by Griff Hosker
The Pope waved for me to approach his throne, which was the largest I had ever seen. I bowed and kissed the ring on his right hand. William had the two documents we were to deliver. “So, my son, what brings you all the way from England to the home of the Church?”
“Two reasons, Your Holiness, one is to deliver this missive from King Henry of England.” William stepped forward and handed it to the pontiff. I saw him examine the seal closely to ensure that it had not been broken. When he was satisfied, he took out an ornate stiletto and sliced it open. He read it twice and then nodded. He handed it to Robert Somercotes who examined it in detail.
“The King of England has sent an army, Sir Thomas?”
I knew this was a trap and I had to answer diplomatically. “No, Your Holiness, there will be more barons who will be coming but the King has sent us as an assurance of his commitment. More men will be leaving England next year for that is the year you wish the crusade to begin.”
“And by the time they reach the Holy Land, they will arrive late.” He smiled. “I am not criticising you, Sir Thomas. That you have raced to get here shows great zeal and, I believe, this will be your third crusade?”
Robert Somercotes hurried over and whispered in his ear. I saw the Pope frown. “I understand that one crusade does not count as it was atonement for the murder of a Bishop.”
I glanced at the English Cardinal. He had played his cards early. He was no friend of mine. Was he an enemy to the King? “And I was given absolution by Bishop Albert.”
“Nonetheless, I command that you seek absolution at the Church of the Holy Sepulchre where you shall spend a night in vigil.” I nodded. I would pay twice for an act I would repeat in a heartbeat. “And when this crusade has achieved its end will you take part in the crusade against the enemies of the Eastern Empire?”
“If my King commands me then I will do so.”
“But not if the Pope commands?” I did not answer what I believed to be a rhetorical question. “That bridge will be crossed later. And you said there was another matter which required my attention?”
William stepped forward and handed the letter from Simon de Montfort. This time, when he read it, he frowned and turned to his English Cardinal. “Here we have another Englishman who seeks to flaunt God’s laws.”
It would have been disingenuous of me to point out that de Montfort was a Frenchman.
“I cannot decide such a matter now. I will send an answer when time permits.”
I nodded, “There are two of Lord de Montfort’s men who will take your answer, Your Holiness, for I am anxious to get to Taranto and take ship for the Holy Land.”
He smiled, “I see hope in you, Sir Thomas, despite what must have been a black heart when you were young. It is fortunate that there is another contingent of knights and they will be leaving tomorrow. It is a company of Teutonic knights and they are led by Burchard von Bouland. You should get on for he has just come from the Baltic. You may use the ships which were prepared for the men of the Empire.” He scowled, “Once again the Emperor Frederick has let us down.”
“There was another matter, Your Holiness, of a more personal nature.”
“I am intrigued. Speak.”
One of my knights, Edward of Wulfestun, is dying. He has the coughing sickness. He came on the Baltic Crusade with me and I would ask for you to intercede for him. He is a good man and deserves to go to heaven.”
The Pope smiled, “I thought you would ask for something for yourself. That you ask for another speaks well of you. I will pray for him.”
With that, we were dismissed. I did not get the opportunity to speak to the English Cardinal so I did not know why he took it upon himself to bring up the Bishop of Durham’s murder but he must have made enemies in Rome for he was murdered by poison within three years. We were told we could use the lodgings of the Teutonic Knights. I did not expect to know any of the knights with whom we would ride for it had been a lifetime, over thirty years, since I had fought alongside the Sword Brethren.
Rome was the largest place we had seen since York and once my audience was over, we spent the afternoon making purchases. A port of embarkation would charge the earth for basic necessities. I allowed William to make my purchases while I sought out the commander of the Teutonic Knights and Sergeant with whom we would be travelling. They had a hospital in Rome and they were there. I was not sure how I would be greeted. The military orders of knights tended to look down their noses at mere knights. The one exception had been a Knight Hospitaller I had met when I was a young knight but the Templars I had known had been arrogant to a man!
In the event, I was pleasantly surprised. There must have been an effective network of spies and messengers controlled by the Church for I was expected and more, I was welcomed. I had Mark and Henry Samuel with me and they, too, were given a warm and fulsome welcome. I soon discovered why.
“You are most welcome, Englishman, for we have heard your name before. We fought with the grandson of Jarl Birger Brosa and we were regaled with stories of your heroism, not only in the Baltic Crusade but in the Holy Land. Three Crusades,” the Commander shook his head, “I feel humbled. Had you chosen a military order you would surely have been grandmaster by now!”
“Thank you, Commander Burchard von Bouland, you flatter me. I was a sword for hire and it proved convenient to fight the enemies of the church.”
“And now you fight on behalf of your King.” He noticed my squire and page. “I see a resemblance between you and this young page.”
“It is my grandson, Henry Samuel.”
“Have your men fetched here for there is room enough. We have had it expanded recently for more of our brethren will be making the journey from the Baltic. We will go to fight the heathen in the Holy Land.”
I sent Mark to fetch the rest of the men and our knights. The ones who were with William would find us when they had finished in the markets while the rest waited at St Peter’s Basilica.
As he led me to an inner courtyard filled with olive and lemon trees, he shook his head, “After joining the order I have one regret and that is I did not father children.”
He gestured for us to sit and we were brought iced wine. “And were you always a Teutonic Knight?”
“No, I was a Sword Brethren. This garb takes some getting used to but I still serve God and use my sword to smite his enemies and to kill heathens.”
As with most of the military orders, the commander was zealous. “So, we have ships to take us to Acre?”
“We do, for my order has barracks in the castle and a Hochmeister, Herman von Salza. He is a very experienced warrior. All of the orders are sending reinforcements to join this crusade. This is a momentous time. We hold Jerusalem and our enemies are divided. If King Thibaut is a good leader then we can reverse the losses of the past forty years. We have now built a huge castle, Starkenberg, in French you call it Montfort. It is my new home for I am appointed castellan!” I smiled, “You are amused at such a thought?”
“No, Sir Burchard, it is just that we travelled from Montfort Castle in Normandy and I travelled with some Montfortian knights. I was amused by the coincidence. You should know, coming from the Baltic, of the heathen idea of the three sisters who spin.” He nodded. “This seems to me to be just such an example.”
He laughed, “Englishman, I can see that we are going to get on. You are honest and have a wit which is lacking in most of my companions!”
The hospitality of the military order was all that I had hoped and we left, as dawn was breaking, for what promised to be a long and arduous journey. In truth, despite the heat, it was a most pleasant ride along the spine of Italy. We quickly learned that riding in the early hours and resting for four hours in the middle of the day meant we travelled further and hurt the animals we rode, less. I had forgotten such tricks. When we came to Palestine those tricks might save lives. Burchard and I were older than the rest and, for some reason, did not need as much sleep. We spoke of Sweden and Lithuania for I h
ad enjoyed my time there and, like Ridley the Giant, it was where I had met my wife. Fótr, who was now one of my nights, had left it to follow me. Our lives were different for Burchard had no family and had dedicated his life to the Sword Brethren and now the Teutonic Knights and yet we had so many similar experiences that we could have been brothers separated at birth. We had both known evil leaders who had led the order and, in my case, a country, down a disastrous path. We had both lost friends in battle. I knew that, even though he would be far from my conroi in the Holy Land, at Montfort, I had a friend there and that gave me comfort.
He also had with him some most interesting warriors. One of them, Conrad von Schweistein, had been a doctor. Sir Burchard told me that he was a gifted surgeon and had operated upon the skulls of men hurt in battle. Surgeons could earn a fortune and I wondered why he had chosen this life.
Burchard said, “Ask him.”
The warrior, who looked younger than he ought for one with such a reputation, was happy to answer. “My family was slaughtered by the heathens when my town was raided. I was at the court of the Emperor Frederick earning a fortune as a doctor when that happened and I realised that all of my money meant nothing. I was tending to warts, carbuncles and hangnails when there were men dying fighting for Our Lord. I decided to dedicate my life to God. I can wield a sword as well as most men and I can wield a scalpel better than any. I can heal and I can fight. My life is fulfilled.” He was an inspiration and gave me hope that, this time, the Crusade might actually succeed.
When we reached Taranto, I was glad that the Pope had arranged our ships for there was a veritable maelstrom of men trying to take passage to Palestine. Ours were earmarked and we were fewer in number than the men promised by Emperor Frederick. We had plenty of room for our horses and I was able to spread my knights out amongst the ships. Only Robert and Stephen had bonded with William and me and I was disappointed in the attitude of the others. If they were a measure of the quality of King Henry’s knights then England was in trouble.
William and I travelled together again and our fleet headed south and east through the Greek Islands and the blue Mediterranean. There were plenty of pirates in this sea but they would not risk taking on such heavily armed ships bearing the standards of the Teutonic Order. The Byzantine ships of Emperor John were a much easier target. We had a fast voyage, or so the captain assured us. Fourteen days was considered as fast as one could expect in summer. It was late summer but we had no storms and the waters, compared with the sea off the east coast of England, was positively benign.
Acre was the strongest Crusader stronghold in the whole of Outremer. A narrow causeway and the sea protecting three sides meant it would be hard to take. Every inch of land was taken and that was its weakness. If it was besieged it would need to be supplied by sea for it to survive. All of the military orders had chapter houses in the citadel and that aided us for Sir Burchard arranged our accommodation. The King of Navarre had yet to arrive and the accommodation was relatively empty. Despite our longer route, we had beaten the main body of crusaders and that was crucial for we could acclimatise quicker. The second night saw my conroi, son and myself dining with the legendary Hochmeister, Herman von Salza. It was a sad meeting for the great man, and I could tell that he had done great things, was a shadow now of the man he had been. He had been the go-between who had facilitated communications between the Pope and the Emperor Frederick. The situation was now so bad that the Hochmeister was returning to Italy to attempt to heal the rifts between the two men. I know that he hoped to rekindle the alliance but his eyes told me that he was going there to die. I never saw him again for he left on the ships which had brought us, but it encapsulated the situation in the Holy Land. If the Christian world had really decided to take the land, they could have done so but too many of the leaders had their own plans and ideas.
He was a mine of information and told us much that I either did not know or had forgotten.
“We are lucky at the moment, Sir Thomas. The sons and nephews of Saladin fight amongst themselves and seek power. The most powerful in the north is As-Salih Ismail, the Emir of Damascus. He is the oldest of the emirs and he is a good warrior. He is the one I fear the most. Then there is the one who, ostensibly, controls the lands of Egypt, Al-Adil. Thankfully he is weak and corrupt. He is the nephew of Saladin and I think that he will soon lose what power he has for there is another there, As-Salih Ayyub, who will eventually wrest power from his cousin and then we will see which of the two powerful leaders survive.”
I nodded and William said, “That does not sound so bad.”
“Ah, but I did not mention the Assassins or the Hashashini as they are also known. They are a secret order who have strongholds in Syria and Persia. They are deadly killers who are hired out to kill other leaders. They charge a fortune for they always succeed. Even Saladin feared them and paid them not to kill him. If they are given your name then you are a dead man.” He shook his head, “I remember a Frankish count who approached their stronghold in Syria. He spoke with their leader, the Old Man of the Mountains, and said that as he had more men than the assassins he would win. In answer, the Old Man of the Mountains ordered one of his men to throw themselves from the battlements to die on the rocks below. He obeyed and the Count withdrew. That is their power. I pray you never cross their path.”
We left two days later so that I could fulfil the promise I had made to the Pope and beg forgiveness at the Church of the Holy Sepulchre. I would also pray there, as I promised, for Edward and his soul. For all I knew he could already be dead. I had no desire to stay in Acre and Sir Burchard also wished to visit the holy city and its shrines before he returned to the northern outpost. It was a happy happenstance for it meant we could travel together.
We headed south down the narrow coastal strip. This part of the Holy Land was as busy and overcrowded as I remembered it. The fertile parts were so congested that people had to live cheek by jowl. Although the knights I had brought with me were impressed by the castle, as we headed east, towards Jerusalem, I saw disappointment creep across their faces. The disappointment was augmented by the reddening of their skin thanks to the sun. They rode with their coifs around their shoulders and soon paid the price. I had bought white hooded cloaks for my men and they were both cooler and protected us from the searing heat of the sun’s rays. We travelled just twelve miles that first day for I wished our men to grow used to this land and its heat.
Sir Burchard smiled that night as we camped. The red-faced knights and their men at arms would suffer all night and for the next few days. “Your experience has helped your men.” I nodded. He lowered his voice, “If you have to lead these knights in battle, Sir Thomas, I fear that more would die than live.”
“And that is my fear too, Sir Burchard, for I am in unknown territory. I was chosen, I suspect, because of my prowess and skill in leading knights in battle but hitherto I have led my own knights, most of whom I have trained. I know that my knights and men at arms will obey my orders instantly and, more, I know what they will do when they fight. These knights and their men at arms are an unknown to me. Perhaps we will not have to fight. There may be peace.”
“And if that was likely my order would not have invested so much gold into my new home.”
My son looked to the east, “The Ayyubid are close then?”
Sir Burchard nodded, “Before I left, I spoke with the Hochmeister. He gave me a much better picture of this land. The journey we are undertaking is one hundred and twenty miles from Acre to Jerusalem. That sounds like a great distance yet it is less than thirty miles east to the land ruled by the Ayyubid.”
I saw some of my knights stare in horror and finger their weapons. William said, “Then we are in danger?”
“Your father would know better than I for I have never fought in this land.”
I shook my head, “I remember a few words of the language and some of the terrain is familiar but all I know of the leaders of the Muslims is what the Hochmeister told
us. What I would say is that we have one-third of our men watch each night for our horses are like treasure. When we stop for water then we have a local drink it first, for they would happily poison it to kill a Frankish knight.” I stood and addressed all of my knights. “Tomorrow we rise three hours before the sun has risen and we stop two hours after it has begun to warm the land. When we camp and men sleep, then two knights and their men will stand watch. Tonight, it will be my son and me, tomorrow night it will be Sir Robert and Sir Stephen. I know that some of you will think such a duty is beneath you. It is not and it is my command!”
As we had more men than the others, I was able to let half of my men rest during the watch and I sent William to have an hour of sleep. He complained that I needed it but I did not. After he had gone to sleep, I spoke with Padraig and Richard who stood a watch with me. “I want you to watch this road carefully as we ride, for we will have to return this way and we will not have the luxury of a conroi of Teutonic Knights with us.”
“Aye, lord, this is ambush country and no mistake. I like not riding at night but I see that it is necessary.”
“That it is, Padraig, for to ride during the day for long periods would merely ensure that we walked having killed our horses.”
Our second day took us closer to Ayyubid land and further from the safety of Acre. Our squires and pages were given the task of watching the horses. I rode my new palfrey, Willow, but I made certain that we walked almost as much as we rode. It was not easy in spurs but carrying a mailed knight in the heat of Palestine was not easy for any horse. I was tired when we made our second camp but there was still much I needed to know. I learned, from Sir Burchard, of the politics of the Muslims.
“Their leader is Saladin’s nephew, al-Malik Al-Adil. He is the hope of all of us for he gave us Jerusalem and the lands to the east of the Jordan as a buffer against those of his own family who wish to usurp him. It is that fear which has allowed us to strengthen this land but if he should lose control then the flood gates would be opened. From what the Hochmeister told us then I think our allies’ days are numbered. The Seljuks and the Khwarzamians are a threat to the Egyptian Ayyubid. The Khwarzamians lost their land to the Mongols and now seek land here in the west.”