Before Plantagenet - Chapter 117
March 1103 - Poitiers, France
Geoffrey stood in an open green field, under the cloudy sky, the wind blowing the bangs of his brown hair upward. It was a cold wind, the type common in early March, enough so that he pulled his cloak tighter around his body.
He glanced at his entourage. Many did the same, including Count Alias of Perigord and Prince-Bishop Leonard. Renaud, commander of Anjou’s forces, added vocal complaint for good measure.
“I think if he keeps us waiting much longer, that you forget your squabbles with your cousin and join forces against him,” Renaud said. “Or tie him up and leave him in this field. Surely the realm would thank you.”
The Duke of Aquitaine smirked at the thought, but that disappeared quickly as another gust of wind blew through, chilling him to the bone.
He would not leave Philipp of Champagne in these fields when all was said and done, but if he made him wait much longer, Geoffrey might well think twice about the generous terms he was to propose to his cousin Patricia.
Everything about this grew more irritating the more he thought about it. That they stood here, in a field rather than his camp, was the doing of the king - or possibly Champagne under the nominal authority of Hugues - he wasn’t entirely sure.
But Champagne had insisted this take place on neutral ground. “A compromise to provide harmony”, he said.
He also had influenced the terms Geoffrey could offer. Another compromise - Geoffrey received the title of Duke of Poitou. Patricia, in turn, remained Countess of Poitiers and Saintonge though she was forced to pay homage to Geoffrey as her new liege lord.
Geoffrey would have preferred taking everything from Patricia and at the very least Saintonge. Yet that was not to be - the king and Champagne were rather insistent that Geoffrey not seize the counties as his own. Thus he was forced to make a choice - leave a wounded but still reasonably intact Patricia as a disloyal vassal…. or disobey the king’s will and make an enemy of him.
Given the strength of Anjou behind him, Geoffrey decided his best play was to have an enemy of a countess, rather than a king.
Disappointing as that was, he consoled himself with the truth that while he was not the nominal Count of Saintonge, he had at least returned it to the influence of his family, thus satisfying the dreams of both his mother and father in one swoop.
Or he would, as soon as this was agreed upon.
Patricia stood about fifty feet away with her entourage, which included her husband, Bertrand de Toulouse, younger brother of the Duke of Toulouse, and Count Gerard of Thouars - the man who had once fought against her in Geoffrey’s name.
He had heard Thouars was eager to swear allegiance to him and would have already had he been allowed to. But until Geoffrey was officially recognized as Duke of Poitou, or Patricia herself acknowledged it, that could not happen.
Out of the corner of his eye, Geoffrey caught sight of some men on horseback. Sure enough, it was Philipp of Champagne.
Finally.
He took his sweet time, even now that he had arrived on the field, moving his horse at a gingerly pace, his entourage of knights following in kind. And when he stopped in the middle of the field, between Patricia and Geoffrey, he did not dismount, even after the warring cousins approached him.
“He thinks himself king,” Alias whispered to Geoffrey. “He wishes to show he is above you both - that he is not your peer.”
An obvious observation, but one Geoffrey appreciated his chancellor making - it was better he passed along information in case his lord did not know it, rather than assume that he did.
Patricia bowed before Champagne. Geoffrey did not.
“Duchess Patricia,” Champagne said. “Duke Geoffrey. It is good you both have joined me today so that we may put these hostilities which divide and weaken the realm behind us.”
He offered his hand to both. Geoffrey made certain to shake it as he would any normal handshake -
Weaken the realm? I will not bow before you, you hypocrite.
“I thank you and the king for agreeing to this… mediation of the conflict,” Patricia said. “Though I am disappointed you have not found fault in this illegal act.”
“It is hardly illegal,” Geoffrey said. “When your brother died, I became the strongest male claimant. It, by right, should have gone to me.”
“If you wish to claim that,” Patricia replied, “then my nephew Adhemar, or my grandnephews all have stronger cases than you.”
“Your grandnephews,” Geoffrey said. “Like my son?”
Patricia narrowed her gaze. “Better him than you.”
“My lady, the king is sympathetic to your arguments, as you well know,” Champagne said. “But the matter has been considered settled by your conflict. If you wish to continue fighting…”
Geoffrey glared at Champagne.
Some compromise - he encourages her to continue resistance even now!
He was growing wary of this arrangement. Not just this peace, but his relationship with Champagne.
Philipp had offered an olive branch of sorts, hoping to secure Geoffrey’s support on council matters. He did so… warily. He saw the value in it - he would like another friend on the council and even if Toulouse were present, he was a potential rival to his ambitions in the south of the realm.
Champagne was a natural fit for those ends… but the man was a snake. It made it hard to completely trust him. And this only added fuel to the fire...
“No, it is pointless,” Patricia lamented. “I will not put the people of Poitou through anymore hardship.”
Geoffrey resisted a smile. It was theater, but he could appreciate that. Especially given it was irrelevant - it would garner her little support that she did not already have. And beyond her barons, she had none - Thouars wished for Geoffrey and Uc of Lusignan had struck his banner for Marguerite.
“A most gracious lady, they could not have prayed for,” Champagne said. He looked to Geoffrey. “Will you propose your terms, Duke Geoffrey?”
Geoffrey looked to Alias, who stepped forward. The bald Count of Perigord cleared his throat before speaking loudly: “Duke Geoffrey of Aquitaine, and rightful Lord of Poitou through the late Duchess Beatritz of Aquitaine, Poitou and Anjou, proposes these generous terms to his cousin, the Lady Patricia. She shall submit to him as her liege lord, and perform oaths of fealty for the counties of Poitiers and Saintonge. She shall renounce herself as the liege lord to Gerard of Thouars and Uc of Lusignan. She shall swear loyalty to Duke Geoffrey upon her life and the life of any children she may one day have. In exchange, Duke Geoffrey promises to cease hostilities against her, return the keeps he has occupied in Poitiers and Saintonge, and protect her fully as her rightful liege lord.”
“Do you accept the terms, Lady Patricia?” Champagne asked.
Patricia scowled. Her face was a reddish hue, growing darker from the ruby blush the cold had caused in her cheeks. Her husband took her hand, but she threw his arm away as she stepped forward, toward Geoffrey. Before him, she dropped to a knee and raised her hands, while Prince-Bishop Leonard stepped beside the cousins.
“I accept these terms,” she said keeping her head lowered. “And I accept you, Duke Geoffrey, as my rightful lord. I promise in good faith that I shall remain your loyal woman, to never cause you harm, provide you men when required, and honor my oaths to you against all others without deceit. So I do swear, on my life and the lives of my children yet unborn.”
Geoffrey took her hands and pulled her up. “I accept, my lady. And you shall have my protection, as your lord. I shall do right by my oaths, as I have for all my vassals.”
The Prince-Bishop made the signal of a cross. The two embraced. And it was done.
Patricia glared at Geoffrey, but said nothing. She walked back to her group and motioned for them to depart. Her household knights and councilors followed her as she mounted her steed and rode off, but Thouars remained, now free to accept Geoffrey as his lord. He did so with a smile on his face.
“It is a fine day for Poitou,” Thouars told him after he did so. “Alias has spoken to me of how loved you are in Aquitaine. We long for that here after the ill rule we have suffered under the children of Guilhem.”
Geoffrey patted Thouars on the back. While he did not know if Patricia was that poor a ruler, he appreciated the sentiment.
“I will endeavor to do right by all,” Geoffrey said. “And I have not forgotten your efforts - the first to strike a banner in my name.”
“It is with great shame that I failed you in that effort,” Thouas said. “I could not defeat both Patricia and Uc.”
“I find no fault in your efforts, friend,” Geoffrey said. “Tonight we shall celebrate many - your bravery will be chief among them.”
Thouars beamed. “Most gracious lord you are, my lord. Thank you.”
Geoffrey’s own smile was muted however as he caught sight of Champagne, who remained on the field, watching this unfold. He sat on his horse, his thin lips forming a smirk on his fat, jowled face.
Tired of being towered over, Geoffrey returned to his horse before riding over to meet his peer. He motioned for Leonard to accompany Thouars back to the camp. Meanwhile, he and Alias remained back with a small group of Geoffrey’s knights, along with Renaud and some Angevin men.
Just in case.
“Congratulations, Duke Geoffrey of Aquitaine
and Poitou,” Champagne said.
“Thank you,” Geoffrey replied. “Though for some reason, I do not feel you are happy about this result.”
“Do not mistake my show from earlier as anything more than placating the will of our king,” Champagne said. “He did not like how this played out. And he frowned upon you dictating the terms of the peace deal - he felt as though your position as chancellor gives tacit approval to such things. It was why I was forced to take a leading role.”
“And you had nothing to do with suggesting you handle such matters?” Geoffrey asked.
“I had some influence over his choice,” Champagne said. “But I remain a friend of your family. I argued quite forcefully that you should be allowed at least the title you had rightfully won.”
“You mean to tell me the king wished to deny me Poitou?” Geoffrey demanded.
“The king is fearful of one family growing too powerful,” Champagne said. “Your father controls the largest levy in the realm. Now you hold Aquitaine and Poitou. And your father has a friendship with Alphonse… would you not be concerned if you were king?”
It was a charge Geoffrey could not rebut. So he deflected. “I remain the king’s man, through and through. If I were not, I would have seized Poitou on my terms, as I wished, his will be damned.”
“I certainly understand,” Champagne said. “I am ambitious lord myself. It is all a balancing act.”
Geoffrey shook his head. “So you mean to tell me you do not work against me?”
Champagne smirked. “I was once a chancellor to a king too, Duke Geoffrey. I know when a show is required. Your cousin needed to believe she came away from this with some support so she could leave here with her head held high - righteously believing she was wronged by you.”
“So you incite her to rebel against me in the future?” Geoffrey demanded.
“You took her title,” Champagne replied. “She needs no incentive.”
Geoffrey frowned. Right as that was, he still did not like it. “I wonder of you, Duke Philipp. You say you are a friend of my family. But… you admit to speaking with forked tongue - though you also swear you do not do so with me. How am I to trust you?”
“Countess Patricia is no threat to me,” Champagne said. “I am fully aware what betraying Anjou and Aquitaine may bring down upon me.”
Flattery, Geoffrey realized. But also with a bit of truth. While he did not wish to go down this road, Geoffrey knew his levy was near equal to Champagne. Add in Anjou and Champagne would blown away.
“Your words are enough for me, for now,” Geoffrey replied as he took Champagne’s hand. “Your show today was impressive, I must admit.”
“Good man,” Champagne said. “We will have much to discuss when we return to the capital. Until then, enjoy your celebrations. And safe travels back.”
Champagne turned his horse and rode off with his men, leaving Geoffrey with Alias, Renaud and the two groups of knights.
“He will betray you,” Alias said.
A common complaint from his chancellor. But not necessarily wrong.
“He well might,” Geoffrey said. “But it is a risk that is worth taking. Champagne is a snake, and speaks with forked tongue. But not everything he says is lie - he likes to twist the truth to his advantage. I suspect he is honest when he said the king did not wish us to succeed here in Poitou. And that alone means we should not toss aside potential aid when it comes.”
“He controls the king,” Alias said.
“He
seeks to control the king,” Geoffrey replied. “We know he fears he will lose control as a result of the marriage of my sister. If her child is a boy…”
Geoffrey smiled at the thought. But then he spied Renaud and rode over to him, as another thought came to mind.
“My cousin is vanquished,” Geoffrey said. “But what of the rebels? Will my father’s levy remain for that? I thank you, regardless.”
Renaud shrugged. “I have received no word of recalling us. And that is fine by me - here in the south we have avoided that epidemic.”
Renaud probably spoke truthfully when he said he was glad to be away from it. But Geoffrey was not certain if the men in the Angevin levy felt the same way. Still he would not question it - not while he stood to benefit.
“I am glad to hear it,” Geoffrey said as he shook Renaud’s hand. “You too shall be a guest of honor tonight in our celebrations. Not only as my father’s representative, but for your services to us down here. I have heard tales of your bravery and leadership, Mayor Renaud. Such things are not forgotten.”
Renaud smiled from ear to ear. “You are a most gracious lord, Duke Geoffrey.”
“I am a thankful one,” Geoffrey said. “For today I have fulfilled my mother’s dream. When I was a babe at her breast she would whisper to me of how Aquitaine and Poitou would be mine. Today… they are. I have done right by her memory, and will continue to do so for all that have aided me.”
It kept the smile on Renaud’s face and drew a cheer from his knights - men who would be his to command one day.
That worked well, he thought and Geoffrey knew he’d have to work that into a larger speech when addressed all his vassals, new and old.
And as they rode back to camp, he continued to think about what he'd accomplished and what would one day be his. As they came together in his mind, even greater thoughts crept in, thoughts that would be hard to silence...
I was nothing.
Then I was Duke of Aquitaine.
Now I am Duke of Poitou.
Later, I shall be Duke of Anjou.
Perhaps… I shall be more beyond that as well...
