Rise of Rurik

In the area around Lake Ilmen, the muddy ground is being rapidly dried by the cold autumn wind.

The climate has turned colder. Even if the sun returns and the temperature rises, the comfortable days before will never return.

The grass turned yellow, and in order to prepare for the coming winter, Ross, whose horse breeding industry became increasingly prosperous, had to use a large number of manpower to mow the grass on a large scale.

The long-handled giant scythe is equipped with a horizontal guard, and a belt is tied to the lawn mower's waist.

In this way, the workers hold the scythe with both hands and continue to move forward while twisting their waists. The dead grass is neatly waved aside after being cut into pieces. Usually strong men are engaged in this work, and their wives and children often pile dry grass in the accompanying cart with grass tea.

Pasture grows freely, and the key lies in who collects it to supply stables everywhere.

Where there is demand, there is wealth. No need for Lauryurik to personally organize manpower to cut the grass. His cavalry and horses are not short of feed for this winter.

The first snow often begins with a blizzard. It may come at any time and cause the ground to freeze quickly. The Gulf of Finland and the Gulf of Bothnia will also freeze after the blizzard.

Just as Ella estimated, if the expeditionary force was defeated, they would have returned in despair. Defeat is unthinkable! If they have not returned by October, they will basically not return this winter, because too much loot will force the victorious expeditionary force to open its mouth.

Of course Rurik hopes they win a big victory! In this way, he will personally lead the intervention force to intervene in the Frankish Civil War next year, and he will be the first to take the strategic initiative.

Any troop dispatch must be done with a good reputation! Even if the action cannot be justified, then create conditions to make it appear reasonable and reasonable.

necessary.

Do we still need to use hatred to boost morale?

The once arrogant King of the Eastern Kingdom, Duke Ludwig of Bavaria, is now neither an ally nor an enemy. Overall, he is closer to an ally.

The "Northern League" was first and foremost a commercial alliance. Its existence allowed Rus to freely dump goods to the British hinterland, the Principality of Saxony and the lowlands.

There is still the possibility of expanding economic activities, and over there is Reglaf, who is sent to expand his business in the more distant France and Aquitaine regions. He was his de facto eldest son because his mother was a captured princess. This origin allowed him to inherit the throne of Mercia, but he had to cut off from Ross.

At least the bloodline is connected!

Reglaf went to Tours with Bruno, the eldest son of the Duke of Saxony, and Rurik hoped that the historical context of France would be included. As long as the Robert family, who immigrated with his family, can gain a foothold in Tours, based on a series of previous deployments, Ross will be able to establish a monopoly trade with the Loire region of France and actively expel the Vikings who invade this area.

Who are the Vikings? Now Rus is a kingdom! To continue to be a pirate would be detrimental to the glory of the kingdom.

Piracy is of course difficult to eradicate, but at this time, at least at the national level, Ross denies the legitimacy of piracy. This does not mean that the Ross people have become good men and women based on their conscience, but it is precisely that piracy has given way to a more advanced country. Invasion.

Now, it is Ross who intervenes in the Frankish Civil War in the name of the kingdom. At least for Ross, the era of piracy is over, and all that is left is the expansion of the kingdom! Just like Frank, who once expanded crazily.

….

Over the past 842 years, each of Ross's three major shipyards has built its own ships.

Roseburg and New Roseburg, two coastal shipyards are busy building standard armed cargo ships. They are really all-rounders of the ocean in today's era. They are cargo ships, trawling (or collective fishing) fishing boats, and they can also be slightly modified into warships and troop carriers. .

The royal family has no orders. The increasingly prosperous business has made merchants pay more and more attention to this kind of ships. Orders are coming in one after another. The two shipyards are always running continuously. While the wealth is rolling in, it happens to be the tax holiday granted by the emperor. Craftsmen are in order to make more ships. Big interests are building ships with great efficiency.

Of course, those who can afford expensive armed cargo ships are mostly local businessmen from the Kingdom of Rus. Because of the war dividends, a group of old Russian families were unwilling to settle down and become farmers. They were content with their fishing life since ancient times and never regretted their choice. traditional paddling

Longships are needed, and more advanced sail-armed cargo ships are needed.

Because Frey, the God of Wealth, has never hinted that fishermen can only make a fortune by fishing, and they can also do ocean trading as second-rate traders. Moreover, armed cargo ships are an upgrade of traditional longships. With them, fishermen can boldly pass through the Denmark Strait and go to The huge North Sea fishes high-quality Atlantic cod, and then transports it directly to the Netherlands in the lowlands for sale, and everything can be better.

In Novgorod, the shipyards here focus on manufacturing river vessels due to their geographical characteristics.

Catamarans are no longer unusual, and it is not uncommon to install wooden decks in parallel to form floating island-style barges.

Even human-powered water steamers with wooden pedals are no longer unusual. Sea-going ships and inland river ships, the styles of ships are constantly changing.

The number of ships is increasing rapidly every month. Even in the cold and boring winter, the three major shipyards with the background of the Russian royal family and a number of small private shipbuilding institutions will continue to be busy, because they really will not let go of the wealth.

Behind all this, one thing is very clear - the citizens of Ross have an extremely strong demand for wealth.

And this is enough reason to start a war.

Is the Rus Kingdom really rich now? Wealthy, but the main wealth is in the hands of some senior people. Ask yourself, Rurik is the person with the most wealth!

The fundamental reason for this situation is that for the past ten years or so, Luo Ji has been feasting on war dividends every year. According to the "dividend rules" passed down from the tribal era, the powerful people in the tribe get the big head, and the leader gets the big head. At most, ordinary people can still drink soup.

Now ordinary Rus tribesmen have become at least a little rich, but there are still a large number of people from Sweden, the Suomi region of Finland, and all kinds of people in the Slavic world who have not enjoyed the war dividends brought by expansion. They are still poor and envious of those war madmen. Get rich from the spoils of war.

The people supported the war because for more than ten years Rus had never lost. The new generation grew up knowing that Rus went from victory to victory. They were eager to fight, especially as the new generation of Rus. These boys were unruly and unruly. I hope to do better than my parents.

As for those people, especially the immigrants from many tribes in Sweden, the young people, although they were named Rus, did not get rich by plundering the spoils of war. These people also supported the war.

….

Thank you so much Ai

Erla produced the investigation report. Rurik trusted his wife and believed that the conclusion she obtained by summarizing the information was true.

Ross is like a pile of dry firewood, which can explode into a raging flame with just a spark.

Increase troops! We must increase our troops! Opportunities must be given to a large number of young people with the blood of the old Ross tribe in Novorosberg, Novgorod, and Mstisk. These boys were not eligible to join the citizen army last year because they were not old enough. Hanukkah will be in two months. After the festival, they will reach the age of twelve and become adult men in the traditional concept, just like Ross in the tribal era. These boys Obliged to join the army to defend the tribe.

Such is the tradition, and so is the law established by Rus. Rurik thought it was time to give them a chance, and more importantly, give them a status.

However, most of the members of the two cavalry teams that Rurik recruited in the summer were descendants of the old Rus. They are not citizen soldiers, but standing armies who are paid. The boys who can be absorbed into the standing army are all outstanding ones who have passed special tests. As for those who fail, they are not losers, but they have basically no chance of becoming standing army soldiers.

As for citizen soldiers, it was originally stipulated that only people with old Russian blood could form a standard corps to participate in the war. Regulations must of course keep pace with the times. The current situation is that tens of thousands of Slavic youths are not just people who are obsessed with farming and reclaiming wasteland. As long as they are given the opportunity, they can pull out a poorly trained army in a short time.

When the young descendants of Old Rus join a tribe, they need to select outstanding ones from other ethnic groups in the kingdom to join the team. The Slavs had a large population and absorbed

If the best are incorporated into the army and trained, Ross's war potential is immeasurable.

So, would a flag corps composed entirely of Slavs be appropriate? Maybe not appropriate.

only

Judging from the performance of Medvet, the uncle of the state and the governor of Novgorod, this guy was born into a noble family and had great achievements. As an extremely important relative, it is inevitable for him, who is in his forties, to rely on his high achievements. Arrogant and domineering in Novgorod.

Medvet only dared to be domineering towards the local Slavs. He was too smart to cause trouble when facing the Russians, and he still respected old Otto, who was retiring in Novgorod, like a real father.

Only Medved's father Rigus, an old man much younger than Otto, has aged even more after a lifetime of hard work, and is still living.

Of course Rurik needs Medvet. This uncle can coordinate the relationship between the farms around Lake Ilmen, but the army in this man's hands...

Rurik does not want to take over power now. Medvet is still young and powerful. If there is a war in the future, he will have the opportunity to lead troops to fight.

Against him, the military power cannot be deprived, but Medved's military power can be diluted by expanding the size of the army. Of course, if the newly formed flag corps were all Slavs, wouldn't this group of people be more likely to be more inclined to listen to Medvet, a Slav noble?

A good way to solve this problem is to mix it up, like the 1st Cavalry, which is a mix of old Russians and Slavs.

Ross must expand its army and add a new batch of citizen flag corps to give aspiring young people of all colors a chance to ensure that Ross has a group of reserve forces that can be called upon at a surprise call.

….

How many people should there be in the reserve army?

"Ten thousand people. If I

With 20 reserve soldiers and 10,000 flag corps, plus the existing standing army, the scale is about 13,000. I can handle most challenges. Ten thousand people is not the end point. When my kingdom gets bigger, more citizen soldier reserve soldiers will be needed! Maybe fifty thousand people? But now I can't increase troops quickly, I need to do it gradually. Then... first increase the number of four flag troops. "

Rurik wants to increase the number of troops. Of course, as a monarch, he can decide how many troops to increase.

Considering that this is a major military matter, it still needs to be carefully studied with the local boyar nobles and Russian nobles in Rusdumari in Novgorod. Although I have a plan, I still need to listen to the opinions of the local nobles. . Because a large number of soldiers come from the local area, especially if the local nobles have doubts, it will be difficult to implement the military expansion quickly. What will also be delayed is next year's expedition and all military activities in the not-too-distant future.

Because this time, Rurik is willing to strengthen the proportion of Lady Lyslav in the expeditionary force. This is a reward for them and a protection for the descendants of the old Russians. The former need the opportunity to fight and make meritorious service to seize spoils of war, while the latter are really young and need some years to grow up before they can be recruited.

In the Rus Duma in Novgorod, this honest parliament is literally carved into a longhouse. The complex textured wood carvings that mix Viking and Slavic styles are all praises to the gods, as well as a large number of things made purely for aesthetics. decorate.

During this period, the flames of the hanging oil lamp matrix were beating continuously. The nobles who gathered here under the king's order learned the basic information in advance and were interested in the matter.

The future recruits are gearing up, and the supportive attitude is reflected on their smiling faces. The last time they were so happy was when they were celebrating a good harvest and faced a warehouse full of wheat grains.

The main Slavic farm boyar aristocracy gathered here.

The wealth of these people is increasing day by day, and they have enjoyed huge dividends from the expansion of Ross. The bearded people all wear mink hats and thick bearskin coats. The belt must be made of cowhide, and there are a lot of amber and beeswax decorations on it.

They all ordered their own steel swords, which also had gold-plated scabbards and were inlaid with gems. The aesthetics of these people are highly consistent, and who is the richest has become an enduring topic of discussion.

The boyar noodle kings were also asked to remove their meat-cutting knives.

All the nobles of all levels in Rus Duma were bare-handed, with the exception of one person, King Rurik.

Of course, what hangs on Rurik's waist is only a gold-plated dagger, which matches his military uniform, making him look extremely gorgeous and majestic.

The Kingdom of Rus, both the old Rus nobles and these Slavic boyars, are getting better and better.

Everyone dressed more and more gorgeously and regarded the slovenly image of the past as "shameful."

Their pursuit of wealth can be clearly expressed in the constant change of clothing.

"The King of Supply has arrived!" the guard waiting outside the door shouted, and the noisy scene in Ross Duman became quiet.

A pair of eyes stared at the temporarily closed main door, which was suddenly pushed open by a pair of strong hands.

….

The visitor was none other than the young king Rurik.

He entered the room and immediately scanned the entire lobby.

"The seats are packed! Looks like the person who should come

They're all here. As for those who may be late, I will not wait for them. My old friends, let's get started right away. "

Rurik performed very competently, and his voice echoed throughout the long room. The nobles dressed in animal-like clothes stared at the king standing on the podium wearing a golden crown and a golden sword around his waist.

"The news has been conveyed to you, and you have all learned the basic information. Now I make a formal statement!" He slammed the wooden table in front of him to attract everyone's attention again: "At the beginning of this year, our expeditionary force set off for Aachen. Obviously, They won't be able to move back this winter because they took too much loot. They will continue to fight in the Frankish world and seize greater profits next year.

Just ask! Can we stand by and watch? ! How can we miss this good opportunity to plunder wealth? !

Therefore, the king intends to lead the expedition in person. Remember, all this is a continuation of the War of 840. The target of my attack is also the Eastern Kingdom among the Franks, and I have adjusted my attack to target the Middle Kingdom.

It is said that there was a king named Lothair, who was the first monarch of the Franks. It was he whom our expeditionary force attacked. One attack is obviously not enough. Besides, if only one of our partial troops was able to severely damage it, wouldn't it mean that we would have all the glory to ourselves? Do you agree? I! Rurik, your king! Must have the greatest honor. Only I can defeat that Lothair..."

Rurik, who was standing on the podium, seemed to be talking to himself. His words were impassioned, but only a few nobles heard about the "enemy of Rus" named Lothair.

They continued to listen to Rurik's preaching.

"I will expand the army, you all pay attention. The initial plan is to expand the four flags

Team, totaling 2,000 people. The reason why I have called you all together is to tell you that the eighth, ninth, tenth and eleventh flag corps that will be newly formed this time will be different from the past. This king is fair, and any outstanding young man who intends to serve in the Russian conquest will be given the opportunity to fight. He could be a descendant of the old Russians, a descendant of the Mellarens, a descendant of the Danes, or a boy from the same village as the boyars. The new flag corps will be taught and captained by veterans of other flag corps, and ordinary soldiers will be a mixture of various ethnic groups..."

Rurik's claim immediately caused a small sensation. Some were surprised, some were ecstatic, and some were skeptical.

There is only one source of suspicion. The so-called descendants of old Rus are thriving, and these boys have priority to be incorporated into the flag corps. The seventh flag corps, which is almost entirely composed of boys from Mstisk, is a clear example.

Rurik's idea of ​​"equal rain and dew" is popular with most people.

Just like the 1st and 2nd Cavalry of Russia, the soldiers are standing armies, and their origins can be described as diverse. The Slavic boyar nobles here have their sons and nephews serving in the cavalry. Now they will This is regarded as a great honor.

In fact, everyone knows that those who are incorporated into the standing army enjoy a life without worries about food and clothing. They have the right to give priority to combat and can seize the best trophies. Because the equipment is too sophisticated, the probability of death in battle is not high. Most of the people who can be selected into the standing army are descendants of the old Russians, and the remaining members are the best of the best from various ethnic groups.

….

Now the standing army has added a new navy this year, as well as two new cavalry units.

Among the existing seven citizen flag corps,

Six of them were composed of blond Varangians who spoke Norse. The only Slavic banner was composed almost entirely of boys from White Tree Manor and nephews of these early dragon followers. The banner was Novgoro One of Germany's garrison troops, commanded by the governor and uncle Medved.

Can

It is said that the population is rushing to 300,000 people in the Slavs around the lake. They are the most populous. In the past era, only a few elites were actually organized into the army system of the Rus kings.

Apparently according to Rurik's arrangements at the meeting, the innovation began in the late autumn of 842.

"Four infantry standard corps, the transferred veterans will be the captains, and the rest of the soldiers will be selected through competition. I don't care about your origins, after all, you are all part of Ross. I only care about whether these recruits are seasick, brave, and strong. , whether you can withstand the severe cold, put aside those past arrogance and prejudices, and rely on strength. The gods will always favor warriors with true strength."

Citizen soldiers usually serve the people and gather for training regularly. If there are soldiers, they will immediately return to the team to reorganize and join the battle.

The purpose of the expansion is to cope with the new expedition to Frank that will be launched next year around the spring plowing period. The newly expanded army will enjoy this honor.

Since the king wanted equal opportunities when it came to conscription, he also relied on strength to select the best when it came to formal conscription.

Among the most numerous local Slavic boyar nobles, the king has indeed liberalized conscription authority, and any young man among the village chiefs has the opportunity to become a citizen soldier of the kingdom.

what does that mean? Ordinary farmers may not be able to figure it out for the time being, but the boyars meeting here know very well that the king has given all the boys on my farm the opportunity to change their destiny.

As for whether they can give me a chance, it all depends on the abilities of these brats.

The reborn star fruit