Earl

by Griff Hosker

  “When you return to England I want you to keep a close watch on Balliol and try to send spies to discover the whereabouts of Gospatric. I had intended to return home and help my son to watch over my realm. Events here have conspired against me. You have my permission to fortify the castles of your knights.”

  That was a great honour. Kings did not like castles, other than their own, to be crenulated and heavily fortified. It showed the trust he had in me. “Thank you my lord but I should warn you that the strongest castle other than my own is Barnard Castle; it is Balliol’s castle. It has a naturally defensive site and sits atop a rocky crag.”

  “Watch Balliol and use your authority to curb his ambitions. My clerk is drafting a decree increasing your powers.”

  “And Durham?”

  He smiled, “Let us just say that so long as you control the Tees there is little point in appointing a Bishop whose loyalty is in doubt. The Pope keeps suggesting names and each one arouses suspicion in me. No, it is best we leave it as it is. Besides I have appointed Henry of Blois as Bishop of Winchester. The Archbishop allowed that. It increases my influence in the south of the land.”

  “As you wish.” I spoke to hide my feelings. I liked not the fact the brother of Stephen and Theobald held such a prominent position. The King trusted the brothers. I did not.

  “And Cleveland, do not grieve overlong for your wife. Find another woman. One son is never enough. I learned that. A man should have as many sons as he can. Your wife would wish it.”

  “I will try but there is a dearth of suitable ladies in the north.”

  He nodded distractedly. His advice given he moved on.

  We left a week later. Margaret came to me just before I was leaving and handed me a jar of salve. She spoke quietly. “Your lady sent me with this.” Her words lifted my heart. “She said she will always think of you and prays for you each night.”

  “As I do her.”

  She gave me an intriguing smile. “Next year will be a better year for us all; I promise you that.”

  As I left the castle I could not help looking back. Would I see her again and, if I did we would be as strangers. I could never lie with her again.

  I had sent word to Olaf that I needed his ship again and it was waiting for us at Ouistreham. We sailed north back to Stockton. I had lost so much during the year and I had come close to death more times than enough yet somehow, I felt stronger. I was ready for the challenge of the north and ready to fight for what was mine.

  Epilogue

  The salve seemed to help as we sailed north with a ship laden with the fruits of our labours. I smiled as I listened to my three squires speak of what they intended to buy with their share. I spent much time with Wulfric and Dick. They were now as close to me as Edward and the Swabians. I would not be sailing home but for their efforts and skills.

  “We will need to make up the numbers of men at arms and archers again.”

  Wulfric gave a scowl. “This time we take none who have come from the east eh my lord?”

  “You are right. I would use much of this gold to buy more horses. Dick, when we return I wish you to take your archers and go to the horse country to the south of us and buy horses.”

  “Aye my lord and I will send men to Sherwood to find more archers.”

  And so we planned. It helped me to forget the pain of losing Adela and the pain of being apart from Matilda. My one night of joy would never be repeated. I had seen the Holy Grail and had it taken from me. I would never know happiness again. When we had finished planning we spoke of the battles we had fought and how we would fight in the future. I had much to live for now. Sadly my enemies continued to grow. I did not doubt that Hugh of Puset wished me dead too.

  I felt a sense of dread as we sailed into the Tees. My banner still fluttered from my tower but I wondered if I could settle within its walls once more. William came to stand next to me. He had grown, both physically and mentally. He looked little different these days to Leofric. John still towered over him but soon there would only be Wulfric who was bigger. William had seen great slaughter and fought his first battle. Those things changed a person. “It will be hard father but mother and Hilda are with God now. They are happy.” I looked at him and I saw not just my child and my squire but someone to whom I could talk. He had endured what I had endured. “The Empress’ ladies, Judith and Margaret, were kind and they spent time talking with me. Margaret said she believed that mother’s spirit was happy. I think she is right.”

  I was curious, “How do you know?”

  He came a little closer, “I have dreamed and I have seen her face. She looks as she always did, happy.”

  Perhaps I needed that innocence of youth too.

  We stepped ashore and there was a party waiting to greet us: John, my steward, Erre, Aiden and Alf. John spoke for them all, “Welcome home, my lord. We have cleansed the castle and the town.”

  “Aye sir, we burned all those buildings which showed signs of disease. Our town is healthy once more.”

  “Thank you Alf.” I looked at Erre. “And how are the men?”

  “We are all determined to serve you better than ever. We owe it to the memory of those who did not die with a sword in their hand. That is no way for a warrior to die.”

  “You are right.” I waved a hand at Olaf’s ship which was being unloaded, “And we have more treasure, mail and weapons. I am home to stay.”

  I saw a priest walking from the town gate towards the jetty. John said, “This is Father Henry the new priest appointed by the bishop.”

  The young man gave a slight bow. “I am Father Henry. I hope I can serve you and this parish as well as Father Matthew. I have much to live up to.”

  “None of us can hope to be a man as great as Father Matthew. Alf, I would like to commission a bell for the church. I would like to name it Matthew.”

  That seemed to please everyone and it gave me something to worry about other than the affairs of my heart. Alf too enjoyed the task and five weeks later it was finished. My father and his oathsworn believed in something they called, ‘wyrd’ or fate. It was truly ‘wyrd’ when the bell was rung for the first time. It was a few weeks after its erection and we had not even used it to summon the congregation to church. It was such a shock that we all ran to the church.

  Father Henry came out with a huge smile on his face. He clutched in his hand a document. “This is great news. The King has sent it to the Archbishop of York and he has sent it to me. The Empress Matilda is with child! The King will have a grandchild. It is cause for great celebration.”

  Hardly daring to hear the answer I asked, “When will the child be born?”

  The priest re read the document, “March of next year! What wonderful news.”

  As I turned to walk back up to my castle I began to count back the months. Nine months from March was the time when I had slept with the Empress. Her husband had arrived back a week later. Who was the father? Was it the Count of Anjou or had I fathered a bastard? The only way I would know would be to speak with the Empress. I now yearned to be back in Normandy but I was not. I was on the Tees. I was Earl of Cleveland and I would spend the next months with the thought that I might be the father of a future ruler of England. That one night of passion might come back to haunt not only me but the whole of England and Normandy. I climbed to my south east tower and stared out across the German Sea. The land for which I fought was now even more precious to me.

  The End

  Glossary

  Allaghia- a subdivision of a Bandon-about 400 hundred men (Byzantium)

  Akolouthos - The commander of the Varangian Guard (Byzantium)

  Al-Andalus- Spain

  Angevin- the people of Anjou, mainly the ruling family

  Bandon- Byzantine regiment of cavalry -normally 1500 men (Byzantium)

  Battle- a formation in war (a modern battalion)

  Booth Castle – Bewcastle north of Hadrian’s Wall

  Cadge- the frame upon which hunting birds are car
ried (by a codger- hence the phrase old codger being the old man who carries the frame)

  Cadwaladr ap Gruffudd- Son of Gruffudd ap Cynan

  Conroi- A group of knights fighting together

  Demesne- estate

  Destrier- war horse

  Fess- a horizontal line in heraldry

  Gambeson- a padded tunic worn underneath mail. When worn by an archer they came to the waist. It was more of a quilted jacket but I have used the term freely

  Gonfanon- A standard used in Medieval times (Also known as a Gonfalon in Italy)

  Gruffudd ap Cynan- King of Gwynedd until 1137

  Hartness- the manor which became Hartlepool

  Hautwesel- Haltwhistle

  Kataphractos (pl. oi)- Armoured Byzantine horseman (Byzantium)

  Kometes/Komes- General (Count) (Byzantium)

  Kentarchos- Second in command of an Allaghia (Byzantium)

  Kontos (pl. oi) - Lance (Byzantium)

  Lusitania- Portugal

  Mansio- staging houses along Roman Roads

  Maredudd ap Bleddyn- King of Powys

  Mêlée- a medieval fight between knights

  Musselmen- Muslims

  Nithing- A man without honour (Saxon)

  Nomismata- a gold coin equivalent to an aureus

  Outremer- the kingdoms of the Holy Land

  Owain ap Gruffudd- Son of Gruffudd ap Cynan and King of Gwynedd from 1137

  Palfrey- a riding horse

  Poitevin- the language of Aquitaine

  Pyx- a box containing a holy relic (Shakespeare’s Pax from Henry V)

  Serdica- Sofia (Byzantium)

  Surcoat- a tunic worn over mail or armour

  Sumpter- pack horse

  Tagmata- Byzantine cavalry (Byzantium)

  Turmachai -Commander of a Bandon of cavalry (Byzantium)

  Ventail – a piece of mail which covered the neck and the lower face.

  Wulfestun- Wolviston (Durham)

  Maps and Illustrations

  Map courtesy of Wikipedia

  Courtesy of Wikipedia –Public Domain

  Historical note

  The book is set during one of the most turbulent and complicated times in British history. Henry I of England and Normandy’s eldest son William died. The king named his daughter, the Empress Matilda as his heir. However her husband, the Emperor of the Holy Roman Empire died and she remarried. Her new husband was Geoffrey of Anjou and she had children by him. (The future Henry II of England and Normandy- The Lion in Winter!)

  I have used the word Saxon many times both for the language and the people. The invasion of the Normans had only taken place some fifty or sixty years before this book was set. Both the language and the people would change and evolve. The Normans tried to impose their language upon the Saxons who already lived there. It did not work and Anglo-Saxon or English as it became known prevailed. Part of this was due to the fact that the Norman ladies used Saxon/English nannies to look after their babies and children. As they spoke to them in their native tongue the young Normans grew up speaking English. Of course many Norman words became part of English- honour, chivalry, ham, lake but it took another century, until after the time of Richard 1st, for one language to be used throughout the land. In my next book I will change the word Saxon for English. By the time of Henry 1st's death the ordinary folk thought of themselves as English.

  A cog was a small trading ship which developed from the Viking knarr. It had high sides and a flat bottom. There was one sail and steering oar on the starboard (steer board) side. By this time some had had small wooden castles built at the bow and stern and these were used to house archers. These ships would be built bigger as the centuries wore on. They had no deck save at the stern where the ship was conned. The holds were covered with canvas when they had goods to transport.

  I have introduced Eleanor of Aquitaine here. She was about 8 in 1129 and her father was Duke William. As she eventually marries Matilda's son I thought I would introduce her. The Empress Matilda did leave her husband in 1130. It was not a happy marriage.

  The Emperor John Komnenos fought against the Hungarians under King later Saint Stephen. He lost and had to sue for peace. The incident with our hero is purely fictional.

  There was never an Earl of Cleveland although the area known as Cleveland did exist and was south of the river. At this time the only northern earls were those of Northumberland. The incumbent was Gospatric who rebelled against England when King Henry died.

  The Scots were taking advantage of a power vacuum on their borders. They did, according to chroniclers of the time behave particularly badly.

  "an execrable army, more atrocious than the pagans, neither fearing God nor regarding man, spread desolation over the whole province and slaughtered everywhere people of either sex, of every age and rank, destroying, pillaging and burning towns, churches and houses"

  "Then (horrible to relate) they carried off, like so much booty, the noble matrons and chaste virgins, together with other women. These naked, fettered, herded together; by whips and thongs they drove before them, goading them with their spears and other weapons. This took place in other wars, but in this to a far greater extent."

  "For the sick on their couches, women pregnant and in childbed, infants in the womb, innocents at the breast, or on the mother's knee, with the mothers themselves, decrepit old men and worn-out old women, and persons debilitated from whatever cause, wherever they met with them, they put to the edge of the sword, and transfixed with their spears; and by how much more horrible a death they could dispatch them, so much the more did they rejoice."

  Robert of Hexham

  Meanwhile Matilda’s half brother, Robert of Gloucester (one of William’s bastards) declared for Matilda and a civil war ensued. The war went on until Stephen died and was called the anarchy because everyone was looking out for themselves. There were no sides as such. Allies could become enemies overnight. Murder, ambush and assassination became the order of the day. The only warriors who could be relied upon were the household knights of a lord- his oathsworn. The feudal system, which had been an ordered pyramid, was thrown into confusion by the civil war. Lords created their own conroi, or groups of knights and men at arms. Successful lords would ensure that they had a mixture of knights, archers and foot soldiers. The idea of knights at this time always fighting on horseback is not necessarily true. There were many examples of knights dismounting to fight on foot and, frequently, this proved to be successful.

  William the Conqueror’s family tree

  William the Bastard (The Conqueror)

  William II (Rufus) Henry I Adela Robert (Curthose)

  William Matilda Stephen of Blois

  William Clito

  Henry II

  The dotted line indicates that they died before they could attain the crown or before they could rule effectively.

  The word Fitz shows that the owner of the name is an illegitimate son of a knight. As such they would not necessarily inherit when their father died. There were many such knights. William himself was illegitimate. Robert of Gloucester was also known as Robert of Caen and Robert Fitzroy.

  Ridley, the father of my hero, was in three earlier books. There were two regiments of Varangians: one was English in character and one Scandinavian. As the bodyguards of the Emperor they were able to reap rich rewards for their service.

  The Normans were formidable fighters. The conquest of England happened after a single battle. They conquered southern Italy and Sicily with a handful of knights. Strongbow, a Norman mercenary took a small mercenary force and dominated Ireland so much that as soon as a force of Normans, led by the king land, all defence on the island crumbled. In one of Strongbow's battles a force of 100 knights defeated 4000 Irish warriors!

  Ranulf Flambard was the controversial Bishop of Durham who was imprisoned in the tower by Henry for supporting his brother. Although reinstated the Bishop was viewed with suspicion by the king and did not enjoy as much power as either his predecessors or hi
s successors. He had been something of a womaniser in his younger days and he tried to make up for that by giving to the poor when he was older. He was responsible for much of the defensive works of Durham Castle and was truly a Bishop Prince. He died around 1128. The incident with the Bishop being held captive is pure fiction. However he died in 1128 and there was a great deal of unrest while King Henry was away in Normandy. The Gospatric family did show their true colours when the Scottish king tried to take advantage of the internal strife between Stephen and Matilda and invade England. A leopard does not change his spots. The land between the Tees and the Scottish lowlands was always fiercely contested by Scotland, England and those who lived there.

  Hartness (Hartlepool) was given to the De Brus family by Henry and the family played a power game siding with Henry and David depending upon what they had to gain. They were also given land around Guisborough in North Yorkshire.

  Squires were not always the sons of nobles. Often they were lowly born and would never aspire to knighthood. It was not only the king who could make knights. Lords had that power too. Normally a man would become a knight at the age of 21. Young landless knights would often leave home to find a master to serve in the hope of treasure or loot. The idea of chivalry was some way away. The Norman knight wanted land, riches and power. Knights would have a palfrey or ordinary riding horse and a destrier or war horse. Squires would ride either a palfrey, if they had a thoughtful knight or a rouncy (pack horse). The squires carried all of the knight’s war gear on the pack horses. Sometimes a knight would have a number of squires serving him. One of the squire’s tasks was to have a spare horse in case the knight’s destrier fell in battle. Another way for a knight to make money was to capture an enemy and ransom him. This even happened to Richard 1st of England who was captured in Austria and held to ransom.

  At this time a penny was a valuable coin and often payment would be taken by ‘nicking’ pieces off it. Totally round copper and silver coins were not the norm in 12th Century Europe. Each local ruler would make his own small coins. The whole country was run like a pyramid with the king at the top. He took from those below him in the form of taxes and service and it cascaded down. There was a great deal of corruption as well as anarchy. The idea of a central army did not exist. King Henry had his household knights and would call upon his nobles to supply knights and men at arms when he needed to go to war. The expense for that army would be borne by the noble.