The Restoration of Rome: In the Name of Augustus

Chapter 75 Peer Gathering

In the autumn of 1182 in the Julian calendar, Jerusalem seemed to regain some of the glory it had when the Crusaders first entered the Holy City.

To welcome Prince Bohemond III of Antioch and his two sons, King Baldwin IV of Jerusalem, despite being seriously ill, ordered that the ruler of this neighboring friendly state be received with the highest level of ceremony.

When scouts reported that Prince Antioch's party had appeared on the road leading to Jaffa Gate, the royal guard of Jerusalem was dispatched to clear the way.

At the city gate, ten knights each, selected by the Knights Templar and the Knights Hospitaller, stood in formation on either side of the gate, wearing white robes embroidered with red crosses and black robes with white crosses, respectively, and carrying lances.

What Bohemond found novel was the sight of heavily armored crossbowmen, wielding crossbows and wearing flails, standing solemnly on the main passageways connecting the fortresses, castles, and towers above the city gates, their large shields placed between the crenellations of the city walls.

The trumpeter stood atop the battlements, and as Prince Bohemond's red and blue cross banner became clearly visible, the long, resounding bugle call pierced the sky.

The central figure in the procession was not the bedridden Baldwin IV, but rather the regent Earl Raymond and the Latin Patriarch Heraclius of Jerusalem. Earl Raymond was dressed in formal attire, while Heraclius held a scepter and wore a magnificent ceremonial robe.

When Bohemond III rode his horse to about twenty paces from the city gate, he dismounted first according to etiquette, as a sign of respect for the monarchy of Jerusalem.

Heraclius stepped forward and recited a short blessing in Latin: "May the Lord bless you who enter this city, and may the holy city of Jerusalem bring you peace."

Then, holding a holy water brush, he gently sprinkled holy water on Prince Bohemond and his two sons, Raymond and Bohemond Jr. An accompanying altar priest brought a small, pearl-encrusted reliquary, and Bohemond III and his sons knelt one after another to kiss the reliquary.

After the ceremony, Prince Bohemond remounted his horse and rode alongside Count Raymond and Archbishop Heraclius. The two princes followed closely behind. The procession, escorted by knights on both sides, began to traverse the wide streets of Jerusalem.

Crowds of citizens, pilgrims, and merchants lined both sides of the road, gazing curiously at the prince from the north. The royal herald announced loudly at the front the prince's title and the achievements of the Poitiers family.

After a brief prayer of thanksgiving at the Church of the Holy Sepulchre, the procession proceeded to the Royal Palace.

Inside the palace, Baldwin IV sat on his throne, with Queen Mother Maria and Princess Isabella seated to his right, and young Baldwin standing quietly beside his mother, Princess Sibylla. Lyon, as Crown Prince, stood slightly to the left and in front of the King.

The heavy copper-clad pine doors slowly opened. Bohemond III entered the hall first, followed by his eldest son Raymond and his second son Bohemond the Younger.

Raymond was clearly overwhelmed by the solemnity of the palace and the aura of the king with his silver mask, and he unconsciously lowered his breathing. Young Bohemond, on the other hand, freely surveyed the surrounding furnishings, his probing gaze wandering over the palace guards one by one.

Bohemond III approached the throne at a distance of about ten paces, knelt on one knee with the utmost solemnity, placed his right hand on his chest, and, due to his emotional state, stammered slightly: "O Lord, King of Jerusalem, Bohemond of Antioch pays homage to you and to the esteemed members of the royal family. May God glorify this temple."

Baldwin IV was unperturbed by Bohemond's stutter, and nodded slightly: "Rise, Your Highness. Antioch is a loyal brother state of Jerusalem, and your arrival is a great honor to the Holy City."

Then, Bohemond III approached Queen Mother Maria and Princess Isabella in turn. He knelt down on one knee again and gently kissed the back of the hands of the two noble ladies.

His movements were extremely clumsy, and Maria's expression towards him was equally distant. Bohemond's ex-wife, Theodora, was her sister, and Maria certainly wouldn't give a kind look to a man who had seduced and abandoned her sister.

When it was Princess Sibylla's turn, he performed the same greeting with practiced ease. Finally, he affectionately patted little Baldwin on the head.

Next came the individual greetings from the two Antioch princes. Raymond's movements were somewhat slow and reserved. When he imitated his father kneeling before the king and kissing the hands of the women, his fingertips trembled slightly, his eyes were lowered, and he dared not look directly at anyone.

Bohemond the Younger, however, was quite different. When he knelt before Baldwin IV, his back was ramrod straight, and his gaze towards the king held more curiosity and scrutiny than awe. As he kissed Princess Isabella's hand, he boldly and quickly glanced at the princess, who was rumored to be engaged to the Roman emperor.

Isabella felt a strong sense of unease—Bohemond's glance was exactly the same look Humphry had given her. Out of politeness, she dared not make a sound or pull her hand away, and could only let Bohemond leave a deep kiss mark on the back of her hand.

After bowing, Bohemond Jr. respectfully stepped back, flashed Isabella a cunning and provocative smile, and then walked toward Lyon. He straightened his back, tucked in his stomach, and gave Lyon a rather perfunctory bow, then raised his chin high and made no attempt to hide his winking as he sized up the Jerusalem crown prince, who was about his age.

Lyon didn't look at him, but just stared blankly at the floor, dozing off. When he used to watch movies or read books, he thought these rituals were full of royal majesty and religious sanctity, so sophisticated. However, when he was actually a part of the ritual, he only found it tedious and long-winded.

Not to mention encountering this conspicuous figure in front of him—although he later became Bohemond IV, judging from his behavior, he seemed not to have developed intelligence yet, and was still in a primitive form that was disliked by both people and dogs.

Seeing that Lyon had no reaction, Bohemond Jr. retreated sullenly behind Bohemond III, his gaze still lingering on Lyon with resentment.

After the formal court etiquette, the atmosphere eased slightly.

"Now that the ceremony is over, you may all leave." Baldwin waved his hand and said to Queen Mary, "Your Majesty, please take the children to the inner courtyard for the banquet and play. Please be careful."

Maria nodded and, along with Sibylla, led Leon, Isabella, and Baldwin Jr. to the back courtyard, with Raymond and Bohemond Jr. following closely behind, accompanied by an Antioch knight.

After watching the royal family members and their children leave, Baldwin struggled to his feet, and Bishop William quickly stepped forward to support him. Bohemond was about to step forward when Baldwin interrupted him, weakly saying, "No need for Your Highness to help me; lest I be tainted by my misfortune."

Accompanied by Bohemond and supported by William, Baldwin staggered towards the bedroom. By the time William carefully settled the king on the bed, Baldwin was barely breathing. He raised his hand, beckoning Bohemond to the bedside, and with a feeble strength, asked:

"So, Your Highness, now tell me, how is the siege of Aleppo by Saladin's army on the other side of the Orentes River progressing?"