The Annals of Silesia

The Annals of Silesia: Chapter I Part 2

Chapter I: Early Reign of Duke Wlost Dunin

Part 2: The Plot

It was not long after the general council that the Duke of Silesia called for his ambassador, the Bishop Przemyslaw of Berzg, for a private meeting. The Bishop was not normally called upon in this manner by the Duke. It was only customary for the Duke to hear the Bishop's intelligence at the general council. As a Bishop, He traveled to the other diocese and many churches throughout Poland and sometimes further outside the Kingdom. This gave the Bishop access to many different nobles, merchants, clergy, and laymen who gave him much knowledge about the affairs of the realm. In this respect, the Bishop was a very intelligent spymaster.

Bishop Przemyslaw

The Bishop of Berzg arrived at Wroclaw castle and was received by Duke Wlost. The Duke was not his customary self. He was anxious and pacing, and rushed through what he had to tell the Bishop. The Duke asked the Bishop to give up the names of the best assassins in the realm. No questions were to be asked by the Bishop, Duke Wlost demanded. The Bishop gave a biblical response, citing Proverbs 3:5-6;

5. Trust the Lord with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding; 6. In all ways submit to him, and he will make your paths straight.

The Duke was silent. After several moments the Duke reminded the Bishop that he greatly appreciated his council, but made it painfully clear that if this meant the Bishop would not perform his duties the Duke was left with no choice, but to replace Bishop Przemyslaw and send him to the guardhouse.

Duke Wlost

Bishop Przemyslaw was stunned by the Duke's behavior but understood he would not be able to dissuade the Duke from whatever he planned to use the assassins for. With that realization, the Bishop said a prayer and blessed the Duke, bowed humbly, and reassured the Duke he would fulfill the Duke's wishes to the best of his ability.

Although he was a man of high intellect and talent, what Bishop Przemylsaw was not, was a good spymaster. The Bishop had great proficiency in intelligence gathering and kept the Duke well informed about the state of affairs of the Duchy. What Przemylsaw lacked was the fearlessness to find the murderous assassins the Duke demanded. What frustrated the Bishop further was that he did not know the specific reasons for why Duke Wlost wanted him to track down these vile creatures, and for what purpose were the going to serve. After all, who hired assassins if one did not want someone killed. Regardless, the Bishop went on to perform his duty.

After some time passed Bishop Przemyslaw was able to scrounge up some wretched fools from the dungeons, alehouses, and other unscrupulous places. These would-be "assassins" were brought to a country manor some distance away from Wroclaw castle. The men first met Marshall Wszebor who was there with a small bodyguard to protect the Duke and reminded these hired thugs that if they did wrong or spread gossip of their visit they would be executed without question.

One of the "Assassins"

This ragged group of hired villains was brought before The Duke of Silesia. They were given promise that their sins be forgiven and, more importantly, a monetary reward when they completed the Duke's task. It was here the Duke finally revealed that he wanted Count Sieciech of Cieszyn assassinated. These men were taken in by Bishop Przemyslaw, and with his orderlies, trained in the shadowy arts of deception, poisons, and treachery. The assassin trained for a time and then released upon the realm to execute their mission.

One assassin, recruited into Count Seiciech's kitchen, as poulterer, mysteriously disappeared one day when fetching a chicken from the chicken coop. Another established himself in the village of Cieszyn and ran an Alehouse. He used the intelligence from some drunken guards about the Count planning a visit to outside the county. The assassin organized an ambush of the Count based on the proposed travel plan. The assassin and his group of thugs readied themselves for an attack on the oncoming entourage of the Count. The Count's entourage came through the wooded path where the thugs were hiding, but no Count could be seen. The entourage apparently prepared for this ambush, cut the assassins to pieces.

Count Seiciech of Cieszyn

One by one, over the next few years, the Duke kept receiving reports of failed attempts by the assassins to kill the Count. Although it was yet to be discovered whether or not the Duke was behind these assassination attempts or not. It seemed to the Duke that the Count was always one step ahead. The Duke began to believe that someone or some people in his court may be helping the Count. As the years went on and most of the Duke's hired men were taken out, Duke Wlost wearied of his plot. The plot to kill Count Sieciech eventually ran its course unsuccessfully for the Duke.