Chapter 88: The Council of War
Lothar, dust-covered from his journey, returned to the main hall of the inner palace keep.
Under the scorching sun, the fully armored Winged Hussars were drenched in sweat. The Varangian Axe Guards, who had been riding packhorses, had already retired to Constance Manor midway to remove their armor and rest.
The climate of the Holy Land was truly unfriendly to the Franks, who mostly hailed from Central and Western Europe.
Lothar himself, however, was unaffected. The Blood Magic Specialization talent had altered his constitution, and with Banu, that mobile little air conditioner, accompanying him, he hadn’t shed a single drop of sweat despite being similarly fully armed, even wearing a thick arming doublet beneath his half-plate.
The gate guards brought over earthenware jugs filled with water. The Winged Hussars took them and, in twos and threes, found shady spots to sip water and rest.
Baron Godfrey, wearing a blue surcoat, arrived in a hurry with Balian and Knight Kevin.
Balian had now also been knighted by Baron Godfrey and was beginning to handle some military affairs for the Knights of Jerusalem. His face still held a trace of youthfulness, but he was much more composed than when they had first met.
The transformation from a blacksmith to a knight, a cavalry officer, and a lord was not an easy one; it required a great deal of time.
"Lord Godfrey, Knight Balian, Knight Kevin." Lothar greeted them in turn, then got straight to the point. "Milord, Saladin’s grand army is already at the gates of Kerak Castle. Do you know how many men they have?"
Godfrey’s face was somber. "According to intelligence, at least thirty thousand. Saladin has not stopped his efforts to consolidate the Saracen world these past few years. He has already unified the entire Sham region (Syria), the northern Fertile Crescent, Yemen, and Egypt. Yet we are now like a pan of loose sand, with more than half our military strength deployed to the north."
The Crusader army that had left Jerusalem heading north actually constituted only a small portion of Jerusalem’s total forces. But originally, it should have been the knightly orders and lords from the north coming south to support the Holy City; now, the situation was entirely reversed. With this shift, the military strength Jerusalem could currently muster was only a little over a third of its peak.
Lothar frowned. Saladin having only thirty thousand troops wasn’t too outrageous. Jerusalem should still be able to gather an army of over ten thousand. If they skillfully utilized the home advantage, it could, more or less, be considered an even match. "If we dispatch troops, whom do you think they will nominate as commander?"
Godfrey replied without hesitation, "Humphrey of Toron, or Amalric of Lusignan."
Humphrey of Toron was the fiancé of Princess Isabella—the daughter of Queen Mother Maria Komnene and the half-sister of Baldwin IV, for whom Baron Godfrey had once tried to arrange a marriage with Lothar.
Not long after Lothar had clearly refused, she had been betrothed to Humphrey of Toron instead. This Humphrey was also a figurehead for the Nobles’ Party in Jerusalem, one of the few remaining.
The other, Amalric of Lusignan—a man bearing the same name as the late king—was Guy’s elder brother and a pivotal figure in the Jerusalem court. He had an excellent relationship with Queen Mother Agnes and also controlled Jerusalem’s city garrison; he was the figurehead of the Queen Mother’s Party after Raynald’s departure.
Lothar pondered for a moment, then sneered. "Amalric is more likely. The balance of power between the two parties is now uneven. Even though Baron Humphrey of Toron has started to exchange glances with members of the Queen Mother’s Party, don’t expect them to fight tooth and nail. Perhaps we two, members of the King’s Party who hold military power, are the ones they most want to oust."
Baron Godfrey said gravely, "Indeed. No matter which of them comes to power, it will not be a good thing for us. But for us to contend for the position of commander is exceedingly difficult."
On the battlefield, being suppressed or given chaotic orders by a superior had extremely severe consequences. The best outcome would be doing all the hard and tiring work yet finding it difficult to gain merit.
"Relax a little. Perhaps there will be a turn of events." A slight smile appeared on Lothar’s face. He clapped Baron Godfrey on the shoulder. "Even in the worst-case scenario, we two still have each other for support."
Baron Godfrey forced a smile. "Let’s go. We’ll head inside first."
Thereafter, nobles and knights arrived one after another. They chatted amongst themselves as they entered the palace, immediately making it as noisy as a marketplace.
With Regent Raymond no longer there to keep them in check, the palace held no trace of sanctity for them anymore.
Many new knights from Europe carelessly pointed at the murals and reliefs in the palace; some even sat directly on the tables, their behavior coarse, their expressions devoid of any reverence.
Amalric of Lusignan, this man who wielded immense power in the Jerusalem court, declaimed with impassioned rhetoric, "Saladin, that infidel devil, has rashly attacked Count Raynald’s territory! But Kerak has been well managed by Raynald! We can provide support to Count Raynald; it’s impossible for Saladin to take that fortress!"
"Exactly! The blood of infidels will dye the Jordan red!"
Someone, without thinking, blurted out their true thoughts, "Let Kerak become a meat grinder! That way, even if the city falls, Saladin will have no strength left to attack Jerusalem!"
Lothar said in a low voice, "Heh, it seems Amalric isn’t so keen on rescuing his accomplice. He plans to sit on the sidelines like a hyena and watch the lions fight. But I don’t think Raynald counts as much of a lion."
The so-called Queen Mother’s Party was merely a rabble brought together by interests. People who disliked Count Raynald were numerous; they only flattered him usually due to his power.
Baron Godfrey saw this very clearly. Although Amalric was the Queen Mother’s favorite, his territories were not rich, and his talent and military strength were very limited.
Given Raynald’s arrogant nature, it was impossible for him to look up to Amalric. In other words, Amalric naturally wouldn’t genuinely commit himself to serving Count Raynald, who looked down on him.
Both were "kept men"; the former was said to be Queen Mother Agnes’s lover, while the latter had acquired the County of Oultrejordain by marrying Countess Stephanie.
And as it happened, both these kept men held themselves in high regard and looked down on each other, which was perfectly normal.
Guy of Lusignan, Amalric’s younger brother, was the first to raise his hand. "I agree! As the so-called ’King of the Dead Sea,’ the County of Oultrejordain is Jerusalem’s eastern bulwark! Jerusalem is currently in its weakest state! Let Count Raynald wear down Saladin’s military strength thoroughly!"
Lothar felt somewhat amused. In the history that he knew, King Guy, who had ascended the throne, was Count Raynald’s steadfast ally and a genuine warmonger. Yet now, he presented an entirely different facade.
Indeed, it was one’s position that truly dictated one’s thoughts.
"The most elite forces in the city right now are the Royal Knights and the Knights of Jerusalem! Why not let these two knightly orders go and support Kerak first! Let us rest and recuperate properly. Once the new recruits are trained, we’ll fight a decisive battle with the exhausted infidel army! We will replicate the glory of Montgisard