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- Herausgeber: epubli
- Kategorie: Gesellschafts- und Liebesromane
- Sprache: Englisch
620 AD; The Frankish Empire of the Merovingians: When the merchant Samo finds his family murdered, all he wants is revenge on the murderers. Confronted with the repercussions of his revenge, he sets in motion events that affect the peoples of Europe to this day. While the Frankish kings try to exploit him, he finds a new love, a new family and a new home.
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Veröffentlichungsjahr: 2023
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Samo
Rex SlavorumHistorical NovelSummary:
620 AD; The Frankish Empire of the Merovingians: When the merchant Samo finds his family murdered, all he wants is revenge on the murderers. Confronted with the repercussions of his revenge, he sets in motion events that affect the peoples of Europe to this day.
The Author:
György Kristian Szitas (pseudonym of Jörg Christian Seubert) writes historical novels based on traditional events. He lives with his wife and children in Franconia.
Impressum
Text and Cover:
©
by Jörg Christian Seubert
Publisher:
Jörg Christian Seubert
91207 Lauf an der Pegnitz
Pseudonym:
György Kristian Szit
as is a pseudonym of the copyright holder.
Translated:
by the author.
Print:
epubli, a service of neopubli GmbH, Berlin
Printed in Germany
Sources:
„Chronik des Fredegar“
in the translation by Otto Abel;
ISBN: 3-88851-075-9;
„Die Awaren“
by Walter Pohl;
ISBN: 3-406-48969-9;
„Reitervölker im Frühmittelalter“
by Bodo Anke, Laszlo Rev
esz u. Tivadar Vida;
ISBN: 978-3-8062-2014-8;
The novel is partly based on historical facts and persons.The individual plots are fictitious, except for the two chapters in the Chronicle of Fredegar.All rights reserved.
Contents
Part IThe Uprising
A trader from the Senongano district
1375 a.u.c (620 AD)shortly before the winter solsticedistrict of Senongano (Sens)
In the winter of the seventh year of government1 of the Frankish king Chlothar II, a small caravan of about 40 men was moving towards a farmstead located in the district of Senonago.The leader of the caravan was called Samo by everyone and was a strong young man of 25. He had been married for about two years to Adelgunde, who counted 20 winters, and with whom he had a son named Ingvar, barely one year old.The last time he had seen them was in spring, when he was on his way to Byzantium to buy the finest cloth. For he earned his living by trading in the best wines and cloths. Samos’ real name was Samson, but only his wife called him by that name.As he owed taxes to the Bishop of Paris, the caravan had made a diversion there and the venerable bishop had graciously confirmed that Samo had paid his taxes for the next four years. For five bales of the finest linen and one bale of the finest silk, this was to be expected. In addition, the men had brought five highwaymen before the venerable lord, who had dared to attack Samo’s caravan with their gang of about 50 thieves.The attack was repelled thanks to the excellent armament of Samo’s people and most of the attackers were slain, while only two of Samo’s men had sustained minor wounds. The valuables of the highwaymen were taken from them and their corpses were left by the wayside - as a warning to those who intended to do similar.Samo longed to see his family again, he was actually home far too seldom and would have liked to spend much more time with his wife and little Ingvar.Most of his 40 companions, with their excellent armour and strong horses - in fine weather - making for a beautiful sight, must have felt the same way. They were all from the Senongan district.Shortly before the first snowfalls, they had crossed the Alps, reached the land of Burgundy and could now turn towards Orleans. On the feast of Saint Lazarus2 they had reached this city.Now - there were still two days to go until the winter solstice, the feast of Saint Lucia - the snow was falling in such quantities that they could only move forward with difficulty and had to wrap themselves in their thick coats.All in all, this train - in this weather - did not look like it was carrying the choicest fabrics that Neustria and Burgundy would see in the near future. But that was not a problem, because the travellers wanted first and foremost to arrive home in good health.Samo was lost in thought, soon he would be able to hold his beautiful wife in his arms again, they would love each other and have a lot to talk about, when Benno - who had ridden ahead as a scout - gruffly snapped him out of his thoughts:"Alert - Raid - Samo’s yard is on fire!"Samo was wide awake at once. "Twenty men follow me, the rest stay with the wagons!"Then he rammed his heels into his horse’s flanks.Samo and the front twenty men followed Benno at full gallop to the trading yard and saw the terrible disaster that the flames had already caused there. Some farmers from the surrounding farmsteads were putting out the fire and Samo’s men immediately set out to help them.But, there was no trace of the attackers.Samo himself ran inside the courtyard, but an old man - whom he did not recognise at first - stopped him."No Samo, don’t look at what these Goths have done.""Which Goths? - Here? - Why?""Adelgunde is slain, and Ingvar - he was only a child..."Just now did Samo recognise his father-in-law Sigubert, who had collapsed in front of him.However, he wanted to see for himself what would not cross the lips of his beloved’s father.When Samo arrived inside the courtyard, he saw that the window of the chamber he shared with Adelgunde was open. This was unusual, as normally the shutters of the windows were firmly closed throughout the cold season.So he walked towards this window and stumbled, only preventing a fall by taking a quick step to the side. When Samo saw what he had almost fallen over, his breath caught.At his feet he saw the battered body of his little son lying there. Ingvar’s face was lying in the dirt, next to his face the snow was covered with blood, his left arm was peeking out from under his head while his right arm was twisted backwards. Ingvar’s legs were also lying unnaturally on the ground.Only after a short moment was Samo able to bend down and close Ingvar’s wide open eyes. A loud cry came out of his mouth when he touched the small body."What has happened? Where is my wife?" rushed through his head.Samo placed his son’s dead body in a more dignified position and - prepared for the worst - entered the house, where complete darkness reigned.Fortunately for him, he knew his way around blindly, so without further incident he entered the chamber, whose shutters were wide open.He saw his worst fears confirmed by the dim light streaming in:Adelgunde lay on the bed he had built with his own hands three years ago, her robe torn. Her usually lively, beautiful brown eyes, which he had always described as the mirror of her soul, now stared lifelessly at the ceiling. Adelgunde’s slender but powerful legs, which Samo had so loved to feel against his body, lay splayed and lifeless on the bed.From her neck, which Samo had loved to cover with his kisses, blood ran out in a small trickle after her throat had been cut. A large pool of blood had poured out all around her.Samo roared out his anger and hatred at whoever had committed this crime and his roar made the walls of his house tremble.When, after some time, his rage subsided and he was more lucid, he placed his beautiful wife’s legs parallel to each other, folded her hands in front of her chest in a Christian manner and arranged her robe so that no nakedness of her battered body could be seen. Then he wrapped his wife in her cloak so that she would not freeze and covered her face with a linen cloth, which he took from Ingvar’s cradle after kissing her on the forehead and cutting off a lock of her hair.He then went outside and bedded little Ingvar next to his mother, after he had also dressed his dead body properly and cut off a curl of his hair as well.Then he covered the entire bed with a sheet of coarse cloth.He stuffed the cut hair into a small bag that he would always carry with him as a reminder of his murdered family.Not a tear ran down Samo’s cheek as he left his house - he could no longer cry and from now on only hatred for the murderer determined his actions.
+++
The fire in the warehouse was quickly extinguished, so that the fire could not have caused too much damage. Most of the goods and supplies remained, but the more expensive wines and fabrics were missing and had not fallen victim to the fire.Samo’s fighters, who had stayed behind with the wagons, now arrived with them in the village and saw a crowd that had formed around Sigubert - Samo’s father-in-law.Everyone wanted to know what had happened. But what Sigubert had to tell made their blood boil.Around noon, a troop of Goths had arrived, claiming the Bishop of Paris, Céraune3 had sent them to collect the outstanding taxes.Adelgunde pointed out that she had news from her husband that he was in Paris with several wagonloads of most valuable cloth to pay the taxes and that he was expected to arrive today.Alberich, the leader of the Goths, however, was not interested. He instructed his men to clear the more valuable items from the warehouse and then set it on fire, grabbing Adelgunde by her hair and dragging her into the house.With the Goths heavily armed and all entrances to the house and yard sealed, the villagers could only guess what happened next.Shortly afterwards they heard little Ingvar start to scream, Alberich cursed and after a sound reminiscent of cracking wood, no more children were heard screaming. Only Adelgunde...Samo interrupted his father-in-law in a dull and hateful voice: "Ingvar was lying with broken limbs in front of the window. I found Adelgunde inside."He turned away and took a deep breath before asking Sigubert in a calmer voice:"The bishop sent her, you say?"Samo’s voice showed that its owner was struggling with himself.Sigubert’s soft, choked "Yes." was barely audible.Samo’s features froze into stone before he turned away and set about digging a grave in front of his house. Benno and Sigubert wanted to help him, but he refused their help.As the ground was frozen, it took him all night, and at dawn he was seen dignifiedly laying his family in the fresh grave and covering it with earth. A simple cross of two slats was placed at the head of the grave to commemorate those buried here.In a brief moment of peace, Samo thought of how he had last carried his son and last loved his wife. He blamed himself for taking so long to make his journey and for not being able to protect his family.But instead of falling into a helpless stupor, he threw his thick, dark coat over his shoulders, mounted his horse and left the village without turning around again.The one who was responsible for this crime would wish he had never been born.
+++
Céraune, the Bishop of Paris, had said mass the morning after the longest night of the year, which he had spent praying and fasting in church, and walked into his audience hall, since every good Christian of the Frankish kingdoms of Neustria and Burgundy was allowed on that day to present his concerns directly to the illustrious bishop, so that he could intercede for the respective concerns with the king. It was probably - as was usually the case - about some neighbourhood dispute to which the king wanted to pay little attention. He had enough problems with his neighbours and his nobility.But the bishop was concerned about the small worries of the people and now and then he had been able to intercede on behalf of the simpler people.So on this day, after the Festival of Lights of Saint Lucia - as usual - the audience hall was well filled.He took his seat at the front and his seneschal4 called on those present to now present their concerns.The first two cases were small family disputes that could be resolved by both parties sitting down together in the presence of a monk, who acted as mediator, and settling the problem with each other - none of the king’s business by any means.Then, however, a man in a long cloak and with a gugel5 pulled deep into his forehead, stepped forward and said:"Grave harm has been done to me in your name and I demand justice!""What has happened to you?""Goths in your service have slain my wife and child, set fire to my house, and stolen some of my goods."A murmur went through the crowd."Who are you to make such a claim?" the seneschal was heard to say. And the company realised that he had to restrain himself from lashing out at the accuser.But the person addressed was not finished yet, became louder and strode towards the bishop."This is a document from your hand - only five days old - in which you confirm to me that my taxes would be settled for the next four years."With the plaintiff only a few steps away from the bishop, a guard tried to push him back, but received such a blow that he fell backwards to the ground and remained motionless."You want to know who I am?" he turned to the seneschal. "I am Samson, called Samo, and your Domus issued me this certificate five days ago."With these words Samo pulled back the hood of the gugel, held the seneschal by the chin and pushed him against the wall so that his feet hovered in the air while he showed him the certificate.And turning to the bishop, while his whole body screamed for retribution:"Do you always keep your word like this? When I came home the day before yesterday, I found my yard burning, my wife had been violated before she was murdered and my son was lying in his blood at my front door - he has not even been able to walk properly! My father-in-law told me that the Goth Alberich - who I know is in your service - committed this outrage because I had not paid my taxes! - Now I want his head! Will you give it to me, or shall I take it myself?" He said, and let go of the seneschal, who sank to the ground and struggled for breath.The bishop stood up to Samo and declared:"I am sorry for what has happened to you, but believe me, Alberich was not acting on my behalf - on the contrary.I dismissed him from my service on the feast of Saint Nicholas and he swore that he would take revenge. Shortly afterwards, he slew my brother-in-law and his family and plundered all their possessions!Now he has done the same to you, cause I am on friendly terms with you.""I should think so, given the amount of cloth I have given you free of charge."Samo’s angry vein throbbed and demanded blood."Where do I find him?" he growled."I don’t know," the bishop’s ground swayed beneath his feet and he sank to his knees, as if to avoid the hatred that was hurled at him by Samo; "I have no more news of him. As soon as I hear anything, I will let you know."He shouted the last words after Samo, but the latter gruffly left the hall without another word.From now on, Samo would use his entire considerable fortune to find and kill the murderer of his family.
+++
Laurin ran a small inn and tavern on the border between Austria and Neustria, on the road that led from Paris to Reims. It was winter and the reign of King Chlothar II was entering its ninth year. So a little more than two years had passed since the death of Adelgunde and Ingvar.In his tavern, Laurin noticed all sorts of things, because a lot of people passed by on this trade route, but lately the number of shady personalities was increasing again. And it was rumoured that there would soon be another war. Perhaps this time between King Chlothar and his son Dagobert.Why did these Merovingians always have to disagree about the succession to the throne, especially when it should take place? Honest people could never go about their own business in peace."There’s another shady character sitting back there." He thought to himself, but the guy was paying for his wine so far, wrapped in his dark cloak and had his gugel pulled deep into his face. From his clothes, though, one could guess that he was a warrior - boots that locked on the back, tucked into a pair of long, leather trousers, and a half-length tunic mostly covered by a thick wool felt cloak. Laurin had also seen something like a scale armour6 flashing out from underneath.The stranger had only spoken the most necessary things so far."It can stay that way for all I care." Laurin continued to think, knowing full well that it would not stay that way. At that moment the door flew open and four Goths marched in, sat down at the middle table without a greeting and ordered the best wine.Ludmilla whispered to him, "That’s bound to cause trouble again." She was from Carantania7 and Laurin had acquired her cheaply from a slave trader. In the meantime, however, she was his right and left hand at the same time and he basically treated and loved her like his wife - which he had never had."The guy at the back gives me grief too," he said, "he sits there, drinks his wine and doesn’t let on about anything else."But he pays and tips on top of that," Ludmilla objected "all the guests could be like that for all I care."She took the jug of wine and placed it on the table for the Goths with the nicest smile she could muster.Most of the Goths who travelled in this area were recruited as mercenaries, sometimes by the Neustrians, sometimes by the Austrians, depending on who paid better. But otherwise they kept to themselves. If they were not in the pay of a warlord or "major domus", they lived by raiding poorly equipped travellers.These four specimens were no different in that respect, although one of them seemed to be quite a loudmouth and told ever more incredible stories. Dressed for the season, all three were in fur clothing, scale armour and a long cloak over it.They had let their rawhide balaclavas crash on the table right at the beginning.When the loudmouth started talking about how he had served with the Bishop of Paris a little over two years ago, the guy in the back corner shifted a little, apparently wanting to hear more clearly what this person was saying.He waved Ludmilla over and whispered to her:"If you and your master value your lives, stay away from the Goths’ table, doors and window in what is about to happen!""I had a hunch," Laurin said to himself after Ludmilla had delivered the stranger’s warning to him, and took cover behind the counter, where he carried an ancient spatha for his own protection.8 Ludmilla also stayed within reach of the counter, cause there were only two local peasants in the tavern apart from the stranger and the Goths, that was no problem.Just as the loudmouth was telling loudly that he, after serving the Bishop of Paris, had plundered the yard of a cloth and wine merchant, sending "several best-armed warriors" to their fathers, the silent stranger rose, quietly but forcefully.He circled the table and stood exactly opposite the loudmouth.Calmly, he fixed him until the latter barked at him:"Want some of me?""Possibly. Is it possible that your name is Alberich and that you were in the service of Bishop Céraune of Paris a little more than two years ago?"At this, the stranger faced the Goth with his full body mass."Yes, but what is it to you? I just told it!""The yard you just told about," the stranger replied with a calmness that sent a shiver down the observer’s spine."Was the yard in the district of Senonago?""Yes." Came back more hesitantly now."How many heavily armed opponents did you have there again?""I don’t remember. Three, four?""Wasn’t it just a little kid who couldn’t even walk properly and a young woman? You threw the child out of the window, did violence to the woman and then killed her!" The stranger had become quite loud, so that all eyes in the tavern were now finally focused on the table in the middle.The Goth stood up. "If you already know everything so well, why are you still asking?" He snarled, and combativeness made the air between the disputants flicker."I just wanted to make sure I had the right one in front of me. Now, I suggest you follow me out. Or do you want me to arrest you right here and drag you behind my horse?""And why would I want to follow you?""You could face your just punishment! It was my child and my wife you killed - and for no reason at all. Or do you only fight against people who cannot defend themselves?"At this, the stranger dropped his cloak and pushed back the hood of his gugel under which his long blond hair came out. In his hand was a heavy battle axe and his torso was covered by a sturdy scale armour.But in his eyes now burned the worst hatred the Goths could imagine."Who are you?" was all Alberich asked."I am Samo, and now you should come outside with me."He said and walked past the table towards the door. When he reached it, Ludmilla cried out and he instinctively ducked so that the dagger, Alberich had thrown at him, got stuck in the wood of the door."A coward after all!" muttered Samo, and in one leap he was at the Goths’ table.Another Goth had also drawn a dagger, but before he could turn it on Samo, his hand - chopped off by Samo’s battle-axe - lay against the far wall.The other two Goths drew their swords and attacked Samo together, but he deftly dodged and managed to deliver a blow to the first’s sternum, causing him to collapse, spitting blood and sinking to the ground with his eyes wide open.Now Alberich also advanced on Samo with his axe, but the latter parried his blows and in turn struck Alberich, so that the latter found himself backed into a corner.Samo was about to strike at the head of Alberich, when the latter’s companion lunged at Samo and stabbed him in the back.But the blade could not penetrate Samo’s scale armour. While Samo now directed the momentum of his blow against the attacker, splitting the latter’s skull.Alberich took advantage of this moment and escaped through the window into the open.Samo noticed this and also jumped through the window, which was covered with fur because of the cold season.Outside it was already dark and it had started to snow again.Samo did not know where Alberich had fled to, but a flying battle axe that hit the wall just beside the window told him the direction."Alberich! Stand like a man, you cannot escape me. I’ll even bring you your weapon!" shouted Samo, actually picking up Alberich’s battle axe and running in the direction from which the axe had flown.In the middle of the road stood Alberich and not only his eyes betrayed his fear. He was wet on his leg and this wetness was still steaming, so it could not have come from the snow.Samo confronted him with the two axes. He laid Alberich’s axe on the ground and pushed it towards him with his foot."For once in your life, make an honest fight, Alberich, especially as this will be your last," Samo spoke calmly.Alberich stooped for the axe, raised it and took a lurking position.Samo held his axe ready for battle in both hands in front of his body, so that he could immediately deflect a blow - from whatever direction.Alberich walked towards Samo, started to circle him. Samo, on the other hand, remained standing, constantly watching Alberich.The Goth thought he had now found a gap and ran at Samo. But he turned his upper body to the side, tripped the Goth and the Goth landed in the snow.Samo changed his position slightly, waited until Alberich had picked himself up and patiently awaited his opponent’s next attack.By now he was so angry and furious that he immediately leapt at the Franconian to split his skull. He shouted loudly: "This is your...."He did not get to the "end", because Samo had used the force of the attack to make him run into the void again.This time he struck the back of his opponent’s neck with his axe, severing his head from his torso and leaving him lying a few feet away.Samo lowered the axe, fell to his knees and began to weep.The revenge he had sworn at the grave of his beloved wife Adelgunde and his son Ingvar had been accomplished.But the guilty man had actually suffered too little.
The mission of the kings
1377 a.u.c (622 AD)two weeks after the fight in Laurin’s taverndistrict of Senongano (Sens)
Samo was working on his weapons in his brother-in-law Kunobald’s forge, especially the great battle axe with which he had killed Alberich and two of his henchmen a fortnight ago needed a new handle winding. He had already looked through the other weapons, but nothing needed repair here.A little more than two years ago, he had not been so careful with his weapons, but Alberich’s raid and the death of his family had made him a different man.When Adelgunde, his wife, and Ingvar, his son, were still alive, there was nothing better for him than to be with them, even if the cries of his little boy sometimes drove him out of his mind.But the violent death of his loved ones had changed many things.He no longer avoided any quarrel, which, to his own regret, had always resulted in him coming out the winner. He was almost looking for death, but it didn’t want him there yet."As if I had anything better to look forward to than dying!" he sometimes thought to himself, and emptiness had settled in his heart.So he roamed the countryside, looking for any criminals to finish them off. Always in the knowledge that it could happen to him at any time.When he had picked up Alberich’s trail again a little over a month ago, he had stayed on it, only to find him waiting for him at Laurin’s tavern.Alberich must have been somewhere with the Wends or Avars, otherwise he could have confronted him sooner.But perhaps it was just as well, for by now his senses and reactions were practised and he did not want to give Alberich of all people the pleasure of falling prey to him too.Now that his own revenge was complete he returned to his old home.The warehouse had been rebuilt. Sigubert, his father-in-law, and Kunobald, his brother-in-law, looked after the business, which was doing very well and providing them with a good living.Samo’s shares in the profits were so large that he did not have to worry about money either. On the contrary, he had been able to have the best weapons made for him and a good warhorse graced his stable.Samo himself had been the only child of a far too short marriage, between a Frankish merchant named Balduin and a Jewish girl named Rebecca.The girl, his mother, had died in childbirth and his father was back from a trading trip on the Amber Road9Thus he had grown up parentless with Balduin’s neighbour Sigubert and his family, from whom he had taken over the merchant’s trade.And Sigubert was already looking forward to his son-in-law and foster son becoming a merchant again, because Sigubert wanted to retire slowly but surely, and his son Kunobald already had far too much to do.But for Samo, these times were finally over. He wanted to stay here for a few more weeks and leave when the weather got better. Always following his nose, no matter where fate drove him. The emptiness in his heart would only grow if he continued to stay here, where his loved ones had met their end.He knew that for a fact.His weapons included a short-handled Franziska10, with which he had never missed his target, a long Sax11, several daggers and the heavy, large battle axe with two blades, which did not have a wooden handle, as was usually the case, but was completely forged from the handle onwards.Only the handle was wrapped with leather cords, which he now renewed.When he used the two cubits,12 weighing the long axe in his arm examining it, the sound of several horsemen arriving at the door made him sit up and take notice.A man entered unbidden through the door of the smithy. From his clothes, he was a vassal of King Chlothar. For a moment the man’s eyes lingered on the long hair of Samo."Are you the one they call Samo?" the man asked gruffly."And who wants to know?" Samo answered him emphatically calmly."I am Godinus13, son of Warnachar14. Gundoland15, the mayor of the palace of our good King Chlothar, sends me to bring to him the one who calls himself Samo. Are you this Samo?"The newcomer’s tone was still very unfriendly, obviously he was not used to carrying out other people’s orders."Yes I am Samo! What is it about?" Samo was too intelligent to lower himself to Godinu’s tone."I can’t tell you that - I’m just tasked with getting you to Gundoland."Godinus apparently realised that he was not going to be able to draw Samo out with his testy tone."Let me finish my work here and I’ll follow you."Being dragged to the king by this fellow could not bode well, but Samo remained deliberately calm, his senses all the sharper."So be it, but hurry him up!" Godinus got the upper hand again and stepped in front of the forge.
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A short time later, the cortege set off again. Their destination was Paris, where the king was currently staying with his son Dagobert.Samo had been dressed quickly, but was careful enough not to carry all his weapons visibly, even though he had his entire arsenal with him. Should he be searched, the searcher would have his true pleasure, as a dagger had its place in each of his sleeves and in each boot. But having sufficient strength and dexterity, he could, if necessary, have brought down an unwary opponent with his bare fist.They made good progress, arriving in Paris towards evening. During the journey, Samo had not exchanged another word with Godinus, after he really did not know what the journey was all about.Arriving at the royal estate, the horses were taken over by lads who took off the saddles and rubbed the horses dry, while Godinus, Samo and some of their companions were led into a hall where they were received by the housemeiers Warnachar and Gundoland."It’s nice to meet you for once, Samo, I’ve heard a lot about you. Mostly good - but recently also some bad - at least for us," Gundoland - the younger of the two - approached him while Warnachar was talking to his son.Samo was surprised to be received so kindly; he had expected far worse."We have some things to discuss in the presence of the kings. Please come with us."Gundoland left Warnachar and the latter’s son standing unheeded and pushed Samo through a small curtained door that Samo hadn’t noticed at first.In the room beyond was a table at which two men were sitting. From their hairstyles, one could immediately tell that they were men from a royal house - that is, descendants of Merowech.The older of the two had to be Chlothar and the younger his son Dagobert. The older one was about ten years older than Samo, while the younger one could rather be described as a "young lad" of fifteen."We have been expecting you," the younger of the two addressed him. "How dare you kill our best scout?"The resentment in the words was almost visible."Who do you mean?" asked Samo hesitantly."Alberich, the Goth," Dagobert replied. The words flew like arrows in Samo’s direction."If he had a shield around his neck that said he was your scout, I would have brought him to you in chains and then demanded his head. But since he had my family on his conscience and wore no such mark, what I did was just."Samo stated the emphatically matter-of-factly, well aware that such a speech could quickly cost him his head. But he did not want to give in too quickly to this young lad."What is right and what is not, is still for the king to decide!" Chlothar’s rebuke caused a twitch in Dagobert’s facial expression."Certainly it was not right for Alberich to kill your family, but he had accepted an important mission from us, that still needs to be carried out. Because you prevented Alberich from completing his mission, you will now take over that mission.""The mission can’t have been that important, if you couldn’t find someone better to do it than that loudmouth" Samo replied a little too quickly and was punished for it with an angry look from the king.After a pause for thought, he added carefully: "What was his mission?""He was to incite the Wends, who are also called Slavs, to revolt against their masters, the Avars. So that the Avars would stay in their lands and not come against us again, as they did twelve years ago," Gundoland now explained to him again."Alberich has found out that the Slavs no longer want to put up with everything and might attack the Avars, if they were supported by us. But their princes are divided among themselves and need a unified leadership, otherwise they won’t get far," Gundoland went on to explain."And that leader should have been Alberich?" laughed Samo aloud, while secretly admitting to himself that this time his tongue was again quicker than it should have been."Yes, why not?" asked Dagobert back, puzzled.Samo tried to remain matter-of-fact. "Since when can a good leader afford to brag about his fights in a tavern, especially when those fights didn’t even happen?"Samo looked directly at the prince, which gave him another sting.After a pause, Samo continued: "And how did you imagine the whole thing? Am I supposed to ride to the Slavs and tell them: ’King Chlothar sent me and you are to fight the Avars’? They will ask me: ’With what weapons? And what do we get out of it then? Shall Chlothar be our new lord?’ What shall I answer then?""It shall be so that you ride to them, prepare a revolt in secret, support the Slavs in this revolt and assure them, that no harm will come to them under my leadership." Now declared Chlothar himself, calmly."And what of arms? Shall the Wends fight on foot, with clubs and no armour, against well-equipped cataphracts16 line up?" hacked Samo."What do you think you’ll need in the way of weapons?""At least swords and battle axes, spears and lances, bows and arrows, helmets, leather and scale armour and chain mail for about eight hundred warriors. Plus horses and mules to bring these weapons to them.""That’s too expensive!" shouted Dagobert indignantly."Do you expect the Avars to surrender without a fight just because the Wends suddenly start shouting?" Samo reprimanded him."In addition, of course, I need an escort of 100 men, who are also well equipped and trained. Moreover, these men must also be able to instruct new fighters. Otherwise you might as well give up the matter." Samo continued to enumerate.Chlothar and Gundoland frowned at each other and nodded."So be it!" then said Chlothar "But you find the men yourself. And if any of this talk is passed on to third ears, we will have you torn apart by horses. The weapons we will deliver to you to the herbal city of Uburzis17. There the new Duke of the Mainland, Hruodi18, will soon take office. But how and with whom you bring the weapons to the Wends is your business. We didn’t know anything.""Furthermore, I claim all the territories I have conquered for myself or the Wends," Samo added on top, "I need a lure for them, otherwise they will not fight with me."Samo’s mind was now working quickly and precisely, so an idea was already forming."That is also fine, however you remain our subject and do not move against us. We want your oath on that!" countered Chlothar."I will swear to that!" replied Samo to him solemnly. He knew the Merovingians well enough that, when in doubt, the kings of the Franks were more likely to break their treaties, than he was to do so. Oath or no oath!"But I have one more thing," Dagobert now interfered. "I have an unmarried daughter, named Notburga, whom you will take as your wife, pro forma of course, cause she is only a year old. Then you will officially belong to our family.""The wars of the last 70 years have shown, what that is worth," grumbled Samo. He swallowed thoughtfully the question of what he was doing on a war campaign with an infant."My son, despite his young age, has indeed already fathered a daughter. However, in order to be able to enter into a relationship worthy of his status, you will also take the mother with you," Chlothar explained in conclusion, but he struggled with his composure in the face of his son."With this, I not only have a baby on my hands, but also the concubine19 of this boy," Samo thought to himself, but avoided commenting.The weapons were to be delivered by Easter, by which time Samo should also have his people ready. Hruodi would not be privy to the matter, but was to assist Samo to the best of his ability, giving them quarters and the facilities for battle practice.Samo returned the same day, unaccompanied, to his old yard, arriving there around midnight.Therefore, death had not yet wanted him. If he were to wage war against the Avars now, he would be able to reap all the richer harvest - regardless of whether they were Avars, Slavs or Franks.
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While Samo was returning to his father-in-law’s yard, Dagobert approached his father, Gundoland had also retreated in the meantime:"Why do you trust this person?""What do you mean?" the king asked him back."Have you seen his hairstyle?""Yes. So?" the king replied calmly."He dares to wear his hair long in our presence! If you had not been present, I would have cut off his head!" shouted Dagobert at his father."Stay calm my son," the latter replied to him. "For one thing, a man like Samo would have been prepared for it, and for another, the ban on long hair still applies. But the main reason we don’t wear our hair short is so that people don’t see the marks our ancestor left on our ancestors’ backs. Or are the marks reappearing on your back?"Dagobert swallowed for a moment, then replied, "No. I don’t have those famous marks on my back.""You see, neither do I. But every one of our ancestors, including my ’father’ Chilperich had those marks. So what could this mean?"Chlothar let the last words hang meaningfully in the air, watching his son’s train of thought with relish."You can’t be serious," blurted out Dagobert after a moment."Yes, I am. Probably the rumours that Fredegunde - my mother - so strictly pursued are true, namely that I am not the biological son of Chilperich. And to cover up this shortcoming, we wear our hair long and forbid everyone else to do so!" Chlothar ended his speech."But then why do you let it pass with this Samo?" continued Dagobert."Quite simple. I spoke to Céraune and learned a few things about our friend. He has turned in more thieves and murderers in the last two years than our beadles20. And that’s only because he made it his goal, to find the murderer of his family. That murderer was probably Alberich. Now we have given him a task from which he will probably not return. So he can wear his hair long and loose!"For Chlothar, that was the end of the discussion.But his adolescent son asked again: "But the weapons he asks for...""you would have to have them made in any case, if you were going to go up against the Avars. And so he bears the costs for his mercenaries himself. Otherwise you would have to pay these costs as well! Do you want to spend the treasure that I entrust to you as King of Austrasia so quickly?" Chlothar asked his son and continued:"Just imagine, this Samo succeeds, then you would only have to secure his allegiance and you can easily expand the Merovingian empire to the east. The risk and the costs are borne by Samo and the Wends, while you can consolidate your power in Austrasia. You must first assert yourself against the nobles in Austria, who force me to make you their king. A weakling boy - in their eyes.""But I am the King of Austrasia!" Dagobert rebelled."Yes, in form!" replied Chlothar to him calmly and matter-of-factly. "But if you continue to be upset about someones hair being too long, you will remain only a formal king and do what your nobles ask of you. I had to give up much of my power to my nobles because of that unfortunate war21 that my mother instigated. But I expect you to get this power back. And in addition, you must not forget that one of your predecessors almost died by the swords of the Avars.22. So, prove yourself King of Austria, before you make any claims for more."
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A few days later, Samo sat down with Benno, his most experienced scout from the trading days, and told him that he had a larger mission for which he needed about 100 men with weapons.He did not tell him exactly what kind of mission it was. Only that these men were not allowed to have a family, had to be reliable and had to be in Uburzis by Marian Candlemas.23Moreover, it was not yet clear how long this assignment would take. But it could well be that, in addition to rich profits, there would also be rich booty to be made.Benno turned up the corners of his eyes and wrinkled his nose: "And the whole thing is supposed to start after Easter?""Yes," Samo explained, "and besides, the men shouldn’t be too talkative. In addition, I’d feel better if not too many people heard about it.""That too! That must be quite an expensive cargo we have to guard. But it’s nice that you want to go back to being a merchant," Benno grumbled."But what I don’t quite understand is, why the goods are not to be received in Uburzis until around Easter?""The goods are being delivered there by a merchant friend of mine, and since the men will probably be green boys rather than experienced fighters, I need some time to prepare. Hence Candlemas," Samo concluded.He went outside. They had met at Benno’s house. His children were playing in the snow and his wife was making dinner."Benno, I won’t be able to take you with me. You are tied up here. Your wife and children should be the most important things to you now.""I know, only unattached men. I just don’t feel like letting you go off on your own, with some tramps - a hundred men at that.""Then why don’t you clarify the following with your wife? You come with me until Easter and train the scouts. After that, however, you will return here and stay with your wife and children!""I’m sure she’ll agree - I’ve been getting on her nerves long enough. But you’ll stay for dinner? Burgiswintha has done so much work on this - it would be a shame if we had to feed it all to the pigs."He added the last with a grin, as he had never had to feed food to the pigs when Samo visited.Samo stayed, of course.The two men stayed outside for a few more minutes before going inside to enjoy Benno’s wife’s meal. There was plenty and Burgiswintha was a good cook.
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A little more than two weeks before Candlemas, Samo arrived in Uburzis in the entourage of Hruodi. He posed as a merchant and was assigned a farm in Wood24, about half a day’s march west of Uburzis. The farmers there had had to give up their farms because of raids by robbers and disease.Samo chose as his quarters the house that was least dilapidated and was surprised to find that it contained a generously equipped blacksmith’s shop in the entrance hall.If there was a blacksmith here now, he could start work right away.One by one, the men who had been instructed by Benno to come here arrived. Benno himself arrived on Candlemas. Samo and the part of the men who had arrived earlier had in the meantime prepared the other houses so that they could serve as quarters.A day after Samo’s arrival, a skilled blacksmith had arrived and taken over the forge, and the formerly abandoned farming village was now bustling with activity.With Benno, nine men had arrived who could well be considered "old hands".Gumbert and Sigismund were proven swordsmen. Arnulf a skilled scout, Childerich and Ansgar introduced themselves as masters with the spear. Chronobert’s weapon was the bow. Cozbert and Adiolf wielded their axes with such violence that an opponent’s heart stopped at the sight. Finally they were joined by Willibald, who was well versed in loading mules and horses, and also in making and repairing saddles and bridles.One hundred men now inhabited the small farming village and were divided into ten groups, each ten strong.The men Benno had brought with him chose ten men each to pass on their skills. The remaining ten men, Samo took on personally, were responsible for building camps, repairing weapons and tools, and delivering messages. It goes without saying that among these people, Kunibert was the blacksmith, who essentially ran his area himself and did not let anyone interfere. Only from Samo did he listen to an objection from time to time.Samo was only right about that, because it meant he could take care of things that went beyond the training of warriors and scouts.
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On his arrival, Samo had already learned that Wends or Slavs had settled on the Main, about a day’s march from Uburzis, who still had good contacts with their former lords.So on the day after Candlemas, while the rest of the camp was busy working and practising the use of weapons, Samo and two of his party set off to find these Wends.As they were travelling on horseback, they arrived there after half a day.Samo had left his companions and the horses hidden in the forest and marched on foot to the village, which lay at a ford through which oxen25 could be driven. He was taken to the village elder and asked him freely what he thought of the Avars.The village elder was startled, but then explained that he had left his homeland and settled here because of this plague of land. Samo explained briefly that he was going to the land of the Slavs with a train of about one hundred men and some mules loaded with weapons, and that the Avars should not notice too much of this train.The elder nodded and promised to talk to one of his grandsons so that he should accompany the train, as he would send him to visit his relatives now and then. His former lord, a man named Wogast, would know the grandson, named Ladislaus, and they would surely meet friends there. Samo should simply drop by his house with the whole entourage and Ladislaus would come along.Besides, he could handle a knife quite well, so he wouldn’t have to be ashamed of it, the village elder added with a grin.
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The training Samos men received included, for all men, throwing the franziskas, fighting with the sword and the battle axe, and shooting with a bow, both on foot and from horseback. Furthermore, depending on the type of unit to which they belonged, individual warriors were additionally trained in specific skills.For example, the scouts had to be able to sneak up silently or leave an observation post without finding any traces of them there, such as broken branches on a bush or the like. Certain horn and secret signals were established and once-daily combat drills were held to test whether the individual skills had actually been mastered.Samo’s men practised hard and so it was not noticed that it was only two weeks until Easter when a messenger from Hruodi arrived at the village of "Well in the Forest" and wanted to speak to Samo.He had just had Ladislaus - whom curiosity had no longer kept in the village at the Ochsenfurt - draw a map showing the course of the Main, and behind it the course of the Elbe, the Eger, the Vltava, the March, south of it the Danube and its tributaries, as well as the mountain ranges there. This map also showed the villages and castles where the individual tribal princes of the Slavs lived. Ladislaus also explained that he knew almost all the lords in this area and would safely escort Samo and his people to them.Samo grinned when he heard this and thought to himself, "A clever fellow!"The messenger entered, "I bring you news of your bride, Notburga, daughter of Dagobert, and am to escort you to her.""Please shout this throughout the district so that everyone knows what is going on. Do you think we have retreated here to polish our weapons?" Samo snapped at him. "I will accompany you, but if you say again that you were sent by the king’s son, I will tear off your ears."Samo raised his finger threateningly, but the messenger would not be swayed."Dagobert has been appointed sub-king in Austria and you, as his son-in-law, certainly have higher rights and duties than to stare at some parchment in a peasant village," announced the herald."Kunibert!" cried Samo, "come in and burn some brains into this idiot’s skull.""You got it!" said the called man, grabbing the herald and dragging the baffled fellow towards the forge."No! What are you doing?" was what he said."Let it be, Kunibert. But it should be a lesson to you not to open your mouth so wide. Otherwise you’ll really burn your mouth out one day!""Give me a little time, and I will accompany you to Uburzis." He added.No sooner said than done - a short time later Samo, accompanied by the herold, was on his way to Uburzis on horseback, where he was to meet his future bride Notburga. The official wedding was to take place on Easter Sunday and the following day the procession to the Wends was to begin.Of course, there could be no question of an actual wedding, since the girl, at barely one year old, was not yet a woman, but a small child. Whereas, of course, child marriages were also common in aristocratic circles, which had nothing to do with love, because they were concluded to improve politics.
Notburga
1377 a.u.c (622 n. Chr.)shortly before EasterUburzis (Würzburg)
The daughter of the new sub-king of Austrasia, Dagobert, lay on her mother’s arm in a bower in the castle of Uburzis, which had been set up for the two of them. A few days ago they had been carried off here.Notburga26 was to be married to one of her father’s negotiators, but how was a year-old girl to understand what was going on if her mother already didn’t.For the girl’s mother, this matter looked rather sad. King Dagobert had sold the girl to his subject so that he would feel obliged to do what the girl’s father and grandfather asked of him. As a further incentive, so to speak. He was part of the family, after all.But what could a grown man, a warrior - even if he was acting as a negotiator here - want from a child, even an infant?This man had been hit hard by fate, as she had heard. He had lost his wife and child and since then had successfully fought against robbers. That might make him an honourable man, or was that just a pretence. How would this man deal with her child after abandoning his own wife against raiders to go on trading trips? Had he really only been a cloth and wine merchant or had he also traded in slaves?Hildegunde - the mother - wept at the thought of having to give her child to a slave trader as a wife. If this man should do anything bad to the child, she would kill the girl and then herself.The door opened and she quickly dried her tears. The messenger had noticed the tears, but did not address them, instead announcing that the negotiator Samo had arrived and that his bride should meet him.So Hildegunde rose and dressed Notburga so that she would meet her "bridegroom" looking reasonably well.
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Samo had been escorted to a chamber where he could change and wash, and where he could spend the next night, as a great feast had been prepared for the evening, despite the current fasting period.The servants in the castle were shocked to see that he wore his long blond hair loose, as this was reserved for members of the royal family. Men had been beheaded for less.But this "merchant" apparently did not care - on the contrary, he asked for an extra towel so that he could wash and dry his hair before facing his bride.The not-so-happy groom, took off his travelling garment, washed himself completely and put on a slightly better robe. He concealed the weapons he had brought with him in the chamber assigned to him, with the exception of two daggers, which he wore openly on his belt.The travelling garb consisted of the usual hip-length doublet of coarse linen, the leather trousers and the knee-length leather boots laced at the back.The better garb consisted of light-coloured linen trousers, a long-sleeved, knee-length tunic interwoven with silver threads and ankle-high, leather shoes. He also wore a fine leather belt in which the two daggers on his left and right could be inserted.After Samo had changed his clothes, he took a package of the finest cloth under his arm, which he wanted to give to Notburga, or rather to her mother, and went to the ducal audience chamber, where he was to meet "his bride" for the first time.He was not at ease with this matter - what was he to do with a woman on the journey that lay ahead of him, and a small child at that. In the worst case, it would lead to his men becoming restless and attacking the mother.What was Dagobert thinking? A woman had no business on a war campaign, and an infant of one year three times over. This fleet-footed, young king should first get away from his concubines and go on a real war campaign, then he would know what was important on such a journey. A woman was only a hindrance, even for a leader.And Samo himself would probably never again be able to love a woman as he loved his Adelgunde.As he left his chamber, he briefly took hold of the linen bag with her hair that he always wore around his neck and silently remembered her.
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The future "spouses" were introduced to each other in the audience chamber, then they were escorted to the castle courtyard, where they were to take a walk under the supervision of the "maid" Hildegunde "so that they could get to know each other better"."Get to know each other better?" thought Samo, "The girl does have a heartbreaking nature, and as a daughter I would certainly have wished for such a child, but as a bride...." Samo didn’t even want to think about it.The "maid" Hildegunde was surprised. With what she had been told about this man she had formed a different picture of him.The young men who had paid their respects to her so far had been downright yokels compared to this man, even though they were all of higher birth - including Notburga’s father.Besides, he was handsome, strong but not a colossus, tall but not a giant, and his long blond hair fluttered in the wind. Which again showed his courage in the face of the ruling dynasty of the Merovingians, who had forbidden their subjects to wear long hair under penalty.This man didn’t seem to care!They came to a path that led out of the town, past the castle to the west and into the forest, and walked along it.So far they had been talking about all sorts of little things, just having a conversation while the actual "bride" hung asleep at her mother’s breast. Now Hildegunde had fallen silent and was lost in her thoughts."What is it?" Samo’s question snapped her out of her thoughts."Can I trust you?" she asked Samo."Surely, what is it about?""This marriage is not right! What do you want, a grown man, with a small child? For that reason, I have made a decision from which I will not be dissuaded.""And what is that?" inquired Samo, almost startled."If you insist on a wedding night, I will kill Notburga and myself," Hildegunde explained to him, surprised herself that she could speak so calmly about it."And what is the point of that? I don’t really want to marry Notburga either, what’s more, since she is an infant but not a woman. The death of my wife has extinguished all love in me. I could no longer love a woman. I accepted the kings’ commission for this war campaign against the Avars primarily in order to find death there." Samo, who had hitherto kept this secret strictly to himself, revealed to her."If this marriage is not made, Dagobert will kill the three of us," the concubine shook her head. "There is nothing else for me to do. I will kill myself and Notburga!"Samo thought for a few minutes, then opened his thoughts to her."And what would happen," he began, "if the two of you disappeared forever before the wedding? You could enter a convent as a nun or go into hiding as a hermit. Sure, that would also be dangerous, but it would still be better than killing yourself. Wouldn’t it? And you could pass the girl off as your daughter, whose father abandoned you."Now it was Hildegunde who had to think."And what of you? King Dagobert will have you killed. And a new wife by your side, I could well imagine.""If I’m not here when the king finds out, nothing will happen to me. And a new wife at my side? She would only hinder me. I have a war campaign ahead of me with a hundred men who have not seen a woman for several weeks. What do you think would happen if I brought a pretty thing like you along? There would certainly be a riot - and I can’t afford that right now." Samo explained his situation."Besides, it is not you but Notburga who is the person in question. I will talk to one of my confidants to get you both to a secret but safe place. Be prepared, however, that it will have to happen very quickly. It is not possible to say goodbye.Hildegunde fell around his neck and kissed him on the cheeks. "I thank you Samo. I hope you will find your happiness again," she cried and laughed as Notburga snuggled up to them both.The inhabitants of the castle suddenly had the impression that Dagobert’s concubine was now looking forward to her offspring’s wedding after all.
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A few days later - Samo had returned to the village in the forest - something decisive happened. The wagons with the weapons and armour arrived in Uburzis and were loaded onto three barges. Samo, Benno and Arnulf were supervising the work when they were joined by Ladislaus."Sir, everything is prepared," he murmured to Samo, strolling along the Main as if on his way to his home village on the oxford."All right Benno, then you and I will have a look around the castle." Said Samo aloud. "Arnulf, if there’s any trouble, you know where to find me!"The man just nodded.Samo and Benno set off on foot for the castle, having left their horses where they were much better stabled than in the small town on the Main river.During the climb towards the castle, Samo started, "Do you remember the little cave on the Neckar near Cimbren27?""Yeah, sure. An ideal hiding place. Easy to defend, hardly visible, close to the river, but still protected from flooding. If I remember correctly, we should still have wood, a few torches, a table, a chair, a couch and some skins there. Why? Do you want to hide from your wedding? I could understand it, who would want to ’marry’ a little girl.""Not me, but the ’bride’ and her mother!" replied Samo."I beg your pardon?" gasped Benno, "But why?""The mother is as happy with this wedding as I am and has promised me, and more importantly herself, that she will take the life of herself and her pupil after the wedding night." Samo took a deep breath."Benno, I don’t want to marry a one-year-old. And neither would any halfway decent man. And that’s why I want you to hide them both in this cave, look after them and then return home. Perhaps Hildegunde will then give up this idea. In any case, we don’t have to reproach ourselves if she should take her own life and kill the little one too. I can manage with the men," Samo reassured his old friend before continuing: "Besides, we’ve agreed that you won’t go to the Wenden with us. You have obligations - unlike the rest of us.""All right, then. And how do you want this whole thing to go down?" Benno was visibly annoyed at this subject."We’ll have to assign men to guard the barges anyway. Right? The men will arrive in Uburzis today and tomorrow, one by one. I have already given the appropriate instructions. Kunibert is also loading his forge today and staying in Uburzis. Most of the horses and mules are already there. The men can have a good time in the taverns in Uburzis until the night after tomorrow, and I don’t care if they have to spend the night with the prostitutes. The day after tomorrow we will leave before sunrise," Samo explained his plan."You will wait on the mountain next to the castle with two horses while I bring Notburga and Hildegunde to you. There is a small clearing up there, from there, you know the way yourself. Don’t get caught!" Samo warned his friend.Then he explained further: "I myself will then descend the mountain, get into the barge and off we go to the turns. We will take Ladislaus with us at the oxford. By the time the duke and his people realise what’s going on, we and you will be over the hills," Samo concluded his speech."Does the concubine already know? Hopefully she won’t say anything," Benno asked anxiously. "Hildegunde has packed her travel bag and is waiting for my instructions. It won’t be noticed because as ’Notburga’s bridegroom’ I can visit her mother at any time," Samo explained further.
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Hildegunde was actually sitting on packed travel bags. Samo had surprised her with the suggestion of a life as a hermit, but it suited her very well. Her daughter’s almost bridegroom had given a hint that he would have her taken near the Neckar, which in turn pleased her very much, as she had grown up there.
