Chapter 1401 Rurik in the Throat Strait

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Count Spuyut of Saaremaa, who participated in the planning of the expedition to Semigalya and remained in Riga, had fully known the truth of the expedition.

Even though the Latvian militia suffered heavy losses, those men continued the war.

The next military operation really has little to do with Ross. If they continue to suffer losses, they should be the ones to lick their wounds afterwards. The Ross people owe them nothing, and even the local Latvian nobles should give Ross some more rewards.

Spyut no longer forced himself, and he held Namisis, the leader of the Semigalians, in his hands. But how much value does such a polished veteran still have now?

Everything was just as he talked on the dock. In order to ensure that Namsis would not have the possibility of escaping, the defeated man's heel was cut with a knife. Namsis' Achilles tendon was ruptured and he was now reduced to crawling on the ground.

This is where the abuse of this person ends.

The once proud leader became a prisoner and was placed in a dark wooden house to suffer silently.

"Damn it. It's better to die. No! When I see Rurik, the leader of the Russians, I will ask him for an explanation."

Hatred drove Namsis' body and will to continue to persevere on the verge of collapse, and he was delusional about carrying out an assassination.

But such careful thoughts are within the scope of Spuyut's consideration.

The haze finally turned into a rain, and from New Roseburg to Courland, Northeastern Europe was bathed in a peaceful summer rain.

Shortly after this rain, the Rus' army, massed deep in the Gulf of Riga, pulled anchor and set sail.

And in Riga, people were happy after the rain

To complete their summer solstice sacrifices, the lives of the vast majority of ordinary people have become a ritual.

The legendary Rus' army would arrive in Riga, and months passed before they arrived.

Even if they come, how much wealth can ordinary farmers earn from King Rus?

It was precisely because of the sudden "Semigallian War" that people who did not participate in the war sold their own catch, salt and other supplies, coupled with arrows, spearheads, etc. that should have been sold to the Russian army, they had already obtained A fortune.

Those brave men directly formed a militia to participate in the war personally, and they were afraid that the spoils they obtained would be more than the military supplies promised by King Rus.

Many people have ignored the Ross army. They operate their own boats as usual to cast nets and fish in the wide Gulf of Riga, and then transport the catch back to the port, where they either sell it or eat it themselves.

However, some armed cargo ships became pure slave ships.

Spuyut had no idea that a victory would bring him a thousand slaves for his county of Saaremaa. He took the time to classify the prisoners of war, sold the weak ones in public, and then hanged the rebellious ones in public. The remaining ones were some guys who were still in good health and had docile attitudes, and their number was still as huge as 500!

The five hundred strong laborers were the property of their country. Except for a small number who stayed at the count's residence in Riga to work, most of them were defined as serfs. They were transported to the agricultural estate on Saaremaa Island to grow wheat for the country.

Hundreds of people were packed into two armed cargo ships like animals. The ships moved quickly in the sea waves. After a day and night of twists and turns, these Semigalian captives on their first ocean voyage arrived in the dark after vomiting.

to the island of Saaremaa, which they had never heard of.

After receiving the order from the Earl, the pirates stationed on the island escorted these unconscious prisoners of war, one by one. These prisoners of war were then hung up and whipped a few times as killing sticks, and then dispersed one after another. After distributing wooden farm tools to them, hundreds of serfs suddenly appeared on the island this summer.

Saaremaa is large enough that, centered around an original pirate den, a wooden-walled fortress, the island is becoming like a small kingdom in its own right.

The island has ports, streams, farms, and military fortresses.

Of course, the environment on the island is not as comfortable as in Riga. Spuyut is old and has been wandering all his life. He is very happy that his son Eric is growing up rapidly.

The title of knighthood will soon be passed on to this boy, and he will live in Riga as a wealthy man. From then on, Eric will lead the Saaremaa Island Army and continue to fly the flag of Russia in the Baltic Sea, sailing ships to enforce the law and protect Russia's oceans. Trade, or lead troops to continue robbing families in the unfamiliar world of Eastern Europe.

Pirates are almost all sinners expelled from various tribes. They are more prone to violence than ordinary people. Of course, they cannot spend everything on plundering in order to survive. Ironically, pirates have become an anti-piracy force. The Baltic Sea environment that once killed each other has become peaceful, and pirates have to devote their time to spontaneous production of supplies.

The arrival of a group of high-quality prisoners of war has undoubtedly greatly improved the labor shortage on the island, and the slaves will certainly be able to show their usefulness during this year's harvest season.

"It's enough to give you some feed for a group of cattle and horses. You people put vegetables, wheat

The harvest is done, I will make sure you don’t starve to death and freeze to death, the rest of the harvest will be shared by my people. "Spuyut thought so.

The Semigalian prisoners of war are still on the isolated island. These people may lack the ability to escape on their own. If they really made a raft and forced it across the sea to float away, Siput admired the courage of such people. How many real warriors are there? If they were really brave, they would have died on the battlefield instead of being captured.

Spuyut was so reassured that he even used fishing boats coming from the direction of Riga to do business at the stronghold on the island. Nor did he fear that the Riglatvian ships would be so merciful as to pick up the escaped slaves. On the contrary, Latvia is clearly still hostile to Semigalia and is happy to see its enemies suffer.

No one cared about the future life of the prisoners of war, and Spyut essentially did not care about the life or death of the captured leader Namisis.

As for the main force of the Russian army, which was already floating in the Gulf of Finland, and the Russian fishermen who existed like fish following sharks, no one paid much attention to Riga and the Latvians.

The once giant Aurora-class sailing cruiser has become too small next to the even larger Sea Monarch.

Rurik stood on the bow deck of the new flagship and could easily overlook the entire fleet.

The big ships opened the way, and the entire fleet formed a water drop-like formation. Its width and length were unprecedented.

The larger ship brings more stability. The Gulf of Finland is generally calm after the rain. Coupled with the stability given by the bilge keel, Rurik can lie comfortably on the big ship and turn to the bed prepared for the most noble person like himself. Can sleep peacefully.

Keep

Rick didn't want to waste any more time. He ordered the flagship to move forward at full speed. Even if night fell, he would just anchor on the spot and stay on the waves.

Each ship considers the flagship. At night, each ship lights some torches to ensure that each other can notice each other. The soldiers live on the cramped ship.

This is nothing to people who are accustomed to long voyages. The young warriors also know many ancient stories from their fathers.

When my father and grandfather were young, they sailed a lonely boat silently on the vast sea. Since there was no cabin with shade, people were exposed to the sun during the day, and when it rained they would paddle in the wind and rain to avoid it.

Young people have ushered in a good era, and have been experiencing Ross's "ship upgrade" since birth. Ross inherited all the Viking shipbuilding experience, and skilled craftsmen received heavy financial support, allowing them to innovate in ship types.

All kinds of people stayed in the airtight cabin. They ate prepared dry food and stood on the deck to defecate toward the sea if they wanted to go to the toilet.

The men don't care, except for the handful of women in the army...this long voyage is really a big challenge for them.

There is no danger in sailing, it is so safe that it makes everyone bored.

The bored Rurik spent a lot of time on the deck, and the fleet kept moving along the southern coast of the Gulf of Finland. He could watch the coast moving more and more eastward.

"This is the Estonian coastline. I haven't conquered all the local tribes yet. No problem, after I make a fortune in Frank, I can clean up the miscellaneous tribes in Northeast Europe..."

At present, Rurik is not aware of his subordinates’ unauthorized actions.

He solved some troubles for himself, but his behavior can be called transgression.

Today is another peaceful day.

The observation tower at the top of the main mast of the Sea Monarch is an astonishing fifty meters high from the sea.

It doesn’t matter if you don’t have a telescope. A warrior with excellent eyesight, nicknamed “Eagle Eyes”, climbed up the rope ladder. Looking at the climbing appearance, Rurik would rather call it a “monkey”.

There are no monkeys in the Nordic world, and no one knows that there are such animals that are similar to humans. Rurik and the soldiers need soldiers who are not afraid of heights and have good eyesight to act as "human radar".

The soldier sat on the platform at the top of the mast. The location was high and the wind was strong, so he had to put on a cloth blanket to keep out the cold. After tying himself firmly to the mast with a rope, he even hugged the mast with both hands to observe.

Because of the curvature of the earth, when the sailor stands on the deck and the air is clear and the weather is clear, he can see the ship and the coast about ten kilometers away. If the sailor is riding on the top of a fifty-meter-high mast, he can even stand higher From this location, you can see the coastline for extreme kilometers.

Magellan's fleet regularly arranged for sailors with excellent eyesight to ride on the mast and scan the sea area with a diameter of 100 kilometers. Only then did they successfully find the New Guinea Islands and obtain life-saving supplies after crossing the 5,500 kilometers of the Southwest Pacific... …

The Russian Navy does not have the extreme navigation needs of the Magellan fleet. Rurik's purpose is to ensure that the fleet can successfully find Saaremaa Island and carry out strategic maneuvers.

As a result, sailors riding on the mast can always monitor the vague coastline in the north, and can also pay attention to the dramatic changes taking place on the southern coastline.

change.

Because the Ross Navy has watched the Hanko Peninsula drift away and noticed the dramatic changes in the southern coastline - it is no longer the mainland coastline, but Hiuma Island.

Saaremaa's original meaning is "island", and Hiiuma's original meaning is "small island". They all come from the names of the exiled Livonians and Estonians. This is actually an ancient Finnish description. Later, the sinners of various Viking tribes who came to the island also used the name.

Hiiuma Island is too small, and its comprehensive conditions are far inferior to Saaremaa Island due south.

In particular, the latter has a unique geographical advantage - there are as many as ten freshwater lakes on the big island, while the former only has one.

The island is large and the lakes are numerous and scattered, so that an island still has the basis for developing agriculture, even if its soil fertility is very poor.

However, when Ross began to popularize the cold-resistant diploid wheat varieties plundered from Britain, Count Spuyut of Saaremaa Island also purchased a batch and tried planting it on the island. Spuyut is willing to be consistent with King Rus. Once a new crop becomes popular in the core area of ​​the kingdom, Saaremaa Island will follow suit.

I saw the soldier holding a cable, wrapping his legs and feet around it and descending rapidly.

The warriors of "Eagle Eye" happily met their king, and the young man pointed to the south happily: "We have arrived at the small island, and I saw the big island from high up. I even saw the narrow strait! Your Majesty, if you want to enter the Gulf of Riga through Saaremaa as soon as possible, it’s time for us to act.”

Rurik listened in his heart. He turned around and faced the lush island. He was indeed faced with a choice.

At this moment, I just got the details

The reported Admiral Goldlund stood behind Rurik.

"Your Majesty. Do you want to make a decision? But..."

"How?" Rurik turned his head.

"I don't recommend taking risks. You see, this strait is too narrow, and I'm afraid... of being stranded! Our warships really draft very deep."

"Indeed." Rurik shrugged. He was very happy that his general had basic navigation skills.

Goldlund was well aware of the relationship between a ship's draft and the seabed, something that most navigators ignored. This is not abnormal. After all, for a long time the main ships of the Russians or other Viking forces were dragon-headed longships with a very shallow draft and an almost flat bottom. They could sail in small streams, and their seaworthiness reached the extreme. !

But the full-load draft of the Sea Monarch surpassed everyone's knowledge in this era. It was precisely because after nearly a year of sea trials with the ship in his own hands, Goldlund understood all her conditions. Her fully loaded draft is equivalent to nearly six meters. Although this is intentional in the shape of the ship, the keel and bilge keel have created a "mid-ridge bulge" based on stability considerations in seawater, resulting in a deeper draft.

This greatly increases the risk of running aground or being stranded. Her transport capacity is indeed amazing, and ordinary small straits have become fatal to her.

"The narrow strait means shallow water, but it is indeed a shortcut." Rurik thought for a moment: "Give the semaphore an order, and all the main battleships strictly follow the flagship. All small ships, including armed cargo ships, enter the strait. Strait and all the way south."

"Divide the troops?" Goldlund was slightly surprised.

"Yes! Just divide the troops." Rurik gritted his teeth: "I still

Worried about the safety of the deer and my remaining horses. They were not made for the rough seas, and I did not want future overland marches to damage these precious animals. Besides..."

Rurik paused for breath: "Let some soldiers arrive in Riga first and give the locals a surprise. You will send someone to command the squadron's actions. When they arrive in Riga, convey my order and tell Spuyut and Stekander We and Fisk will clean up the docks in Riga and move all the miscellaneous ships out of their berths so that our troops can fully land and make final rest."

"Yes!" Goldlund saluted.

Soon, the Ross fleet was divided up off the coast of Hiuma Island.

The squadron does not have large ships, and it happens to have the largest number of people. The navy's division of forces could pose a problem to the Ross fishermen who were following the operation. Fortunately, they gradually figured out the situation. The small boats that had finally followed the main fleet towards Saaremaa in a daze, also turned back to the squadron one after another.

The squadron was extremely large. The narrow strait and the large and small sandbars in it forced the fleet like a lump of dough being squeezed into noodles.

Its name is simple and crude. It was called "Little Strait" in ancient Finnish. The good guys who passed here used the spears they carried to probe the seabed. They were shocked that the water depth in many places was only about three meters.

This information quickly reached the ears of the Ross Navy sailors who led the team.

"I'm really scared. If the warships forcefully break in, won't they run aground one after another?"

Rurik wanted stability rather than speed. He had sufficient sailing experience provided by Spuyut in the past. The so-called Russian pirate army from Saaremaa sailed around the "Southern Peninsula" of Saaremaa and entered the Gulf of Riga safely.

The southern peninsula and the apex of the so-called Courland Peninsula formed a wide and deep strait, which Spyut called the "throat of the Gulf of Riga". The throat strait was marked on the map by Rurik.

Because it was a detour, Rurik had to spend an extra day for this.

Rurik could actually go directly south and swoop along the coastline of the Courland Peninsula. In theory, Rurik, who has mastered the geographical structure of the region, should choose this. However, the biggest problem here is that in any era, cross-sea landings of large armies are quite difficult militarily.

The Russian army must rely on a good port to land, and any adventure may cause the fleet to collapse.

Rurik only knew that there were two ports that could carry the first European fleet of this era organized by Ross, either the Port of Riga or the Port of Rotterstad at the mouth of the Rhine. Both ports were deliberately designed under Ross's rule. Expansion, the major purpose of their existence is to perfectly receive Ross naval ships.

The soldiers may be able to endure the long voyage in a state of lethargy, but the horses and deer may be tortured to death.

What's more, the tactical plan was made half a year ago, but the expedition time is still more than a month behind due to various factors. An invisible shackle is placed on Rurik's head. Even if there is a chance to go south directly, Rurik will never take the gamble. .

A large gap between heaven and earth lay in front of the fleet.

Rurik ordered the main fleet to make a sharp turn, and the sails of all the warships caught the warm south wind. They went against the wind and took a zigzag line through the Throat Strait to the Gulf of Riga.

At the same time, the squadron was two days ahead of Rurik's command. When his large fleet appeared off the coast of Riga

, the soft coastal beach has been filled with densely packed ordinary long boats rushing onto the beach!

It was a good thing that Rurik arrived two days late. He no longer had to worry about the landing of reindeer and horses. The first arrivals spent two days unloading their mounts and livestock. The soldiers who had been wandering on the sea for a long time also camped outside the main city of Riga to get a critical rest.

Even Riga experienced an instant prosperity due to the arrival of thousands of people.

The fishermen from New Fort Ross have completed their task of transporting goods to King Ross, and they are waiting for their due rewards. These people conveniently purchased and sold some supplies locally, and did not hesitate to fish in the Gulf of Riga.

There are ships flying Russian flags everywhere, and Russians speaking Norse everywhere!

Most of the able-bodied young men of Latvian peasants went to the south for expeditions. Those who stayed back home were shocked not only that the main force of the Russian army had arrived, but also that the first batch to arrive was only a squadron. Fortunately, these people have basic human qualities. They did not go to villages to plunder, but opened large and small open-air markets in Riga to do business. If anyone is angry, it is the fishermen living in Riga - these people who come from afar The Russians who came here were better at fishing than the locals, and there were hundreds of large and small fishing boats.

Spuyut is already experienced at the governance level, and his current status is more like the governor of the entire Gulf of Riga.

He calmly coordinated the newly arrived brothers, and then organized the army to clear the Riga dock so that the eight smallest destroyers in the grand fleet could dock. He also prepared a group of unladen long ships, so that when large ships including the Sea Monarch anchored near the shore, these small ships would move closer one after another and move the ships on board.

Everyone arrived on the flat land as quickly as possible.

Spuyut had made all preparations, especially preparing a few sheep to prepare a roast lamb feast for the king after he landed.

Even... the defeated Namisis, who had his hamstrings cut off, would be led to the dock like a dog and presented to the king.

Finally, the phantoms of the battleships appeared one after another near the shore, and tens of millions of people swarmed in.

Siput stood at the dock, looking at the mountain-sized battleship Sea Monarch with joy...