Hundreds of Viking dragon ships were parked on the east coast. When Sea King Ragnar invaded London, he also issued more summons orders. Letters were sent to Denmark, Norway, Sweden, Finland, and Rus... to recruit Vikings from various regions. Everyone comes to take a piece of the pie.
November 22, 865 AD.
Two thousand Vikings and 400 surrendered puppet troops faced off against 3,500 Wessex soldiers.
Both sides set up their own formations on a hilly land.
The Wessex soldiers occupied the higher ground and deployed four large trebuchets and twelve ballistae.
At nearly noon, two powerful kings, protected by their respective nobles, rode out from the ranks.
"Sea King Ragnar" has not come to the south of England for many years. This time, many of the nobles and soldiers who followed King "Ethelred" saw this demon for the first time.
They suddenly felt that the legend was so ridiculous.
This is just an old man with gray hair. He doesn't look strong. He's a little over 170 meters tall? 18 meters tall? How scary can he be?
On the contrary, the soldiers behind him were extremely powerful.
There is also the endless black crow armor and green buckler.
If a fight breaks out, how many people will die?
Æthelred was accompanied by the best knights in the kingdom.
Ragnar, on the other hand, was accompanied by only two Berserker riders, both of whom were as old as him. They rode on horses with their backs bent.
The two kings who would decide the future of England came forward to meet.
"cough……"
"Your Majesty (Ethelred)?"
Æthelred looked very sad. He didn't want to embarrass himself in front of the Vikings, but he couldn't help it.
Ragnar smiled and waited until Æthelred relented.
"If I remember correctly, I met you fifteen years ago."
"Yes, Your Majesty (Ragnar), that time, you killed my uncle in 'Hastings', and I was also captured by your people. Later, you used a car of treasures to exchange me for Lose."
Æthelred addressed Ragnar as Your Majesty, not as a term of contempt.
This showed his attitude that he didn't want to fight anymore.
So far in the war, Wessex has made a profit, reuniting the entire south, and not suffering much losses on the border. It would be better if the Vikings retreated, or went to attack Mercia.
"I am willing to return Halfdan to you. What I want is very simple, peace." Aethelred took the cloth away from his mouth and saw a bright red stain on it, and then carefully retracted the cuffs to prevent outsiders from noticing.
His health is so bad. If he passes away, what will happen to his son who can't walk well and his beloved wife?
There were also examples of Ansa nobles marrying their elder brothers' wives.
One of his brothers, who died young, even married his father's wife.
The thought of his brother possibly crawling into his wife's bed made him furious
Therefore, it is necessary to cease the war and then eliminate difficulties for his son to ensure that he can ascend the throne.
"Peace? It sounds very good, but the three countries in the north have different ideas from you. They are hunting Vikings everywhere without any idea of peace. The king of East Anglia I elected was beaten to death by them!
Tell me, how should I trust you?"
Ragnar was not in a hurry to attack and began to discuss the possibility of peace.
"Without the addition of Wessex, the Northern army is the largest in defense and cannot expel you. They are they and I am I. I am the great and noble Æthelred. The promises I have made will not be easily broken."
Æthelred brought with him all the trusted knights. They had known that the king wanted peace talks, so they had no objection.
If it were Alfred's person here, I'm afraid things would be different.
"Then what happens after you leave? Please forgive my rudeness, life is always full of surprises, isn't it?" Ragnar hinted that Aethelred's health was too poor.
Æthelred immediately replied, "I am the king. After I go to the Lord, my son will be the king. I will arrange everything. As long as you cooperate with me, in this world, except for resurrection from the dead and the rise and fall of the sun, Nothing can trouble us.”
Ragnar was deep in thought. When he came this time, he also doubted Æthelred's peace proposal and wondered whether he would attack secretly.
But after meeting him, Ragnar only felt from Ethelred that he was a patient who was about to die and was making funeral arrangements.
"You don't have to think about it, you are all soldiers, and all logistics depends on robbery.
If you don't agree, I will fight you with the Northern Army, and then order all the county chiefs and manor owners to fight you to the death. It won't be long before you return to England in disgrace. Also, have you heard of the 'Golden Edict'? Rumor?"
Golden Seal Edict!
"I know, from Northumbria, King Ella's royal decree, he called on the princes of God to attack us, and also said that he would send people to Rome and ask the Pope to send troops from Italy. This is really a crazy and great proposal, isn't it? ?" Ragna was also very surprised when he heard this.
"Ella can't do it, but I can. I have always been in contact with Rome. My child has also been canonized by the Pope. I also found allies in Northern Frankia for my child."
"North Frank? Iron-Armed Baldwin?" Ragnar's first reaction was to think of this person.
"That's right, I sent people to form an alliance with the great nobleman who suppressed the Danes from going south in recent years and defeated Sigurd and Halfdan last month."
As a king who lived on his sick bed and often went to the government hall to discuss state affairs, Æthelred gradually became more powerful in his own way.
In fact, according to his family status, he could also find a Frankish princess for his son, but in that case, it might trigger an invasion by the Frankish royal family.
And marrying Baldwin's daughter can use him to contain the Danish Vikings.
And it's just a "fake marriage".
If he can live for another year or two, let him get rid of all the county chiefs who are not loyal to him, and he can find a better daughter-in-law, and it doesn't have to be Baldwin...
He psychologically despised the robber who had robbed the king's daughter.
After the meeting, the two men returned to their camps to discuss with their subordinates.
Ragnar told several of his trusted leaders, "Ethelred is willing to take out the map and secretly send people to help us to defeat the Mercian coalition and establish a Great Dane French Region in the future, from East Anglia to East Anglia. Mercia, plus half Northumbria for us.
And put Halfdan back.
In return, we will grant Wessex the dominance and even recognize him as 'King of England'. "
This offer amounted to the Vikings taking a quarter of England, with the other three-quarters going to Æthelred.
Ragnar thought it was profitable, but he wanted more, so he didn't agree immediately.
"Several Viking leaders looked at each other. They were good at fighting and killing people, but when it came to dividing land, they were not so keen."
"Can we control Wessex if we capture Æthelred by force?" one leader asked?
"beat?"
"No, let's make peace. The terms are very good."
Two more people responded.
Ragnar looked over, but he didn't agree with any of these suggestions or reasons, until his eyes fell on the last young leader.
This man's name was "Knut", and Ragnar didn't know him until he came ashore.
Less than twenty years old, he already has very rich combat experience.
He was a young slave brought back by Hestein when he robbed Eastern Rome, and later became his adopted son.
This time, he released false information and used "Rolo's pirate flag" to deceive the Unsa nobles. This was his method.
"Your Majesty," Knut said, "I think we should agree."
"Why?" Ragnar asked.
"You supported a young man to become king, but the end result was that the Unsa nobles used cruel methods to throw him to death. The nobleman named Olan, the hand of the king from Northumbria, killed the 'young king' What did you say next?
He said that those who surrendered to the Vikings should all die and must go to hell!
You and 'Rollo' once attacked Frank, and the number was much smaller than this time, but why did Frank, who was stronger and more unified, compromise?
Charlemagne's descendants paid a ransom, ceded the islands, and recognized our rights of navigation.
The combined population and land of the entire seven British kingdoms are inferior to those of the Franks. We conquered both countries, but we did not give in at all, and even proposed a 'North Sea Crusade'.
The Franks had a vast land, and they could bear to cede some land. England was surrounded by the sea and its land was small. They could not bear to lose their homeland. This time they inspired the belief of fighting to the death.
Then we can't underestimate them, we can't let them cooperate, we have to defeat them separately.
Our numbers are too small. If we don't rule this place together with the local nobles, rebellions will continue to gather.
The King of Wessex uses us, and we can also use him. When the people of Danfa District trust us, today's agreement can be invalidated. "
"How to make them trust us?" Ragnar asked again.
"It only takes one sword to make a person die, but it is extremely difficult to destroy his faith.
But once successful, there is no need to worry about him rebelling.
Wash away the faith of the Ansa people, change their customs, writing, and speaking habits, send our priests to teach them Saga literature, and send people to sing praises of your heroic deeds.
From the palace to the brothel, there will be no 'King Arthur' in the future, only 'King Ragnar',
This was just a battle between different monarchs, not an invasion by heretical foreigners.
Our ancestors and those of the Ansa people all came from the southern land.
Let them know that your rule has legitimacy. "
"Continue." Ragnar became interested.
"Destruction and robbery only make people fearful and create hatred in their hearts. Although the 'clearance order' you issued when you came ashore was to avenge the Vikings who died in the last battle and to boost morale, the effect was extremely bad.
With a pirate's mentality, even if the Seven Kingdoms are conquered, when you and your children are gone, this place will still be called England.
If we govern with the mentality of creating a 'North Sea Empire', it will be different.
In the eyes of the Frankish nobles, the Unsa nobles were also barbarians.
They despise us because they look down on our cultural traditions. We should change and absorb some of their progressive beliefs..."
From legal principles to other aspects, Knut spoke in great detail.
Ragna's heart was moved, and his affection doubled when he looked at this young man.
He even planned to give an illegitimate daughter to Canute.
"Your Majesty, let Æthelred go and reduce the blood feud with Wessex. In a country, the king and the crown prince don't get along, and the king wants to give his seat to a young child. This is the source of unrest.
Once detonated, it will be a war of division.
Maybe not long after we establish the Danfa District Kingdom, a civil war will break out in the south, and we will have to rely on our military strength. "
After saying the last sentence, the corners of Knut's mouth raised. The other leaders were impressed by his confidence and explanation and readily agreed.
Then there are the details, and Ragnar adopts many of Knut's suggestions.
Ragnar was born as a farmer and relied on luck to reach the top. However, he had many bad habits and many plans were not far-sighted. However, he was willing to listen to other people's advice, which to a large extent made up for many shortcomings.
Wessex's proposal was tantamount to betraying the Northern Army in disguise.
And it will put Alfred into an unprecedented crisis.
Alfred was originally a hero against the Vikings, but if peace is negotiated now, he will lose nothing and even be relieved of his military power.
Twenty miles south of London County, the crown prince led a defense of 300 people and kept sending people to the hilly battlefield to inquire.
He even wrote a handwritten letter, asking the king's brother to take a good look at it.
From dusk to night, Alfred sent three letters, but each letter became fuel for the king to keep warm.
Towards morning Æthelred awoke.
In other words, he woke up from coughing. There was a minister next to him who was resting on his stomach with a pen in his hand. When he heard the sound, he woke up immediately.
The minister had very short hair, was no more than twenty-five years old, and was wearing a black robe.
Æthelred saw that he was awake and said, "I can't sleep anymore. Please read to me the story you created."
"What do you want to hear?"
"Listen to your story of the Seven Kingdoms. Sometimes I admire you. Your hands are really good at writing. The sentence 'I am both a woman and a treacherous person will affect the peace of Northumbria and prevent the two brothers from reunifying. .
He also wrote a rumor that the King of Mercia poisoned his father, which made Bergred's reputation extremely bad in Rome, making him and the nobles in his territory suspicious of each other. "
"Your Majesty, let me start reading."
The courtier began to tell the story of the Seven Kingdoms in an ancient accent, and when he talked about Wessex, he stopped at his father.
Aethelred suddenly remembered something and asked, "What do you think will happen after I die?"
"I don't know." The minister said.
"I want to be the greatest."
"You will."
"Let's call this book of yours 'The Chronicles of the Kings of Britain'."
Then the king said again, "'Unify England, God bless him, the Great Emperor - Æthelred'... I only need to leave this sentence in your book, this sentence will be fine..."
As the two of them talked, the fourth letter from the crown prince arrived.
The king closed his eyes, but this time he did not let the minister be thrown into the campfire, but asked him to read.
But the king had no response to the first three letters, and he didn't let the messenger send anything back.
In the fourth letter, Alfred became anxious and actually said that it would be extremely stupid to negotiate peace with the Vikings and betray the Northern Army. And after these words were read out by the ministers...
cough!
The blood stained the red quilt, and the king's eyes turned cold, "If he (the crown prince) disobeys, let him go to see his father!"
"Wise choice, Your Majesty."
…
As a king, one behavior will change the direction of the country in years or decades.
At this moment, Olan was on the roof of "Dan City", looking at the southern sky, hoping that everything would go as he expected.
The dark sky will not light up for a while, so Olan will wait, wait slowly.
Olan waited for the sun, while Titan stood behind him, looking at the sun (Olan) in his heart.
An hour later, a knight went upstairs and told Oran that Bjorn's troops defeated a Mercian coalition and approached the tomb of the Mercian kings.
Two hours later, golden light lit up from all directions and rose brightly into the sky.
Don't be pessimistic, the reason people can do it is because they believe they can!
Oran took a long breath and shouted to the soldiers below with firm eyes and full confidence,
"Let's eat!"
