Northern Song Dynasty: Starting from the son of Song Renzong - Chapter 354 Arnold of Brescia
Northern Song Dynasty: Starting from the son of Song Renzong
Chapter 354 Arnold of BresciaChapter 354 Arnold of BresciaSince the previous Crusades took away many people who knew how to fight, the level of Rome's generals and defensive capabilities are now in jeopardy.
But... sometimes, it is not necessary to be an experienced person to command the army well. For example, Zhang Xun of the Tang Dynasty was just an unknown little-known figure before.
However, who could have imagined that such an unknown person could help the Tang Dynasty to extend its life for another 151 years.
This year, the Song Dynasty, Seljuk and Muslim coalition forces led by Han Shizhong were preparing to attack Rome.
Similarly, in the Western world, an unknown person also came to Rome. His name was Arnold of Brescia.
To outsiders, the other party might just be a shabby priest who looked unkempt.
however……
However, this man had a fearless spirit. In this world where everything was controlled by the church, he actually thought of rebelling against the church and restoring the ancient Roman republican system.
even……
He also participated in mass uprisings and was truly a complete traitor.
But even such a traitor, when he learned that hundreds of thousands of innocent lives in the city of Rome might be massacred by foreign invaders, had to put aside his previous grudges with Lucius II and express his ability to take on the important task of city defense commander.
You have to know that cardinals like Lucius II may seem like decent human beings, but in fact, in terms of ability, they may not be as good as Arnold of Brescia who led a mass uprising.
of course!
When Arnold of Brescia proposed this to Lucius II, Lucius II did not completely trust him because he was a pagan.
Could this pagan be so kind as to help them defend the city?That's obviously impossible.
only……
After much hesitation, Lucius II finally accepted the other party's proposal.
This is at least much safer than running to the city wall to command the army to fight.
As for what would happen if the other side really managed to defend the city of Rome, their reputation would surely soar. What would we do next?However...that would have to wait until the other side actually defended the city of Rome.
At this time, even Lucius II himself did not dare to say that he would survive, let alone how to deal with the subsequent events.
Arnold also made it clear that he was not participating in this battle just for the other side.
He did it for the people of this city.
Then...
He also sent people to the south of Italy to ask King Roger II of the Kingdom of Sicily for troops. At the same time, he sent people to the southwest of France.
At this time in the southwest of France, the heretical movement was expanding.
There are no believers in the church, believers have no priests, and priests have no authority. All the institutions of the church are under attack.
of course!
This must be Arnold's credit.
He had been exiled there by Innocent II, and so now it had become the base of the heretical movement.
Although the southwest of France is far away from here, sending people there is better than doing nothing.
At last……
It was preaching to the citizens of Rome.
Rome is everyone's Rome!It's not the Song Dynasty, nor the Seljuks, nor the Muslim Rome.
They must fight to the end!Constantinople has fallen!The people of Constantinople had been massacred.
This time, no one in Rome can stay out of it.
"We have no choice!"
"The only way is to take up arms and resist to the end!"
It’s time to say it or not.
Those who engage in heretical movements have strong incitement.
Not to mention, Arnold had already started a heretical movement in Rome a long time ago, so he already had quite a few close friends in the city.
Now these close friends have surfaced one by one and quickly become each other's right-hand men.
The other party's political proposition of restoring the Roman Senate Republic was even more easy and won the support of all Roman citizens.
This was of course mainly due to the fact that in the previous thirty or forty years, there had been constant conflicts between the Holy See and the citizens of Rome.
We cannot reach a consensus on many issues.
After Arnold's tinkering, the entire city of Rome was soon divided into fourteen districts. Each district elected four representatives, a total of fifty-six people, and these fifty-six people became senators.
Under the concentrated power of these fifty-six elders, especially these elders, they are often people with considerable financial resources in the city.
In this way...
The entire city of Rome was instantly made impregnable.
Even asking Roman citizens to block bullets with their bodies is not an impossible thing nowadays.
If Constantinople had not been massacred.
If the most recent Crusade had not resulted in total annihilation.
If it were not for the great city of Rome, it would have fallen into the hands of foreigners and pagans.
If not the entire Western world, it will fall into a long darkness.
Come to think of it...Arnold couldn't possibly get to this point.
It is impossible for the citizens in the city to become so united all of a sudden.
This is a war for survival and national salvation!
It's a battle for the survival of the race!
It is also their last hope to restore the glory of ancient Rome.
These people have no religion, but the power in their hearts is no less than that of those who possess religious power.
and……
More and more ordinary Roman citizens began to respond to these people's call.
Han Shizhong originally thought that it would take three days at most, or if we were a little more relaxed, that would be five days, and the battle should be over.
As for the rest, it was to collect the bodies for the soldiers and nobles in the city.
But obviously!Han Shizhong's estimate this time was a bit too optimistic.
First, we walked from the sea for a day to reach the city of Rome.
Then, we set up camp.
The next day, early in the morning, both sides immediately launched a fierce siege.
As for the Roman city, although the firepower is not as strong as that of the Song Dynasty coalition forces.
But they have plenty of ways to delay the Song army and prevent them from entering the city.
The Log, Oil, Large Ballista, Light Ballista, and Trebuchet.
There were also ingenious designs that used various weapons to be stacked up and placed on the city walls to block them, preventing the Song army from climbing the city easily.
In addition, the soldiers defending the city were fearless and brave.
This was the first day of the fight.
The Song Dynasty coalition forces didn't gain anything at all.
However, a lot of gunpowder was consumed.
And the key is...
When your soldiers know that they have things like cannons and muskets.
They will become very dependent on these things.
Even at the end...
Unless they see the enemy collapse because of artillery and muskets, they are often reluctant to take risks.
Because no one is stupid!We have cannons and muskets on our side, why would we go and die foolishly?Of course, you have to wait until the artillery and muskets defeat the enemy, and then go up and reap the heads.
Han Shizhong actually realized this problem very early on.
only……
What Han Shizhong did not expect was that his ever-successful siege operations would be tripped up by this small Roman city.
Of course!This small is relative.
In fact, compared with the entire Western world, the city of Rome is not small at all.
The area is 20 square kilometers. If you take the square root, the length and width are at least four or five kilometers.
only……
The shape of the city of Rome is not square. According to legend, it looks like a lion, with a lion's head surrounded by mane, spreading out from a point as the center.
The essential……
On the west side of Rome, there is also the Tiber River, which is almost 20 meters wide at its narrowest point and protects most of the eastern side of Rome.
As a result, those who wanted to capture this city could only sigh in despair as they looked at the river.
Before Han Shizhong came here, it was not that he had no idea about the situation here.
can only say……
He still underestimated the city's defenses and the resistance of the people in the city.
After the first day of siege.
Considering that he had massacred civilians, he had already been warned by the government.
therefore……
Han Shizhong also wanted to end the war peacefully and persuade the people inside to surrender.
to be frank!I have been in the West for so long.
The city of Rome is one of his favorite cities.
To be honest, it would be a pity if such a great city were destroyed.
As to whether the massacre in Constantinople was intentional on his part.
Of course not!
However, as a commander-in-chief, he did have the problem of not being strict enough in disciplining his soldiers.
Someone was sent to bring the letter to the people in the city.
soon……
Inside the city of Rome, everyone learned of the Song army's next intention.
The Song Dynasty came here for peace and has no intention of doing anything to the people in the city. If you can surrender, that would be great, as it would save both sides from losing many soldiers.
Han Shizhong said that the Song Dynasty came for peace.
however……
People like Lucius II and Arnold are not fools.
Of course, it is impossible to believe Han Shizhong’s lies.
then……
He then wrote back to Han Shizhong.
Since you came for peace, you should withdraw your troops as soon as possible. Moreover, from the fact that you occupied Constantinople and massacred the people in the city, we can't see that you came for peace.
Han Shizhong then wrote back to the other party.
We have an old saying in the Song Dynasty: If you want to kill people to comfort them, then you can kill them; if you want to attack a country because you love its people, then you can attack it; if you want to end a war with war, then you can fight.
and……
It was not us, the Song Dynasty, who took the initiative to attack you. Instead, it was you who initiated the Crusades. The reason we attacked you was only for peace.
If we can't defeat you, how can you possibly stop fighting?
even……
You launched several crusades to the east, and in the last one, you even sent out an army of 200,000 to attack Constantine.
If I really want to talk about it...
Aren't you the ones who don't love peace?
We in the Great Song Dynasty can clearly see how those Muslim babies were eaten up and their flesh and skin were left alone, leaving only their bones abandoned in the wilderness of Jerusalem.
Then the other party replied that the reason we launched the Crusades was because the Seljuks had influenced Constantine.
Why are you the bad guys the first to complain?No matter what, please leave.
Han Shizhong was naturally not very clear about these grievances.
Anyway...
After he comes, you Crusaders will be the ones taking advantage.
Then I will only recognize this.
and……
Those Seljuks and Muslims are now our own people. Shouldn't I help my own people instead of helping you?
There's nothing wrong with my brain.
At this time, Han Shizhong did not know that the commander in the city had been replaced.
If Lucius II was still in command, we would have captured the entire city of Rome today.
At least……
The fourteenth district of Rome, located on the west side of the Tiber River, will definitely be taken by them.
Han Shizhong then asked for the opinions of the commanders.
to be honest!The morale on their side is not very good.
It can be seen from the situation during the day that the other side is getting braver and braver as the battle goes on, while their morale is a bit low.
Moreover!After fighting for so many years, many soldiers have become numb.
When will the fight end?When Han Shizhong and his group first came, many of them were only in their early teens and twenties, but now, many of them are already in their thirties.
If Han Shizhong shouted now that the city had been breached, the people below would be allowed to plunder for three days without putting down their weapons.
That may be true, and many soldiers should be eager to participate.
But the problem now is...
Han Shizhong wanted to talk to them about discipline.
Do you think this can be used for combat?
The reason why Yue Fei won the battle was that behind Yue Fei's soldiers were the lands they had been allocated.
however……
They came here by boat from Egypt to attack other people's cities, but there is no ten or a hundred times benefit in attacking them. Who would risk their life to attack you?
therefore……
Unless the city walls are breached directly by artillery and muskets, it is simply impossible for you to ask them to fight to the death.
But those people on the city wall were definitely risking their lives.
Han Shizhong received an order from Zhao Xin to find an opportunity to capture the city of Rome.
If possible, capture their craftsmen and scholars and bring them to Solange.
And their books were also brought back.
In fact...
This is not a mandatory order.
even……
Zhao Xin did not necessarily need Han Shizhong to capture the city of Rome.
after all……
At this moment, Zhao Xin didn't know what to do with the entire Western world.
But what Han Shizhong heard was naturally not like this.
That's what Han Shizhong heard.
You, Han Shizhong, must capture the city of Rome and capture all their craftsmen and scholars and bring them to Solange.
We also need to bring back their books.
otherwise……
Given the current situation, Han Shizhong might have withdrawn long ago.
of course!
In any case, at least before the gunpowder is completely consumed, Han Shizhong is not willing to give up.
Look at other places, Rome is so big.
It's impossible that the guards at every city gate are all so brave.
If this happens in another place, maybe there will be cowards too.
therefore……
the next day.
Han Shizhong began to divide his troops, sending some to cross the Tiber River from upstream in small boats, and then try to attack from other directions.
(End of this chapter)