The Anjou Expeditionary Force, which marched on the land of Anatolia in support of the Kingdom of Jerusalem, marched through the territory of the Eastern Empire, and now they were about to enter the territory of the Duchy of Armenia in Cilicia.

"If the information given by His Majesty Emperor Alexios is correct, the Armenians were defeated in Konya five months ago?"

"Yes, Your Highness, so we must be more careful in this land march!"

William Marshall was worried, he was a ruthless killer on the battlefield, but when it came to military strategy, he was far inferior to the prince who was not as old as him.

However, Richard has long been a veteran of the battle formation, well versed in military science, and guided this complicated army to march quickly.

"The composition of our army is too complicated, the French, the English, the Greeks, the Slavs, who else is not in my army?"

William Marshall smiled bitterly at this, these are all the troops that the Roman emperor forced over, even including some Cuman light cavalry, these fierce horseback knights also participated in Richard's army, and now the military formation can spread to the sky.

"We have an army of 14,000 men, but the only real core are the French knights I brought out of the duchy and the English longbowmen left behind by my father, and those mercenaries who join temporarily are untrustworthy warmongers!"

The prince whispered only with Marshall, which also made his knightly generals feel terrified, and it was true that they were warmly welcomed in Constantinople, the kingdom of the Greeks, but Alexios strictly limited the number of people who could enter the imperial capital, giving only thirty places to the upper echelons of the expeditionary force.

You can't even bring the guards!

The proud nature of the Prince of England flares up at once (the Chosen One of Britain).

Richard took his leave after a dinner, and he refused the Emperor's offer to keep my soldiers, and if I was still enjoying the food and wine, then what qualifications did I have to command my army!

Alexios was helpless by the firm and forceful reply, but the prince of England entered Anatolia under the escort of the Imperial naval fleet, as the Imperial Supreme had expected.

The Combined Fleet, on the other hand, advanced along the southern coastline, and it was their duty to bring the expeditionary force back to Constantinople in time for a possible defeat.

However, Richard scoffed at this, the large force gave him a great deal of confidence, and he was extremely confident in his own tactics.

The Prince of England was convinced that he could replicate the miracle of Godfred Bouillon, the protector of the Holy Sepulchre, and accomplished what even Frederick Barbarossa the Redbeard could not accomplish in his lifetime (the Holy Roman Emperor also wanted to follow this path, but the outcome is known).

But now the prince regretted it slightly, except for a few new military districts or settlements of Bulgarians set up by the Romans on the border line, the other areas were simply empty, and even supplies could not be done, but fortunately, the emperor sent a fleet to escort all the way, and the supplies sent from Constantinople could also be supported in time.

"When will the Armenians come to our aid?"

William Marshall expressed his displeasure with the land march, but the prince, who was naturally challenged, chose this difficult land march anyway.

"If Richard had been older, he would have learned that choice is an important thing!" The royal superintendent of horses thought.

"Don't count on them, if the information we got is correct, these Armenians were involved in the last war between the Roman Empire and the Seljuks, and in addition to getting some compensation from Alexios, they probably got an empty promise."

"Now the army of the Sultan of Rûm has swept back and forth in southern Anatolia five times, and if it were not for the rugged mountainous terrain, the Armenian state would have disappeared completely!"

"So we don't have a guide on the way east?"

Richard frowned, the Roman Emperor had promised to bring them local guides, and to expand the number of allies for him.

"Then we try to get through this area quickly, we don't have to fight the Seljuks, we just promised to fight the infidels, as for where the heretics are not up to us!"

"Your Highness, then we must speed up our march and strive to enter the Duchy of Antioch within seven days, and as long as we have the support of the Grand Duke of Bosimund, we will be able to gain a foothold in the Near East."

Indeed, Antioch, which was under the control of the Eastern Empire, was undoubtedly their preferred target.

The Armenians' power in Anatolia seems to have been dealt a great blow, and their dream of restoration has suffered a major setback.

"Your Highness!"

"Seljuks!"

"It's the Turkic cavalry!"

Richard's rearguard was in disarray, the Plantagenet banner was crumbling in the wind, and the expeditionary force, which had been marching in order, was in chaos and even had a precursor to disintegration.

If it weren't for William Marshall who immediately led the team to press the formation, the Prince of England might have lost a lot of troops before the war began.

"Let our men hold on, the rear team will change to the front team, and the spearmen will come forward to meet the enemy!"

"Knights, put your armor and spears in order, we're about to fight!"

At this time, the complex army of the Anjou family immediately appeared fatally flawed under the attack of the Seljuk light cavalry, and there was no smooth order for the upward and downward march, ignorant and fearless soldiers.

The composition of everything was an unprecedented rout, and the soldiers in the rear even fled to the sea without receiving orders from their commanders.

"Marshall, can you hear me?"

"Your Highness, I'm listening!"

William Marshall found his lord in the chaotic crowd, but the chaotic shouts of the crowd around him barely made out Richard's voice.

"I need you to take command of the rearguard to fend off the Seljuks before I gather my cavalry, can I do that?"

At this time, Richard's blood-red eyes were already glaring at the royal minister, this was an excellent knight second only to him in his army, and he could only rely on him.

"Those who smashed thought they could crush us in the first charge, but they didn't know how powerful the Knights of Anjou were!"

"Your Highness, please rest assured to gather the cavalry, until your retreat horn sounds, I will never let the Turks enter our military formation!"

"Then I'll leave it all to you!"

It was a disaster, Richard's army was too large and complicated, he received mercenaries from the Roman emperor, and the original neat army of the prince of England was disrupted, and Richard led them on the road after trying to rearrange the order for them, but he still miscalculated.

By the time William Marshall arrived, he had already found that there were not many Seljuks involved in the raid, but the soldiers were trying to break up, shouting as if they had been besieged by several times the enemy, and if they did not flee immediately, they would die without a place to be buried.

"I feel sorry for your lord!"

Without further ado, William Marshall drew his knight's sword and clenched it tightly, then spun and slashed off the head of a deserter who wanted to escape from him.

"Hey!"

"Boys, go back to your army at once, and don't let me say it a second time!"

The knightly flower of England stained his cheeks red with gushing blood, and his chain mail was covered with mud, if it weren't for his knightly squire holding the red lion flag given to him by Prince Henry (Richard's brother).

I am afraid that no one will recognize this man as the important minister of the House of Anjou, the unknown knight who often stood beside Prince Richard.