Chapter 159: Chapter 159 - The Council Reports on Jerusalem and Syria
May 20th, 1181 - Jerusalem
The late morning light poured through the high windows of the audience chamber, diffused and golden, catching in the polished marble floor and glinting off the gilded edges of the council table. King Baldwin IV sat at its head, his thin frame wrapped in a mantle of deep crimson edged with fur, his fingers resting lightly on the arm of his chair. He had summoned his principal advisors to hear updates on the progress of his great works—both in the Holy City and in the newly secured lands of Syria.
Around him were gathered the familiar faces of his inner circle: the Justiciar, Sir Godrey of Ibelin; the Chancellor, Brother Thomas; the Treasurer, Sir Martin; several senior engineers and masons’ representatives; and a handful of trusted captains who had overseen recent developments in the north.
Baldwin began without ceremony, his clear, slightly hoarse voice filling the room.
"Well, my lords, it has been some weeks since we last met in full session. I would have an accounting of our labors—particularly the works in Jerusalem. Sir Godrey, begin with the walls."
The Justiciar inclined his head and consulted a sheaf of parchment. "Sire, the construction of the second curtain wall proceeds apace. The masons have finished the foundations along the northern and western stretches. These sections are already rising to the height of a man’s shoulder. The eastern and southern works have been slower due to the rocky terrain and the need to reroute certain drainage channels, but progress remains steady. We expect the full circuit to be complete within three years, weather and supply permitting."
Baldwin nodded, his mind already picturing the doubled fortifications. "And the plan for the districts between the old and the new wall?"
At this, one of the master masons—an older man named Renaud of Tours—stepped forward. "Your Grace, the land between the walls has been surveyed and marked. The space will be divided into new districts for merchants, artisans, and families from the more crowded quarters of the old city. Roads are being laid now, in broad avenues that will connect the gates of the new wall directly to the main arteries of the old. The design allows for ease of movement for both commerce and defense. Workmen have begun clearing ground in the northwest quarter where the first of these districts will rise."
Brother Thomas, the Chancellor, added, "The placement is deliberate, Sire—by moving new habitations here, we thin the press of people in the old city and make room for your planned Royal Forum."
"Yes," Baldwin said with a faint smile. "Tell me of that."
The Treasurer spoke next, his voice eager. "Sire, as directed, we have begun discreet purchases of properties around the Tower of David, including several warehouses and aging residences. Compensation is being offered at generous rates, which has helped avoid disputes. These buildings will be demolished once the owners have vacated, and in their place will rise the Royal Forum—a grand square with arcaded buildings for the courts, a new treasury hall, and a basilica for state ceremonies. This will be the beating heart of your reformed administration."
Baldwin leaned back, pleased. "The Royal Forum must be a symbol as much as a seat of power. Let it show that Jerusalem is no longer a mere fortress or relic—it is the capital of a living, ordered kingdom."
He turned his gaze to the engineers. "Have you determined the materials?"
"Aye, Sire," Renaud replied. "Stone from the quarries at Mizpeh for the outer facings, and the same cement mixture we are using on the curtain walls—stronger and faster to set than lime mortar alone. It allows us to build quickly without sacrificing strength."
"Good," Baldwin said. "I would have the Forum complete within my reign."
The conversation shifted northward. Sir Godrey reported on Syria, his tone measured but quietly optimistic. "In Damascus and the surrounding territories, the new farming initiatives are well underway. The irrigation channels repaired last winter have doubled crop yields in the Ghouta plain. New water mills on the Barada River are grinding grain for both the city and the army’s supply. The rural markets have reopened, and trade caravans from the Orontes Valley arrive without incident."
The King’s brows rose slightly. "And no rumblings of rebellion?"
"Surprisingly little, Sire," Sir Godrey replied. "The peasantry find the new courts and legal protections to be more favorable than under Saracen lords. With the reforms you enacted—particularly the right to petition royal officials directly—they have fewer grievances. Taxes are steady but not harsh, and the stability of the roads has encouraged loyalty, or at least quiet acceptance."
Brother Thomas added, "In Aleppo, Homs, and Baalbek, the people seem more concerned with daily survival and trade than with rising against us. The garrisons have been kept supplied and paid on time, which has prevented mutinies among the local levies. Even the imposition of the jizya has been accepted with little resistance, so long as they are assured it buys their safety."
Baldwin allowed himself a faint smile. "Then our reforms bear fruit, both in stone and in law. The Saracens may have called us invaders, but the people see now that a just ruler can wear the crown of Jerusalem, whatever his birth or faith."
The Treasurer shifted his parchments. "Sire, one other matter—revenue from the Syrian territories has exceeded projections. The port duties from Latakia and Tripoli have increased, and the caravan tolls on the routes through Damascus alone will cover the cost of two more galleys for the royal fleet."
Baldwin gave a short nod. "Those galleys will be needed. The sea is our other wall."
The meeting continued for another hour, with detailed discussions on the sourcing of timber for the new districts, the training of masons in the cement technique, and the slow but steady resettlement of Christian refugees into the reclaimed lands. All the while, Baldwin’s mind kept circling back to the image of his city—two strong walls encircling a living, breathing capital, crowned by the Royal Forum at the Tower of David.
When the council finally adjourned, he remained in his chair for a long moment, gazing out through the windows toward the skyline of Jerusalem. The sounds of construction drifted faintly on the breeze—hammers striking stone, saws working through timber, the creak of cranes lifting blocks into place. The city was changing, growing stronger, more secure.
For the first time in many months, Baldwin felt not only the weight of his crown, but also the deep satisfaction of a ruler whose plans were taking shape exactly as envisioned.