Kriegsritter Johannes Braun – Imperial Knight
Copyright© 2026 by Vonalt
Chapter 3: Traveling Through the Alps and Into Italy
King Frederick’s party departed the Saarbrücken estate under the watchful escort of mounted soldiers, who accompanied them as far as the boundary of Hornbach Abbey’s holdings. The journey lasted the better part of a day, and throughout the ride the king’s royal guards remained keenly alert, wary of any sign of danger or a possible ambush.
To avoid receiving King Frederick’s party, the Abbot of Hornbach Abbey and most of the monks had fled before the royal procession arrived, leaving only the youngest and most junior brothers behind to greet the king. Before departing, the abbot’s steward had secured the abbey’s stout storehouse and taken the key with him, ensuring that little food remained available to the visitors. The monks who stayed behind could offer only meager fare: stale dark bread and mold-specked cheese. The slight was unmistakable. The abbot had fiercely opposed Frederick’s election as Holy Roman Emperor, and this cold reception was meant as a deliberate insult.
Unwilling to submit to defeat or tolerate such an insult to his dignity, King Frederick took up residence at the finest inn near Hornbach Abbey. There, he ordered a writ to be drawn up declaring that the full expense of his stay would be paid from the abbey’s treasury. Any refusal to comply, the document warned, would be regarded not only as an affront to his authority as sovereign, but also as an act of treason punishable by beheading. One copy of the writ was left with the innkeeper and another delivered to the abbey itself, ensuring that, when the time came to settle the account, there could be no doubt about the consequences of defiance.
The innkeeper proved an attentive and generous host, seeing carefully to the needs of the king and his traveling party. The abbot, however, was far from beloved by those under his authority, and many took quiet pleasure in any opportunity to humble him. This visit provided just such a chance. Eager to make the most of it, the innkeeper served the finest food and drink he could offer to Frederick and his companions, knowing that every extra course and cask of wine would add to the bill eventually presented to the abbey. The larger the expense, the deeper the abbot would be forced to reach into his treasury to pay for the king’s stay.
The following morning, as the king’s party prepared to depart Hornbach, they made one final stop at the abbey before continuing on their journey. There, King Frederick left a message for the absent abbot. Its contents were brief and unmistakably clear: upon returning from Rome, the newly crowned Holy Roman Emperor intended to visit Hornbach Abbey and would expect an audience with him. The manner in which the message was delivered left little doubt that the abbot’s future meeting with the emperor was unlikely to be a pleasant one.
The king and his entourage’s next stop would be Strasbourg, where they planned to rest for two days on their journey to Rome. They followed the main route between Trier and Strasbourg, constantly on guard against ambushes and assassination attempts. Johannes kept vigil alongside the rest of the king’s guards, not knowing what to expect. He was now traveling through unfamiliar territory.
The long daily hours in the saddle were beginning to wear heavily on Johannes, both physically and mentally. The anticipated two-day stopover in Strasbourg promised a welcome respite from the endless riding. Johannes even found himself looking forward to standing guard; at the very least, it would spare him another day in the saddle and give his aching body relief from the constant punishment to his backside.
First, however, they had to reach Steinbourg. The party was to spend the night at the castle perched high on the hillside overlooking the Zorn River. The surrounding countryside was thickly wooded, the sort of terrain where an ambush could be concealed until the very last moment. Mindful of the danger, the king’s guards rode in constant vigilance, alert to every unfamiliar sound and every movement that seemed out of place.
Fortunately, the party reached the castle without incident, much to the relief of the captain of the guard. Johannes had been assigned to ride point, as he possessed more experience traveling through dense woodlands than any of the other knights. The captain believed his familiarity with such terrain would make him quicker to recognize the signs of a possible ambush before it was too late.
The castle at Steinbourg formed part of the holdings that made up the fiefdom governed by the Bishop of Strasbourg. The bishop used it as a retreat from Strasbourg itself, a place to withdraw from courtly and ecclesiastical responsibilities. It offered a welcome change from the larger city and provided him with a quieter setting in which to escape its demands.
The king’s party was welcomed by the castle servants. Their stay at the castle was a welcomed relief from what they had recently experienced. That evening, before going on duty as a guard outside the king’s chamber, Johannes visited a local tavern to learn what he could about the bishop and what the locals perceived the soon to be crowned Holy Roman Emperor.
Dressed simply, he went to the inn, looking more like a man-at-arms than a knight. The disguise put the locals at ease and made them more willing to speak freely. During his time there, he learned that more of the dark-clad men-at-arms—whom the locals called drunken bandits—were said to have been seen bragging about their soon-to-be-acquired riches.
When he left the tavern, he returned directly to report what he had learned to the captain of the king’s guard. Johannes was then dismissed and went to prepare for his watch outside the king’s chamber.
At the end of his watch, Johannes went to bed, knowing the next day would be long, with travel to a place where the party would rest for a few days before continuing on to Rome.
The morning came early, and as Johannes prepared to depart, one of the other knights informed him that the king and the captain of the guard had summoned him. Johannes quickly finished gathering his armor and weapons before hurrying to see what they required of him.
King Frederick and the captain of the guard were deep in discussion when Johannes finally located them. He waited patiently out of earshot until their conversation concluded.
Seeing Johannes, the king motioned for him to come forward. Johannes stepped forward and waited to learn what the king wanted of him.
“I understand you went to the tavern last night, taking on the role of a spy,” the king said. “Pray tell me what you discovered, Ritter Johannes. And how do you accomplish these feats, when my other knights are recognized for their true identities as soon as they walk into a tavern, as you were last night?”
“Sire, it is really simple to do. I dress as a man-at-arms would, so I do not give the appearance of a knight. The regulars of a tavern are more likely to gossip with those they assume are ordinary folk like themselves. I join in their conversations and gain their trust. It does not hurt to spread a little coin and buy a few rounds. Ale loosens tongues, my king,” Johannes said.
The king chuckled at Johannes’s comment and appreciated the cleverness of his ability to gain the locals’ confidence. “Do tell, what news did you discover during your venture last night?”
“I learned that there were several men dressed like the others,” he said. “They were all in black, and they were bragging to the tavern patrons about the money they would receive for killing an armed escort and cutting the throat of an important person.”
King Frederick initially paled, then turned as red as his beard. He found it difficult to contain his anger. In a rage, the king said, “When I find who is behind this plot, they will pay with their lives. Knight Johannes, my young, trusted friend and protector, continue with your disguise. I want you to travel ahead of our party and discover where traps have been set to do us harm. Then return to warn us. Together, we will deal with these traitors and assassins.”
Johannes left the king in the company of the captain of the guard and went to gather his armor and weapons. He set aside anything that would identify him as one of the king’s personal guards. Instead, he dressed simply, like a young, well-to-do adventurer. He wore a dagger at his belt and carried a modest sword, such as someone of his assumed station might bear. He asked his fellow guards to carry the rest of his equipment, his king’s personal bodyguard gear, on their horses.
Before he left to carry out the king’s request, Johannes asked the king and his comrades to ensure that his clothing and arms matched those of the role he was trying to portray: the second son of a minor knight and landowner. Such a man would not inherit land or titles but would instead travel to seek his own fortune. There were many such individuals on the road, and some joined groups that did not always remain within the law, turning instead to murder and mayhem. Johannes believed that taking on this role would make him more approachable to others involved in such endeavors.
He encountered no one until he was about one-third of the way to Strasbourg, when an armed party dressed entirely in black stopped him, just as had been reported at the tavern the night before.
They did not draw their weapons or make any threats. The leader asked where he had come from and where he was going. Johannes decided it was best not to lie and risk being caught, so he told the leader he had spent the night in Steinbourg and was on his way to his uncle’s estate, where he hoped to join his uncle’s household and perhaps secure a position among his uncle’s forces as a man-at-arms.
When asked about the king’s party, Johannes acted surprised and said, “So that’s who was staying at the castle. I was so tired from traveling that I took lodging at an inn, ate, and went to bed early. I never learned who they were until you told me. I might even earn favorable terms with my gossipy aunt by saying I stayed in the same village as the future Holy Roman Emperor.”
The leader of the mercenaries laughed at Johannes’s comment and sent him on his way. Johannes continued down the forest road, then left it and doubled back through the forest toward Steinbourg, hoping to catch the king’s party before the mercenaries could take them by surprise.
Johannes was able to reunite with the king and his men before they reached the mercenaries’ ambush. He led them through the woods instead, allowing them to approach the mercenaries from behind and take them completely by surprise. The assassins were quickly overcome by the heavily armed knights. Those who survived were questioned before being put to death swiftly.
When it was over, Johannes was praised by his king for his ingenuity and his ability to act under pressure. The king was once again well pleased that he had elevated Johannes from a disgraced squire to a knight.
The traveling party made it to Strasbourg without further incident. They entered the city and made their way to the the episcopal residence, where they were welcomed and provided with rooms, food, and stables for their horses. Only then were they able to let their guard down, at least somewhat. After seeing to his horse and eating, Johannes chose a bed and did not stir until the next morning.
Johannes had a restful night in a comfortable bed, free from the itching that came with sleeping in a bug-infested one, a rare luxury on long journeys. That morning marked the beginning of two full days of rest for the king’s party. Johannes was prepared to sit idle and do nothing for two days, but that was not to be.
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