozens of territories of different sizes scattered all over the place.

In addition, they often receive huge donations from various parties.

Moreover, the territory of the Knights Templar enjoys a tax-free policy. They themselves are representatives of theocracy, and there is no need to worry about someone collecting tithes.

Being rich made them open the earliest "bank" of this era. Many pilgrims on this ship had to borrow money from the Knights to buy luggage and tickets.

This is a giant crocodile entrenched in the holy land, a knight order in name, but a country in reality.

Not only is the country rich and invincible, but its military strength is also not weaker than that of any great monarch on the European continent.

Although the strength of the Hospital Knights is much lower than that, they are still of the same level.

It's just that the style tends to be conservative, not as radical as the Knights Templar.

The existence of the two major knight orders greatly curbed the authority of the king of Jerusalem, Baldwin IV, and even once surpassed the kingship.

However, due to external threats, the king was not only unable to expel and suppress, but also had to win over the two major knight orders.

There is a slang saying on the streets of Jerusalem that although the king wears a holy crown, Gerald (the Grand Master of the Knights Templar) is the real uncrowned king.

Lothar was chatting with Father Beckett at the bow of the boat. This priest had sailed many times on the Mediterranean Sea, dedicated to raising donations in the Western world and calling for the Crusades.

Then take them to the Holy Land, as a source of soldiers for the military order, or the people under the feudal lord, to obtain funding.

In essence, it is very similar to a broker, except that people think it is a sacred act.

Beckett has lived in the Holy Land for two years and has a deep understanding of many things there.

"Sasan and Ayub have united, but the kingdom is still strife. The knights each have their own supporters, trying to let them marry His Majesty's sister Sibilla and become the next crown prince."

Beckett showed a rare look of pessimism: "I don't know if it's right or wrong to 'call' so many Christians to the Holy Land? The iron heels of those pagans may destroy everything."

Aren't you cheating?
Lothar complained secretly, but said on his mouth: "I really didn't expect that the situation in the kingdom has become so severe, but according to my father, His Majesty Baldwin is a very outstanding monarch, how could he let the situation develop become like this?"

"Yes, His Majesty the King is indeed an outstanding king, with extraordinary military talent and charisma, but suffering from leprosy made his rule even weaker."

Beckett's eyes were a little red: "We all know that the young king who was so high-spirited and defeated an army of tens of thousands of heretics in Mengisa is gone forever. Now there is only one lingering, enduring the drama all day long." Painful leper."

Lothar was slightly silent.

Earl Werner's idea was to let him take refuge in Baldwin III, and he also brought him a letter.

But now it seems that the king's big ship is far from being as strong as he imagined.

It's just that there are advantages and disadvantages. It is because the boat is not strong enough that it is easier for him to stand out and attract the trust and respect of His Majesty the King.

No matter what happened to King Baldwin, he was still the only legitimate king in Jerusalem, and his emaciated camel was bigger than a horse.

The word "orthodox" was sometimes more important in the Middle Ages than in the Eastern world.

As for leprosy... if a healing entourage is extracted, it seems that it is not impossible to cure it.

After thinking for a moment, he decided to stick to the original plan and serve King Baldwin. Even if he could not get a fief for the time being, it would be more reliable than serving the two talented knight orders.

You must know that many nobles at the earl level would rather donate all their property than join the Knights Templar. There may be factors of piety, but it can also be seen how deep the waters of the Knights are.

The icing on the cake is never as good as sending charcoal in the snow.

Moreover, as a military order, if you want to join the Knights Order, unless you donate a huge amount of property as an exception, you must swear a lifelong vow and give up the right to inherit the territory and the right to marry.

This is completely different from the feudal lord.

"I will consider what you said, Father Beckett. Thank you for talking to me about the current situation in the Holy Land. It has helped me a lot. May the Father bless you."

"Amen."

Say goodbye to Beckett.

Lothar was preparing to return to the cabin.

I saw a fat man in fine clothes, waving a leather whip, and angrily scolded the crew members who were listening to the monk's sermon: "I paid you ten big silver coins to hire you. , to wipe the decks, to dry the clothes, to mend the spare sails!"

"No matter what you do, don't let me watch you chatting here again!"

The fat man is the ship's owner, the dishonest Venetian merchant.

Ryan's swearing yesterday became a proverb.

The Merchant of Venice was really a Jew.

Jewish businessmen who regard wealth as their destiny sound like a good match for Venice, a republic that was founded by commerce.

But in fact, even the Venetians looked down on the Jews. They isolated the Jews in a special urban area and named them "ghettos".

They can't engage in normal business activities, they can only be loan sharks, or, like the captain of this Kirk ship, do some vague passenger business.

In fact, except for a few commercial city-states on the Apennine Peninsula, most areas strictly prohibited Jews from hiring Christians.

Discrimination has deepened the gap between Jews and Christians.

And the gap made the Jews ignore the life and death of these heathens, drive up food prices, and lend usury. This made their reputation even worse.

It's a vicious circle.

It is worth mentioning that in Europe at that time, the Jews could only get relatively fair treatment under the rule of the Zoroastrians in Iberia.

"They are not chatting, you godless Jewish businessman, they are listening to my sermon, and you are obviously not qualified to listen!"

Brother Beckett retorted loudly.

The man sneered, his fat face was full of disdain, but he glanced at Lothar again, so he didn't argue with Beckett.

"Master Lothar, are you satisfied with the cabin? It's the most spacious room I specially vacated, and it's just right for a noble knight like you to live with his wife."

Lothar walked in front of the Jewish businessman, and he took a deep look at the small eyes between the fat cheeks of the other party.

He nodded perfunctorily, and led his subordinates and leaders into the cabin one after another.

There was no anger on the Jewish businessman's face at being left out. He watched the backs of Lothar and his party gradually disappear, and the corner of his mouth raised a subtle arc.

(End of this chapter)