Chapter 216 Changes in the Second Kingdom
The parliamentary system of the Second Kingdom is being reshaped, and this reshaping has not been interrupted by smallpox.
As previously communicated between Isabella and Balian, a parliamentary system is being formed that is divided into an upper and lower house, abolishes noble territories, and conducts qualifying elections.
This parliamentary system partially inherited the concept of the feudal system, but it was more deeply rooted in the wisdom that Garris learned from future reality, and was carefully discussed and improved by Isabella and the others.
In the eyes of people like Gareth and Isabella, the parliamentary system has never been able to truly represent the people.
Parliamentarians are just a new type of political creature, motivated by self-interest. They may be eloquent, but their inner enthusiasm for the public interest must be questionable.
Although the parliamentarian system cannot represent the general public, from another perspective, these people can at least represent the minority groups in the kingdom that truly control wealth and power.
Those who have social prestige, strong financial resources and the ability to manipulate public opinion are more likely to become parliamentarians.
Although the institutional framework has been established and the first round of census has been completed, the lower house elections are still in the preparation stage.
This will be the first time in the history of the Kingdom of Jerusalem that a clear system has been used to guarantee the participation of Saracens, sending a signal of reconciliation to the Catholic community, indicating that the Kingdom is cutting off from the past and moving towards a more inclusive society. future.
Of course, no matter how the political system changes, the material foundation that maintains this political system currently depends on the materials provided by Transjordan.
The road from Tire to Arnon has thus become a busy and important trade route.
Caravans and camel teams go back and forth once a month, carrying raw materials that are urgently needed in Transjordan. At the same time, they bring back high-quality and low-cost goods produced in the Arnon Valley, as well as rare luxury goods, creating a bridge between the two places. Prosperity builds bridges.
However, this trade route carries not only ordinary commodities, but also a kind of war weapon that does not belong to this era.
Walter carefully inspected this most precious cargo.
These goods were not the mild steel breastplates just produced by Arnon, nor the priceless floor mirrors, but a batch of maroon gunpowder.
These gunpowders are the result of Transjordan’s secretive technology and are more precious than cannons or shells.
Artillery is durable for decades, shells can be recycled and reused, but gunpowder is a one-time consumable.
Although Tire's workshop, under Balian's auspices, can also produce low-quality black powder as a potential alternative.
But in comparison, this batch of maroon gunpowder is the real key, so its formula is kept strictly confidential and is only produced in the village of Skar, and then sent in batches to various parts of the kingdom by specific caravans.
Walter checked the locks one by one and found no signs of being forcibly opened. Occasionally he would open a box and check the contents.
These maroon gunpowder is not powder or granules, but is made into medicine cakes suitable for direct loading into the gun bore.
The medicine cakes are brown in color and are packed according to caliber and weight. The inside of each box is separated by straw and cloth to absorb shock and prevent the medicine cakes from breaking.
The scale of this business trip is obviously far greater than the previous three times. After all, June is here, the war season is coming, and the land of the Levant is about to usher in a new bloody storm.
After counting the gunpowder, Walter continued to inspect the camp and confirmed that each night guard was properly arranged.
Since Saladin's invasion, the security environment in the Levant has deteriorated sharply. Bandits and horse bandits were rampant, and Turkmen tribes and Bedouin tribes from various places launched frequent attacks, plundering caravans and capturing slaves.
They ignored the contract signed by the Kingdom of Jerusalem and Saladin and blatantly violated the peace.
Walter understands this very well.
During the first trade trip, the caravan was ambushed and three of the accompanying people died.
This became a thorn in his heart, and made him more cautious every time he did business, and tried his best to protect every companion and cargo.
The next morning, when the first rays of sunlight shone on the earth, Walter discovered some anomalies during his patrol - fresh horse manure appeared where the caravan passed, and these obviously did not come from their team.
......
Saladin has been staying in Acre for half a year. Even if smallpox is breaking out now, it cannot affect his layout.
During this period, he continued to consolidate his control over the territory of the former Kingdom of Jerusalem, striving to forge the newly conquered land into an impregnable fortress before the arrival of the European Crusaders.
Because of this, the Turkmen tribes, the Bedouin tribes, the Turkic tribes, and even the Kurdish tribes all regarded the Levant region as their own paradise for a time, and they received some unspeakable benefits from Saladin. acquiescence.
Although this behavior objectively created a large number of refugees; although the Franks mainly lived in various towns, the real victims were the original Muslim groups in the villages; although those original Muslim groups had the same religious beliefs as Saladin; Although...
However, no matter how obvious these contradictions are, the Levant is after all a newly conquered territory; in any case, the food output of this land still needs to serve the war next year; in any case, these tribes can Provide Saladin with a steady stream of mounted warriors.
There is no doubt that Saladin was a feudal lord.
Those once-oppressed Muslim villagers, after celebrating the recovery of the holy city, were ruthlessly pushed into the abyss of reality.
Although the poll tax no longer needs to be paid, the harvest of the fields is still squeezed; a single order from the tax collector is enough to plunge several families into desperate situations.
Frequent plundering among tribes has also made rural security worse.
Faced with these problems, the local Muslim residents asked the garrison for help, but what they received in exchange was additional "protection fees" and promises without substance.
Saladin was not unaware of all this, but he never took it seriously. The conquest of the holy city made him famous in the Muslim world, and these flaws were easily glossed over.
The focus is on the Holy City and the war situation in the Holy Land. For this reason, most Muslims outside Palestine will not see any problem with this.
Someone has to make sacrifices, right?
The plight of those peasants was inconsequential as Saladin focused his sights on a more pressing goal: to meet the Third Wave of Crusade and secure victory.
In addition to relying on the tribe to provide knights, his mind also fell on another thing - the Franks' new weapons.
Although they have thought about the relationship between saltpeter and tubular weapons, the Saracens have never been able to understand the mystery.
Several obstacles stood in front of Saladin, making him realize that it was difficult to build a weapon comparable to the city of Tire with existing technology.
It was at this time that a caravan traveling between Tire and Transjordan caught his attention.
From his informants in the city of Tire, it can be learned that the production of that mysterious weapon is unlikely to come from near Tire.
"How about a raid that I didn't know about?"
Yes, Saladin's agreement with the Second Kingdom was still in effect, and he would never have reacted to such an incident. "Informed".
......
Walter didn't know where the "fresh horse manure" near the caravan came from, but he soon realized that there were uninvited guests secretly watching.
Although the opponent's number was small, it was enough for Walter to understand that the caravan's whereabouts had been tracked.
To this end, the caravan held an emergency meeting, and all members quickly reached an agreement: protecting the caravan's goods and lives is the top priority.
Walter learned the painful lesson of his first business trip and distributed the soft steel breastplates that were to be distributed to the soldiers in Tire City.
This time the merchants were not just transporting goods to Tire, but actually sending the talents cultivated in the Transjordan region over more than a year to Tire.
Assist Isabella and the others to build a more modern central kingdom.
These talent echelons, plus the original guards of the caravan, totaled more than a hundred people, and Marwan from Alhadi Town also participated.
After he expertly put on the breastplate, he also demonstrated the correct way of armoring to his companions.
These mild steel plate armors were made by Shaban himself.
The so-called mild steel is actually low carbon steel.
With the advancement of metallurgical technology in Transjordan, mass production of this material has been achieved through the adoption of fried steel technology.
Compared with the time-consuming and labor-intensive chain mail, the breastplate is cheaper because of its simple manufacturing process.
When making the breastplate, Shaban will first design molds for different parts, and use a hydraulic press to press the heated metal into the mold to cool it and form it.
He will then finish the blank with a hydraulic lathe, and finally assemble the components into a complete breastplate through riveting.
With the help of advanced tools, Shaban can make a breastplate in four days.
The production process of the helmet is similar, but the appearance is slightly rough.
When the caravan members were fully armed, the luster reflected from their breastplates was dazzling in the sun, and they had swords and spears in their hands, they looked brand new, like a well-trained small army.
In a moment, the more than 100 people in the caravan already gave off an overwhelming evil aura.
Because this caravan has to travel hundreds of kilometers, the members of the caravan are strong young men, many of whom have received strict militia training.
Once they put on their chest plate armor, put on their helmets, and held weapons, they immediately looked like an elite division.
Walter reorganized these well-equipped young men and combined them with the original caravan guards to instantly create a team with a considerable number of people and a combat power that seemed not to be underestimated.
Unlike those high-quality chain armors that weigh more than ten kilograms, the chest plate armor made by Yanen only weighs about seven kilograms. With weapons and equipment included, the entire set weighs less than ten kilograms.
This allows caravan members to maintain combat effectiveness for a long time without expending too much physical strength during long marches.
The next day, when the scouts tracking the caravan approached again, they couldn't help but be stunned.
Is this still a caravan? Why did more than a hundred fully armed soldiers appear?
These equipment alone can wipe out the wealth of many small lords! Why do ordinary lords give fiefs to knights?
Isn't it just because of poverty?
To raise knights in a fiefdom, you don’t need to provide horses, armor, or weapons. The knights will even bring their own retinue during battle. It is extremely cost-effective. And the "caravan" in front of me is simply more luxurious than many lords' private armies!
The scout quickly reported the situation back to the tribe, and the news reached the leader's ears, immediately putting the leaders in a dilemma.
On the one hand, Saladin provided a generous deposit, which is a rare job; on the other hand, this caravan looks difficult to mess with, and I am afraid that even with all the efforts of the whole family, it may not be able to do it. Get a bargain.
"What should we do? This business is really difficult."
"How about grabbing a few more villages and running away?"
"How to deal with the envoy sent by Saladin?"< br>
“Isn’t it okay to kill him?”
The veterans in the tribe expressed their opinions and quickly reached an agreement: take the money and run away, and then grab a vote before leaving.
Anyway, Saladin was busy fighting against the Crusaders and couldn't care about them for the time being.
As long as they escape far enough, the deposit will become theirs. You can even defect to the Roma Sultanate in the north and find Seljuk relatives as a backer, or simply go into the Syrian desert. Who can find it in such a high and high place?
In this secret meeting, the messenger sent by Saladin was also forced to participate. He secretly cursed these tribes as parasites, but now these people were enough to kill him. He suddenly had an idea and shouted loudly:
"A few steel swords among the goods of that caravan can replace a village!"
As soon as he said this, the whole audience was speechless. For tribes with limited knowledge, such a product is a fantasy.
"Seriously?"
"It's absolutely true! Now the city of Acre is snatching up these steel swords, but if I want to change my village, I need at least a few more steel swords."
Messenger The value of the steel sword produced in Transjordan is vividly described.
Compared with ordinary swords, these steel swords can be called miraculous luxuries. Cutting iron like clay is the most basic ability!
As they appeared in the market of Tire, although the price has dropped, they are still the top luxury goods that the Levant nobles rush to buy.
Listening to the enticing prospect painted by the envoy, the eyes of the tribal leaders became fiery. They seemed to see themselves as rich and wealthy as a result of their great victory.
The messenger took the opportunity to wipe the cold sweat from his forehead. He sighed secretly, working with this group of greedy insects, his life was almost hanging on the edge of a knife, so how could he talk about revitalizing the great cause of Muslims?
“But those iron lumps are difficult to deal with.” Someone said hesitantly.
"There is a way! I have a way!" The messenger rolled his eyes, and he actually had an idea and came up with a bad idea.
……
Walter didn't really expect that the big guy would be able to fight the horse bandits by wearing chest plate armor. In fact, the main combat effectiveness of this caravan was still the caravan guards.
The main reason why Walter wants everyone to wear chest plate armor is to calm down those around him who have ulterior motives.
However, while marching along the Jordan River, Walter heard the sound of fighting.
A caravan is being attacked, and that caravan also flies the flag of the nobles of the Kingdom of Jerusalem.
The caravan surrounded itself with a large number of carriages to form a barrier to resist the attacks of the riders. Both sides shot a large number of arrows at each other, and many bodies died outside the barrier.
There were not many people in the caravan, only a few dozen people.
From Walter's observation, he could see that there were many women and children in the car barrier, and they could be heard roaring and screaming.
The number of Saracen riders outside the car barrier was not large, only about thirty. They had been galloping around the car barrier, constantly harassing and weakening the caravan's arms, trying to find a weak point and then swarm forward.
"First platoon, second platoon, third platoon! Fight as a team! Let's cross the river!" Walter ordered the caravan members who had just been organized in the past two days.
There is nothing to hesitate. Rescuing a caravan that is being attacked is just a casual thing for Walter and others.
The waves of the Jordan River surged, and the water was turbid, causing ripples and reflecting the sunlight into a dazzling golden light.
As soon as the caravan carriage entered the middle of the river, a dust mist rose on the horizon east of the river. The dust mist was like the beating of war drums, announcing the approach of death.
What followed was a sound of horse hooves that resounded throughout the world, shaking the eardrums of those crossing the river, and making the earth tremble.
The Saracen cavalry were like a black torrent, pouring down from the gentle slope on the east side of the river bank.
They wore simple but flexible leather armor, armed with scimitars and short spears, and some even drew long bows. The whistling arrows rushed towards the caravan crowd like a dark cloud.
Walter stood on the high ground on the west bank of the river, holding his sword tightly, and ordered in a hoarse voice:
"One row to cover! The rest form a formation and hold steady! Prepare artillery!"
His The order passed through the bustle on the river bank, only to be half swallowed up by the rushing water and the whistle of the cavalry.
The dawn of victory and the wealth of gold seemed to shine on the Saracens for a while. They accelerated their horses to the extreme in an attempt to win a quick victory.
There was indeed light shining on them, but it was the flash of flame when the lead came out of the barrel, and the bloody light that penetrated the flesh.
In short, some people fell off their horses, some were beaten into sieves, and some were shocked by this miraculous scene and were beaten into sieves...
However, the Saracens' charge did not stop. Those light cavalry nimbly shuttled through the gaps between artillery fire. Their speed and courage were all ignoring the threat of death.
A small group of cavalry rushed towards the side of the caravan that had not yet formed a formation, their short spears raised high and their scimitars flashing with cold light.
In the chaos, several guards tried to resist, but the impact of the horseshoes was overwhelming.
At this time, both sides of the Jordan River could no longer distinguish between ourselves and the enemy. The sound of water, shouts of killing, and screams were intertwined.
Those caravan guards who failed to cross the river in time were forced to fight in the river. The scimitar and the spear connected, and the splashes of water were mixed with blood, reflecting the tragic brilliance in the sun.
Weapons were knocked out of someone's hands, and someone fell into the river and was swept away by the rapid current.
A guard tried his best and pierced the abdomen of a Saracen cavalryman with a spear. The rider turned over and fell off his horse, but he himself was hit in the shoulder by another man's scimitar and fell screaming. In the river.
Walter was always supervising the battle on the river bank. He drew his sword and shouted loudly:
"Steady! Steady the formation! Keep firing the artillery! We will win!"
The other gun finally adjusted its direction, and the second shell accurately hit the enemy squadron.
When the Saracens, unable to bear their own casualties, chose to flee, the smoke on the Jordan River gradually dissipated.
The river was stained red with blood, floating with broken boards, shields trampled by horse hooves, and countless corpses.
Walter slowly walked down the river bank. His armor was covered with mud. He looked around and found that only half of the remaining caravan members were left. The survivors looked exhausted, but they survived anyway. .
This battle did not involve any sophisticated tactics. It was just an unfavorable battle in unfavorable terrain.
The reason why Walter was able to win was not only because the artillery played some role, but more importantly because they were the ones who filled the front line regardless of casualties, were truly fearless to death, and had the advantage of equipment, which turned defeat into victory.
And those members of the Saracen caravan who were besieged did not know how to face such a group of murderous figures.
Walter originally thought that the matter should be settled, but after thinking about it, he felt something was wrong. He led the soldiers towards the besieged caravan.
He asked the spearmen to stay outside the carriage barracks. He took Marwan and about a squad of soldiers, greeted the Saracens in the carriage barracks, and ordered them to let him in.
Under the slaughter shown by Walter and others, the Saracens tremblingly opened the car barrier and let Walter walk in.
The corpses and blood in this caravan were all real. Walter was somewhat doubtful whether his guess was correct. He ignored the enthusiasm of the Saracen merchants.
He examined the corpses by himself, and then he also noticed that the women and children were different. Many of them had unusual scars on their bodies.
The shackles and restraints on the body, even if they have been removed, can still be seen on the corpse, and the clothes of the women and children tend to be Frankish, rather than Saracen, which is consistent with the merchants. style.
“Come here.” Walter said hello to a girl who was guarded by the caravan guards, but she did not answer Walter’s call. Instead, she pursed her lips tightly and shook her head. shook his head.
Walter sighed slightly, he somewhat understood what kind of trade this caravan was doing.
These people sold slaves.
He walked towards the caravan leader who was still courting Marwan, and Walter asked directly: "You guys killed those corpses on the ground, right?"
That man The caravan leader had a good-looking face. After hearing what Walter said clearly, the smile on his face gradually solidified.
"How could it be? Sir, how could we kill our own people?"
"The Franks and Saracens are not our own people."
Looking at Walter's indifferent eyes, the caravan leader didn't know how to answer. He was a little unsure of Walter's intention in saying this.
"I just counted, including those outside the car barrier, there are a total of eighteen adult male corpses. My request is not too high. I will pick out eighteen of you and give my life for my life." That’s it, I will let the others live, take them to Tire, and then let the kingdom judge them.”
The only thing Walter is sure of is that if he treats the wicked, he will be kind. There will be good people who will be harmed by it.
If we must pursue justice for the evildoers, then who can give justice to the victims who have been violated?
Walter is not a figure like Gareth or the Leper King. He is far from being able to think about problems from a global level or across time and space.
His final choice was to seize every moment, and he hoped to have a clear conscience.
"Eighteen people, should I smoke it, or you can choose it yourself." Walter's words were like the devil's whisper of temptation, leading the moment to a situation he was happy to see.
(End of this chapter)