Chapter 4: Holding our Own
After all the action of the War of Burgundian Succession, Enrique had hoped to merely take what was left of Granada and let his kingdom settle down for a while. The King had gained much in these past few wars and his goals seemed all the more possible. As the armies marched home from the Italian campaign, King Enrique decided it was time the government started working harder to reach these goals. Enrique ordered that all soldiers would go through extensive training and military drills to maintain a strong military.
Seems appropriate for our goals
Shortly after returning and reinforcing, Castille's forces moved south to Granada. War was quickly announced and Granada fell in only a few months. This time though, Enrique wanted to take some land in Morocco. Our forces would board the ships and head off to Africa where they would attempt to take Tangiers and Ceuta in the name of Castille.
An not a single Reconquista mission
As our forces marched to the ships to load up, a messenger delivered a horrible announcement.
Couldn't have picked a worse time
Our forces, all in southern Iberia, had to make a complete U-turn. The plans for North Africa were cut off, and troops had to be redistributed. The war brought our alliance against that of France which included her vassals, Scotland, Hainaut, and Portugal. Our forces marched west toward Portugal at first, hoping a quick victory there might yield a province or two. But, before our forces even made it to Portugal, they were met by an equally large Portuguese army of 6K. In the meantime four 2K man Portuguese armies were besieging western Castille. England was held up with a large 10K man Scottish army in Northumberland, preventing them from attacking on the continent. Hainaut had moved 12K men into Burgundy's holdings, to which burgundy could not match easily. France had moved to attack our and England's holdings in southern France, and also moved troops into Lower Burgundy.
Enrique saw no hope for gains against Portugal. A white peace was signed with Morocco, and we struggled to control the forces Portugal attacking our provinces. To make matters worse, 6K Sunni heathens rose in revolt in Gibraltar. Things were grave. After many month's of splitting our forces between the Sunni rebels and Portuguese invaders, things were only getting worse. France had control of the whole of Lower Burgundy and all our French holdings, and were moving into Aragon.
In what could easily be described as a miracle, Scotland's forces were defeated by none other than English peasants in revolt. Scotland's army was decimated, left with a mere 4K men. English forces mopped up what was left of them, and in a few day's time, Scotland agreed to a white peace. This was the turning point. England's armies soon made their way to the mainland to counter France. Not, only that, but they stationed two 3K man armies in Portugal, both of which quickly finished their sieges. Portugal signed a peace for 50 ducats shortly after and our forces could then focus on retaking France.
All 18K men in Castille's forces were now taking back southern France. Burgundy, largely ignoring the losses at home, had taken a few France's holdings with their 14K man army. England, in what could only be described as glorious, launched an amphibious assault on Gascogne involving some 20K soldiers. Our forces had largely reversed the French gains, and began to move into our enemies lands. England proceeded to run conquer the center of France with little opposition. We took the remainder of France's southern lands under our control.
France is a mess right now
France at this point must have seen defeat coming. They sent more white peace offers than imaginable, and few pathetic offers of 20 ducats. No, that would not do. Castille's forces pressed on. We undid the invasion of Burgundy and England took back most of their land plus a heap of French lands. Then, in late 1412, we managed to get an acceptable peace with France.
We only get bigger
Our troops returned home after the two and a half years of war in France. A few minor rebellions in our French holdings and another large Sunni rebellion were all put down and our realm returned to a state of peace once more. Hopefully now the French understood that Castille was not a minor player anymore.
We're not doing too bad
