A Western fleet suddenly broke into the Denmark Strait, and the fishing boats once again thought of the fear of being attacked by the hateful Ross ships.
The fishing boats were all avoiding it, and they were almost all boats of the Robard tribe. The fishermen instinctively felt that their lives were threatened, and even their homes would be destroyed.
They ran for their lives with all their strength. After the fishing boat washed up on the beach, they didn't even care about the catch. They immediately rushed to the village with harpoons and axes...
The Robard tribe learned the news earlier and their troops began to gather.
Since the sudden death of the tribal leader, King Hafgen of Denmark, the leaderless Denmark immediately fell into chaos, and the largest Robard tribe has not elected a new leader who can convince the people for more than two years.
This tribe is unified in name, but in reality it has begun to fall apart. People have to choose to live with a certain big family or go to other regions.
The entire Denmark, a unified kingdom that was once united by Hafgen through force and compromise, has now returned to its old state, and its political landscape is even more fragmented.
Horik, the great pirate in the West, doesn't know all this, but it doesn't matter.
To get Denmark, you must get the largest Robard tribe, and then control the strait to collect tolls from passing ships. This is the first step to conquer, and then control the largest trading city of Hedeby, and regain the taxation rights that have been lost for more than 20 years. If you do these two steps well, and you have the population, the army, and the financial power, it will be easy to crown the King of Denmark. Of course, it would ultimately require diplomatic approval from Prince Frank Ludwig.
The new Danish king has formulated a very thorough road map to seize power, and he is implementing the first step of the plan.
The raven flag is flying, and the round-faced Horik does not look like a warrior at first glance, but more like an armed merchant.
The food in Flanders was so good that he ate so many fat sheep that he turned into suet balls.
On the boat, he clearly saw the distant villages, and his fighting spirit was ignited.
A flag with blue stripes that looked like a sword and a fleur-de-lis was raised, and Horik was signaling to his men that it was best to prepare for battle.
He didn't really intend to plunder the large village of the Robard people, but he concluded that the other party would not accept him as king.
A huge fleet is about to land on the beach. Even if there is no leader, the major families are dispatching troops to defend the enemy from the village. They will not escape. The warrior soul does not allow them to escape without fighting. Besides, Denmark is so big and everyone has no way to escape.
Men and women took up arms and rumors spread through the villages.
"It's the damn Rose!"
"The evil man who killed our king is here, and the Rus will kill us all."
"The enemy must be resisted or we will all die. The Ross is more hateful than the Swede."
Today, news about Ross's separation from Sweden has spread to Danish society. They are both old rivals who have been fighting for hundreds of years. Although we don't know when the dispute between them started, it is clear that the war cannot stop and can only intensify.
Although Rose is strong, the brothers will never suffer a loss when playing at home. Men, women, and boys will go into battle together, and with sheer force they will be able to overwhelm the landing enemies.
But something strange happened.
The thousands of Robard's elite soldiers who were the first to enter the seaside saw a large number of landing enemies, but the enemies in front of them did not light up their white and blue flags.
Are they really Russians?
The soldiers did not dare to test it rashly, not to mention that the sunlight reflected violently on the lander's body, and the other party actually wore armor on a large scale, which was the same as the Russians.
Since the opponent had a lot of iron armor, they had to wait until the rear troops arrived before attacking.
Looking at Horik again, the army has landed calmly.
A general asked his master: "My lord, we should launch an attack while the enemy is maintaining a stable footing, and defeat the Robards in one battle to surrender."
Horik took another look at his opponents in formation and shook his head: "Now call me king!"
"Yes, Your Majesty the King."
"I have my own plan on whether to attack. Listen, the people on the other side will be our brothers in the future. If we can do it without starting a war, we will. We wait for them to gather, and I will convince them to surrender."
I don't know where Horik got the courage from. It has been almost ten years since he left this land. The boy he once was has become an old guy who has fought many battles. He is a man who kills people like hemp.
No, it lasted until the afternoon, and all the people who could hold an ax arrived in the largest settlement of the Robard people.
They marched slowly under the leadership of each family, and now the Horik army, which was slightly depressed, was invigorated.
"Listen up, brothers! You are not allowed to take the initiative without my order. Those who do so will be hanged!"
Horik ordered so, and his men were very obedient.
Seeing the landing troops arrayed in formation and some blue flags flying in the crowd, the nervous Robards did not hesitate to think that the landing people were Russians!
The Robard people's shield wall began to advance slowly, but they saw that the opponent had been standing still. As the distance approached, its advancement speed became slower and slower.
What was very strange was that the landers seemed unwilling to fight a bloody battle. When the distance was close enough, the Robards finally saw that there seemed to be a blue three-pointed harpoon painted on the flags.
In fact, it is an abstract iris flower that symbolizes many meanings.
The Robards came to a halt across the board, and the Great House took control of the front before the fierce battle began.
"This is my chance to show off."
Horik took off his helmet, with blond hair and a round face. He stepped out of the military formation and opened his arms, facing all the Robards with his chest.
What's happening here? Who is this short, fat man? The commander-in-chief of the army?
"Robards! Come out your leader!"
Horik shouted one after another, and he heard the array on the opposite side whispering to each other, but the leader was still waiting to meet for negotiations.
He then shouted loudly: "I! Horik Klarsson. The grandson of the great Lord Godfrey! I have returned with the army of the west, and I am the King of Denmark!"
Horik was trying his best to convey a message that he was Godfrey and his grandson. He repeated it desperately because this name was really shocking to the Robard people!
If there was ever one person who was revered by all the Danes, it was Godfrey, the Grand Leader!
When Charlemagne of the Franks invaded with his troops, Denmark fell into a crisis. The killings of the Frank army and the fleeing Saxons only made everyone in Denmark feel in danger.
The fearful Danes united around Godfrey, and the strong men built the defense line of the Great Wall of Schleswig. The coalition forces of various tribes defeated the French army outside the port of Schleswig!
Godfrey established the town of Hezeby at the mouth of the river fjord where Schleswig is located. It was originally a military stronghold and was built to support the Great Wall. He was always on guard against a second invasion by the Franks.
But the war did not intensify, and Frank suspended the attack. When Charlemagne died, Frank's northern expedition to Denmark was completely stopped.
With the power of defeating the Franks, Godfrey turned around and attacked the city of Herrickle, the core of the Pomeranians, looted it and burned it with the cruelty of the Viking wolf. The great leader died and was succeeded by his distant relative Harald Clark. However, this man betrayed Odin and believed in the Frankish god. He even made peace with the other party and betrayed the interests of all Denmark. He was the lackey of the Frankish king!
In the event of expelling Harald Clark, the northernmost Robard tribe contributed the most, and young Hafgen claimed to be the leader of the Danish alliance. Finally, through a "competitive game", he got his wish by violent means.
Poor Hafgen grew up and died of violence.
The Robards did not know Horik Klarsson. This kid was just a kid back then. As a distant relative of Harald Clark, he was just a "halberd bearer". When his uncle was expelled, he was also forced to evacuate as a bodyguard.
The Robards didn't know these things, but they all admired Lord Godfrey and lamented the rapid decline of the family after the death of the heroic leader.
Could this little fat man really be Godfrey's grandson? Maybe it's possible! It makes sense that this large and armored army would be formed by Godfrey's grandson.
Horik deliberately did not mention Harald Clark this time, because he was obviously closer to this person by blood. It's just that Harald's reputation is too bad, and he has no brains to identify with this traitor who is hated by his family.
He is intelligent and has some eloquence in his speeches.
He announced in public: "I am Horik! I hate the Franks, and I hate any enemy who brings shame to Denmark. In fact, what I hate most is the Franks. I have fought with them for many years, and my soldiers have fought fiercely with the Frank army for many years. .Submit to me, I will take you to revenge and win, and then make a fortune!"
How to make a fortune?
He also deliberately preached: "Frank is not strong, because we are stronger! There is gold and silver everywhere in Frank, and there are sheep and cows running everywhere! The women there are very beautiful, and you can easily get them. The land there is warm and fertile. , we can also get a lot of wheat..."
Horik's preaching was successful. Not only did he show no tendency to use force while standing here, he cursed Frank in every word. He also taught poor people how to make a fortune. All his actions seemed to be for the sake of the Robard people.
In fact, everyone knows that Frank is wealthy, but there is no quantified understanding of the degree of surplus.
Horik did not hide that he was from Frank, and said that he had already established a territory there.
Godfrey's grandson did better than he did! This grandson received part of the Frankish territory. The tangled heads of the big families began to walk out of the formation. In fact, no one wanted to fight. Since the person who came was the grandson of Godfrey, an unimagined path appeared.
Looking at the Horik army again, the warriors who had been sailing for a long time saw that their leader really convinced the Robards with just one mouth!
Horik did the right thing. He announced that the army would camp on the spot to build a new village and not disturb the lives of the Robard people. He was able to do this because he had sufficient material foundation. The looted gold, silver and jewelry were the best currency, and the excellent new Frank silver coins could be used to buy local general consumer goods.
He doesn't act like an ordinary pirate, but he is also a big pirate through and through. All because he lived in Flanders for many years and learned the Frankish governance methods.
Because the people are "lambs"!
Horik had taken off his cross pendant and raised his raven flag. Even so, he still liked the concept of the "lamb" described by the priest.
The people were like sheep. The lords wanted to cut wool from the sheep and needed tithes from the people. If the sheep starve to death, the lord will become poor, so it is very important to make the sheep fat and strong.
Looking at the Robards again, the heads of the big families are thinking that this Horik has a large army in his hands. Even if the Robards win, they will still be victorious, so the gains will not be worth the losses.
The new strong man, the grandson of Godfrey, wants to collect taxes. Hafgen also collected taxes before. If he can collect taxes, everyone will be happy if the tax rate drops.
Horik negotiated with the families and demanded a tithe on the property.
To be honest, this tax rate is much lower than that of Hafgen.
The once quarreling big families have transformed, and they all respect Horik as the new leader of Robard!
Now Horik is calling himself the King of Denmark!
He was a very generous man. He awarded the title of earl to all the ten big families of the Robard people, and he also held a knighthood ceremony with a sword on his shoulder with great interest.
Horik entered Denmark at the end of February in the early Frankish spring. Although the inner Baltic Sea was still frozen, by the end of March, Horik was already the real leader of Robard.
His elite force swelled to 5,000 men, and this army was feared by all tribes.
The warm wind of spring has not yet blown throughout Denmark, and the farming of various tribes has not yet begun. "King of Denmark" Horik has already sent messengers to deliver the news on foot in Jutland, ordering the leaders of the peninsula tribes to come to the emerging coastal capital of Godfrey. Hagen has a meeting.
Since he claims to be the grandson of Godfrey, the greatest leader of the alliance, it makes perfect sense to build a new city in his grandfather's name! He also wants to imitate his predecessors and build a new city himself.
Great political changes have taken place in the Danish world, and Horik seems to have appeared out of nowhere, and has a deep connection with Frank.
The most male part of the peninsula, the Danes here live their own peaceful lives.
Young Ragnar already had three sons and was a rapidly rising pirate leader. He and his tribal brothers had already robbed many merchant ships from Frank Hamburg, and then rushed to the smooth coast on the other side of the peninsula to rob the Pomeranians in Stralsund.
When the news came from the Norwegians, the Narvik Norwegians in the far north had taken a piece of fertile land in Britain and lived a good life.
However, Ragnar doesn't want to leave his tribe yet, and he doesn't want to abandon his hometown with his tribe, at least not yet. As for taking a group of brothers to Britain to grab some gold and silver slaves and then retreating, it's time to think about it.
Unbelievable news came from the north, and the tribal people felt fear.
He asked his father: "Is that Horik the real grandson of Godfrey? If this man is a lackey of the Franks, I don't want to admit him."
His father, Sigurd, boasted that his life was about to end, and the tribesmen recognized Ragnar as the most intelligent successor. Sigurd had essentially abdicated, and now stands behind the scenes to guide his son.
"The key is not his identity. He holds a large army. Even if many tribes unite, they cannot defeat him. This makes his identity unquestionable. Even if we win, we will have to pay a price that cannot be overcome."
"So, do I have to go to the meeting in person?"
"You have to go, you have to surrender to him, this is not shameful. Of course, if he is a real Frank lackey, you will wait for an opportunity to assassinate him! Listen, our tribe is closest to the Great Wall, compared to the Swedes and the Russians, Frank will always be our biggest threat. Remember our people who were killed in the past, and you must seize any opportunity to attack Frank for revenge!"
an eye for an eye! Ragnar firmly believes in his father's teachings. Attacking Frank for revenge must continue, and robbery and making a fortune are equally important.
Ragnar made the same choice as most of the lords. The sea near the peninsula was completely frozen, and a large number of ships arrived along the coastline to the new northern city of Godfrehagen.
Not only the lords from all Denmark attended the meeting, but also the leaders and big businessmen from Oslo, Malmö and Silver Castle across the Denmark Strait came by boat.
There were more than a hundred nobles from all walks of life. They saw Horik's army, hundreds of flying raven flags, and the statue of Odin standing in the New Town Square.
When he first arrived, Horik purchased 111 slaves from the locals. He paid a lot of money and the slave owners were happy to sell them.
But the end of slavery is death!
Sacrifice to Odin is very particular. According to Danish etiquette, the most pious sacrifice is to sacrifice one hundred and eleven heads to the god.
Under the gaze of various lords, heads rolled down the altar into a pool of blood. This sacrifice was even more ruthless than Hafgen!
Hafgen chopped off ninety-nine heads in Hedeby. The sacrifice must have been insufficiently pious, causing him to suddenly die in battle.
No one said that Horik was a waste of labor. Everyone lamented that this man was our clansman and a new hero who could lead everyone to become stronger!
Because the Danish lackeys wouldn't do that. The Franks believed in a god who did not want the sacrifice of slave blood.
Hedeby is a free city. The merchants organized a business guild and elected a merchant to be the de facto mayor. Their actions prove that everyone does not need a lord, they can live a good life by practicing security, and business will become more and more prosperous. So when Horik's envoy arrived at Hedeby, he was embarrassed to find that he had no idea who had given the order.
The messenger dropped the news and withdrew, and no one from Hedeby, who was asked to do what he wanted to do, went north!
However, by May, most of the lords in Denmark supported Horik as king, and the news reached Hedebe.
Hedebe seemed to be outside the world, and Horik was angry. After a blood sacrifice, he established himself as king. He still needed some means to become a king in essence, and some dissenters needed to be attacked. No, Horik was busy expanding his territory and influence during these days. As for controlling Hedebe, there was no rush.
As a result, a piece of news also spread in Hedebe - the new king Horik would re-collect commercial taxes.
