I Became The King Of Crusaders [EN]: Chapter 144

< 144. The March of Fools (4) >

Tiberias

“Baldwin, you’ve finally returned.”

“You’re safe, Mother.”

I stared at the woman across from me.

Sibylla.

She approached, guarded by knights.

Her face looked more weary than before.

The wrinkles on her forehead seemed deeper.

She must have suffered quite a bit under Guy.

“I heard you narrowly escaped from Ascalon.”

“If Count Raymond hadn’t arrived in time, I would still be trapped in Ascalon.”

Sibylla nodded.

“And Theodora would have been in a difficult situation as well.”

She turned around.

Theodora stepped forward.

Adorned in splendid silk robes and colorful jewels.

She was just as I remembered.

She smiled faintly.

“I knew you would keep your promise, Baldwin.”

“Promise, you mean…”

Is she talking about my promise to return?

I remained silent, looking at both of them.

I could sense joy from both Theodora and Sibylla.

But Theodora’s emotion felt somewhat unique.

“You’ve been busy in Europe. Everyone is talking about you, from Italians to English, French, and Germans.”

She said.

“From the story of fighting the Holy Roman Emperor to the tale of finding King Arthur’s tomb through revelation… Thankfully, there were no stories involving women.”

“Nor were there any involving men.”

I said with a smile.

I was a little nervous when I slept with Richard and young Henry.

I looked at Theodora.

I could sense sincerity mixed with playfulness.

I would have been in big trouble if I had been philandering.

Just how far does her network reach?

As if noticing my gaze, she crossed her arms.

“The Holy Sepulchre Guard is strictly under the authority of the Church of Constantinople. And this Eastern Church as well…”

“Must be your network.”

I said with a smile.

We looked at each other.

Silence fell…

“Let’s save the detailed stories for later. The Duke still has things to take care of.”

Someone approached.

Count Raymond.

He said with a genial smile.

“You could say it’s the biggest task. Welcome back to the Levant [historical region encompassing parts of the Middle East], Duke.”

“Thank you for the warm welcome, Count.”

I nodded.

“Tiberias is as vibrant as ever.”

It was just as I had seen it before leaving Jerusalem.

The fortress on ‘Martyr’s Mountain.’

The flag with the yellow cross fluttered in the wind.

Merchants had set up stalls in front of the fortress, selling their wares.

I looked at Raymond.

“I heard you fought alongside the Basileus (Emperor)’s army. I heard you achieved a great victory.”

Count Raymond had helped the Eastern Roman Empire fight against the Sultanate of Rum [a Turkish state in Anatolia].

The result was a peace treaty between the Eastern Roman Empire and the Sultanate of Rum.

Of course, it was a peace treaty in name only; the Sultan of Rum had essentially surrendered.

‘Originally, Count Raymond wasn’t on good terms with the Eastern Roman Empire.’

But with my mediation, both sides had joined forces.

There would be no more conflict.

And I had also taken care of Saladin’s ally.

Raymond smiled.

“It’s nothing compared to the Duke’s achievements. The Third Crusade, no less. The Duke has succeeded alone where countless bishops and lords have failed.”

“The sacrifices were great, too. And it took a long time.”

I said.

But at least I gained hope of defending Jerusalem.

Count Raymond said.

“You became friends with the Emperor of Constantinople and enemies with the German Emperor. I wonder if the Redbeard Emperor will try to interfere…”

“Emperor Frederick won’t be able to interfere with the Third Crusade. He won’t have the luxury of worrying about his neighbor’s house when his own front yard is on fire.”

I said with a smile.

By now, Henry the Lion would have returned to Germany.

If he stepped up, he could keep the Emperor tied down.

What I need to worry about now is something else.

“What’s the situation in Ascalon? What about Count Guy?”

“He’s gathering a large army. He’s not even trying to hide it.”

Raymond said.

He reached out and pointed to the fortress.

“Then come this way. I’ll guide you to the fortress.”

“I’ll go with Mother to welcome the members.”

Theodora said.

She pointed to the knights and Holy Sepulchre members.

They were all excited about the long-awaited return.

“They need to be rewarded for completing the long expedition. They also need to know who they’re fighting to protect.”

She whispered, clinging to me.

Her breath could be felt through the chainmail.

“Then I’ll see you later.”

Aig and Ruarc, who were standing next to me, seemed amused.

On the way to the fortress, Aig stuck close to me.

“Even the ‘Guardian of Faith,’ the Duke, is helpless before his wife.”

“Men may rule the world, but women ultimately rule the men.”

Aig and Ruarc whispered behind me.

I cleared my throat, and they both fell silent as if nothing had happened.

I never thought I’d be treated like a henpecked husband.

After passing through the gate, we went straight up to the fortress.

“The conference room is this way.”

After passing the guards, a large room appeared.

Candles and maps.

Even markers representing troops.

Everything was neatly organized.

A middle-aged man in chainmail greeted me.

Count Joscelin.

“Duke! You’ve finally arrived!”

He grabbed my arm.

It seemed like the first time I’d seen him since Hama and Homs.

“I didn’t expect you to come, Count.”

“Of course, I had to come.”

He burst into a hearty laugh.

“I promised you before in Hama. No matter what happens in the royal court, I would help you.”

He tapped the map on the table.

“I brought knights, as long as it doesn’t cause problems in Hama and Homs. We will fight by your side.”

“The more friends, the better.”

I nodded.

I didn’t expect him to help me so actively.

Well, the more the merrier.

Then Raymond tapped the map on the table.

“Then I should start by telling you the size of the enemy. The approximate force, as identified by the signal towers, is seven hundred cavalry and over seven thousand infantry.”

“That’s enormous.”

I said.

It was a force hard to believe that one lord had gathered.

It was virtually the size of the royal army.

He must have scraped together every last soul.

Of course, compared to China or Asia, it was a tiny force.

Seven hundred knights in full armor were a formidable force.

“Guy made all sorts of promises to the lords to gather troops.”

Raymond frowned.

“He’s acting like he’ll sell off the royal treasury as soon as he becomes king. And it’s not just money. Some of the Templars who oppose the unification of the knightly orders have also joined Guy.”

“They’re not in a position to be picky right now.”

I nodded.

So, the hardliners who originally followed Guy have been joined by opportunists.

“All the better. It’s clear who our friends and enemies are.”

It’s so convenient that the trash is gathering on its own.

It’ll be easy to sweep them away with a broom.

“You’re always so confident, Duke.”

Raymond sighed.

“The Knights Hospitaller, the Knights of Lazarus, and the Knights of St. Thomas have promised you support.”

The Knights of St. Thomas?

The name sounds vaguely familiar.

I blinked a few times, and the memory came back.

‘Knights of English origin founded for Saint Becket.’

Henry II and young Henry supported me.

Then the Knights of St. Thomas would naturally support me as well.

Count Joscelin interjected.

“I, the Principality of Antioch, and other northern lords are with you, Duke.”

Instead of answering, I nodded.

These are the people who bet on me becoming king.

Their fate, their lives, depended on this victory or defeat.

Everyone knew that Baldwin IV would die soon.

On the surface, it was a struggle between Guy, centered on Sibylla, and Raymond, but in reality, it was a war for the throne of Jerusalem.

“But the total force is only about 4 to 6 compared to Guy. And even that is close to wishful thinking.”

Raymond looked at me and crossed his arms.

“Now we need to hear what plan you have, Duke.”

“Then let me explain it simply. It’s something I’ve been planning since before I left for Europe.”

I tapped the map and explained the plan in detail.

How many minutes had passed?

Silence fell after I finished speaking.

Count Joscelin silently sized up the situation.

“That’s all…”

Raymond raised his eyebrows and glared at me.

I could feel his shock and anger flowing through him.

“Is that all the plan you’ve come up with, Duke?!”

“Yes, that’s right.”

I replied with a smile.

“This is my plan.”

* * *

“The premise itself is absurd.”

Count Raymond said.

He pressed his finger hard on one side of the map.

Tiberias, where we were.

To the west was the port city of Acre, and to the east was the vast Sea of Galilee.

Tiberias and Acre were both in Count Raymond’s territory.

“As the Duke said, they will advance through Acre to Tiberias here.”

Raymond said.

“There is only one path from Acre to Tiberias. And there are no places to get water, like wells or springs.”

He said.

“No matter how foolish they are, they won’t advance when the sun is blazing like this. How will you get Guy to come here?”

“It’s simple.”

I said with a smile.

The plan I told Raymond was simple.

First, set up camp in front of Tiberias and wait for Guy’s army to come.

Then, decide the outcome with a single battle.

‘Even a child could easily understand this much.’

The reason I came up with this plan was also simple.

‘Because it already happened once in the original history.’

The Battle of the Horns of Hattin.

This battle had various nicknames.

The worst battle in the history of the Crusades!

The Hattin Disaster!

Saladin’s greatest victory!

The battle that lost Jerusalem!

In the original history, after Baldwin IV died, Guy became the King of Jerusalem.

Raymond opposed this but eventually swore allegiance to Guy.

Meanwhile, the army led by Saladin besieged Tiberias, which was Raymond’s territory.

Raymond’s wife in Tiberias requested help, and a large army was summoned to defeat Saladin.

‘Let’s defeat the infidel Saracens and rescue Tiberias!’

Guy gathered all the knights and soldiers of Jerusalem and launched an attack.

The only one who opposed this was Count Raymond.

‘This is Saladin’s scheme to lure us out! Even if we lose Tiberias and my wife, we must not confront them head-on!’

He gave a perfectly reasonable reason.

‘If we advance to Tiberias at this time, the horses and soldiers will collapse from lack of water!’

But Guy and Reynald branded Raymond as a coward and began the advance.

‘Raymond, didn’t you once join hands with Saladin? Are you afraid to fight your friend?’

‘There is no defeat for the army of Jerusalem, which the Lord watches over!’

In a situation where even the lord of Tiberias was opposed, the Jerusalem army set off for Tiberias.

There was only one road from Acre to Tiberias.

It was a barren land with no water or fruit.

Saladin’s light cavalry attacked the Jerusalem army in various places along the way, slowing their advance.

The march, which was originally scheduled for half a day, continued until the next day.

‘Water! Someone, please give me water!’

‘I’ll, I’ll convert to Islam, so please give me water!’

The knights and soldiers panicked when they ran out of water.

When they arrived in Tiberias in that state, Saladin’s large army greeted them.

Saladin blocked all the paths to the Sea of Galilee and pressured Guy’s army.

The result was a crushing defeat for the Jerusalem army.

Most of the Jerusalem army, which numbered over 20,000, were either captured or killed.

After that, Saladin marched south and easily occupied the defenseless Jerusalem.

‘The situation is similar to that now.’

The only difference was that I, not Saladin, was here in Tiberias.

“We will announce that we will fight Guy in the plains in front of Tiberias. Like knights, without using any tricks.”

I said.

Guy and Raymond were fighting over Sibylla.

Was it to protect her?

Or to kidnap her?

“We’ll propose a trial by combat. Then Guy won’t be able to refuse.”

“What if Count Guy refuses…”

“Guy doesn’t have a choice in the first place. He needs Mother to become the King of Jerusalem.”

I said.

In the first place, Guy wasn’t even from this Levant.

He was a troublemaker from Aquitaine [historical region in southwestern France] who attacked Eleanor and was chased away by Richard.

He was nobody on his own.

Then Raymond said.

“No matter how foolish Guy is, he won’t fall for such an obvious plan. He’ll definitely realize it’s a trap.”

He crossed his arms again.

“Thousands of lives depend on your hands, Duke. We can’t make plans based on hope alone.”

“It’s not me who’s fighting based on hope, but Guy and his companions.”

I said with a smile.

Raymond was indeed a rational commander.

That was exactly the problem.

When fighting a fool, you shouldn’t think too deeply.

I wonder how desperately Raymond opposed it in the original history.

‘If we go like this without supplies, we’ll all be wiped out!’

And they were wiped out.

‘Without water, the soldiers can’t fight!’

And all the soldiers collapsed from exhaustion.

‘If we fight like this, Jerusalem will be destroyed!’

And Jerusalem was also captured.

How hard must it have been for him to live among those radical psychopaths?

“Guy will definitely come.”

“…”

Raymond stroked his chin.

Still an incredulous reaction.

“What if you said you received a revelation?”

“Revelation. I’ve heard stories of you receiving many revelations, Duke… But no matter how I think about it, this plan is too flimsy.”

“When fighting a boar, you don’t need an elaborate plan. A sharp spear is enough.”

I looked out the window.

Something else was on my mind.

The northeast of Tiberias.

Damascus.

How will Saladin come out now?