I Became The King Of Crusaders [EN]: Chapter 57

Two Cities’ Story (2)

* * *

“Then I guess that’s roughly settled.”

I spread the map I was holding on the table.

Two days after talking with Sinan.

I spent two days and nights finalizing the plan.

I can’t even open my eyes properly.

Is it because I stayed up all night?

Ganier also yawned.

Only he and I were in the conference room.

The others who couldn’t endure it had already gone to their bedrooms.

“There was a reason Sinan was so confident. To think that spies had infiltrated even this high up…….”

Ganier said.

“There must be people planted by them within the Kingdom of Jerusalem as well.”

“Probably so. But not as many as in these northern cities.”

I nodded.

Unlike the Muslims, where the influence of individual leaders is significant, the Crusaders had a flexible leadership.

Eliminating one person could completely destroy the opposing forces in Islam.

On the other hand, even if someone was assassinated, the Crusaders could quickly replace them.

It’s easy to just bring a noble from Europe.

“Still, I should look into it once I return to Jerusalem later.”

I need to weed out the spies.

Or maybe catching them right away isn’t a wise decision.

Even if I catch the spies, they’ll just send new ones.

But if I know who the spies are, I can leak false information or co-opt them.

“From supporting Masud Atabeg [a Turkish military title] to now occupying Hama and Homs.”

Ganier shook his head.

“Nothing is going according to plan.”

“Any plan changes quickly.”

I said with a smile.

A battle plan is useless once the battle begins.

A plan must be flexible and adaptable.

“I have one question to ask you, Lord. In this attack…….”

Ganier stopped talking and looked at me.

“Will you include the Knights Templar [a Catholic military order]?”

“The ones I’ve confirmed are fine. I have no intention of questioning those who haven’t committed any crimes.”

“That’s a relief.”

Ganier sighed.

I could feel him slightly relieved.

“I thought you would exclude the Knights Templar. The Grand Master and some members did commit some damnable acts, but…….”

He fiddled with the table.

“Like our Knights Hospitaller [another Catholic military order], the Knights Templar is an organization founded for a noble purpose.”

He continued.

“They are revered by countless believers not only here in the Levant [a historical geographic area in the Middle East] but also in Europe.”

“His Majesty will not punish all of them either.”

I said.

I roughly guessed what Ganier was trying to say.

He wanted to avoid the disgraceful event of disbanding the Knights.

I felt the same way.

I only dislike the leadership.

I had no intention of disbanding the entire Knights like a French king decades later.

That would be a result that Saladin would like.

“However, you may be able to push for a merger with the Knights Hospitaller. It’s been talked about for a while now.”

“If God wills it, it will be so.”

“Perhaps the Knights Templar knights and soldiers will be at the forefront of this operation.”

I said with a smile.

Didn’t Machiavelli say this?

Those who seek to atone for their sins can be the best subordinates.

“Then let’s review the plan one last time.”

I looked at the map on the table.

The plan consisted of three phases.

First.

Manipulate homing pigeons and letters to create chaos in the two cities.

In short, spreading fake news.

The Assassins controlled all homing pigeons and messengers leading to this place.

From high-ranking officials to street beggars.

Their intelligence network was beyond imagination.

Sinan wasn’t bluffing when he made such a confident statement.

At the same time, eliminate Saladin and Masud’s informants.

The second is the assassination of high-ranking officials.

Further fueling the chaos by assassinating the rulers.

This is when we step in.

I instructed Joscelin to enlist the Christians in this area.

There are always Christians who are dissatisfied with Islam.

They weren’t capable of carrying out their own activities, but they could cooperate with the Assassins.

Lastly.

When the Tripoli support troops arrive, besiege the castles and enter through the passages in the walls.

Actually, it’s not a passage but a sewer.

A vulnerable point that the Assassins had identified in advance.

Come to think of it, there have been several cases of capturing castles by infiltrating through such places in the Middle Ages.

Is this how they’ve been capturing cities all along?

The important thing is timing.

Everything had to be perfectly synchronized.

“I honestly don’t understand why the Assassins made such an offer.”

Ganier rubbed his eyes.

“If this plan succeeds, they will be surrounded by the Crusaders on both sides.”

“But at the same time, they will have a shield to block Saladin. They will seek opportunities while increasing their followers. It will take at least a few years.”

I said.

They’d rather have the Crusaders treat them as Saracens [a term for Muslims during the Crusades] than the Sunnis [a branch of Islam] who openly persecute them.

It’s really ironic.

No, when you think about it, isn’t this natural?

The Eastern Orthodox Church in Constantinople preferred the rule of pagan Islam to the Western Latins who massacred them.

If a certain amount of freedom is guaranteed, there is no reason to resist.

“Anyway, that will be a long time from now.”

“That’s right. But there’s one more problem.”

Ganier said.

“Even if we occupy these cities, Saladin’s army will soon invade. Even if we have troops, if supplies run out…….”

He muttered.

“That’s what happened in Antioch during the First Crusade. They succeeded in capturing the city, but were immediately surrounded by enemy reinforcements.”

“There’s no need to worry about supplies.”

I said with a smile.

How much has been flown in over the past few weeks?

“What about the supplies we’ve been carrying all this time?”

Ganier blinked at my words.

He let out a hollow laugh.

“I guess my mind is working slowly because I haven’t slept. You’re right, Lord.”

He burst into laughter.

“It’s like they’ve gathered supplies in advance for us.”

“And they even paid for it.”

I shrugged.

Is it like getting paid to deliver food and then taking both the house and the food?

It sounds very villainous when you put it that way.

Ganier opened his mouth.

“The remaining problem is choosing someone to lead the vanguard. Not many people will volunteer for such a dangerous mission.”

“You don’t have to worry about that part.”

I said with a smile.

“Count Joscelin has already volunteered.”

* * *

September 1182.

Dozens of homing pigeons arrived in Hama and Homs.

At the same time, ominous rumors swept through the two cities.

‘Saladin has captured Aleppo and executed Masud!’

‘The head of Masud’s clan is rolling around the streets of Aleppo!’

The rumors spread throughout the city in no time.

Masud’s execution meant that everyone who cooperated with him would be punished.

Some wealthy people hurriedly liquidated their assets and left for Mosul.

But not everyone believed these rumors.

Some scholars and poets raised their voices and shouted.

‘Sultan Saladin promised tolerance and mercy. How can he execute the Atabeg [governor]?!’

‘Saladin originally served Nuredin! How could he harm his son?’

But homing pigeons and messengers brought terrible news every day.

All the citizens panicked at the news that Saladin would punish Hama and Homs for not surrendering.

What drove the wedge was what happened on the holy day.

The solemn cry of the muezzin [a person who calls Muslims to prayer] echoed.

‘There is no god but Allah, and Muhammad is his messenger!’

Soon after, the screams of citizens shook the streets.

Hama’s Amir [commander], Zana al-Ula, was assassinated while leaving the mosque.

The assassins stabbed him in the neck with a dagger and slit their own throats on the spot.

The same thing happened in Homs.

Wadi al-Amir was stabbed in the abdomen by two thugs and fell into a coma.

The assassins were torn to pieces on the spot by angry guards.

Soon after, a massive search began under the pretext of catching the Assassins and Ismailis [a branch of Shia Islam].

Officials were assassinated, and vigilantes seized the property of innocent Ismaili believers.

“This is a plot by the Ismaili bastards!”

“They poisoned the wells!”

There were at least hundreds of bodies lying on the streets.

More citizens packed their bags and left the city.

But the most shocking news was separate.

“The Franks [a historical term for Western Europeans, especially during the Crusades] are coming! The Franks are marching into the city!”

As thousands of Frank troops approached, the citizens hurriedly formed an emergency committee to take charge of the defense.

But no one knew what was happening under the walls of Hama and Homs.

* * *

“Damn it! Is this really the right way?”

Count Joscelin shouted, cursing.

He brushed off the feces pouring down from above with his hand.

“I’m going to suffocate to death. I heard the passage was narrow, but this is a rabbit hole, isn’t it?”

“According to the map, this is definitely the place. If we go up a little further, we’ll find the exit.”

“Exit? From the perspective of the guys above, it’s a toilet hole.”

Joscelin sighed.

It’s been dozens of minutes since he started wriggling in the narrow sewer.

He and his knights were all on edge.

But no one would give up the mission with just this much.

“They didn’t even install iron bars here. The Saracens aren’t that smart either.”

“Anyone can laugh. We should check it out when we get back.”

Joscelin said, crawling up the sewer.

“Who knows if the Assassins have found the weaknesses in our walls too?”

He and his knights went up the sewer with their mouths shut.

Before long, a ray of light shone on them.

“It looks like we’re almost there. Remember everyone. We have to open the gate first no matter what.”

Joscelin said, drawing his sword.

“Fighting them is the next thing. Got it?”

“Yes, Count.”

The knights nodded.

The swords came out of their scabbards with a swish.

“Although this isn’t Edessa [an ancient city],…….”

A knight opened his mouth.

“If His Majesty allows it, wouldn’t it be possible to establish a new county here?”

“If God wills it, it may be so.”

Joscelin said with a smile.

“Anyway, let’s worry about that after we survive. Everyone, get ready.”

He threw himself over the hole.

A Saracen who was taking a dump above screamed and stood up.

Where they came out was the mosque’s toilet.

The citizens who were using the toilet screamed when they saw them.

Some people ran out with their butts still exposed.

“Deus Vult! [God wills it!]”

“God wills it!”

The knights at the front shouted and charged.

“The Franks are here!”

“Where did they come from?!”

The guards who rushed over in a hurry threw torches at them.

“Set it on fire! Block them from getting out!”

The fire spread to the mosque and spread to other buildings.

Count Joscelin and his knights swung their swords and escaped the mosque.

The gate was right in front of them.

“Charge! Charge!”

The guards, surprised by their momentum, scattered like sparrows.

The Count shouted, cutting off the head of a Saracen soldier in front of him.

“Open the gate! We have to end this before more guards come!”

* * *

Gustave Doré – Crusaders (Public Domain)