The Knautschlings - part 18
Waldemar´s last journey
Being well in his sixties Waldemar knows he does not have a whole lot of time left.
He does however feel that his destiny is not to simply die at home while
god´s will is still being trampled upon by the feet of the infidel ruling over
the holy land.
Denmark´s steward almost is struck by a heart attack as she hears of Waldemar´s plan
but eventually she has no choice other than to commit a large amount of coin to it.
Over one year has it been since the danish crusaders with Waldemar at their helm
manned the ships when they pass the westernmost parts of the Fatimid demesne.
Scouting parties report huge troop movements and Waldemar becomes a very happy
man as the news get to him for it can only mean one thing.
The Fatimid Caliphate who controls most of the christian holy sites is already
distracted by other troubles.
Surely god smiles upon the crusaders and sends them aid to fulfill his will.
In April 1219 the first ships arrive at the shores of Alexandria, the very city
that the papacy declared to be the official crusade target.
Waldemar makes sure a formal declaration of his intentions is delivered to the Calipha
before the pillaging begins.
Most of the army and commanding officers are veterans from the attack on Bavaria
which is why they avoid the course of action that led to their initial repulsion there.
While most of the army stays behind as a reserve force only small taskgroups begin
the actual attacking operations like besieging the castle in Alexandria.
When Waldemar realizes how little resistance the Fatimid can muster at the very core
of their realm
he splits his army in three groups.
The largest one, led by him personally, shall secure the Nile Delta while the second
largest advances directly towards Jerusalem, the holy city where god´s son rose from the dead.
A third group moves towards Mecca to burn down the holiest city of the muslim infidel
to let them pay for their crimes.
But before the third group even reaches the Red Sea the Fatimids capitulate.
With Alexandria fallen
and obviously no army in range to try to lift the siege of Jerusalem
Waldemar´s demands are met and the cities of Alexandria and Jerusalem are officially
handed over into danish custody to set up an independent christian kingdom in the area.
The inhabitants of Mecca would certainly be relieved were it not for the fact
that they have no idea which fate would have been certain for them in the case of continued war.
After the one or two years needed to set up the necessary bureaucracy
*cough* waiting for the ingame end-of-crusade-event that never happened *cough*
Waldemar finally declares a fellow crusader of noble blood and coincidentally even
Knautschling heritage to be independent King of Jerusalem.
With a satisfied smile on his face Waldemar decides to return home.
He never gets there.
What kind of king Waldemar´s heir and grandson Sverker will turn out to be,
that my dear readers is what the next chapter of this tale will be about.