Chapter 60: Preparing for a Large-Scale Invasion of Eastern Europe (The Gothic Kingdom)

He drove his longsword deep into the ground between the two of them, the blade wedging firmly into a crevice in the stone with a cold, metallic ring.

"So what now?" he asked, a trace of provocation in his voice, his eyes cold. "What do you plan to do? If you want to die, I can grant your wish!"

Shena's eyes widened in shock. Looking as though she had seen a ghost, she cried out in disbelief, "You're not dead?!" Her voice was filled with astonishment and confusion, as if the scene before her defied all comprehension.

Shortly after the rebellion was quelled, the bodies were carried away by the guards one by one, and the bloodstains that would have caused a stench were carefully scrubbed clean.

A solemn and heavy atmosphere permeated the air, as if silently recounting the fierce aftermath of the battle that had just transpired.

Instead of immediately dealing with the post-rebellion trials, Margaret invited the remaining lords and young noblemen in the great hall to join the Housecarls and become knight retainers.

Her idea was to take all the young nobles as hostages, thereby keeping these lordly masters in check and giving them something to ponder before any future rebellions.

Through this ordeal, many of the nobles came to understand the futility of fighting against an overwhelmingly superior force.

They realized that opposing the central government led to a dead end. The foundation of a centuries-old leading lineage was not something lords of just a few years could contend with.

Coupled with the fact that they had originally intended to send their family scions into the Housecarls, the matter was settled.

Margaret's move not only consolidated her power but also injected fresh blood and strength into the Housecarls.

"Your Majesty, my child has just turned five and lacks the ability to care for himself. I hope you will allow him to stay by our side until he turns eight before joining the Housecarls!" stepped forward one lord cautiously, his eyes filled with supplication and anticipation.

Margaret pondered for a moment, then nodded in agreement.

She knew very well that taking in a bunch of toddlers would also be a troublesome affair, and these children still required family care and affection.

"I plan to raise the age limit to eight, but I have one condition," she said with a sense of relief. "A future lord cannot be illiterate. Before turning eight, they must learn to read!"

This requirement demonstrated Margaret's emphasis on education, as she deeply understood the importance of knowledge for a leader.

It was her first time experiencing the benefits of killing a chicken to scare the monkeys; the lords would no longer dare to offend her lightly. Her decrees met with virtually no obstruction, and the nobles nodded in understanding and support, terrified of being stripped of their titles and fiefs.

However, as for how to handle Harold and Shena, Margaret had not yet decided whether to execute them or spare them.

She fell into deep thought, weighing the pros and cons.

Executing her felt like a waste; after all, over the years, this batch of lords had proven themselves to be competent rulers, and killing them would undoubtedly impair Gotland's overall military strength and affect subsequent plans to conquer the eastern European coastal regions.

If she were to content herself with a corner of the world and wait for a formidable monarch to emerge in Sweden, Gotland would sooner or later change hands.

In other words, if she did not attack others, others would come to attack her. This was a cruel reality, and she had to remain vigilant and strong at all times.

Yet, if she spared them, given Harold's prestige, once he was released and colluded with these lords to oppose her, Gotland would plunge directly into severe internal strife.

This was a scenario she absolutely did not wish to see.

After much deliberation, Margaret still could not make up her mind.

Fortunately, there was no need to rush this decision; she could leave the problem on the scales of her heart until they tipped one way or the other before making her choice.

She decided to observe for a while, watching the attitudes and actions of Harold and Shena before making a final verdict.

After all, time and opportunity often provide the best answers.

"Your Majesty, how do you plan to deal with the rebels?" Polly stepped forward, a trace of concern for the future visible in her eyes. "So many villages might fall into chaos without their lords."

Margaret meditated for a moment before speaking slowly, her voice carrying majesty, her gaze looking upon everyone else as mere trash: "In view of their past contributions to the royal family, Svithalsson town will be governed by Ralph as acting lord.

With the exception of Shena and Harold, all lords are released without charges.

The decree stripping them of their fiefs remains in effect, but they are permitted to act as provisional lords until the raid on the East begins next summer, at which point they may redeem their crimes with meritorious service.

As for Lord Harold and Shena, they shall continue to repent in the dungeons. Send them more blankets and books, treat them well, and we will talk when they show genuine remorse!"

"Redeem crimes with meritorious service?" Polly murmured the phrase, a flash of understanding crossing her eyes. "Very fitting. I will go deliver the command at once!"

"Wait!" Margaret called out to Polly, seeming to recall something. "Also, draft the rebellious young nobles into the Housecarls!"

Polly nodded, her expression conveying respect for Margaret's decision: "As you wish!"

Margaret rubbed her hands together. Even though the bonfire raised the indoor temperature of the hall, she still felt cold.

This chill came not only from the outside world but also from the depths of her heart. The pressure was suffocating; in her past life as Ouni, it seemed she had died suddenly precisely from excessive stress.

Winter was approaching, and Margaret hoped they could safely get through this year's winter without anyone freezing or starving to death.

This was also the reason why she had to release a batch of lords back to govern their territories.

She knew very well that in this cold northern Europe, the temperature difference between winter and summer was extreme, and the harsh winter posed a severe test for the people.

The Chinese rule of not fighting wars in winter and summer did not apply to northern Europe.

Here, only the summer was slightly warm throughout the four seasons, making it the best time to wage war.

Margaret took out a map and let her gaze fall upon Faro Island, which lay adjacent to Gotland.

Faro Island was situated in the northern part of Gotland, being a part of Gotland geographically, specifically to its north.

Next year, after taking Faro Island along the way and appointing a lord, she would lead a massive fleet to invade the eastern European regions on a large scale.

And at that time, she would most likely not return to Gotland. She would anchor her royal court firmly in eastern Europe.

The eastern European coastal regions possessed diverse climates; the northern Baltic coastal areas belonged to a temperate continental climate, with warm summers and long, cold winters.

The coastal plains and hilly terrain of the region also provided fertile land, suitable for agricultural development.

Margaret wanted to transform the pirate culture into a semi-agricultural, semi-pirate, semi-nomadic culture—recuperating strength, plundering populations, granting knightly fiefs, building cities, and developing population and economy.

She understood deeply that only when the people lived secure lives could the country prosper and flourish. Only then would the populace not be driven to banditry by desperation.

"So be it!" Margaret nodded, simultaneously issuing a decree to formally establish a nation, designating the state title as the "Kingdom of Gotland."

Gotland, also known as Gothland, was one of the homelands of the Goths, one of the barbarian tribes that destroyed Rome.

Later, the Visigothic Kingdom was destroyed by the Frankish Kingdom, disappearing into the long river of history.

The Goths had nothing to do with Gothic dark-style architecture and clothing; more than a thousand years separated them, being merely a derogatory term used by later Italians.

However, based on her fondness for the Gothic style, Margaret felt she might as well make it her own.

Once eastern Europe was conquered and knightly fiefs were distributed, the Housecarl Knights would become lordly knights.

Knights originally emerged as members of cavalry units, typically serving lords and receiving land in return for military service, also known as "knightly lords."

This form of land tenure was known as a "military fief" or "large estate," requiring a large number of serfs to till the land for the knightly lords.

Once the knights had money, they could attempt to forge Gothic plate armor and assemble a heavy conical lance cavalry unit akin to Joan of Arc's "Order of Saint Joan."

There was no help for it; currently, she could not forge plate armor, as the ocean's corrosion on plate armor was far too severe.

Moreover, heading further east might bring encounters with Muslims. At this time, Muslims were not strictly nomadic peoples.

Although early Islamic expansion had certain connections with nomadic culture, Muslims by this period had gradually settled and formed their own civilizational system.

Nevertheless, cavalry still predominated among them, and in the plains of eastern Europe, without a large-scale cavalry force, it would be difficult to guarantee the stability of the regime.