Chapter 1,474 Rurik and Old Friends in Duisburg

Still in the summer of 840, when people rowing long boats arrived in Cologne for the first time, the first thing they brought to the city was the destruction and looting of surrounding villages and towns.

Dusseldorf, a pass-shaped settlement almost across the river from Cologne itself, was the first to be attacked by Norman pirates.

After the war, the Archbishop of Cologne finally knew the identity of the attacker, who was actually Ragnar, the current King of Denmark.

The King of Denmark and his army have nothing to do with Rus, but in the eyes of the general public, they both have long ships with pointed ends and are dressed similarly, so they look the same.

With the end of the war, interrupted economic and trade activities resumed at an unprecedented speed. During the entire war, the losses in Cologne were not serious, but the surrounding villages suffered.

But the most indispensable thing in the local area is population. The war instead prompted the population to quickly move to a safe area-she is the city of Cologne.

The war north of the Rhine has ended. The war has spread to the left bank of the Rhine, and even the imperial capital Aachen has been attacked.

Groups of people left the Aachen area. After they entered the count of Jülichgau, some watched the situation on the spot, while others continued to move along the Cologne Avenue towards Dusseldorf on the riverside.

This occurred in 842, and the war continued to have its virulent effects like a festering sore.

Those new to the stronghold in Düsseldorf were shocked by what they saw here. Why were there Norman longships anchored here? Was Cologne also attacked by the Normans?

Unexpectedly, there were already priests in black robes standing here. They also set up dark carbonized crosses at the ferry pier, and all the long ships anchored here also hung cross flags on their masts.

"Lost lambs, why should you be afraid? The difficulties you are experiencing now are all because you are not pious in your life. The bishop sympathizes with your difficulties. Now get on the boat and go to Cologne Cathedral to repent. The Lord will forgive you. crime."

The priest repeated such words, and the refugees believed them to be true. Many people really thought that they were attacked by Satan-like Normans because of their ungodliness, even though many people learned the news of the attack and fled with the crowd in panic.

A group of locals in Jülichgau in the north and east of Aachen fled to Cologne in the northeast and settled down.

These ordinary people did not care and were not qualified to care about the war of the nobles. After they settled down in Cologne, they learned that they might not be able to return to their hometown village. The frustration of being displaced at first was still with them. As the Archbishop of Cologne will... A batch of vacant villages and farmland were distributed to them, and everything changed significantly.

The villages that had been deliberately destroyed by the Ross cavalry led by Fisk were gradually filled with new villagers, and the peaceful agricultural life was quickly restored in Cologne. The agriculture in the area near Cologne seems to have not been damaged with the addition of a group of new immigrants. With the frequent visits of Norman longships, the contact has become deeper and deeper, and the fear of pirates has gradually faded.

When former pirates converted to God and when fierce longships hoisted cross flags, everything changed. These converts did not cause more damage, but honestly became fishermen fishing in the river, and "material transport teams" that were extremely critical to Cologne.

There are some Danish families who freely defected to God. They had already converted to God in their hometown in Jutland. Some defected to Hamburg, or because Hamburg was too dilapidated, they rowed straight to Cologne to live a good life in their imagination. In reality, In general, their current life is much more comfortable than back home in Jutland.

The longships belonging to the county of Nassau-Koblenz also ply frequently on the Rhine. When they visit Cologne, they always unload some valuable materials in exchange for a batch of handicraft products and key grains from the city. The county also has another key task, which is to transport the wine produced in Nassau and its barrels to the mouth of the Rhine. When transporting the goods, the longships also hang the Benedictine Cross and the St. Andrew's Cross. (actually the Ross oar flag).

There is a third type of person here

A group of armed caravans came from the mouth of the Rhine. They were genuine Russians from the Rotterstad stronghold. Almost all the Russian troops who participated in the first expedition in 842 were stationed in the mouth of the Rhine.

The governor of Ross in Rotterstad is Red Fox, the youngest son of the old Gould family. The young man has married the daughter of Count Baudouin of Flanders, and signed a shipping agreement with the other party. Flanders Under the escort of serious Russian troops, Sri Lanka's wool either went north along the coastline into the Denmark Strait and then directly to Neurossburg, the capital of Russia, or traveled back along the Rhine River to Cologne to supply the local woolen textile industry.

The large army had successfully wintered at the mouth of the Rhine, and in 843 they took action on their own initiative.

So when Rurik's cavalry came from the far east, they were already facing both sides of the Rhine River where their own advance troops had spread horrific killings.

Especially on the left bank of the Rhine, because of the "Northern Alliance Contract" signed in the early spring of 841, northern heroes were prohibited from plundering all villages and towns on the right bank of the Rhine, but they could launch attacks on everything on the left bank of the Rhine without restraint. The riverside villages and towns reached on the left bank were all destroyed by Denmark and Rus. The Sack of Aachen was the culmination of all the destruction, making the burning of Nijmegen seem like a child's play.

What is completely different from the left bank area is that Cologne is surrounded by countless longships but has risen rapidly. More and more people are gathering here. The quantitative change caused by the concentration of population is a qualitative change. Relying on the continuous flow of oil, hair, leather, Supplying hemp, relying on a large number of landless farmers, and relying on the technical support of those special believers who have no so-called "Catholic shame", the city of Cologne quietly and spontaneously began to show its modernity.

Colotina, once a famous Roman city, further developed its handicraft industry under the name of Cologne and quickly accumulated wealth by producing high value-added materials.

Because everyone needs to wear clothes, those woolen clothes are not only needed by Ludwig's army, but also by the entrenched Ross Expeditionary Army and the Nassau-Coblenz Army. The latter is not only the closest to Cologne, but also the most willing Buy it immediately with real money. After all, winter is coming.

"The five thousand pounds of silver extorted by them is a heavy loss. However, we can earn back this money in a few years. If the situation remains like this, our income will be even greater. When our wealth becomes more and more, even if we rely on With money, more Normans can be converted to the right path." Archbishop Hardbold was ambitious for the future.

The entire Cardinal Council of the Diocese of Cologne also believes that it is unjust to use a sword to force them to convert, and Cologne actually lost the battle with a sword. It is better to use real economic benefits to attract the barbarians to take the initiative. Take refuge.

Because the Diocese of Cologne bypassed the military lords and controlled the villages and towns of all sizes within the territory, or the archbishop himself was the highest military lord, Hadbold was a rather fat old man, but he could not survive as an archbishop. Like a count.

This is not unusual, since Archbishop Odegaard of Mainz went even further than Hardbold, who was a key figure in this imperial civil war. He personally organized an army against Ludwig and provided force for the latter. beat.

Ludwig once again threatened his life, forcing Odegaard to rebel against the "Roman Emperor" and stand in his Bavarian camp.

The only thing that the Cologne Diocese can do now is its economic strength. It is like a big fat sheep. It is now protected by stronger ones completely relying on the "Treaty". It can only hope that those strong ones can abide by the treaty.

So the diocese developed many areas to allow the Rus, and people related to Rus, to establish unrestricted settlements on the Rhine.

This is why the Ross flag appears prominently at the confluence of the Ruhr and Rhine rivers.

Now that the Ross Cavalry was coming with a high profile, those wandering around the docks and the edges of the town could not ignore this mighty army.

The army came towards the stone pier and wooden bridge in a neat queue, with Ross flags with white background and blue stripes flying everywhere. Even the soldiers in thick clothes were wearing the iconic blue striped cloth robes of the Ross cavalry.

With pairs of eyes staring at each other, people stopped everything they were doing and gathered toward the bridge. The knowledgeable people among them smartly put round shields on their backs and put iron helmets with huge nose guards on their heads. even! Someone showed up wearing the same robes as those of the Ross Army.

"What kind of army is it? It's actually our people? I can't believe it."

"They are our people! Who would have thought that bald Fisk would arrive in Cologne with so many cavalry?"

"It reminds me of Lord Blue Fox's promise. Apparently King Ross's second expedition has begun. Brothers, our opportunity to make a fortune has come again..."

They talked in Norse, and their strange costumes convinced Rurik that they were friendly forces, even if the place where they appeared was unbelievable.

"Fisk." Rurik asked, "Have you really been here? Do we have a base here?"

"I don't know. I'd be happy to take a look on behalf of the king."

"Okay, you can take the team to take a look and pay attention to safety."

"Let's go." Without saying a word, Fisk summoned a team of thirty soldiers and horses and marched across the wooden bridge in a high profile. The horse team stopped in front of the smiling guys.

Fisk clenched his riding crop and glared angrily: "Who are you, do you know who we are?"

"Hey! Isn't this Lord Fisk!" An old guy with a huge mustache squeezed out of the crowd.

"You? Do you recognize me?"

"It's outrageous!" The old guy took off his helmet and appealed again: "I really don't have a reputation in Ross. Fisk, take off your helmet and let everyone see your big bald head."

"Oh? Can I still meet my old friends in a foreign land? You...are all brothers sent by the king in advance?!" As expected, Fisk showed off his bald head that had been carefully and frequently chopped off by a knife, and then under the autumn wind Feel the coolness.

The people present laughed at the sight of the light, and various Enochian conversations ensued.

At this moment, the old guy with a mustache no longer concealed his identity: "I am Eric, Eric who has broken a tooth. Please take a look at my tooth first."

"You? People named Eric are everywhere. Well, Eric Broken Tooth, now I know you."

"It doesn't matter." Old Eric shrugged: "I once served Lord Blue Fox, and now I am a subordinate of Black Fox. Our group of brothers obtained industry in Nassau, and now all the brothers are knights. And me! "The old guy slapped his chest again, "I am the real Baron Coblenz, and the great Frank nobles have recognized my identity."

"A baron? I've heard a lot about you. It seems that all those stories are true. So, this is Koblenz."

Old Eric laughed naively: "No. This is Duisburg, now our settlement. Fisk, as your old uncle, I welcome you."

Fisk was angry and funny, thinking who is your eldest nephew. He looked at the city again and the bridge he just passed. He vaguely remembered that there had been destruction here, but he didn't know its name.

"Put away your smile. Eric Broken Tooth, now gather all your brothers to line up here and pay tribute to the great King Rus with northern rites."

"Ah? King Ross?"

"It's King Ross! The king's army is about to cross the river. You all should kneel down and salute!" Fisk emphasized again.

As a result, the trumpeters in the Ross cavalry collectively blew their trumpets while controlling the horses, and Rurik and his warriors passed the Ruhr River Bridge in Duisburg with a high profile.

Each team crossed the bridge one after another, until finally there was a mighty herd of deer carrying baggage, and two thousand people were squeezed into the small Duisburg in an instant.

That night, the Ross army camped in Duisburg, and Rurik moved directly into the local longhouse.

What he encountered in Duisburg was an unexpected surprise. Although Old Eric was never from the Old Ross tribe and had never directly worked for him in the past, he was an indirect worker who did not serve the interests of Ross. Rick admires this kind of people.

Everyone has his own ambitions. The Russians, Swedes and Danes who stayed in the area, no matter what reason they left in the north, have now converted to God. Based on principles, Rurik cannot regard them as his own people, but he can recognize them. Zuo is a "trustworthy partner".

For the latter, they still worship heroes based on the tradition of the north, and old Eric and the guys are still willing to serve King Rus. At least they know very well that Master Black Fox will definitely declare his obedience to King Ross as soon as he sees him, and then the brothers can legitimately act together with the second round of Ross expeditionary force.

The longhouse was filled with cheerful laughter, and Rurik was so generous that he took out a batch of food to reward these old people from the mountains and rivers who welcomed the army.

To add to the fun, ten reindeer were slaughtered in a surprise attack, and the meat was shared among the army. Old Eric and his brothers in Duisburg also got a piece of barbecue.

It’s been almost three years! Rurik was very happy that his plan back then had taken root, and he was also surprised that the development of the situation had exceeded his control. The black fox whom he named to be dispatched back then had a strong subjective initiative. Compared to being a businessman, this young fat man was extremely aggressive and as cunning as a fox.

This night Rurik and his generals had a great conversation with old Eric and his men. Regarding the unknown things in the Cologne area, Rurik now became more and more aware of its details.

It turned out that the small Duisburg was in decline due to the attack by Fisk himself. The locals fled towards the upper reaches of the Ruhr River, and another group fled into the city of Cologne.

After the war, it was obviously suitable as a resting place, and because of the existence of the bridge over the Ruhr River, longships traveling back and forth did not hesitate to use this small abandoned city as a mooring place.

In the spring of 843, after a winter of dormancy, Ross's first expeditionary force and the Nassau-Koblenz army colluded to attack Metz, and then returned triumphantly with the loot. Those gold and silver spoils were used for the construction of new strongholds. Provides a material basis.

Countess Sophia of Nassau-Coblenz is still just a little girl, and Black Fox is now Baron Wiesbaden, who is still leading troops to plunder this year. This is exactly what Ludwig wanted to see. He did not have to pay any military expenses or remuneration, but a group of rabid dogs would bite his enemies, attacking the enemies and further isolating them. Those who stayed in Strasbourg were determined not to The "Roman Emperor" Lothair gave in.

The black fox is the real ruler of this uncle's country. Old Eric, who had one of his teeth broken and the root of his other front tooth almost exposed due to periodontitis, became a vanguard in the war.

Because Koblenz was the battlefield during the war, a large number of people had evacuated to the Land River Valley on the other side of the river. After passing through the city of Nassau, many people had moved to Limburg upstream, which is Obertlidit. People can conquer the fief of Wadi who are good at fighting.

There were many fewer residents in Koblenz than before the war. One of the reasons was that it faced the direction where the Frankish army could attack. The residents who had suffered heavy losses remained cautious. Now a local defensive fortress has been built, and the soldiers guarding Nassau proper are now stationed in Coblenz.

Based on the results of the Great Tetrarch, all warriors who participated in the plundering of Trier and the Saar River were knighted. Hundreds of Norse-speaking northerners suddenly had knighthoods, but unfortunately few of them had clear fiefdoms.

Even if the territory of the County of Nassau-Coblenz has become very large, most of its territory is in the justice area and has been facing the threat of war, or the settlements have been destroyed in the war. A large amount of wasteland allows people who are good at fishing and It is also unrealistic for warriors to hack and slash to reclaim wasteland.

As a result, a large number of soldiers had the title of knight, and they all married wives and even became fathers. Most of their families were settled in the city of Nassau, but there was no property for their own independent management.

Duisburg became a town under the de facto administration of the County of Nassau-Koblenz, and a group of soldiers moved here with their families from Nassau. They built longhouses, docks, and took care of the wooden bridge over the Ruhr River. Although they still inherited the place name of Duisburg, it became a settlement dominated by Normans.

But as for Cologne, no one can say that the people of Duisburg are barbarians.

They are legitimate minor nobles vassing Nassau-Koblenz. Duisburg is also a real military stronghold that legally believes in God. The most important thing is that the local soldiers are allies of Cologne. Their Far from being a threat to the city of Cologne, it is precisely a security guarantee.

The Archbishop of Cologne recognized the current marvelous situation in Duisburg at an official level.