Chapter 1026 Rus' Cavalry in the Principality of Ostara
The appearance of the cavalry attracted the attention of the working Novgorod people. In fact, there was no need to say anything. The vigilant farmers straightened their backs one after another. They had already realized everything.
The Slavic warriors in the army rode wildly with their flags high, shouting as they galloped: "The king is back! The army is back!"
The cavalry rushed all the way into the busy city of Smolensk, running wildly on the main roads and making the whole city boil.
The Supreme King, old Otto, could not withstand the passage of time. He has not died, but his old body really needs a crutch to maintain stability.
"It's actually the cavalry making noise? Come on! Someone! Help me go and have a look!"
The attendants hurriedly helped the old king up, helping him at least put on the gold-plated leather helmet and hang the sword on his belt. Otto did not want his descendants to see his old appearance, and tried his best to maintain the image of a warrior.
Queen Svetlana held Prince Osborne with one hand and held Prince Oleg with the other.
Many of Rurik's wives and concubines also appeared holding their sons in their arms.
Almost all the royal family were in the city of Novgorod. When they walked out of the palace, the cavalry who had been prepared dismounted in surprise.
Fisk recognized old Otto at a glance and was horrified that the legendary hero now had a face full of vicissitudes of life.
He hurriedly ordered his brothers to dismount, and then they all knelt down and saluted the Supreme King.
"Is it Fisk? You...are you back by yourself?" Otto asked slightly hoarsely.
"No! We are the king's advance army, just to convey the news of the victory."
"My son Rurik is finally back!" Queen Mother Niya couldn't hide her excitement, and her words of inquiry were filled with tears.
"The huge fleet is on its way, but it will take some time due to the strong river. And we have brought back a lot of loot..."
"Okay! You don't have to say anything." The excited Otto has realized everything. Without his son Rurik, he is the real king of the local area. Now he retains extremely high power and is qualified to give orders to Fisk.
"Fisk!"
"exist."
"Take your people on a cruise around the lake! Tell all the cities you pass by about the victory of the village king, especially the Pechenegs living in the south of the lake! Let Kagan return to Novgorod first, and his
Do you mind having a nice chat with brother Rurik? Go quickly!"
"As commanded."
The cavalry who finally arrived in Novgorod finally got a short rest, and the joy of returning home rushed to their heads. They were not willing to station in the cavalry barracks to rest, but after drinking water and feeding their horses some oats, they ran directly to the cavalry camp.
south.
They followed Old Otto's request and swaggered through the city, telling everyone they met the news of the King's triumphant victory.
They deliberately raised the Ross flag high, and on their way to the south, hundreds of booers and onlookers followed them.
The cavalry was divided into two groups, and the Slavic warriors in the team took the west path. Because there are a large number of native Slavic manors on the west bank of the lake, these warriors are almost all young men of the manors, and their actions are very showy.
Fisk led the main force to the east coast of course. They had to pass through Mstisk and Youth City to declare a great victory and the triumph of the king's army to their fellow Vikings.
Once upon a time, the manor owners were ordered to hand over their eldest or second sons, who were "abducted" as hostages by the Prince of Ross and stuffed into the newly formed cavalry.
Before the war of 840, although the cavalry showed extraordinary strength, they did not achieve shocking results after all. Those combat cavalry were useful additions, unlike in 840, when the Ross cavalry became an independent task force.
Maverick accomplished a major feat in capturing the King of East Francia.
The concept of Frank is too unfamiliar to the native Slavs on the shores of Lake Ilmen. He was probably an existence that even the so-called Varyags once feared.
The cavalry showed up in their own manor in a show of force. The owners of each manor knew each other, and naturally they also knew the boys of the neighboring manor owners.
Their appearance on horseback was like a dream!
The old father greeted me with open arms and a smile. Old Muqi rushed up to greet me with tears in his eyes.
The relatives and tribesmen of the cavalry rushed forward and wanted to know what happened.
This was really the best opportunity to show off! The young warrior held up his linen bag and handed the heavy and jingling bag to his father, the manor owner.
They guessed that it was money, and the old guys trembled with excitement when they thought of the bag being full of coins. As the hemp rope was pulled open, all the fine Frank silver coins inside were reflecting the dazzling luster in the sun.
The old manor owner even fainted and the whole farm was shocked.
They still don't quite understand what an unprecedented and great achievement the cavalry captured the King of the Eastern Kingdom, so they focus on money. Overall, all the native Slavic farms around the lake are seriously short of cash, and they have two major wealth.
, wheat and cheap labor. Silver coins are the last currency in circulation in the kingdom today. Every farm is trying to find ways to convert the wealth produced into silver coins for storage. In this regard, the owners of the manor, the boyar nobles, have extremely strong power to act.
As the old saying goes, robbery is the fastest way to make a fortune.
War is a quick way to loot silver coins, and the expedition boys really took out a lot of cash.
This caused a major misunderstanding among the manor owners. Since the cavalry captured so much, wouldn't the king's army loot more? As everyone knows, the cavalry enjoyed most of the loot in the form of cash simply because it was what they deserved.
On the east and west sides of the lake, wherever the cavalry went, the brothers tried their best to show off.
After they passed by, some news that shocked the farmers immediately went viral - the king was serious about completely exempting agricultural taxes this year.
On the east bank of the lake, all those "hidden people" were forcibly relocated here to open up wasteland and cultivate land. These Slavic people were given tax exemptions, farm tools and other preferential treatment. At first, they rejected the relocation out of instinctive fear, and the governor had no choice but to
Military threats were used like capturing prisoners and dragging them to settle by the lake.
Over the years, those lakeside meadows have been transformed into acres of fields. Although the fertility of the land is not as good as that of fully developed good fields, at least it is more productive than farming in the forest.
Only those "hidden people" who have enjoyed the sweetness are truly willing to accept the control of King Rus. They still remain wary of the majestic cavalry. When they pass by, they jump up and down with joy at the news of tax exemption.
The Principality of Ross, the core area of the Kingdom of Ross, implements a grain-based economic system, and silver coins exist as general equivalents and are the mainstream transaction currency.
However, in ordinary rural life, each manor is always self-sufficient, and the essence of barter is to exchange food for other people's good things. More than thirty people were forcibly moved to the long snake array of farms on the east bank of the lake. They were
The poorest people have fragile economic conditions and cannot keep up with the development speed of the old manors. It seems that only through the tax-free policy for many years can these thin sheep grow a large amount of wool.
Selling grain is the safest way for them to accumulate development capital, which is the fundamental reason why the people jumped with joy at the confirmed news of tax exemption.
The cavalry was in the wind and the clouds were lingering. They ran along the dirt road by the lake, looking at the people turning the soil in the farmland and planting seeds, and at the long boats cruising on Lake Ilmen.
It was the masterpiece of the Novgorod Shipyard, which was in charge of the third son of the Hortra family. The shipyard focused on building small ships suitable for navigation on inner lakes and rivers. Undoubtedly, the most traditional dragon-headed longships were the most versatile.
There was no chance before, but now each farm is raising funds to buy its own longboat. This will make it easier for the farm to transport products to the Novgorod market for sale, catch fish nearby, and also follow the example of the Varyag people to go to distant places.
Explore and discover new possibilities.
Therefore, the Solon River came from the west and finally poured into Lake Ilmen. Because the old manors living on the west of the lake began to own Varyag long ships for long-distance exploration, they finally began to explore.
They dressed up as Varangians and started exploring on a small scale, just because they knew that they could find Pskov as long as they went west. The Slavic people on Lake Ilmen did not regard the people on Lake Psk as
People of the same clan only know that their languages are very close to each other, and they probably have very ancient ancestors. The exploration along the Solon River in reverse direction to the west has just begun. What the local manor knows is that the lake is in the Lovaj River Basin at the southern end, and is
It was actively explored and developed by the Ostara people among the Varangians.
The area where the Lovati River flows into Lake Ilmen has a vast and gentle area with rich water and grass that can be cultivated into farmland and suitable for grazing.
But in the eyes of the old manor, the place has become extremely unfamiliar.
There were a lot of livestock there, especially a lot of horses. There were large and small tents on the grass, as well as wooden huts and shacks far apart from each other.
There has always been a group of slightly shorter black-haired steppe people living here. They have mixed with the Ostara people and have formed a powerful new force.
The area legally belongs to the Duchy of Ostara, and the boyars of the New and Old Slavic Farms only have the right to reclaim the area near their settlements as new farmland, and have no right to reclaim land at the southernmost end of the lake.
On the contrary, the southern region has become a wonderful and wonderful place.
When a special market appeared, the goods sold were actually captives.
Today, the city of Novoostara is completely fortified, with a solid hardwood fortress spanning the Lovaj River. They have built smooth roads and built a large number of shanties outside the fortress.
The owners of the city are Duchess Carlotta and her son Carl.
Although Karl was Rurik's son, he inherited the title of Ostara.
Even Rurik does not have a clear surname, or people today do not have a strong obsession with surnames. However, the prototype of a surname has appeared. Carlotta has a title, and her son will inherit the title, and the fiefdom of Ostara is equivalent to
As for their surname, according to the local Slavic language, it was Ostalov.
Karl Ryulikovich Ostalov, the young master has such a Slavic name.
Carlotta didn't care about this, but his son was four years old. He was very concerned about his son's marriage. "I have to arrange a virtuous wife for him, a woman who can obey me and not have any opinions. This
My first wife must give me more grandchildren."
Carlotta is the "Ostara She-Wolf". She guards the southern gate of the kingdom. A weak female noble cannot shoulder this important responsibility. She is indeed fierce, and the current situation forces her to be fierce and decisive.
Just like its hometown in Sweden, the newly born Principality of Ostara immediately revived its old business - animal husbandry.
The area where the Lovati River flows into the lake is the best livestock land visible to the naked eye in the region. After eight years of slow development, it has finally gained enough momentum to enter the fast lane of development.
To be fair, she actively cooperated with Kagan, the prince of the Pecheneg Khanate, on the orders of her husband Rurik, which led to the explosion of New Ostara's comprehensive strength.
Here, it is not appropriate to organize a fleet belonging to the Ostara people. Actively training cavalry is the right way.
Now, the gorgeously dressed standing cavalry meets the local cavalry in New Ostara. One side is flying a white flag with blue stripes, and the other side is a white flag with a bull's head.
Both parties greeted each other in Norse, and Fisk's sudden visit was both unexpected and extremely gratifying.
Carlotta had a premonition that the king's army was destined to triumph this spring, but she never imagined that the king's advance cavalry would serve as his cavalry all the way.
"He misses me in his heart! He misses me..."
Carlotta, who had just received the news, was already uneasy, and then ordered: "Quick! Let the cavalry enter the city, I will hold a banquet for them! Also, inform Kagan immediately!"
Forget it, the duchess urgently changed into a leather coat, a leather hat, and wore wear-resistant leather boots.
The young master Karl is only three years old. He was born a noble and eats meat every day after being weaned. With pure Nordic blood, he does not look like he is only three years old.
Carlotta rode her mount, placed Carl in front, and then led her cavalry guard to meet her old friend, now the cavalry captain Fisk.
The two sides met in the open grassland next to the lake.
Fisk slowly took off his velvet hat and squinted his eyes to clearly see Carlotta's familiar face and a little guy with a tiger-like head that couldn't be hidden by the horse's neck.
He was an old comrade in arms, so Fisk didn't deserve to be rude to Carlotta.
He tightened the reins and the horse walked slowly.
"Carlotta." He called her by her first name. "It seems like everything is fine with you."
"Brother, you came so suddenly that I was overwhelmed. Did you...did you bring any news about Rurik?"
"Of course, wonderful news. What? Just let your old friend continue to blow the breeze outdoors? And that little guy, is he Karl?"
Carlotta smiled, patted her son on the head, and demanded: "Call that bald guy on the horse uncle!"
Carlotta's words are a little rough, but little Carl is so milky and has a loud voice that he calls Fisk "Uncle Bald".
This made Fisker and the guys behind him laugh.
Fisk is from the old Ross tribe and is a distant relative of King Rurik, so he also has a certain blood relationship with little Karl. There is nothing wrong with becoming an uncle this time. It is precisely because of this relationship that Fisk can call Sister Carlotta, and vice versa.
We can call them brothers, and because of their past experience of fighting side by side, they have a very good relationship with each other.
Now, the city of New Ostara is a country of cavalry. The local cavalry escorted the gorgeously dressed and yet brave standing cavalry from afar into the city, which immediately attracted many people's attention.
Carlotta raised her right fist high and said, "We have won! The kingdom has won a great victory! The king is about to arrive!"
The people cheered upon hearing this.
However, Fisk's eyesight was very sharp. The inner city of New Ostara was not big. It was a small fortress-like city with some open-air wooden cages. There were actually a group of people sitting in the cages, including men and women.
"Carlotta, are there prisoners there? Are there people committing crimes here?"
"Them?" Someone asked about this, and Carlotta immediately became energetic. She held the reins and raised her chin with a very proud attitude: "Have you forgotten our mission last year? The people you see are our trophies.
"
Only then did Fisk suddenly realize. He tilted his head and smiled, "It seems that when we were running rampant in Frankland, you were also hunting wildly in Smolensk? Oh, the king was worried that taking this guy would lead to Novgorod.
Well. It seems that the king is worrying too much."
"The Pechenegs and the people I sent did plunder the Smolensk villages. The locals were generally on guard. However, our horses and scimitars were strong, and we still captured a lot of slaves that needed to be captured. For
You guys... Fisk, you went to fight in the legendary Frank, how was it there?"
"How? That's a good question." Fisk smiled without saying anything, and patted a special bag hanging on the horse's back. The jingle made people curious. "What do you think is in it?"
"A pile of metal? No! Could it be all money?"
"It's all silver coins. Our cavalry has made a lot of money. Obviously the Franks are richer than the Smolensk people."
"Oh! Okay! You're making me jealous."
"Don't worry. I saw that you have trained powerful cavalry. The king told me that the cavalry team will be expanded in the future, and your contribution will be indispensable."
What does it mean to contribute? There is the best horse farm in New Ostara, and the locals are good at animal husbandry. Carlotta knows that as long as Rurik intends to expand the cavalry, he will definitely take away a large number of horses from him. Although they are husband and wife, the legal
The above is also the relationship between the two principalities. The Principality of Ostara is actually a vassal of the Kingdom of Rus. The principality guards the current southern gate of the kingdom. Economically, the two parties are basically independent of each other.
As the king, Rurik could not take Ostara's horses for free, he had to pay for them, or pay them in other ways.
"Or you can make me feel comfortable, and I'll lower the price or give it away for free. My Karl still needs a younger brother..." She thought so with anticipation.
The horses of the standing cavalry rested in the city. They rushed to the stables to feed fodder and oats. All the soldiers rested in the city. Carlotta rewarded them with cooked beef and mutton, a large amount of dairy products, and some cooked salted oats.
.
A variety of dairy products are local specialties that must be tasted, and Fiske is full of desire to eat cheese that is slightly smelly but has an endless aftertaste.
He was sure that he would be able to enjoy the feast soon, and then took advantage of the banquet to have a good chat with Carlotta and Kagan, who would be arriving later.