EN195.01 Preparation
Ott 2025
Z. Era of Askar
War Games
195.01 [195] Thus, I will first write about Black Adel:
Black Adel was the fourth king after Friso. In his youth, he had studied at Texland, and later at Staveren, and then he traveled widely throughout all the states.
When he was twenty-four, his father arranged his election as chief magistrate.[1] From the moment he was made magistrate, he would always advocate for the benefit of the poor. “The rich,” he said, “commit enough injustice through their wealth. Therefore, we ought to endeavour to win the respect of the poor.”
For this and other reasons, he was considered the friend of the poor and the scourge of the rich. It became so extreme that his father was left struggling to decipher his son's intentions.[2]
After his father died and he had mounted the throne, Adel desired to retain his judicial powers as well, like to the kings of the East. The rich objected, but the masses threw their support behind him, and the rich were lucky to escape from the Assembly with their skins.
From that time on, there was no more talk of equal justice. He cursed the rich and flattered the poor, with whose help he pushed through all policies that were important to him.
King Askar, as he was called, was nearly seven feet tall, and [196] his power was as great as his stature. His mind was so bright that he understood talk about any matter. But in his deeds one could sense no wisdom. To go with his handsome face, he had a slick tongue. But his soul proved to be yet blacker than his hair.
When he had been king for one year, he obligated all the young men in his state to attend a camp for annual war games. Initially, the people were not easily convinced. But eventually it became so ingrained in custom that young and old from every part of the land came requesting to join. At that point, he set up military schools. The rich came to protest, complaining that their children no longer learned to read and write.
Askar ignored them but, at the next military exercise, he ascended a platform and proclaimed loudly: “The rich have come to me and complained that their sons do not learn to read and write. I gave them no answer. But here I will give my opinion and let the Assembly decide.” When all had given him their full attention, he continued:
“As I see it, reading and writing must for now be left to the maidens [197] and the wise elders. I wish to speak no ill of our ancestors, but consider this: In the times so idealized by some, the burgmaids sowed discord in our lands. And neither the mother nor her successors were able to put an end to it. Worse still, while they chattered on and preached about useless customs, the Gola came and stole all of our beautiful southern lands.
“Recently, with our lost brothers and their mercenaries, they crossed the Scheldt, so that we are left to choose between carrying the yoke or the sword. If we wish to be and remain free, the young men must, for now, leave behind reading and writing. And instead of playing swing and swig in the mead halls,[3] they must play with sword and spear!
“When we are fully skilled and the young men strong enough to bear helmet and shield and handle weapons, with your help I shall fall upon the enemy. Then, about the defeats of their agents and mercenaries upon our fields, the Gola may write — with the blood that drips from their wounds!
Once we have the enemy on the run, we must continue to drive him back until: [198] not one Gola — not one Slave — not one Tartar — is left to expel from Frya’s dominion!!”
“That’s right!!” roared the crowd, and the rich dared not utter a sound.
He must surely have prepared and written down this speech in advance, for, that same evening, identical copies of it were in well over twenty hands. Next, he ordered all ship owners to double their prows, so that pivot-mounted crossbows could be affixed. Anyone who failed to quickly obey this order was fined. If someone could swear to having no means to commission the work, the rich of his district had to pay for it in his stead.
Now, witness the consequences of all this noise and tumult.
Notes
- ↑ ‘arbiter and “asker”’ (A.SEGA.ÁSKAR) — the name Asinga Ascon from the Frisian chroniclers seems to have been derived from this.
- ↑ ‘left wondering ... headed’ (HIM NÉI THA ÁGUM SACH) — lit.: ‘looked to his eyes’, an expression.
- ↑ ‘swing and swig’ (HWIP ÀND SWIK) — lit.: whip, waggle or seesaw and sway or swing, possibly a game or two different games. In the Westfrisian dialect, ‘swikke’ can also mean French kissing.
Continue Reading
EN189.01 Titles ᐊ previous/next ᐅ EN198.19 Blood
In other languages
- DE195.01 Vorbereitung
- ES195.01 Preparación
- FS195.01 SWARTE ADEL
- NL195.01 Voorbereiding
- NO195.01 Forberedelser
Other English translations
Chapter Z: Sandbach 1876