I Became The King Of Crusaders [EN]: Chapter 165

< 165 – The Sacred City (5) >

Makkah

“Orhan Pamukra. That’s an unusual name. Is there anything known about this poet?”

“No, Your Highness.”

Al-Adil scratched his head and replied.

“I’ve instructed the city’s emirs to strengthen security. We won’t have such rumors spreading anymore.”

“The papers announcing Renaud’s intention to invade Mecca all had the same drawing.”

Saladin muttered, looking at the papers in his hand. The content was simple.

[Saladin is trying to release Renaud!]

The same message was written on dozens of sheets. Even the handwriting was eerily identical.

No matter how closely he looked, he couldn’t find any differences.

“Al-Quds (Jerusalem) is clearly behind this.”

“Unless the Franks have some kind of sorcery, how could they make these drawings so identical…”

“Don’t utter such blasphemous words. Even among ancient sorcerers, there were none who could perform such magic.”

Saladin said. He looked at the papers with a thoughtful expression.

“If they tried to enter the city with hundreds of these papers, the guards would have noticed. They must have created these leaflets inside the city.”

“I will investigate all the scribes in the city. We should be able to catch them within a month.”

Saladin rested his chin on his hand without replying. No matter how he thought about it, something was strange.

Even if they hired scribes in the city, they couldn’t have created and distributed the leaflets in such a short time.

He shook his head.

“Bring Renaud here.”

“Does that mean…”

“No matter how much Baldwin schemes, beheading Renaud will leave them with nothing to say. Public opinion will turn back in our favor.”

Saladin said.

“We should have beheaded him the day we captured him.”

“I will prepare the execution immediately.”

Al-Adil bowed his head. Saladin fiddled with the scabbard at his waist and opened his mouth.

“From the signal towers to Egypt, and now Mecca. Baldwin always makes the first move.”

Saladin said. Every time he tried to take action, Baldwin thwarted him in extraordinary ways.

The more Baldwin interfered, the more delayed the start of the jihad (holy war) became.

“We must regain the initiative at all costs. Invite as many poets, scholars, and painters as possible to the execution. It would be good to call Usama as well.”

He continued.

“Let the Levant know that the will of the Muslim faithful is unwavering. And…”

Saladin stared at his brother and added.

“Declare a jihad. Since they struck Mecca first, they must pay the corresponding price.”

* * *

Renaud’s execution was carried out in the Mina Valley in Mecca. He was dragged to the three stone pillars erected in front of the valley.

The stone pillars symbolized the Satans who tempted Abraham, Hagar, and Ishmael, respectively.

“Satan, be gone!”

“Kill the devil who defiled Mecca!”

Amidst the crowds of Mecca citizens and pilgrims, Saladin approached Renaud with his sword.

“Salah ad-Din! Salah ad-Din!”

As the believers cheered, Renaud struggled and shouted.

“You filthy Saracen bastards! My blood will tear down your walls! Do you hear me!”

People threw rotten dates and stones at him. Finally, when Saladin brought his sword down on Renaud’s neck, the crowd clapped and shouted.

[Renaud, the Mad Dog of Kerak, is dead!]

The signal towers of the Islamic forces moved, sending signals throughout the Levant [a historical geographical term referring to a region in the Middle East].

The signal towers of the Kingdom of Jerusalem did the same.

Soon, news of Renaud’s execution spread to the Crusader cities.

“Lord Renaud was one of the true heroes of the Crusades!”

“That’s right!”

The atmosphere grew even more intense as Ruark, the head of the Holy Sepulchre [the church in Jerusalem believed to contain Jesus’s tomb], returned and told tales of Renaud’s bravery.

King Baldwin even announced that he would hold a memorial service in Jerusalem.

The knightly orders printed pictures depicting Renaud day and night.

These pictures were stacked on merchant ships bound for Europe. Within a few weeks, monks and priests in Europe were carrying around Renaud’s pictures.

In the pictures, he was beaten and bloodied by the Saracens [a historical term for Muslims, often used during the Crusades], lying on the ground. Angels with white wings wept above him.

“Look at this picture! Lord Renaud of Jerusalem led a suicide squad to defend the kingdom…”

Not only nobles but also peasants and merchants listened to his story and shed tears.

Some knights immediately took the cross oath to embark on an armed pilgrimage, and women gathered to make donations.

“Those who have no money to donate can contribute to the defense of the Holy City of Jerusalem simply by using the Holy Land Vouchers! Elixirs are also sacred products produced in Jerusalem…”

“According to the Council of Jerusalem, His Holiness the Pope of Rome has withdrawn the excommunication against the Patriarch of Constantinople…”

In this atmosphere, armies and funds for the Third Crusade poured into Europe from all directions.

The Crusader fervor burned as fiercely as a fire fueled by oil.

“Deus Vult!” [God wills it – the battle cry of the Crusaders]

But not everyone agreed with this atmosphere. King Philip of France openly expressed dissatisfaction with the Holy Land fever.

“All the wealth of our kingdom is flowing to the Holy Land. Soon, all of Europe will be bankrupt from donating money to the Holy Land.”

Some agreed with him, but most Europeans said that King Philip was afraid to embark on a Crusade.

As time went on.

* * *

Kingdom of Jerusalem

Royal Palace

“Why are you lying to me?”

I smiled and looked at the delegation in front of me. Black skin and luxurious silk clothes.

The Ethiopians from the Zagwe Kingdom looked surprised.

“I know very well what situation King Lalibela is in. As a fellow Christian nation, I am willing to help.”

I said. The delegation from Zagwe kept giving false information and trying to test me.

‘They’re trying to see how much I know about them.’

I inferred the situation of the Zagwe Kingdom based on the delegation’s reaction to the information I already knew.

Then, it was not I who was surprised, but the delegation.

“Your Majesty truly has received a revelation from heaven.”

The head of the delegation bowed his head.

I could feel both embarrassment and surprise from him.

“I apologize if I have been rude to Your Majesty. Our King Lalibela…”

“He must have told you to test me. I understand.”

I smiled and replied. Well, they received support in a time of desperate need.

It’s only natural to try to confirm it like this.

“If King Lalibela sends reinforcements to defend the Holy City of Jerusalem…”

I said.

“I must offer a corresponding reward. I will contact Venice and Genoa and have skilled shipbuilders sent.”

Although Ethiopia was a minor faction, it rejoined the Christian world order through this council.

With their help, we could completely control the Red Sea.

‘Then we can continue to threaten Mecca.’

In any case, the Islamic naval power in the Red Sea was as good as nonexistent. Even if we lost Eilat, we could continue to control the Red Sea if Ethiopia was on our side.

“I have ordered a statue of King Lalibela to be made in commemoration of this council.”

I said. King Lalibela had weak legitimacy. What if I filled that part?

Any Christian king could gain legitimacy simply by participating in the Jerusalem Crusade.

“This is a sign of friendship from our kingdom, so please take it with you when you return.”

“Our King will be pleased to receive the gift of the Holy City of Jerusalem.”

“In addition, we have prepared chainmail and weapons for the knights’ armaments, so…”

After the conversation with the delegation, Ayyg entered the office. He was carrying a pile of documents in his arms.

“I have brought the reports sent from the European Knightly Order branches.”

“Is that all you could organize?”

I sighed and looked through the documents one by one. The number of donations and volunteers continued to increase.

Did Renaud’s death cause such a big reaction?

“This atmosphere would have been impossible without the printing press.”

Ayyg said.

“No matter how much minstrels recite poetry, there would have been a limit. But paper can go anywhere.”

“And anyone can recognize a picture.”

Luther, who created Protestantism, also used the printing press to oppose Rome. But I’m actually using it to strengthen Roman Catholicism.

‘Maybe the Old and New Churches won’t be divided in this world.’

On top of that, there’s the unification of the Eastern and Western Churches this time. Perhaps Christianity will maintain tremendous power.

Well, I don’t need to worry about things that will happen hundreds of years later.

“Amur, I don’t feel good seeing Renaud being revered as a hero.”

“The dead have no say.”

I said with a smile. In his lifetime, Renaud was the biggest headache for the Kingdom of Jerusalem.

When he was young, he attacked Cyprus and started a fight with the Eastern Roman Empire, and during Baldwin IV’s reign, he broke the peace treaty whenever he felt like it.

But he became a Christian hero through his death. Even this is a much better treatment than in the original history.

‘At least he didn’t suffer a humiliating defeat and die at the Horns of Hattin.’

I looked at the documents.

“But this atmosphere won’t last for years. It will only last for a few months at most.”

Even if it’s related to religion, there’s a limit to emotional appeals. Even sad or touching stories become tiresome if repeated many times.

‘It will only backfire.’

We had to make good use of this opportunity.

“King Philip is also complaining that there are too many donations coming to the Holy Land.”

Ayyg scratched his head.

“He’s trying to create resentment towards Jerusalem and cancel the Crusade.”

“We can’t let that happen.”

I said, flipping through the documents. Now the management of each European Knightly Order branch is up to the royal family.

How to use the donations was up to my choice.

“We don’t need to bring all the donations we earn to Jerusalem. If we suck up all the money in Europe, it will only create resentment towards Jerusalem.”

“Then how…”

“Invest some of the donations we earn back into the region. We can run facilities to relieve the poor, and we can provide funds to the lords.”

The European Knightly Order branches were already in charge of banking. If we expand that function a little more, they will become irreplaceable.

The European public opinion of Jerusalem will improve, and the lords will not be able to antagonize us.

Doing good deeds with free donations to gain popularity.

This is true creative economy.

“The work that the branches over there have to do will also increase many times over.”

Ayyg said with a smile.

“Oh, and Henry II is coming to Cyprus. He will arrive in a few weeks.”

“That’s faster than expected.”

I looked at the map. The puzzle pieces were coming together one by one.

Henry II, Alexios II, Richard, Philip, Lalibela. William Marshal is also there.

I couldn’t imagine how many troops would gather.

“Saladin will also know that the Third Crusade has begun. He must have an information network in Europe.”

Will Saladin wait quietly until they all arrive?

“He will definitely try to shake us up somehow before the Crusade begins. He will have to secure a slightly more advantageous position.”

In addition, the sacred Mecca was recently attacked. He will raise an army to make up for it.

“Then we must instruct all cities to thoroughly prepare their defenses.”

Ayyg scratched his head.

“No one knows which side Saladin will strike, do they?”

“Yes, no one knows yet.”

I looked at the map. Only a few staff members knew Saladin’s war plan.

Not knowing Saladin’s attack target, I had only two choices.

Fight him in the field, or focus on defense.

Neither option was very attractive.

First of all, fighting in the field is the same as the ‘Horns of Hattin’ in the original history.

Unlike the Crusaders, who could not replenish their losses once defeated, the Islamic forces could replenish their troops as much as they wanted.

‘But if we passively defend, it’s the same as handing over the initiative to the other side.’

The Kingdom of Jerusalem was maintaining a precarious balance with the Islamic forces thanks to maintaining the initiative.

I couldn’t just wait for Saladin to come.

Then we needed a new option.

A third option that was neither a mindless charge nor a passive defense.

“Bring all the information that has come into the situation room in the last few days to my office. Also bring the current status of personnel, weapons, and supplies inventory of each Knightly Order and unit.”

I said, getting up. Ayyg asked with a surprised expression.

“What are you going to do with so much data, Your Majesty?”

“There’s something I need to check.”

I said.

Signal towers and jihad, Islam, Sultan Saladin.

There was clearly a loophole between them. A hole that the Crusaders could stab into.

There was only one way to confirm it.

“We’ll have to check it from the floor to the ceiling.”

Gustave Doré’s Crusades, Public Domain