Chapter 4

Hilda and Ymma were stunned by the news, and extremely proud. I told them everything that had been discussed, making them promise not to discuss it with the others. The rest of our group were excited that I was a Baron now. I wondered if I beat my brother to gaining a title, even though he would eventually become an Earl. Thinking of my family and knowing that I would never see them again saddened me, somewhat tempering the excitement of becoming a Baron.

We spent two more days together in Krakow before I sent them back to Zlotoryja. I thanked the High Duke for sending a company of ten troops along to protect them. The troops would also break the news to the Duke of Legnica that he had a new Baron. The women took one mastiff and I took the second and the lymer with me. The women were to stop and buy more salt outside of town, and then stop in Breslau and see if they could convince Piotr to move to Zlotoryja to make Mongol bows for me, and to teach others as well.

Sir Jedrick accompanied me on the trip to Chelm to meet King Daniel. We rode back along the route the Mongol army had taken from Chelm to Krakow, spending a full day studying the battlefield outside of Chmielnik where the Polish army met their first defeat at the hands of the Mongols.

Rather than spend a week interviewing veterans of the battle, and studying the battlefield, we continued on our way. I planned to take the time to allow a more detailed look during the return trip.

We made the trip to Chelm in eight days, including the extra day we spent in Chmielnik. Since Jedrick was an emissary from the High Duke, we were seen right away, and he asked for a private audience. When Jedrick quietly explained our reason for being there, the audience quickly became even more private, just his trusted commander joining the three of us.

He was surprised at how well I had figured everything out. He explained how the Mongols used flags to direct their troops, and what different flags and signals meant. He agreed with my conclusion that the Mongols loved to attack and retreat to draw an enemy into an ambush. He also warned that they were capable of building giant siege engines to attack walled cities, but that the knowledge to build those same siege engines was already widely known throughout Europe.

I was disturbed to learn that King Daniel had already thumbed his nose at the Mongols. He explained that he felt he would be safe since they had just elected a new Great Khan, and the newly appointed local Khan hadn’t even arrived in his Capital nearly a year after that. Besides, many of those Mongol troops were currently tied up fighting a different group of Mongols to the south. He felt the fight would weaken them enough that they wouldn’t be a problem for many years. I hoped he was right, but everything I’d learned led me to believe they wouldn’t let the challenge go unmet.

He also acknowledged that he was aware the Mongols had informants all over Eastern Europe. These informants kept the Mongols apprised of changes in leadership, troop strength of various countries and cities, and the main military commanders. When the Mongols attacked, they were also kept apprised of enemy troop movements.

For the next few days, the King’s commander led us southeast through the Kingdom of Galicia. Officially, we were visiting on a trade mission. Unofficially, we were backtracking along the route the Mongols followed when they invaded. Near Galicia’s southeastern border, I found the perfect spot, a valley some five miles long, easily long enough for a column of twenty thousand Mongol cavalry to enter. The valley was only four hundred yards wide with a shallow, meandering river running through it. The north edge of the valley was fairly steep hills, too steep to for a horse to climb. However, a horse could reach the top of the hills lining the valley’s south side. The valley wasn’t used for agriculture since it flooded almost every summer.

By using caltrops to close off the west end of the valley, and littering the slopes of the hills on the valley’s south side with thousands of caltrops, the Mongols would be prevented from exiting the valley or reaching thousands of archers atop those hills. By having troops ready to scatter more caltrops behind the Mongols once they entered the valley, the Mongols would be trapped long enough to be annihilated. The archers atop the hills would need to hide themselves initially beneath pavise shields decorated to blend into the surrounding landscape. The pavise shields would also help protect the hilltop archers from Mongol arrows once the attack began.

We reported our findings to King Daniel and I could tell that he intended to do as I had suggested. I asked that my involvement remain secret so as not to make us a target of the Mongols’ ire. Practically bubbling with enthusiasm, he promised to keep my involvement secret and proceeded to present me with five pounds of gold for my idea.

Partly to help with the ruse of being on a trade mission, but mainly because I realized we would need iron to make tens of thousands of our own caltrops, I used the gold King Daniel gave me to buy a two-wheeled wagon and sturdy horses to pull it, and then filled the wagon with ingots of iron.

In Chelm, the Mongols sold many of the slaves they captured during their forays into Eastern Europe so prices here for slaves were much lower than farther to the west. I was surprised at finding two grizzled men among the slaves for sale who had knowledge of mining. Managing to buy both men, as well as their wives and their remaining three children instantly earned me their loyalty. Fortunately, all seven of them knew how to ride. One would drive the wagon and I bought horses for the others to ride. By the time I was done buying iron, the slaves, warmer clothing, food, and blankets for the slaves, nearly half of the gold I’d been given was gone.

Thinking ahead, I also purchased two younger slaves who were apprentice blacksmiths. They wouldn’t need much expertise to make caltrops. They were also single.

With what I’d learned from King Daniel, as well as his confirmation of what I’d suspected about the Mongol battle tactics and strategies, there was no need for me to visit and study the old battle sites now, so we took a more direct route home. Still, the trip back took just as long as the trip to Chelm, mainly because the wagon traveled slower than horses and riders.

The High Duke was both happy and bothered by our report. He, too, worried that King Daniel’s actions would bring the Mongols back. Their return would probably include attacks in Poland, both to gain plunder and to stop Poland from sending troops to aid King Daniel.

He again agreed with my suggestions to begin making caltrops and Mongol bows. He wanted me to begin training the commanders in each of the biggest cities once next year’s spring plantings were done. He hoped that having them understand Mongol battle tactics would help prevent the same confusion and mistakes that led to their defeat by the Mongols last time.

Taking the rest of the day to replenish our stores, we left in the morning. Sir Jedrick wished us well as we left. He handed me a purse the High Duke gave him to help reimburse me for some of my expenses on the trip to Chelm. The trip to Zlotoryja took another eight days.

One of those eight days was spent in Legnica where I presented myself to the Duke. Considering that the final battle against the Mongols had taken place just outside of town, he was happy to have my new expertise.

Hilda led the charge when we reached Zlotoryja, practically bowling me over. Ymma, Inga, Aebbe, Mildrith, and even Saehild all insisted on a hug. Inga and Mildrith both snuck a quick kiss. They showed me around the Manor House and I complimented them on how well it had been cleaned, furnished, and supplied. They had a dozen servants already. Not sure how many I would want, they had limited the number to the bare minimum necessary to run the place. I also noticed that the female servants were young and pretty and seemed to be trying to catch my eye. Hilda confirmed later that all of the female servants had been warned ahead of time about my lusty appetite, as well as how well I treated the women in my bed.

Draca was extremely excited. Doing as I had directed him to do, he and Aebbe had gone out each day and panned gold from the river. They made sure the places they worked were hidden from view by brush or fallen trees. In just the time I had been gone, they had gathered over thirty pounds of gold for me.

The two miners were excited hearing how much gold was available. I told them that my initial plan was for them to locate the source of the gold. I knew there was no gold in the stream south of the city, but everything just north of the city had gold. While they looked for the source, and hopefully established a mine, their wives could set up households. Their three children would go with Draca each day to pan the river for gold.

After an extraordinary dinner that night, Hilda, Ymma, Inga, and Mildrith joined me in my bed. Hilda looked worried when she finally told me she thought she was pregnant. Her worry vanished when I picked her up and hugged her, swinging her around excitedly. Her announcement also reminded me about a promise I made.

I made sure all four women were happy before I went to sleep. Ymma, Inga, and Mildrith each convinced me to make them pregnant, too, and I did my best.

In the morning, I sent four men to Cologne with a message for the Duke. In it, I explained about the treachery that had led to my trip through Cologne. As best I could, I explained the dichotomous feelings I had about doing my duty to my King while betraying the trust of my good friend.

Then I explained about my study of the Mongols, and my new title of Baron of Zlotoryja. I mentioned the death of my wife and son; as well as how soon after it happened that I had been in Cologne. I told him that I finally felt capable again to be a husband, and if he was still interested, I would gladly accept Matilda as my wife. I did warn that the Mongols might attack this winter, and that we weren’t ready for them yet.

Next, I found all the blacksmiths in town and had them work on caltrops whenever they had time to do so. Piotr already had a group of bowyers busy, and had several men gathering birch for him. The birch wood was used to make the bows, and the birch bark used to wrap the finished bows to help weatherproof them. I suggested that they collect seeds whenever possible and plant stands of birch along the banks of the river south of the city, and along the banks of any streams in the area. We would probably be using a lot of birch for many years to come. I knew how hard it was becoming to find yew in Britain to make longbows, and the quality of the bows was suffering as the quality of the wood declined. England was even importing yew bowstaves from the continent now.

I went back to Legnica looking for blacksmiths, bowyers, and fletchers. I also spread word that I was looking for horn and bone from large animals, and all the leg and back sinew from game and farm animals that I could get. Fourteen families returned to Zlotoryja with me, along with fourteen able-bodied slaves I managed to buy (at more than double the rate in Chelm). I warned the guards at the gates of Zlotoryja about my request for sinew, bone, and horn, telling them to direct anyone with those items to Piotr.

The next morning, the new slaves accompanied Draca as they began panning the riverbed in earnest. I doubted that the secret would remain so for long. The gold they collected would be spent hastening our preparations for the Mongols. Our blacksmiths and the fletchers now occupied buildings that had remained empty since the long-ago Mongol raid. The six new bowyers worked with Piotr as he showed them everything involved in making the Mongol bows.

For a month, I visited nearby towns and cities, looking for bowyers and fletchers, and spreading word that I needed bone, horn, and sinew. There was a healthy sinew supply, so I promised to send a buyer every two weeks. The chance to earn a little extra money by selling me those items excited the peasants.

I chose a widow from town to replace me on the trading trips and she quickly began touring towns and cities, making a circle that took her ten days to complete. After four days to recuperate, she did it again. Each time, I sent four troops to guard her and the money she carried.

Two weeks after our arrival in Zlotoryja, my two miners found the source of the gold and started a mine. I sent two dozen men to Chelm with orders to buy all the able-bodied male slaves they could find. I also wanted more iron ingots, so they took the two-wheeled wagon with them. They had plenty of gold with them since Draca and his band had been busy depleting the riverbed of all the gold they could find. The two miners built four sluices for them to use, and taught them how to use them effectively. That more than tripled the amount of gold they found each day.

Three weeks after leaving for Chelm, the men returned with ninety-seven slaves and twice as much iron as I brought back last time. They also bought horses for each of the slaves to ride so the trip would be faster. The slaves were put to work immediately making a passable road from town to the mine, then cutting timber to shore up the mine when it got deep enough. Others were already at work digging out the ore under the watchful eyes of Ludoslav, one of the miners. Still others were learning from the other miner, Borys, how to crush and then smelt the ore to get the gold out of it. Burnt lime and sand was added to the slag from the smelting and used to pave the road from the mine to town. They also made blocks of the concrete-like material and built a block wall around the entrance to the mine to protect it from bandits.

Four weeks after sending the message to Cologne, the messengers returned. Barring my presence being required on the battlefield, I was expected in Cologne on Easter Sunday. Our wedding would be the following Saturday. The Duke admitted that Matilda was beside herself with excitement. As an aside, he told me that he and his wife were expecting, and the child was expected in February. They hoped she might conceive again a couple of months after the birth. The thought of sex with the Duchess again kept me horny enough for several nights to satisfy each of my women and even a few of the eager serving girls.

With so much gold coming in, I began sending out teams to recruit new citizens. The harvest from the land I leased out was excellent and we soon had dozens of people arriving from every direction. The recruiters especially sought miners, farmers, carpenters, masons, bowyers, blacksmiths, and fletchers, but anyone willing to work hard was allowed to join us. Many ended up smelting the ore to get the gold out, and the slaves were put to work in the mine.

Fortunately, my two miners were aware of the most modern techniques and when the mine became deep enough, they installed wooden rails on the floor of the mine to push wheeled carts full of ore along. Eventually, they started using small mules to pull the ore carts. The rails were extended half a mile to the river, passing just north of town. There, they built a new mill, one using a waterwheel to raise and drop steel-capped tree trunks to crush the ore. A new smelter was built next door.

I ended up buying and storing all the grain produced on the land I leased out, mainly to help feed the continuing influx of people into the town.

By the Epiphany celebration on January 6, the town had surpassed the size it was before the Mongol attack. Piotr had forty men working under him and had more than five thousand bows in various stages of drying. Once they were dry, the rest of the process would take another month. We had collected a small mountain of bone, horn, and sinew. The sinew had been dried and crushed, ready to mix with glue so it could be applied to the bows. The horn and bone had already been cut into thin slices, ready to be boiled to soften it so it could be added to the belly of the bows. Birch bark was also ready to wrap the finished bows. Horse skin had been collected, prepared, and cut into thongs to use for bowstrings. We bought a small quantity of silk thread in Chelm on one of our trips there, intending to see if it made a superior bowstring like was claimed. It did, although we only had a hundred bows with the silk bowstrings.

Each month we delivered two-thirds of our caltrops to Krakow. If the Mongols were spotted, the area around Krakow would be mined with tens of thousands of caltrops. I also suggested keeping large stacks of firewood handy to cover the ice on the river during the winter. Should the Mongols attack, the piles could be lighted to melt the ice and deprive the Mongols of their favorite winter road into otherwise protected cities.

In December, Ymma announced her pregnancy, followed two weeks later by Inga. Mildrith was the last, announcing hers in early February. Even Aebbe ended up pregnant, making Draca a proud young man. I gave my permission, and they were married a week later.

With the mine now operating efficiently day and night, Ludoslav asked permission to begin prospecting for other sources of ores. Even though the two miners were technically slaves, neither man nor their families felt as such, and both men received the miner’s usual share of the mine’s profit. I gave my permission, only asking that nobody else learn about anything he discovered before I did. I wanted to be able to buy the land if it was outside of my jurisdiction.

I sent word to the High Duke that I was beginning to prospect in hopes of finding minerals to help further our defenses against the Mongols. His reply was that any previously undiscovered minerals I found would belong to me and he would grant me enough land to mine and smelt the minerals, as well as build a small town for the miners with farms to feed them.

I learned later that Ludoslav’s prospecting was done in towns talking to the peasants, rather than out climbing across the hills and mountains. Several deposits had already been discovered by peasants who secretly worked them in the winter to earn money for their family. Ludoslav told how he was a slave, yet got a full share from the mine he helped set up. He played up my generosity and fairness, and found that the knowledge of the way I treated sharecroppers and slaves had already spread. The farmers who leased the land from me had already spread word about how generous I’d been in the lease of their land, allowing them to keep more than usual, which allowed their family to prosper rather than barely survive.