Movies to watch: The 300, The Kingdom of Heaven, Pirates of the Caribbean
It was hard to keep a straight mind, that voyage with 2974 men.
On 24 January, they met the royal Jerusalem entourage at Tyres.
"When I heard of your coming, I gleefully prepared your arrival. But what is this? Henry the Lion brought only 3000 soldiers?"
"You!" Heinrich pointed, "What do you do for a living?"
"I am the blacksmith," bowed Will Turner
Guy de Lusignan nonetheless plead his case.
Salah ah-Din has unified the heathen Syria north and east with Eygpt and Arabia south and west.
Even the historians had already written in Guy's annals the dates of how and when his Kingdom end.
"Save my annals! Oh mighty Heinrich, I do not want it to end in 1192."
Guy's plan detailed Heinrich spearheading a blitzkrieg on the Syrian front, before he regroup to the Egyptian side.
Proud Heinrich could not refuse a damsel in distress
The Holy Kingdom, 4 years before their use by date, enters war
On 28 Febuary, Heinrich entered the final phase of his manoeuvre against the Sheik of Damascus.
"This will be our first major engagement men, and already our enemies are quailing at our German might. The way they form up shows their fear of fighting us man to man, their reliance on a women's strategem of throwing things at us. They have no sense of style, no manly virtues, no reason to live, no decent food, no attractive women and their leaders - why, the Devil himself would be shamed to have them in Hell. But shame him we must for God wills it!
"Guelph! Guelph! Guelph!" roared the men.
But it will require hard work, this work of God, I will not lie to you because I can see the brave man besides who is up for this, who knows the way of battle. He knows full well how fast the heathen flees as we charge past their arrows. Hails of arrows, that is, released by trembling hands.
So let us attend to our chivalrous duties and relieve them of their misery. Onwards, and prepare to charge to wherever God wills us!"
"Guelph! Guelph! Guelph!!!"
Speech ripped off from
here.
On 2 March, they began their advance. By the end of 3 March, his arrowphobic host was too demoralised forcing Heinrich an ordered retreat.
"The arrow
hurts milord. I don't mind fighting man to man, but the arrows..
oh god no."
Shaking his head in dismay, energetic Heinrich looked to the political situation of Syria.
The 4 Lords of Syria in light green, and their darker coloured vassals
Since Salah ah-Din levied the services of his lords, they'd brought away with them their army, leaving their capital unprotected.
"As my men find no bravery with enemy archers, they shall look for it empty enemy castles instead."
So Heinrich and host set out to siege Syria.
Jerusalem meanwhile kept Damascus busy, by fighting and losing and fighting again.
It was successful. Peace was concluded and Heinrich Welf was recognised, Count of Syria.
A less energetic man would have stopped and be content there. But our hero Heinrich was not such a man, he learnt Arabic and mobilised the young men of Syria into his host; and then to war with the absentee lords of Syria.
They boasted their bravery to Mosul's walls.
Heinrich Welf was unstoppable, really nothing stopped him
On 25 August, he was made Count of Mosul, and it was there where Heinrich was made aware of the rivalry between the Arabs and Turks.
"Salam aleikum! mein herr," greeted his new recruit from Mosul, "we have heard of your noble spirit, your insatiable thirst of justice, and with the incorrigibility of your character we ask you to avenge us for wrongs inflicted by the Turks."
"Wa-aleikum-as-salam," replied Heinrich courteously as Arabs make up nearly half of his forces now, "What gives?"
"For hundreds of years, Kirkuk was our ancestral home. Now the Turks from the steppes have dominated it, calling it theirs. Take us there, so may we drive them out."
Heinrich was intrigued by this new recruit. He could use a Marshall. "And how would you suggest we do that?" tested Heinrich.
"The Emir of Kirkuk, a foolish man has his capital on a hill, protected by no castle but a mere fort. Should we defeat him at his base in Kirkuk, we could finish our siege before his vassals come."
"Innsbruck of the East had 2420 men"
Energetic Heinrich quickly studied his plans.
Green equals +7 arrow attack and 30% more effectiveness aginst his infantry, so Brown equals uh minus that
Encouraged that the Turk's arrows were not as potent as that at Damascus, justice-seeking Heinrich and his 3604 justice-seeking men marched off to Kirkuk.
They enjoyed safe passage til they declared war at the enemy capital, on 13 October.
18 October they began their advance. Heinrich had lost hope in rousing speeches, and crossed his fingers that his calculations prove correct.
Whizz! An arrow flew past missing Heinrich's forehead just. The man behind was not as lucky - the heavy bronze necklace he had been wearing for 5 days into the charge bursted aflamed, shattering into a billion pieces leaving him unscathed, and began the man, "although it was a bitch to carry, I'd always knew it would come in..." before another arrow came and killed him on the spot. Heinrich was used to this by now and brooded on it no more. He kept charging and was glad that men around him did the same, still in good spirits, unlike Damascus. And they were close now, and his men knew it, and were eagar to give the enemy the taste of their steel.
YES! YES! YES!
23 October marked the start of the skirmish, and happy happy Heinrich blessed his men:
"Before us, my brave men, lies a most sorry sight; their excuse of an army; no longer able to employ their womanly ways, and oh Lord preserve us how they shudder in fear!
Here we stand to deliver God's justice. So have no fear carrying out his work, but feel proud and strong in his name. And let them pray mercy as they will need it in heaven where they will be judged soon enough.
As we go onward, remember this; we have braved through hails of arrows, worked so hard for the past five days. Nothing can testify our noble spirit better than that. And as God's chosen, let us together deliver his judgement."
"Guelph! Guelph! Guelph!!!" roared the men in reply.
Heinrich's army outnumbered their foes almost 2:1
They fled on 26 October. Only the Syrians held and the odds became 1:6; so completely unfair.
He predictably lost.
"It
hurts milord.
Oh god no! We Germans can't beat their light units like that. Our advantage lies with heavy infantry and knights - a frontal, yes we can win with a full frontal."
"I'm homesick," cried the same recruit from Mosul, "I've been away for too long."
Shaking his head in dismay, Heinrich rallied his confused men to the neighbouring province.
But by 25 November, his enemies somehow reached Oromieh before him.
With the state of his army, Heinrich knew full well that another defeat in Oromieh could wipe them out.
He ordered a re-organisation.
Syrians first in recognition of their bravery
And strangely enough, they weren't confused no more.
Heinrich found himself in the situation he fought so hard for
They could not reach Kirkuk fast enough
It was December when Heinrich Welf was made master of Kirkuk. And he was jubilant through to Christmas.
News soon reached that the 4 Lords of Syria have returned to bite him, having convinced their King Salah ah-Din to completely bypass Jerusalem to get him.
Faced with new needs for defense, Heinrich was appalled by Jerusalem's progress and pondered where
was the army of Christendom to protect him.
Just starting to move it seems
On New Year's Eve, Henry reflects on the passing year. "How did I get myself into this?" he questioned his now negative 177 ducat treasury. Has Midas forsakened me?
The recruit from Mosul had dissappointed him. Where can I find my Brilliant Strategist?
Next Post:
Hopes and Futures Revealed.
