Chapter 203: East-West Relations

While the war in Austria raged on, the Byzantines were not the only ones paying close attention to the conflict. The Catholic Church and the new Pope were watching the events with keen interest. The successor to Simeon and Avillius was a wise and intelligent man who now went by the name Lucius who completely disagreed with his predecessors' approach when dealing with the so-called Berengar Heresy.

However, the German Reformation had already declared its separation from the Catholic Church, and there was not much more he could do now other than an attempt to squash it through military force. Negotiations would have been a significant first step, but the time for talking was already too far gone.

With the Teutonic Order busy with its fight in the east against the Golden Horde, and the Knights Hospitaller fighting in North Africa against the Mamluke Sultanate, he was left with no option other than to create new Military Orders and recruit from the ranks of the European Knighthood to put down the rising influence of the German Reformation.

Though he had yet to outright call for a new crusade to deal with this issue, he was currently in the process of establishing new Military Orders to combat the threat of Berengar the Accursed and his heresy. At the moment, a large group of Welsh Knights was standing in front of the new Pope, their surcoat was green with a red maltese cross upon it, and they were being christened as the first members of the Order of the Red Dragon.

The King of England was an avid supporter of the Catholic Church and its ongoing efforts to crush the Berengar Heresy. Many knights from Wales were particularly attracted to the idea of taking up a new crusade against the German duchies and driving the Berengar Heresy into extinction. Thus at the moment, five hundred different Knights from across Wales were gathered in the Vatican kneeling before the Pope.  Pope Julius spoke a chant in Latin before announcing to the Knights gathered before him.

"Rise Knights of the Red Dragon!"

After saying such a thing, the Knights rose from their kneeling position and stood firmly in front of the Pope, as his newest Military Order. They waited silently for the Pope to give his speech.

"As a Monastic Order of Knights, your goal will be to recruit as many followers as you can in the coming years from England; we will need your expertise in the war that is to come! The Berengar Heresy can not be allowed to thrive! Go forth, and raise your strength; when the time is necessary, I shall call upon you for crusade!"

The Knights saluted the Pope before shouting the Latin phrase

"Deus Vult!"

after doing so, they left the Vatican. They began their extended return home to Wales, where they would spend the next few years gathering their strength to March on Austria and the other regions of Germany which the Berengar Heresy has afflicted.

As the Crusaders left the building, Pope Lucius collapsed back into his papal throne and sighed heavily; he was completely and utterly exhausted. However, there was more on his menu to prepare for, and when his secretary approached him, he merely asked the question on his mind.

"How many is that now?"

The secretary held up a pair of primitive eyeglasses to his face before peering into the ledger; after doing so, he proudly declared.

"That would be the fifth Military Order you have approved of since assuming your position your holiness."

Pope Lucius began to rub his temples to ease his growing headache before voicing his unfiltered opinion aloud.

"That idiot Simeon has left me with an enormous mess to clean up. That moron must have terrible timing to pick a fight with a Count while all of the Military Orders are at war!"

The secretary immediately began to correct the Pope as he pushed the spectacles further upon his nose.

"To be fair, your holiness, Berengar was just a Baron's Regent when he killed the inquisitors that were sent to deal with him."

Lucius immediately began to roll his eyes at his assistant when he voiced his complaints.

"Oh yes, silly me, how could I possibly forget the fact that we sent assassins to eliminate Berengar von Kufstein, the rightful heir of Kufstein because we were afraid that he might resist the Church's influence In Kufstein! It is almost as if sending those damned inquisitors provoked him into taking such drastic measures. Am I the only sane person left in the Vatican?"

The secretary did not know how to respond; he was aware that Lucius blamed his predecessors for the problems at hand, but what he just said was borderline heresy. After all the words Lucius spoke made it seem like it was entirely the Church's fault that Berengar caused such a massive divide. As such, the secretary chose to ignore the Pope's comments and instead focus on the next issue at hand. 

"Your holiness, the Patriarch of Constantinople, has just arrived and is waiting for you outside. Should I bring him in?"

Pope Lucius looked at the secretary as if he were an absolute dullard before asking him a rhetorical question.

"What do you think?"

Seeing the displeased look in the Pope's eyes, the secretary quickly hurried off to bring the Patriarch into the chambers. After a few moments, he returned with a lavishly dressed priest who was the leading authority of the Eastern Orthodox Church. The man did not bow before the Pope and instead spoke formally to Lucius.

"Congratulations on the promotion Lucius. It has been a while since we last met."

Lucius stood up and approached the patriarch with a friendly gesture before speaking to the man on friendly terms.

"It is good to see you, Petrus; I must say these are dire times we find ourselves in."

However, as Lucius approached the man named Petrus, the Patriarch backed away and snubbed Lucius' good gesture while adding insult to injury with his harsh words.

"These are dire times you find yourself in. Though I may disagree with the German Reformation, and frankly, I find them to be heretics. Count Berengar has provided great assistance to the Empire, and for that, we will not get involved in your affair."

Lucius had a worried expression on his face as he asked the Patriarch of Constantinople about his concerns.

"You mean to tell me you will not aid us? After all the west has done to support the reconquest of your Empire? Our knights still bleed for you in Egypt!"

However, Petrus merely chuckled at the Pope's response.

"Funny, the last time I checked, one of your precious military orders went about slaughtering their way through Moscow, which was filled with the people of our denomination. Yet, the Pope did nothing to stop them. I will be frank with you, Lucius, we do not have military orders as you do, so the Orthodox Church can not provide you military assistance, you would have to request it from the Emperor, and he is keen on establishing ties with Count Berengar, so your chances are slim."

Lucius immediately felt his headache grow three times larger as he heard this news; he thought to himself for a few minutes as he once more rubbed his temples before coming up with an idea.

"Well, can you at least release a statement referring to the German Reformation as heretics? Or possibly help us fund new Military Orders?"

Petrus was blunt with his rejection with further infuriated the new Pope.

"Can I? Yes. Will I? No. Such acts would only antagonize Berengar, who is at the head of the German Reformation, and I don't know about you but, frankly, I do not want such a man as my enemy, nor do I wish to incur the Emperor's wrath by souring relations between the two of them. You are on your own Lucius, at most, I can pray for your success."

Lucius could hardly believe his ears, he was hoping for some kind of support from the Church in the east, yet they had so blatantly rejected him; prayers? What good were prayers? He needed iron and flesh if he wanted to get rid of these heretics who had begun to infest Christendom. Since when had prayers won battles?

After hearing Petrus's response, Lucius's expression soured, and he began to shift the topic to other concerns.

"I see; well, I hope you enjoy your stay in the Vatican for the time being. Make sure to bring my regards to the Emperor the next time you see him."

Petrus nodded before responding.

"I will do so."

After these words were stated, the Patriarch of Constantinople left the building and proceeded onto some leisurely business. As for Pope Lucius, he had returned to his papal throne, where slumped into its comfort and placed his head into his hands before screaming intensely into them. Just why was it that nothing seemed to be going his way? Did God genuinely favor the German Reformation? These were the thoughts he considered as his mind slowly drifted into space.

The Orthodox Church's rejection to aid the Catholic Church in any way as they attempted to deal with Berengar and his German Reformation would be a great point of contention between the West and Eastern Churches. It would also unwittingly foster relations between Berengar and the Byzantine Empire.