Chapter 82

This kind of catapult was not the simplest. Heraclius took them to see the simplest one, which was a large cross placed flat on the ground. A flexible wooden pole was inserted into the center of the cross. The other end of the wooden pole was a spoon-shaped loader. Its end was tied with an animal tendon or leather rope. The tendon was tightened on a winch. When projection was needed, the tendon could be cut or the machine could be knocked open.

It might only be one person wide and two people high. From power to distance, it was not very good, but it won in being easy to manufacture and transport.

And heavy catapults like the wild donkey had a base and width that were basically equal. The structure was also more complex and exquisite. At least the one Cesar saw had a rotating platform and a special support that could adjust the rising angle. There were winches on both sides, and the place where the elastic beam was fixed was reinforced with leather ropes circle by circle—and it did not project stones, but crossbow arrows.

For Cesar to see, it was very much like the prototype of a firearm. The crossbow arrow was a bullet, and the kinetic energy generated by the elastic beam was the thrust generated by gunpowder. The elastic beam hit the end of the crossbow arrow, firing it out and destroying everything within the effective distance.

Of course, more catapults, as the name suggests, projected stones, but some catapults did not have a concave loader at the end, but a leather pocket, "This can be used to load many things," Heraclius glanced at Cesar: "For example, a bold and reckless little boy."

Baldwin laughed. He knew that Heraclius was still blaming Cesar for his impulsive behavior three years ago. No matter how others praised him, standing from the perspective of a parent, if there was a choice, he would only hope that his child would be safe and sound—Cesar and Heraclius had no blood relationship, but in the church, the relationship between a cleric and a disciple was about the same as father and son.

At that time, if there was a slight difference, Cesar would really be stuffed into a leather pocket by Walter and thrown from the wall of the Tortosa castle to Amalric I's camp.

There were also some catapult parts that were so large that if Heraclius didn't explain them on the side, they wouldn't be able to identify what they were at all—things seen in books were completely different from things seen on the spot—those thick and high wooden beams, those things that looked like carriages and houses, those hamster wheels—wait?

"Those are walking wheels," Heraclius said after just one look, "Things used for large and super-large catapults."

That kind of catapult could not be assembled until it reached the battlefield. Once assembled, it could not be moved at all. It was not only large but also heavy. The counterweight box might carry tens of thousands of pounds of soil. When used, not only did several people need to pull together, but also walking wheels on both sides—two people side by side stepping on pedals inside, the principle is similar to a pedal waterwheel... to operate.

And this kind of catapult could not stabilize itself by its own weight. The connection points needed iron parts and rivets, and the main pillars had to be driven into the ground to ensure that it would not shake or even overturn.

Compared with this, the styles of battering rams, siege vehicles, and siege towers had not changed much for nearly a thousand years, and only their height and size had been improved a lot.

"This is a 'turtle'," Heraclius said: "Some people call them 'mice', but it doesn't matter much. When you shout mice or turtles loudly, no one will think you intend to curse the enemy to death through curses."

Whether it was a turtle or a mouse, its appearance was very much like a low house, and it could even be said that it was stronger and more reliable than most serfs' houses. They usually had a triangular roof, and the bottom was equipped with four wheels. When acting, the soldiers hid under the roof and pushed this cover to walk. When the war started, the roof would be covered with wet cowhide, so as not to be ignited by the fire thrown by the enemy.

And battering rams were generally installed in these covers. Their metal heads would be cast into ram heads or turtle heads. The metal head was installed on a thick wooden beam suspended by ropes. At first, it was pushed by people, but now most of them have been changed to fixed wooden beams, and battering rams driven by winches and tendons were added to the wooden beams. Sometimes battering rams could also be replaced with giant spears.

"Is this basket not made well?" Baldwin asked suspiciously, lifting a basket. This wicker basket was large enough to hold him, but a square hole was left on one side, about the size of a human face, "This is also a kind of movable cover," Heraclius said, patting it, and directly stuffed Baldwin into it.

"You try it too."

He said to Cesar again. Cesar had no choice but to put on a wicker basket. The two beautiful and elegant probationary knights immediately turned into two ridiculous basket people. Heraclius nodded with satisfaction. It was hard to see from the outside what he was laughing at in his heart, but Cesar knew that Heraclius had always been a very vengeful guy and never missed any opportunity to laugh at others.

Amalric I's previous failure to attack Egypt had been ridiculed by him until now. God knows if Amalric I's determination to take Fustat this time had a part of this reason in it.

He believed that in the next few years, as long as there was a banquet, the tea-after-meal talk would definitely not lack "basket people."

"This is a ladder." They all recognized this, but this ladder was clearly larger and longer than an ordinary ladder, and it had detachable hooks at the top. This was the same principle as the "crow" jumping board used on ships. Once it hooked the battlement, it was difficult to lift it up and push it down by manpower alone, but the defending side would often use a rope with a heavy weight hanging to push the ladder away by side pulling.

"This is used in some gaps that are occasionally opened," Heraclius said, and then they came to a factory that was equally busy but couldn't see what they were doing.

"This is the production place for siege towers."

Siege towers often had to be built higher than the city walls, that is, reaching a height of about 100 feet, about ten stories high. Modern people might find it hard to believe, but this is a fact, and you can treat them as a building rather than a siege machine—its internal structure is very similar to a high tower, except that the bottom floor will have six or eight wheels and battering rams.

It will be divided into several floors, each floor has ladders to go up and down, and there is a wellhead that can pull up buckets vertically. That is used to extinguish the fire that may fall on the siege tower. On the highest platform, there are battlements like city walls, which can provide archers with a high-altitude shooting to cover the knights rushing from the siege tower to the city walls.

The reason why it is said so is because siege towers are often crowded with a dozen or dozens of knights. On the second floor of the siege tower, basically flush with the city wall, there is a drawbridge that can be lowered. Once the siege tower can approach the city wall, the bottom can use a battering ram to knock the city wall, and the top can lower the drawbridge. The knights will rush up from the drawbridge and fight with the defenders on the city wall.

"You and Baldwin will both be in this siege tower, or that one," Heraclius said. Although he was not the kind of person who would spoil children like a woman, he also knew that in the Saracen road, no matter how noble and kind you are, if you are considered a coward—it is difficult to get people's respect.

Baldwin is like this—so when he was diagnosed as a leper, everyone thought he would be deprived of the position of heir and expelled from the Saracen road, because the Saracen road did not need a monarch who could not lift a longsword and lead knights to gallop on the battlefield.

Similarly, Cesar is also like this—if he is timid and dare not fight with the enemy on the battlefield, all his previous good deeds will be written off, and some people will even feel deceived and retaliate even more.

"You will not be the first wave," Heraclius said solemnly: "But if not in the second wave, then in the third wave. When you are waiting, you must pay attention to observation, absorb experience as much as possible, stabilize your state of mind... I know you have gone through several battles before, but that kind of battle and siege, especially the siege of a big city like Fustat, is completely the difference between heaven and hell."

"And the enemies you face are definitely Saracens who have been inspired by their Prophet. They have a huge difference from the enemies you encountered before. The things you relied on before, they also have, perhaps sharper, more solid, and have more accumulation and experience than you."

"You must be cautious and must not be careless."

"We will," Baldwin replied: "But Heraclius, can we take the baskets down for now?"

This time it was Cesar's turn to laugh out loud.

The timing of the two probationary knights taking off the baskets was just right. Just as they were tidying up their clothes, an attendant rode over to find Heraclius. It was said that at Amalric I's military meeting, several lords had disagreements about the layout and advancement method later, and they were arguing endlessly. Amalric I could only ask someone to invite Heraclius back to see if he could put forward any good suggestions.

Heraclius had to put down today's lesson and return to the Afif Palace with the two children.

Although the Afif Palace had been sarcastically called a brothel by the Saracens, when it was first built, the designers and craftsmen were still full of love and respect for the royal family, so every place was as beautiful as possible, without any omissions. All the building groups, from top to bottom, ensured halls, meeting rooms, bedrooms, and reception rooms. These rooms were connected by corridors and courtyards, and the walls were inlaid with scriptures and mosaic geometric patterns, which were incredibly brilliant and exquisite.

It's just that Amalric I probably didn't have the heart to appreciate these wonderful things now. He and several lords, the Count of Tripoli, the Duke of Antioch, the Grand Masters of the Templar Order and the Hospitaller Order, as well as several respectable dukes and counts, were arguing endlessly about the subsequent siege war.

In such an occasion, even Prince Baldwin could only remain silent, holding the wine pot and acting as an attendant on the side, but Cesar and he understood immediately that according to the original plan of Amalric I and the lords, they would directly attack Fustat, but now there was a new problem.

Fustat is a big city that is no less than the Saracen road. It is the capital of the Fatima dynasty, with three layers of city walls and three city gates. Each city gate has two huge towers, which are like a solid leather belt tightly tied to the waist of the beauty of Fustat, allowing her to avoid being infringed by foreign enemies.

And on the left side of Fustat is the Niluohe, but the large island of Roda Island in the Niluohe is only a narrow river channel away from the city wall of Fustat. It has become a natural flank position for Fustat, and ever since Saladin and Shirkuh of Zengi came to Fustat, they began to build fortresses on Roda Island.

Now this fortress has been built, and I don't know when, drawbridges and bridges have been connected between the fortress and Fustat.

"Who will tell me?" Amalric I asked angrily: "How did these bridges appear suddenly? Did the devil build them for them?!"

(End of chapter)