xymnovel Chapter 102 The Empire's Army
Chapter 102 The Empire's Army
Lyon had a dream in which he was spying on Alexius's new house.
A notification box popped up in front of me:
1. Break down the door. Your bravery rating is 8, and the success rate is 10%.
2. Lock picking: Your strategy score is 18, and the success rate is 90%.
3. Threaten to enter without payment, requiring a double check of diplomacy and administration. Diplomacy 12, administration 21. The probability of successfully obtaining 285 dinars is 99%.
Just as Leon was subconsciously saving the files and testing them one by one, the scene in front of him suddenly blurred, and an increasingly clear sense of crisis pulled him back to reality.
He opened his blurry eyes and was surprised to find a figure standing in front of his bed.
He was so frightened that he jumped up and took several steps back.
He was relieved when he finally saw the white robe and hood in front of him clearly.
"Altaïr, what's wrong with you?! You look like a ghost!"
Altaïr said expressionlessly, "Our brothers in Constantinople have discovered other Assassins recently. I'm just here to ensure your safety."
"Then watch, watch it all, watch to your heart's content." Leon pulled the covers over his head and went back to sleep.
Sigrún has taught at the Iceland University of the Arts as a part-time lecturer since and was Dean of the Department of Fine Art from -. In – she held a research position at Reykjavík Art Museum focusing on the role of women in Icelandic art. She studied fine art at the Icelandic College of Arts and Crafts and at Pratt Institute, New York, and holds BA and MA degrees in art history and philosophy from the University of Iceland. Sigrún lives and works in Iceland.
As the morning light pierced the thin mist of the Bosphorus Strait, the golden gates of Constantinople slowly opened to the sound of horns.
Imperial Marshal Cantorstefanos, adorned with a purple-gold sash, stood on horseback before the city gate drawbridge.
Behind him were royal standard-bearers carrying two gold-edged military flags painted with images of the Virgin Mary, the embroidered gold flags fluttering in the wind.
"In the name of the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit!" The marshal raised his jeweled scepter, his voice booming like thunder, "The sword of Rome is unsheathed today for our allies!"
On the viewing platform, the envoys of the Kingdom of Jerusalem—the Count of Raymond, Heraclius, Jacob, and other Latin priests, as well as Lyon—stood solemnly watching.
Count Raymond unconsciously straightened his back and whispered to Archbishop Heraclius beside him, "I have been to Constantinople many times, but I have never witnessed a Roman military parade. The armored paladins and the Varangian Guard are already famous, and to see them today is truly an eye-opening experience."
Herac was slightly displeased: "Count, there's no need for you to belittle yourself. In terms of cavalry, the Knights of Jerusalem are no less formidable. As for Varangian..."
Chirac scoffed, "A bunch of unbelievers, all bravado and no substance."
Jacob burped and said to Raymond, "Don't forget, Earl, what will be shown later is only a part of the Imperial Standing Army. As far as I know, they have several main legions stationed on the Anatolian border."
At this moment, the cheers of the crowd came in waves, one after another.
When the Imperial standard-bearer unfurled a massive icon banner, the entire viewing area fell silent. It was an icon banner of the Virgin Mary brought from the Hagia Sophia, said to have guided the Imperial remnants to safety after the disastrous defeat at the Battle of Manzikert.
As Cantostefanos waved his command flag, twelve military district flags entered first, held upright and high, with a gilded silver eagle at the top of the flagpole, its talons holding a purple ribbon.
Each flag is followed by a signalman holding a small, flame-colored command flag, which will serve as the signal for subsequent changes in formation.
When the military region flag tilted forward 30 degrees simultaneously, the entire army stomped their feet, the iron-soled boots striking the stone slabs like a muffled thunderclap across the arena, causing the wooden railings of the reviewing stand to tremble.
The inner court guards were the first to enter.
These elite cavalry units were reorganized by Constantine V in the late 8th century and became the empire's most reliable core military force.
They were directly commanded by Basilius and equipped with the finest armor. Each cavalry rank was led by a miniature icon depicting the Virgin Mary, sealed with gold thread.
The guards' warhorses were tied with red silk tassels on their sides, the length of which decreased according to rank, with the last soldier's tassel only reaching the stirrup.
They paraded slowly around the chariots of Basilius and Bartholomew, occasionally raising their right hands to lightly touch the icons, then touching their own foreheads—symbolizing "saints before oneself."
Next to enter the field was the Thracian military district's infantry square, composed of armored heavy infantry and border guards.
Heavy infantry were equipped with double-layered armor covering their chest and abdomen. The outer layer of scale armor had a leather base with overlapping iron plates resembling fish scales. The inner armor was chainmail.
They carried 2.5-meter-long spears with triangular flags hanging from their tips, and wore broadswords and fan-shaped shields with double-headed eagles painted on their waists.
The border guards were light infantrymen equipped with cotton armor, carrying short swords, spears, and small round shields, with javelins slung across their backs.
The formations, consisting of 100-person teams, marched forward in unison to the beat of drums, slamming their spear shafts into the ground every three steps with a thunderous roar.
The hundred-man squads were spaced two steps apart. As soon as the drumbeat signaled the attack, the front row raised their shields to form a sloping wall, while the second row of spears extended from the top of the shields, creating a complex formation that combined fish scales and hedgehog quills.
The appearance of the armored holy cavalry brought the parade to a climax. These heavily armored cavalrymen were renowned as the absolute elite of the imperial army.
They carried lances up to four meters long, and both men and horses were heavily armored, with only their eyes showing. They advanced in three wedge formations, like a moving steel wall.
As the armored paladins advanced in a wedge formation to directly in front of Basilius, they all reined in their horses. The necks of the outermost horses were pulled almost to their chests, and the bridles made a metallic squeaking sound.
Following closely behind was the Varangi Guard.
Led by their two captains, Rollo and Roy, the burly Nordic guards marched in, shouting Nordic chants. Bare-chested and clad only in gold-ringed chainmail, they wielded double-bladed battle axes, striking their shields with them as they cried out in Nordic languages, "For the Christ-Emperor!"
During a break in the parade, Marshal Cantostefanos rode his horse to the reviewing stand and seemingly casually stopped in the Jerusalem mission area.
"Count, what are your thoughts on the Empire's army?" the Marshal asked Count Raymond, his voice booming, but he secretly glanced at Lyon beside Raymond.
Cantorstafanos remained skeptical of Lyon's words at the banquet. Had the King of Jerusalem ordered him to say such a thing? Even for the renowned King Baldwin, it seemed highly improbable that he could extend his influence directly into Constantinople.
Earl Raymond respectfully replied, "It is truly awe-inspiring. Having witnessed the Empire's military might today, I can say I have no regrets."
"Your Highness, what advice do you have for me?" Cantorstafanos asked Lyon again.
Lyon thought for a moment and said, "Your Excellency Marshal, the discipline and equipment of the Imperial Army are impressive. In particular, the anvil and hammer tactics of the armored paladins and infantry phalanxes are worth learning from."
He then changed the subject: "However, I've noticed that when heavy cavalry turns, the outer horses have to be pulled around by the neck, making them slow and difficult to control. If they encounter a highly mobile opponent like the Turks, wouldn't they easily get into trouble? In my humble opinion, it would be better to replace the neck strap with a breast strap and add segmented reins to the inner stirrups, which could reduce the turning radius of the entire formation by one-third."
After saying that, he took out a small sheepskin booklet he carried with him, quickly sketched a diagram of a breastplate and segmented reins, and handed it to the marshal.
Cantostefanos's eyes lit up, and he immediately turned around and instructed his adjutant to quickly arrange for craftsmen to prepare for the imitation.
"Also, the heavy infantry of the Thracian military district use fan-shaped shields, while the light infantry are equipped with round shields. In melee combat, the gaps in the formation are very easy to break through," Lyon continued. "We could equip the infantry with kite-shaped shields or teardrop-shaped shields, which are wider at the top and narrower at the bottom to protect the legs."
Marshal Cantostefanos carefully examined the hastily sketched drawing, his gaze shifting back and forth between the parchment and the ten-year-old Crown Prince of Jerusalem before him.
The doubts in his heart did not dissipate, but instead grew stronger.
Lyon's points about the cavalry turning problem and his proposed breast strap and segmented reins were by no means mere theoretical discussions. His precision and experience were as if he had personally witnessed the flaws in countless cavalry drills. This was not the kind of insight a pampered child could have.
Is there truly a master in the Jerusalem army? Or is Baldwin IV using his younger brother to deliver a message? Or... is this young man some kind of unparalleled genius?
"Your Highness's observation... is quite keen. Such details could only be noticed by those who have been through many battles or are well-versed in horsemanship. It seems that Jerusalem not only has valiant knights, but also a profound understanding of horsemanship." Cantostefanos nodded slightly, remaining composed. "If Your Highness has some free time tomorrow, would you be so kind as to visit the royal workshops? Perhaps it could inspire the artisans?"
Under the encouraging gaze of his mother Maria and the slightly worried look of Accord, Lyon readily agreed.