Date: Thu, 17 May 2012 23:07:20 -0600
From: dnrock@rock.com
Subject: Arden's Saga 7

Arden's Saga
by:  dnrock(dnrock@rock.com)

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7: Preparations for Conflict

1312, the 9th month, 11th day:

More and more solders are arriving and our castle is filling up with
people.  Father postulates that if there is to be an invasion it will take
place during the peak of the harvest season.  This summer the conditions
for growing were better than normal and I could see the fields, orchards
and vineyards were nearing ready at the new moon not at the harvest moon.
That is almost two weeks early.  Those at higher elevations were not quite
as ready but we do not have that many farms in those areas.  The higher
elevations are mostly forests and pastures for sheep and goats.

Uncle Iason divided the solders into two groups one group are the
professionals that do not have farms.  They will be left to populate the
defensive positions along the cost.  The others are to return to their
homes, starting at the cost and moving inland to the east.  They were
instructed to work as teams, small groups of 6 or 8 assisting each other
and their neighbours.  As soon as the harvest is completed at one place
they should move east assisting the next and assemble at our western
frontier in 30 days time.  This will relieve that part of the army now
guarding the pass and they should return to the castle to strengthen this
position.

1312, the 9th month, 15th day:

The harbour is filled with ships, all at anchor.  These are merchant
vessels, 35 in all.  I was told this is the entire fleet of our trading or
non military navy.  As the ships are emptied they are moved off to dry
docks for repairs or anchored off to the south side of the town for the
next 90 days.  Wooden ships, I am told, need annual cleaning and scraping
to prevent damage from worms and barnacles.  Some of the traders visited
the King yesterday.  Iason, myself and the other pages were standing at the
ready.  We had few messages to cary so we were able to observe all the
proceedings.  The merchants were concerned that they would loose markets
and money.  Uncle Iason was understanding, he assured them the threat was
real and that the only way to protect their ships and cargo from pirates or
hostile duchies was keeping them in port.

Most of our exports are food stuffs like wine, olives, olive oil, figs,
dried lentils, chick peas and the like, they would not have much cargo
until after the harvest anyway.  Any cargo they may now have ready and in
storage would be purchased by the state at today's prices.  They need not
deliver it to the castle until a later date.  I could see they were less
happy that the King specified today's prices and not some higher value.

My limited experience indicates this year's harvest will be larger than
usual and if anything we should have surpluses.  Neither of us have any
idea how the economy of the state or castle works.  I know the King
collects taxes, that is one of my former father's jobs.  I also know
everyone complains about them .  Abrith, always told me the taxes were not
that great and if a farmer or other citizen did not have surplus to pay
with, a few weeks labor in the state's service was sufficient.

We have been spending most of our nights with our mentors and chamber boys.
Mostly we bring Ikaros with us to keep Dysme occupied while we share
ourselves with our mentors.  Ikaros and Dysme are also kept reasonably busy
by our guardians.  Uncle Iason insists that we spend some regular time with
Ikaros and that all four of us boys join him and Father in their huge bed
too.  Iason and I just love to be in the middle.  Taking a stuff cock in
the ass while pushing yours into the pert ass of a lover is just the best
ever.


1312, the 9th month, 18th day:

Half of our navy came into port today.  I was quite surprised at the size
of the ships. They are built along the lines of the famous longships of
Portugal and classical Trimens combined.  The Portuguese, our scholars told
me, adapted the design of the Viking Long Boats but with Mediterranean sail
configurations.  Viking design ships with square sails visit our port once
in a while but not since I've lived here.  Our ships have just returned
from Venice where they were outfitted with a new weapon call a cannon.
Archimedes told me one day these cannon would replace his machines of war.
These cannon use something called gun powder, which we are fortunate enough
to have all of the components for locally.

I wondered how we could be sure the port is sealed if our fishing boats
leave from here and the other fishing villages along the coast each day.
Iason told me the other navy ships stand between the small fishing craft
and any other boats or ships that happen along.  The large fishing ships
from other states, are not permitted to enter the harbour but can sell
their catches to the navy, which will bring it into town for them.  He told
me, the word going around the castle is they won't do that, so the fish
supply will be quite limited for the next 90 days.  Since our population is
small and since we have no state religion, like other places, people are
not forced to substitute meat for fish on Friday.  Our demand is not as
great as in states where Christianity is forced on people.  We do not eat
meat or fish every day anyway.  Mostly we have meat two and at best three
times a week.

Now that the port and one land route to other places are closed,
preparations for war are and can be quite open.  In the afternoon we
reported to the council chamber as pages.

The local Bishop and leaders of the other religions had been summoned.
They were less than happy to be called for a joint meeting with the King.
Not that everyone one of them would not gladly meet the King, just that
none of them want to meet with each other.  I was mystified by this, that
seemed to be their attitude.  The Christians wanted nothing to do with the
Moslems and held the Jews and Pagans in total disdain.  The Moslems, who
are very small in number, thought everyone else was beneath their contempt
and the Pagans were suspicious of the others.  They were civil to each
other.  The Jews were not at all fond of any of them but since they were
not looking for converts, only to prevent pressure on themselves to
convert, quite prepared to be civil with everyone.  Before everything got
started several of the scholars gave us boys this background.  We all hoped
that no messages were needed sent during the interesting parts.

While under the influence of our mothers all of us boys were forced to
attend one religion or another.  Since leaving them and entering Royal
Service we are all free to worship as we wish and if we wish.  No Jews or
Moslems are visibly part of our service, since Uncle Iason refuses to make
any accommodation for special dress, set times of prayer, fixed days of
rest or restriction on food.  In his service we all, well not Iason and I
but everyone else, gets two days a week rest but not all the same days.
For us: Father, Uncle Iason, Iason and myself our guardians and a few
others, we take rest when we can find it; since government goes on all day,
everyday.  This is so for the army and navy too.  It was like that on the
farm.  Animals needed to be tended and crops grew on the schedule of the
sun, moon and seasons not on man's.  Uncle Iason refused to force shops and
markets to close on specific days as demanded by the different religions.

Me thinks that if they could all agree on what that day or days should be,
Father and Uncle Iason might go along but since they can't or won't...

After giving everyone a warm welcome and thanking them for attending this
hastily called little meeting, the King got to the business at hand.  Over
the past few months he had received several partitions from all of them
requesting more or less the same things.  "As to making only one of your
faiths the official religious institutions of this state, the answer is the
same.  No."

"The citizens of this state are free people.  One of those freedoms is
their right to believe in what ever god or gods they so choose.  For some
of you, our practice of preventing any citizen below the age of 16 years
from becoming a full member of your organizations stands.  In the eyes of
the state and our civil laws, birth does not confer automatic and
irrevocable membership.  This does not mean that your various rights of
passage or marriages and so no are not recognized.  It is that, except for
girls over the age of 14, who can be bound in marriage against their will,
citizens will and do have a choice which they may exercise as they deem fit
at 16.  Children below the age of 14 cannot be wed.  Boys as you know
cannot be forced into marriage below the age of 16.  No man may be married
to more than one man or woman at a time, except the King.  Marriages
between men and women or men and men, that you perform, are recognized by
the state and may be dissolved by the state.  The history of our
neighbouring states has shown that when one religious group is made
official, other groups are then persecuted, often violently.  Islam and
Christianity are the two most prone to this but not exclusively so.  In
this state, as you all know, almost everyone is part of the same clan."

The discussions went on for some time.  The King did not give ground on any
issue.  He refused state support for any religious shrines or temples or
churches.  He did reaffirm tax or rent exemptions for them.  Uncle Iason
reaffirmed the basic education of every child, in schools supported by the
state.  A policy he and Father had created a few months ago.  This would
begin in the spring.  All children living in or around villages or towns or
on estates would attend school for half a day 5 days a week.  Any religious
education must be confined to the home or place of worship and must not
interfere with the state schools.  Girls were to receive the same basic
education as boys until age 12.

It got real interesting when Uncle Iason got the parties talking or arguing
with each other.  I think he had prepared for this and maybe even caused it
on purpose.  I am not well read enough yet to fully understand all that was
said.  Leave it that the King refused to accept on behalf of the people,
any of them.

First, because the origins of each is not, as commonly claimed, but much
older.

Second the Christians took most of their theology from the Jews and
Marinates, who took it from the Egyptians and Syrians.  Islam from the
Jews.  The so called Pagans trace their roots before that and often to the
same sources.  He did not believe any of their self styled profits received
any instructions directly from any god.  An understanding of history proved
this.

Three, "...none of you can claim to be the true faith of anyone but your
own believers."

Four, all of you claim to be guides, yet all of you set strict rules so you
are not Guides but Rules.  The Christians, Moslems, Pagans and Jews are all
hypocrites.  None of them live the theology, only those parts that are
convent or enhance their own power.

He went on to chastise the Bishop for poor and highly selective
translations of their sacred texts, which were either written in Greek,
Aramaic or Hebrew.  He was strongly supported by the group of scholars in
attendance.

The Bishop protested, he and his people are pious.  "You and your minions
may be so, but I have my doubts.  Yes, so pious that the Bishops of
Florence and other Duchies are preparing war on us because we refuse to:
Accept your faith as our state religion and give you Bishop, more power and
wealth in this kingdom then the citizens or me.  They are displeased that
we refuse to pay them and Avignon tribute.  They are upset that we allow
the Pagans, Jews and Moslems to practice their faith openly and freely, as
we do you.  They are jealous that we do not allow slavery and we have no
surf class here, that all citizens are free.  They wish to institute their
misguided ideas about class and the distribution of wealth and power.  They
assume that our land can support two or three times the population it now
does and has historically; more workers to make them and by implication
you, rich and powerful.  That titles, power and office are not strictly
inherited but earned.  Even my office must be earned Bishop.  The
corruption and hypocrisy of Avignon and or Rome are legendary and
disgusting, as is the mess created by the Byzantines, fostered by the 4th
crusade, supported by pious states like Venice.  Lastly they believe
stories, truly myths, that this kingdom holds great treasurers of gold and
other things they wish to plunder.  Some of those myths have been fostered
by your minions, sir."

They all protested.  "How did Islam come to our land scholar?"

The scholar reminded them of the Islamic pirates that often attacked us in
the past.  "None successfully", he added.  They used the excuse of
spreading the faith by the sward.  Their real goal was to plunder our
perceived wealth and establish their power by forcing a foreign culture
upon us, collect some form of tribute, take away slaves to bolster they own
economy.  Why I ask do any of your faithful even live in Parga?

Why is it the state has had to intervene several time in the past few years
to prevent you from punishing, by death, those that happen to be born into
your faith, and when adults, choose to reject it.  What gives you or anyone
else leave do such a thing.  That seems to me little more than slavery with
another name." They did not answer.

"The Jews came here as traders and not to spread the faith, they do not
seem to proselytize.  Correct me if I am wrong, that is mostly based on the
belief that only those of a specific blood line have been `chosen'.  They
came thinking this was a rich place that would allow them to live in a
segregated society.  It is neither.  Why then are you still here Rabbi?
Because Parga is a fair and just place to raise a family and do business.

The Christians came with the Romans, who wanted power and plunder.  They
were not successful in taking over the kingdom, forcing their laws on us or
extracting any tribute.  They were successful at settling a number of
families here and in introducing their language, coin and bringing your
faith Bishop.  When they realized this was not a wealthy place and where
their economy, built on slavery and control of land, would not work they
left, assisted by Iason the First.  The Pagans mostly were always here,
having come with our ancestors who founded this state.

Keep in mind, that except for the Pagans, your dogmas are designed to
support the idea of the divinity of the king or his absolute temporal
authority.  A concept that is not understood in our traditions.  The old
Greek City states, that we are descended from, were fond of overthrowing
any king that became a tyrant.  I am like you Bishop, Imam, Rabbi, I serve
my people as a leader.  Like you, if I offend them, I too will be replaced
and I might add, correctly so for all of us.

We are not a rich land but no one here goes without adequate food, we are
all sheltered and all educated.  We all work very hard and have a strong
and rich culture, of which you are all a part.  As great or less a part as
any person chooses to be.  Does this mean that everyone is delighted with
their lot in life?  No, it does not.  Some are unhappy, some feel
mistreated by any number of things or other people.  Please take notice
that they are free to express these concerns and discontents without fear
of reprisal.  This is a freedom that can not exist in a state with an
official religion or a tyrannical leadership.  In Avignon, Rome or anywhere
else people are free to express themselves as long as it does not offend
your dogmas or insult, real or perceived, anyone in authority or power."

(TN: The remainder of his passage and apparently the next several are
missing or unreadable.  It is clear that King Iason was waxing on the
fundamentals of Greek, mostly Athenian Democracy of the Classical period.
It is also clear that Parga has developed, added and modified its ideas,
accommodating much philosophy from that period, some Roman ideas and some
ideas I am unable to identify the source of.)