xymnovel Chapter 113 Gathering of the Taibale
Chapter 113 Gathering of the Taibale
In January of 1183 in the Julian calendar, the edict of King Baldwin IV of Jerusalem was delivered to the castles of the various lords as quickly as possible.
Guy de Lucignon was appointed acting Grand Master of the Stables, that is, temporary military commander, responsible for assembling the kingdom's army in Tiberias in Galilee to deal with a possible new offensive by Saladin in the north of the kingdom.
Tiberias, located on the western shore of the Sea of Galilee, was an ideal gathering place due to its strategic location.
Guy set up his headquarters in the Crusader fortress of Tiberias by the lake, from which he could overlook the entire Sea of Galilee region and the surrounding plains.
Messengers raced along the roads, from the orange groves of Jaffa to the desert fortresses of Transjordan, from the trading cities of the Mediterranean coast to the villages of the Galilee Mountains, and the kingdom's war machine began to run.
Grand Master Gerald of the Knights Templar and Grand Master Roger of the Knights Hospitaller also received orders from the King to provide Guy with full assistance. They each led 500 knights and 500 soldiers to the scene.
The first to arrive were the troops of Hughes de Saint-Omega, lord of Galilee. As the local lord, he brought 100 knights and 300 soldiers.
Most of these soldiers came from the regions of Tiberias and Nazareth, were familiar with the local terrain, and their banners bore the Toulouse cross of the Earl of Raymond.
Next came the army of Balian, Lord of Nablus and Baron of Ibelin, who brought 75 Ibelin knights and 200 soldiers from his fiefdoms of Ibelin and Nablus.
The kingdom's treasurer, Joslin III, directly governed the wealthy city of Acre and also acted as the royal agent for Tyre, thus bringing with him a considerable military force: 80 knights and 900 soldiers, many of whom were well-equipped Italian mercenaries.
Lord Humphry IV of Torun brought 40 knights, Lord John II of Asuf led 50 knights, and Lord Walter II of Caesarea brought 50 knights.
Other local minor lords contributed a total of about 100 knights and 300 soldiers.
Lord Reynald of Transjordan arrived the latest because his fiefdom was too far away. He led 60 knights and 300 crossbowmen from Calleburg.
Lord Reginald of Sidon, south of Beirut, did not come to Tiberias because he was wary of Saladin, but he had prepared 100 knights who could immediately join the kingdom's army as it marched north through Sidon.
各地领主们的军队加上居伊自己从雅法、亚实基伦集结来的100骑士、350军士和国王调动给居伊的60名王宫卫士和1000名军士，由于每个骑士都有两名侍从，因此可达1675名骑士、3350名侍从、3850名军士。
In addition, there were tens of thousands of conscripted infantrymen of varying numbers and with poor equipment, bringing the total force to nearly 20,000.
As the lords from various regions gathered, tents outside Tiberias spread out like mushrooms after a rain, creating a spectacular sight.
Guy stood on the walls of Tiberias, gazing at the endless camps, filled with emotion.
A few months ago, he was a fallen knight who drowned his sorrows in alcohol, depressed and frustrated. He never expected that after Leon's conversation with him, the king would entrust him with the important task of the stable master. Although it was temporary, he had to cherish this opportunity!
Suddenly, he heard hurried footsteps behind him. Guy turned around and saw his "good friend" Gerald.
Gerald, beaming, strode toward Guy and patted him affectionately on the shoulder.
"What a stroke of luck, Guy!" Gerald said approvingly, putting his arm around Guy's neck. "This is a golden opportunity for you to make a name for yourself! No worries, with your old friend by your side, our knight will surely crush Saladin's horde of slave soldiers!"
"Gerald, I am grateful for your help." Guy's tone was somewhat cold. "But don't forget that we are on our way to relieve Beirut, not to fight Saladin in the field, much less to fight a decisive battle. My primary consideration is to end this campaign with minimal casualties."
Gerald's expression turned strange and surprised. He loosened his arms around Guy, slowly took two steps back, and looked Guy over: "This... Guy, you've changed. Where has that knight who once yearned for glory gone?"
"I haven't changed, Gerald. A person in a position must fulfill their responsibilities." Guy shook his head, his face serious. "The old me made grand pronouncements, but it was all just empty talk. Now that I'm the Stable Master, I'm responsible for the kingdom's soldiers. Better to do nothing than to make fewer mistakes!"
"You, you, you..." Gerald pointed at Guy, his fingertips trembling, his expression one of utter disappointment. "Guy, Guy, what's the difference between you and that old tortoise Raymond?"
"Of course there's a difference! Raymond values peace above all else, advocating for peace but not war! I, on the other hand, am always firmly committed to war!" Guy spoke mysteriously, enunciating each word as if reciting lines. "As for my war, it's not about not fighting, but about flexible warfare, about strategic warfare. War is inevitable, but it must be fought with rhythm, with foresight..."
"Crazy, absolutely crazy!" Gerald closed his eyes helplessly and said with a wry smile, "It seems you injured not only your leg that time, but also your brain."
"What the hell are you all whispering about?"
Suddenly, Reinald appeared on the city wall, walking towards the two with an arrogant and unapproachable gait.
He was still wearing the same simple cloak and chainmail he had worn at the banquet two years ago, with the family heirloom, the Satyrone sword, at his waist. He wasn't wearing a helmet, and his face was full of defiance.
"Oh, oh, oh, who's made you angry again?" Gerald asked with a laugh.
"This position of stable master should have been mine! I made a deal with that little prince back then!" Reinald glared at Guy and growled, "Guy, if you know what's good for you..."
"Your Grace, please allow me to convey the King's military order to you—you will be the deputy commander of the stables for this campaign." Guy spoke calmly to Reinald, seemingly unconcerned. "Your fiefdom is far away in Outer Jordan, and the objective of this campaign is to relieve the siege of Beirut. The King has appointed me as the temporary commander simply to facilitate mobilization and deployment. When the Crown Prince ascends the throne, he will undoubtedly take the initiative in the war. At that time, who will be more qualified than you to be the commander of the stables?"
"That's more like it." Reinald nodded in satisfaction, ceasing his question, and glanced outside the city. "In that case, Commander Guys, is the army fully assembled? When can we set off?"
"South of Beirut, except for Sidon, all the troops have been assembled," Guy told the two. "Count Reginald of Sidon must be wary of Saladin and cannot send troops out of the city casually. When we march to Sidon, Reginald will naturally join us."
"The distance from Tiberias to Beirut is nearly 60 leagues (about 240 kilometers), a long journey. If our army marches at its normal pace, it will take a maximum of 6 leagues per day, and 10 days. Even with a forced march, it will only be two days ahead at most." Guy's face was grave. "We are already in a very passive position and must race against time. We must break camp and set off immediately!"