Rise of Rurik

The baron left the city and came on horseback with his retinue. He saw that the "Metz Army" was so arrogant that they entered his military camp.

And those knights who were loyal to them were actually kneeling down to someone.

"Everyone, get up! Don't kneel! Count Metz is not worthy of your kneeling!"

But no one got up.

The baron was surprised until he saw the purple-robed man wearing a golden crown in person, and couldn't help but tremble all over.

"Then... am I not worthy of your kneeling down and allegiance to me as a noble person?" The man with the golden crown and purple robe held his chin high, his beard fluttering in the wind.

Of course the baron could tell that this man was of noble status, after all, the majestic appearance of the large number of cavalry behind him was really untouchable.

Could this be Count Metz himself? Is an earl qualified to wear a golden crown?

"Who are you?" the baron asked with malicious intent, narrowing his eyes.

"Presumptuous!" The man with the golden crown and purple robe was still arrogant, but his subordinates were already flexing their muscles and eager to try. "I am the noble Duke of Bavaria, the king of the north and east of the empire, the master of all Slavs..." Ludwig announced a series of his titles in a high-profile manner.

"Oh my God! It's you?!"

Baron Edmond of Saverna could never have imagined that the enemy's East King Army would suddenly appear in Alsace as if emerging from a crack in the ground.

I saw Ludwig suddenly draw his sword: "Kneel down! Baron Saverna! Be loyal to me and you will avoid war."

After speaking, he did not give the baron a chance to refute, and only signaled his soldiers with his eyes. Then more than a thousand knights drew their swords one after another, and the sound of metal collision was extremely terrifying.

The kneeling knights who learned about the battle were surprised and frightened. They had no hatred and no good feelings towards the Duke of Bavaria, but their prince was in the camp of the Roman Emperor Lothair after all.

[In view of the general environment,

Ludwig had every reason to attack the whole of Saverna, depose all the nobles, and sack all the villages as an army.

Look at the reality!

Currently, only the Duke of Bavaria and his extraordinary cavalry are present, and Saverna's defenses have been abolished just like this. What's more, there is a terrifying army behind it that can be seen with the naked eye.

"Could it be that my fief can be turned into a decisive battleground?" The embarrassed baron had no time to think about it.

The baron took decisive measures. Now he had no doubts about the "Duke of Bavaria" that the other party claimed. He quickly dismounted his horse and immediately knelt down, pulled out his sword and stuck it directly on the ground.

"Baron Saviner, Joseph Edmund von Savinia pledges his allegiance to the Duke of Bavaria...!" He bit out the last word very hard, even with a hint of gritted teeth.

"Well done." Ludwig was finally willing to lean down. "I can see that you are not particularly willing to surrender to me. However, you will retain all the fiefs you have now, and so will all the knights. I don't need you to do it. My army provides unbearable supplies, so..."

The baron, who was still half-kneeling, was covered in sweat. It was wonderful to listen carefully to the promise of this great nobleman. In other words, this person must have other requirements.

"I order you to join this war immediately, and all your troops will be under my command. When our army invades Strasbourg, capture alive my eldest brother Lothair, who is huddled like a crab under the cracks of the stone, you!" Ludwig pointed his big hand directly at the Baron's face: "You will be rewarded. Now, stay flat."

Edmund was confused and needed a moment to figure out exactly what was going on. Fortunately, his mind moved quickly enough and he realized that he had changed the hall in an instant, and all the measures prepared for the war would be rewritten in an instant.

"Perhaps, things are not so high! As long as the civil war between their great nobles does not destroy everything for me." The baron hoped that his betrayal of Lothair would become a reality. He never had the right to choose independently, but he immediately accepted it. New reality.

The baron and the twenty knights could only hope that the Bavarian army from afar would eventually win.

Based on this idea, in Ludwig's view, he suddenly gained a loyal minister and even an elite new army.

, as well as the entire Saverna peasants, at least two thousand armed militiamen will join the army.

Obviously, Ludwig wanted to expand his advantage in a short period of time to increase his chances of winning. Therefore, he had no intention of attacking Strasbourg directly with a exhausted army.

The Zorn River, which originates from the eastern slopes of the Northern Vosges, passes quietly through this area. It is a small river with an average width of only twenty meters. The river cuts through the city of Saverna. It not only provides residents with water, but also Canals were dug to provide irrigation for farmland throughout the region.

In this era, Zorn did not widen nor dig a canal directly to Strasbourg.

Even though it is a small river, it can still be a barrier that can hinder the advancement of the army, but it is far inferior to large rivers such as the Rhine River. If the army wants to forcibly wade through the river, it needs to find the right ford crossing, or spend some time building a pontoon bridge to go along.

Ludwig had no worries about crossing the river. After occupying Saverna, he could directly use the local wooden bridge, even if it was not a bridge.

The Bavarian, Saxon, Thuringian, and forcibly recruited Brisgow militia were deliberately stationed along the river northwest of the city.

Based on what just happened, he could see that the local nobles were not loyal to his eldest brother. What he wants for the time being is not that these nobles will be loyal to him after changing their stance, or at least not fall into the arms of the enemy again. In order to avoid unnecessary complications, the army deliberately camped outside the city.

In the view of the Baron, this move is really a benevolent policy of the great Duke of Bavaria. After all, as long as they are willing to attack, the small city of Saverna will fall apart in an instant.

The bad march finally came to an end. Once the soldiers who endured the pain stopped, the tight strings suddenly relaxed, and some negative incidents began.

People with diarrhea needed to be nursed back to health, but these people gathered in large numbers on the banks of the Zuon River to defecate. The filth was mixed into the river water, and the soldiers needed the river water to cook wheat porridge and eat hot meals.

The Saxons and Thuringians would wait with interest until the porridge was boiled to a pulp, and the largest Bavarian army was also willing to wait.

Due to excessive hunger, the poor Brisgow militiamen began to feast on the wheat before it was cooked. Eventually, their stomachs were as hard as rocks but they began to suffer from diarrhea.

On the second day after the camp was established, more than 20 people died of severe collapse caused by diarrhea.

Ludwig had no time to care about this. It didn't matter if a few soldiers died of the disease. It was enough that most of the soldiers could fight.

In his opinion, those militiamen really need to be as numerous as possible. Marching will reduce the number of soldiers, and there is nothing wrong with losing some. Even if the loss is large, just recruit them immediately from Savarna.

After all, there must be a large number of serfs here who have fallen due to debt, and they continue to have a chance to turn over.

As long as the serfs are given the gift to fight as soldiers, all debts can be forgiven and even the spoils of war can be distributed, and then their masters are threatened with confiscation of property if they are not released. I would like to ask, which lower-level nobles would oppose this small and reasonable request of the great duke?

Finally, Ludwig entered the city of Saverna without any bloodshed. He had a golden crown and purple robe, and even his personal guards were also gorgeously dressed.

Also entering the city at the same time were Duke Liudolf of Saxony and Lord Thakurf of Thuringia.

The people stood on both sides of the avenue and held their heads high to pay tribute to the great Duke of Bavaria. They cheered and greeted the master of the Eastern Empire with smiles. They had to do this. Everyone was told by the baron that only by coaxing this sturdy and murderous nobleman can peace be achieved in Saverna.

The baron was riding a horse, but he was dressed shabby on purpose. Although he was also wearing a plate armor, the leather and fabric of the skin were obviously damaged. The saddle was old, the stirrups were rusty, and even the iron helmet was obviously rusty.

The baron escorted three nobles from afar into the city. Now Ludwig is the real master of the city, and the baron has become a shabby minion.

A sturdy stone fortress stood in front of Ludwig. He looked at it for a while with a look of displeasure on his face.

"Edmund, are you qualified to live in such a fortress as a baron?"

As if blaming him, the baron hurriedly explained: "Sir, my family only rebuilt a house on the ruins of Rome. Just like the entire city, we rebuilt it, and even the city's drainage channels were repaired.

. "

"I know. You did a great job! Now your fortress is my palace for the time being."

The baron was startled and looked embarrassed.

"Unwilling?"

"I don't dare."

"Don't worry. I'm only staying here temporarily, but your residence is indeed not worthy of the noble me. Keep walking."

Ludwig certainly knew the entire Alsace region, and he had even thought of occupying this place for a long time. However, the late king had to take over the entire Rhine Valley (including the Alsace region) based on the fact that his eldest son would have more wealth. Lothair.

That said, Ludwig didn't really intend to live in this city for a long time. He did not have full trust in the baron and was even worried that he would be attacked and assassinated.

He came to this city only to find a suitable place to hold a military meeting of the nobles, and the newest member, Baron Saverna, was obliged to participate.

The Baron's family records are here. His wife is dressed in plain clothes like a female monk. The eldest son already looks like an adult, while the younger son is still a tiger-headed one.

Seeing Edmund's eldest son, Ludwig already had new ideas.

No, Edmund II (Little Edmund), the eldest son of the baron who was not eligible to attend the meeting, was also forcibly brought here.

what is this? The son with the right to inherit was controlled by Ludwig, and the brat was coaxed by the noble monarch and his blood suddenly boiled.

Edmund didn't understand why his son was so excited that his face turned red, until Ludwig explained it at the beginning of the meeting.

Some of the high stone chambers were very cold, and the cold was sobering. Moreover, it is located at a high place. Looking to the east through the stone window, the mist obscures the phantom of Strasbourg.

Ludwig sat in the most distinguished position, and the others reluctantly agreed with this man.

He first looked at Edmund who was eager to speak: "I know what you want to say. I like your son very much! He can be a brave warrior, but he lacks opportunities! Think about it, Lothair will not give Nobles of your level have greater opportunities, but the noble me is different."

The baron suddenly became excited: "You? Interrupted the promotion of my eldest son?"

"Exactly. Colma." Ludwig pointed out the location clearly. "The palace of Colma is now in Lothair's hands? I intend to give Colma to your family after the victory. I will deny the church's right to The stewardship there, it will become a barony, and your son can become Baron of Colmar."

After hearing this explanation, the baron became uneasy. "Really? I mean, what if..."

"Of course it's true." Ludwig emphasized solemnly: "That must be my palace, and I have a reason to get it. And you... must provide me with the necessary assistance. Do you know anything about Colma? The local garrison has No? Where is the main force of Lothair's army? I heard that he has an army of fifty thousand, is the rumor true?"

Questions came one after another. Of course Edmond knew some inside information, but he could not be sure of his explanation.

The so-called 50,000 troops is just a theory, and Lothair may not know the exact number of troops. But most of them were stationed north of Strasbourg, and a large amount of food was stored in the granary in Colmar.

Ludwig listened with interest, and he became even more happy: "You mean, there are very few troops stationed in Colma?"

"Maybe there are only the managers of the granary. After all, it is the territory under the jurisdiction of the church. Nobles like me have no right to get involved, and the same must be true for other nobles."

"In that case, wouldn't the Colmar Palace become Lothair's residence?"

"No. This is the only thing I can be sure of. The Roman Emperor...oh no, it's Lothair, your enemy. His family is in Strasbourg."

Ludwig couldn't completely believe this: "The palace in Colmar is mine, and the local granary is also mine. Edmund, you have to lead the way for me. And your eldest son will now serve as my knight guard."

"He? My son, is he really qualified?" Edmund asked tremblingly.

"Of course I am qualified. Lothair doesn't know how to fight at all, and I, the great one, am extremely good at fighting. Do you know Count Adalbert of Metz?"

The baron suddenly asked: "What happened to him? Could it be..."

"He was killed by me. Kaiserslautern is mine, and Salgau and Brisgau are also mine. Even if it is the city of Metz, a partial army of mine is about to seize the city. You have to think carefully about who is worthy of your family. The loyal king."

Do you even need to ask? Also sitting here are the Duke of Saxony and the Marquis of Thuringia. The reality is completely different from what the rumors said. Saxony is obviously Ludwig's minion.

The appearance of two northern nobles meant that the northern army joined the war. The addition of the Saxons and Thuringians brought huge changes to the war.

Due to the reality, the Baron told everything he knew clearly, and Colma naturally became the target that Ludwig must win.

The brief military meeting meant that Ludwig's army further expanded, and news about the betrayal of Baron Saville was immediately blocked.

The baron ordered the roads to be blocked and the army to be on alert. Any envoys from Lothair who came would be immediately detained.

Ludwig's huge infantry was temporarily stationed outside the city but all the cavalry was gathering.

There are many "Knights of the Guard" around him, who are actually the sons of some Bavarian nobles. Young people are directly loyal to Ludwig himself. They can get the opportunity to be appreciated and promoted, and they are also hostages under surveillance. Now little Edmund rode happily and directly to his lord.

The baron and his eldest son gathered their own soldiers, and all twenty knights and retinues fought together.

Even Liudov and Takulv joined the action with their own cavalry.

One day's rest was enough for the capable cavalry, and a cavalry regiment with a total strength of three thousand suddenly appeared.

They gathered in the south of Saverna. Ludwig still had the golden crown and purple robe. He personally waved the Three Lions flag and shouted to the entire army: "Soldiers, capture Colma, we will camp there!"

Accompanied by war drums and brass trumpets, the cavalry threw off the infantry and rushed rapidly along the Roman Avenue from north to south in the Alsace region.

Saverna was only thirty Roman miles away from Colma, and the cavalry reached the distance of about fifty kilometers on the same day.

The city of Colmar was actually an undefended city. From Lothair's point of view, this city was located behind the battlefield, and it had large rivers and mountains as a barrier. It could not be attacked no matter how hard it was thought. Of course, the prerequisite for completing all this is that the powerful Earl of Metz does not collapse.

Now Metz's army was completely wiped out, and the safe Colma changed hands instantly.

Ludwig got the Colmar Palace, which was well taken care of by the priests. The honest Roman-style palace was immediately declared to be the real command post of the Eastern Army, and the huge infantry still stationed in Saverna would also be moved here. stationed.

Precisely because he suffered a big loss in the north, he realized that even if he had a chance to win, he still had to hold on to it, not to mention that he didn't have all the advantages now.

The autumn rain season has theoretically arrived, and there is a high probability of rain lasting from several days to two weeks in the future. Such a situation is not good for the war. Although the more unfavorable the environment is, the more likely it is to launch a surprise attack. In fact, Ludwig, who cannot afford to lose, has no choice but to launch a surprise attack. not calm.

He needs to absorb the fruits of victory in Colma, firmly control the large granary here, and transform it into a stable strategic base.

So the army marched straight south, and Colma immediately became a large army camp. The conscription of peasants has begun, and all local debt slaves have their debts forgiven in exchange for joining the army. Anyone who refuses will be executed. Ludwig, who implements an iron fist, keeps his word.

Domineering, he ordered the local church to be loyal, and at the same time announced that the small diocese of Colma would immediately be transferred to the bishopric of Mainz.

His lightning action has not ended yet. It is not yet raining in autumn, and the cavalry has almost no rest. A flag team is heading straight to the city of Basel due south. The city that has been promised as a gift has finally become Ludwig's easily. What's in the bag.

The half of Alsace from where the army crossed the northern Vosges passes to the south of Strasbourg was already in Ludwig's possession, and he theoretically controlled the entire local population, and compulsory conscription had begun.

Why is he so obsessed with going south? As the saying goes, the Bavaria, Saxony, and Thuringian armies that have been on the expedition are already too far away from their hometowns, and the uneasiness of ordinary soldiers is growing day by day.

, the army needs a stable logistics base and the best preparation for possible winter.

The war with the Normans made Ludwig understand the importance of logistics better. It was precisely because of his direct conversation with Rurik that he learned that the king actually prepared six months of rations for the war. This was a huge inspiration to him.

The geographical location of Alsace in the south is extremely critical. Not only is it rich in water and grass suitable for farming, the captured granaries are well stocked, but the people can also forcibly mobilize thousands or even tens of thousands of new soldiers.

The most important thing is that the boat can reach the Leeds High Earldom on the shores of Lake Constance after passing through the relatively rapid turns of the Rhine River. It already belongs to Greater Bavaria! Count Andalhard's allegiance was to Ludwig himself.

Until now, this great nobleman has not asked the nobles in his base area to send troops. Maybe now is the time when he has to send troops.

The fact that the Rhine River is more turbulent does not mean that it cannot be navigated, but the slopes on both sides are extremely steep. As long as it passes through the canyon area, everything is safe.

Many priests had to go upstream in the narrow valley to enter the Lake Constance area, so Cui Cheng sent out some trackers.

But it was not a problem to go down the river, but Frank's ships were all small barges and could not increase the number of troops in large numbers.

What Ludwig needed most was not armed militia. If Count Leedsgaard personally assisted with well-equipped soldiers, even if there were only 200 people, it would have a significant impact on the entire battle situation.

He has already taken action!

Of course, the Roman Emperor Lothair who lived in Strasbourg was not deaf or blind, and the envoy he sent disappeared without a trace.

What happened to the Colmar Granary? Baron Saverna evaporated? The envoy from Count Metz has not come for a long time. What is the situation in Kaiserslautern? Did the envoy who went to Aachen to explore quickly get lost?

He was deaf and blind for a while, and finally told the fleeing envoys the shocking news: The Bavarian army had actually arrived at the city!

"Oh my god, Ludwig, where did you come from? Aren't you in Mainz? Did your army just cross the river from the dangerous gorge? That's fine, I can do it in Cologne Erma will kill you and end the war!" Lothair thought, and his army suddenly adjusted its original tactics.

However, this adjustment is simply a disaster.

A considerable part of the army loyal to Lothair has arrived at the cities of Speer and Mannheim in northern Alsace. He does have an army with a strength of nearly 50,000, but the quality is extremely poor. The gathered militiamen only appeared to be strong in strength, and there were only more than 10,000 armored elites with real combat effectiveness.

Just like his younger brother Ludwig, Lothair did not order all the nobles of the "Imperial Faction" to assemble their elites. He believed that Count Metz, who had exhausted his fiefdom, could devote enough auxiliary troops to win a great victory for himself.

The strategy and tactics were in complete confusion. Even though Lothair wanted to respond to his bad brother with a war that everyone needed, the army that originally planned to move north along the edge of the Northern Vosges Mountains to attack Mainz was ordered to turn back, and its morale was damaged. Not to mention, his physical strength and morale were severely damaged over and over again.

Coincidence also has its inevitability, the sky becomes turbid and dark, the north wind blows across the north-south Rhine Valley, a new autumn rain begins again, it drizzles continuously, no one knows that it is the right end, the only thing that the two parties in the war know is that the war Maybe it will be postponed to early winter, or even this year's war will be postponed to next spring.

Ludwig, who had optimistically estimated that the war would end in the golden autumn, had to surrender to reality. He had to be pragmatic. Fortunately, he occupied the Colmar granary and got in touch with Count Leedsgau. The latter had a great influence on the army. After all, it was a real Bavarian vassal, which meant that the expeditionary army was theoretically fighting at home.

As for Lothair and his army, the situation suddenly became serious. Because he was blocked in the Northern Alsace region of the Rhine Valley, he felt that his communication with the western vassals was cut off. The north and west were vassals loyal to the enemy, and the south was where the local army deployed its troops, and the majestic Roman emperor Actually trapped.

This is the most serious moment that Lothair has faced in his life, and the current situation has become a complete mess. He was unwilling to admit that Ludwig was good at fighting, because this year his territory was under siege everywhere.

Ludwig's conducting is hard to justify.

"I really don't know who is the real Roman Emperor! God, have I been abandoned by you?"