Prince of Peace (edited) by Faeelin
- Thread starter G.Bone
- Start date
You may be right. I can't think of anything that might save them.
I don't get the Shaqira bit...
Question: I was just playing Crusader Kings in the Third Crusade and was startled to find that Heinrich, King of Italy, apparently had a hunchback. I'm pretty sure it's the same Henry. Does he in your TL?
I don't get the Shaqira bit...
Question: I was just playing Crusader Kings in the Third Crusade and was startled to find that Heinrich, King of Italy, apparently had a hunchback. I'm pretty sure it's the same Henry. Does he in your TL?
Faeelin
Banned
Admiral Matt said:
It's the same Henry, but he didn;t have a hunchback. But then again, Crusader Kings starts off with him in control of some sort of south italian kingdom which never existed, no claim on the throne of Sicily, and the papacy controlling ancona and so forth.
It also has a hundred years war scenario in which The king of England lacks a claim on the French throne .
"It's the same Henry, but he didn;t have a hunchback. But then again, Crusader Kings starts off with him in control of some sort of south italian kingdom which never existed, no claim on the throne of Sicily, and the papacy controlling ancona and so forth.
It also has a hundred years war scenario in which The king of England lacks a claim on the French throne ."
Huh. That is weird. And annoying. I suppose it came from some sort of urge to "balance" the game. I was annoyed with the game as it was because his father was King of Germany instead of Holy Roman Emperor.
Anyway, good luck and keep writing. I have to go back and read the first few episodes of this again - I'm starting to lose track of what happened before the Pope fled to France.
It also has a hundred years war scenario in which The king of England lacks a claim on the French throne ."
Huh. That is weird. And annoying. I suppose it came from some sort of urge to "balance" the game. I was annoyed with the game as it was because his father was King of Germany instead of Holy Roman Emperor.
Anyway, good luck and keep writing. I have to go back and read the first few episodes of this again - I'm starting to lose track of what happened before the Pope fled to France.
Faeelin
Banned
Let us turn now to the east.
If you thought France was bad, wait until you read about Poland.
In 1138, Poland’s king, Boleslaw, a Piast, adopted a Kievan practice for succession. Political authority is invested in the princeps, the eldest of his five sons. Krakow and Sandomierz would form the basis of his power, but he would retain the right to make appointments to all major offices of the Piast patrimony. His brothers would be his viceroys.
This works about as well as you’d expect. In 1202 there were five Piast duchies. By 1250 OTL, there were 9.
And it gets better. Boleslaw IV submitted to Frederick Barbarossa in 1157. Nor was he the first Polish ruler to do so. Therefore, Poland is acknowledged to be an Imperial vassal.
Needless to say, Frederick I had better things to do than focus on a backwater like Poland. Henry VI did as well. However, by 1216, he was able to turn on Poland once more, demanding that the ruler, Leszek I, give him homage. Leszek refused.
And then Frederick II took over. To make a long story short, Leszek found himself missing the top foot of his body, and Ladislaus, son of Mieszko, Duke of Poznan and Gniezo, became the new ruler of Poland.
It is striking that Ladislaus does not adopt the title of King of Poland. The title had not been used for many years; and, alas, it would soon fade from history, just as Lotharingia did.
Ladislaus, in term, adopts German habits and traits. In the 12th century, Polish kings listened to tales of Polish myths; Ladislaus listened to minnesangers. Efforts were made to invite Germans to settle across his lands, as they were already moving into Silesia, Pomerania, and Prussia.
It is worth noting that this is not a violent conquest. The Germans were invited (although, alas, no punch and wine was served). “German†settlers, often Flemish, brought superior agricultural methods, such as iron ploughs and new methods to reclaim marshes and clear forests. The settlers come seeking a better life, and, by and large, most find it. Poles of course are not often so lucky, and most are forbidden from immigrating to cities, due to the fear of nobles of losing their manpower.
The other Eastern nation of note is Hungary. After the death of Bela III, a dispute over succession broke out.
Bela’s sons are known as Emeric and as Alexander. Emeric quarrels with Alexander, over succession. Henry is distracted, but by 1201, when Constantinople falls, he can turn his full attention to the issue. The treaty that is formed declares that in the event of Emeric’s death, Henry VI will take over as guardian for his son, Ladislas III, who was born in 1199. When Emeric dies conveniently in 1204, Ladislas is sent to Nuremberg, where he is raised.
Alexander himself claims the throne of Hungary in 1207, when it seems as if the Emperor will be distracted. And, it is true, Ladislas remains a pretender to the Hungarian throne.
In 1213, however, at the age of fourteen, Ladislas is sent east with an Imperial army. At Henry’s urging, he promises great rewards to the Hungarian nobility, and does homage for Hungary in exchange for support gaining his throne [145].
Ladislas’s reign is one of great prosperity for Hungary, as “Saxon†(Actually Rhenish) miners are given permission to enter Transylvania and prospect, opening up new mines that enrich the kingdom. Ladislas, raised in a German court, is fond of minnesangers, and considers himself something of a singer as well.
[145] It seemed appropriate. Although I question any writer whose song is a refrain of we will win repeatedly.
If you thought France was bad, wait until you read about Poland.
In 1138, Poland’s king, Boleslaw, a Piast, adopted a Kievan practice for succession. Political authority is invested in the princeps, the eldest of his five sons. Krakow and Sandomierz would form the basis of his power, but he would retain the right to make appointments to all major offices of the Piast patrimony. His brothers would be his viceroys.
This works about as well as you’d expect. In 1202 there were five Piast duchies. By 1250 OTL, there were 9.
And it gets better. Boleslaw IV submitted to Frederick Barbarossa in 1157. Nor was he the first Polish ruler to do so. Therefore, Poland is acknowledged to be an Imperial vassal.
Needless to say, Frederick I had better things to do than focus on a backwater like Poland. Henry VI did as well. However, by 1216, he was able to turn on Poland once more, demanding that the ruler, Leszek I, give him homage. Leszek refused.
And then Frederick II took over. To make a long story short, Leszek found himself missing the top foot of his body, and Ladislaus, son of Mieszko, Duke of Poznan and Gniezo, became the new ruler of Poland.
It is striking that Ladislaus does not adopt the title of King of Poland. The title had not been used for many years; and, alas, it would soon fade from history, just as Lotharingia did.
Ladislaus, in term, adopts German habits and traits. In the 12th century, Polish kings listened to tales of Polish myths; Ladislaus listened to minnesangers. Efforts were made to invite Germans to settle across his lands, as they were already moving into Silesia, Pomerania, and Prussia.
It is worth noting that this is not a violent conquest. The Germans were invited (although, alas, no punch and wine was served). “German†settlers, often Flemish, brought superior agricultural methods, such as iron ploughs and new methods to reclaim marshes and clear forests. The settlers come seeking a better life, and, by and large, most find it. Poles of course are not often so lucky, and most are forbidden from immigrating to cities, due to the fear of nobles of losing their manpower.
The other Eastern nation of note is Hungary. After the death of Bela III, a dispute over succession broke out.
Bela’s sons are known as Emeric and as Alexander. Emeric quarrels with Alexander, over succession. Henry is distracted, but by 1201, when Constantinople falls, he can turn his full attention to the issue. The treaty that is formed declares that in the event of Emeric’s death, Henry VI will take over as guardian for his son, Ladislas III, who was born in 1199. When Emeric dies conveniently in 1204, Ladislas is sent to Nuremberg, where he is raised.
Alexander himself claims the throne of Hungary in 1207, when it seems as if the Emperor will be distracted. And, it is true, Ladislas remains a pretender to the Hungarian throne.
In 1213, however, at the age of fourteen, Ladislas is sent east with an Imperial army. At Henry’s urging, he promises great rewards to the Hungarian nobility, and does homage for Hungary in exchange for support gaining his throne [145].
Ladislas’s reign is one of great prosperity for Hungary, as “Saxon†(Actually Rhenish) miners are given permission to enter Transylvania and prospect, opening up new mines that enrich the kingdom. Ladislas, raised in a German court, is fond of minnesangers, and considers himself something of a singer as well.
[145] It seemed appropriate. Although I question any writer whose song is a refrain of we will win repeatedly.
2 questions for Faeelin
# 1 Are you also known as Scott Blair, Emperor Blair, and Emperor on SHWI and various other AH sites?
# 2 Is Prince of Peace posted anywhere as a single volume rather than a sHWI style multi-part?
Thanks.
# 1 Are you also known as Scott Blair, Emperor Blair, and Emperor on SHWI and various other AH sites?
# 2 Is Prince of Peace posted anywhere as a single volume rather than a sHWI style multi-part?
Thanks.
I actually have through 28 saved on one document, if you like me to send it to you.
-----> Missing Paragraph from the latest installment
(....)
Croatia and Dalmatia are also passed to the Kingdom of Germany from the
Kingdom of Hungary [146]. This is done intentionally, so that Germany has
its own ports in the Adriatic, independent of those of the Kingdom of Italy
or Byzantium. Zara in particular is given great privileges, and many loyal
Imperial subjects are encouraged to settle there.
(.....Ladisalas was a good king, etc, etc)
[146] Zara, of course, never was conquered by Venice, since there was no 4th
crusade.
-----> Missing Paragraph from the latest installment
(....)
Croatia and Dalmatia are also passed to the Kingdom of Germany from the
Kingdom of Hungary [146]. This is done intentionally, so that Germany has
its own ports in the Adriatic, independent of those of the Kingdom of Italy
or Byzantium. Zara in particular is given great privileges, and many loyal
Imperial subjects are encouraged to settle there.
(.....Ladisalas was a good king, etc, etc)
[146] Zara, of course, never was conquered by Venice, since there was no 4th
crusade.
Last edited:
Faeelin
Banned
It's now online. Huzzah!
Maps? Are they really necessary?
“I must sing of what I do not want,
I am so angry with the one whom I love,
Because I love him more than anything:
Mercy nor courtesy moves him,
Neither does my beauty, nor my worthiness, nor my good sense,
For I am deceived and betrayed
As much as I should be, if I were uglyâ€-Maria, Empress of Rome
Nuremberg, May 1235
Maria, Empress of Rome, continued writing her letter to her daughter. “I do hope you are well, and, as always, I will endeavor to secure your release from the Emperor. If God wills it, we shall see you for Christmas.†She looked over the letter and nodded. Taking out juice of lemons, she began to write things in the margin. She had been doing this for years now, and she had not been caught yet. If all went well, she wrote, Eleanor would be freed from her imprisonment on the 4th of July. Smiling, she set the letter aside.
The Emperor entered her private chambers, in a surprisingly jovial mood. “Italy will soon be taken care of,†he said [146]. He was courteous, as always, to his wife. “Writing another letter?†he said, looking at it.
Maria nodded. “Something to take up my time, in addition to the loom. Will you not reconsider your treatment of Eleanor? She is your stepdaughter, after all.â€
Frederick paused as if to consider it. “Perhaps,†he said at last. “May I see your letter?†Maria passed it to the Emperor. Then Frederick smiled and placed it over the flame of a candle.
Maria’s heart stopped. Her message began appearing. Frederick savored her reaction, and had to resist the urge to gloat. “I’ve known about what you’ve been planning for years, Maria. About your plan to free your daughter. How you wanted to work with the King of the Greeks to overthrow me and take Sicily back.†Frederick had to grind out the words. “About how you wanted to assassinate me, and place Henry in my place.â€
“How did you know?†asked Maria. “It was thought out so carefully!â€
Frederick smirked. “Come now. The Empress begins acquiring quantities of lemon juice and takes to writing long winded letters?†He paused, and then added another line. “I had you watched, as well.â€
They were silent for several minutes, as Frederick stared at his wife. “Why?†he said at last. “What did I do to you, that you hate me so?â€
Maria looked as if she could kill him. “You imprisoned my daughter. You tried to kill my grandson. What did you expect, that I would scatter rose petals before the feet of our glorious Emperor?â€
Frederick began to get angry. “Your sister married a rebel against the Empire, and hoped to use Aquitane as a stronghold against me. Your grandson is the last true heir of the Capetians and Plantagenets. He must go.†He stared at his wife. “I did what was necessary to ensure peace. You of all people should understand that.â€
â€Assassination?†said Frederick. “Consorting with Greeks?†Frederick said this without emotion. “You hated me that much?â€
“More.â€
At that point, Maria broke down in tears. Despite himself, Frederick found himself going towards her. She was his wife, after all.
“Hush,†he said. “We’ll get you to a nunnery with your daughter. I will not free her, but at least she shall not be alone.†Maria sobbed, and reached for a dagger on her desk while Frederick was distracted. He knocked it aside and pushed her back.
Maria tripped backwards, and fumbled over a piece of furniture. She desperately flailed her arms, but to no avail. It was at that point that she fell out of the window. She hit the ground with a loud thud mere moments later.
Frederick looked down at the corpse, or what remained of it. “The Empress,†he told his guard, who had been waiting outside the entire time, “has fallen. Attend to her corpse, and leave me be.â€
History would record that Frederick II, the Wonder of the World, cared little for his wife. After all, he had no problem having affairs on the side, and having several bastards. And aside from his attitude towards his children, the Emperor was never known for being particularly soft and sentimental. It was rumored by some that the Emperor had pushed his wife, or had some one else do it. And there would be many historians, in the future, who would believe it.
Historians would never know, after all, that, by himself in his wife’s chambers, Frederick II wept.
“As the desire to sing takes hold of me,
I will make a song about my sorrow;
I will no longer be a servant of love
In Poitou nor in Ile de France.
For now I will go into exile:
In great fear, in great peril,
In war, I will leave my son
And the Caesar will harm him.
I seek mercy on my companion
If I have ever wronged him, may he pardon me,
And I pray to Jesus on the throne,
In French and in Latin.
I have left behind all that I once loved
Chivalry and pride;
And since it pleases God, I accept all that
And pray Him to retain me in His presence
Thus I renounce joy and pleasure
The brown, grey, and sable furs.â€-Eleanor of Aquitane, in Trifels
Trifels, July 1235
Du Lac fixed his robes carefully. Posing as a respectable monk, sent here to tutor the poor Duchess Eleanor, he knew he had to look the part. People would begin to question just why he spoke with a Poitevin accent, and begin to wonder if the Emperor had approved of his visit.
Trifels was a tall, imposing castle that dominated the landscape. It had been the site of Richard the Lionheart’s imprisonment, and, it was rumored, the castle where the antipope Innocent III had lived out his final days. Lancelot shivered as he approached its walls.
“Pax Vobiscum,†he said to the two guards at the gate. “I am a tutor for the poor child Eleanor of Aquitaine, daughter of the former Empress. I have been sent by the Caesar himself to tutor the child and bring her back to the fold.†He gestured at the two nuns and the other monk. “They are here to help me, of course.â€
One of the guards guffawed. “Help you with what?†Lancelot glared at him, as any proper monk should. He produced a letter bearing the Emperor’s seal, which had been produced by a forger in Bristol.
Du Lac smiled inwardly as the guards read the letter slowly. He was but a minor noble, true. But just because he was a minor one did not mean he could sit by while the rightful Duchess of Aquitaine was imprisoned in a castle by the Emperor [148]. It was an unchristian thing to do.
He climbed to the highest room of the tallest tower, with the other monks and nuns in tower, past the other guards. “My Lady,†called Du Lac, “I have been sent to instruct you.â€
Eleanor sat before him, dressed in black. “Oh, another one of the Emperor’s lackeys?†she said, looking up from a Bible. “I am a tad busy, as you see. I am reading the Book of Revelations.†She smiled. “There are quite a few similarities to the Emperor in here, you know.â€
Du Lac looked to make sure the door was closed, and nodded to the other “monkâ€, who began lecturing her on modesty, chastity, and obedience. Lancelot leaned close to Eleanor. “Frankly, my Duchess, I don’t care if the Four Horsemen ride out of Nuremberg tomorrow. I am Du Lac, and I am here to rescue you.â€
Eleanor blinked. “You are who?â€
A few hours later, Du Lac, the other monk, and the nuns walked out of Trifels. Du Lac sighed walking by the guards. “The strumpet, I fear, has yet to be conciliated to her new surroundings.â€
One of the guards laughed. “Yes, she is a whore, isn’t she? Always complaining and sobbing. †He became seriously quickly, however. “But we have received word from the Emperor himself that some one might try to help her escape.†The guard eyed the nuns. “Disguising her, perhaps. We will have to check to be sure.â€
Du Lac looked at the nuns nervously. “Good man, I must protest! These are women of God!â€
â€Then God won’t mind, will he? He would understand that we do this for the Empire.†The guards began checking the nuns most thoroughly as they blushed. At long last, they were apparently satisfied. “Pass on, pass on.†One of the guards gave the other monk an odd look, but said nothing.
One of the guards walked up to Du Lac and apologized. “Forgive me, good monk. We had merely received word that some one had been sent to help the Duchess escape from the justice she richly deserves.â€
Du Lac nodded sagely. “And indeed, God smiles upon your efforts. I am certain that she will receive everything she deserves.â€
The other monk spoke up. “Yes, indeed she will.â€
As they rode on, the other monk took off her hood, revealing the radiant Eleanor of Aquitaine.
“A strumpet?†she said. “Surely you think that was a bit much?†She looked behind them, at the Castle Trifels. “How long do you think, good knight, it will be before they realize I am gone?â€
Du Loc pulled out a telescope and looked at the castle. He could make out men on horseback running down the hill. He turned towards Eleanor. “About now, I would say.†And with that, he and Eleanor galloped off towards the channel, and passage to England.
(The Poems are actually by La Comtess de Dia, and Guillame IX, Duke of Aquitane)
Emden, July 1238
Lancelot Du Lac looked over the city and sneered. Filthy streets home to smugglers and pirates. “You will never find a more wretched hive of scum and villainy,†he said.
Eleanor looked over the cities, and stared at the ships in the dock thoughtfully. “Excellent,†she said. “That means the Emperor will never think to look for us here.â€
Emden was one of the many cities that had thrived as a result of the Emperor’s attempts to forbid trade with England. The continent needed English wool, especially in Flanders. Even Eleanor had heard rumors of discontent from that land, as the Kaiser’s efforts to forbid the import of wool had been ignored.
The people of Emden had taken to smuggling with gusto. They were, after all, a good sensible people, who would never let trade be interrupted by something as trivial as a war over the salvation of mankind and the restoration of Rome’s glory.
Therefore, Emden was an ideal place for those who wished to pass to and from the Empire sail to England. A dangerous city, to be sure, but one in which, it was said, anything could be had for a price.
Lancelot ended up taking Eleanor with him, for lack of a better option, to a tavern on the harbor. A few words at the bar, and he ended up sitting with a captain by the name of Hans Soren.
He nodded to Eleanor and the two sat down. Eleanor looked around her at the chaos, the fights, and the drunken men. She made a show of placing a dagger in her hand while Eleanor discussed the price with Hans.
Hans leaned in close over the table. “My partner Christian tells me that you’re looking for passage to England.â€
Lancelot looked around and decided it was safe to speak. “Yes, if it’s a fast ship.â€
Hans laughed. “Fast ship? You’ve never heard of the Millenial Eagle?â€
Eleanor spoke up. “Should I have?â€
Hans waved about the tavern. “It made the Bergen run in twelve days!â€
Eleanor remained unimpressed as Hans continued. “I’ve outrun Hansa ships, you know. Not the local river barges, but good Hamburg ships. She’s fast enough for you, boy. What’s the cargo?â€
Lancelot looked around. “Two passengers. Myself and the girl. No questions asked.â€
â€What is it?†asked Hans. “Some kind of local trouble?â€
Eleanor smiled. “Let’s just say we’d like to avoid any Imperial entanglements.†[147]
Hans leaned back and smiled. “Well, that’s the trick, isn’t it? And it’s going to cost you. A thousand aurics, all in advance.â€
“A thousand aurics?†said Lancelot. “We could almost buy our own ship for that!â€
nd who’s going to sail it, my lord? You?†Hans sneered.
Eleanor held Lancelot’s hand down firmly. “We will pay you two hundred now, fifteen hundred on arrival in London.â€
â€Seventeen hundred, huh?†Hans rubbed his chin. “Alright, I’ll take it.†He looked around, to make sure, once again, that no one was listening, and leaned in.
“Do not worry, Lady Eleanor. My father, you see, was a vassal of the Welf.â€
[147] I’ve waited oh so long to use this line.
Maps? Are they really necessary?
“I must sing of what I do not want,
I am so angry with the one whom I love,
Because I love him more than anything:
Mercy nor courtesy moves him,
Neither does my beauty, nor my worthiness, nor my good sense,
For I am deceived and betrayed
As much as I should be, if I were uglyâ€-Maria, Empress of Rome
Nuremberg, May 1235
Maria, Empress of Rome, continued writing her letter to her daughter. “I do hope you are well, and, as always, I will endeavor to secure your release from the Emperor. If God wills it, we shall see you for Christmas.†She looked over the letter and nodded. Taking out juice of lemons, she began to write things in the margin. She had been doing this for years now, and she had not been caught yet. If all went well, she wrote, Eleanor would be freed from her imprisonment on the 4th of July. Smiling, she set the letter aside.
The Emperor entered her private chambers, in a surprisingly jovial mood. “Italy will soon be taken care of,†he said [146]. He was courteous, as always, to his wife. “Writing another letter?†he said, looking at it.
Maria nodded. “Something to take up my time, in addition to the loom. Will you not reconsider your treatment of Eleanor? She is your stepdaughter, after all.â€
Frederick paused as if to consider it. “Perhaps,†he said at last. “May I see your letter?†Maria passed it to the Emperor. Then Frederick smiled and placed it over the flame of a candle.
Maria’s heart stopped. Her message began appearing. Frederick savored her reaction, and had to resist the urge to gloat. “I’ve known about what you’ve been planning for years, Maria. About your plan to free your daughter. How you wanted to work with the King of the Greeks to overthrow me and take Sicily back.†Frederick had to grind out the words. “About how you wanted to assassinate me, and place Henry in my place.â€
“How did you know?†asked Maria. “It was thought out so carefully!â€
Frederick smirked. “Come now. The Empress begins acquiring quantities of lemon juice and takes to writing long winded letters?†He paused, and then added another line. “I had you watched, as well.â€
They were silent for several minutes, as Frederick stared at his wife. “Why?†he said at last. “What did I do to you, that you hate me so?â€
Maria looked as if she could kill him. “You imprisoned my daughter. You tried to kill my grandson. What did you expect, that I would scatter rose petals before the feet of our glorious Emperor?â€
Frederick began to get angry. “Your sister married a rebel against the Empire, and hoped to use Aquitane as a stronghold against me. Your grandson is the last true heir of the Capetians and Plantagenets. He must go.†He stared at his wife. “I did what was necessary to ensure peace. You of all people should understand that.â€
â€Assassination?†said Frederick. “Consorting with Greeks?†Frederick said this without emotion. “You hated me that much?â€
“More.â€
At that point, Maria broke down in tears. Despite himself, Frederick found himself going towards her. She was his wife, after all.
“Hush,†he said. “We’ll get you to a nunnery with your daughter. I will not free her, but at least she shall not be alone.†Maria sobbed, and reached for a dagger on her desk while Frederick was distracted. He knocked it aside and pushed her back.
Maria tripped backwards, and fumbled over a piece of furniture. She desperately flailed her arms, but to no avail. It was at that point that she fell out of the window. She hit the ground with a loud thud mere moments later.
Frederick looked down at the corpse, or what remained of it. “The Empress,†he told his guard, who had been waiting outside the entire time, “has fallen. Attend to her corpse, and leave me be.â€
History would record that Frederick II, the Wonder of the World, cared little for his wife. After all, he had no problem having affairs on the side, and having several bastards. And aside from his attitude towards his children, the Emperor was never known for being particularly soft and sentimental. It was rumored by some that the Emperor had pushed his wife, or had some one else do it. And there would be many historians, in the future, who would believe it.
Historians would never know, after all, that, by himself in his wife’s chambers, Frederick II wept.
“As the desire to sing takes hold of me,
I will make a song about my sorrow;
I will no longer be a servant of love
In Poitou nor in Ile de France.
For now I will go into exile:
In great fear, in great peril,
In war, I will leave my son
And the Caesar will harm him.
I seek mercy on my companion
If I have ever wronged him, may he pardon me,
And I pray to Jesus on the throne,
In French and in Latin.
I have left behind all that I once loved
Chivalry and pride;
And since it pleases God, I accept all that
And pray Him to retain me in His presence
Thus I renounce joy and pleasure
The brown, grey, and sable furs.â€-Eleanor of Aquitane, in Trifels
Trifels, July 1235
Du Lac fixed his robes carefully. Posing as a respectable monk, sent here to tutor the poor Duchess Eleanor, he knew he had to look the part. People would begin to question just why he spoke with a Poitevin accent, and begin to wonder if the Emperor had approved of his visit.
Trifels was a tall, imposing castle that dominated the landscape. It had been the site of Richard the Lionheart’s imprisonment, and, it was rumored, the castle where the antipope Innocent III had lived out his final days. Lancelot shivered as he approached its walls.
“Pax Vobiscum,†he said to the two guards at the gate. “I am a tutor for the poor child Eleanor of Aquitaine, daughter of the former Empress. I have been sent by the Caesar himself to tutor the child and bring her back to the fold.†He gestured at the two nuns and the other monk. “They are here to help me, of course.â€
One of the guards guffawed. “Help you with what?†Lancelot glared at him, as any proper monk should. He produced a letter bearing the Emperor’s seal, which had been produced by a forger in Bristol.
Du Lac smiled inwardly as the guards read the letter slowly. He was but a minor noble, true. But just because he was a minor one did not mean he could sit by while the rightful Duchess of Aquitaine was imprisoned in a castle by the Emperor [148]. It was an unchristian thing to do.
He climbed to the highest room of the tallest tower, with the other monks and nuns in tower, past the other guards. “My Lady,†called Du Lac, “I have been sent to instruct you.â€
Eleanor sat before him, dressed in black. “Oh, another one of the Emperor’s lackeys?†she said, looking up from a Bible. “I am a tad busy, as you see. I am reading the Book of Revelations.†She smiled. “There are quite a few similarities to the Emperor in here, you know.â€
Du Lac looked to make sure the door was closed, and nodded to the other “monkâ€, who began lecturing her on modesty, chastity, and obedience. Lancelot leaned close to Eleanor. “Frankly, my Duchess, I don’t care if the Four Horsemen ride out of Nuremberg tomorrow. I am Du Lac, and I am here to rescue you.â€
Eleanor blinked. “You are who?â€
A few hours later, Du Lac, the other monk, and the nuns walked out of Trifels. Du Lac sighed walking by the guards. “The strumpet, I fear, has yet to be conciliated to her new surroundings.â€
One of the guards laughed. “Yes, she is a whore, isn’t she? Always complaining and sobbing. †He became seriously quickly, however. “But we have received word from the Emperor himself that some one might try to help her escape.†The guard eyed the nuns. “Disguising her, perhaps. We will have to check to be sure.â€
Du Lac looked at the nuns nervously. “Good man, I must protest! These are women of God!â€
â€Then God won’t mind, will he? He would understand that we do this for the Empire.†The guards began checking the nuns most thoroughly as they blushed. At long last, they were apparently satisfied. “Pass on, pass on.†One of the guards gave the other monk an odd look, but said nothing.
One of the guards walked up to Du Lac and apologized. “Forgive me, good monk. We had merely received word that some one had been sent to help the Duchess escape from the justice she richly deserves.â€
Du Lac nodded sagely. “And indeed, God smiles upon your efforts. I am certain that she will receive everything she deserves.â€
The other monk spoke up. “Yes, indeed she will.â€
As they rode on, the other monk took off her hood, revealing the radiant Eleanor of Aquitaine.
“A strumpet?†she said. “Surely you think that was a bit much?†She looked behind them, at the Castle Trifels. “How long do you think, good knight, it will be before they realize I am gone?â€
Du Loc pulled out a telescope and looked at the castle. He could make out men on horseback running down the hill. He turned towards Eleanor. “About now, I would say.†And with that, he and Eleanor galloped off towards the channel, and passage to England.
(The Poems are actually by La Comtess de Dia, and Guillame IX, Duke of Aquitane)
Emden, July 1238
Lancelot Du Lac looked over the city and sneered. Filthy streets home to smugglers and pirates. “You will never find a more wretched hive of scum and villainy,†he said.
Eleanor looked over the cities, and stared at the ships in the dock thoughtfully. “Excellent,†she said. “That means the Emperor will never think to look for us here.â€
Emden was one of the many cities that had thrived as a result of the Emperor’s attempts to forbid trade with England. The continent needed English wool, especially in Flanders. Even Eleanor had heard rumors of discontent from that land, as the Kaiser’s efforts to forbid the import of wool had been ignored.
The people of Emden had taken to smuggling with gusto. They were, after all, a good sensible people, who would never let trade be interrupted by something as trivial as a war over the salvation of mankind and the restoration of Rome’s glory.
Therefore, Emden was an ideal place for those who wished to pass to and from the Empire sail to England. A dangerous city, to be sure, but one in which, it was said, anything could be had for a price.
Lancelot ended up taking Eleanor with him, for lack of a better option, to a tavern on the harbor. A few words at the bar, and he ended up sitting with a captain by the name of Hans Soren.
He nodded to Eleanor and the two sat down. Eleanor looked around her at the chaos, the fights, and the drunken men. She made a show of placing a dagger in her hand while Eleanor discussed the price with Hans.
Hans leaned in close over the table. “My partner Christian tells me that you’re looking for passage to England.â€
Lancelot looked around and decided it was safe to speak. “Yes, if it’s a fast ship.â€
Hans laughed. “Fast ship? You’ve never heard of the Millenial Eagle?â€
Eleanor spoke up. “Should I have?â€
Hans waved about the tavern. “It made the Bergen run in twelve days!â€
Eleanor remained unimpressed as Hans continued. “I’ve outrun Hansa ships, you know. Not the local river barges, but good Hamburg ships. She’s fast enough for you, boy. What’s the cargo?â€
Lancelot looked around. “Two passengers. Myself and the girl. No questions asked.â€
â€What is it?†asked Hans. “Some kind of local trouble?â€
Eleanor smiled. “Let’s just say we’d like to avoid any Imperial entanglements.†[147]
Hans leaned back and smiled. “Well, that’s the trick, isn’t it? And it’s going to cost you. A thousand aurics, all in advance.â€
“A thousand aurics?†said Lancelot. “We could almost buy our own ship for that!â€
nd who’s going to sail it, my lord? You?†Hans sneered.
Eleanor held Lancelot’s hand down firmly. “We will pay you two hundred now, fifteen hundred on arrival in London.â€
â€Seventeen hundred, huh?†Hans rubbed his chin. “Alright, I’ll take it.†He looked around, to make sure, once again, that no one was listening, and leaned in.
“Do not worry, Lady Eleanor. My father, you see, was a vassal of the Welf.â€
[147] I’ve waited oh so long to use this line.
Faeelin
Banned
http://www.geocities.com/drammos/PoP1.html
Hear the word of Caesar! Build unto me a statue of ridiculous proportion. One billion cubits in height, that I might be remembered for all eternity!
Hear the word of Caesar! Build unto me a statue of ridiculous proportion. One billion cubits in height, that I might be remembered for all eternity!
*groans. Faeelin, I think you have been watching Star Wars a wee bit ...too much...
I almost half expected Chewie to appear. Anyhoo, nice twist on the Arthur lesson. Will Gawain appear as well? Was Lancelot a common name before it got merged with the Arthur myth? Will we be seeing more of Lancelot? And why hasn't the Empire built up it's naval capacities?
I almost half expected Chewie to appear. Anyhoo, nice twist on the Arthur lesson. Will Gawain appear as well? Was Lancelot a common name before it got merged with the Arthur myth? Will we be seeing more of Lancelot? And why hasn't the Empire built up it's naval capacities?
Faeelin
Banned
G.Bone said:
You mean Chaga, the faithful bearded russian second in command?
Listen. I'm currently reading about lay advocacy and the fiscal policies of the Staufens, including the use of the augustales, a gold coin, and its relationship with northern Europe's silver based economy. I think I deserve a bit of humor.
The Empire has naval capacities. Don't be fooled; Germany isn't just a land based nation. The Hansa is amazingly strong in the north sea, supeiror to England, and dominates the Baltic.
It's just that God is good, but gold is better.