Episode 125
Throughout history, many phrases have been used to describe legendary warriors who dominated the battlefield.
Phrases like “strength to uproot mountains” and “invincible against ten thousand soldiers” have been used to capture their might.
These myths of warriors who could single-handedly change the tide of battle have existed across cultures and eras.
While there are many reasons for their legendary status, the fundamental cause is clear.
They were individuals who could carve through the battlefield, decimating enemies like leaves in the wind with their destructive power.
Just imagining such a figure is awe-inspiring, isn’t it?
Given humanity’s fascination with epic tales of heroes, stories of such warriors have been endlessly retold and expanded.
However, objectively speaking, very few of these heroes ended up as victors in history.
Most of them, despite their prowess, eventually bowed before the true victors, often serving as the final obstacle.
A prime example is Xiang Yu of China.
He wielded his power to control the world as he pleased, but ultimately fell before Liu Bang, the founder of the Han dynasty.
No matter how strong, a single person’s power cannot decide the outcome of a war—a living lesson embodied by Xiang Yu.
The characters from the Romance of the Three Kingdoms, known even in the West, are no different.
The fates of many valiant generals, who stirred the hearts of people, often ended as mere supporting roles that highlighted the greatness of kings.
As strategies and tactics evolved and became more complex, the influence of individual strength on the battlefield diminished.
This war seemed to be following that trend.
“The advance of the Khwarazmian main force has noticeably slowed.”
“Is it a ploy to lure us in?”
“They might be trying to replicate Saladin’s strategy from the Battle of Hattin, drawing us into terrain where securing water is difficult to weaken us.”
”…But the situation is different now, isn’t it?”
Saladin’s victory over the Crusaders was largely due to the terrain favoring his forces.
To be precise, the battlefield was chosen to be advantageous for the Islamic army, but this time, things were different.
It’s not just about the quality and quantity of troops.
The level of the commander leading those troops was decisively different.
Unlike the overly confident Guy de Lusignan, the supreme commander, Heinrich VI, was cautious to his core.
He never handled his troops recklessly and always sought the opinions of others before making significant decisions.
Especially, the voice of Richard, one of the greatest tacticians of the medieval era, held the highest authority among all the kings.
“In war, the most important thing is supply, supply, and supply. Since departing from Antioch, our army has been careful to stay close to rivers for water, and we will continue to do so. You can rule out the possibility of our soldiers suffering from dehydration.”
“What about heatstroke or food supplies?”
“Everything is being meticulously managed, so there’s no need to worry. We’re marching alongside a large river, after all.”
“Then what are they aiming for… Are they trying to exhaust us even a little more?”
In truth, the only plausible strategy seemed to be just that.
But we’re not foolish enough to blindly walk into their trap.
“As His Majesty Heinrich VI said, the enemy might be trying to lure us. But no one in their right mind would go where they’re beckoned.”
Richard’s calm statement made Philip II chuckle quietly.
“Your Majesty Richard, wouldn’t those who actually followed Saladin’s lead feel a bit uneasy hearing that?”
”…Pardon?”
“For instance, those who followed Saladin’s lead and lost the Holy Land.”
Of course, most of the main culprits of that defeat weren’t present here.
That’s why it was a joke that could be made, but Richard nodded with a serious expression.
“To put it bluntly, it was a choice that couldn’t be defended against criticism of being brainless. Of course, I trust no one here would make such a foolish mistake.”
Since the start of this war, Richard had shown extraordinary strength and drive, so people accepted his words without much disagreement.
Though he had a fiery and emotional side, once he set foot on the battlefield, he transformed into a perfect war machine.
This time, I planned to quietly create an environment where Richard could fully demonstrate his skills and let him have his way.
If we struggled against the likes of Khwarazm, we’d have no choice but to abandon Anatolia and retreat behind the triple walls of Constantinople.
Please, show us your capabilities so it doesn’t come to that.
The atmosphere, which seemed poised for a large-scale battle as both armies moved, unexpectedly cooled down quickly.
The Crusaders were eager to engage, but the Khwarazmian forces suddenly became passive.
“Did they get cold feet at the prospect of an actual fight? Why are they retreating now?”
“Could it be they’re trying to lure us?”
The true intentions of the Khwarazmian forces, which were hard to guess, became clear about a week later.
“Your Majesty! The fortress of Edessa is now exposed to the relentless assault of the Islamic forces. Without aid, the defenders will be slaughtered!”
“Edessa? You mean the County of Edessa?”
Edessa was located slightly less than a week’s march north from the direction the Crusaders were advancing.
On horseback, it was a short distance that could be covered in a few days.
“Are the Islamic forces conducting a diversion? But our scouts reported no signs of them diverting troops…”
If they hadn’t pulled troops midway, then the answer was clear.
“They must have set aside a certain number of troops from the start. Moving the main force was just to draw our attention, while their real target was Edessa.”
“Why Edessa? What’s the reason?”
Heinrich VI frowned, unable to understand.
Even if they succeeded in capturing Edessa, it wouldn’t be a significant blow to the Crusaders.
Most of our supplies were coming via sea routes, not overland, so capturing a few fortresses in the northeastern interior wouldn’t be of much use.
If anything, if they entrenched themselves there, Khwarazm would struggle to receive supplies from their homeland or the Ayyubids.
It wasn’t a strategic point worth such a large-scale operation.
If it were that important, we would have left a significant defensive force there.
Or perhaps they were using our assumption that it wasn’t a strategic point against us.
“Could it be that the act of capturing the fortress itself is more significant than holding it?”
Richard, quick to catch on, clicked his tongue softly.
“That could be it… So they never intended to end this war quickly from the start?”
“Probably not.”
In a prolonged war, maintaining high morale among the troops is crucial.
But that’s easier said than done; how can soldiers remain motivated when their lives are on the line in a drawn-out conflict?
In such cases, it’s important to instill the belief that they are winning the war.
The difference in morale between soldiers who believe they are winning and those who don’t is stark and needs no explanation.
And the most concrete evidence of victory is a successful battle.
We destroyed a Crusader fortress.
We beheaded all the Crusaders who resisted and delivered judgment to those who don’t believe in Allah.
Even if they just inflate their achievements to boost their troops’ morale, it’s not a losing strategy for them.
There might be other objectives they’re aiming for, but we lack sufficient information about them for now.
As the situation deviated from expectations, Heinrich VI, slightly flustered, pointed at various spots on the map.
“Then shouldn’t we move our main force north? How many troops are attacking the fortress?”
“Estimated between twenty to thirty thousand.”
“With that many, our main force moving north should force them to retreat.”
“They won’t let that happen. If our main force moves north, their main force will advance to provoke us. That’s the nature of diversion tactics.”
“Then we should pull out about twenty thousand…”
“Pulling out such a large force would disrupt our balance here. They might seize the opportunity to launch a full-scale attack.”
Richard, still focused on the map, cut off Heinrich VI’s suggestion.
If Heinrich VI were Richard’s subordinate, he might have been scolded for not thinking things through.
After a moment of silently scrutinizing the map, Richard nodded a couple of times and spoke again in a serious tone.
“After considering it, abandoning the fortress is not an option.”
“But you said we shouldn’t move the army?”
“No, I never said that. I only said we shouldn’t draw their attention by moving a large force.”
“But, logically, isn’t that the same thing…”
This time, both Philip II and I nodded in agreement with Heinrich VI.
If the enemy attacking the fortress numbered between twenty and thirty thousand, we would need at least ten thousand to…
“Hey, doesn’t this seem a bit unbalanced?”
“Unless the fortress is heavily fortified, we’re talking about a few hundred, maybe a thousand troops at most.”
“But that war machine over there isn’t one to spout nonsense in such a critical situation. He must have some ingenious plan.”
In times like these, it’s up to me, the one who trusts Richard the most, to speak on behalf of the other kings.
“Your Majesty, if you have a different strategy in mind, sharing it might help us move this meeting along.”
“Hmm? I don’t have anything I’d call a strategy… Did I say something confusing? I meant exactly what I said.”
What on earth is he talking about?
If we send tens of thousands of troops, they’ll definitely react, but we need to send forces? So, are we supposed to send a mere thousand as reinforcements against an army of over twenty thousand?
Philip II, who seemed to share my disbelief, let out a derisive snort.
“Your Majesty Richard, are you suggesting we send a suicide squad to help the Islamic army achieve a greater victory?”
“Of course not. I plan to send enough troops to drive them out. Let’s see… to reach the fortress as quickly as possible, if we select an elite few, it would be about…”
I braced myself for him to say a thousand, but Richard shattered my expectations with a shocking calculation.
“Five hundred should be the limit. I’ll personally select the knights and lead them.”
Ah, if it were five thousand, maybe Richard leading them could make a difference. Wait, did he just say five hundred?
“Your Majesty… did you perhaps forget a zero?”
“No, if we want to get there quickly with an elite force, that’s the best we can do. We’ll move immediately, so you should prepare as well.”
“Me? Really?”
“Who else but you, the renowned Marshal from the previous Crusade, could be chosen for such an elite group? Don’t worry. We’ll win without a scratch.”
Despite Richard’s confident assurance, my mind was already spiraling beyond comprehension.
Charging twenty thousand with just five hundred and not getting a scratch… Excuse me, is this for real?