Kriegsritter Johannes Braun – Imperial Knight
Copyright© 2026 by Vonalt
Chapter 19: An Invitation to Court and Installed as Freiherr
A month had passed since Johannes sent his missive to Emperor Frederick Barbarossa, requesting orders on how to respond to any threats against the Imperial Palace at Werla. Nothing had arrived from Aachen, and Johannes was growing concerned that his missive had been intercepted by Duke Henry’s men and that the Emperor remained unaware of the latest incident at the Imperial Palace.
That all changed during the last week of April, when an Imperial messenger arrived, requesting to be taken directly to Freiherr Johannes. The sergeant of the watch had one of his men escort the messenger directly to Johannes’s private chambers. Only after confirming that he was indeed standing before the Freiherr did the messenger hand over the beeswax-impregnated linen pouch, bearing the Imperial seal.
After receiving the linen pouch, Johannes instructed the guard to take the messenger to the kitchen and ask the cook to find something for him to eat, along with a mug of strong ale to wash it down. Afterwards, the guard was to find a quiet corner where the messenger could rest undisturbed.
Johannes opened the pouch and removed the missive. As he read it, he noted that the introduction varied depending on which scribe had transcribed the Emperor’s message.
Written at Aachen, on the sixteenth day of April, in the Year of Our Lord 1157.
To Freiherr Johannes Braun, Imperial Knight Johannes, The princes are to meet at Aachen in June to debate supporting the Empire’s plans to expand our influence into the Italian territories. I wish for you and Marcus to attend and lend your knowledge of Italian politics, especially your dealings with the Commune of Rome.
The Prince-Electors, especially Duke Henry, need assurances that such a campaign will be successful. Your successes in Rome, along with Marcus’s knowledge of the city, could greatly influence their willingness to support a successful campaign.
I also wish to advise you that your attendance is required for the ceremony at which you will be formally invested as Freiherr. Bishop Reinald of Dassel will invest you with your new position. This is being done so that the nobles will recognize your title as an appointed position rather than one conferred through noble birth. There are rumors that the Prince-Electors are nervous that I am replacing them with men of non-noble birth.
Duke Henry, my cousin, and I have held productive talks regarding his continued support for the Throne’s plans to spread the influence of the Holy Roman Empire. I have outlined to him my plans to move against the Eastern Roman Empire, Poland, and the Italian city-states. I explained to him the significance of establishing Imperial troops loyal to the Crown upon his territory, under your command. While he does not approve, he is willing to tolerate their presence as long as you and your men make no move against him.
This, I pray, will answer your appeal asking how to proceed against the Duke’s troops in your region.
We have worked out the details under which his forces may cross the lands of Werla under your authority. They may water their beasts in the Oker River. His troops may not levy taxes or collect tithes upon Werla lands, as these lands are under your authority.
Whenever possible, your forces and his shall remain separate. Within the lands of Werla, you are the final authority, acting on my behalf. Duke Henry has no authority to usurp your rule over Kaiserpfalz Werla, for you govern in my stead.
Any such attempt would be seen as a challenge to my authority and would be regarded as a challenge to my rule over the Empire.
As a reminder to men both common and noble, I request that you make changes to the banner and field displayed upon your surcoats. From this day forward, your banner and the field upon your surcoats shall include a forging hammer held in the right talon of the Imperial Eagle. This change demonstrates your position and fealty to the Imperial Throne. You shall thus be known as Freiherr Johannes Braun, Imperial Knight, the Right Hand Hammer of the Imperial Crown, a symbol of your authority.
Queen Beatrice and I look forward to your official presentation at Court as Freiherr. We also look forward to seeing Freifrau Adelheid, along with your lieutenant Marcus and his wife.
May God preserve you in health and strength, my faithful friend. You have long served Us with loyalty, and We place great trust in your judgment. Guard the lands committed to your keeping, preserve the peace where you may, and remember that you do not stand alone in Our service.
May the Lord keep you beneath His protection.
Frederick, by the Grace of God, Emperor of the Romans and Ever-August.
Johannes read through the missive twice to make certain he understood what his Emperor had written. After reading it a second time, he went to find Adelheid, wanting to share the message with her. He also wanted to find Marcus, as the matter concerned both of them.
Johannes found them, along with Marcus’s wife, in the dining hall, sampling an apple treat that the cook had baked for dinner that evening. The cook had left several samples out for everyone to enjoy before the evening meal.
Without saying a word, Johannes spread the vellum document across the table so that everyone could read it at the same time.
He considered himself fortunate to have married a woman who could read. Many women of the time were illiterate, as were some men, including those of noble birth.
After reading the document, Adelheid looked at Johannes with excitement and asked, “Does this mean I will be attending the ceremony at Court?”
Then, suddenly panicking, she exclaimed, “I don’t have anything to wear! I can’t appear at Court wearing a sack!”
Johannes laughed and replied, “Well, wife, you will have to sew yourself a new garment before we leave to attend Court.”
Adelheid gave him the same look he had once received from Apollonia. It had cost him dearly then, and he was certain it would cost him dearly this time as well.
“We will need to make a trip to Goslar to see the cloth merchant and inspect his goods,” said Adelheid. “It would not be appropriate to mingle with the nobles at Court wearing clothing made of homespun wool and linen.”
Johannes merely groaned, grumbling about how his own wife was picking his purse clean.
Adelheid and Gabriella departed for Goslar in the travel wagon at first light several days later, accompanied by a troop of Johannes’s most trusted men. To avoid provoking any unnecessary suspicion, the retainers traveled without their surcoats or pennants. The women would be gone for only a couple of days.
While they were away, Johannes and Marcus continued supervising the construction of additional defensive walls and the digging of more root cellars to store food in case the palace came under siege. Johannes had the Emperor’s assurance that Duke Henry would honor the agreement reached at Court, but he understood the reality of men’s promises and prepared for the worst, just in case.
The women returned safely from Goslar, and no incidents were reported between the Duke’s men and the retainers who had accompanied Adelheid and Gabriella. As Johannes had foreseen, Adelheid returned to the palace with Johannes’s purse considerably lighter than it had been before her journey to Goslar.
While Adelheid and Gabriella feverishly sewed garments for their appearance at Court, Johannes and Marcus continued working on the palace’s defenses.
Johannes and his party departed the palace at Werla toward the end of the second week of May. By now, Johannes, Marcus, and their wives were experienced travelers and knew how long the journey to Aachen would take. Father Denis remained behind, as he now had a congregation to minister to and felt it would be inappropriate to leave them without spiritual leadership.
The journey took the full two weeks they had allocated for travel, plus an additional two days. The travel wagon carrying the women had broken an axle along the road, and it took the local blacksmith two days to repair it. It was a minor inconvenience, but nonetheless, it added to Johannes’s anxiety about appearing at Court and being formally invested as Freiherr.
Fortunately, apart from the broken axle, the journey went smoothly. The route provided adequate food and lodging. On several nights, they stayed at the estates of local knights, and on one occasion, they were guests at the opulent residence of a bishop seeking favor with the Emperor.
The accommodations provided for their use were the finest of the entire journey, as was the food. Johannes wondered how many families had gone hungry that night to provide such a lavish feast for his party. He vowed to tell the Emperor about the bishop, though not in the glowing terms the bishop would have hoped for.
They were almost to Aachen. At the top of the rise, the towers of the Cathedral could be seen, along with the buildings that made up what was known as the Pfalz.
Johannes called a halt to rest their horses and have the mounted retainers change into their new white surcoats, bearing the newly created symbol of his position: a golden field with the black Imperial Eagle clutching a crimson hammer in its right talon.
Johannes rode along the line of his men, inspecting each one closely as he passed. Satisfied with their appearance, he rode to the front of the column and took his place beside Marcus. Johannes drew a deep breath to steady himself before giving the signal for the column to move forward.
At the gates of Aachen, the guards initially prepared to prevent Johannes and his party from entering. That is, until one of the senior men-at-arms recognized the Imperial Eagle and the red shoulders of their surcoats. Fearing for his future as a member of the Imperial Guard should he obstruct an imperial party, he shouted to the guards blocking the entrance, “Let them pass!”
As Johannes rode past the guard who had given the order, he nodded to the sergeant in a gesture of respect and acknowledgment, warrior to warrior.
Johannes’s party continued through the city until the column entered the bailey within the walled fortifications. Almost as if on cue, the men dismounted as one. It was not something they had practiced or even discussed, but the display served to impress the people of Aachen, as well as the nobles who happened to be outside the palace and witnessed Johannes’s entrance into the Imperial city.
After dismounting, Marcus detailed a sergeant to inquire where they could stable their horses in the Imperial stables. Meanwhile, Johannes strode over to the travel wagon to assist Adelheid and Gabriella as they climbed down.
Unfortunately, Johannes was told that he would have to wait while the women prepared themselves for their appearance at Court.
Johannes and Marcus waited patiently for their wives. While they waited, they discussed how best to protect themselves and their wives against a possible surprise ambush.
Johannes knew the Emperor had declared that peace prevailed, but he also understood the nature of power-hungry men like the Duke. He would prepare for a potential attempt to seize power, but he would hope for peace instead.
At last, Johannes, accompanied by Marcus and their wives, entered the palace and made their way toward the throne room. Along the way, he passed several court nobles he recognized, greeting those who had treated him well during his previous visit while pointedly ignoring those who had snubbed him.
At the massive doors to the throne room, Johannes waited to be announced by the chamberlain. He instructed his armed escort to remain alert and be prepared to respond should anything go amiss. Their primary duty would be to ensure that Johannes and Marcus’s wives reached safety if danger arose.
A moment later, Johannes, Adelheid, Marcus, and Gabriella were announced, and Johannes strode forward into the throne room.
Approaching the dais upon which the imperial thrones stood, Johannes and his party bowed respectfully before the Emperor and Queen. Once they had straightened, the imperial couple rose from their thrones, descended the dais, and came forward to greet their friends.
This gesture did not escape the attention of the assembled courtiers. Soon, the throne room sounded like a colony of angry bees. There could be no doubt as to the regard in which the imperial couple held the newly appointed Freiherr and the members of his party.
Among the crowd witnessing this breach of imperial protocol were those who envied the young upstart who had gained such favor with the imperial couple in such a short time.
The Emperor motioned for the chamberlain to approach and instructed him to declare the afternoon session concluded for the day. Frederick Barbarossa then gestured for Johannes and his party to follow him and Queen Beatrice.
The chamberlain formally announced the end of the afternoon session, and the Emperor and Queen exited the throne room. Johannes and his party followed close behind, much to the displeasure of those who had been hoping to secure an audience with the Emperor.
From the throne room, they proceeded directly to the private chambers of the Emperor and his Queen. Johannes glanced around at his familiar surroundings and realized he had been here before. It seemed like a lifetime ago, though in reality, less than a year had passed.