When Egil led the allied soldiers to slaughter the city with great joy, and in the Mediterranean, the Norman offshore fleet advanced towards the island of Malta. In the north, to be precise, around Venice, the city of northern Italy, the east of northern Italy. A war between the two Romes is about to begin.

The Holy Roman Empire, Emperor Frederick, and the Eastern Roman Empire, Emperor Basil.

Of course, this is the name of other countries, or rather, Catholic countries. The Eastern Roman Empire, as the Roman Empire, would not recognize the Holy Roman Empire in any case, such a majestic and hilarious title. It can even be said that at least half of the hatred of the Eastern Roman Empire for the entire Catholic world was directed towards the Holy Roman Empire.

One Europe cannot accommodate two Romes and two emperors. Or rather, two peoples. Germain and Rome, two fateful rivals, are about to meet again after a thousand years of time and space.

Of course, both Frederick and Basil were very confident that they would be able to win. Because the army under his command is strong, and he is a talent. The other party is just a scumbag, and it's easy to catch it.

But when the fight really started, I found out that it wasn't like that at all.

First battle against Venice, then against Zagreb, three against Lake Balaton. Frederick won three battles and three victories! The strikers won many victories. With the impact of elite knights. Defeated the Eastern Roman light cavalry. The situation was greatly unexpected by all.

Frederick, on the other hand, was so ambitious that he would achieve an even more brilliant victory with the terrifying destructive power of 6,000 knights and 13,000 knights in his hands, a total of nearly 20,000 hoplites. When the time comes, the lord of the continent will march with the power of a great victory, and the little cub named Egil will be able to compete with him.

However, at this time, Emperor Frederick received some not very good information - in fact, this is also very normal. To put it bluntly, it is four words, it is difficult to replenish. Emperor Frederick felt that he had come to save his life. It's not illegal to eat and take something. So the 150,000 armies were paid by the Holy Roman Empire before they were assembled on their own territory and crossed the Alps. That waited until Northern Italy. The armaments and materials needed were all borne by Northern Italy.

This was very difficult for the city-states of northern Italy to accept. The coalition army commanded by His Majesty Egil was only 100,000 in its heyday, and the food and salary were heavy, and the coalition army itself also had to bear a certain share, although northern Italy also had to bear a certain share. But it's not too heavy. Everyone gritted their teeth a little and passed--But what is the matter with Frederick? Come here to be the master? How much does it cost for the 150,000 army to eat horses and chew in a day?

At this time, the governors and mayors of the city-states of Genoa, Bologna and Venice followed Egil to the south. After hearing the news, they also gave instructions overnight. It can bear part of the food and salary needs. But to take the full share, it's too much. Send messengers to consult with Frederick.

As a result, the messenger was indeed sent out. But he didn't come back. Emperor Frederick was very grumpy. And as an aristocratic class, they looked down on this group of small merchants in northern Italy to the extreme. In his opinion, he revered himself as Holy Roman Emperor. Personally came to northern Italy to relieve these people. These people should be grateful, and they all ran over as fast as they could, knelt down and licked their hangings, paid all the military expenses, and gave themselves other souvenirs, such as florin coins, and beautiful women.

"I don't know how to lift. ”

So, the angry emperor said this, and ordered that all the "messengers of lowly merchants" be hanged, and then made the following decision: since you will not give it, then do not blame the emperor for being ruthless. Just grab it yourself.

In this way, the situation in northern Italy, which had been so difficult to stabilize, was once again disturbed by Frederick. Frederick reaped a lot of money, as well as other nobles and soldiers of the Holy Roman Empire.

Emperor Frederick, who had received the benefits, intensified his efforts, and even regarded himself as the king of northern Italy, and regarded the captured northern Italian towns as his own territory. Confidants were canonized as nobles and heavy taxes were collected. And those cronies suddenly gained high positions, and they also relied on Frederick's power to run rampant. All this caused strong discontent among the people of northern Italy. There are countless resistances, large and small. Frederick, however, did not feel anything wrong at all. And not reflect on their mistakes. Instead, he thinks it's because he's still too generous. ,

"Since those damned Northern Italian merchant cubs think that a little resistance from them will shake me up. Then I should make sure they understand. What will happen if you disobey me?"

Frederick ordered. Immediately after that, the German army went around looting and slaughtering. The whole of Northern Italy was enveloped in an atmosphere of terror. When the leaders of the three city-states of northern Italy heard of these things, they hurriedly begged Egil, hoping that Egil would advise Frederick as the commander of the coalition forces.

However, Egil chuckled, pointed at these guys and asked, "Are you really stupid or pretending to be stupid? You haven't heard what the relationship between Yu and Frederick is? Yu to persuade is afraid that it will only add fuel to the fire, right?"

Andrew, Werther, and Maffeo glanced at each other, and in the end, it was the Count of Bologna who was a little less powerful. I couldn't stand the eyes of the other two, so I said in a hurry: "But Your Majesty, if this continues, our whole Northern Italy will be finished...... When the time comes, it can only be the pain of the relatives and the happiness of the enemies. And Emperor Frederick went a little too far...... This is also a provocation to your Majesty, not ......"

Egil couldn't help but laugh: "After talking for a long time, you guys actually just want to pry me and go to the ring with Frederick, right?"

"This ......," said Maffeo, who was speechless. Behind him, Andrew and Witt both thought he was useless, so they pulled him directly behind him.

"Your Majesty, to tell you the truth, that's exactly what we mean. Frederick was cruel and wanton, and he was not a human lord, and if we had to choose, we would prefer to serve Your Majesty as our lord. After Andrew said this, he gritted his teeth and knelt down on one knee in front of Egil.

"Your Majesty is so graceful, the martial arts are comparable to Alexander, and the civil rule is better than Solomon. We are willing to serve Your Majesty as vassals and serve Your Majesty. Witt gritted his teeth and knelt in front of Egil.

"That's right, that's what the minister thinks!" said Maffeo, who saw Venice and the governors of the two city-states of Genoa kneeling in front of Egil one after another, and his knees were also weak. and even directly called the minister.

"Trouble is dead. Does Lao Tzu seem to be the kind of idiot who fights for his belongings and people for two cents?" He was waiting for Frederick and Basil to fight each other before picking up the bargain. It's impossible for him to come out now. However, it just broke the hearts of these scumbags, in case these bastards really couldn't think about it, they ran to Frederick to kneel down and lick the hanging......

It's not a big deal!

Egil snorted. He thinks he is thin and can't do such a challenging job as the king of northern Italy. Of course, he didn't say anything to death, comforted the three bastards a little, and then vaguely revealed: Bear with it for the time being, the darkness before dawn, the future is bright, and the road is tortuous. As long as Fitri and Basil are both defeated—I don't say anything.

In this way, the northern Italian people looked at each other. We all know that Egil is a lord who does not see rabbits and eagles. It's basically impossible to get people to help you get into the fire. And the blueprint drawn by Egil, the so-called two Romes fighting to lose and lose or something, is beautiful, but it can't be eaten for a while. So the three men discussed it in the evening, and the next day they came to Egil to take their leave, and returned to northern Italy to kneel Frederick.

Thus, Frederick quickly pacified Northern Italy, obtained the large quantities of food and local products he wanted, and went to the front with satisfaction and Eastern Rome at the same time, and also used Northern Italy as a very convenient ATM. I thought to myself: when I run out of money to spend, I will go to northern Italy for a walk.

In this way, while in Hungary, Frederick's plan of occupation was almost a copy of that of northern Italy. Let the Hungarians pay for the money and food and send troops. The German army passed like locusts crossing the border. There is not a single thing left to gnaw all over Hungary.

The Hungarians, however, are not the same as the soft merchants of northern Italy. Their ancestors were also fierce nomads - and there are still many Hungarians who maintain nomadic customs. At first, when I saw Germany under the banner of the Crusaders, I thought it was here to liberate them. After a moment of welcome, it turned out that the Crusaders' skin were actually a swarm of locusts. And when they have eaten it all, they will divide their land. Call them like slaves - this is not as good as the Greeks of Eastern Rome!

As a result, the grumpy Hungarians soon gathered, mounted fast horses, carried scimitars, and took horned bows, and began to fight these German invaders. At the same time, Basil II was very happy to see that the Hungarians, who had been somewhat wavering, began to lean more and more towards him. There were even quite a few Huns and Magyars tribes who took the initiative to take refuge. Basil II reorganized them into a new mercenary regiment known as the Wadaretai......

(To be continued.) [