Chapter 415 - 293: The Norman Commotion

Eric had been in Mamistra City for a full week. During this time, he had dispatched Hook Eye and his scout team multiple times to patrol the area around Mamistra City and try to probe the movements of the Turkic People in the Antioch Region. However, to avoid overextending his forces, Eric didn’t let them venture too far from Mamistra City.

Although they hadn’t gathered any significant intelligence, it was clear that the activity of the Turkic People had noticeably decreased recently. Reports from the Cilicia region confirmed this; the main force of the Turkic People seemed to be retreating toward Syria.

Although the military clashes between the Norman Knights and Turkic raiders in the Cilicia region had mostly ended in victory, so far, Eric and his men had primarily encountered only Turkic raiding parties. The Norman Knights had not yet engaged a large, organized army of the Turkic People.

The Normans’ initial victories were simply because they had caught their enemies off guard. After all, the Turkic forces had long grown accustomed to the feeble soldiers of the Armenians in Cilicia.

There was no reason for them to abandon Cilicia; the region was a strategic pass from Anatolia into Syria.

The recent decrease in Turkic activity had one possible explanation: the Turkic People of the Rum Sultanate might be gathering a massive army to deal with Eric’s band of foreign Normans.

....

Outside Mamistra City.

Ever since the Pisans arrived, the citizens’ hostility toward the Normans had vanished completely.

The Municipal Official’s change in attitude was the most drastic of all.

He was now busy flattering Belem.

"My lord, my lord! I think you should stay a few more days. Every second you are here is like the sun shining down, illuminating the souls of us poor citizens. You’ve brought not only grain but also this... this thrilling atmosphere!"

Belem couldn’t help but laugh. "Is that so?"

"Of course, of course!" the Municipal Official immediately chimed in. "I was already thinking, after you officially become our city’s hero, I must write a poem for you. The title will be ’Belem, the Norman Hero.’ What do you think?"

"I could also add praises like ’The Valiant Norman Knight’ so everyone will know of your greatness!"

Belem shook his head, feigning reluctance, even though his smile was threatening to split his face. "I’d rather not be the protagonist of a poem. That would be quite the bother."

"No problem, my lord!" the Municipal Official said at once. "I’ll write the poem so well that it will absolutely not embarrass you! Besides, the longer you stay, the more praise I can pack into the poem. I’m planning to use it to attract more supporters!"

"Alas, we must travel to the East to save more people like you. This is the cause God has granted us." Belem puffed out his chest and gazed into the distance as if he were a true epic hero. But as soon as he finished, he turned his head to the Municipal Official and said, "However, the poem is a possibility. Just remember not to make it too exaggerated; I can’t stand that," Belem declared loudly.

"Absolutely not exaggerated, absolutely not!" the Municipal Official repeatedly assured him. "It will only make you sound more handsome and more powerful!" He was secretly pleased, ’scheming how to use this opportunity to gain more benefits and connections.’

"It is a great pity, but I can assure you, my lord, that Mamistra City will become your most loyal domain. Mamistra City will forever await the return of its great Lord."

Belem, mounted on his Warhorse, clapped the Municipal Official on the shoulder and said with a smile, "To be honest, I preferred you when you were unruly and defiant."

Of course, some remained hostile, like the Priest of Mamistra City—the same Priest who had cursed Eric the moment he entered the city a week ago.

"Dyophysite heretics! May your souls and the souls of the Heretics descend to Hell forever! Your journey is a grave insult to the Holy Sepulchre! My Lord will be enraged by your pilgrimage, for He is the Lord of Truth, the Lord of Eternity!"

He was still cursing as the horns blew and the Norman Knights began to move out.

"Eric, what’s that heretical fool yelling about? What’s Dyophysitism?"

The Priest’s constant repetition of a particular term had piqued Belem’s curiosity, so he turned and asked Eric.

"How many natures does Christ have?" Eric asked.

"The Holy Father, the Holy Son, and the Holy Spirit. Three." Belem confidently held up three fingers to Eric.

Eric clicked his tongue at him reproachfully, like a school proctor. "Not how many persons, you idiot. The question is, how many natures? Some Armenians believe Christ has only one nature—that my Lord Christ is half-man and half-god, a perfect union of human and divine nature."

"The Roman Curia and the Constantinople Church, however, believe that Christ has two natures: a complete human nature and a complete divine nature. The divine and human natures are real and whole, coexisting within the same person, without confusion, without change, without division, and without separation."

"Is this question really that important? Two, three, twenty—what’s the difference? Why argue about this stuff? We don’t even know how many natures we have, yet we’re debating the nature of Christ."

"The difference is that holding a distinct viewpoint allows the Armenians to believe they are Armenians, not naturalized Greeks. They are expressing their discontent with the Greeks and resisting the rule of this Greek-dominated Empire."

"It also serves as a reminder to future Armenians that the Greeks will try to force things on them in some respects, and that the Greeks are absolutely not their own kind. That’s all it is."

"What do you mean, ’that’s all’? That’s way too complicated."

"You just need to understand that as we travel this land, we should be welcomed as saviors, not as arrogant kings or self-proclaimed Lords."

"I know Robert might not care about that, but the other Nobility besides me probably don’t think that way. Not unless we can find enough gold and silver to satisfy them."

"Our goal was supposed to be Jerusalem, but now we’ve easily taken all of Cilicia. Eric, I think this is great, of course. Conquering Cilicia is your military achievement, but your Lord is Robert, and Robert has the final say."

"Every Norman craves land. Perhaps when they took up the cross, they truly intended to save the Holy Sepulchre, but as soon as land became available, their true nature was exposed."

"You’re a Norman too, Eric. We Normans are all like this, aren’t we?" Belem sighed.

"What have you found out?" Eric looked at Belem.

"Last night, I received a letter from my brother, Hugh. You know I had him stay by Robert’s side to represent us so we could be kept up to date on Robert’s situation."

"He told me in the letter that some Barons and Lords have recently been trying to persuade Robert to partition Cilicia. Of course, their official justification is to govern and protect Cilicia more effectively."

"Some of the Norman Nobility have also started talking at length about their contributions during the war for the throne, feeling that Robert’s rewards to them were far too meager and didn’t match their dedicated efforts."

Belem took a letter from his tunic and handed it to Eric.

Eric took the letter, his brow furrowing. "I knew something like this would happen sooner or later."

’Those Norman nobles advising Robert to partition Cilicia wouldn’t be acting alone; it must be a coordinated effort. Since they didn’t participate in my war for Cilicia, they’ve likely informed their own subordinate Knights to drum up support for the matter, aiming to win broader backing.’

"This news has probably already been secretly circulating among the Knights. Thinking back, the Knights’ recent restlessness probably wasn’t just about Jerusalem."

’The most restless among them were his own directly commanded Knights. Previously, Eric had assumed it was just because they were getting closer to the Holy Sepulchre.’

’Eric’s Knights must believe that as the main force that conquered Cilicia, they deserve to be the first to be granted lands in Cilicia as a matter of course.’

’Thinking about it now, their agitation probably wasn’t about recovering the Holy Sepulchre sooner, but rather an expression of their dissatisfaction that he hadn’t said a single word about partitioning Cilicia.’

"Maybe it would be better if we went back to Cyprus," Belem said.

"No, that would only complicate the situation. We’ll continue marching toward Antioch. Let Robert know that we’re busy, that the Turkic People are still our greatest enemy."