Ego autem orditus sum regem meum super Sion montem sanctum suum adnuntiabo Dei praeceptum



“But I am appointed king by him over Sion, his holy mountain, preaching his commandment.”



26 November, 1177



26 November, 1177

The royal apartments at Ascalon overlooked the deep blue waters of the Mediterranean. The castle was held in fief by the King’s sister Sibylla, until the day she wed. Sibylla had recently been widowed by her husband William of Montferrat, and after his death she had given birth to a son whom she had named Baudouin. A dubious honour, the King thought, considering his affliction. Sibylla was a member of the Court Party, alongside their mother the Lady Agnes and her kin the Courtenay’s, Patriarch Amaury, Grandmaster Eudes, and the zealous newly arrived Crusaders from Europe. Opposed to them was the Noble Party, led by Duke Raimond of Tripoli, Lord Balian and his wife Maria, Archbishop William of Tyre, and Grandmaster Roger of the Hospitallers. There was a great deal on enmity between the two factions. Baudouin’s father Amaury had been forced to annul his mother Agnes after he inherited his brother’s throne. His new wife, Maria Komnenos, great granddaughter of the Greek Emperor, had married Lord Balian after she was widowed. After the triumphant return of Agnes to Jerusalem for her son’s coronation, Maria had not been welcome at the Haute Cour any longer. The Court Party and the Courtenay’s were in the ascendant; Baudouin’s uncle Joscelin, the titular count of Edessa, was now one of the most powerful men in the Kingdom. The conflict between the two factions hurt Baudouin greatly. His loved his mother and sister so very much, but he knew that men like Lord Balian and Grandmaster Roger were sincerely loyal to him. And he loved William of Tyre like a father.As Baudouin’s physicians gave him his morning bath and cleaned his wounds, his mind turned to his bitterly divided Kingdom. The Haute Cour was the seat of power in the Kingdom, far more powerful than any individual noble, or even the King himself. It had deeply engrained rights which no King would dare to challenge. The Royal Family, the bishops, the Grandmasters, and every noble in the Kingdom was entitled to sit in the Haute Cour, though for the most part when it met once a month only the Officers of the Court. Baudouin’s infirmity meant that the Officers of the Court had an even greater role than was the norm in the stewardship of the Realm. Most of them were decent Christian men who wished only to serve, but a few took office only to line their pockets and expand their lands. They thought him weak.The Constable was the most important officer of the Kingdom. He was direct lieutenant to the King himself, commanding his household knights and commanding the army in the absence of the King. He also took charge of law and order within the Holy City itself, and enforced the King’s discipline on the Army. The current Constable was Grandmaster Eudes, who had achieved his position due to his alliance with the Lady Agnes. Eudes was a fearful man to have against you; he had a great yellow beard and a voice like a viper. But he had a reputation for charity and protecting pilgrims. He was one of Baudouin's strongest supporters in the Haute Cour. His direct subordinate was the Marshal, who was master over the Royal stables and in charge of organising the newly arrived Crusaders from the West. Grandmaster Roger had been named Marshal, much to his chagrin; he objected to being subordinate to the Templars. He was stubborn as an ox, but loyal to a fault.The Queen Mother had appointed her brother Joscelin to the position of Seneschal. With the Kings illness, he took charge over much of the day to day running of the Kingdom. He sat in place of the King in the Haute Cour, administered the Royal demesne, and took charge of the Royal treasury. The position had accrued more power over the past three years of Baudouin’s reign. He was aided in his duties by the Viscount and Castellen, Edouard, the Bishop of Bethlehem. He was master of the Citadel of David, and in charge of apprehending criminals in the City.Balian of Ibelin had agitated for the position of Seneschal, but instead had been granted role of Chamberlain. He was in charge of the Kings personal household; its servants, his personal effects, and his chamber of rooms. The Butler was his direct subordinate, usually filled by a bright lowborn servant. He was a loyal man, and true, but his wife was Maria Comnena, the viper who had made King Amaury divorce Baudouin's Lady Mother. He would never forgive her for that. The harridan was a vain and proud woman, always grasping for more power. She remained zealously Orthodox, surrounding herself with black robed bearded priests. But Balian himself was a man of virtue; brave in battle, patient with his lessers, and diligent in the service of his King.William of Tyre, one of the King’s dearest advisors, was the Royal Chancellor. It was he who had been tutor of Baudouin when he was still a prince. He had wept when he discovered that the King was a leper. A brilliant man, he ably fulfilled his secular and religious duties whilst writing the first comprehensive chronicle of the Kingdom. As Chancellor, he drew up legal documents like deeds and charters for the King, and was in charge of maintaining diplomatic conflict with both the Occident and the surrounding Saracen emirates.The Bailiff ruled the Kingdom when the King was underage, incapacitated, or on campaign. Raimond of Tripoli had fulfilled this role for many years, and ably governed whilst Baudouin was a minor. Since he had turned sixteen, Raimond had taken charge of the Crusader armies in the North. He had been in Hama when Saladin was defeated at Montgisard. Raimond was the one noble Baudouin felt uneasy around. He was by far the most powerful lord in the Kingdom, master of both Tripoli and the Galilee. He was the figurehead of the Noble Faction, and had a claim to the throne; his mother was the daughter of Baudouin II. Baudouin didn't trust him. He was always too eager to go against the will of the King in the Haute Cour.His other major vassal was the grand Baroness Stephanie, Lady of Kerak and Marchioness of the Jordan. She had a brutally honest tongue, and a reputation for harsh justice, but she was loyal. Her husband was Renaud de Chattilion, the greatest warrior in the Kingdom. His faith placed little emphasis on mercy, love, or prayer. He was a man who loved the smell and the taste of infidel blood. Renaud's family had been very minor nobility in France, but he had come to the Holy Land and married the late Constance, Princess of Antioch. The eldest son of Constance, Bohemond, was now Prince of Jerusalem's only Catholic neighbour, and among her daughters were the Greek Empress and the Queen of Hungary. Renaud was an angel of death on the battlefield, a man whose ferocity made him the nexus of the melee. He was feared by Muslims from Alexandria to Baghdad.Another major figure at Court was the Patriarch Amaury, the Keeper of the Holy Sepulcher and Canon of the Tempulum Domini. He was well known to be a close ally of the Queen Mother. Agnes’ place at court was difficult to define. She had been her son’s regent, and engaged in a long power struggle with Raimond of Tripoli. Now that Baudouin was sixteen she had lost all official power, but her word still stood in the Haute Cour. Baudouin hadn’t known his mother when he was young; she was confined to Acre during his youth. He loved her deeply. She was his greatest ally and most faithful servant. He was glad to have her on ship now, bringing his pleas to Europe. She still had kin there, and friendships reinforced by long correspondence.Baudouin found their squabbling over his heir rather distasteful. He was a leper, yes, but he still had a good twenty or thirty year left. He would never marry or sire an heir, but he had a nephew now, who would someday be anointed and crowned at the Holy Sepulchre. His cousin Philip of Flanders had visited Jerusalem recently, keen to be named heir and marry off Baudouin’s sisters to his vassals. He was not on his deathbed yet. He could ride a horse. He could govern his Kingdom. And two days ago he had killed a man.Although his Kingdom was divided, it had an army which was the equal of any in the West. The Military Orders made up the core of his army. Together, the Templars and Hospitallers had around eight thousand men, including two thousand knights, four thousand heavy men at arms, and over a thousand auxiliary archers. They were supplemented by two hundred knights and five hundred men at arms from the other military order, including the Canons of the Holy Sepulchre and the Knights of St Lazarus. Other knights came from the Kings household guard, the retinue of the Constable and other barons, and a miscellaneous collection of pilgrims from Europe. They were bolstered by Arab turcopoles and mounted men at arms.Whilst cavalry formed the core of the Crusader army, infantry was far more numerous. Christian Arabs made up the majority of the heavy infantry, wearing chain mail bearing spears and shields. They were accompanied by Maronite archers from the mountains of Syria, and light desert skirmishers from the Negev. Another major part of the infantry was the Italian militia from the communes of the coastal cities, loyal to their home cities but willing to bear arms when called by the King. The well-armed Frankish burghers of the cities formed the core of the infantry, the sergeants. Together, these disparate forces could muster together a force of seventeen thousand men, whilst still leaving adequate garrisons in the cities and castles. They could be expected to be joined by thousands of Crusader from Europe, if the Pope granted his mother his banner. Against them would march fifty thousand Saracens from Syria, Egypt, and deepest Arabia.When his physicians were finished with their task, Baudouin thanked them profusely. He had slept all day yesterday. He would have enjoyed staying in his chambers today, but it was Sunday. William of Tyre had arrived in the city late last night, and would be saying Mass in the chapel. Baudouin was still very weak. He had to be assisted when robing, and needed the support of one of his knights to walk through the castle. He would not be carried to Mass, not after his greatest triumph.Baudouin had always been a devout little boy, though he had skipped Mass once or twice. But his faith had been only reinforced by his illness. Every night, when saying his evening prayer, he contemplated the story of Lazarus and the rich man, related in the Gospel of Luke. Even a man like him, a man covered in weeping sores, could be holy. This was not a punishment. This was an opportunity to bring himself closer to God. He loved Holy Mass. The soft words intoned by the priest, the icons on the walls, the stained glass keeping out the horrors and harshness of the world. His sister was in the chapel. She wore the black of mourning, and carried her month old child with an air of defeated pride. Her marriage had been arranged at fifteen by their mother; in the two years of their marriage she had grown quite fond of fond of her husband. She had been raised by their great aunt Ioveta, the abbess of the Convent of Lazarus in Bethany, and, like their mother, had had little contact with her brother until he came to the throne. She gave her brother a kiss.‘Good morning dearest. So good that you could join us.’‘I would never dream of missing it. How is little Baudouin?’She smiled brightly. ‘Very well. He’s a darling little thing. Do you want to hold him?’Baudouin shook his head and smiled. ‘I wouldn’t want to damage him.’‘I trust you brother,’ Sibylla said, ‘you shall not drop him. I forbid it.’He smiled at that, and brushed his nephew’s soft, dark hair. ‘He’s a chubby little lad. Does the wet nurse feed him often?’‘I’m feeding him myself. I don’t want him picking up Arabic from the wet-nurse.’‘It’s served you well.’‘He’s a Frank. A child of the Outremer, but a Frank nonetheless. Have you considered that neither of our parents have ever seen Europe? I’m sure Mother appreciates you despatching her west.’‘You have never seen Europe, and you are the most cultured woman in the Kingdom.’‘That is because I am Sibylla.’ She smiled, and, after curtseying, kneeled for her prayers.It was the first Sunday of Advent. A season of penance. As if Baudouin needed any more of that. He was a living icon of suffering. He felt ashamed to have thought that; a sin of pride. But didn’t he have a right to be proud, after his victory? But in his heart of hearts, he knew that his victory had not been his, but Gods. There was no way five hundred knights could have defeated twenty thousand Saracens without the Angel of God behind them.Baudouin could feel only the barest sensation in his legs; soon there would be none at all. Unless supported, he swayed to and fro with no control over his lower legs. He would slowly disintegrate until he became a mind living in a ruin. Not a future he particularly looked for to, but, as his subjects were so fond of saying, God wills it.After the Mass was ended, he remained kneeling. He felt someone embracing him from behind. Baudouin smiled, and returned the embrace. Smiling broadly at him was a small grey man who looked seventy but was younger than fifty. Tears streaked his face. ‘Baudouin, my boy, my King. You have made me so very proud.’Baudouin’s mouth began to quiver with emotion. He loved his tutor deeply, so very deeply. ‘Hullo William. Your Grace. Thank you for joining me.’‘I came as soon as I could. I left your Lord Uncle in charge of the Citadel, after making sure all of your affairs were in order. I must say, I’m disappointed that you didn’t have me write up your letters for His Holiness and King Louis. Those letters will be history!’Baudouin smiled. ‘I know William. I’m sorry. I had to have them reach the Pope as soon as possible.’‘Oh, I’m just teasing my boy. Just teasing. I’m sure I’ll have my work cut out for my recording your exploits in the battle. I’ve already talked to some of your knights. God truly was with you.’‘We had His Holy Cross. How could we fail?’‘Easily. It was you who God made His instrument. His sword. His scourge.’ He paused for a moment. ‘You truly intend to take the fight to the Saracens?’‘I do. I will not be moved.’‘Baudouin, is that truly wise? Eudes put you up to this, I’m sure of it.’‘The Grandmaster had no impact on my decision. I need to protect my Kingdom, and secure my sisters inheritance.’‘But Saladin is an honourable man. Please, offer him another truce. It will give time for the Kingdom to heal. It will give you time to heal.’‘I am a leper William. As I’m sure you’ve realised. I don’t have the time to heal.’William bit his cheek. ‘I don’t agree with this course of action Baudouin. You're only sixteen! You should have time to savour the summer fruit, to laze in the sun, to have your first love. A life of battle is nothing to look forward to."'I have very little life to look forward to at all. I was anointed King to defend my people. To defend the Holy Land. That is my oath. May God allow me to keep it.''But Baudouin... if you die in battle, the Kingdom will collapse.''Sybilla is my heir. All men of Jerusalem know that.''She's unmarried, with a tiny infant. And, most importantly, she is a woman.'Baudouin frowned. 'I will not die. God has need of you.''Please, my boy, my dear boy, turn away from this course of action. Jerusalem has had enough bloodshed to last it until Judgement Day. This war is foolish.' The old man cocked is head. 'The Haute Cour will have to approve it.’‘I know that. That is why I summoned you here. They will meet here this month, and vote on the war.’Williams face was marred by a frown as he bowed. ‘It will be done, My King. But I will pray for peace.’‘Pray for victory instead William. God wills it.’ He turned to leave, and had made one step before he crumpled to the ground.