I Became The King Of Crusaders [EN]: Chapter 170

< Interlude (5) >

Cyprus

“This damn seasickness never gets any easier.”

Henry II staggered as he stepped onto the wooden plank. Servants and knights swarmed around him.

“Your Majesty! Are you alright?”

“I’m not old enough to fall off a ship and die.”

Henry II brushed off the servants’ hands as he replied. Soldiers followed him, tumbling onto the pier.

Many staggered from seasickness as soon as they set foot on land.

“Say, Marshal, you don’t seem to get seasick.”

“When you live on horseback all day, you quickly get used to seasickness.”

William Marshal replied with a faint smile. He wore his chainmail as always.

He approached Henry II and supported him.

“Such a journey for a single salvation. Do you really think I can be saved if I go to Jerusalem?”

“If Your Majesty truly desires salvation and fights for Jerusalem, it will be so.”

“The Bible says that the Lord is omniscient and omnipotent, and that He determines everything in human history.”

Henry II scoffed.

“And then it says that we humans have the freedom to do good, and that we must do so? Should I strive for salvation, or is my path to hell already determined?”

“It would be better to discuss the debate on free will with the priests.”

Marshal said with a smile.

“I simply follow the Lord’s will. There’s not much to think about when there’s an enemy in front of me.”

“Yes, you may be right.”

At that moment, knights on horseback approached them. Banners on their lances fluttered in the air.

The man at the front dismounted and bowed to Henry II.

“I greet Henry II, King of England. I am Arrhidaeus, ruling Cyprus on behalf of the Roman Imperial Family.”

“I thought King Baldwin of Jerusalem ruled Cyprus.”

Henry II asked.

“Are the Romans ruling again?”

“King Baldwin of Jerusalem received the title of the Roman Emperor. Also, he married Princess Theodora…”

“It seems you’re emphasizing that King Baldwin is under the Roman Basileus (Emperor).” [Basileus is a Greek word meaning sovereign, and it was used as a title for the Byzantine Emperors.]

Marshal asked, folding his arms.

Arrhidaeus bowed his head again.

“I didn’t mean it that way. I was just trying to say that Rome and Jerusalem are blood brothers.”

“Well, there’s no reason for us to argue over that.”

Henry II yawned and stretched.

“I heard that King Baldwin has prepared supplies for us in advance. We need to relieve our fatigue, so make it generous…”

“You haven’t heard the news yet. There’s a battle going on in the Kingdom of Jerusalem right now.”

Arrhidaeus said. He turned his head and gazed at the east of the island.

“A large force led by Sultan Saladin has besieged Ascalon and Kerak.”

“Great news as soon as we arrive in Cyprus.”

Henry II frowned. Marshal also opened his mouth with a stiff expression.

“Then we must go to the Levant immediately. We need to finish supplying as soon as possible.”

“King Baldwin has already entrusted us with preparations in advance.”

Arrhidaeus said. At his gesture, workers rushed out.

“If you allow it, we will start loading immediately.”

“Ascalon and Kerak.”

Henry II muttered.

“We need to understand the situation properly first.”

* * *

Eastern Jerusalem

“At least we have enough food.”

“We have been preparing without any setbacks since Your Majesty ordered it.”

“Good work.”

I nodded and turned over the ledgers one by one. The royal proxy who took over the rule of Kerak instead of Reynald was a middle-aged man.

An administrator from a fallen noble family.

He wasn’t the type to commit corruption, but I didn’t feel like he was particularly capable either.

‘And the atmosphere in the castle isn’t very good. It would have been dangerous if I hadn’t come to Kerak myself.’

In a siege, the morale of soldiers and people determines almost everything.

If the new commander is not trustworthy, morale will inevitably collapse in an instant.

In the first place, Reynald, who ruled Kerak, was executed near Mecca.

‘We have 5,000 troops and the enemy has about 40,000.’

A difference in troop strength that we would never face in the field. Even considering it’s a siege, it’s precarious.

Fortunately, supplies are plentiful.

Food, weapons, and supplies were enough to last more than 10 months.

‘Saladin can’t just besiege this place all year round.’

A large army consumed enormous amounts of food and supplies just by marching. It wasn’t for nothing that my grandson said that siege warfare was a bad idea.

Would the Emirs really tolerate an expedition that cost an infinite amount of money?

“Let’s go out for a while. I need to check with my own eyes.”

I came out of the room and headed to the watchtower. Knights and soldiers were preparing for battle all over the walls.

Ganier was also directing the workers on one side. He approached me when he found me.

“Kerak is indeed a natural fortress, Your Majesty.”

He said, wiping his sweat.

“It is surrounded by deep canyons on three sides, and you have to climb a hill to reach the walls. Half of them will fall before they even reach the walls. In addition, three catapults have already been installed.”

“We also have enough Greek fire [an incendiary weapon used in ancient and medieval times]. But we can’t let our guard down yet.”

Kerak’s walls were solid, but not invincible.

“The east is relatively easy to approach. And it won’t be easy to respond if they dig tunnels.”

After fighting the Crusaders for nearly a hundred years, the Islamic armies have also developed their own siege strategies.

Tunneling was one of them.

First, they dig a tunnel under the wall, then set fire to the wooden pillars supporting the tunnel.

Then the ground collapses and the wall can be easily destroyed.

‘And there are catapults like mangonels [a type of catapult used in sieges].’

If we are careless, the walls could collapse in an instant.

“I hope Lord Balian will rescue Ascalon and return as soon as possible…”

Ganier sighed.

“But that won’t be easy either.”

“If I were Saladin, I would have told Taqi ad-Din to stall for as long as possible.”

I nodded.

We can’t just hope that Raymond and Balian will come quickly.

“How is the evacuation of the surrounding residents going?”

“We are now releasing soldiers to move residents, food, and supplies into the castle.”

Ganier replied.

“It will probably be over in the next day or two.”

“Tell them to burn everything that can’t be brought into the castle. It’s better to destroy it than to hand it over to Saladin.”

Scorched-earth tactics are the basics of siege warfare.

“We should give separate compensation to the people who lost their property.”

“It will cost a lot of money to compensate for all of that…”

Ganier smiled.

“But it will quell the citizens’ complaints.”

We both stood on the wall and looked outside.

Below the wall, people were bustling with carrying food and water.

Horses and camels carried loads, making loud cries.

“How long do you think Saladin will besiege Kerak, Your Majesty?”

“Well.”

I fiddled with the helmet in my hand. Saladin’s army was already exhausted from the continuous attacks.

And the longer the siege continues, the greater the financial loss will be.

Either Kerak’s defense will be breached,

Or Saladin will get tired first.

“He won’t be able to last more than two or three months at most. Ascalon will be taken care of before that.”

If the supply problem gets worse, Saladin won’t be able to hold out either.

I looked at Ganier.

“Ganier, you will lead Thomas and the Hospitallers to Amman.”

“Go to Amman when Saladin is right in front of us? What do you mean?”

Ganier frowned.

“We need even more soldiers for the siege. And I’m not going to run away like a coward…”

“I’m not telling you to run away. It’s the exact opposite.”

I said with a smile.

“Lead the cavalry and disrupt Saladin’s rear supply lines. But you don’t have to overdo it. Just keep attacking like a mosquito on a cow’s ass.”

“Then Saladin will put more escorts on the supply train.”

“That will reduce the number of troops available for the siege.”

I nodded.

“But once you leave Kerak, you can’t come back. If something happens…”

“There’s no need to worry.”

I looked at the Holy Cross erected on one side of the tower.

The Holy Cross has always followed me since I went on a personal campaign.

“I will protect Kerak no matter what.”

* * *

“Load the water quickly!”

Camels and horses trembled and moved their legs. Soldiers ran through them, carrying sacks of water.

“Keep in mind that there are no wells inside Kerak! We need to carry even a little more water!”

The merchants who brought the caravans sold food and supplies to the supply officers at high prices.

Some soldiers carefully carried pottery containing Greek fire.

“Be careful there! Do you want to die?!”

“Move quickly if you don’t want to be caught by Saladin!”

Then a soldier raised his finger and shouted.

“Look over there! His Majesty…”

All the soldiers who raised their heads stopped moving for a moment.

The King of Jerusalem, Baldwin, took off his helmet and ran through them.

“Your Majesty! It’s His Majesty the King!”

He waved his hand as if to say it was okay to the soldiers who were about to kneel.

“Everyone, don’t stop and keep working! How much water is left to carry?”

He went into the soldiers and carried the water bag himself. The escort knights and knights also pulled out their swords and carried water.

“Your Majesty, we will carry the water. So please go inside.”

“It’s okay, if Caesar did it, there’s no reason I can’t.”

The soldiers who were standing blankly soon carried water again one by one. Women and children who had evacuated into the castle also participated in the work.

“What are you doing! His Majesty is carrying water himself!”

Some soldiers planted stakes at regular intervals in front of the wall for the archers, and carried stones to be used in catapults.

It was like watching a major construction project.

Even after the sun went down, many people continued to work with torches.

Two days later, a black wave covered Kerak.

“Saracens! The Saracens are here!”

“Everyone, get ready for battle! Ring the bell!”

The Islamic army appeared towards the Dead Sea and the Jordan Valley. The yellow flag representing Saladin fluttered at the front.

Scouts on horseback approached Kerak and shouted.

“Allahu Akbar! (Allah is the greatest)” [Arabic phrase meaning “God is the greatest.”]

“There is no god but God, and Muhammad is the messenger of God!”

Their cries echoed along the walls of Kerak. A moment of silence flowed, and then a thudding sound echoed.