Northern Song Dynasty: Starting from the son of Song Renzong - Chapter 353: Attack on Rome
Northern Song Dynasty: Starting from the son of Song Renzong
Chapter 353: Attack on RomeChapter 353: Attack on RomeThe eighty-second year of the Li Yuan Dynasty.
That is 1145 AD.
When the news reached the West that 200,000 Crusaders, including the Pope, bishops, emperors, kings, dukes, etc., had been captured.
This is undoubtedly a heavy blow to the entire Western world.
Who would have thought that as God's people, they could not defeat these invaders.
This year……
All Westerners feel that they have been abandoned by God.
This fall.
These popes, bishops, emperors, kings, dukes, etc. from various countries were also brought to Solange to meet the aging Zhao Xin.
honestly!Yue Fei might as well have killed them all at once.
After all, bringing all these people here would create problems for Zhao Xin, wouldn't it?Zhao Xin really wanted to let them go. He would feel embarrassed if he didn't.
Of course!In order to ultimately better protect our technological advantages.
Zhao Xin still decided not to let them go.
Of course, before that, Zhao Xin gave them a hypothesis.
"Suppose I can let all of you go back, and you have to submit to the Song Dynasty for generations, and put the Song Dynasty above your God. Would you accept that?"
If Zhao Xin asked each one individually.
Who knows, maybe someone really agreed.
of course!
If they really did this, even if they returned alive, they would be despised by the entire West.
Pope Innocent II also replied: "I admit that your army is very strong, Lord of the East, but you want us to put you above God, which is impossible. Even if I agree, all Christians in the West will not agree."
Although his face was already covered with wrinkles, he still maintained his composure and fought with Zhao Xin.
Zhao Xin said, "In this case, it seems that there is no need for me to keep you here any longer."
After saying that, he asked someone to take them all away.
Of course Zhao Xin wouldn't kill them immediately.
If they were really wiped out all at once, it might actually bring the entire Western world together.
Just leave it like this for now.
As for what to do next...
first……
Of course, we need to send people to Rome to negotiate with the remaining people.
The fact that these people here do not surrender does not mean that those who remain at home in the Holy See will not surrender.
If they surrender...
Zhao Xin can give light sentences to those who refuse to surrender.
the second year.
Zhao Xin then ordered Han Shizhong to lead the navy directly to the doorstep of the Vatican.
Use force and verbal persuasion in the hope that the other party will surrender.
At this time, those who remained in the Roman Curia were the cardinals who originally supported the ascension of Innocent II.
Because they wear red clothes and red hats, they are also called cardinals.
just now……
After more than a year, they temporarily elected two new candidates for Pope.
One was Lucius II and the other was Eugene III.
However, Lucius II was just a man who was greedy for power. Becoming Pope was just to satisfy his dream of "where there is no tiger in the mountain, the monkey can become king".
Such a person was naturally unwelcome by the Roman people.
As for Eugene III, although he has won some support among the people, the other party is well aware of the position of the Pope.
after all……
At this moment, this is really not a very good position. It is because other people can't stand Lucius II's usual tyranny that they pushed him out to run for election.
result……
What did he say before!
At the beginning of the previous year, after the Crusaders were defeated in Bulgaria, the Song Dynasty’s navy arrived again this year.
and……
He also personally called out and said that he wanted to discuss matters with the people who had a say here.
Looking at the endless ships docked on the sea west of Rome.
This time...
All the cardinals in Rome were in a panic.
Who to send!Although two candidates have been selected, it is still unclear who will actually serve as Pope.
At this moment...
Even Lucius II couldn't help but play dead.
"Should we send someone to negotiate with the other party?"
Someone sarcastically said, "Hasn't Cardinal Gerardo always wanted to be the Pope of Rome? Now is the best time for him to go alone to the enemy's warship to negotiate."
Facing the ridicule from others, Gerardo did not make any excuses.
after all……
If you want to wear a crown, you must bear its weight.
he thinks……
Since the Song Dynasty soldiers did not directly and brutally attack the city, they certainly would not take his life so easily.
then……
Gerardo ignored everyone, threw his robe and walked out, "If we rely on people like you who are afraid of death, the city of Rome will definitely not be saved."
Then...
The opponent was blindfolded and appeared in a cabin of the Song Dynasty warship.
Then he discussed the verdict with Han Shizhong.
What the Song Dynasty meant was that from now on, the Pope would be appointed by the Emperor of the Song Dynasty.
Without the edict of the Emperor of Song Dynasty, the Pope would not be legitimate.
The Song Dynasty could support the other party to become Pope, and even provide him with certain military support in order to intimidate other cardinals in Rome.
This was undoubtedly a huge surprise for the other party.
of course!
In this way, the Pope becomes someone else's running dog.
Although Gerardo really wants to be Pope, no one wants to be a pawn in the hands of others.
Moreover!If he acknowledged the status of the Emperor of the Song Dynasty, then where would he place his own God?By the time……
When he spoke to believers and issued instructions, was he speaking in the name of God or in the name of the Emperor of Song?
All this made Gerardo hesitate.
In fact, the most important thing is that the Song Dynasty is too far away from Rome.
If you say that they are close, then maybe there is some historical connection between them, and you can recognize an ancestor or something, then maybe it won't be so difficult to deal with.
"I think your request is difficult to achieve."
After saying this, Gerardo immediately added: "Although the emperor has been deposing and enthroning popes for a long time, the emperor of the Song Dynasty has nothing to do with Christ after all."
"If I rashly listened to the Emperor of the Song Dynasty, everyone would think that I was the one who betrayed Christianity."
"In this way, you will not only be facing one or two people, but all Christians."
Han Shizhong also said: "Then do you know that we can directly destroy your Church and your city of Rome?"
Gerardo: "I have no doubt that you have the ability to do that. However, those Christians will not listen to you because of this."
"So my suggestion is that if your emperor can also join Christianity, then there shouldn't be any problem."
Han Shizhong said: "How dare you ask our emperor to join your sect?"
"In short...either you recognize the power of our emperor, or you will disappear along with the city of Rome." After saying this...
Han Shizhong let the other person go back.
Next…
They have to use each other's mouths to express their meaning to all Christians.
After returning to Rome, Gerardo naturally told all the cardinals what the Song Dynasty meant, and other lower-level clergy also heard the news.
For a while...
This discussion continued all night long.
Speaking of military force, to be honest, the Holy See has no military force at all.
You can even control a small country like the King of Sicily and control the Pope.
If it were not for the intervention of Holy Roman Emperor Lothair II, Innocent II might have been killed by the King of Sicily and then another Pope would have been supported to take the throne.
therefore……
Some people think that since they are all controlled by the emperor anyway, it doesn't matter who controls them.
It is not embarrassing to surrender to the Song Dynasty.
Of course!The struggle between the Holy Roman Emperor and the King of Sicily for control of the Pope was an internal Christian affair.
If word got out that Rome was being ruled by the Song Dynasty, would the people of Rome support it?
Moreover!The Song Dynasty killed so many of them, and also had Muslims and other pagans at its disposal.
This involves the question of acceptance by the Roman people.
If it's not handled properly...
Perhaps even the authority of their Holy See will be completely destroyed.
and……
To be honest, although the power of their Pope is not very strong nowadays, they have always been competing with the emperor for the right to govern the secular world.
Whether you can snatch it or not is another matter.
If they surrender now...
Then all the current staff members of their entire Vatican would be torn to pieces by the believers.
To find out what people think.
the next day……
After some discussion in the Vatican, someone suggested that the matter should be left to the people of Rome to decide.
Explain the interests involved clearly to them. When the time comes, whether to surrender or not, the initiative is in their hands.
of course!
When Gerardo's men said this, they were also prepared to do so.
the other side……
Eugene III, a supporter named Bernardo, believed that anyone who did this would definitely be criticized in the future.
Why did the Song Dynasty come to find them? It was because they felt that there was actually no point in fighting with them.
It would be better to use the easiest way to calm things down, such as persuading them to surrender.
Therefore, Eugene III's supporters felt that at this time they should fight the Song Dynasty to the end.
To know……
Some things, once done, can't be undone.
Let’s not talk about those sanctimonious words. Once the Song Dynasty really rules over Christianity, who will look up to Christianity and their bishops in the future?If even they are the running dogs of others, how will the believers view them in the future?
"So now, what should we do?"
Eugene III asked the other party.
The other party said: "We can first flee to Speyer, the capital of the Holy Roman Empire. It is far away from the Mediterranean Sea and Constantinople. There, we can slowly accumulate strength."
Eugene III also asked: "What about Geraldo..."
The other party replied: "Don't worry about him, isn't he your competitor?"
Eugene III thought about it and agreed.
Early the next morning...
Lucius II, together with his men, went to ask the people in the city for their opinions.
Deliver his speech.
Before setting off, Lucius II noticed that it seemed that Eugene III's people did not object, but soon those people disappeared.
At first, Lucius II didn't realize what was happening.
Until he was scolded and asked someone to inquire where all those people of Eugene III had gone.
Only then did I realize that Eugene III might be planning to do something bad.
However, Lucius II could not leave Rome now.
Good guy!A full day and a half passed before Lucius II realized that he had completely turned into a clown.
No matter whether he surrenders or not, there will be no good outcome for him.
On the contrary, people like Eugene III have already fled to some unknown place, and may have already started planning to make a comeback.
In fact...
For people like them, it is not difficult to make a comeback.
As long as you have a mouth that can speak nice words, that's enough.
after all……
As a cardinal, with such a status, no matter which country you go to in Western Europe, you will definitely be received by the king, duke and other nobles.
After learning the truth, Lucius II had to thank his stupid teammates and was angry at Eugene III's dishonesty.
If you want to escape, please tell me.
In this way...
Lucius II didn't care whether the people of Rome agreed or not.
If anyone disagrees, I will suppress you!As for escaping without fighting like Eugene III did, Lucius II certainly had thought about it.
only……
Now, you have stood up and then quietly escaped on your own.
He has no mercy in protecting his believers. Even if he is allowed to escape, others will still stab him in the back.
Why didn't you join the people and citizens of Rome in defending the city of Rome?
Why did you escape by yourself?
Lucius II asked the people around him, "Is it too late for us to escape now?"
The people around him said, "I'm afraid it's too late."
After all, don’t underestimate Rome because it is a small city.
There are quite a lot of people here.
Even if it wasn't the one million that was boasted about, it must have been at least three hundred thousand to five hundred thousand.
Are you just going to watch these 300,000 to 500,000 people being attacked by the Song army and then waiting to die?
It's also his fault that he likes to be the first to take the lead.
It was more like Eugene III, who secretly left the city with a small number of troops and no one else knew about it.
At this moment, Lucius II really wanted to tell the Roman people in the city about Eugene III's desertion from the battlefield.
only……
It seems meaningless to say this now.
after all……
If I die in the battle, what's the point of cursing the other party?
If you can fight, fight. If you can’t, just surrender.
Since Bernardo was unkind first, don't blame him for being unjust.
(End of this chapter)