Rise of Rurik

The white flag has been the symbol of war negotiations since Roman times.

The Baron of Nassau understood this truth and hoped that the Normans would understand it.

He led his troops out of the forest and waved the white flag hard outside the bridgehead river beach, decisively attracting the attention of Ross's sentry.

The latter was immediately alert. While holding the crossbow, he was alert and aiming, and at the same time, he was waiting for an opportunity to jump on the boat and run away.

The sentry has learned that the king is going to send a special envoy to have a good chat with the Frankish cavalry, but no one knows whether the cavalry will launch a second round of stupid attacks.

The Baron of Nassau shouted in Frankish, but the sentries did not know what he said. Seeing this small group of cavalry approaching, their armed guards continued to retreat.

"Why should you be afraid? I want to talk to your leader!"

The baron kept shouting, and his team of envoys were stationed on the spot.

Across the Elbe River, Rurik stood on a high place and saw the figure holding a white flag on the other side.

Do they surrender? No. They want to negotiate.

"Okay." After finishing his meal, Rurik patted his belly with joy, "It's time to let Eskil pass."

"What's next?" Liudov asked.

"Send their envoy over here, and we'll talk to them in Hamburg."

"Maybe they are worried about us killing the messenger."

"So let Eskil speak clearly."

Therefore, Eskil, who has a thigh injury, is not suitable for walking around for a long time at all. He was sitting on a small carriage, holding the silver-plated wooden cross staff in his arms, wearing the black priest's robe, and his coat was also wrapped in a bear skin coat borrowed from the Russians to keep out the cold.

The young priest held the reins and moved forward, the pony carriage creaking and squeaking on the pontoon bridge in the crescent moon.

If this war could be eliminated with a verbal education, Eskil would be willing to be the arbiter.

Because of the situation in Europe, although kings and nobles maintained military power, the clergy groups in the main bishoprics had huge appeal.

Local bishops retained financial power, administrative power, and even the power to recruit troops to protect the territory and the people.

At one time, Eskil also had such power over the vast Saxony region. He himself is a Saxon and has prestige among the people. And because he had close ties with all the regional bishops of Frank, he felt that as the arbiter of faith, he could persuade the Frank army to retreat.

Because even though the Principality of Saxony broke away from the suffering Frankish system, they did not betray their Catholic faith. Even as long as the Pope crowned Liudov, the Frankish nobles lacked reason to launch a war.

Eskil is here. What he wants is the steady development of his faith. We are both lost lambs, and we don’t want to kill each other.

Such an overly dressed figure passed through the pontoon bridge and then passed through the final stone pier trestle to break through the bridgehead on the other side.

His embrace of the cross was so conspicuous that the Baron of Nassau was astonished.

He gave another gesture to the little priest, who took out a "holy vessel" from his linen pocket.

This is a high bishop's hat, dotted with precious stones, it is very noble. On weekdays, Eskil is not willing to wear it to show off, because it conflicts with his ascetic pursuit of purity, so he only wears it during mass.

"Yes! Bishop? You...are a bishop?"

The Baron of Nassau was actually a village chief, but his fiefdom was located in the huge diocese of Worms, and even his status as a baron was recognized by the bishop.

Any title of a minor noble must first be canonized by a major noble, and then recognized by the regional bishop as legitimate according to the faith.

The baron immediately ordered all his followers to dismount, and he himself took off his sword, walked straight towards Eskilde with open arms, then half-knelt down, grabbed Eskilde's old right hand and kissed it.

This set of etiquette instantly cheered up the aging Eskil, and he stroked Baron Nassau's head with understanding and read a Latin blessing verse.

The Ross sentry who watched such a ceremony was puzzled, but the other party had no intention of using force, and the sentry also lowered his guard.

Esquier then revealed his identity in Frankish, much to the surprise of the Baron of Nassau.

"You? Are you the legendary northern saint? Thank God, those rumors that are not good for you are all false!"

"Rumors? They are just boring rumors." Eskil suppressed his inner displeasure, but his face was still kind, "Who are you? Are you Robert's vassal?"

"Ah! You know that? Yes, I am the Baron of Nassau-on-the-Land. My Christian name is Henry. It was given to me by the Bishop of Worms."

"Henry Nassau? Well. My boy, it seems you are here to negotiate with them. Very well, they trust me and asked me to be their envoy."

"Them? Who are they... I mean, who am I going to negotiate with. Did Count Liudov really rebel? There are still a lot of Normans here..."

Henry Nassau talked endlessly, but Eskilde did not want to talk any more in the cool breeze of early autumn.

"The king of the Normans, and Liudolf. Come with me, and I promise by my honor that they will not harm a messenger."

The Baron of Nassau had no better choice. It was a miracle to see the legendary northern saint here, so he believed in his arrangement.

The baron and his entourage continued to hold the cross flag, the three lion flag, and the white flag symbolizing the negotiation.

Walking on the pontoon bridge, through Eskil's description, he learned the details of the enemy for the first time.

King of Denmark? King Rus? These Norman chiefs are occupying Hamburg with their armies. Why aren't they looking for trouble?

The baron knew very little about the Normans. He only learned through legends that they were a large group of wild men with big hair, beards, tattoos, and heretical beliefs.

Unexpectedly, Liudov really got together with this group of people and really revived the so-called Principality of Saxony. This is rebellion! The king will surely take revenge.

However, it has to be said that the Norman ships were large, the weapons were fierce, and the uniform flags were flying everywhere.

At the same time, Rurik was ready to receive the other party's messenger.

The standing troops wearing bear heads and armor stood together, their clothes were completely uniform and majestic. Later, thousands of soldiers lined up and gathered, and the blue and white army seemed to be everywhere.

At this moment, Hamburg is already a large artificial river island through the excavated artificial waterway. The total number of soldiers and civilians was 30,000, and there were another 2,000 Frankish civilians imprisoned in ten large houses.

As soon as the Baron of Nassau came to the pontoon, he was threatened by a large number of spearheads to disarm him. Seeing that the other party was too neatly dressed, he was so shocked that he could only give in.

Are these Normans? How come they are as well-equipped as the monarch’s elite? Are they supposed to be a bunch of tattooed savages with bare backs?

As the Baron officially entered Hamburg, the first thing that caught his eye was the rows of bear-headed soldiers.

They are tall, with the ferocious upper jaws of wild bears as the brim of their hats, and their fangs are even more powerful.

Not only that, they also have cavalry. Every time he rides, he wears a white plush coat, which looks like wool but looks nothing like it. Their helmets were decorated with long and narrow feathers, and the helmets were also reinforced to keep out the cold, but the horses looked a bit short.

Are they savages? Pooh! It was basically a strong northern army that could rival the elite Franks.

First of all, it can be ruled out that this is Liudov's army. If he had the ability to raise such a large army, he would dare to attack Aachen directly.

The Baron of Nassau advanced on foot, and his entire entourage was detained again.

After a while, Liu Dofu appeared first.

At this moment, Liudov was still dressed as a Frank general, and behind him were a group of Saxon warriors dressed as Frank infantry.

He was not arrogant, which just hinted at his desire to end the war as soon as possible.

He revealed his identity and said: "It shouldn't be a lower-level noble like you who comes here. Let Robert come. I'll go over and get to know him, and I'll chat with him."

A baron is just a baron. Facing the upright Earl of Westphalia, Henry is frightened, even if the other party has rebelled.

There was another explanation. As the messenger, the Baron had basically confirmed the situation. It stands to reason that he could find a way to evacuate now, and then told Robert that the so-called Liudov rebelled against the separatist regime was true and that he cooperated with the Normans.

Of course, the Normans were powerful and well-equipped, and the northern saint Eskil was also among them. Such unexpected news must be reported.

For such a big matter, the Baron knew that Count Robert was unable to rule on these matters. I'm afraid there will be negotiations next, whether it's war or peace, only the supreme monarch Ludwig can make the decision.

Baron Nassau himself was not a Frank, he had never harmed the Saxons, and he knew basically nothing about the Normans.

Faced with such a person, Liudov was willing to guarantee the safety of the envoy, and then provide him with a venue for further negotiations.

Therefore, a wooden shed specially arranged by Liudov was used as the negotiation site.

The envoy was a baron, a mere lower-level noble, and it was too cheap for the King of Rus and the King of Denmark to see him in person.

At first, Ragnar really wanted to talk to the envoy in person. He really wanted to end the war as soon as possible. Denmark needed a stable situation to deal with the mess, especially for him to consolidate his power.

Rurik calmed him down with one word: "We want reciprocal diplomacy. Since you are a baron, you can just send a trustworthy subordinate to negotiate on your behalf. And I, I sent Earl Blue Fox, who is already that person It’s so shameless.”

Ragnar was enlightened after hearing this, and thinking about it, he was the King of Denmark, and Frank, who was at the same level as him, was Ludwig.

But isn't it also a low price for Rurik to send his canonized Earl of Gothenburg, Blue Fox, as a representative?

Rurik smiled and said nothing.

Because in Nassau, not just cats and dogs can have this name. Rurik had heard about Maurice of Nassau, who first implemented medieval military reforms. As the ruler of the Dutch United Provinces, he made the military strong and laid the military foundation for the hegemony of the Sea Coachmen.

The Nassau family was not mediocre, even though in 840 the family was just a baron with only one fief village.

It was out of this understanding that Rurik was willing to respect this bold messenger, the so-called respect for Henry I Nassau.

Ragnar didn't have any famous warriors under his command, so he found a warrior named Siegfried to act as his representative, or to make up the numbers.

In the wooden shed sat the Blue Fox, the warrior Siegfried, and Liudov himself. Liu Duofu still couldn't hold it back and came in person.

Baron Nassau sat here uneasily. Although he was accompanied by Esquier, the saint who went north, he was still in awe of the elite warriors standing in a circle around him.

Liudolf's title of Duke of Saxony was not recognized by the Franks, and the one who could be recognized was the Count of Westphalia. He did not struggle with the so-called reciprocal diplomacy like Rurik. When facing Baron Nassau, he couldn't wait to inform Robert, who was paying attention to the situation on the other side of the river, of his wishes through the man's mouth.

Liu Duofu really couldn't stand it anymore. Youdao said that the chips should be released little by little to ensure that he always maintains diplomatic initiative. It would be better for him to tell the truth about his opinions.

"I know you have no power to negotiate. You are just a liaison. I want to have a good talk with Robert, and I also have a good talk with Ludwig..."

Baron Nassau simply kept silent and listened attentively to all Liudov's ideas.

He has three major propositions:

First, the Duchy of Saxony, which was annexed by Charlemagne, was restored, and the power of Liudolf, a descendant of Widukind, must be recognized by Frank.

Secondly, the Earldom of Westphalia was merged into the Principality of Saxony and was still ruled by Liudov.

Third, the Frankish army must immediately evacuate from the territory of Saxony.

There are still some minor clauses left that are not important.

These three major clauses were Liudoff teaching Ludwig how to do things. He was completely indifferent, knowing that some clauses were difficult for Ludwig to approve. Even the other party will not accept all the terms.

Then to the ears of Baron Nassau, what Liudolf said really proved that he was crazy. Ludwig really followed these three rules, which meant that one-third of the territory of East Francia disappeared out of thin air. Although looking at the current situation, the territory is still there in theory, but the people on it have rebelled across the territory.

Ragnar's representative sat upright like a wooden stake. Sitting here, the blue fox was speechless as he listened to Liudolf's heroic words. Blue Fox secretly scolded this guy for his lack of concentration. What's the use of telling Baron Yijie that he doesn't have these things? In addition to demonstrating its ambition, the negotiations that originally pursued peace or at least a truce have completely turned into a declaration of provocation.

When the blue fox gave him a displeased look, it actually hinted to Liu Doufu to take it easy.

Let's look at this Liudov, his expression is even more energetic, staring at Baron Nassau with wide eyes, constantly emphasizing that what he says comes from the heart.

Finally, he even made such harsh threats.

"At that time, Charlemagne was killing people everywhere in my Saxon territory, and the Frank army did not even spare babies. Tens of thousands of people died, and the fertile fields opened by us Saxons were occupied by Frank immigrants. Now everything has changed! I captured two Thousands of Frankish prisoners, Ludwig must atone for his grandfather's evil deeds. He must use gold and silver to ransom these prisoners of war. If I don't see the ransom before winter, these prisoners will die!"

Baron Nassau had been surprised one after another today, and he was completely numb after hearing this. He silently remembered it in his heart, and he really needed to report this important matter to Lord Robert as soon as possible.

Many words and many proposed negotiation conditions should be directed at Rheingauer Robert, who holds the cavalry corps. Liudolf just wanted power too much and wanted to revive his Principality of Saxony. Moreover, his family had already moved to Hamburg, so he became unscrupulous without any worries.

"Is there anything I can fight for in my life? Yes! Today is the day." Liudof encouraged himself in his heart. He was gambling with the whole of Saxony. Since he was already in the stud, he would give it all.

At the same time, he completely dragged Denmark into the north. More importantly, he learned that King Rurik of Russia wanted Saxony as a buffer state. His unreasonable demands caused a large-scale war and the Russian army still had to come to put out the fire. .

The negotiation with the Baron of Nassau was just to confirm each other's identities. Rurik's plan was to lure Count Rheingau out for formal negotiations.

Now that Liudov had laid out Saxony's demands in one fell swoop, the remaining negotiations were even more important.

Baron Nassau also came with a mission. It was finally his turn to speak, so he had to relay Robert's attitude carefully.

He was afraid of being torn into pieces by a group of tall warriors with bear heads on their heads, so he had to ask cautiously: "Count Robert asked me to give you a message. If my words make you angry, please don't blame me."

"Is it nothing more than words to provoke us?" Blue Fox, who remained silent, suddenly spoke, and immediately spoke on behalf of Ross: "I can promise that we are what you call the Norman army. Even if you point at our noses and scold us, we will not kill them. You are the messenger."

Baron Nassau breathed a sigh of relief: "Okay. Count Robert, demands the rebellious Saxons to surrender immediately. Demands the Normans..."

"How?" Blue Fox asked, Liu Duofu also asked.

"Ask the Normans to either return to your hometown or go to the other side of the river to engage in a decisive battle with the earl's cavalry..."

"Decisive battle?" Blue Fox couldn't help but laugh out loud. He felt it was funny because the captured Harald Clark provided very solid intelligence. Now the Ross Army even knew the detailed strength of the Robert Cavalry Corps.

"Robert is a count. We have two kings and a duke here. How dare a lower-level count dare to challenge us? What's more, I am the count of Gothenburg. What do you think of me?" Lan was in the mood to speak. Hu poked his head and said, "I paid a secret visit to Regensburg as a traveler back then. I know your elite cavalry very well. If Ludwig hadn't arrogantly refused my request for an audience, I could have negotiated directly with him. But now , I am the Earl of Gothenburg of the Kingdom of Ross, and I am at the same level as your lord Robert."

Baron Nassau was completely unaware of this situation. He was frightened by the situation described in Saxon by Blue Fox and did not know how to proceed.

There was no more nonsense, Liudov put forward his major conditions.

Saxony, Denmark and Rus have formed a military alliance and adopted a military confrontation attitude with East Francia. The war will not be easily eliminated, but the former military alliance is determined to put forward conditions for the restoration of peace, even if the conditions are extremely harsh.

The harsh conditions are to leave enough room for bargaining. Liudov is already ready to make tactical concessions. It depends on whether the other party accepts the move.

Formal negotiations will select the bridgehead on the other side of the river. At that time, the coalition forces will open up a large army and stand on the riverside, with a large number of warships deployed behind them. This is not so much a negotiation as a preparation for a war.

The coalition forces were completely unafraid of Robert's cavalry regiment marching to the sand and gravel fields by the river. At worst, the two sides would go to war directly if the negotiations did not proceed.

Blue Fox even provocatively said: "If that Robert feels that formal negotiations with us are not necessary, just let him do whatever he wants and we can just fight. With just two thousand cavalry, we can completely annihilate him. Our coalition forces are very confident."

So Liudov added in particular: "Tell Robert that he is not a coward. Tell him clearly that I still have two thousand Frank prisoners in my hands. If you don't believe it, I will arrange for you to go to the barn to take a look now. Tell him, The lives of these people are in his hands, and he is unwilling to negotiate and go straight to war. Soon, these prisoners will turn into corpses and float from the Elbe River to the sea.”

If the situation is unfavorable, Liudov will definitely do this. Even the little Baron of Nassau knew that Ludwig sent Count Liudolf of Westphalia to the Danish world with an attitude of exile to manage the local Catholic Danes. This was the method used to eradicate the non-Frankish nobles. Even the Baron of Nassau felt that he was the unlucky one in this method.

I am not a Frank, and I can’t even tell what kind of ethnicity I am. Nassau Lane Village has been independent since ancient times and has its own dialect.

So Robert of the Franks sent himself as an envoy, risking being beheaded by the Normans to make contact first.

He could understand Liudov's determination. After all, this man was a descendant of the real Vidukind, who was as innocent as a child and a child. The son of a hero was indeed qualified to fight bravely and fiercely.

"Okay. I will keep all your demands in mind. I will report your demands truthfully. You can trust me, I will not talk nonsense. However, if Robert refuses to negotiate and chooses to fight, then we will meet on the battlefield." After all, Baron Nassau decided to leave.

His bold words also attracted Liu Duofu's sympathy. Find Shuyuan www.zhaoshuyuan.com

"Henry, you are not a Frank, there is really no need to work for them. Why don't you find an opportunity to move your family to Saxony, and I can make you an earl."

Sounding like he had a good intention, Baron Nassau shrugged: "I have no choice, I can't move the whole village... If we meet on the battlefield eventually, if I lose, please grant me a quick death. I'm sorry, for My family and tribe, I don’t have the ability to rebel.”

Thus the Baron of Nassau remounted his horse and took back all his weapons.

"This man is not a coward. Come here and give him a pack of raspberry preserves." Rurik, who was watching from a distance, arranged for his men to act.

Just as the Baron was about to leave, he received a package of gifts. It was reported that it was a dried fruit snack given to him by King Rus alone. I couldn't help but feel that a Norman might actually be able to speak well.

He left Hamburg with his entourage, seized the time to run wildly on the pontoon, quickly reached the other side, and headed straight for the woods with a lot of shocking news...

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