Chapter 2 - 1079 to 1084: A First Victory
In mid September, of the year 1079, Ralf II is found eating breakfast in the halls of Normandy. He has been a courtier in the service of Duke William the Bastard for the past 20 years, waiting for his chance to rule East Anglia, but wanting to stay out of the messy politics that England was involved in. On that September morning, a messenger brings word of his father's death, and his inheritance of the Duchy of East Anglia. Of course, he was originally excited at the prospect of ruling the Duchy because it was a sizable amount of land. At the moment, the county of Norfolk makes up the entire Duchy. Nevertheless, the new Duke of East Anglia, Duke Ralf II, arranges the move to his new home.
Within a month, he is settling down in Thetford Castle. Despite his age of 39, he never married. As ruler of East Anglia, this will have to be fixed. At the moment, his heir is his brother Harduin, who was a courtier alongside Ralf in Normandy. Although Harduin is his only brother from the same mother, Ralf does not like the idea of his brother ruling East Anglia, for Harduin can sometimes be very cruel to those he is put in charge of.
Ralf, on the other hand, is very like his father in style of ruling. He is just, kind, and patient. However, unlike his father, he is also brave. While he lived in Normandy, he was a Commander, leading Norman troops into battle. With luck, and a little buttering up, King Harold will appoint him Commander of England.
Soon after settling in, Ralf sends a message to Duke William of Normandy, requesting his daughter's hand in marriage. The daughter's name is Agathe and Ralf remembers her as being quite a talented steward. William, who treated Ralf like a son in all cases but this, accepts, and Agathe is there within a week.
In November, Ralf meets with Duke Morcar of York, who was a close friend of Ralf I. Morcar, who is a talented diplomat, asks Ralf to throw East Anglia's vote to him. This would put Morcar as the heir to the throne of England. In exchange, Morcar promises to decrease the crown authority. Ralf accepts, overjoyed that the near future could hold the possibility of expanding East Anglia's borders.
As the year turns to 1080, King Harold officially offers Ralf the position of Commander. Ralf, of course, accepts.
In December of 1080, Duke William, the Bastard of Normandy, father-in-law of Ralf, passes away at the age of 53. The new Duke of Normandy is Robert II, Son of William and brother-in-law of Ralf. He is known as Robert the Ugly, due to his grisly appearance from Great Pox and his hair lip.
In April of 1081, King Harold declares war on Scotland over the county of Cumberland, which was once ruled by the English. King Harold musters together an army of 10 thousand, including nearly 200 from Norfolk.
In June, six months after his father's death, Robert II of Normandy passes away from his Great Pox. His only son, a 5 year old boy, is made Duchy of Normandy.
In August, England strikes the first blow against Scotland, reducing the Scottish army of 6 thousand to a measly 500.
In November, Chancellor Rumon, who has been Chancellor of East Anglia for over 20 years, is sent to the King's court to improve the cold relations between Harold and Ralf.
In April of 1082, Maria, Ralf's half sister, comes of age, She is a very intelligent woman and Ralf, who has no love for the children that his father sired with women that were not his mother, marries her off to a Polish Duke.
In June, the King of Scotland surrenders to England, ceding the county of Cumberland. It is given to one of the King's favorite courtiers who becomes a direct vassal under the King. The Duke of York, however, thinks the vassal should serve him, at the very least. For the moment, he holds his tongue.
In 1083, Ralf's brother Harduin dies. He is buried in Normandy, where he spent the majority of his life. Ralf's new heir is his half brother Catguethen, a strong, gregarious young lad. Ralf likes Catguethen, the only half sibling he feels any affection for.
Good news reaches Norfolk. Due to both old age and a hard knock on the head in the last war, King Harold is considered throughout England to be barking mad, and his regent is none other than Duke Morcar of York. Morcar's first order "on behalf of the king" is to lower the crown authority. Immediately thereafter, Morcar declares war on the Count of Cumberland.
Having stockpiled money for just such an occasion, East Anglia is ready for war. Duke Ralf II declares war on the Count of Suffolk, Harold, and raises the army of Norfolk. He also hires a Lithuanian band of Mercenaries on their way out of England after the Scottish-English war. In August, the army led by the Mercenary Commander Svitrigaila, enters Suffolk and engages the enemy army of just over a thousand.
It is a victory, East Anglia losing barely 200 troops to the enemy's thousand. The rest of the enemies, the fools, flee towards Norfolk. Half of the Mercenary army is sent to deal with them while the rest lay siege to the Castle of Suffolk, Ipswich.
The enemies in Norfolk are taken care of. Then, in a twist that shows the current state of the King's mind, King Harold personally requests that Guiharan, half brother of Ralf, be tutored by Earl Harold, Count of Suffolk. Insulted, Ralf refuses.
In July of 1084, the defenders of Ipswich surrender. The war for Suffolk is over, and East Anglia is victorious.
Three cheers for the new two province Duchy! Hurrah! Hurrah! Hurrah!
(Just thought I'd show a comparison between our GRAND EMPIRE and the other pathetic states of Europe)