With the surrender of all the defenders of the northern gate of Rome, Faller and Caesar took the gate and sent troops to open the heavy gate.

As the city gate slowly opened, Andrew immediately led nearly 500 cavalry to rush into the city of Rome at lightning speed, while the remaining 100 heavy infantry, 200 longbowmen and 800 standing militia marched unhurriedly along the city avenue under the command of William.

After converging the forces of Faller and Caesar, not counting the five hundred cavalry who opened the way in front, William's infantry had exceeded the size of fifteen hundred.

"I've seen His Highness William!" A tall Norman warrior wearing chain mail and a Norman helmet, accompanied by Caesar, approached William and bowed down.

The young man, who looked like twenty-five or sixteen, resembled Caesar, with short brown hair and sapphire eyes.

"Presumably you are Caesar's brother William, the chief, and I'm glad to have your help!" William smiled and nodded in thanks.

"It is my pleasure, His Highness William!" Norman mercenary leader William. Morality. Ottwell nodded and said, "I heard that His Majesty the Pope is also with you, not only if I have the honor to go and meet His Majesty the Pope. ”

"Of course, Chief William, but it is imperative that the rebellious Cardinal Cepilian and others in the city of Rome be purged and that His Majesty the Pope will be reinstated.

His Majesty the Pope has promised to crown you nobles according to the amount of your meritorious deeds. William nodded in response.

Despite William's flat tone, in William. Morality. The leader of the Ottwell mercenaries and others are full of temptation in their eyes, if they can be canonized by His Majesty the Pope, then they will not be lost dogs, but nobles with large territories.

Hearing William's promise, the mercenaries present were all excited, gearing up to clear the rebellion for His Majesty the Pope, and even Caesar, who had already received the news, couldn't help but raise his head excitedly and looked at William with a look of hope.

"Please rest assured that your Majesty the Pope, our Norman mercenary group will go all out!" Norman mercenary leader William. Morality. Ottwell solemnly promised.

"Then please." William nodded in response.

Seeing the Norman mercenaries depart, William once again ordered his men to speed up.

With 500 cavalry at their command, the foot soldiers marching along the wide Roman road successfully occupied the main roads along the street, marching many times faster than usual to the center of Rome.

Although a sudden night attack overwhelmed the defenders of Rome and left the disorganized soldiers unable to defend themselves against the invading William's army, some of them began to gather and resist bravely on the front line.

"Why did our cavalry stop? Phalle, what's going on up ahead? Seeing that the way forward was blocked, William couldn't help but ask a little anxiously.

"Your Highness William, there are three hundred church knights in front of you to stop the cavalry led by Andrew." Faller hurried over to William's side and bowed in reply.

"Oh! The Italians still have the courage to resist? William was slightly surprised, and expressed surprise at how daring the weak Italians had dared to resist.

In fact, these ecclesiastical knights were not Italians, but knights recruited by the Holy See from the German region, who enjoyed the estates given to them by the Holy See in peacetime, and led troops to fight for the Holy See in wartime.

"Your Excellency Wilhelm, these church knights are all knights carefully recruited by the Holy See from the German region, and it is natural that they are extremely brave!" Pope Benedict IX heard William's exclamation, rode up to William's side, and said with a proud expression on his face.

"It turned out to be His Majesty the Pope." William saluted Benedict IX and said, "I wonder how many such knights are there?" ”

"That's a lot, about six hundred people face up, of course there are only about three hundred people stationed in the city of Rome, and these knights of the church are stationed in the city of Rome in batches for half of the year." Benedict IX explained.

"I wonder if you can command these church knights to do what they are told?" William asked.

"This..."

Pope Benedict IX's face was full of embarrassment, and he hesitated for a moment to explain: "Now Cardinal Sipelian is in control of the Holy See, they will only obey Cipelian's orders, even I can't command them!" ”

Speaking of helplessness, Benedict IX couldn't help but clench his fists, gritted his teeth, and strengthened his determination to form a direct papal guard.

William understood Benedict IX's embarrassment, perhaps because he was too young and debauched to control the knights of the Church, and his previous statement that there were cronies in ambush in Rome was just a pretext.

"Please rest assured, Your Majesty. These church knights alone can't stop us! Seeing that the atmosphere was not right, William immediately changed the topic and said: "Your Majesty, I don't know how we should move forward next, is it to the Vatican on the west bank of the Tiber River in the northwest corner of the city of Rome?" ”

The Vatican that William refers to is a high ground on the west bank of the Tiber River in the northwest corner of the city of Rome, where the Holy See of the Catholic Church is located, the center of the Roman Church, and is directly under the rule of the Pope.

The Vatican is located on the Vatican Heights, northwest of Rome, the capital of Italy. The territory includes St. Peter's Square, St. Peter's Basilica, the Pontifical Palace, the Pope's summer resort (Fort Gandolfo) and the Vatican Museums, among others.

The territory is roughly triangular in shape and is surrounded on three sides by walls, except for St. Peter's Square, which is located in the southeast of the city. It is located on the right bank of the Tiber River, bounded by a walled city and has a "secret passage" that leads from the famous Castel Sant'Angelo to the Vatican City.

"That's right, Your Excellency William, please give the order quickly, let your soldiers attack the Vatican and take it back!" Benedict agrees.

"Yes, Your Majesty." William nodded yes.

After seeing off Benedict IX and his entourage, William wiped the sweat from his forehead and ordered Faller to lead his infantry forward.

Fifteen hundred soldiers marched in a neat procession, marching in orderly steps, their momentum as if the top of Mount Tai was overwhelming, putting great pressure on the knights of the church who were resisting every day.

Not only do the soldiers under my command practice in the Standing Army, but even the Reserve Militia often practice in the winter training camp, so they can work in unison.

With the addition of a new force, nearly 300 church knights could no longer support it, and led their subordinates to retreat.

William was willing to let them go so easily, and he immediately ordered his cavalry to launch a pursuit.