A Crusader with System in the Middle Ages

"Perhaps you are not aware, but for the past century, Pisa has rapidly amassed enormous wealth through its trade with the East.

The Pisans possess the finest maps in the Christian World and Sailors who can interpret them—they regularly journey to these lands and are intimately familiar with their locations, winds, and currents.

Some of them even speak Arabic and Persian, or have servants who are Arabs and Persians. They can communicate with Heretics.

They possess Italy’s most powerful navy—and, I suspect, that of the entire Catholic World.

They destroyed Genoa’s fleet with near ease over a decade ago, and more recently, they even conquered part of Corsica Island.

Fortunately, their army on land isn’t nearly as impressive. Even so, Tuscan rule over them has long been lax. This could be a good opportunity, an excellent opening.

But this oligarchic rule is fragile. The Administrative Officer’s power isn’t absolute; he has to consider the opinions of the Pisan Governance Council, and its members are all Cesare’s rivals. Their resentment over him monopolizing the office has been building for years.

And in a place like Pisa, the best slander against a rival is to accuse him of wanting to be a tyrant. Although Cesare already wields the power of a de facto tyrant, once this unspoken truth is brought into the open, no one can feign ignorance any longer. The backlash will be swift and severe.

And as it happens, the citizens of Pisa, now facing unemployment, are in desperate need of an outlet for their frustrations."

"So, you plan to bribe them?" Eric asked as he poured Matilda another glass of wine.

"Silver Coins alone will only help them survive until tomorrow. I will show them a far grander future.

I will give them work. I will build a great Cathedral in Pisa, the likes of which has never been seen. I will hire the finest architects. It will be ornate, magnificent, sacred, and unlike anything before it.

This will be a massive undertaking. It will require a vast workforce, but it will stand forever in Pisa, so that from the moment the people of Pisa lay eyes on it, they will remember. They will remember it was built by the great Marchioness of Tuscany. That when they were destitute, she was the one who gave them hope and showed them a future!

Meanwhile, the aristocrats who claim to represent them remain indifferent to their suffering. They continue to violate the Holy Law decreed by God, hoarding wealth and being utterly miserly toward their own people. While the people starve and cry out in their hunger, those men do nothing but scramble for power, consumed by their own selfish interests."

Matilda rose, pouring the wine in her hand onto the grass. Then she turned to face Eric.

"’Do not lay up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moth and rust destroy and where thieves break in and steal. But lay up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor rust destroys and where thieves do not break in and steal.’" (Gospel of Matthew 6:19-21. Catholicism does not oppose acquiring wealth, but opposes hoarding gold and silver without circulating it.)

"’For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also,’" Eric replied, finishing the wine in his cup.

....

「Holy Roman Empire. Upper Lorraine Duchy. Worms.」

The Royal Army entered Worms, crossing Cathedral Square.

His gaze was involuntarily drawn to the surrounding walls, which were carved with scenes from the *Song of the Nibelungs*—the quarrel between two queens over which of their heroic husbands should first enter the Church, a dispute that led to the death of the dragonslayer, Siegfried.

’Will my end be like that of the hero?’ he wondered, wiping his brow to shake the ominous feeling.

Four guards stood watch outside the sturdy gates of the Duke’s Palace.

After an advance party went inside to secure the area, his advisor, Udalric, waited for their return. Upon receiving their affirmative signal, he nodded to Henry. "We can go in."

Henry breathed a sigh of relief. ’If Theodoric, the Duke of Upper Lorraine, had abandoned me too,’ he thought, ’then there would be no one left in the Empire I could trust.’

He dismounted and embraced Theodoric, the Duke of Upper Lorraine, who had stood humbly at his side ever since they entered Worms.

Theodoric returned the young Emperor’s embrace warmly. He knew the young man needed his reassurance.

He then personally led him inside.

Henry had been here many times. Theodoric had even built several royal apartments specifically for his use, and Henry remembered their location.

The room was warm, the scent of dried rosemary filling his senses. Theodoric helped him to the bed, arranging the sheets and a wolf-pelt blanket to keep his chest warm.

Henry closed his eyes, gratefully accepting the gift of sleep.

Last month, he had tried to quell the Saxon rebellion orchestrated by Otto, Count Notteheim, but his army met with disaster at Göttingen. The Saxon rebels pursued him relentlessly, forcing him to flee to Bohemia.

The shame and terror of the experience had plagued his sleep for days, leaving him with a lingering fear that caused him to jolt awake from nightmares.

This shameful defeat had tarnished his Imperial Crown and brought utter disgrace to the Salian Clan.

With the help of the southern Counts and the Duke of Upper Lorraine, he had managed to broker peace with Otto, Count Notteheim. He had bought Otto off with privileges and land, promising to restore his title as Duke of Bavaria when the time was right.

According to the agreement, the Saxon Duchy would outwardly submit to the Emperor and repent for its rebellion, but this did little to restore imperial authority.

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