I Became The King Of Crusaders [EN]: Chapter 131

Became the King of the Crusades – Episode 131

The Great Knight (1)

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France

Paris

“Is it true that there was even an earthquake?”

“That’s what the merchants say. Old Henry even went to Canterbury to be whipped as penance.”

“Whipped, huh.”

The young king chuckled.

Philippe rested his arm on the throne.

Nobles and clergy alike stared at him, bewildered.

“Didn’t he already put on a similar act last time? I doubt whipping himself will turn stone into gold.”

“But Duke Baldwin’s prophecies have all come true. If Henry II does not truly repent, another disaster….”

A knight interrupted him.

“Are you telling us to believe such absurd stories?!”

The Chief Chevalier (Knight), Valon.

He looked at the other officials and continued.

“The only true lord blessed by God is His Majesty Philippe! How dare you speak of Duke Baldwin as if he were some kind of saint!”

“Thank you, Valon. But predicting earthquakes isn’t exactly a common occurrence.”

The king said.

He stroked his beard, which was just starting to grow.

“Ever since that Baldwin came along, the whole of Europe has been shaken. Even here, in the streets of Paris, his name echoes.”

“…”

Philippe spoke again.

“Even if it’s a clever trick or a scam, if the Roman Papacy acknowledges it, it becomes a miracle. And right now, no one is more favored by Rome than Baldwin.”

“Your Majesty, who has been anointed, also possesses the power of healing.”

“But Baldwin hasn’t even been anointed, has he?”

Philippe replied.

He sighed and leaned back on the throne.

“Things are not going well. Young Henry and Richard should have kept fighting, at least until this year. One of them should have died.”

He said.

“And if old Henry died too, all of England and Aquitaine would have fallen into my hands. Now it’s all gone to waste.”

“Your Majesty, Henry II has sworn to go on a crusade before Duke Baldwin.”

“A crusade?”

“Yes, and there are reports that Duke Richard is also showing interest in the crusade.”

Count Valois, with his white beard, said.

He stepped forward and continued.

“If Henry II, young Henry, and Richard all leave on a crusade, the situation will be favorable to France and Your Majesty.”

“Then all that would be left are Geoffrey and John. But we don’t have any definite information yet, do we?”

Philippe shrugged.

“And if Henry II goes on a crusade, I’ll be pressured to go on one too. Baldwin will want me to join the expedition as well.”

“But Henry II follows Your Majesty. How can the high be led by the low?”

Valon exclaimed.

He waved his hand, which was as large as a pot lid, in the air.

“Even if Duke Baldwin spouts such nonsense, you can simply ignore it.”

“Perhaps going on an expedition wouldn’t be so bad. Saving the Holy City would be worth it.”

“But Your Majesty! The duty of the Crusades has already been fulfilled by the late King. No matter how much pressure there is….”

“Silence, all of you. I need to think about this matter a bit more. Everyone except Count Valois, leave.”

Nobles, clergy, and knights, including Valon, hurried out of the audience chamber.

Only Count Valois with his white beard and Philippe remained.

The young king spoke.

“No matter what anyone says, I must remain here in Paris. I can’t spill French blood in that Levantine [Eastern Mediterranean] land where there’s nothing to gain but sand.”

“Then what you said just now….”

“I can’t say such things publicly, can I?”

Philippe smiled.

He tapped the armrest with his fingers.

“If I openly refuse the crusade, there will be a great uproar. I need a delicate approach here.”

The king said.

“Let’s donate a suitable amount to Jerusalem and wait for Baldwin to leave. I’ll promise to join the crusade and then make some excuse to postpone the expedition.”

“That would not avoid excommunication from Rome.”

“But by then, old Henry and his sons will already be in the Levant, won’t they?”

Philippe shrugged.

“Richard is as brave as a lion and foolishly full of honor. He will surely follow his father on the crusade. Once old Henry and Richard are gone, there’s no one to fear.”

He waved his hand and added.

“Send a letter to Geoffrey. Tell him that if he needs funds, I will provide them.”

“I will follow Your Majesty’s command.”

“Duke Baldwin… It’s best to avoid him as much as possible. Following Emperor Friedrich, now it’s Henry II.”

The king burst into laughter.

“He’s toppling every king in Europe.”

“The money flowing into Jerusalem cannot be ignored either.”

Count Valois bowed his head.

“Jerusalem is the only supplier of elixirs. If we calculate the amount of money the French have spent buying elixirs so far….”

“It would be about the amount of tax revenue we’d collect over several years. And that’s not all, is it? I heard they’ve even created a Holy City Bond.”

Philippe scoffed.

“Using paper scraps as money. What will happen if the people exchange gold for paper? Not a single piece of gold will be left in this kingdom. Only the Knights Templar will make a fortune.”

“His Holiness the Pope has approved such an absurd thing….”

“Rome only cares about making money in the middle. As always.”

“How can being greedy for money be the will of God? That alone reveals Baldwin’s hypocrisy.”

“Whether it’s hypocrisy or not, Europeans regard him as a prophet. That’s what matters.”

Philippe rose from the throne.

He strode across the center of the audience chamber.

“Do you know what’s really scary?”

He asked the Count.

“The Duke is accomplishing all this without much difficulty. Things that would take an ordinary king decades. All the money and prayers of Europe are going to Jerusalem.”

He muttered.

“What if Duke Baldwin really received revelations from the Archangel Michael and King Arthur?”

“Then…we cannot defeat someone favored by heaven.”

“You’re right. All we can do is hope that’s not the case.”

The young king nodded.

“Let’s buy some time for now. When it rains, we must cover ourselves and bow our heads.”

***

England

London

“You’re telling me not to go on a crusade? What are you saying, Duke?”

Young Henry exclaimed.

“I can never accept that.”

“It is not yet time for Your Majesty to go to Jerusalem,” I said, looking at young Henry.

He looked exhausted at a glance.

He had been devoted to relief efforts for days.

It would be strange if he wasn’t tired.

Dark circles under his eyes and a beard that was uneven.

He seemed to have suffered as much as I had.

Preparing large quantities of food and tents is not an easy task.

Young Henry had gained the support of the English people through this earthquake.

‘The king chosen by King Arthur!’

‘A wise ruler who took the lead in saving the people!’

What could be more powerful propaganda than this?

Young Henry had personally spent his own money for the relief efforts.

That fact alone would have been enough publicity.

“England needs a king right now. While Henry II is away on the expedition, who will rule England?” I asked, bowing my head.

“Didn’t Your Majesty come to England in the first place to gain true royal authority?”

“That can be handled by my mother and officials. The crusade is my mission, Duke!”

Young Henry said.

“Didn’t you say so too, Duke?”

“Stop being stubborn, brother. You know that the Duke is right,” Richard said.

Young Henry glared at him.

“It’s not like there won’t be another chance if you don’t go this time.”

“You can go on an expedition without any burden, so it doesn’t matter to you, Richard.”

I sighed as I looked at the two of them.

Now everyone is trying to come to Jerusalem.

It’s troublesome when things go too well.

Of course, the more people who came on the crusade, the better.

But the entire English royal family coming was a different story.

Who knew what would happen to England then.

‘It’s better for one person to stay in the home country and support the expedition.’

And I had a feeling that if the three of them came together, there would only be fighting.

Henry II, young Henry, and Richard.

How much would the father and sons bicker over military achievements?

The nobles under them would also be at odds.

“England has not yet recovered from the earthquake. There’s also Geoffrey, John, and France.”

Philippe II of France.

Although he was young, his political power could not be ignored.

A wise ruler with the nickname Augustus.

At the same time, a master of conspiracy and schemes.

‘He incited the fight between Henry II and his sons and later betrayed Richard.’

Richard left on the crusade with him, and he returned alone first.

He looted Richard’s empty land.

He must be plotting even at this moment.

“Wasn’t Geoffrey and you the closest to Philippe, brother?” Richard shrugged.

A blatantly provocative tone.

“I don’t know if I can trust you with Aquitaine, brother.”

“If I wanted that land, I would have taken it long ago, Richard. And now I don’t need Philippe’s help. I am the King of England.”

“Your Majesty is right,” I nodded.

Young Henry had only received Philippe’s help to oppose his father.

Now that his father had become the former king and young Henry had become the real power, he no longer needed external help.

I had ruined Philippe’s plan.

“Geoffrey and Philippe will try to sabotage the expedition somehow. They’ll want my father and me to stay here and fight with you, brother,” Richard said.

He stretched out his arms and yawned.

“That way, they’ll have a chance to take our land. Isn’t it simple?”

Richard chuckled.

“Philippe’s directly governed French territory is smaller than the combined lands of our brothers. It’s a situation where the Plantagenet vassals have more land than their lord.”

“They will try to take that land by any means. They’re probably just waiting for Henry II and Duke Richard to leave,” I said.

“What could be easier than robbing an empty house?”

There was only one way to prevent that.

“We must make King Philippe join the crusade as well.”

“Philippe won’t follow the expedition,” Young Henry said.

He sighed.

“Because, as the Duke said, he’ll be watching for the opportunity to take advantage of the gap when Father and Richard leave.”

“Why doesn’t the Duke go to Paris himself?” Richard shrugged.

“Send Priest Pierre first, like you did here in England, create some public opinion, and then go yourself,” he said.

“Then even Philippe won’t be able to say anything else. The will of God. What could be stronger than that?”

“I would have done that if I had a little more time.”

But there was no time for that.

Time was still passing.

I couldn’t stop Baldwin IV’s leprosy.

I had to return to Jerusalem no matter what before he died.

“Also, if I go to France, Emperor Friedrich won’t stay still. He’ll try to interfere with me somehow. That will take even more time.”

“Then it seems there’s no other way.”

“…”

Silence fell.

Only the sound of me tapping the table echoed.

Outside the window, the sound of knights training could be heard.

Swinging spears and swords, riding horses….

A thought flashed through my mind.

A way to forcibly bring Philippe in.

“I think this will work.”

Both young Henry and Richard tilted their heads.

“Instead of me going directly, we’ll have King Philippe come here to England. We’ll have him swear to go on the expedition in front of the Holy Cross.”

“Have Philippe come here to England, how?”

“It’s simple. The will of God.”

I said with a smile.

Richard was right.

A comet and an earthquake.

Now that I had predicted these two things, no European would doubt my words.

All that was needed was a suitable event to call King Philippe to England.

“We’ll hold a jousting match, a tournament, that God desires,” I added.

“And if you don’t participate in this tournament….”

“The wrath of the Lord will fall. If the Duke’s words are known, Philippe won’t be able to refuse.”

“That’s right. I need to write a letter right now.”

“I will go with the Duke too.”

As I got up from my seat, young Henry also hurriedly got up.

“Then I’ll ask Your Majesty to announce the tournament. It must be as noisy as possible, so that all Europeans can know.”

“I can do that well enough.”

Young Henry smiled.

“I’ve already held jousting matches more than dozens of times.”

“When I see this….”

Richard looked at me and burst into laughter.

“I don’t know if the Duke is a con man or a real saint.”

At his words, I couldn’t help but laugh.

“Well, maybe I’m both.”

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