Chapter 3: The Renaissance Queen (1450-1455)
Victory had come at a heavy price. Entire generations would fight in a war that had lasted over a century, changing the very nature of nations and the lives that were tangled within its web. The series of conflicts had lasted over the reign of six English monarchs, but now, the English were victorious. With the establishment of a dual monarchy over the defeated Kingdom of France, several years of peace were desperately needed to recover and rejuvenate the harmed soul of the nation.
Among the defeated kingdom, there were many within France who were loyal to the English crown, having rejected their loyalty to the House of Valois. Such loyalists persisted to defy Valois rule even when faced with destruction, and with the conflict finally over, the loyalists who remained true to the cause would be well rewarded. England would openly support the new loyalists among the French Kingdom, making sure that France would remain pacified during the recovery that was set to come.
While most of the conflict would take place within French territories, England herself suffered greatly during the war. Across the Kingdom, many farm estates that were once filled with men who worked there was left empty, a grim reminder of the casualties of war. The lack of men to work among the farms and other areas were harming the economy greatly, and the Queen and Parliament were more than adamant to let the population of both England and France recover.
With the Dual Monarchy now strengthened, Queen Margaret I would begin to focus upon continental politics and diplomatic maneuvering as a means to let the union recover. In order to rebuild the economy of both realms, the crow focused heavily upon economic matters during the first years of recovery. In order to effectively tax things, it would need to be regulated. On the other side of the Channel, Calais would become designated as the Staple Port, becoming the sole point of import for the wool staple.
This would see English tax revenues improve dramatically, along with having a tremendous benefit to Calais’s local economy, although this would come to incur the wrath of nearby merchants and lords of Brabant.
With the English victory over France, the conflict would coincide with the birth of a new cultural movement among Europe. Originating among the wealthy and powerful Italian City states, the movement was already making waves across Europe as a ‘rebirth’ of classical ideals was ready to reshape the world.
With an English victory in the grand conflict, the kingdom would be able to reap the rewards as the Dual Monarchy would slowly become entrenched within the kingdoms. Despite the success of the victory, the growth of unity between the two different peoples of England and France must be taken in strides. Margaret I would know this well and integrated the newest French territories directly into English authority. If a relationship between England and France, two rival nations that were once fierce enemies, was to occur then the crown would directly see to these matters personally.
Despite attempts at integration, English possessions in France would be attacked and terrorized by an alarmed population, claiming that they had no right to rule their lands. Because of the English victory, the foreign French citizenry isn’t satisfied with the terms of the Second Treaty of Tours and were launching deadly attacks against English administration. Naturally, this provoked a hostile reaction from the Dual Monarchy, who would send in the troops to put down the discontent.
Among the Irish lords, Leinster’s relationship with England would deepen considerably as diplomatic relations between the two countries blossomed. As an alliance would gradually lead into something far deeper over the years, Margaret I’s grand ambitions for Ireland would begin to be manifested during these years. The Queen had noticed the shifting political climate among the clans of Ireland, especially the relationship between the more aggressive clans that hated Anglo influence and those who were far more welcoming to it.
Margaret I personally met with the King of Leinster and proposed her offer to him. Should Leinster submit as a vassal state of the crown, England would reward their loyalty granting them the entirety of the ancient Kingdoms of Meath, Leinster and Osraige, vastly improving their power and wealth and putting an end to the chaotic clan politics of the region. The King of Leinster immediately leapt at such a proposal, pledging his loyalty to Queen Margaret. While it seemed insignificant for now, Lenister’s submission to England would have enormous political consequences within the next few years...
With Leinster pledging their loyalty to England, many of the Irish states felt the political effects, arousing some and deeply concerning others. Viewing them as an encroachment of English rule and potential conquest of the island, the prospect of vastly improved power and prestige would be enough for some lords to be swayed towards England’s point of view. Ulster would become another state that would become friendly to England, sending an alliance to London in the same manner that Leinster had only a few years before. The Crown, naturally, accepted the alliance.
Despite the financial recovery that was slowly starting to rebuild the economy of the Dual Monarchy, France remained unsuccessful in recovering from their bankruptcy on their own. France was left at the bottom of the hole with no way to escape, leaving Parliament to decide upon the issue on how to deal with the situation. Looking to maintain the integrity of the Dual Monarchy, along with stabilising the loyalty of their new subjects, England would intervene in the issue and grant them a donation out of good faith with the intention to help France recover, something which would do wonders for the relationship to the two nations.
As a subject of the crown and the secondary half of the Dual Monarchy, France would be a nation that had come to resent their new foreign overlords. A subject that had resented their monarch would not be a subject at all. Through the actions of the Queen and her government, what could have been a rebellion had gradually faded out into nothing within just a few years. Margaret I looked to rule with equality, ruling both parts of the Dual Monarchy with a benevolent touch or an iron fist when needed. French aristocracy and peasantry would begin to slowly trust upon England, leading to an emerging cooperation with each other upon the development of the state.
Still recovering from the stress that had harmed both nations during the war, Provence would be dealt with a death blow through an unlikely invader. The Holy See itself would launch an invasion of Provence and simply conquer the entire region for themselves, leading to the end of d’Anjou rule within the region.
With a growing commitment to diplomatic affairs, the Dual Monarchy would come to commit heavily to expanding and developing upon the diplomatic element of the union. Looking to focus upon establishing itself as a political and diplomatic force within Europe, diplomatic ideas would be taken to heart.
After several years of fostering a relationship, relations between Ulster and England would come to flourish. Ulster had noticed the changing winds that were occurring among Ireland and had come to appeal to England. Just like Leinster, the Crown and Parliament would come to offer the same deal to the lords of Ulster, submission to the crown in exchange for drastically increased power and influence among Ireland. While left weak to their own devices, England had promised them the entirety of Northern Ireland alongside the increased power and influence it would carry. Ulster would eventually accept the offer, becoming another one of the Irish lords.
Many of the Queens advisers and royal servants would always see Margaret almost always pregnant, giving her a well-known reputation as a fertile queen who would come to establish an entire branch of the d’Anjou dynasty completely on her own. Despite the loss of her first heir during her marriage with Henry VI, the Queen would have four healthy children since then, celebrating the birth of another baby boy in the Spring of 1454.
With various and innovating ideas of the Renaissance spreading through Italy like wildfire, a number of wealth families from England and France had decided to provide financial support for promising artists. Developing an interest within the movement, Margaret would become a contributor of the Renaissance as the royal family would give their royal endorsement of the blooming renaissance art.
Through intricate political maneuvering, Margaret I would gain the loyalty of Ulster and Leinster and their support. With political interests of parliament shifting away from Continental Europe for the time being, Queen Margaret and parliament would come to reorganise their new subjects into March states. Virtually the entire eastern coastline of Ireland was under control of Ulster and Leinster, who while no longer paying taxes to the crown, would have their independence protected and see a considerable boost to their militarism. The Queen reassured that in due time, Ulster and Leinster will see the fruits of their loyalty paid to them tenfold.
With France being able to repay a portion of their broken economy, England had gathered enough capital to pay off the remainder of the debt that France had accumulated. France would become financially liberated as the economic burden that had weighed them down would be taken off their shoulders, leading them to stand upon their own two feet. The Dual Monarchy, now with the combined economy of England and a recently ‘free’ France, was finally able to stand on their own two feet.
But as the economy was restored, the few years of peace were about to be broken, and a few loose ends were about to be dealt with.
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Now time to deal with the Trastamara threat in Iberia. With the Angevin union in place, this would be fun!
All in due time. The Dual Monarchy doesn't have the strength to fight any major war for quite some time, but smaller conflicts on the other hand...
A very hard-fought victory, and I am sure the victory will do Margaret's reputation wonders
Margaret is already going to be remembered as one of England's greatest monarchs for her victory alone. Her legacy hasn't truly been set in stone quite yet
Brilliant as always. The Angevin mission tree is quite juicy if I remember it correctly.
Thank you for the compliment. The Angevin tree is enormous, it has more than enough ideas to keep the story remaining interesting
Quite the feat for the young Queen!
From a fifteen year old girl being married off into a royal house to ensure peace, Margaret I is now the most powerful woman in Europe, all before she's twenty five!
Thank you for your interest