The Epirus Mountains on the Balkans are full of mountains, endless.

The scorching summer sunshine pierces layers of clouds like rays and projects on one gray and white cliff after another, standing upright like a wall.

Above the cliffs, several houses with red tiles and white walls are scattered.

In the valley, pieces of arable land competed with green weeds, and the yellow land mixed with gray-white rocks.

Apart from the house, pine trees, olive trees, sank trees, oak trees, and poplars form a sparse forest.

Lower laurels, pomegranates, fig bushes, dotted in them.

Roger stopped on a small hill and watched his army pass through the valley like a long winding snake.

Beside him is Rinaldi, who serves as the guide.

The latter pointed at the hill ahead with a horse whip and introduced:

"Through this mountainous area and to the Macedonian plains, the road is much easier to walk."

Roger nodded. He was very satisfied with the guide.

If it weren't for Rinaldi's advice, Roger would have chosen the eastern coast of the Adriatic Sea, with a larger port and better road conditions.

Instead of his choice now, located in Avlona, ​​south of Duras.

It turned out to be a wise choice.

Roger thought proudly, just as he chose to visit Bosimund's house in Taranto.

Roger recalled more than ten days ago.

......

The landing in Aflona was very smooth, and the locals helped Roger a lot at the dock.

They also sold Roger grains, barley, wine and oils at fair market prices, as well as other supplies needed by the army.

They also allowed Roger's army to hunt outside Aflona.

Their only request was to humbly ask Roger's army not to ravage their land or plunder their property.

Roger agreed to the Afrona in public and promised that his army would never seize anything with unjust forces.

So Roger rested comfortably for three days outside Aflona.

With sufficient supplies and a lot of game care, Roger and his army forgot the bumps at sea, relieved the fatigue of the journey, and returned to their state before departure.

......

Roger pulled back his memory and asked Rinaldi:

"But why choose Aflona instead of Duras, isn't it richer and more supplies?"

“Yes, Duras is indeed richer and more supplies.

“But it is not like Aflona, ​​which was conquered by the prince twice.

"Duras tenaciously resisted the prince's attack.

"That was after the prince came back from Antioch and married Princess France.

"The prince used his prestige to assemble an army of 12,000 cavalry and 60,000 infantry from the various kingdoms of Gaul and Italy.

“He also landed from Aflona and occupied it without any resistance.

"Then the prince's army went north to attack Duras, and his tent was scattered around the city walls, surrounding the huge city."

"The prince created siege towers and catapults. He used them to attack the city for many days.

“He continued to bombard the stones, weaken the defensive walls and towers, and torture the citizens and all the residents with fierce offensives.

"And the citizens of Duras filled the copper cans with combustible substances that could not be extinguished by water, and threw them towards the siege tower.

"They resisted with arrows and cannons with all their might.

"During the siege, the emperor of Eastern Rome, Alexus, gathered a large number of troops to rescue Duras.

“They were stationed on the plains one day east of Duras.

"The emperor brought about the Gauls who served the emperor for commissions, including the Tecopo mercenaries, the Kumans, and the Pechenegs, and a total of about 10,000 people.

"The prince noticed this army by careful work, so he fought against these men in the open field.

“He launched a charge, killed 1,000 people with swords, arrows and spears, and drove the rest back to the emperor’s camp.

"After that, the prince continued to attack fiercely and wanted to destroy the city of Duras.

"The prince thought that his own recent victory would terrify the guards of Duras.

"But the defenders did not become weak because of the defeat of reinforcements, they tried their best to resist.

"The siege lasted for almost a year, and the prince's army was tired of the long siege and overwhelmed, and many people fled.

"During this time, the Emperor of Eastern Romans carried all kinds of, large quantities, food and weapons, and continuously replenished Duras.

"And because the Adriatic Sea was blocked by the Eastern Roman Navy, their supplies were increasingly short.

"In the end, the prince had to reconcile with the emperor, and he was forced to accept the humiliating peace treaty.

"The prince lost his prestige under the city of Duras, and he returned to his hometown Taranto, and finally died of depression in his hometown."

Roger sighed at Boschmond's life:

He was once full of passion, but when he returned, his luggage was empty. After ten years of battle, he finally returned to the starting point, like a dream.

Roger concluded: "So in Duras, the Normans will definitely not get any help, right?"

"Totally right, sir, they will only greet you with sarcasm and humiliation."

Roger gently tapped his palm with a horse whip.

He thought that his goal was in Jerusalem, and he only needed to pass through the land of Eastern Rome, and he did not, and should try his best to avoid any disputes here.

So it's a good idea to avoid Duras.

Roger asked again: "You just said that Boschmond signed a peace agreement. Do you know the content?"

“I know, sir, the agreement is called the Treaty of Devoll.

“According to the agreement, he would have received Antioch as an emperor’s servant for the rest of his life.

"The Greek Patriarch, who, according to their words, was called the Patriarch, would return to Antioch to rule.

"The Antioch Principality itself can remain intact, but Chiriqia and Latakia need to be transferred to Byzantium."

"But you say Bosimund returned to Taranto after his defeat in Duras, so did he go to Antioch later?"

"No, and the prince did not leave Taranto until he was called."

Roger had an idea and said, "So, Boschmond signed the Treaty of Devoll but did not implement it?"

"Yes, sir, the Principality of Antioch was regent by his nephew Doncred after the prince left.

"As far as I know, Doncred refused to be subordinate to the Eastern Roman Emperor, so this agreement was not implemented at all."

Roger's thoughts gradually became clear.

He thought that in Taranto, in order to fool Bosimund, he formed a Catalan mercenary group on a whim.

So now, the nominal master of this army, is the little Boschmond who hires it.

And Bosimmond could inherit his father's identity as a minister of the Eastern Roman emperor and take office according to the agreement.

This means that your own army does not need to always maintain diplomatic caution like the pilgrimage foreign troops passing through the Eastern Roman Empire.
Chapter completed!