Chapter 402: A universal declaration of war
Chapter 402: A universal declaration of war
Because of the defeat at sea, the entire fleet of the Crusaders was fragmented, and they all advanced on their own at sea to reach their homes.
However, most of them ended up reaching the kingdoms in the area of Scotland where they spoke of the demonic king Einar.
Whoever had managed to defeat the gigantic fleet of god warriors, they exaggerated the story, saying that they had summoned weapons that could create explosions and also that they had brought dragons into battle.
Which had created a blue fire capable of burning in water, which was more dangerous than Greek fire.
Those words of the survivors created legends among all people, but especially they created fear.
Everyone knew that there was a pagan kingdom in the north, so the kings, earls, and dukes of Scotland feared.
For the first time in their lives, they had the feeling that their lives and lands were in danger. There was danger in the north and they were angry.
With only 300 ships, he destroyed a gigantic fleet of thousands of ships, undoubtedly one of the most epic victories in the entire world.
These rumors only took days to reach the ears of the Jewish merchants who very happily reported the epic victory over the Christians.
The Jewish council was euphoric that their ally had survived and had shown that he had the strength to keep his words.
So making use of their network of merchants and spies they began to speak wonders of King Einar while they put the crusaders as horrible beings who were punished by God for their sins.
In the city of Carcol, there was also an atmosphere of jubilation for Einar’s victory, as they knew that he was a good ally as well as an excellent merchant.
However, the Anglo-Saxon Christian kingdoms were afraid of a possible reprisal by King Einar. The news of the defeat of the Christians did not take long to reach the Franco empire.
Where fear seized all the nobles, because if they had lost in the sea, what happened if they could not conquer the pagan kingdoms of the north.
The doubts of the nobles began to be reflected in the thousands of families of the warriors who would not return because they did not gain anything.
If before they were poor, now they would be more because the pillars of their families had died in the battle, this generated chaos in the Frank empire.
For the servants and other groups of people began to press, for support because otherwise they would starve.
Ludovico who was in his room quite angry started throwing his things against the wall while screaming with all his anger.
Because the defeat of his army meant that he had lost the ability to conquer or trade, it would take years for the empire to recover.
Not only was he angry, so was the high pontiff in Rome, because he had not gained absolutely anything from that crusade.
Although they had a superior army and navy, most of them had died.
For the emirate of Córdoba, the news of the defeat of the crusaders was a sign of victory, so they prepared their army to attack the Franco empire.
Once they lost against the pagans of the north, the kingdom of Asturias, for its part became concerned because it did not know if the pagans would attack it with the weak Franco empire.
In the Byzantine empire, the situation was completely different as the defeat of the crusaders had shown the weakening of the church of Rome.
So the emperor was thinking of a way to take advantage of that to take power from the church, because they were a real danger to them.
For their part, in the pagan kingdoms of the north, the news of the defeat of the Crusader fleet created an atmosphere of joy and raised spirits among all.
As the Konungar Einar and the Norse nation had managed to take down a great enemy using only 300 ships, the number is what made the battle so epic.
The Skalds created stories about the mythical Konungar Einar, the one chosen by Odin to be his herald. In their poetry, they spoke of the mythical dragons that launched Nordic blue fire.
Although there were many thoughts in Europe, things changed completely when Einar sent hundreds of ships to the Christian kingdoms.
All of them had in their possession closed letters with a single message.
‘In the month of July, Emperor Ludovico saw fit to launch an attack on my kingdom because he feared that my wife Kassia of Thrace might take his throne.
I proved that with only 300 ships I could defeat a fleet of thousands. However, Emperor Ludovico won when my wife died because of the delivery of my son Mikael.
As King and Konungar of the Nordic nation, informed the entire Christian world that we are in a state of total war.
Your stupid war ended my wife’s life. That is why I on behalf of my legitimate and beloved wife Kassia of Thrace.
Daughter of Emperor Carlo Magno and Empress Irene.
I will launch a war that will not stop until I have Emperor Ludovico alive and I was canonized in Rome as emperor by the High Priestess Aila.
As herald of Odin and messiah of our lord god, I will bring the true Nordic Christian religion to the infidels on a true crusade.
Those nobles who read this letter will have two options, surrender or face war, but they must know that if they choose to fight against me.
I will have no mercy because their heads will adorn my way to Rome, because you have angered the man that Attila fears at night and that Hannibal admires.
You have a year to prepare and give an answer, because I will march throughout Europe until I fulfill my mission. ‘
When Einar’s letter began to be read by the nobles, Europe burst into flames, as it was the first time that someone threatened the entire Christian world.
But the real problem was not the threat, but the person who made it. King Einar had shown that he could win a war using strange weapons.
Not to mention he was an angry man looking for revenge, the perfect combination to be able to bring chaos to Europe, as I don’t know it would stop once it started.
When Ludovico heard the news, he felt fear for the first time, as he remembered the dream he had had when he realized that he had been the culprit of the specter of war that was haunting Europe.