THE ROYAL HOUSE OF FRANCE - outriders poetry project

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© 2009 Max Wickert
whore, how dare you come to my country and to remind me of a bastard who knows not who his
father is? To make it worse, you tell me that he wants me as a servant in his council chamber--he,
who is not worthy to be a servant of mine. You traitors, who have betrayed and murdered the man
who in justice should be King of France, you have come to your death.” And he commanded them
to be seized. But the Duke and Solomon put their hands to their swords and the alarm was
sounded. Gerard left the hall and his men drew on the ambassadors; they would there have been
killed had not Miles, Gerard’s brother, asked the ambassadors to yield themselves to him and taken
them upstairs with him. keeping them well guarded. Gerard wished to have them killed, but Miles
prevailed to have them sent to prison in Tremogna.
When this was done, Gerard with a great army overran the whole realm of France, with much
robbing and killing and devastation of the land. News reached Paris of Gerard’s depravations and
crimes, and of Duke Namo’s and Solomon’s imprisonment. Charles bit his hands for sorrow and
assembled his Council, complaining to it about Duke Gerard and demanding vengeance. Above all
he directed his complaints to Bernard of Clairmont, and that lord offered himself and his sons
against whoever opposed the crown of France. Charles gathered a great host and with the aid of his
nobles entered Burgundy, wreaking vengeance for Gerard’s crimes. Since it was known that Duke
Namo and Solomon were kept in prison at Tremogna, he struck camp there and besieged the town.
Gerard, on his part, assembled his army and one night attacked the camp on the side kept by the
King of Hungary. In the course of the night, he killed three thousand Christians and robbed their
tents, that is whatever wealth they contained. When help for the camp arrived, Gerard retreated to
one of his castles. He and his nobles repeatedly made such sorties.
Charles stayed with his army at Tremogna for four months, since he had no success. Then he gave
order to assault the town with many engines, and in that battle eight thousand Christians died.