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
Willfully.
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 300 years
Since 'cross the Alps came those faithless lepers
To usurp the lands
Of their peace-loving neighbors.
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 civilization 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 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 watch
My Lord and Holy Father,
I pledge thee my loyalty.
I shall see this Holy City
Restored to its former glory
And with the authority invested in me I shall claim the Iron Crown
Of Lombardy.
(Jamming)
The time is once more upon
To look to our old friends,
As your fathers before you came to our defence.
And you are?
I 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 watch
Come Springtime:
The last of the alpine blasts had blown
The Franks are still encamped by the banks of the River Po.
Come Springtime:
The last of the alpine blasts had blown
The son of Desiderius to Byzantium hath flown.
Come Springtime:
The last of the alpine blasts had blown.
The banks of the River Po
Are swelled by the melted snows.