The Burgundian Heritage - A Burgundian & Successor states FTG AAR

[General_Grant]

Like everyone here, I am new to FtG. In this AAR I'll try to play with one of my favorite countries from EU2- Burgundy.

This country have several paths available, from the royal crown of France and the anachronistical resurection of Lotharingia, to the integration into the Habsburg Empire or perhaps another European dynasty.

This AAR will follow the history of the Burgundian heritage from its humble beginings in 1419 to the end of the game, trough the several dynasties that may inherit it. Wich path will be followed is not yet know, but I'll let this forum decide wich country will inherit it if the current dynasty comes to end (wich is likely to happen, since we all know the fatefull history of Burgundy).

I'll try to not skip too much time between updates, but there is no promises about it since I have alot of things to do.

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The history of Burgundy dates from the early medieval kingdom of Burgundy, wich was centered in a region between Dijon and Avignon along the Rhones. The current duchy however have a different orientation: the wedding of Duke Philip the Bold with Margareth of Flanders allowed Burgundy to aquire the county of Flanders, one of the richest of Europe during this era. The dukes secured the begining of what will probably become a very secure holding in the Low Countries if they can keep it away from France and England.

Since the last century, France is torn appart by a long dynastic conflict opposing the French Dauphin and the King of England. The Duchy of Burgundy is in a position to be the opportunistic player in the French conflict: The French pretender is very busy with the English, and can be backstabed easily. The King of England would be glad to have it as an ally to secure its ambitions. But siding with the Dauphin would help securing the relations between the potential masters of France and Burgundy, thus lowering the risks of French invasions.

Year 1419 open as Duke John the Fearless is contemplating the different opportunities available

[coz1]

Sweet! Love me a good Burgundy AAR! Looking forward to this.

I am assuming you are playing the AGCEEP since you mentioned the possible rebirth of Lotharingia, yes?

Good luck!

[James III]

Awesome, I shall be following this.

Couldn't you find a bigger flag picture, though?

[Emperor_krk]

I shall follow. I hope.

Burgundy is one of the most interesting countries in EU2/FTG for me, I've always enjoyed playing them a lot, especially in AGCEEP. Just for our information, are you going with historic, normal, or random AI event choices?

[stnylan]

I think I am entirely safe in predicting war in your future

[General_Grant]

coz1: Yep, AGCEEP, sorry I forgot to tell it. Its definatly the mod with the most possible outcomes for Burgundy.

James III: I'll see if I can find a bigger one.

Emperor_krk: I'm going with 'normal' AI choices, seems the best for a game that may go a bit ahistorically.

stnylan: not only war, but warS. With all the events I don't even have to press the 'declare war' button, I'm dragged in alot of conflicts.

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Also, please take note: Considering the impressivle ammount of events (and even description), I will not write again what is already wrote, i.e. analysing further things. That mostly go for the XVth century, the HYW is very well covered. When things start to go ahistorical I'll add more text.

[General_Grant]

I - The early reign of Philip the Good and the war in France (1419-1427)


The Burgundian nobility didn't had to hesitate much before chosing its side in the war. After some attempts of discussions with the French Dauphin...

...it was clear that to support the English king was the way to go. The yound duke Philip was now an official supporter of Henry V, wich rewarded him with territories in Champagne. Philip was now the ruler of most of eastern France.

Burgundy thus entered the apparently endless succession of war times and truces that were the reality in France since the begining of this never ending war.

The key cities of Orléans and Lyons were vulnerable to the Anglo-Burgundians and were occupied several times. While the English were making progresses in Guyenne and Orléans the Bugundians captured Lyons and threatened the Dauphin's capital of Bourges.

Meanwhile the duke was making several diplomatical manoeuvres in the low countries. The succesfull policies of dynastic alliances were paying dividend, and large parts of the region, including Holland and Zeeland, fell into Burgundian control.

Philip has emerged victorious from the first decade of his reign. Without using too much of Burgundy's military and economical ressources and only siding with the good side at the good moment, he managed to multiply the size of his demesne by three. The city of Lyons, key to French trade, was occupied for such a long time that the Burgundians became de facto the local authority, wich was more or less a fact accepted by the Dauphin. In the North, much of the lowlands were either Burgundians or within Burgundy's influence: Brabant would soon become a part of Philip's growing estates. In France, the war was far from being over, but with Paris into English hands and both Reims (city of French king's coronations) and Lyons (commercial core of France) under Philip's autority the Dauphin would had problems to be accepted as the true king of France and would not had it easy to support its army financially.

[coz1]

Indeed, you are soon connected. Just a matter of time. It's fighting off France once they form. England remains a great ally if you can keep their favor (which gets expensive, from what I recall.)

War remains in your future.

[GregoryTheBruce]

Nice. There's nothing better than Burgundy...I'll be following.

[Scorpi]

interesting, was thinking about doing my own game as Burgundy, so will definatly follow your progress for inspiration.

[Enewald]

A lovely AAR!
A quite huge Empire!
One of the success stories of late medieval Europe, Burgundy.

[Formula51]

Indeed, a war here, a war there, with a little diploannex thrown in, and the BBB forms nicely. French and Dutch...what a combo...the possibilities are endless. (especially if you go reformed :O )

[General_Grant]

coz1: I just have to wait for the events and Artois is mine, granting me an empire from Amsterdam to Lyons.

GregoryTheBruce: It's great to have you in and I hope you will enjoy.

Scorpi: With all the paths Burgundy can follow, you should try something different just for the fun of it.

Enewald: And with the latest events, it is likely that its fate will be different. Well, you will see in the next update, wich is coming soon.

[General_Grant]

II - The fall of the Dauphin and the triumph of England

In early 1429 the English were once again calling for help. Their holdings in Normandy and Guyenne were never safe and a push deeper into the Dauphin's lands were needed.

With the support of its vassal the duke of Brabant, Philip of Burgundy was the main leader in charge of the war in France. For a long time it seemed that the English army just watched deep within its defensive positions, and the Burgundian army had to face the Dauphin's troops alone at the Battle of Bourges (1430) where the troops of the heir of France tried to cross the Loire to retake Bourges. The disaster was complete for the Dauphin, who lost 15.000 of its best soldiers for nothing, as the Burgundian army suffered minimal casualities and was still in Bourges. Meanwhile, smaller armies were conquering other key towns of France.

1430 was also the year when Brabant officially passed the control of its lands to the main branch of the Burgundian ducal family. Realising the key position of Brussel, Philip of Burgundy decided to move its capital northward in order to get a beter control of his newly aquired territories in the low countries. From there the Burgundian court became even more rich and prestigious: the prosperity of Philip's growing empire was celebrated with the creation of the Order of the Golden Fleece. Such extravagants spendings in times of war showed to all the other European monarchs the whealt of the realm of Burgundy and its quick rise to domination in western Europe.

Philip the Good with the Golden Fleece

Despite having crushed the Dauphin's army, the duke of Burgundy continued his advance in France. He secretly hoped to convince the Dauphin to surrender to him. But in 1434, a meeting took place between the remaining French forces and the king of England: despite England's victory being largely due to Philip's resolve to finish the job in France, King Henry was now considered the legitimate heir by the Dauphin. Philip has no choice, but accepted to allow Henry to enter in the cathedral of Reims to be anointed king of France.

This of course meant that Philip was now officially a vassal of Henry, but when the king of England and France orderd him to pledge allegiance (and surrender large parts of his demesne to France), Philip asked him to leave Burgundy. Henry's Victory in France was Philip's deed. He had no intention of suffering further humiliations and decided to openly defy him. And if the crown of France was now firmly into England's hands, he would rather forge his own royal title than accept him as liege.

[coz1]

Wow. I don't think that was the outcome of the war you were hoping for. Better to have had a rump France to deal with. It'll be a fight against the English for a while.

Side thought - the pics at the start of the update are tiny.

[General_Grant]

Wow. I don't think that was the outcome of the war you were hoping for. Better to have had a rump France to deal with. It'll be a fight against the English for a while.

Side thought - the pics at the start of the update are tiny.

Upload problem, I'll try to fix it, thanks for pointing it out.


And no, I was certainly not wanting to create a medieval superpower next door, wich is now hostile and have claims on me. I was hoping to vassalize Dauphine, but well, ... it will be interesting to see how things turns out now, the Burgundian succession event chains will probably be very different. An unexpected turn of events. Maybe the reconquest of France could be an interesting goal, even if not realisable immediatly.

[Formula51]

Indeed coz. Looks like England is going to be a sizable rival for some time. What cores does england have now? Do they also have French culture?

[Enewald]

Now the situation looks scary.
With whom to unite agaisnt England now?

[Scorpi]

Wow, really interesting, can you even remake the lotharigen crown now, or is that event chain broken with capitaliution of Dauphine?

[matt12th]

wow, never seen that happen before. I wonder if England is over their BB limit now. If not they are close. Still you're looking in a good position. Are you maxing trade? If not I think you should be.