The return of the fallen king

Chapter 42: Papal sermon

<<\'\'The voice of the people is the voice of God\'\'>>

– this line can be traced back to Alcuin in the 8th century, who wrote: \'They often say: the voice of the people is the voice of God.

The meeting between the pope and the Sicilian king was a serious and somber affair. They were both clearly aware of the seriousness of the situation and the importance of their decisions. The pope\'s words to Charles were stern and clear, and there was no misunderstanding in their message. They spoke of the importance of unity and cooperation in the upcoming war against Conradin, and the king gave his full assurance that he was committed to supporting the Pope and the Church in this struggle. After all, the very existence of his kingdom was based on that. The king also made sure to affirm his loyalty and devotion to the Church and to the Pope, and he expressed his willingness to provide whatever support was needed in the coming conflict.

The meeting ended with the pope and Charles making a general plan on how to resolve this conflict. Charles would build a line of defense near Pisa, obliging Conradin to fight him since he could not remain in northern Italy without depleting all his resources. Meanwhile, a Venice fleet supported by his provencal one would stop Conradin from using the sea to his advantage. The plan was a risky but effective one, and it was clear that Charles had put considerable thought into how best to handle the upcoming conflict. The pope saw the wisdom in Charles\' plan, and he was confident that it would prove to be effective and successful in stopping Conradin\'s advance. After all, they were fighting what they regarded as a small child who tried to make himself seem an adult, but that child did not know the real danger of the world yet. After the meeting, the pope invited Charles and his nobles to enter the cathedral, where he would personally direct the service.

The pope\'s invitation was an honor and a privilege; however, Charles did not really care about that since he had to go because he needed to appear as the humble servant of God; as such, it was not a choice but a political obligation.

Nonetheless, the meeting has ended, and the pope has invited Charles into the cathedral, where he will make a service and announce their commitment to the war against the devil\'s spawn, so he had to go.

The cathedral service was a moving and solemn affair. It was clear that the pope and the emperor were determined and committed to the task at hand, and the assembled congregation could sense the gravity of the moment. It was a time for prayer and reflection, to reflect on their duties and responsibilities, and to pray for strength and guidance as they embarked on this holy and necessary crusade against the devil. In the middle of the service, after Clement IV had hailed the goodness of God one last time, he began a long speech.

"My sons and daughters, the house of God is at great risk. It has been a year since the righteous Charles overcame Manfred and set our holy place free from the devil\'s grasp. As a token of my appreciation, I gave Charles the crown of the kingdom of Sicily. We are all aware of the serious danger that the antichrist poses to the church and to all of humanity. He is a dark force that wants to eliminate everything that is positive in the world and replace it with an era of anarchy and agony. He wants to bring all of us down to this level, and he won\'t think twice about using any methods to further his vile intentions.

As Christians, it is our sacred obligation to confront him and fight back, and no matter what the cost, we must win this battle. To win, we must be prepared to give up anything and put everything on the line. I personally got to know Conrad the Younger, also known as Conradin and witnessed the darkness that doomed his entire dynasty from the start in his spirit. As a result, I hereby order that a council of five cardinals go to Conrad III\'s location and warn him to repent of his unlawful act lest his baptism be revoked and his soul damned to hell. They will also threaten to revoke his right to rule over the kingdom of Jerusalem, the location of God\'s birth, along with his holding in Swabia.

May god have mercy on his soul, for we will not!\'\'

The pope\'s words had certainly captured and held everyone\'s attention. He spoke with great passion and fervor, and there was no doubt that he was truly committed to the task at hand. His words were powerful and stirring, and they stirred the heart and soul of every member of the congregation. They were moved and inspired by his words, and they felt a sense of purpose and resolve to take on the task at hand. It was clear that the pope truly believed in this mission, and he was confident in the success of what he regarded as a crusade. This gave them all the motivation they needed to face the coming battle.

His words were an ultimatum, and he left no room for negotiation or compromise in his declaration. It was a very strong move on the pope\'s part, and it was clear that he was determined to end Conradin\'s insurrection and stop his march on Rome by any means necessary. He was prepared and willing to go to whatever extremes were necessary to achieve his objective, and he was determined to use all the power at his disposal to do just that.

The people inside the cathedral went silent, digesting the information that was given to them and understanding that war was about to come and they had to be prepared for it. After ending the speech, the Pope continued the service and ended it after some minutes. Even though the pope\'s words were foreboding and unsettling, they also filled the congregation with determination and resolve. They were moved and inspired by his words, and they felt it was their duty to heed his call to war. Obviously, their support would not be by fighting but by giving donations to the cause.

Sure enough, five cardinals were called to be used as the church\'s envoys to bring Conradin back to reason. The pope expressively told them what they had to do and informed them that their mission was not to convince but to merely inform Conradin of what he was going against.

The cardinals were filled with resolve and righteous indignation as they set off on their task. They were not sent to negotiate or compromise, and they were certain that their message would be heard loud and clear by Conradin as they delivered it. They were sent with authority and power, not only from the Pope but also from God himself, and their words would be as if spoken personally by God himself. The cardinals took their mission very seriously, and they were determined to carry out their task to the best of their ability. They would not rest until they had done everything they could to bring Conradin back into line.

After the service, Charles met Clement IV before departing for Florence, where he would support the Guelph regimè and stop the Ghibellins from gaining too much influence.

\'\'I bid you farewell, your holiness. I am about to set off with my army to accomplish my holy mission. May God bless you and the church."

Charles\' farewell to the pope was respectful but also somber, as they knew the seriousness of the upcoming situation and the importance of their roles in it. They each had a great responsibility and burden to bear, and they were both eager to get to their respective tasks.

\'\'May God bless you and your mission. I hope for our sake that your endeavor will be successful. Now go, my child, and bring God\'s mercy to the Italian communes and bring them to the right path."

With the pope\'s final words of encouragement and a blessing from God, Charles left the Vatican, confident in his mission and ready for the task at hand. He would do whatever was necessary to ensure the pope\'s success and to protect the Church from the unholy evil of the devil\'s spawn and his followers.

There was no doubt that these were serious times and a great task lay ahead, but Charles had the confidence and support of the pope and the divine right of God on his side. With the blessings of the Almighty and the love and devotion of the people, he was confident of his chances of triumph. So, with his 6,000-man army, he departed from Rome and set out for the long trek eastward, on the next challeng of his life, after obviously sending a messenger to the Doge of Venice to get their support in exchange for more trade rights for Venetian merchants.

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