Hosker, G [Norman Genesis 11] The Duke and the King by Griff Hosker

Author:Griff Hosker
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Sword Books Ltd.
Published: 2019-04-20T22:00:00+00:00

Chapter 9

Summer came and passed. Whichever god watched over Normandy, he looked after us. Our crops were good. My son’s wife gave birth to a daughter. He named her Mathilde. When I thought of King Charles and his six daughters I began to worry. My son was also getting older. Daughters and bastards were not enough. He needed a legitimate son. There were too many who would refuse to recognise a bastard. William would try again. We also heard that the date for the marriage of King Charles to Eadgifu had been set for the following year. It was my Archbishop brought me the news. He also brought me a private message. I would not be invited to the wedding. His lords were becoming increasingly restless and my appearance at the funeral of his wife had done nothing to ease their concern. I did not mind.

In the time leading up to our raid, I threw myself into improvements on my stronghold and port. I built towers to watch the ships in the river. I had raided and knew how vulnerable ports were to Viking raids. I had enough of a reputation to stop most Vikings attacking me but there were other raiders who did not know me and they might just be desperate enough to risk my wrath. The lower tower would be permanently manned and the other three manned during a time of danger. We improved my gatehouse and we added cauldrons which could be tipped so that we could pour boiling fat or oil upon an attacker. I had seen stone throwers and I set Egil and my men to make a pair. To keep the church on my side I added to the cathedral and ordered a new bell to be cast. The majority of those in my town were Christians and it would do no harm to be seen to be rewarding the church. The fact that the bell could summon men to our aid was a bonus. Many of my men had done as I had done and taken the dousing for a quiet life. There were some, however, who had embraced the new religion. Thus far they had shown no sign of the weakness I saw in other Christians. Even my converted warriors still fought as hard as any.

The promised silver arrived from Paris. I sent some of it to my new lords in the northern marches. Then I took a large chest of silver and I rode to Montfort and Erik’s mighty stronghold. He had built four towers and their bases were made of stone. As we neared his land, I saw that the fields were filled with horses. Erik was now one of the richest men in my land. When we raided his men had more opportunity for treasure. However, he made as much coin from breeding and then selling horses as he did from raiding. King Charles’ Franks recognised quality. As well as telling Erik of my plans I intended buying more horses from him.

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