Eagle Byzantium

However, once the pilgrims came, it was not easy to drive them away. Many farmers, women and children soon joined the Norman camp. More tents were erected around the camp, with patches, beautiful and The walls were in tatters, the fences and ditches were no longer strictly observed, and many soldiers and knights were seduced by the promiscuous women in the pilgrimage. They could not bear to confine their sexual desire for thousands of miles. There were endless noises, fights and drunkenness. Today, a few ducks raised by pilgrim farmers broke out of their cages and flew to the top of Bohemond's red tent. They were croaking and croaking. Several of his followers were stabbing them with spears and sticks. After driving away these "uninvited guests", Bohemond walked out angrily, and a few flying duck feathers happened to fall and stick to his red hair.

The entire camp was about to turn into a big market. The city of Bari was still standing opposite. Bohemond flicked his feathers and said to his nephew Tancred and several distinguished earls, "These damn guys. , the swarthy peasants, and the bitch with cheap powder, where did they come from? "

"Part of it is a pilgrimage, and part of it is to follow the pilgrim team to make some money. The crops have been bountiful in the past two years, and everyone is holding back their energy and preparing to see the distant places." Tancred replied.

Bohemond did not answer, but looked at the city lying over there with a little melancholy. The various flags of Byzantium were still flying high, "I just appointed more than fifty priests and collected a lot of money. How could it be possible in the future?" Is this city completely exhausted?" said one The letter was delivered to the duke. Bohemond opened it, looked at it, and tore it up. "The Pisans want to supply me with a fleet of ships and charge rent, and threaten me if they are not a supply exclusively for the Normans." Shang. Just ask for my title and title to pay off the debt.”

"The battle must be fought quickly, morale is declining." Tancred and many earls said in unison.

Bohemond looked back at the turbulent procession of pilgrims beside the camp, and suddenly he had a plan in mind. He decided to turn disadvantage into advantage and use this group of people to seize the city of Barry.

Soon, Bohemond pushed Patriarch Anselm to the high platform of speech. Thousands of aggressive pilgrims gathered around, singing hymns, holding various crosses, and carrying simple farm tools and weapons. "People of the Lord, flock of the Lord. I am your father." Anselm, by the decree of the Holy See, we must now go on pilgrimage to the place where the great Son suffered and restore Jerusalem. Cold. What lies ahead is endless suffering. The souls of everyone who falls in the Holy Land will be saved and cleansed. The enemies include not only the Turkic bandits, but also the cowardly and despicable Greeks and their emperors. They occupy this city of Bali to block our access to the sea and hinder the realization of the Lord’s will.”

"Liberate the city of Bari and let it return to the embrace of the Lord!" At this time, farmers holding poultry cages and rakes, as well as many homeless people, shouted angrily.

"Then raise the cross of the Lord high and rush to the head of the city of Bari." The fanatical pilgrims soon spontaneously crowded into a huge gray torrent, shaking densely packed crude weapons. They crossed several pontoon bridges temporarily erected by the Norman servants on the river, and rushed towards the city gate and tower, amid the sound of warning bells. Tecopo people and Cuman people came out from their resting places behind the battlements one after another, holding bows and arrows. They lined up on the extended towers and city walls in the shape of bull horns, and they drew their bows and shot arrows without any scruples. Many of the incited pilgrims were struck down by arrows, but more of them raised their wooden sticks, tree trunks and rakes. , stepping on the corpse of the companion in front, roaring and continuing to crawl up the city wall.

"Look at the enemies who killed us on the city walls. They are all evil pagan mixed-race warriors. Killing them is the greatest contribution to the cause of the Lord." Anselm, the patriarch, rode a horse and held a cross in front of countless people. The crowd behind them is alluring.

Arrows and slings flew down one after another. Some of the pilgrims used wicker boards as shields on their heads, causing fragments to fly everywhere. Many injured people lay in the pile of corpses. But what they received immediately was not rescue, but trampling by their companions. Everyone, whether they were old people, women, or even children, their bodies were getting higher and higher, and their blood flowed out in large areas along the moat and into the river. . "Put up the ladder, set up the ladder." In the midst of such shouts, several ladders with hooks were set up on the top of the city. Then many pilgrims who barely had helmets and breastplates raised their swords and walked along the city. The ladder kept climbing up, preparing to seize the tower protruding from the outermost periphery.

"White soldiers fight." Following this order, the Tecopo mercenaries sent by the emperor dropped their bows and arrows, began to draw their swords, held up their spears and iron forks at an angle, pushed the ladders, and chopped down the pilgrims who climbed up. , severed fingers and wrists kept falling along the walls and crenels, and there were blood stains everywhere. The Italian veterans in chainmail behind them were also holding up Weapons came running for reinforcements, and the tower with the Lablan cross flag flying instantly became the focus that shocked the entire city. With the large number of people, pilgrims continued to climb up to fight with the militia and mercenaries. regiment, Bohemond also sent some Norman knights to mix in, posing a great threat and intimidation to the defenders.

Muzafiadin lay nervously on another tower, waving flags at his men, almost shaking his arms off. In St. Nicholas Cathedral, Gawain and several officers looked up at the flag signals, "There are not many troops left to support us. Even the sailors of Amalfi have been sent to resist. It seems that the enemy wants to drown us in the sea of ​​people and blood."

"No, we still have to persist, and with the ferocity and cunning of the Normans, the two towers on the front wall are definitely not the real focus of their attack." Gawain made such a judgment, and then the Grand Duke put on the holy armor, holding the phosphorescent sword, and led thirty heavily armored Varangian warriors, carrying battle axes and iron spears, and walked out along the central corridor of the church.

"Your Excellency the Grand Duke." The monks and nuns who were busy taking in the wounded, including the pilgrims who came to help, saw Gawain coming out, half-knelt and saluted, and Gawain nodded expressionlessly as he walked.

Suddenly, Muzafiadin on the top of the tower shouted loudly, "The Norman siege tower is attacking the northern tower fiercely. There is the enemy's elite main force there!"

"Your Excellency!" The warriors behind him asked one after another.

Gawain fastened the wrist guard of his armor, covered it with leather to prevent the weapon from slipping, and tightly grasped the Macedonian short halberd and kite shield, then said in a deep voice, "Diogenes, Francisco, and Taitius are all supervising the battle on the front wall and the southwest tower. We are the only ones left, so let's go and meet the Norman knights." (To be continued ~^~)