Eric, of course, wanted to stay in Tuscany a while longer, but he had to return before Christmas.
When he left Normandy for Italy, Robert had told him that even though Gloucester had been carved out of the Royal Domain to serve as his Earl's Domain, Robert had no intention of changing the meeting place of the Royal Court. Therefore, the court would continue to convene in Gloucester.
Belem, who had left Tuscany ahead of him, told Eric that the Royal Court convened every year during the Christmas season. He added that there was no more suitable time than Christmas to present the Holy See's proposal for liberating the Holy City to all the nobility and Knights of the Kingdom.
