Chapter Twelve
by crusaderknight
Gruffydd walked through the Austrian camp, with Rhodri and Corentin at his side. He had been summoned Margrave Leopold III von Babenberg, who was leading an Austrian contingent of Crusaders which numbered 6,000. As the three men walked, escorted by Austrian soldiers on either side, Gruffydd noted that the Austrian camp was much more organized than his own, and the Austria solders much more disciplined. Granted, Gruffydd’s Wolves had already won themselves a reputation, indeed, this was the reason the Margrave had summoned him, but they were not a hardened fighting machine. The Austrian Soldiers had fought under Leopold’s father, Leopold II, and some of the older veterans had even served under the Margrave’s grandfather, Ernest the Brave. These were men whose entire lives had been devoted to battle. Leopold had brought true, veteran soldiers to this Crusade.
When they reached the Margrave’s tent, his herald met them just outside, and asked them to declare who they were. Gruffydd answered him, “I am Gruffydd ap Urien, commander of Gruffydd’s Wolves. On my right is my lieutenant, Rhodri ap Cadell, and on my left is the man whom your master bade accompany us, Corentin of Brittany.”
The herald bowed, entered the tent, and returned a moment later, “My master, the Margrave Leopold III of Austria, will see you now, Gruffydd ap Urien. Enter with your retinue.”
The three men entered the tent. It was a much nicer tent than any within the Welsh and Saxon camp. Not even Edgar Aetheling had such a dwelling with him on the Crusade. But such were the benefits of being one of the most influential nobles in the southern part of the Holy Roman Empire, and Leopold III was that. He had only recently succeeded to the throne of Austria at the age of 23, his father having died in October of 1095.
Margrave Leopold III of Austria
The Margrave smiled at them and opened his arms in welcome. He said, “Good friends, you are most welcome! Word has reached me from my mother, who is ruling Austria while I am on this Holy mission. She wrote to me soon after my departure that my wife had been assaulted by brigands while she was off riding, and had been kidnapped, and her guards slain. I despaired, for I was filled with desire to rescue my wife, yet I had sworn a Holy oath not to turn back until the combined arms of Christendom had taken Jerusalem. But not long ago, I received another letter from my mother, telling of the arrival of a small band of Welshmen and Saxons. She said that among them was a brave young Breton who, upon hearing of my wife’s capture, left will all haste to her rescue, leaving his companions to follow after him as fast as they could. It was due to the valour of these Welshmen and Saxons, but especially this Breton, that my wife was saved. I have greatly desired to meet the Breton who saved me beloved wife, Hilda.”
Corentin bowed and said, “I am he, my lord.”
Leopold rose from his seat, and embraced Corentin. As he did, he said, “Thankyou, my friend.” After the embrace, the Margrave returned to his seat, and said, “My good Breton, please, tell me of your heroics. And do not be modest. Tell me everything that happened.”
Corentin bowed once more and said, “If it please your lordship.”
Then he began his tale…
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When we arrived in Austria, we were immediately greeted by an emissary from Lady Ida. She asked who we were, and what business we had in her son’s realm. My Lord Gruffydd replied that we were 900 strong, and on Crusade, commissioned and protected by His Holiness to Pope, to meet with the other forces of Christendom at Constantinople for the purpose of liberating our Greek brethren, and ultimately, Jerusalem, from the Saracen foe.
We were brought to the Lady’s court by her emissary, where she welcomed us in the Name of Our Lord. However, she also told us that she could not greet us with joy, as her daughter-in-law had been kidnapped by brigands, and her son was off on the same Crusade as we. She told us that they had left a ransom note, and had told her where to send the gold. Upon hearing of the Lady Hilda’s kidnapping, we were all incensed, and filled with a Holy Zeal. For what kind of men take advantage of a pious noble being away on God’s business, and attack his wife? We swore at once to rescue the Lady Hilda, and before any of my companions could move, I was already running to my horse. I mounted and hastened towards the place where the brigands would be waiting for the ransom, determined to pay them all that they deserved.
Corentin rides to confront the brigands
My Lord Gruffydd arrived soon after, with the Lord Edgar, along with Rhodri, Derrick, twenty Saxons and forty Welshmen. I told them where we needed to go in order to rescue the Lady Hilda, and we rode with all haste. We found them there, a band of over one-hundred men. We knew that if we tried to attack them, they would kill the Lady Hilda, and most likely all of us as well. So I challenged their leader to a duel. If he slew me, then the ransom would be paid. But if I slew him, his men were to release the Lady Hilda. At first he refused, but after I called him a coward and a cuckold, he was too infuriated to let me live. He accepted the duel, and we promptly crossed blades. I will admit, the man was good. Very good. Indeed, I do believe that were I not fighting for a godly cause, and he for an ungodly cause, he would have triumphed. But the Lord was with me that day, and I slew him. His men now feared me, and released the Lady Hilda to me with all haste. We then returned to Vienna and returned the Lady Hilda to the court.
The Lady Ida thanked us, and offered us many riches, which we refused, for we were on Crusade, and were not seeking earthly wealth. But she refused to let us leave unrewarded, and so she sent with us ten of Your Lordship’s cooks, that we may eat food which was “fit for the Margrave’s friends” as she said.
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His story finished, Corentin stepped back into his place at Gruffydd’s side. Leopold smiled with joy and said, “My friends, I thank you for your valour! I ask you to join me in this Crusade. March with me. I ask not that you submit to me as though my vassals. But rather march at my side as my friends. I have with me six thousand men. And valiant though you may be, not even the nine hundred Wolves can survive alone against the might of the Saracens.”
Gruffydd bowed and thanked Leopold. He agreed to march with the Austrians.
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Meanwhile, Edgar had been in Constantinople with a small band of his Saxons. They knew that in the City of Constantine they could find the Varangian Guard, the bodyguards of the Emperor himself. Though most Varangians were Norsemen or Rus, there were a fair number of Saxons in the Varangian guard, especially after William the Bastard’s invasion of England. Edgar had hoped to find his expatriated countrymen, and perhaps bring some of them along on the Crusade.
They stopped in a local tavern, and asked about the Varangians. They were told that Varangians rarely came to this part of the city. They thanked the barkeep, and were about the leave, when they heard a man ask, “Are you Crusaders?”
Edgar turned, and saw the man. He appeared to be as old as Edgar, and equally as scarred, both physically and emotionally. The former King of England walked over to the man and said, “We are. Why do you care?”
“If you think you stand a chance against the Saracens, you’ve got something else coming to you, friend. You may as well turn back now. Save yourselves a hell of a lot of trouble, and maybe even save your lives,” was his answer.
“We cannot turn back. We swore a Holy oath not to give up until Anatolia is freed and Jerusalem is retaken,” said Edgar.
The man stood up, put his ale down, and looked Edgar in the eyes. He said, with firm resolution, “Then you will die because of your damned oath. My name is Gregorios Rentakenos. I was there. I was there at Manzikert. I’ve seen what the Saracens can do in battle. Not only are they vicious enemies, but they do not play by the same rules as ‘civilized’ powers. They will kill you before you can even touch them.”
“I know Manzikert,” replied Edgar. “Word of it reached even me in England. Let me tell you, there are more Crusaders here now than there were men under Romanos IV’s command at Manzikert. And there are no treacherous Doukids in our army, either.”
“You may not have Doukids,” said Gregorios, “But you’ve got Normans. Just as bad.”
It was hard to Edgar to defend Normans. Ever fibre of his being told him to hate them because of what they had done to his beloved England. But this one time, he had to defend them, “They will not betray us like Doukas betrayed Romanos. The Normans live for bloodshed. It is what they are born and bred to do. They will not back down in the face of the Saracen.”
“Then they, and you, will lose friends, brothers, fathers, sons, and all that you love to the Saracens. I should know. My three brothers were slain at Manzikert. My father was killed soon after as the Saracens occupied Anatolia. My wife and daughter were sold as slaves. I lost everything, do you hear. EVERYTHING! And so will you.”
Edgar was about to just leave, and let Gregorios stew in his self pity, when a new idea struck him. “We might not fare so poorly if we had a guide who knew the Saracens. Come with us. It will be better than stewing in self pity. I should know. I was once like you. I practically lived in a tavern, getting drunk by day, and passing out by night. My life was nothing. I had lost everything as well. But then Gruffydd ap Urien found me, and brought me with him on Crusade. I am making a new life for myself in this Crusade. So can you. Join us. It will be a chance for you to start anew, and to avenge your losses. And who knows, perhaps you can help prevent another Manzikert from happening.”
Gregorios thought about it for quite some time, but at last, reluctantly agreed, saying, “Why not? I’ve got nothing to lose right? I mean, what’s the worst that can happen? I die? I already desire to die. So be it. I will come with you. If I can help save your lives, great. If I die, great. Either way, it gets me out of this stink-hole tavern.”
Gregorios Rentakenos, Veteran of Manzikert
