Episode 80
The relationship between the Holy Roman Empire and England was neither particularly good nor bad.
Heinrich VI, the current emperor of the Holy Roman Empire, had only recently ascended to the throne.
Richard hadn’t had enough time to develop any strong feelings, good or bad, towards him.
In the original history, Richard bore a grudge against Heinrich VI because he was captured on his way back to Europe after the Crusades.
As a result, Richard had to endure captivity in the Holy Roman Empire and pay an enormous ransom of 150,000 marks.
This amount far exceeded England’s annual income.
Heinrich VI used this money to quell a rebellion in Sicily and even brought Naples to its knees.
Meanwhile, Richard nearly bankrupted England trying to stabilize its finances after paying the ransom.
But none of this had happened in the current timeline.
The Third Crusade never took place, so there was no reason for Richard to insult Duke Leopold V of Austria, get captured, or become a prisoner of the Holy Roman Empire.
So why on earth had Richard suddenly issued an ultimatum to Heinrich VI?
“Your Holiness, I’d like to hear a more detailed explanation.”
At my request, the Pope dismissed everyone around us.
Once we were alone, Celestine III changed his demeanor and approached me.
“You must be tired from your journey to Jerusalem. Was there anything you couldn’t discuss in public?”
“Not particularly.”
“That’s a relief. Oh, and it seems Cardinal Lothaire is suspicious of my relationship with you.”
“He’s a perceptive man.”
While the Catholic cardinals respected me, it was only under the assumption that the Pope held the upper hand.
If I were to become a figure above the Pope, the majority of the Vatican would likely turn against me.
“Still, he can’t be entirely sure. He probably just senses something odd. But, well… I believe both the Vatican and the Orthodox Church should naturally follow your guidance.”
“There’s no need to praise me so much. I have no intention of leading from the front. Of course, if the Vatican or the Orthodox Church goes astray, I will issue a warning.”
To maximize my influence, several conditions must be met, one of which is public trust.
And from my position, wielding power openly carries too much risk.
It’s most efficient to steer the Pope and the Emperor from behind the scenes to achieve my goals.
“For now, there’s nothing Cardinal Lothaire can do. Let’s observe and think about how to handle it. The real issue is England and the Holy Roman Empire. Please tell me what happened in detail.”
“Ah, yes. The truth is, we haven’t fully grasped the situation either.”
”…What? An ultimatum has been issued, and you don’t know what’s going on?”
The Vatican can’t just stand by while a war breaks out between Catholic nations.
In reality, most countries don’t intend to fight until one side is utterly defeated.
They want to end the conflict with their dignity intact, and the Pope can play a significant role in that.
The Pope can propose a compromise, praising both sides, and they can accept it reluctantly.
There’s also the justification that it’s not right for God’s children to shed each other’s blood, providing ample room for intervention.
If handled well, it’s even possible to resolve conflicts before they escalate into war.
But if we know nothing, the situation changes.
The Pope clicked his tongue apologetically under my incredulous gaze.
“Well, our attention was focused on Jerusalem… and with news of your marriage, we paid little attention to the north.”
“Surely England or the Holy Roman Empire would have informed you of the situation.”
In any era, having a justification for starting a war is crucial.
For the military, morale is paramount, and justification greatly influences morale.
In the Middle Ages, few could provide a more legitimate justification than the Pope.
Therefore, most countries, when going to war, explain the other side’s atrocities to the Church and emphasize their own innocence.
Richard, despite his reputation as a simple warrior, is surprisingly meticulous.
He wouldn’t have neglected the necessary preparations before starting a war, so how could the Vatican not know?
As I continued to eye the Pope with suspicion, he quickly shook his head and added,
“It seems I didn’t explain well enough. It’s not that we don’t know anything at all. It’s that both sides are telling completely different stories, making it impossible to discern the truth.”
”…?”
What kind of nonsense is that?
Of course, each side would present their case in a way that favors them. Who would admit fault?
My voice naturally carried a hint of irritation.
“Isn’t that obvious? Both sides will claim the other is at fault. How could their stories be the same?”
“No, it’s not just that. The facts themselves are completely different. I think you should see the written reports for yourself.”
Feeling somewhat insulted, the Pope handed me a stack of thick documents, looking aggrieved.
“As you’ll see, it was King Richard who sent the first envoy. He claims that Roman-era treasures were discovered and that the Holy Roman Empire looted them without permission.”
“Let’s see… Roman-era treasures were found in the western part of the County of Auvergne?”
The County of Auvergne is my territory, isn’t it?
When I left, there was no sign of such a thing, and now they’re saying Roman-era treasures suddenly appeared?
I quickly compared the location of the Auvergne territory with the Roman Empire’s past territories in my mind.
“The Auvergne region was part of the Arverni tribe’s land, so it was under Roman influence from an early period.”
It was a Roman province from the 1st century BC, and after Caesar’s time, it was fully Romanized.
So it’s not surprising that Roman-era treasures might be buried there.
“But how did these treasures suddenly come to light?”
“Recently, the food production in the Auvergne region has increased dramatically. They say it’s due to the new farming methods you introduced… This seems to have accelerated the development of the territory. As they cleared land and built roads, they apparently uncovered numerous treasures.”
“That sounds plausible. But why would the Holy Roman Empire suddenly loot them? Why?”
“We don’t know either.”
If Richard’s account is accurate, the Holy Roman Empire is clearly at fault.
The Auvergne region borders the Holy Roman Empire, so it’s possible a local lord lost his mind and looted the treasures.
Of course, the sensible thing would be to apologize and return the treasures.
But since that didn’t happen, Richard must have been driven to rage.
“You mentioned that both sides presented completely different facts. What did Heinrich VI say?”
“He agrees that Roman-era treasures were found, but claims they discovered them, and that they were found in southern Burgundy, not Auvergne. They argue that England stole their artifacts.”
Today, Burgundy is part of France, but in this period, much of it had been part of the Holy Roman Empire since the 11th century under Conrad II.
The borders are vague, but it’s close enough to my territory that it could easily be a matter of interpretation.
In the Middle Ages, national borders were more like points than lines or areas.
“Then can’t we determine the exact location where the treasures were found and settle the matter? Surely the Vatican has the capability to do that.”
“Of course, I intended to do just that. I even sent a request for cooperation to the King of France, who is a third party in this matter. They readily agreed.”
“Then there shouldn’t have been a problem. How did things escalate to this point?”
“Because the more we investigated, the more unclear the truth became. Both sides’ claims are both right and wrong, and we can’t make heads or tails of it.”
As I read the detailed reports, I saw that the Pope was right.
The location, timing, and mutual accusations of looting were all documented.
Both sides seemed to be telling the truth in some aspects, while in others, it appeared both were lying.
“Richard I seems to believe this is a cunning plot by the Holy Roman Empire. He’s threatening to march his army in and take what he believes is rightfully theirs if the treasures aren’t returned immediately.”
So that’s why he issued an ultimatum.
Considering Richard’s personality, it’s a natural reaction.
These aren’t just any treasures; they’re Roman.
Records indicate that many treasures from the old Gallic province were found, and even the Vatican’s assessment suggests the quantity is significant.
It’s hard to estimate their value.
Honestly, even if someone momentarily lost their mind and looted them, it would be understandable.
“King Heinrich VI probably told them to stop spouting nonsense and stay out of it, right?”
“Yes. They should be the ones upset, but instead, they’re accusing Richard I of breaking diplomatic protocol.”
“And how’s France reacting to their offer to mediate?”
“Philip II is trying to prevent a war, but both kings are too proud for it to have much effect. He even suggested splitting the treasure evenly, but of course, that didn’t go over well.”
To Richard, it must have sounded like being told to split his own property with a thief. Hardly a pleasant proposition.
I felt a slight unease.
Sure, if one side is determined to lie, proving it is nearly impossible.
In this era, fabricating evidence or memories is child’s play.
But can we really rule out the possibility that both sides are telling the truth?
In the original history I know, there’s no record of Roman treasure being discovered in the Auvergne region during this time.
Or rather, I have seen such records, but they were definitely from a different area.
Richard I died because of that war, so my memory can’t be wrong.
‘Both sides are telling completely different stories, each claiming to be wronged… and even the Papacy hasn’t fully grasped the truth of the matter.’
Others might not realize it, but I know for sure that this event never existed in the original history.
Even if history has changed, could a treasure that never existed suddenly appear?
As I glanced down at the report detailing the course of events, my eyes narrowed instinctively.
Something smells fishy.
Like the scent of burning birchwood.