Ludwig finally gave in mentally, and peace talks were immediately put on the agenda.
There were still some days left before the peace talks, and Ludwig was still under house arrest. He was allowed to roam around Hamburg and nearby areas. He had the right to see the Russian camp and have a good chat with Liudov. This is all in Rurik
The installed eyeliner is paying attention.
The defeated king lost all his glory, and he dressed simply and looked inconspicuous.
He is a king and a devout believer. He prays once every morning and every time he eats, which is like obsessive-compulsive disorder.
There is a small church in Hamburg, and the political significance of this cathedral has become extremely huge.
On Sunday, Ludwig prayed in the church with a pious attitude. The strange thing was that the Archbishop of the North, the Archbishop of Cologne, was here.
The fact that he prayed made a good chat with the two regional archbishops all the more urgent.
It started to become hazy outside, and the dense snow seeds made the world look gray.
The bad weather was like Ludwig's troubled heart.
The "True Cross" of Cologne Cathedral was temporarily erected in the Hamburg church, making this simple wooden building shine. The sadness in it made the imprisoned Archbishop Hardebold of Cologne speechless.
Completely opposite to these two entangled and uncomfortable attitudes, the Normans and Saxons were immersed in the joy of victory and were already actively preparing for their festivals.
Those devout Saxons also returned to the church to pray, which made Ludwig's appearance extremely embarrassing and had to be avoided.
So, what do you pray to God for? Pray for victory? However, God gave the Saxons victory and did not punish the Normans.
In the dead of night, he still stayed in the church.
One king, two bishops, and three noble men sat beside the True Cross, helplessly discussing matters that had nothing to do with faith...
The three of them remained silent for a while until Ludwig spoke first.
"I have lost the battle, and God is not on my side. Now Rurik of Rus has granted me conditional peace talks, and I have decided to accept it."
"If peace can be restored in this way, and if the Normans will not continue to attack, I can accept a conditional peace." The Archbishop of Cologne sighed helplessly.
The atmosphere was still cold and decadent, and Eskil had nothing to say about it. He silently comforted: "Rurik of Rus will not break his promise. If he leads the peace, the peace will last long."
"It's like I'm praying for peace. You...you really trust him. You are like his lobbyist..." After all, Eskil is a senior priest, and Ludwig didn't want to speak too seriously.
"Your Majesty, I told you many years ago to pay attention to the rising Russians, but you turned a deaf ear. Now, no one understands their terror better than you." Eskil simply pointed out seriously: "Your layout in Denmark caused a war, and the entire
The Norman world thinks you are the source of all evil. You are responsible for this war."
"Absurd. Then the Normans are not responsible."
"I don't mean that, but the Russians during the war did not reason with us. They believed that all Frankish subjects were enemies, and they plundered and killed without any scruples."
Ludwig had to wonder: "Are they starting to reason now? Are they really credible?"
"Believable. I have lived in the Russian world for some time. This Rurik has his own set of principles. Now we have to admit that their words are powerful, just like you have to admit that your elder brother Lothair is powerful. In fact,
…”
Eskil composed himself: "Some words may arouse your anger."
"Tell me. What qualifications do I have to be angry?"
"If we want to negotiate peace, what should we do next? Maybe the king can form an alliance with the Russians."
"I can't believe you can say such a thing!" Ludwig, who had been suppressing his emotions, suddenly burst into anger, then hurriedly sat down again: "I'm sorry, I shouldn't have lost my composure in this sacred place."
"It doesn't matter. Have you seen Liudov?" Eskil quickly changed the subject and continued to ask.
"No, that man has been avoiding me."
"He feels guilty. He once loyal to you, but now he betrayed you and defeated you with an army."
"No! I was defeated by the Normans." Ludwig emphasized.
"But without those 10,000 Saxon warriors, they might not have been able to win."
So, Eskil continued: "Liudov confessed to me. He is still willing to be loyal to you and is willing to ask you to forgive his betrayal. But there are conditions for this matter. Liudov hopes that you will recognize his Principality of Saxony. As for
Whether to retain the title of Westphalia, if you take it back, he can accept it."
"Wait a minute, this is different from the request of King Rurik of Rus!"
"After all, every noble has his or her own demands. By the way, the Baron of Nassau Village has no chance to meet you due to his low title. He also has his own demands."
"Nassau? A little traitor." Ludwig said disdainfully.
"Nassau has surrendered to Liudov, and his hometown of Nassau Village also hopes that you will allow it to be retained. Even if he knows that you have controlled his family. The release of his family and villagers is also one of the conditions for peace talks, and it is
You have a limited chip."
"Does it make sense? He already ignored his family when he rebelled." Ludwig shook his head slightly, "He is a ruthless person. He is forcing me to be ruthless."
Eskil also shook his head, "I'd better continue talking about Liudov's demands. Liudov revealed the bottom line to me. His Saxony Principality is shrinking. He only wants to be north of the Weser River and south of the Danish Wall.
He can do without the Saxony area south of the Weser River."
It seems that this is a kind of behavior of borrowing money to get off the donkey.
"Nonsense." Ludwig suddenly woke up and understood what was going on: "The villages have been abandoned, and almost all the Saxons in the south have immigrated to the north. What use does he have for the place south of the Weser River? He can't even collect taxes.
"
"In any case, this proves that he does not have huge ambitions and is sincerely sorry for you."
"But what can I do?" Ludwig shrugged, "All the people in Westphalia can leave. If I take back this place, and then take back Saxony south of the river, what I will get is almost nothing.
A forest for hunting. What do I need a forest for."
An area has become a hot potato.
The Archbishop of Cologne, who listened for a while, looked helpless: "Then put it under my diocese of Cologne. Many refugees entered Cologne, and I sheltered them, but I still suffered great humiliation. They Russians actually blackmailed our Saint
Ku! I can't stay out of it, I want the land you don't want."
Ludwig was also extremely dissatisfied about this matter. The Diocese of Cologne actually handed over five thousand pounds of silver coins as a joke. He had to think: If I had this money, I could train more elite soldiers.
Archbishop Hardebold of Cologne was sanctimonious and could not imagine that God's servant was so greedy. Ludwig was unwilling to criticize and reprimand him because of his face.
But Eskil was really poor and a pure ascetic, and Ludwig knew this very well.
But although this guy is poor, he is now acting as a lobbyist and has betrayed the king.
Obtaining a land where people's livelihood is in ruins, it will cost money to restore it. After a little calculation, Ludwig is unwilling to spend any more money, and there is also the debt of the Margrave of Thuringia to settle, who did not obey his orders.
, the remaining army must completely defend against the continued invasion of Frankish troops by the eldest brother Lothair.
"Okay! Since they made conditions, I also have conditions. Lord Hardbold, South Saxony and Westphalia are given to you. You go and rule here."
"Ah! Are you really willing?"
"Can I still refuse? I know that you are still loyal to me."
"That's natural." Hudbold couldn't hide the joy in his heart.
East Francia is indeed a patchwork of kingdoms. Saxony, Thuringia and Flanders were all annexed by force during Charlemagne's reign. They already have strong centrifugal forces that are difficult to control. There is also the Archdiocese of Cologne, which is like the Papal State in Italy.
existence, it was one of the countries within the Frankish territory.
Ludwig thought about it and realized that his base was in Bavaria. Secondly, because of the civil war in the Kingdom, he had strengthened his control over the Countdom of Rheingau or the Margrave Order of Frankfurt, which directly curbed the expansion of the Bishop of Worms to the entire Allegra.
The desire of the ruler of the Mani region.
These servants of God also have worldly desires. They just want to establish a kingdom of heaven according to the scriptures. Undoubtedly, this kind of behavior is more threatening than the Norman robbers who robbed and killed people.
Ludwig still wanted to ask a few more questions: "Is Rurik the Russian really trustworthy? Even if I recognize the Principality of Saxony, if they suddenly deny the agreement, I will be a stupid ass."
"Some things will change, and you can trust them," Eskil continued.
"But they are savages and do not believe in our God."
"No. Rurik is very ambiguous about the sacred faith. At least three of his sons were baptized. There is also a legal bishopric in Rus. Archbishop John Ingvar is my most proud student. Maybe Rurik will do it in a few years.
Just take the initiative to convert, and the entire Rus or the entire Norman world will convert collectively.”
Saying these words, Eskil was very proud, as if everything was going according to plan. This optimistic attitude was like the sunshine in winter.
Ludwig felt that the old man was daydreaming, and that even if the Normans converted, the war would be eliminated? Bah! The Saxons still launched a rebellion, which had little to do with faith.
Ludwig didn't want to struggle any longer. He couldn't win on the battlefield and could only make concessions at the negotiation table.
As for an alliance with the Normans...what's the point of an alliance?
An idea that made him feel even more uncomfortable arose spontaneously: "It is sacrilegious to form an alliance, but I hope I can withstand Lothair's attack."
The more he thought about it, the more he felt that this matter was feasible, not to mention that during the meeting on the tower, Rurik himself also said that the Russians intended to form an alliance.
Once the shackles of thought are released, everything becomes different.
Therefore, Ludwig determined his negotiation plan, and all that was left was to wait for the agreed peace meeting.
In this way, Rurik's side was not idle either.
The Alliance Treaty of the Northern Alliance has a written document, which is the basis for subsequent treaty documents.
The decisive battle was over, and the victors did not believe that a new Frankish army would go north again to provoke a war.
The top priority is the peace talks with Ludwig, which must be put off for a later time. During this period, some economic and trade treaties are now being finalized in writing.
Therefore, Count Baudoin of Flanders acted like he was not stingy. He admitted defeat and now became an ally to everyone.
The chicken thief Baudouin has already figured out that he has no ability to take back the territory north of the mouth of the Rhine River, and his other territories are still facing crazy attacks from the Normans.
If you can't beat them, join them. These people won't attack their allies, right?
For this reason, Baudoin would rather swear allegiance to Liudov, continue to retain the title of earl as a Saxon subject, and at the same time receive national defense and security guarantees.
Is such a good thing possible? Liudov was not a fool. The two families were neighbors in the first place, and the essence of Baudouin's surrender was to obtain peace.
After some deliberation, the nobles pinched their noses and accepted Baudouin's proposal.
This guy has no shame at all. King Ragnar of Denmark thought this was despicable, but Rurik said that this guy is indeed a smart man who has both sides. It is difficult to expect this guy to be loyal, but this guy will never betray his interests or control.
On the contrary, it became easier for him.
The southern part of the County of Flanders is mainly populated by the descendants of the old Blicica Gauls and Frankish immigrants, while the Frisians are mainly in the north. The north has become an independent country of the Netherlands, and there is also a new Norman city in it.
Rotterstad, replacing Durist.
The shrinking County of Flanders legally joined the Northern Alliance due to its allegiance to the Principality of Saxony. Even if Rurik was dissatisfied, he had to admit it, otherwise the alliance treaty would be meaningless.
On the contrary, Rurik was willing to accept this guy Baudouin.
As a result, in his concept, Saxony, the entire Netherlands and the entire territory of Belgium are already within the sphere of influence of the Kingdom of Ross. Especially now, the County of Flanders is almost equal to Belgium. There is no military control over it.
This place can be said to be a very good food and wool producing area in Western Europe. In order to gain profits, the economy and trade are sufficient.
Flanders originally made money from the wool industry. They sold wool to Cologne, Aachen, and Paris. It was better to sell it directly to Ross by sea.
Rurik once regretted that he destroyed Antwerp, an important port in Flanders, which was really harmful to his future economic and trade activities.
Baudoin took his shrunken Flanders as a new member of the alliance. Joining this alliance may ensure that the territory will not be attacked by sea. He cannot be completely sure, but King Rurik of Rus seems to be serious.
All members gather in a wooden room, where they have to sign a new trade treaty.
There are so many talents here.
King Rurik of Rus, King Ragnar of Denmark, Count Jevro of Finland, Governor Medvet of Novgorod, Countess Norenlen of Narvik, Count Bluefox of Gothenburg, King Reglaf of Mercia, No.
Aynred of Sembria, Viking King Biyoni of York, Duke Liudolf of Saxony, Count Henry of Nassau of the Netherlands, Robert the old Count of Hamburg, and the well-known wallflower Baudouin.
Even Harald Clark, the deposed king of Denmark, was brought over as a political figure from the old era to make up the numbers. As for some nobles who did not arrive, since they were all in Rus, Rurik took a stand on their behalf.
"We signed a purely commercial treaty today just to establish our tariffs. I demand that all Northern Alliance members must unify their tariffs to 1%. In addition, there is an entry tax, which I decided to cancel. The entry tax is merged into the customs tax.
, the tax is calculated based on 1% of the total value of goods entering Hong Kong, and I ask you all to acknowledge this. You see, I have already designed the document, you just need to sign it."
Customs duties were not surprising to the Franks and Eastern Romans, and were relatively new in the northern world.
After all, even the Kingdom of Rus started collecting taxes in the past ten years. Before that, there was no clear boundary between collecting taxes and demanding tribute.
It is natural for a mature royal country to charge customs duties. It will be very fair. Merchant ships from various countries must pay a customs tax of 1% when they arrive at Ross ports. Similarly, when Ross merchant ships arrive at ports of various countries, they must also pay this amount.
The tariffs were deliberately arranged to be extremely low by Rurik. After all, Russia did not rely on this tax collection to subsidize the finances. On the contrary, official commercial activities directed by King Rurik directly earned huge profits to fill the national treasury.
Establishing extremely low tariffs in this way is beneficial to Russia. A 1% tariff is equivalent to all allies opening their doors to Russia. The rest is to dump competitive products and buy raw materials and food at low prices. As for trade taxes, they can charge them to ordinary merchants.
Business groups operating directly from the king have no right to collect taxes.
The nobles didn't know the hidden meaning, but they all thought it was fair.
The world is so strange. When a Russian ship arrives at the port, the landowner can still collect a tax. For the king of Northumbria, this is simply collecting tribute from the Russians, and this guy Rurik took the initiative.
It was already nine years after the defeat. The Kingdom of Northumbria, which had always been under great financial pressure, was in urgent need of new tax sources. The limited farmers could no longer plunder it. At this time, the Russians seemed to be sending money in person. And because of the treaty, Northumbria
Merchants can confidently go to the neighboring Viking Kingdom of York to trade, but they have to pay taxes and their business activities must be protected by the other party.
The party that collects tariffs naturally has the obligation to protect the commercial safety of merchants. This obligation must be observed by everyone, and it is clearly written in the treaty document.
Therefore, if there are pirates or robbers, all members have the obligation to send troops to fight against them. Likewise, for those who refuse to pay taxes and smuggle, the allies have reason to confiscate the payment for the goods.
What the document highlights is absolute trade fairness!
They signed their names one after another. Rurik was very satisfied with their straightforwardness and appealed: "I hope you will all send permanent envoys to my capital, New Roseburg, and I will also send envoys to your capital. We are an alliance and reject all civil wars."
.So we need to strengthen understanding and mutual trust, and everything should be resolved through negotiation. What do you think?"
Everyone said yes, especially Baudouin who held his head high and shouted in agreement. Because he wanted to sell wool safely and make money, and now King Rurik of Rus made a solemn promise.