Following Orders

[Monsignor de Beaumanoir]

Today in the days of lore:


1194: King Richard I (an avid supporter of the Knights Templar) of England freed

On his way home from the Crusades, a storm drove Richard's ship ashore and he was taken prisoner and turned over to Henry VI, Holy Roman Emperor. Henry kept Richard in several different castles in Germany, keeping the king's whereabouts unknown to friends and enemies alike.

Henry threatened to turn Richard over to Philip of France, with whom Richard had begun a bitter feud. To avoid falling into his enemy's hands, Richard agreed to pay an outrageous ransom. The ransom was raised primarily by heavy taxing of the people of England and was paid nearly in full to Henry. Richard was released and returned home, only to set out once more for France, where he fought Philip off and on until his death five years later.

[Richard de Graeme]

Aye, "heavy taxing of the people" to pay for Richard's folly. I fear the people still pay the debts of the mighty.

[Monsignor de Beaumanoir]

Aye, "heavy taxing of the people" to pay for Richard's folly.

Explain please?

[Richard de Graeme]

Richard the Lionheart left his kingdom, and thereby his people, in the hands of his corrupt brother. Is not a King's first duty to his people? The treasure wasted at war seeking Glory would feed the multitudes.

[Monsignor de Beaumanoir]

Is not a King's first duty to his people? The treasure wasted at war seeking Glory would feed the multitudes.

Interesting. His first duty to his people, or his duty to his diety that gave him life and position (medieval interpretation).
If I remember correctly, Richard's trip to the Holy Land was already laid out for him, as part of Henry's penance for the killing of Becket. Not that Richard was adverse to the idea.

[Richard de Graeme]

Aye, in the complexities of the matter, as always, you are well versed WM and have no equal. The sins of the father pass to the son, but the suffering of the people remains the same.

[Monsignor de Beaumanoir]

The sins of the father pass to the son, but the suffering of the people remains the same.

This may be true in some respect, but the people have to be held accountable for some of this as well. Richard only spent 6 months of a 10 year tour as King in England, and the pople accepted it. Edward II, "Longshank's spawn" spent his entire life in the country and the people got rid of him. Check their local hero status. 

[Richard de Graeme]

Aye, amazing!

[Mikael of Aragon]

(Pokes his head in, looks around...)

I see Frere Cliff and Frere William still have this place in order.   

(pulls up a chair and sits down to visit for the day...)

[Lady Christina de Pond]

  Only because I haven't made my appearance yet this morning

good to see you Mikael

[Mikael of Aragon]

Heh, now that you're here, I'm sure all will be set to right. 

[Lady Christina de Pond]

warrior Monk must be making rounds noticed he hasn't popped in this morning

[Femme Falchion]

*walks past the door but pauses long enough to warmly greet Brother Mikael* 

Good to see you!  Hope your staying long enough to tell us of your adventures. 

The last I saw Warrior Monk he was scouring the countryside for whiners and filthy heretics.  He'll be back soon. 

*smiles and winks at Militissa* 

[Mikael of Aragon]

Well, today I have my laptop with me at work, which is rare nowadays, picking up a wifi connection and bypassing the new firewalls, which is why I've been notoriously absent recently. 

Other than that, just getting through the holidays. I've started doing a lot of freelance work on the side to help us pay off as much debt as possible before human society as we know it collapses in a fit of heretical economic seizures. That, and spending a lot of time playing with my daughter, who now likes to sit at her desk in Daddy's study and draw whenever I am. Which is way cool!

Everyone please feel welcome to come see some of the stuff I've been doing over at my deviantart gallery:

http://mchampion.deviantart.com/

I did a pic of our own Warrior Monk last night. It's a first try, and I suck at doing lifelike portraits. 

BTW, you all would be proud of my wife. When we tried to watch The Last Templar, she was busting on it 10 times worse than I was. I DVR'd it, and only made it as far as Mira Sorvino running out of the museum looking for a horse. I told Michelle 'So help me, if she jumps on a horse and goes to joust one of the armored knights, I'm out." Obviously, we were out. From that point I just fast forwarded to the flashback scenes. It was funny, cause when they were on the ship in the storm, I paused it and told Michelle 'Now, ideally, as soon as they boarded the ship, they'd go below and take off their armor' and I hit play and a wave washes them overboard and said 'FOR THAT VERY REASON!!!' LOL!!!!  I didn't realize they had on the Holy Bouyant Armor of God, though. And apparently dunking one's armor in the Mediterranean doesn't result in rust. Ah, well!

I still have pics of me and Hospitaller at TRF I need to get uploaded. I forgot what disc they're on at home. Will find it at some point and share them.

Sir Jesse, I hope your brother knight is healing well! I know it's going to be a long journey to recovery, and let him know he's in all of our prayers!

Okay, all my print jobs have run now, I have to dash off to a production meeting. Er, I mean, "THE SARACENS ARE STORMING THE PARAPETS!!! I MUST REPEL INVADERS!!! 

[Richard de Graeme]

Hail Mikael of Aragon! We have yet to meet. Good day, Sir.