Chapter 1160 Countess Sophia and the Great Crisis of Nassau-Koblenz
Compared to his hometown in the north, the situation in Nassau Village in the Lan River Valley is much better.
Although it is covered by the university, the Lan River is not completely frozen. The riverside area is full of floating ice, and it is almost impossible to walk on it. This situation makes it unnecessary for people to push the existing long boats onto the river bank.
The wild grapevines on the hillside were completely covered with snow. They all looked withered, but in fact they were not.
Nowadays, the grape planting industry in the Lanhe River Valley is defined by Black Fox as the development strategy of the barony. Although he himself does not know how to grow grapes, the villagers of Nassau do.
In the past, growing grapes to make wine only met the needs of the lords, and the people lacked enthusiasm for labor because it was almost impossible for them to benefit from it.
Otherwise, the wine from the river valley will be transported to the north with all its strength, and everyone who works in this job will receive dividends.
In the late autumn of 841, the shrubs on the slopes on both sides of the river valley began to wither naturally on a large scale.
There are many types of trees in this area. Although it appears to be a forest sea of red pine and cedar, it is also mixed with maples, oaks, maples, and even ash trees.
There must be treasures in the mountains! As for the black fox occupying this place, since he has left his hometown in the north forever to become a hereditary noble here, he should find out the products in the territory as soon as possible.
Farmers were organized, armed with knives and axes. For the first time, they deliberately cleared away the withered grapevines, leaving only the roots that were still alive. Then they inserted a "cross", so that the hillside looked like a cemetery. In fact, this was not the case.
The withered vines can be used to tie up the wooden sticks available to the pitcher. In the autumn, a wooden frame can be made, which can be used as a climbing support for the new grapes the following year, making it easier to harvest grapes in late summer.
People had to go to the mountains to cut firewood and store it for heating in the winter. Due to the garrison, Nassau's human resources were quite abundant.
Pine and fir trees were cut down and chopped into pieces to build walls.
Taking advantage of the opportunity, those ash trees that were found were plundered by plundering them. Simply burning them was a waste of natural resources. Their elasticity was extremely important, they could be used to make bows, and they could also be used as the key elastic lever of manual wood lathes.
Because Black Fox's men are not just pirates or warriors, they are fishermen, hunters, and craftsmen.
Due to the harsh living environment in the north, those with versatile talents are better able to live.
They have converted to God, have a fortune in their hands, and have a variety of skills. Most of them are young, tall and strong, and at least have a completely different temperament than ordinary farmers.
The overall female population in Nassau and Coblenz is relatively large, or due to factors such as war, disease, malnutrition, overwork, etc., the lifespan of local male farmers is not long. The most critical thing is the overall poverty. Every winter
Some people froze to death. Widowed women often went to convents, and many more women had no right to choose their own spouses.
The brothers came here from the north not because of their strong belief in certain beliefs. It is a bitter and cold place in the north. Although there is winter in Nassau, the feeling is only the late autumn in the north.
When Blue Fox issued a request in the name of the baron, the more populous Coblenz side had to come up with a group of young women. Even several knights in the mountains south of Coblenz handed over some of their unmarried women.
The serf woman fulfilled the lord's request and received some real cash.
In late autumn, a limited-scale mass wedding was held in Nassau Village.
The ceremony ended in one day, and there was no feasting or feasting afterwards. This move seemed to Father Conrad to be a good move, and after the incident, those who were watching were ready to make a move.
In the first spring after the first mass wedding, those women were already pregnant one after another.
The Normans did not bully these women! The daughters who were married to them actually became fat!
Especially for the people of Koblenz, in the early spring when it was warm but still cold, some villagers took their young daughters and forcibly rowed a boat through the River Inn, and finally entered the depths of the River Inn, in order to get their daughter a good match.
Husband. In other words, the greater hope is that the villagers are eyeing the cash in the hands of the Normans in order to "sell" their daughter at a good price. They do not have any psychological burden, just because facts have proven that marrying off their daughter will make their family better.
You can also get a backer.
It looks like Nassau and Koblenz are entering a new age
The moon is still and the state is pastoral.
If there was no civil war, and if all trade lines were absolutely safe, the Black Fox and his Norman army would naturally be able to live happily in this area, controlling the gradually expanding population.
But Koblenz is actually the front line of the civil war! The Nassau side will not sit still and wait for death, and the Black Fox will still take the initiative.
Internal affairs are taken care of by two priests, and Blue Fox currently lacks the ability to directly command the vassal knights in the Koblenz Mountains across the river. What he has to do is to manage the Lan River Valley that he firmly controls.
The fishing village of Randstad, which dominates the confluence of the Rand and Rhine rivers, gradually turned the Emsbach quarry and hot spring into a fortress.
The Emsbach quarry has a unique geographical location. The open-air granite quarry stone can be cut at will. Black Fox has this dream to build a stone Nassau Castle in this place to replace the old baronial mansion.
In other words, he will soon be upgraded to a count and needs a more domineering building to show his extraordinaryness.
He knew that no one had ennobled his family as earls. According to the agreement at the end of 841, he replaced Lai Yingao, bought the fiefdom from the Robert family, and also received the title of earl. This matter would definitely not be achieved by the King of the East.
Ludwig's support! So what? Does that guy think he has more troops?
If Black Fox waits any longer, he will have to wait for his second brother Blue Fox, and even more, for the Robert family.
Spring has arrived, and the Robert family arrived stubbornly in a carriage.
They were not the only ones who came!
A peaceful and stable life has always been the desire of the northerners. Those warriors who had been silent for a winter were ordered to put on their chain mail again, put on clean Ross white background and blue pattern robes, carry their round shields behind their backs, and hang them on their waists.
Wearing a sword, following behind the overly ornately dressed Black Fox, Robert prepared a mighty battle to welcome his family's move.
The cavalry guarded the carriage convoy, and there were quite a few of them.
The wheels made deep tracks, and Robert's boots stepped on mud as expected. However, after walking for a while toward the riverside wooden fortress with the Russian flag flying, the mud on the soles of his feet was clean.
"The ground has been pebbled again. You guys are thinking too much..."
Raising his head, Robert estimated that this group of Normans was determined to settle permanently. No village had the time to build its own roads, but this group of Normans actually spread gravel on a large scale in the settlement.
The soldiers clapped their feet in neat steps, and kicked their legs neatly. Their formation was not strict, but the rhythm of chopping was accompanied by the characteristic Viking war cry, and the sound they made was very regular. Their appearance seemed not to welcome them, but to enter the battlefield.
The two young knights, Gilbert von Ettigenstein and Ballard von Bredenstad, had never been to Nassau. Their father, who died fighting in the north, had been there too many times during his lifetime.
Second-rate.
The young people are very ashamed of their limited knowledge. The huge Hessen mountainous area limits everyone's activity space. The two of them lack knowledge of the outside world, and this realistic factor of being stubborn makes them unwilling to leave the fiefdom at all.
Who is the real Baron of Nassau? I heard it was a young girl.
Who is the Norman who represents the real power of the baron? Maybe it’s not the well-dressed little fat man?
It is true that Heihu has gained a lot of weight because of his second brother Heihu who has successfully lost weight. In the past year, because he had to do a lot of things, this young man who could barely call himself eighteen years old has been under a lot of pressure. He has lost some weight, but he is still wearing a
He wore a polar bear skin, a fox fur hat with dyed feathers on his head, and deliberately opened his chest to show that he was wearing a Russian shirt, which was very different from the Frankish nobles.
A striking feature is the boots of this Norman nobleman. They are high-top leather boots. It cannot be said that there are no shoes of this style. It can only be said that they are only worn by the group of Norman troops in front of them.
From any angle, the two young knights put on their most gorgeous and domineering attire, completely showing their timidity in the face of the uniform Norman army.
Robert was in a good mood. He dismounted and winked at the two finalists, Zhong Chen.
In a short while, the down-and-out count had even eaten up the remaining food, and still held onto her arrogance.
The armed attendants were replaced by two years old
In fact, this scene made Blue Fox squint his eyes like a fox, and he had to think: "Those two guys are not like ordinary guards."
"Finally, you are finally here." Black Fox said boldly. This moment could be described as disrespectful.
The black fox had a condescending attitude, and Robert was not angry. The boy just looked a little fat and naive, but when it came to fighting, he was as ferocious as a three-headed hell dog.
"Yes. It's finally here. Maybe... I came a little earlier. I looked at the dock and your brother's ship hasn't arrived yet."
"I'm waiting too." Black Fox shrugged and turned slightly to signal his troops: "Brothers are impatient with waiting! Everyone hopes that the war will continue and we can continue to make a fortune this year."
"Okay. No one can stop you. I know something about the situation in the south, but it has nothing to do with me."
"Oh? Why don't you say something?"
The squinting Black Fox was actually waiting for this guy to make another comment about the sneak attack on Trier last year. Robert realized that, but he just refused any comment.
No, Robert solemnly introduced his last two loyal ministers.
"This is Gilbert, this is Ballard..."
Even if he is just a knight, since he is a pure native of the mountainous area, even though he is a minor noble, his name is very long. Robert explained their respective names on behalf of the two people. This showed that he could not forget the friendship in the past, and he was also helping.
The busyness of two young people.
Doesn't a long title make you look domineering?
Black Fox opened his eyes wide. No matter how he looked at him, he felt that the other person was completely the same age as himself.
"I'll leave these two to you." Robert sighed softly: "These two are the real knights of Yingao. When I was down and out, they never left me. They can be loyal to me, and they will also be loyal to Nagau.
Baron Sao."
"Oh? Do you want to be loyal to me?" Black Fox asked tentatively.
"Yes! No. They are the vassals of the real baron, that is... your wife. Obviously, Sophia did not come." Robert said again.
"Her? She's still too young. Maybe she won't be able to see such a battle for the time being?"
"It doesn't matter. We can hold a ceremony of allegiance in the monastery. They can only be loyal to the real baron, and they also need to implement the sword-giving ceremony. The etiquette is indispensable. It is best for the priest to be present as a witness."
"It's just another matter of red tape, whatever... you can do it anytime. What about you?" Black Fox stared into Robert's eyes: "Don't forget that our transaction is the most important thing."
"Am I going to forget? The lower-level vassals of Laingau are loyal to you, and I have lost everything in the north. And you will become the earls of Laingau. At least my wife and I admit it."
Youdao didn't waste any time. He wanted to control the black fox who came to Yin Gao to expand his strength as soon as possible, so he quickly pulled up his fiancée who was sleeping soundly.
Legally, Sophia is Black Fox's fiancée. She is the owner of the baron's mansion, and Black Fox has become a lodger. In daily life, Black Fox plays more like a big brother, and everyone, including Father Conrad, is there.
Waiting, only when Sophia reaches the age stipulated by Frankish law can the two get married. Although the people who immigrated here criticized a series of rules, because the rules were not based on principle and disrupted life, everyone tolerated it.
The sleepy-eyed Sofia ate some cheese and was taken to the monastery.
She was dressed up, put on beautiful clothes and put on a heavy iron helmet, just to show that she was a military noble.
She is young, and her culture and knowledge are completely different from other aristocratic women. The most important thing is the study of Latin. She could be uneducated, but because of the persecution of the black fox she calls her eldest brother, who is actually her fiancé, she
In the past winter, I spent a lot of time supplementing my knowledge, but now I really have an added intellectual beauty.
It can be said that she is wiser than her two brothers who immigrated to the Netherlands.
She had already realized what she was going to do next, so she took over the broad-bladed swords from the two vassals.
The sword was a bit heavy, so she had to pick it up with both hands, put it on the shoulders of the kneeling knight, and finally put it on the knight's head. She repeated the oath in Latin and declared to be a knight of Nassau.
All this was witnessed by Father Conrad, and confirmed by Black Fox, Robert, and even Adelaide, the daughter of the Earl of Tours.
With the recognition of the clergy and the great nobles, this stubby canonization has a certain degree of legitimacy. As for whether King Ludwig of the East recognizes it or not, it will not be considered.
But it's not over yet.
Sophia is young but not stupid. In the past two years, what she has experienced has been like giving herself a rebirth. She is already a young girl. At the end of her childhood, her father participated in a war that determined the fate of the Nassau family. Now she is ordered to stay in her hometown.
Carrying the noble status of Baron Nassau, he is no longer qualified to be a defender.
Koblenz-Nassau-Leingau must be born as a county!
She is only in her early ten years, so she may lack the ambition to achieve a career for the time being. Faced with the reality, she has to adapt to the responsibilities of this era.
Lai Yingao will become a terra incognita due to the departure of the Robert family. Nassau is its old vassal, and now it is a good idea to replace it peacefully.
The canonization ceremony had just ended, and the two knights stood up with sullen faces. Sofia raised her head with a calm face and a slightly freckled face: "Soon, when the money is delivered to Sir Robert's hands, I will automatically serve as the Count of Laingau.
.You are the last knights who come to Yingao to serve you. You will be promoted to baron immediately. At least we will recognize it! The northern countries will recognize your status as baron."
All this was discussed between Heihu and his fiancée, but the actual situation surprised them both.
No one could have imagined that there were many knight leaders in Ingau, but in the end, a large number of these guys became loyal to Ludwig.
Only two knights pledged their allegiance to Laingau, and they were the only ones to change their ways.
After spending a lot of money to buy it, I came to the large uninhabited mountainous area of Ingau, and all I got was the allegiance of two knights and a monastery. I felt that I gained face, but I lost some money.
However, it was a done deal. The Robert family arrived in Nassau before the Ross fleet arrived, and they were stationed here to wait for the ship.
For this reason, the black fox still needs to be fed good food and drink.
At first, Black Fox felt that the two knights were a little dull and cautious. They were basically the same age, so couldn't they know how to drink?
Barbecued meat was served with ale and wine. Black Fox spoke the local dialect with a stutter and at least danced so that the other party could understand him. He specially invited two new friends to feast and drink, with the vulgar pride of northerners and the rare tableware displayed on the dining table.
, and quickly became one with them.
Colored plates and wine glasses made of glass are not surprising in the north, although prices are generally high due to shipment issues.
But in a remote village in the Hessen Mountains, they were classified as hereditary knights. The two young men had to eat wheat from wooden bowls like ordinary farmers. At most, they could eat better than ordinary people.
What's the situation here in Nassau? Even the drinking quilt is a pale red "crystal"?!
This moment shows the arrogance of the black fox: "My wife is the ruler, and my son is hereditary. I am a housekeeper, not an earl, but in another identity, I am a northern noble. After eating this meal, you will all use these tableware
Get it. We will be brothers from now on, eating meat together and drinking wine together..."
The fat black fox with a belly is in sharp contrast to the two thin knights, even though they are of the same age. Obesity represents affluence of food and clothing. What the two saw in Nassau Village completely refreshed their understanding of the Normans.
.
Besides, Black Fox, who held a heavy army, was indeed not a baron in the legal sense. Gilbert and Ballard did not feel uncomfortable with this call of brotherhood.
They also saw that the Robert family, who moved their family to Nassau Village and continued to earn a living, continued to provide good food and drink every day even though the Nassau side had fully understood the situation.
Spring has arrived, and even early summer has arrived!
Everyone is waiting for the Blue Fox fleet to arrive, but something seems to have happened?
Indeed, problems have arisen in some places.
After all, the civil war is still going on, Lothair's summer offensive is inevitable, and Ludwig's summer counteroffensive must also be carried out. Two top nobles with heavy troops, coincidentally made new moves at the same time.
Nassau in the Lane River Valley was actually on the front line of the Civil War.
, Koblenz, at the confluence of the Moselle and Rhine rivers, has long been targeted by Lothair! The tranquility of the years is just a paralyzing appearance before the crisis.
No, war broke out!
A very regular infantry banner of King Lothair, accompanied by a squadron of banners, and more than 200 armed civilians given by Count Metz to escort the logistics supplies, assembled an army of more than 800 people.
With the goal of recapturing Koblenz, the summer offensive in this direction began.
This matter was never King Lothair's whim. He wanted to capture Coblenz and guard it with heavy troops to make up for the mistake of losing this place last year due to underestimating the enemy.
In this regard, when the army set off, Black Fox and Robert had to wait stupidly for the ship.
Until the knight leader in the Koblenz Mountains was deliberately attacked and plundered as a traitor, the knight collapsed at the first blow, or maybe he didn't want to fight the invaders in the first place. The knights and the refugees rushed to the village on the Rhine River and attacked the mountain castle stationed there.
Eric "Toothless" reported that Father Bachbert took a boat to Landstein at the mouth of the Blue River in despair. This mind-breaking news woke up the Black Fox who was immersed in the happiness of expansion.
"It's unreasonable that they actually take the initiative to attack? What qualifications do they have to take the initiative?! Brothers, kill them!" A fat man drew his sword. After experiencing the war, he finally looked like a warrior.
But this time, the second brother Black Fox will not help him. Fortunately, the northern heroes under his command are still very interested in killing, not to mention the new wives who heard the news and cried bitterly while holding their Norman husband's lap. Now, the army has
There is an unshirkable obligation to protect Koblenz.