Godfrey I
Godfrey ‘The Scots’ Emperor of Francia was a... complex man.
He wore the scars of his strong physique and determined personality proudly. He was cruel, particularly when in his cups (which by all accounts was frequently). He was ambitious, gregarious, and a host of other descriptors which, all told, combined to make him perhaps best suited to take on the task of ruling the Empire at this time. But it was not to be an easy task.
A key consideration for Godfrey as he took the throne was that during the reign of Frederick the Great a generational change had occurred within the rulers of Corrino Europe:
- Barral III took the throne of Aquitaine in 1260
- Doumenge took the throne of Mauretania in 1254
- Carles, great-grandson of Rogier the Conqueror, took the throne of Wales in 1255
- Berenguer, grandson of Rogier the Conqueror, took the thrones of León & Castille in 1252
- Ebles, grandson of Rogier the Conqueror, took the throne of England in 1257
So, within an eight year span nearly all the Corrino Kings had come to sit fresh upon their thrones. Ugues, King of Jerusalem, was the only real outlier having inherited his throne in 1240, and as such was more a contemporary of Frederick, who inherited in 1232, than of the new generation.
So, an active and determined generation of Kings came to their power at about the same time. They had been allowed to rule relatively undisturbed by the previous Emperor while he was largely embroiled in British adventures and a Crusade in central Europe. These kings were well removed from the main Corrino family tree, running strong kingdoms, and their own family legacies. Their ambitions and desires were not constrained by the same loyalties of father-son that bound their parents, and so we find that they legacy of Rogier was fading history. Now, here was the backwoods cousin (a minor count from Scotland) arriving to tell the people in the big city (the greatest kings of Occitan Europe) how things would be. Could
Godfrey come into his own and hold the family together?
That, ultimately, was the question that mattered for all of Europe.
As Godfrey took the reins of the Empire, his only son and heir, was the young (17) Uhtred. He was an ambitious young man, but generally considered kind and promising, despite a limiting club foot when it came to some physical activities. He was also Scottish, as his father, but there was something to work with here, and the court was hopeful that future rulers could return to the Occitan fold to bring cultural stability to the Empire.
B1278.6 Emperor Godfrey decreed that the title Kingdom of Brittany was valid within the realm and granted it and all its holdings and privileges to Eustache Corrino, Duke of Normandy in addition to to his own.
(Player’s Note: as a Scotsman, I was able to create the title where the Occitans in the past could not. Doing so, and granting it to Eustache in Normandy should give him some power (Brittany and Normandy), while limiting the strength of any future French King (should I assign that), and make Eustache think favorably upon me to keep his aid/loyalty if there were any crisis.)
B1278.7 Uhtred Corrino - heir to the Empire left the court for the Duchy of Poitou.
B1278.9 Caliph Nurradin I surrendered his jihad, and the Emperor announced a grand tournament in celebration of the victory.
B1278.11 The honor, lands, and feus of the Duchy of Ascalon were estranged from the imperial demesne and granted in full to Ugues Corrino, First of His Name, King of Jerusalem.
(Player’s Note: another loyalty play to try and keep the favor of critical subjects.)
B1278.12 Aznar de Wyre was crowned winner of the grand tournament.
B1279.2 The Emperor has deemed it worthwhile to commit the troops of the realm to join in a war in Scotland.
B1279.3 King Doumenge of Mauretania presented a demand to leave the Empire as an independant lord. He was backed in this by 3 Kings of the realm - a sizable portion of the Empire. The Emperor acceded to their request.
(Player’s Note: England, Ireland, Mauretania, and 8 dukes and two earls. They had enough of the realm to face me in the field - greater than 100% faction strength - and would likely call others to their cause. I let them go without fighting. I probably freaked out unnecessarily but my confidence that I could win was low, and there were other disruptive forces at work. I was trying to cut my losses and manage through it best as I could. And Godfrey probably made the decision drunk anyway.)
B1279.4 Duke André of Aragon swears fealty to the Crowns of Francia and Aragon.
Duke Bernad of Berry swears fealty to the Crowns of Francia and France.
Duke Clotaire of Anjou swears fealty to the Crowns of Francia and France.
Duke Barthélémi of Valois swears fealty to the Crowns of Francia and France.
B1279.5 Duchess Bòna Corrino beseeched the Emperor for aid in a war against Mauretania. The Emperor could not be roused from his solarium to hear the plea.
B1279.6 Duke Bernad of Berry is known to be advocating for independence for more lords of the realm. Confronted by the Chancellor he openly refused to stop his actions. The men-at-arms were called to arrest him, and he raised his troops in war. The Emperor beseeched the Pope, and Duke Bernad was excommunicated.
B1279.8 A faction in the court and realm presented the Emperor’s council with a demand that his kinsman Aznar be placed upon the throne. The claim was refused, and the call for faithful levies to face this treason went out across the realm.
B1280.2 Battle was engaged at Alhame de Aragón where the slaughter of the rebels was great.
B1280.3 Siobán Ua Ruairc, of the Emperor’s court was wed, with a suitable dowry, into the Republic of Pisa.
(Player’s Note: much needed cash.)
B1280.4 Despite the travails of the realm, Godfrey’s spirits seem much improved about the court.
B1280.10 After dread fighting, Aznar’s claim has been defeated and Godfrey is secure upon his throne.
(Player’s Note: time to clean up this nest of vipers.)
His Grace has revoked the titles of the Duchy of Poitou of Gaston de Poitou, the Duchy of Aquitaine of Robert de Poitou, the Duchy of Bourbon of Stéphane de la Marche, and the County of Empuries of Thierry Corrino. Hasimir Corrino, Duke of Dauphine was ransomed of his freedom.
B1280.11 Girvais Corrino, Duke of Champagne, was ransomed of his freedom. King Barral IV of Aquitaine was freed of the dungeons by Imperial Mercy, and then granted the Duchy of Aquitaine.
B1281.1 Earl Aymeric de Luisgnan named Duke of Poitou.
B1281.3 The Duke of Berry, Bernad, surrendered his war, was made familiar of the Emperor’s dungeon, and was revoked of his Duchy. Count Adriens of Tours named Duke in his stead.
B1281.4 Empress Morag of Galloway fell asleep at 52 and did not awake.
B1281.5 Emperor Godfrey was wed to Geneviva Corrino. Duran Corrino was named Count of Teviotdale.
B1281.10 A victory for the realm at Rosemarkie.
(Player’s Note: that troublesome little war up in Scotland...)
B1282.10 Earl Humbert of Limousin named Duke of Bourbon.
B1281.12 Crown Prince Uhtred Corrino returns to his father’s court, to the delight of many.
B1283.1 Prince Godfrey - grandson to the Emperor - betrothed to Princess Brunissenda Corrino of Mauretania.
(Player’s Note: I may have let Mauretania slip out of the Empire, but I am going to keep their fate bound up in mine tightly.)
B1283.3 The Emperor’s calm continues to pervade his thinking, and the realm benefits.
B1283.12 The Empire declared war on Scotland to press Princess Deidre’s claim for the throne.
(Note: a peculiar gap in the record opens in this period. Clearly the realm was generally quiet, and Francia had not put it’s full weight behind the fighting in Scotland. This was key to understand because King Aulay I Dunbar of Scotland passed in 1284.2. He was inherited of Eva Dunbar and she ruled until 1285.3 when she was assassinated. At that time she was inherited by Walter Corrino, the Emperor Godfrey’s nephew.)
B1285.5 The Emperor declare peace between the Empire and King Walter II of Scotland. Walter then beseeched the Emperor for aid in a war against a rebellious Duke, and the Emperor agreed.
B1285.11 King Walter II of Scotland has been secured upon his throne at the surrender of Moray.
B1286.1 Frederick Corrino, 2e son of the Emperor was born.
B1286.4 The Empire has joined a war to defend King Walter II of Scotland against a claim from England.
B1288.10 Celebration as King Walter II of Scotland has been secured upon his throne at the surrender of England.
(Note: 1289-1290 again saw Francia protect the rights and privileges of Walter II as King of Scotland, but elsewhere the realm was peaceful and the Chronicles silent.)
C1292.11 Emperor Godfrey gone to the Lord at age 64. Long Live Emperor Uhtred I.