Chapter 144: Construction of Monuments

With a relatively stable peace encapsulating the mountainous region of Tyrol following Berengar's conquest, the young Count took the time to establish the construction of several monuments since his return. Each monument was crafted for different aspects of propaganda. The first of these monuments to be constructed was intended to represent the personal glory and authority of Berengar von Kufstein. The monument was constructed on a similar scale and design to that of the Hermannsdenkmal statue from Germany in Berengar's previous life.

The monument was placed on a hill above the city of Kufstein, which overlooked its region as an eternal guardian. The large statue was meticulously crafted out of bronze to represent Berengar's figure perfectly. The statue itself was designed with Berengar mounted upon his trusty steed Erwin, though the horse itself lacked his barding, and Berengar was dressed in his exquisite three quarter's plate armor. With a pair of cavalry boots that went up to the knees of his Landschneckt like attire, the statue was designed without Berengar's waffenrock, his iron skull cap, and feathered cap. In one hand, Berengar held his 1417 Heavy Cavalry saber and pointed it in the direction of the city of Rome.

The position of the statue, and especially that of its sword, was a twofold statement. First and foremost, brandishing his sword towards Rome represented the ancient Germanic people's struggle against the Roman Empire. The second meaning behind it was a sign of resistance towards the Papacy and its corruption. As well as a provocation towards Berengar's personal enemy, being Pope Simeon II

Nearly a month had passed since Berengar returned from Tyrol, and during that time, the construction of this grand monument was finished; when it was finally complete, Berengar stood before the symbol and smiled. It was truly a magnificent piece of art and showed that the level of craftsmanship of his people was beginning to advance to the era of the renaissance. After all, Berengar had inspired his people to take up the arts; however, he himself could never teach art as he was woefully inept at the subject; he could at least create a society that allowed artisans and craftsmen to explore the depths of their talent. The fact that the statue was so grand proved that he had made the right decision to spend a small portion of the treasury to subsidize artists and craftsmen with great potential.

Standing next to Berengar gazing upon the magnificent display was Linde, who was holding her child in her hands; she gazed between the immaculate facial features of her lover, and that of his statue and praised the work.

"It looks exactly like you!"

Berengar's grin could not get any wider, for so long this medieval world was devoid of any form of advanced art, since the collapse of the Roman Empire, the art of the European world had suffered greatly, regressing to a laughable point, and yet for the first time in centuries a grand creation had taken place in Europe that was on par with the major works of classical antiquity! He could not contain the excitement he had for the other monuments being constructed; if his personal statue turned out this well, then the others should be even more grandiose!

After staring at his own statue, Berengar finally responded to Linde's claim with a nod.

"It is marvelous; I did not expect it to turn out so well. Truly the talent I have fostered over the past few months has been worth it!"

Berengar was not exaggerating about taking some degree of credit for the project; after all, it was his vision that had come into reality, and without his economic support, the artists of his territory would not be able to afford to improve their skills full time. Though Berengar lacked the ability to create art itself, his mind was filled with creative ideas that could be expanded upon and turned into masterpieces when explained to a proper artisan.

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Berengar would never take full credit for the masterpiece; in his eyes, he supplied a basic outline of the project, and the funding needed to achieve it, which he believed to be a minimal contribution, the credit of such a magnificent monument and the glory that came with it was left entirely in the hands of the artisans and craftsmen who brought it into this world.

The lead designer of the statue walked over to Berengar and noticed the Count's wide grin; as such, he was greatly pleased to see that Berengar enjoyed the piece. However, he still felt like asking if it turned out as Berengar had wished as such, he voiced his thoughts.

"I hope it is to your liking, your excellency!"

Berengar immediately snapped back to reality after being entranced by the monument, went up to the project lead, and happily shook his hand.

"Gerlach, you and your team have really outdone yourselves. It is truly inspiring; this monument will stand as a testament to the power of our people for centuries to come!"

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Though the man named Gerlach knew that the statue was more related to Berengar's personal prestige and the authority of his Dynasty, it was still great to hear such praise. In truth, this was not the only project Gerlach was working on; he was also overseeing the construction of the monument dedicated to those who had fallen in Schwaz, which was being constructed on the site of the Ambush in which Berengar and his forces had suffered on that cold winter's night. As such, the man discussed the progress with the other monument with which he was tasked.

"I am glad to hear that your excellency is pleased! I want to inform you that the Monument to the fallen soldiers at Schwaz is fully under construction and will be finished in a few months."

Due to the much larger scale of the monument in Schwaz, Berengar was pleased with the timeframe. However, he did not have the time to enjoy the statue any longer. He was needed back in Kufstein. As such, the young Count addressed the artisan before departing.

"Excellent! keep up the good work. I expect great things from you. However, I am needed elsewhere, so I am afraid we must save the rest of this conversation for another time. I wish you the best of luck in your endeavors."

With that said, Berengar and Linde left the monument and enjoyed their stroll back to the Castle in Kufstein. He had a lot of work to do when he returned, and as such, he enjoyed the brief time he had with his lover before he threw himself back into an endless pile of paperwork. The Teutonic Order was rapidly advancing onto Kufstein, and it would be within the borders of Tyrol shortly. At this point, Berengar had at most two months before they arrived, and preparations needed to be made as such Berengar would be extremely busy in the coming months.