Текст книги "Eric (СИ)"

Автор книги: Марина Шпак

сообщить о нарушении

Текущая страница: 17 (всего у книги 21 страниц)

Since the state with the feudal organization principle is rather loose, then a mechanism of gradual independent centralization, that is, extension of the basic domain to the whole territory of the state, is needed. Of course – the principality will expand, and grow, including vassals. You could, of course, include all the lands in the domain, but this will not work right away, since people's minds are not yet ready for this. In the end, we get the effect of delayed camber. Yes, while he is alive, everything will be fine, but as soon as he dies – his conquests will again become either traditionally feudal education, or close to this state. If at all, it does not split into several independent states. It was necessary to change the institute into something new, which would allow changing its social niche and the field of activity of the feudal lords. After much torment, the idea of changing the character of the lyre was born. Why was he given to the feudal lord? It is true that in order to be able to feed and arm with it, it was the main source of income in peacetime, and not only, since wars are not always successful. To receive more funds and, accordingly, more opportunities, each individual feudal lord sought to increase his personal domain. I want to make a reservation right away that vassals were necessary and important in the military-political plan rather than the economic one. Such a nature of cases was caused by numerous internal strife and wars, which deprived the state of stability, slowed down the pace of development and often led to the destruction of the single economic space. If you do not take into account the specifics of the regions and speak roughly, then the size of the lena was directly related to its profitability, therefore, it became a stumbling block. Hence the conclusion – you need to change the character of the child, it should become a kind of social status, and not a profitable place. In Eric's situation, the situation was simple-neither the nobles nor the feudal lords of the Bosporan principality existed yet, they had to be created by him himself, in order to occupy an empty niche, and not abandon the business. Accordingly, the lilies have not yet been issued to anyone. So, special problems with the formation of a system of small status lenas, that is, places for the construction of either a small castle or a residence, should not arise. Now the source of income. It is simple – public service, which is very well paid. As in the case of the army, a small number of highly paid specialists was placed on the table, since the title and position were hereditary, which served as an incentive for effective management. Few of this, the growing offspring of a noble family already from childhood knew what he would do, but because he was preparing. The next pleasant moment was that since the incomes were now associated with the title, position and flax, the feudal strife for "bread with caviar" is simply transferred to a place where they are not so ruinous for the country and are more easily suppressed. It turned out some kind of a transitional form from feudalism to state capitalism, when there is a privileged class, but it is under full control and on a "short leash. " Among other things, the entire state apparatus was vitally interested in expanding the domain, because it directly depended not only on their incomes, but also on the opportunity to attach the child to a warm place.

– Eric, do you really want to collect all this gang in one barrel? Rudolph was perplexed by the idea of a reformed system.

– Yes exactly.

Why? Do you think this will change our way of life? We are predators. And get out of the way, being in such a congestion.

– And it's good. Actually, this is what I'm going to achieve. You have to keep your beast in check, otherwise you will analyze the whole state by bricks.

– Let's say we disassembled it, and what's next?

– And then a new cycle – someone forces you back with force. After letting go of the bit, watching as you again drag the country through the bricks.

" Then why do you need all this? "What will you achieve by this?

"I want to make strong grinds and change the order of things. "

– Not too big swing?

– It's normal. I want to make it so that it's profitable for feudal lords not to have large lenas, but a strong domain that feeds them. The stronger the domain, the better it feeds, as they are in the service – either in the army or in the province.

– And who will oppose such transformations, what will happen to them? After all, the feudal lord feels himself to be the master.

" The people who will be against my transformation will die. "I do not want to get involved in useless discussions with an eternally hungry crowd. Everyone wants only to be well, and to spit on a neighbor. Will suffocate – the better, therefore, his property can be profit. And the state There is such an old parable about a broom. I heard?

No. Tell me, if not long.

" It's very short. "Here is a broom knitted from branches. You see, it's easy to break every single branch, but if you tie them together, then it's already not so easy. So is the state. Every single person is easy to break, and if people act in an organized and unified center, then they are already power.

" Then why is the state of Alexei in such a decline? "Where is his strength?

– This is called the human factor. In this case, it just so happened that the power was a rare fool. This is the only weakness of the monarchy – the likelihood of powerless people in power in it is higher than in other forms of government.

" Then why did not you do as you did in Venice? "If you are so concerned about preserving the state.

– In Venice, we have an aristocratic republic. Like any republic, it is a form of government very vulnerable to external force, since influential people can be bribed and promoted their interests. This is apart from the fact that it is not effective. Firstly, it is not consistent even within the framework of the life of one ruler, as it fluctuates from momentary conjunctural interests. Secondly, it is very inert, that is, it takes more time to take a decision in the republican form of government than in the monarchy. Third, it is not economically profitable. The point is that there is a constant replacement of the elite in power. I start making reserves at the expense of the state, exceeding my official powers, that is, simply stealing. They came to the time, and they are not interested in what will happen after them. While an adequate monarch, knowing that he will be inherited by his child, is not interested in the ruin of the state. That is, under the monarchy there is a chance of a person with a weak mind on the throne, but this is only a chance, while in any republican form, mass theft of leadership necessarily takes place. Therefore, I think the republic is an unsuccessful form of government.

– Yeah, and what other forms of government are there?

"Only species of these. "

– Not thick. If you choose between a republic and a monarchy, then I understand you and agree. And with the feudal lords more or less understood, although all this is unusual. But are your steps so muddy? After all, I was not the one who asked these questions.

– I think this will be a problem, but with a fist and a kind word we will always be able to enlighten the masses and give them happiness of understanding.

"We are always ready. " Rudolph laughed and left, and Erik thought about how to solve the problem of informing the population, which the more, the more acute it will arise.

The next organizational step was the introduction of a single legislative framework. The requirements are extremely simple – the text should be laconic and clear, that is, not requiring extensive interpretations for understanding. To simplify the production of the law – "Lex d" Erik "(Lex Durik – Eric's Law) – was divided into two parts. The first described crimes against the state, such as theft, murder, extortion, bribery and other ordinary things, as well as preventive measures. Prisons were not created, because according to the law the punishment was applied immediately after the sentence was passed – from fine to death penalty. Prisoners are, of course, very cheap labor, but deploying the infrastructure for their maintenance, suppression and subsequent control was very expensive and carried little practical benefit. The second part of the judicial document described legitimate documents of the state and ways of their registration, that is, all kinds of gift certificates, wills, deeds, loan receipts, credit receipts and so on. For the application of this judicial in the case in all three cities of the principality, courts were created, where three permanent judges sat. But all such things were nothing more than formal trifles for the future, since the lifeblood of any state is its economy. To organize financial affairs, you need to have a single monetary system and not allow the passage of foreign coins. Therefore, for this purpose, as well as for coinage of new coins and execution of the treasury function, in January 1203 the state bank of the Bosporus was established. The headquarters was in the city of the same name, and in Feodosia and Taman (so renamed Tmutarakan), branches were opened. All trading operations on the territory of the principality were allowed only in local currency, and in case of non-compliance, the perpetrator was punished by confiscation of all cash and goods. Exchange of foreign coins for local was made centrally in the bank or its branches with a mark-up of 5% per operation. In the state, only silver coins were introduced, which were standardized and divided into obol and denarii. Are the obolas of the following denominations? obol, 1 obol, 5 obols, 10 obols, 50 obols. The denarii were minted in a lesser variety and were represented by coins in 1 denarius and 2 denarii. The weight of the coin was determined from its denomination, that is, 1 obol weighing 0. 5 grams, and denarius – 50 grams. By the autumn of 1203, the necessary number of coins had been issued to replace all foreigners in the principality. For the gold coins of the east, the tariff was set to 1 to 5, that is, for 1 weight gold denarius, 5 silver were given. The trick was that the bank did not make a reverse exchange, that is, it did not change local coins for foreign ones. This was a small financial fraud, which contributed to the spread of coins in the region with the corresponding benefits. In connection with such permutations, the contract with the Templar Bank was changed, now the key figure was not Eric, but the Bospor bank, which had its share in the Templars' trade operations, since it placed significant funds in its branches. On the one hand, it was inconvenient, since in the event of conflict with the order, you can remain without a penny in your pocket; on the other hand, it is convenient, because Eric's representatives could conduct financial transactions in different parts of Europe using the bank's services, and not transporting large cash at your own risk. In the Bosporan bank, a treasury was introduced, which was responsible for the collection of taxes and duties. By the way, the ordering and standardization of taxes and duties in the ports of the principality had a very tonic effect on trade – by June 1203 the volume of trade operations had exceeded the maximum level of 1202 and continued to grow. First of all, at the expense of successfully concluded negotiations with the Kiev principality, whose merchants, using military protection on the Dnieper's communications and an organized trade and financial platform, seriously increased the overall flow of goods going to the south. There were wood, wax, wool and furs. The predominant number of trade operations went through the more conveniently located ports of Taman and Theodosia, while Bosporus developed into a military, industrial and administrative center. About Taman should say that at that time she acted as the key to the northern stream of the Great Silk Road.

Unlike the natural course of things, the industrial center was created as a metallurgical center. On the territory to the north of the Bosporus on a small river East Bulganak, by the autumn of 1203, a very significant complex developed, employing about 250 skilled workers. The river was blocked by a dam and equipped with an inclu– sive water wheel, which was used to drive the bellows that injected air or into the blast furnace, or into the refining furnace. The blast furnace itself, having a height of seven meters and a volume of about seven cubes, could restore up to 5 tons of ore at a time. It worked on imported lime ore and birch coal from the Kievan principality, and the air came to it pre-heated, this allowed to get a very good yield – from 5 tons of ore containing about 30-40% of iron, it was possible to restore up to 1500 kg of the desired metal, coming out in the form of cast iron. It was an excellent result for the early 13th century. But at this stage the processing of iron did not end. Further cast iron went in small batches to a puddling furnace, where from it burned off excess carbon, and also phosphorus, with the help of calcareous additives. The resulting steel, even in the stage of the dough-like mixture, was rolled in 10 kg portions on hand-held machines to produce the so-called welded steel. The first welded steel of more or less adequate quality began to be received by May 1203, but this development did not end there. Further work went on the process of doping. By November, mastered two running alloying additives – silicon and manganese, which in the form of an alloy with iron added to the burnt cast iron. And, by the same time, the efficiency of the first metallurgical factory reached the output level of up to 100 kg of welded alloy steel per day, while the bottleneck was a small puddling furnace and a manual rolling mill. That is, to increase productivity, you need to put the second parallel line. At the same time, methods of processing, in particular tools, were mastered. Of course, primitive machines – rolling, impact, pressing and turning – played a special role. The rolling machine had two granite shafts, between which rolled hot steel mass, gradually reducing its thickness. Since the width of the shafts and guides was fixed, the product of such rolled steel was the steel sheets of the required thickness and the same size. The shaft drive was manual – the torque was transmitted by reducing the transfer of massive bronze gears. The impact machine was a steel hammer weighing about 40 kg with a mechanical drive. The hammer was located on the mobile machine. He was cocked by means of a lower gear gear and eccentric. The elevation angle was exhibited in advance, it allowed to regulate the impact force. The press machine was designed for a standard sheet of steel coming out of a rolling mill, and it was a simple construction with a vertical worm drive and a ratio of a downshift of 30 to 1, which made it possible to develop a good effort. Serious problems arose only with the lathe, which, firstly, was needed in several copies, and secondly, the manual drive was sorely lacking for it – either the turns turned out to be small, or the torque. Everything was decided after the construction of a separate hut in which each lathe was driven by a horse walking in a circle. The only serious constructive disadvantage was that it was impossible to process long blanks on it. But since this was not required, because it was intended for the production of crossbow bolts, then such a defect could be neglected. The whole complex occupied about two dozen acres of land and was surrounded by a high stone fence. The entrance to the territory was limited, and all workers were forbidden to discuss any details of the production process on pain of the execution of the family. Since it was a manufactory, there was a strong division of labor with the separation of profile departments, again, this contributed to security – no worker knew the entire production process. Due to the peculiarities of the terrain, by modern standards, the manufactory turned out to be rather low-power, but for that time its possibilities were something beyond the bounds, almost fabulous. In addition to metallurgy, two more very interesting complexes were deployed next to the Bospor. The first was a selection field on which to engage in relevant activities in order to increase the yield of grain crops. The second was the center of brewing. As a matter of fact it was the second manufacture, on which 120 more people worked. The effectiveness of this production was excellent – after the launch of a full cycle a day, about 100 liters of high-quality refined alcohol were obtained. The latter part was packed into clay tanks approximately 1 liter and went on sale as a medical product – for washing wounds, and part was sent to the second department of the manufactory. In this department, it was diluted with fresh water filtered through carbon and silver filters in a ratio of 1 to 4, then packaged in oak barrels into which flavoring fruit additives were added and insisted. After insisting, the liquor was filtered and packaged in containers of commercial containers – 5 and 10 liters. The ratio of medical alcohol to liquors in the production process was about 1 to 20, so the liquor went to cheer in Europe and became appreciated as an exquisite drink, for which they paid well. While alcohol, which went for medical purposes, could afford only very wealthy people, that in the East, that in the West, because it was almost golden. Of course – with this state of affairs, alcohol disagreed in smaller batches, but brought very serious incomes. So, if a liter of liqueur was given on average one Bosporan denarius (50 g of silver), then a liter of alcohol – twenty-five. Manufacture worked on imported raw materials, which was bought up in the Slavic lands, in the first place, of course, it was the Kyiv principality. The cost of production of 1 liter of alcohol, taking into account the cost of raw materials, was 10 Bosporan oblov, this indicated a very high financial efficiency of production. Although, of course, the metallurgical industry was even better in this respect, and if all the products were sold for sale, it could literally be a golden state. However, the metallurgical manufactory was limited to delivering quality forging tools that went literally in weight of gold. Not all smiths could afford them, but 5-10 sets of valuable for 30 Bosporan denarii left with merchant ships every month from November 1203. It would seem strange to organize metallurgical production on imported raw materials, but this is only at first glance strange. It is enough to estimate the value of the ore and coal that were already delivered to Bosporus. So 1 pood of ore was estimated at 3 obols, and a pood of heap of birch coal – at 5. Standing out was the hard coal that was used in the cementing and refining process, its cost was high – as much as 10 obols per pood. In total, the daily consumption of raw materials of the metallurgical manufactory did not exceed three denarii, and the resulting steel was valued at 5 bospor denarii per 1 kg, that is, an incomplete grade of silver of the Vienna standard. But this is so – the price for the prospect, because at first, almost all the product left for own needs – the manufacture of armor and weapons.

Although the industrial center and developed in an organized and very fast pace, but without curiosities could not do. One of the employees decided to taste the medical alcohol. He really liked him, so this fellow managed to get drunk by the end of his shift to such an extent that he could barely move his feet. Of course, an "accident" happened to him, and the oldest son was taken in his place. But it was impossible to leave such a situation without a systemic reaction, so a certain analog of the "dry law" was introduced at the factory: beyond the manufactory you can at least revel in it, but you should not be sober and should not use it in its course. Well, rumors about the extreme harm of drinking pure alcohol in the field of male power. And this is only one little curiosity in the general sequence of production misunderstandings. But the workers became more and more. In March, a small paper mill was set up, which once a week shipped about 200 sheets of thick paper about 0. 5x0. 5m in size, 40 people worked in the workshop. In connection with the unfolding construction, a small brick factory was set up, which once a day supplied construction sites with about 10 cubes of quality, burnt brick. And a lot of other things in detail. According to preliminary estimates, about a thousand people worked at industrial facilities of the Bosporus in the first days of 1204 – they were state workers. The amount for that time is considerable, and they did not all have the necessary qualifications, since such volumes have not yet been concentrated anywhere else. Therefore, in January 1204, the Bosporus Academic Center was established with two levels of study. The first step is universal and it goes all – it includes reading Latin, writing in Latin, counting and a small course of natural science, represented primarily by physics. On the second level, in which there were five branches: metal, war, sea, medicine and management, only a small part of the workers passed. Here, brigade leaders and shift supervisors were trained for the metallurgical manufactory, army officers, ship captains, doctors and officials. Why duplicate the training of officials? The matter is that sets of poor orphans are a temporary measure and soon they will cease, after which the reproduction of the number and quality will have to go naturally. No philosophy, no rhetoric, no poetry – extremely useful practical skills and knowledge. At first the Academic Center was located in several small buildings and had a total of 72 listeners for the entire 1204 year. This was due to acute personnel and methodical hunger, which can be solved only gradually. Relations with religion developed in a special way. Eric was like between two fires – on the one hand he was elevated to princely dignity by the monarch of the Eastern Christian church, on the other hand – a large number of his allies were in the bosom of the West. Therefore, after long-term approvals, a poly-confessional was established in the Bosporan princedom, that is, both Orthodox and Catholic church apparatuses were allowed to operate simultaneously, which allowed to avoid the excitement of the people. Such a measure, though, affected relations with the pope, which began to deteriorate, and quite rapidly, but did not at all respond to the interaction with the Templars. These guys got down to business seriously and were engaged in strengthening their positions in the Middle East by any available means, ignoring the provocations of both Christians and Muslims. As in that proverb "Vaska listens and eats". In that trade and financial knot that the baron between the Antioch, Aleppo and Edessa, then all the participants mixed in, evenly and mutually benefited, which affected the mutual assistance. For the past two years since the departure of Eric, the Templars have twice spoken for military aid to Edessa, which was appreciated and strengthened the relations between these feudal regions. In general, it was a serious breakthrough, since never before such close cooperation between Muslims and Christians did not happen, which immediately affected the level of religious fanaticism – it all of the participants in commodity-money relations in the area of the Edessa-Antioch trade zone began to disappear abruptly. Of course, this situation gave a solid dividend to the prince, as the Bosporan Bank participated in almost all of the major trading operations of the Knights Templar. In all these matters and cares, Eric practically did not give time to Morrigan and his son. This behavior in late January 1204 resulted in the hysteria of his wife. She did not care what he did, but he had to pay attention. It seems to be not a stupid woman, and where did this dislocation come from?

– So what? Eric's face showed no emotion.

– Like what ? ! Do you still ask?

Yes! Do you need something? Servants can not fulfill your errand?

Yes! Yes! I need something!

– So say it. Why are you even trying to scream? For you before this was not. You are ill?

– Why scream ? ! Don't you understand? As soon as we officially married, you practically left me. So – you come to visit, say hello, passing by. Even you spend the night often in this terrible monster, which you call manufactory. Is it possible to sleep with hot pieces of iron more pleasantly than with me?

– Are you jealous of me to the gland? Eric snorted.

– And there's nothing funny about it. When was the last time we normally communicated, walked, went on horseback riding? You leave before sunrise, you come with sunset, or you do not come at all. I see you on holidays! Even your son will not recognize you. How do you like that?

– Honey, you must understand – either the state or the family. Do you like being a princess? Do you want to go to the village again in ragged clothes?

" Family is sacred! "You can not treat her like that! Do not you really love me? "Eric continued to look at her with an unabashed gaze, which did not express any feelings, only raised his eyebrow in puzzlement. – Well, you're a bastard! How do you even wear the earth!

"Like all other people, it's on its surface. "

– Are you kidding me?

– No, I honestly answer your questions.

" Understand, I can not do this anymore. "I feel abandoned. To me it is sick and it is a shame.

– Darling, and no one said that it will be easy. Or did you think that the rulers live in paradise?

" Why not! "I remember well how mercenaries climb into this paradise and organize a blood bath. They do not kill in paradise.

– I am not talking about that.

– And about what?

" Look at Alexei the Angel. "It seems that the emperor is once a mighty empire, and what does he do? Having taken the throne, he began to burn life in his own pleasure. What a finale it ends you, I hope, guess. Am I right?

"He will be overthrown by the Crusaders this year? "

– True, but not only that. The guys will tear his empire into pieces, since they are very greedy. He will lose not only the throne, but also the empire, which his ancestors collected according to the crumbs. And all because instead of engaging in public affairs, he lounges and spends his days in idle entertainment. Do you want me to become like my overlord and start a business in the principality?

"But, Eric, can not you give us a little time to pay attention to me and my son? "

– The expanded manufacture now only just rises on legs, behind it the supervision is necessary, and active. If I miss something now, tomorrow it will come to me either with bad armor or with fragile arcs of arbalests. Do you want my army to be weak at a critical moment and I'm dead?

– What are you talking about ? ! Your army is very strong.

" Do not be silly, I do not have any army yet, those two hundred soldiers are the maximum of a good squad. "In addition to the core of eight or nine hundred perfectly armed soldiers, I need auxiliary parts. And they all need to be well equipped, otherwise the losses will be very impressive. Honey, very difficult times are approaching, when we will have to fight a lot, relying only on our own strength. And the enemy will often not only be a great number, but also strong.

" Where did you get all this from? "Who will attack us?

– Everyone has their little secrets. I can not answer this question. From the east will come a mighty force, which will be very difficult to stop.

– Well, let's assume all this for granted, but I'm not iron. Give us at least an hour a day for me.

– One hour before lunch I will send a courier who will inform you about where I have dinner, so you can drive up and we could talk. Lunch plus a short walk after. Will this satisfy you?

Excellent! Then let's sleep, and that time is later.

Eric somewhat cunning. The fact is that he dined usually if not on the go, then in the field. So his kind wife was waiting for a kind of surprise, devoid of any aesthetic. So much the better – at least he will see where her husband is disappearing and what she does. Control the beginning of production was very costly in time and effort, but it was necessary. After all, as you know, without a good kick, even hedgehogs do not fly, but people even more – just started, they are already messing around. Of course, walks were mainly on the workshops of the manufactory. Occasionally on construction sites and other less important places of mandatory presence. Within a couple of weeks, Morrigan howled with such happiness and received the Academic Center in her charge to fill her leisure with useful things. And since he was in a rather deplorable state, the work there was – no end. By February, there was preparation of the existing squad, which was slowly brought to two full mouths at the expense of additionally recruiting for the contest, to active actions. Their order was brought in order, and Demeter provided good naves with teams. It remained only to give the order and to advance on the march. The equipment was the same as in the military campaign of 1202 – chain armor, brigantines, sweatpans and crossbows. Yes, the manufactory has already mastered the production of armor plates from the new steel, but they were produced very slowly – 5 sets a week and were completed with them, first of all, officers. Plate armor was made by hot stamping of steel sheets on a manual press with subsequent cementation of the outer side for 1/10 of the thickness. At the same time, the development of the cold stamping of the "mountain" -shaped plates for flaky armor, which was intended to be equipped with auxiliary troops, was in progress, and only one set was made, which was subjected to test tests. With arms, things were even worse – crossbow arcs were made by forge welding from a set of long, thin and narrow steel plates, which were pre-forged, saturated with carbon on one side, and collected in a bag. The result was a kind of welded spring, which after finishing the forging molding came to the machining – it made grooves for fastening and a cutout for the block of eccentrics. The arc was not made entirely, but in halves, in the same form it was attached to the bed, which was partially made of steel, partly of oak. Blocks of eccentrics were made of steel by a set of cut plates in a bag. In general, on February 1, 1204, at the Bosporus military depot, there were only five such crossbows and about 500 all-metal bolts to them. They were put up with a goat's leg, having a tension of about 250 kg, and since the working stroke was large enough, the cocking did not cause any problems and was rather mild. The crossbow sent a fifty-gram steel bolt for a distance of 300 meters, and with 120 punched chain mail, put on aketon. In general – a solid apparatus, only one minus – very expensive and extremely difficult to produce, for a year its manufacture can only make 250-260 pieces. In general, with the new crossbows there were a lot of misunderstandings, beginning with attempts at theft on the test site and ending with misunderstanding, for which the warriors need to be armed with expensive items that have only a cost of about three Bosporan denarii apiece.