In the Middle Ages, people drew cards to be promoted to nobility.

"Knight Lothar, do you want to join the Templars or the Hospitallers?"

After the monk finished his sermon, he said to Lothar enthusiastically: "Listen to me, for a devout and heroic knight like you, it is most suitable for you to join the Knights Templar."

"The Templar Knights are brave and good at fighting, and never compromise with the pagans. Compared with the conservative Hospital Knights, they are more suitable for you to make achievements!"

"I'm sorry, Father Beckett, I don't intend to take a lifelong vow. My father served His Majesty Baldwin and participated in the famous battle of Mongissar, defeating the king of Ayyubid. I also hope that this can continue. tradition, in the form of a feudal lord, loyal to the king.”

"No wonder the robe you are wearing looks like the old-style robe of the Royal Knights of Jerusalem. It turns out that your father has received such a distinguished honor. It is really disrespectful."

Beckett mused.

"But Knight Lothar, please forgive my bluntness. You don't understand the situation in the Holy Land. From my own perspective, it is not a wise move to choose to be directly loyal to His Majesty."

"Your Majesty may not even have the heart to see you, let alone grant you a fiefdom."

"The Knights are indeed a good place to be, especially the Knights Templar. Joining the Knights does not affect your loyalty to His Majesty the King."

Beckett began to introduce Lothar to the prominence of the Knights in this era and its terrifying influence in the Holy Land.

Although the Knights Templar are only a military order in name, they own thousands of manors and castles in the Catholic world, and more than a dozen territories of various sizes scattered throughout the country.

In addition, they often receive huge donations from various parties.

Moreover, the territory of the Knights Templar enjoys a tax-free policy. They themselves are representatives of theocratic authority, and there is no need to worry about anyone collecting the tithe.

Their wealth enabled them to open the earliest "bank" in this era. Many pilgrims on this ship borrowed money from the Knights to have money to buy luggage and tickets.

This is a giant crocodile entrenched in the Holy Land, a knighthood in name only, and a country in reality.

Not only is his wealth unparalleled, but his military strength is not weaker than that of any major European monarch.

Although the Knights Hospitallers are much inferior in strength, they are still on the same level.

It's just that the style is more conservative and not as radical as the Knights Templar.

The existence of the two major knights greatly curbed the authority of the King of Jerusalem, Baldwin IV, and even overrode the royal power for a time.

However, due to external threats, the king was not only unable to expel and suppress them, but also had to win over the two major knights.

There is slang on the streets of Jerusalem that although the king wears a sacred crown, Gerald (Grand Master of the Knights Templar) is the real uncrowned king.

Lothar was chatting with Father Beckett on the bow of the ship. This priest had taken many ships to and from the Mediterranean, dedicated to raising funds and calling for crusades in the Western world.

Then bring them to the Holy Land to serve as soldiers for the military monastery or as subjects under the feudal lord to obtain funding.

In essence, it is similar to the nature of a broker, except that people think it is a sacred act.

Beckett has lived in the Holy Land for two years and has a deep understanding of many things there.

"Sassanid and Ayyubid have united, but the internal strife within the kingdom is still ongoing. The Knights each have their own supporters, trying to get them to marry His Majesty the King's sister Sibylla and become the next crown prince."

Beckett rarely showed a hint of pessimism: "I don't know whether it is right or wrong to 'call' so many Christian people to go to the Holy Land? The iron hoofs of those pagans may destroy everything."

Isn't that a lie?

Lothar complained secretly, but said: "I never expected that the situation in the kingdom would be so serious, but according to my father, His Majesty Baldwin is a very outstanding monarch, how could he let the situation develop? Is it like this now?"

"Yes, His Majesty the King is indeed an outstanding king, with extraordinary military talents and charisma, but suffering from leprosy has made his rule even weaker."

Beckett's eyes were a little red: "We all know that the young king who was so high-spirited and defeated tens of thousands of pagan troops in Mengisa has gone forever. Now there is only one left who is lingering and enduring the tragedy all day long. Painful leper.”

Lothar was slightly silent.

Count Werner's idea was to ask him to surrender to Baldwin III, and he also brought him a letter.

But now it seems that the king's big ship is far from as strong as he imagined.

There are only advantages and disadvantages. Precisely because this ship is not strong enough, it is easier for him to stand out and arouse the trust and respect of His Majesty the King.

No matter what happens, King Baldwin is still the only legitimate king of Jerusalem, and a skinny camel is bigger than a horse.

The word "orthodoxy" was sometimes even more important in the Middle Ages than in the Eastern world.

As for leprosy...it doesn't seem impossible to cure it if a healing retinue is drawn.

He thought for a moment and decided to follow the original plan and be loyal to King Baldwin. Even if he could not be granted a fief for the time being, it would be more reliable than joining the two knights with many talents.

You know, many nobles at the earl level would rather donate all their property to join the Knights Templar. This may be due to their piety, but it also shows how deep the water of the Knights is.

The icing on the cake can never be as good as providing help in times of need.

Moreover, as a military order, if you want to join the Knights, unless you make an exception by donating a huge amount of property, you must swear a lifelong vow and give up the right to inherit the territory and the right to marry.

These are two completely different lines from feudal lords.

"I will consider what you say, Father Beckett. Thank you for talking to me about these things about the current situation in the Holy Land. It has been a great help to me. May Heavenly Father bless you."

"Amen."

Say goodbye to Beckett.

Lothar was preparing to return to the cabin.

Then I saw a fat man in rich clothes, waving a whip, angrily scolding the crew members who were listening to the monk's sermon: "I spent ten large silver coins to hire you. I didn't just let you stay here in a daze. Move up." , go wipe the deck, dry the clothes, and mend the spare sail!"

"No matter what you do, don't let me watch you chatting here again!"

The fat man is the owner of the ship, the dishonest Venetian merchant.

Ryan's rant yesterday was a perfect statement.

This Venetian merchant was really a Jew.

A Jewish businessman who regards wealth as his life sounds like a good match for Venice, a republic based on commerce.

But in fact, even the Venetians looked down upon the Jews. They isolated the Jews in special urban areas and named them "ghettos."

They cannot engage in normal commercial activities and can only be loan sharks, or like the captain of this Kirk ship, engage in some vague passenger transportation industry.

In fact, except for a few commercial city-states on the Apennine Peninsula, most areas strictly prohibited Jews from hiring Christians.

Discrimination has made the rift between Jews and Christians deeper and deeper.

And the rift made the Jews not care about the lives of these pagans at all, driving up food prices and lending usury, which made their reputation even worse.

This is a vicious cycle.

It is worth mentioning that in Europe at that time, the Jews could only receive relatively fair treatment under the rule of the Iberian Zoroastrians.

"They are not chatting, you ungodly Jewish businessman, they are listening to my sermon, and you are clearly not qualified to listen!"

Brother Beckett shouted back.

The man sneered, his fat face full of disdain, but he looked at Lothar again and did not argue with Beckett.

"Master Lothar, are you satisfied with the cabin? That is the most spacious room I specially set aside. It is suitable for a noble knight like you to live with his female family members."

Lothar walked past the Jewish businessman and took a deep look at the small eyes between the fat on his cheeks.

He nodded perfunctorily, and then led his subordinates and subjects into the cabin one after another.

The Jewish businessman's face showed no anger at being left out. He watched the backs of Lothar and his entourage gradually disappear, and the corners of his mouth raised a subtle arc.