Chapter 200 The trivial matters of the Anru family
The royal power has dominated the disputes in Europe for nearly a thousand years.
With the marriage of Isabella's grandfather, Count Fulk of Anjou, to Melisende, the daughter of King Baldwin II of Jerusalem in 1131, the birth of a new royal family was announced - Jerusalem Anjou.
At the same time, Fulk's eldest son Geoffrey de Anjou married Matilda, the daughter of King Henry I of England.
The princess was the granddaughter of William the Conqueror.
This move added another powerful branch to the Anjou family - Plantagenet Anjou.
Geoffrey "Plantagenet" secured claims through marriage and conquered Normandy.
According to the Treaty of Westminster, after the death of King Stephen of England, the son of Geoffrey and Matilda successfully inherited the throne of England, and Plantagenet Anjou also emerged as the royal family of England.
The Angevin family divided into two branches over the course of history and controlled the two kingdoms. At its peak, its territory included the entire England, Jerusalem, half of Ireland, and most of France.
As for the land in France, in addition to the ancestral territory of Anjou and the Normandy territory, there is also a share from Eleanor of Aquitaine.
Eleanor, born in 1122, was forced to marry the French dauphin Louis VII at the age of 14.
In 1148, she participated in the Second Crusade with Louis VII. During the journey, rumors spread that she fell in love with her uncle Raymond and even attempted to elope.
Louis VII was furious and imprisoned her.
Afterwards, Eleanor gave birth to Louis' second daughter, but the marriage ended because the French king lacked a male heir.
As Duke of Aquitaine, Eleanor owned a quarter of France.
At the same time, the existence of forced marriage was generally recognized in Europe at that time, which made it possible for her to be captured by a male lord at any time after the divorce and forced to marry, thus reducing the Principality of Aquitaine to a dowry.
With a dash of romantic and practical resentment, Eleanor arrived in Poitiers and quickly sent an envoy to ask Henry Plantagenet of Anjou, Duke of Normandy, to marry her.
This marriage united a quarter of France and another fifth.
At the same time, Henry II was still the heir of England. After this, the cornerstone of the true rise of the Anjou family was laid.
If this can be seen as Eleanor's revenge, then her marriage to Henry undoubtedly led to France's embarrassing situation for hundreds of years to come.
In the early days of the Hundred Years' War, France lost most of its land. In fact, this was not due to England's invasion, but to France's own internal divisions, which made the land seem to have been voluntarily given to England.
Because both William the Conqueror and Henry Plantagenet later had their roots in France, their great self-identity was not purely British.
The marriage between Eleanor and Henry II was not a happy one. Henry II had character flaws and particularly prominent problems in educating his children. In addition, he partyed with his lover every day.
Although the second son Henry Jr. was crowned as co-ruler, Henry II did not give him the power he deserved, which also caused the beginning of turmoil in England.
King Louis VII of France, Henry the Younger's brothers and many nobles, plus Eleanor, all became forces against Henry II.
The rebellion was eventually suppressed, but the situation was not completely calmed down.
Young Henry died of illness during a battle with Henry II. Before his death, he longed for his father's forgiveness, but the two could not see each other until their death.
It is rumored that Henry II's death made Henry II sentimental. He once sighed: "He has brought me a lot of pain, but I still hope that he can live and continue to cause pain."
Little Henry's death did not bring closure.
After Richard "Lionheart" rectified his strength, he challenged his father again. This time he received the support of King Philip II of France.
It is said that when the relationship between the two is good, they can sleep in the same bed.
The "father's kindness and son's filial piety" between Plantagenet and Anjou stirred up the situation in Europe.
But because of the fall of Jerusalem, family conflicts in Western Europe had to be put aside for the time being. The eyes of Catholic countries began to pay attention to the situation in the Holy Land
Back in January 1188, while Gehrys was still in prison in Cyprus, Saladin launched an attack on the city of Tire.
The city of Tire is small in area, roughly about 0.7 square kilometers. It is a peninsula shaped like a peninsula surrounded by the sea on three sides and protruding from the mainland to the ocean.
This actually means that Tire's city wall is quite short compared to its city area, only 700 meters long.
According to the situation in the Middle Ages, as long as the 700-meter city wall can maintain about 600 defenders, it is indestructible.
After all, no matter how large an infantry legion Saladin assembled, the number of troops he could deploy at one time was limited due to the limited length of the city wall.
Without a large number of artillery that can quickly destroy the city wall, it is actually quite troublesome to destroy the city wall.
This is why many small cities are actually better defended than big cities.
The rain of arrows, with a scream that broke through the air, was thrown towards the wall in waves.
The fire jars filled with petroleum extract mixed with saltpeter also drew scorching arcs in the air and crashed into the city with blazing flames.
The fire was accompanied by splashes of grease, and thick black smoke billowed in the air, mixed with the pungent smell of burning wood and cloth, which was suffocating.
There are fire-fighting teams everywhere, and most of these teams are organized by Italians.
In this busy and chaotic situation, there is panic everywhere, but there are people putting out fires everywhere.
Isabella walked through the chaotic streets with several escorting knights and an entire platoon of soldiers.
She looked at everything in the city, especially the Italians.
The girl told the knight beside her the history of these Italians.
In 1124, Venice assisted the Kingdom of Jerusalem in capturing Tire, and thus obtained one-third of the Tire territory.
It can be said that the success of the Crusader countries in the Levant was inseparable from the support of Italian city-states. The Italians provided troops, finance, markets, and commodities.
What the Kingdom of Jerusalem gave them in return was privileges and land.
Before Saladin's army first attacked the city, Conrad organized his fellow villagers into traditional Italian urban communes and took over the city of Tire.
"Our Crusader countries, before Saladin's invasion, had nearly a hundred communities established by Italians or Europeans."
“These communities have their own jurisdiction and autonomy, and many of them don’t even need to pay taxes to the Kingdom of Jerusalem.”
“For them, the Kingdom of Jerusalem is a ‘colony’, and they are the first class of people in this colony except the nobility.”
The Latin origin of the word colonization is colonia, derived from the Latin verb colere, meaning "to cultivate" or "to inhabit".
This is not a later concept. In ancient Rome, colonia referred to a settlement composed of Roman citizens or retired soldiers, usually established in conquered areas or border areas to consolidate control of these areas.
Isabella said that the Italians who put out the fire were colonists, which was actually a cut.
She placed Jerusalem, a country founded by the Crusades, on the colonized side.
When she said these words, Isabella, a girl with half Greek blood, had a calm look on her face.
Her eyes were clear and deep, marble-like blue-grey.
To this day, she still does not have long hair, but retains a length that reaches her earlobes.
This makes her face more three-dimensional and makes her less traditional weak, but adds a bit of bold temperament.
Passing by the fire scene, Isabella not only did not go to "put out the fire" personally, but she also did not assign the knight beside her to go there.
The Italians are handling it very well. If Isabella and the others intervene, they may only become more chaotic, but their hands are tied because of Isabella.
"In our land, the Saracens will say that they are the people of Islam, and the Orthodox will say that they are Greeks."
"The Genoese in Tripoli never feel that they are from Jerusalem. Of course, the Venetians in Tire and the Pisa people in Acre also think so."
"Franks like Leonard who came from the west would never regard this land as their homeland."
"Just because, in their eyes, Jerusalem was conquered."
When she mentioned the words "conquered", Isabella pursed her lips slightly and her eyes flickered.
It was as if the conquered were not just the local Saracens, not just the Greeks who still paid "Gizia".
There are people like her who are also the conquered party.
"Who are the people who really think that they are members of the Kingdom of Jerusalem and this country? It's you and me."
Isabella and the others are the nobles of this land, with their own wealth and land. They were born and grew up here, but they are nothing when they leave here.
Russell and others who followed Isabella and Garris represented a group of localized Franks who thrived on this land.
They cultivated olives, grapes, wheat, barley, and dates in the countryside. They broke away from the old community and became the prototype of a new nation.
But both the local nobles and the localized Franks were a minority in the kingdom.
"For these Venetians, Genoese, Pisa, Marseilles...their purpose of coming here is to make money, their hometown is Italy, and their motherland are those Italian city-states."
"Once the Kingdom of Jerusalem cannot provide generous rewards, or there is a conflict of interest with them, then they will abandon us."
"Who can we rely on then? The pitiful local Franks like us?"
Isabella did not answer her own question, nor could the knights behind her.
Where can people like them go after their country is destroyed?
Their homeland is Palestine...
Following Isabella's words, the group of them walked through the chaotic streets and arrived at the most luxurious mansion in the city.
In fact, if measured by European standards, this is actually not just a luxurious residence, but a palace and a palace.
The "Leprosy King" Baldwin IV once stayed here to recuperate.
Several suspicious guards guarded the gate.
Seeing Isabella and her party walking here, they subconsciously faced each other with halberds.
But Isabella's dress confused these guards.
The girl is wearing a heavy robe belonging to the royal family. The background color of this robe is noble Tyrian purple, and the brocade is covered with exquisite gold thread patterns, making it look particularly heavy and gorgeous.
The neckline of the robe was slightly open, revealing her slender swan-like neck. In this authority that cannot be ignored, her slightly childish face was highlighted.
Isabella pointed the top of her scepter at the guards who had drawn their swords.
This scepter inlaid with rubies and pearls was not tailor-made for her, so it was uncomfortable to hold. But this does not prevent her from showing the coldness of the monarch.
"Get out of the way, I'm here to see my sister."
Her lips pursed slightly, revealing reserved perseverance.
The guards were at a loss. They recognized Isabella, but they did not dare to let the group enter the palace.
Seeing that the guards didn't respond for a while, Isabella glanced at the knight next to her.
After receiving the look, there was a sound of drawing swords, and the knights holding shields protected Isabella behind them.
As for the heavily armed infantry, they began to load the crossbow bolts in front of the guards.
With just one command, the guards can be turned into hedgehogs.
The guards at the door felt a chill. After gauging the strength of both sides and looking at each other, they retracted their weapons, got out of the way, and knelt down on one knee to express submission.
Isabella, escorted by the knights, slowly entered the palace step by step.
It's as if this is her home and she is the master here.
Although he did not wear a crown, he achieved the majesty of a king because of his marble-like calmness.
The knights wordlessly pushed open the doors and opened the passage for Isabella.
Nothing could stop her, and Isabella didn't stop until the last door.
……
This is a baby's room, and because there is only one small window, very little light comes in.
Because of the climate and season, the room was damp, cold and a little dark.
Although it has never snowed, due to the humidity, it seems that no matter how much clothes you put on, the cold will penetrate your bones.
"Sleep, my child, the night is deep;"
"Sleep, my baby, the wind blows gently;"
"Sleep, my dear, the night is about to pass;"
"Mother is by your side and will never leave you..."
In such a room, someone was rocking the cradle, coaxing the child in the cradle, trying to make it fall asleep.
Sibylla showed her motherhood, making her even more beautiful. It was a hazy feeling of both purity and lust, and her astonishing curves were enough to make any normal man lustful.
No one would have thought that she had given birth to five children, and now she was taking care of her youngest daughter, Alice.
But the screams outside the palace, even if there was only a few echoes left after being transmitted into the room, the despair and pain mixed in them still made Alice feel terrified. Although she did not cry, she was afraid in her heart.
Just then there was a knock on the door, which surprised Sibylla.
"Open the door for me, Ivita. Someone may have sent a message." Sibylla ordered the old woman not far away.
After receiving the order, the old woman went to open the door of the baby room.
The moment the door was opened, the room became brighter.
Plenty of light shines through the corridor window into this dark room, bringing this small, isolated room back to the human world.
But what came with it was not only the light, but also the cries of the people in Tire.
Alice, who was two and a half years old, cried loudly along with the people.
However, Sibylla had no time to comfort her, because when she looked at the door, in the overflowing light, she saw a "dead person".
Sibylla couldn't help but shudder from the soles of her feet to her scalp. The ghost that passed away could actually return to the world!
"Baldwin?"
She muttered something to herself.
When the "old friend" stepped into the dim room from the abundant light, the gold thread on the robe no longer shined.
Only then did Sibylla see clearly who was coming.
She was silent and a little embarrassed about it, trying to look away, not wanting to look at him.
But everything is irreversible.
How long exactly? How long had the intimacy between them disappeared? Three years? Five years? Even seven years?
Sibylla rummaged through the depths of her memory and finally found a warm picture. She was still pregnant at the time, having lost her first husband, and Isabella's mother never remarried.
The sisters lived in the palace on the Temple Mount with the Leper King who had just taken over. Isabella, who was only five years old, often leaned close to her belly, listened to her unborn child, and laughed as clear as a silver bell.
Was that nine years ago, or ten years ago? At that time, Isabella was almost like her own daughter, loved and loved by Sibylla and the Leper King. They are thirteen years apart. In today's era, they are as far apart as a generation.
Then, Isabella followed her mother to marry Balian and moved to Ibelin.
However, everything changed quietly when Isabella married Balian with her mother and moved to Ibelin.
From that day on, Sibylla felt that she had lost a bright rainbow in her life. The pistachio that made her laugh was no longer there, and her boring days became even more empty.
Unconsciously, the years passed by like sand, and the two sisters became strangers.
If you want to get something, you will have to give up something. In the past, when she was encouraged to become king, Sibylla was immersed in luxury.
Until now, after the Kingdom of Jerusalem was destroyed in the wind, she had found the peace she had forgotten in the past.
But there are some things that Balian has already told her.
Renard, together with Guy, had instructed the Bedouins to attack Isabella's convoy.
On one side is the husband, on the other side is the sister who is as close as a daughter.
Caught in the middle, Sibylla could not show the will that matched her status as Queen of Jerusalem.
"Sister, abdicate."
A gust of wind came from behind Isabella, causing her robe and short hair to flutter, making her look even more majestic.
Alice's crying became louder and louder, but Sibylla paid no attention to it.
Loneliness clung to her heart like a vine, and when she looked back at the past at this moment, she was shocked to realize that she was about to lose everything.
Does she really care about the crown? Did you really wear this crown for yourself? She suddenly questioned: What is the reason for becoming king?
Is it for power? No, that's not the case.
It's not so much for myself as it is for Guy.
She longed to give the most precious thing she could give as a gift to her beloved husband.
Even if it meant going against the Leper King's wishes, she didn't hesitate.
She could not foresee the fate in the distance and could only focus on the obsession in front of her. At that time, she only had Guy in her eyes. As long as Guy's wish was to be king, she put aside the promise she made during her coronation and gave him the throne.
After the death of her biological son, Baldwin V, in August last year, Guy persuaded her to no longer abide by the Leper King's will and inherit the throne directly.
During her ascension to the throne, in order to appease the opponents, she promised to divorce Guy after her coronation and select a more suitable king from the nobles to rule Jerusalem.
Of course, Sibylla broke her promise.
When Patriarch Irakli crowned her during her coronation in the Church of the Holy Sepulcher, he asked who would replace Guy.
Sibylla ordered Guy to come forward and kneel before her in front of everyone's shocked eyes.
She calmly took out another crown that she had prepared and crowned him.
That moment was the craziest and happiest time in her life - she gave the most precious gift she could give to the one she loved.
A woman, a woman deeply in love... At that moment, she completely forgot about the Leper King's advice.
[Sister... If you really love Guy, then when you become king, you must stay away from him... He is not enough to protect you from the wind and rain, and the waves that the kingdom will face will destroy you... …torn to pieces. 】
She remembered Irakli's angry eyes at that time, but Sibylla didn't take it seriously at first.
Now, Sibylla once again saw the shadow of Baldwin in Isabella, which was the magnanimity of a king.
Even though they have never been crowned, people like Baldwin and Isabella live for their own will. Because of their indomitable will, they dare to take everything for themselves.
"Bella."
Sibylla's words were laced with bitterness.
"You can stop Saladin, right?"
"Yes."
"Are you so confident?"
"Yes."
"Why?"
While Sibylla was asking questions, Isabella had already approached the cradle and helped Sibylla rock Alice's cradle.
"Princes and nobles of Jerusalem, our evil deeds have caused the wrath of the Lord to burn. We have turned away from the right path, drunk on power, and walked away from the destiny of heaven. The wrath of the Lord is like a strong wind, and destruction is coming. The collapse of old Jerusalem is just like the previous one. The people wandered into the desert, and the ruins of ancient Israel became a thing of the past. How could the destiny of God be reversed? ”
"The will of the Heavenly Father will eventually be accomplished, like a river flowing smoothly. But He also said that a new kingdom will rise from the ashes, and like a new dawn, it will surely come and illuminate all nations."
“All of this has been determined by God.”
When she said these words, Isabella was thinking of Garris.
They had only been separated for a few days, and they were already thinking about and worrying about her day and night, but she carefully hid them all.
2-in-1
(End of chapter)