The Siege

My Lord King Charles
A state of crisis has emerged
For you've incurred the wrath
Of the Lombard King
Desiderius

Cast his daughter aside
And took another for your wife
He has taken offence
And it's too late to make amends

Our papal lands
Have been occupied by force
And fallen to the hands
Of the barbarian horde

For too long that vile race
Has remained a threat
To papal authority
That scheming Lombard King
Is flouting his debt wilfully

We must stand up and wage war
This has gone on for too long
It's in all of our interests to subdue them
Once and for all

My Lord and Holy Father
This I pledge to thee
Like my fathers before me
I shall fight for the Holy City

My Lord and Holy Father
I pledge thee my loyalty
I shall see this Holy City
Restored to its former glory

It has been three hundred years
Since 'cross the Alps came
Those faithless lepers
To usurp the lands
Of their peace-loving neighbours

Encroaching closer upon Rome
Their leaders wanted to
Capture it for their own
And now King Desiderius
Has started to harass us

Your father was a champion of the Church
An agent of civilisation in the western world
Chosen to lead the people to the cross

The time is once more upon us
To look to our old friends
As your fathers before you
Came to our defence

And you are/I a am the chosen one
To lead the faithless to the cross
In His Empire in the west
O'er the Lord's flock you/I keep the watch

And with the authority vested in me
I shall claim the Iron Crown of Lombardy

Come springtime

The last of the alpine blasts had blown
The franks are still encamped
By the banks of the river Po

The son of Desiderius to
Byzantium had flown

The banks of the river Po
Are swelled by the melting snows