The Youngest Prince Of The English Royalty House [EN]: Chapter 71

71. The Victory of the Crusades (1)

―1187, Ireland―

Another peaceful day in Safe John’s territory, Ireland.

Perhaps if it weren’t so prosperous, those Irish—Celtic friends would have drowned Safe John, their English lord, immediately.

But that won’t happen until Jesus returns to create the millennial kingdom.

‘Because I am the economic grand lord, Safe John.’

I’ve created an environment where they can spread butter on their rye bread. Wouldn’t it be stranger if they revolted?

Of course, I don’t completely trust the Irish people. I know that the hatred they’ve held for the English for so long will resurface if I don’t handle politics with a grand vision.

More than anything, the Irish are friends who can put up a more fierce resistance than the Scots, in a way.

For now, I’m taking good care of Irish sentiment, so I need to think about the Scottish rebels.

The best defense is offense, but there’s still so much to prepare for that attack.

‘Raiding has its limits.’

Coastal raids are quite lucrative, but surprise raids only work once or twice. Now, if the Scottish rebels, having created countermeasures, resist with gritted teeth, we’ll be at a loss instead.

So, the direct approach is to lead troops to England, land, and join forces with the lords in mainland England to march north and wipe out the rebel forces.

But.

I need a break before that.

Well, I did rest after conquering Egypt, but I didn’t think all the fatigue would be recovered by attending a few banquets in a foreign land.

More than anything, I knew that the commanders who participated in the Crusades needed rest.

So, I went to my core knights.

The four most reliable knights, whom I named: Godfrey, Charles, Robin, and Akbulhui.

“This place, Ireland, is surprisingly peaceful. Just like my homeland.”

“Akbulhui, you are English now. You can’t go back to your homeland alone anyway.”

“… I understand Your Highness’s words.”

Especially when I see Akbulhui, whose mind is still somewhere in the Yangtze River due to seasickness, I really feel the need for rest.

Of course, Godfrey is still thinking about work, work, work.

“Fortunately, His Majesty prepared for the conflict in advance, so we don’t need to overdo it right now.”

Fortunately for me, my father, Henry II, had already prepared for the possibility of Scotland rebelling like this.

Before leaving for the Crusades, my father dispatched capable knights to the England-Scotland border region to prepare defensive tactics in case the Scottish guys rebelled.

Of course, unfortunately, the lords in the Scottish territories betrayed my father’s trust and sided with Robert. But the situation wasn’t so serious that I had to set foot on British soil myself.

“But Your Highness, we have so much to do.”

“Still, you must rest.”

Godfrey looks like he’ll get sick if he can’t work. But you have to rest when you need to!

The next person.

“I finished raiding within the limits you mentioned, Your Highness. Now, we should rest for a while and slowly prepare for naval battles.”

Of course, I heard that Charles, a fool who only knows about fleets, is hunting bandits and pirates to become manpower for rowing, as he’s eager for naval battles.

And the last knight.

“My father sent supplies for Your Highness.”

“You shouldn’t have… Please thank Duke Norfolk for me.”

Robin, born with a silver spoon in his mouth, also gave our territory a decent profit.

Anyway, after watching my subordinates like that, I said plainly.

“The rebel leaders in Scotland can’t act recklessly right now, so take a rest for now. What we must keep in mind is not Scotland itself, but the foreign bastards who moved Scotland.”

With that, I declared a combat break, and before long, my museum was created.

Mixed with various fake artifacts (Egyptian artifacts from the Second Intermediate Period [a period of chaos before the New Kingdom]), I entrusted it to someone I really trusted. Of course, it’s not like all the Egyptian artifacts disappeared. It’s not like there weren’t thieves I punished with Eastern Roman punishments, slavery, and even the death penalty, but the core artifacts were intact.

I summoned professional manpower, the youngest sons who had no territory and nothing to do, and the clergy belonging to Prince John also worked hard to establish the museum.

That’s how a pseudo-British Museum was created inside Safe John’s castle.

Isn’t one of my father’s dreams to go on outings with his cute children?

So, I took the time to properly show my family the mysteries of ancient Egypt.

“Our son, you really know how to take care of your mother.”

My mother, the Grand Queen, smiled brightly.

“Is our youngest letting me into the first museum too? Wow, I feel so good?”

My sister Matilda smiled with the same expression next to her mother.

“Brother-in-law, I’m busy suppressing the rebellion.”

“Brother-in-law, you can just rest at times like this.”

My brother-in-law Heinrich, looking at my wife Matilda’s expression, asked if it was okay to rest so comfortably.

And.

“Father, just listen to your uncle.”

My nephew Otto, who has become somehow reliable, yes, your uncle only has you!

Unfortunately, Elizabeth and Charles are still babies, so I couldn’t bring them here, and unless they have a second life like me, they won’t be able to properly appreciate the exhibits in the museum even if I bring them.

Of course, my beloved eldest son James, holding my hand and looking at the exhibits, was mesmerized by the golden Egyptian collection.

Children of the 21st century are crazy about dinosaurs and robots. But children of the 12th century are crazy about gold!

“Wow, are these treasures from thousands of years ago in Egypt?”

“Yes.”

“Wow… it’s really beautiful.”

James widened his eyes as he looked at the sparkling mysteries of Egypt. I stroked James’s head and said.

“Our son, be successful and carve my face into a golden statue when I die.”

“Hehe, I will.”

A golden statue of Golden John, made to commemorate my dead son, is nothing short of sparkling filial piety.

While talking with my son, I looked at my wife, who was looking at the golden mask of Tutankhamun and the statue considered the greatest artifact.

“How is it, Mary?”

“The incompleteness of the unpainted left eye actually enhances the value of this statue.”

Not only Tutankhamun’s burial goods, but also the relics of other pharaohs of the New Kingdom were on display.

But what my wife is looking at now is the real treasure presented by the Egyptian Copts [Egyptian Christians] for ‘Safe John,’ who liberated Egypt from the Islamic bastards.

A bust of Nefertiti, the wife of Akhenaten, who initiated the world’s first religious reform in ancient Egypt, was sculpted.

Watching my wife being moved by the masterpiece, I thought.

‘I can feel the mysteries of Egypt with my family like this, ah… I’m happy.’

I’m Happy John now.

* * *

After enjoying the ancient Egyptian burial goods with my family and having banquets, I rested a little more.

But you can’t just keep playing.

At least as a lord managing two territories, Ireland and Mortain, I can’t rest every year on the Sabbath (Christian day of rest) or Sabbath week, can I?

‘Now… I have to work.’

I immediately called Godfrey, the best knight in Ireland, and Peter, the housekeeper.

I was going to discuss the Scottish problem, the territory problem, and international affairs.

But what I didn’t expect was Godfrey, who created work and did it on his own without me telling him to.

“Your Highness, let me show you what I have prepared first.”

“Didn’t I tell you to rest?”

“If everyone rests, who will do the work? Isn’t that right, Peter?”

“Huh… huh… that’s right.”

Godfrey reported on tasks such as supply issues, troop organization, weapons, shield, warhorse inspection, and diplomatic status investigation.

Peter reported on the administrative, economic, and political affairs of my territories.

They are really workaholic half-brothers.

“So, what do you think I should do first?”

―Peace with France.

The two answered at the same time.

France…….

“Your Highness, Philip II has returned to his home country. There is no time for dialogue like now.”

I stroked my chin at Peter’s words.

“But I think the Kingdom of France created this Scottish rebellion?”

Then Godfrey spoke instead of his younger brother.

“According to my investigation, the Kingdom of France was not involved in this matter. Perhaps if they had wanted to intervene, it would not have been at this level. Then it is right for us to abandon our suspicious attitude and rather be friendly to France.”

“…….”

Well, I have to love my enemies and love my neighbor as myself.

After discussing the future and coming back to the official residence.

“Your Highness, a letter has arrived from the Middle East.”

Letters came to me.

[To my dear brother John]

It’s a letter from my brother Richard.

The Kingdom of Jerusalem is my cousin of the same age.

To be more precise, it is a letter saying that William, the son of the Earl of Surrey, the son of my uncle who was born from an affair between my grandfather and another noblewoman, is likely to become the King of Jerusalem.

Anyway, I didn’t have much interest in the holy city of Jerusalem, so if William becomes the new King of the Kingdom of Jerusalem, that wouldn’t be bad either.

[To dear Prince John]

But the letter from Grandpa Friedrich.

It’s a very simple letter telling me not to worry because he’s doing well and to work hard to suppress the rebellion. There is nothing about the situation in the Middle East.

[To Prince John]

The letter from Philip II.

It was absurd.

[To the great Christian Prince John]

The letter from Masud was tempting.

But I don’t know why there are only strange people around me.

Not long after that, I heard tremendous news from the Middle East.

Grandpa Friedrich, you didn’t tell me this again! How stingy?

* * *

―Persia, Islamic region―

The Caliph was shocked to hear the report from the liaison officer.

“So, you’re saying that the Khitai (Khitan) were destroyed by the Jurchen (Jurchen tribe)…….”

Because he heard the huge breaking news that came to the Middle East from the East, that the Western Liao, which had been increasing its influence to Central Asia, had been destroyed.

The Caliph said seriously.

“We can’t hold out any longer, it’s our complete defeat.”

The Western Christian camp in the west, and the Jurchen’s Jin Dynasty, which will become a potential enemy in the east. Islam, caught between these two huge forces, was not a matter of weakening its power, but a moment to prepare for destruction.

And then.

A commander with a desperate expression came in and handed a letter to the Sultan, saying.

“Caliph, a letter has arrived from the Crusader command.”

It is not only the Islamic forces that want forgiveness and reconciliation. The Crusaders, who have already gained everything they can, are full and eager to distribute the territories and rest quickly.

A long war exhausts not only the losers, but also the victorious forces.

In the Crusaders’ position, there was no need to push further while being unreasonable.

“Call the Sultans…….”

So the Caliph gave a difficult order, and a painful time passed for the Islamic forces.

This is Damascus, Syria, occupied by the Crusaders.

Emperors of the Holy Roman Empire, the Eastern Roman Empire, and England, who can be called the three leaders of Europe: Frederick I of the Holy Roman Empire, Alexios II of the Eastern Roman Empire, and Henry II.

And three representatives of Islam, Caliph Al-Nasir Abbas of the Abbasid dynasty, Sultan Tekish of Khwarazm, and Sultan Saladin of Syria, gathered in one place.

The scale was large, and that is why the end of the tedious war came.

The Caliph, representing Islam, said with a bitter face.

“Our Islamic brothers have decided to recognize the territories occupied by you Christians.”

Frederick I, the eldest of the Christian representatives.

“It’s a pity, we could have completely occupied Persia.”

He bluffed a little, but then laughed heartily and said.

“But by the will of Jesus Christ, I will generously accept your proposal.”

That’s how the Third Crusade ended. With the overwhelming victory of Christianity!

But neither the defeated Islamic forces nor the victorious Christians were very happy. Because everyone knows.

That too much blood had to be shed to end this war.