In the Footsteps of Magna Charta - An English AAR

[Katapraktoi]

In the Footsteps of Magna Charta - Chapter VII

Chapter VII​

Dauphiné province of Languedoc, under siege by the English
September, Year of our Lord Fourteen Twenty-two


The horses’ hooves thundered against the dusty road that sped north. Foam sprung forth from the horses’ mouths but their riders did not slow the pace, galloping their way through the French scenery. Time was of the essence if they were to succeed with their mission. Though the news of the death of the king had hopefully not spread outside the doors of the palace, nobody could be sure if there were any French spies that found out about the tragedy. If there were and the Dauphin would be informed, he could seize the chance to claim the throne of France while there was no English monarch to do so. Therefore, Bedford and Winter had together with a small band of riders set out in full gallop to Nivernais where Henry’s son had been born and his wife Catherine resided according to the latest sources. They had to travel to secure the new king’s fate and crown him King of England and Regent of France before the news of Henry V’s death spread.

Riding through Lyonnais, the party had to cross Burgundian lands in order to arrive in Nivernais. Despite the vassal status of Burgundy, tensions had been rising lately between the two allies because of various internal French conflicts that, according to the Burgundians, the English were meddling with in way too big an extent. With the explanation that since France now actually belonged to the King of England, the state affairs of France was indeed an English matter, and a serious such. Being the overlords of France, England wanted control of their new domains and that could not be so while feuds between French duchies – and especially not between French duchies and the English crown – were raging.

‘Faster,’ Bedford shouted. ‘The King died only yesterday, but not a day can be wasted in the effort of crowning the new Majesty!’​

‘No matter how much we want them to, these horses are already tiring. If we keep this pace up, we will be needing new horses well within the next watch,’ Winter cried back to him.​

Taking new mounts from each farm that they passed with the promise that they would compensate for it later, Bedford and Winter made it up north within just a day and some hours. Normally taking several weeks to travel because of the civilian bulk of the army, consisting of all non-military personnel such as cooks, womenfolk and smiths, the journey seemed to the two lords like a miracle, especially with their worries of not arriving in time. It was later recorded in history books as the fastest journey in French history until many hundreds of years later, and some pious people even claimed that it was Gods work to hasten the horses to see to it that Henry was crowned king. On 2 September, in the Year of our Lord Fourteen Twenty-two, the infant Henry of Lancaster was crowned on midnight in the cathedral of Saint Cyr-Sainte Juliette in Nevers, becoming Henry VI, King of England and France.

Henry VI was crowned king although he was just an infant. His uncle
John Bedford had been appointed to lead the nation until Henry's majority​

Since Henry was an infant, it was decided that his uncle John, Duke of Bedford, would be the regent in Henry’s place until he had grown into a man, and then step back to let the young king rule. This was decided because of the fact that war was still raging and England needed a strong and able leader to continue and win the war. Guided by an infant, the lords thought – and with good grounds too – that the army would not, could not, take their king seriously and the war effort would be lost. Someone had to step up to lead England, and Bedford was that very someone.

 

[coz1]

And don't forget the other brother, Humphrey back in England.

A touching deathbed scene with Henry V and you did well showing the needed speed with which the crowning of Henry VI required.

And did I understand from the last update that Burgundy is now an English vassal?

 

[Katapraktoi]

Don't worry coz1, I won't forget his other brothers. I will include them in my coming posts that I am currently writing.
And yes, you did understand that absolutely correctly, please check Chapter IV for the "Henry V is heir to France" event to see what happened.

 

[stnylan]

Nice little scene with the riders thundering along.

 

[Katapraktoi]

In the Footsteps of Magna Charta - Chapter VIII

Chapter VIII​

French province of Ile de France
October, Year of our Lord Fourteen Twenty-two

The Legacy of Charles VI​

A very short time after the death of Henry V, the French king Charles VI also died out of illness. With his daughter married to the former English king with whom she had conceived a child, and Charles’s promise of disinheritance of his son Charles the Dauphin, Henry V’s son would instead inherit the French crown. With Bedford’s close call of crowning the infant Henry, the Dauphin had never received the news in time to use the opportunity of opposing the choice of regent for France, and thus losing his chance of claiming the right for himself. With his father dead and the infant gaining the title of not only regent, but also King of France, the Dauphin went mad with rage. However, with a strong English presence in southern France, he could do not much but to watch the progress of the English occupation from his hiding.

Meanwhile in northern France, the last remnants of the French nobles and clergy were preparing the funeral for their deceased king. The English regent in France, Bedford, had given them a week starting after the burial of the royal body for preparations of an English assimilation.

Bedford and Winter, utterly pleased with an English France, were planning on the next move against the Dauphin. With the French crown secured for Henry, the Dauphin could do nothing but give up. All they had to do was to find him. Not having ever presented himself upon the field of battle, not even in the decisive battle of Berri, the Dauphin was hard to track. No matter what methods the English used, the local French populace claimed they did not know where he hid, or if they did, they did a good job of not telling.

However, the two English commanders had more than finding the Dauphin on their minds. Despite their, for some time ago, close relation to Burgundy, tensions were beginning to rise. The very reason that Burgundy had turned to England for help was to fight the Dauphin in his pursuit for the French crown when John the Fearless had been killed. However, now that the French king had died and England had claimed the French throne themselves, they had become the enemy. The weak and illegitimate Dauphin had been easily cast away by the English, and Philip III ruled that the English, not the Dauphin, were now the major problem in France. Not until Burgundy had reacquired what rightfully belonged to them, the French throne, could real friendship blossom once again with England.

With Charles VI's death, Henry was now not only regent of France,
but also King of France. Bedford would be regent of France until Henry
reached majority, however, the situation provoked hostilities with Burgundy​

English province of Anglia
November, Year of our Lord Fourteen Twenty-two


It would not be Bedford and Winter who suffered difficulties alone however. In England, a plot was forming to partially overthrow the rule of the new infant king. When Henry VI had been crowned he had to have guardians to rule in his place until he reached majority. Bedford became one of these regents and his dominion became France. The regency of England was given to Henry V’s other brother, Humphrey of Gloucester, who had stayed in England through the whole war. However, descendants from the royal family of old who still had family ties to the current royal family of Lancaster, wanted to increase their standing, mayhap even claim the throne for themselves. These descendants were the two Beaufort brothers.

With the King of England still being a child, a coup was planned by a faction from the former royal family​

During the days of King Edward III, the king had been blessed with four sons. His first son, Edward IV, the Black Prince, had become the heir of the throne. The remaining three sons had received titles and duchies in England, and the youngest of these sons was John of Gaunt who became the Duke of Lancaster. Gaunt had three sons himself, one of these was Henry Bolingbroke who attacked and disposed of King Richard II, the son of Edward the Black Prince. Henry Bolingbroke then had Henry V as son. However, the two other sons of Gaunt were conceived by a mistress of his and they became known as Beaufort instead of Lancaster as the present line of kings was to be called. These two Beaufort brothers, Henry, first Bishop of Lincoln, later Bishop of Winchester, and Thomas, Duke of Exeter, tried to influence the council that would deem Henry V’s words to be the best actions for England. They succeeded and Humphrey was not allowed the title of regent of England. Instead, he became Protector of the Realm of England, a prestigious but less powerful rank nonetheless. This deeply offended Humphrey and he never forgave the two Beaufort brothers for their intricate plotting.

Nevertheless, he received redemption when he with the help of Bedford punished the two brothers and a large bulk of the council by reducing their rights as nobles. The power was instead directed to the king, and thus to Bedford and Gloucester, and later Henry once he grew up. Gloucester received the title of regent of England, swearing he would discharge his office once Henry became of age. The unrest among the nobles was clear. For four hundred years the king had always had to rely on the nobles because of the feudal system. However, now a new way of government seemed to form, making the nobles politically unnecessary. The centralisation process in England had begun.


English province of Anglia
April, Year of our Lord Fourteen Twenty-two


Gloucester was thinking. Thinking hard. He knew what he was about to do was extremely dangerous, and that it could rock the very foundation of the English-Burgundese relationship. But he wanted to, needed to do it. If England could claim those provinces, then by God, England could become one of the richest nations in Europe! The land near the English Channel was blessed with so fertile soil that you only had to spread the seed to make it grow, or so was the word going about. If he could take those lands by peaceful negotiations, then he must be held in even greater esteem that he already were! The only thing he needed was his brother’s permission as he held the greater rank as the infant king’s guardian.

Dear Brother,

I write now to you on this winter’s day. For I have found a woman, Jacqueline, that could bring England in control of the Low Countries. With the immense riches of that land, England could grow twice its current might. I am fully aware of the consequences if a marriage should take place, but I cannot back out now. Somehow, I know that this was what our former King had in mind when he invited this woman to England. When this letter reaches you, all preparations for the marriage have been completed, hopefully. When you return to England, we will speak of the situation in the Lower Countries. For now, I wish you well in the war. You know I have always been a strong supporter of it. I will make sure that England stays the way it should during your absence. I truly hope that you will be present when the church’s bells ring in December.

Affectionate salutations,
Humphrey of Gloucester​

Before the invasion of Henry V begun, and Charles VI had still been King of France, one of the French king’s sons, John of Valois, Duke of Touraine had married with the Countess of Hainault and Holland, Jacqueline. She had been the only child of William VI, Count of Hainault and Holland, and when he had died Jacqueline had been opposed by one of her uncles, John of Bavaria, as to the inheritance of the duchy. With support from her other uncle, John the Fearless of Burgundy, the feud was settled and he introduced to Jacqueline a suitor to remain in possession of her lands. This suitor was none other than her own cousin John IV, Duke of Brabant. However, in Fourteen Twenty she divorced him because of both personal and political reasons and fled to England by the invitation of Henry V. There, a marriage with Henry’s son Humphrey was then discussed between the king and the duchess.

A marriage between Henry V's brother and the Countess of Holland could expand English influence on the continent​

English province of Anglia
December, Year of our Lord Fourteen Twenty-two

‘Eat friends, and be merry. This is truly a day fit for celebration!’​

Winter’s voice rumbled across the whole room and drowned every other noise in the large hall. The night was still young but the Earl had already drunk more wine than any one in the room, and even though it was an understatement to say Winter was big boned – though he fiercely denied it himself – Bedford thought it a miracle that his friend was still standing. Huge fires sparkled to keep the guests warm and cast ever-changing shadows on the walls. Having all gathered in the Duke’s own country of Gloucester – Bedford and Winter journeying from Ile de France where the infant king had been left in the protection of Burke and Summerfield – the wedding had begun with all of the royal family present, except the king himself naturally. Before leaving, Bedford had quadrupled the guard of the king, leaving a large bulk of his own personal guard, to ensure the wellbeing of Henry. Despite the happy occasion, Bedford had a hard time trying not to think of the king’s safety.

‘Bedford you old woman, come drink with me like a man!’ Winter wailed to him from across the room, sitting by a table.​

With the huge barrels of wine and ale by his side, Winter had already stocked up on several containers of liquor and his already beaten contestants lay passed out on the floor. Gloucester and others were already merrily cheering him on to accept the challenge.

‘Fine by me. But what do you say we have us a small bet, you and me.’​

‘Right! I’ll be drinking you under the table any day anyways. So, what’re we betting? Anything than kissing your poxy arse and I’m on.’​

Bedford could not resist a smile. Winter’s raw humour could sometimes work miracles.

‘No, I had something more subtle in mind. The one to lose must rise before dawn and inspect the troops – all of them.’​

‘Aye you’re on,’ Winter answered and swallowed his whole load in one shot.​

The audience roared with approval and expected nothing less from Bedford. He was readying himself for the strong brew to pass through his throat when someone lay his hand on his shoulder. As Bedford looked up, a man wearing the grey uniform of a runner stood by his side.

‘Sire, news from lord Baron Summerfield.’​

The messenger leaned forward closer to Bedford’s ear as the audience’s noise grew louder as Winter swallowed another container in one go instead of waiting for his opponent.

‘It concerns the Dauphin, Sire. Word from France is that he has been captured.’​

With a colder winter than usual, Bedford and Winter had to wait for the Channel to clear before they could cross it to reach France. The Channel was often free of ice, but this winter terrible storms of snow and ice had blocked it, and it had been impossible to have ships running until March that year when the ices finally broke. With the capture of the Dauphin, Bedford felt that a true truce could be made and an end to the war was finally in sight. Half of France in English hands, that was not what Edward III had had in mind from the beginning, but with the intricate diplomacy on the continent, all of France could not be conquered for the time being. Still it was better than nothing, and opportunities would show themselves in the future Bedford knew. With the trouble with the Dauphin gone, Bedford could focus on the more urgent issue of Burgundy.

With Humphrey’s marriage, the relation with their French vassal had been terribly wounded and was in dire need of repairs. Bedford worked on a plan on his way south back to Lyonnais where the Dauphin was held. With the Duchess Jacqueline, England had legal claims to the lands of Holland and Artois in the Lower Countries. The problem was that even though the Duchess claimed them to be her legal heritage, they belonged to the Burgundian Duke Philip III, as he had seized them when Jacqueline had left for England. A conflict was near at hand, Bedford could tell, and matters had to be handled very carefully should they want to avoid all out war. The Burgundese had a righteous goal, for even though Bedford fought for the English and their control over France, he knew that they had acquired the French throne in a way that no French would ever accept should they know the truth. The Burgundese had no longer an heir to the French throne, but they were still as eager to rule upon it as the new lords of France. With the Dauphin subjugated, the only family left now was that of Burgundy and Bedford wished that he could still their thirst for French lordship before a war broke out.


Dauphiné province of Lyonnais, controlled by the English
May, Year of our Lord Fourteen Twenty-three

‘Swear upon it.’​

‘I swear.’​

‘What do you swear?’​

‘I swear upon that I will never attack English territories again and that I will renounce my heritage to the French crown, and that I will never again pursue it. To this, I swear by God.’​

‘Good. Sign here.’​

Bedford was pleased. With the Dauphin’s promise that he would not attack the English again, he felt more at ease. For once and for all – and Bedford promised to himself it would be the last time he said it – the throne of France had been secured in English hands and Henry was no longer in any danger from the Dauphin.

‘Having signed this truce, you realise that all ports have been ceded to England. Your lands will now have no port for trade. Your whole economy will collapse. What difference does it make if you give all your possessions to England and become a servant of the King instead? He would reward you handsomely if you served him well. Your nation is doomed anyway with the situation at hand and you have utterly lost your illegal claim to the French throne.’​

‘It is not a matter of money, or of land. It is a matter of principle, and pride. I cannot give in to your demands. You of all people should understand, Duke Bedford.’​

Bedford smiled for himself. Yes, he understood very well. The Dauphin really was not as stupid as he had believed him to be. He understood that with English overlords, he would not stay alive very long. With a truce and an end to the war, his life could have, and had, been spared.

The peace with the Dauphin was favourable to the English as they
received all port-provinces in western and southern France​

However, just as the war with the Dauphin was at end, and life settled to normal, Bedford received a very urgent and distressing message from Parliament back in England. Because of the shame Scotland had suffered a hundred years earlier when Edward Longshanks had defeated the Scots and stole the sacred Stone of Scone, James I, uncrowned King of Scotland declared war upon England in June, just a month after the peace with the Dauphin. Not knowing that a peace had been settled between the two countries, James had thought it a perfect opportunity to attack the English border when the main bulk of the army was stationed in France. As a stroke of luck, Bedford could now concentrate a portion of the soldiers in France to journey to the northern English border and reinforce the defence against the Scottish attacks. What was unfortunate was that Bedford was never informed that the French duchy of Provence had already allied themselves with Scotland and marched their troops into southern English-controlled France. Despite the prowess of the English military, trouble spread like wildfire across the country before Bedford could receive sufficient information to make the final decision – Scotland was to be subjugated first.

When the English operated in France, Scotland's king took the chance of declaring war​

 

[stnylan]

Ah the Scots. Surely these illiterates from the far north will fall like wheat in the field in the face of English steel - or something like that anyway.

A very enjoyable updates, with lots going on. You have done a very good job of explaining events, and the little narrative interludes are interesting.

 

[SirCliveWolfe]

Indeed great start... nice to see the English doing so well... just got to subdue those treacherous scots again

 

[Katapraktoi]

Thank you very much stnylan and SirCliveWolfe! As I've said before, it is so pleasing to see that people enjoy one's writing.

I was totally surprised to see the Scots declare war upon me, I thought we had god relations, apparently I was wrong. But what bothers me most is the fact that Provence joined the war, and as you will see in the coming update Brabant as well! All small countries, but with my armies spread across the kingdom, it is hard to deal with both rebel risings and enemy trespassers. Especially when I am out of money so I cannot recruit any more armies to hold them off!

 

[Katapraktoi]

In the Footsteps of Magna Charta - Chapter IX

Chapter IX​

Provence province of Maine, under attack by the English
June, Year of our Lord Fourteen Twenty-three

‘Lord Duke Bedford, I do not wish to defy orders, but if we do not deal with these French bastards before the Scots, then we will never get our troops to the north to even get shipped over the Channel. We will be stuck here in France until the bloody war is over.’​

‘I hear you lord Earl Winter. I too think I must relay my orders. I am sure that Gloucester and Parliament can handle any Scots incursion. They are after all only Scots. What could they possibly do to our redoubts in Northumberland.’​

Bedford shook his head as he spoke. He did not like it, but Winter was right. The apparent fighting with Provence had to come to an end before English troops could move freely to assist in the war with Scotland. Had Bedford not moved from Lyonnais up north to Normandie they had been able to attack the French capital instantly. Now they were trying to force the fighting militia to surrender and force the French to a quick peace by seizing their northern province of Maine.

‘Lord Earl Winter, I am going to send you south. Make sure that you send a messenger ahead of you, instructing to governor of Languedoc to have a regiment of man-at-arms ready for your arrival. You will command these in an attack upon the capital of Marseille. If we can threaten the capital, they might surrender. I will stay here and continue the assault across the province. With luck, they will give and we will be free to move to England.’​

‘Aye, sounds like what is best in the current situation. I will ride at once,’ Winter replied as he turned his horse around. He had not even started though, before a man in gallop came riding toward them.​

‘My lord Duke Bedford! News from Ile de France! Lord Baron Summerfield informs that the duchy of Brabant has declared war on us! He fears for the King’s life, should they be besieged by the Duke’s forces, and humbly requests your help.’​

Bedford could not believe what he heard. This was not what he needed, a third front that was for the moment without proper defence and leadership.

‘Winter. I relay my orders once again, you will travel as fast as you can to Ile de France and protect the King! I will stay here and deal with these upstart French bastards. Once I have crushed them, I will join you instantly.’​

Bedford’s voice was harsh and forceful and nobody wanted to argue with him. It was indeed blue blood flowing in his veins, commanding with equal respect as his brother the late king had done when he had still been alive. Winter set off at full gallop to the north-east while Bedford gave the messenger instructions again to ride south to Languedoc and inform the garrison-commander that he was to lead an attack upon Provence himself to try to stall any possible reinforcements that were headed up to Maine. If he could not defeat the army that would not be a problem in itself, though any sort of retreat by the French would be highly rewarded. Bedford wanted the commander to know that his job was not to annihilate the army, just stall it for a few weeks, long enough for Bedford to use brutal tactics enough to break the resistance in Maine. Therefore, he was not to throw any soldiers’ lives away unnecessarily. The messenger said he understood and rode off to the south. Bedford started rallying his men to him to form raiding parties. Maine had to be subdued for English armies to pass north and south across France. And with a second war on the continent, he could not see himself fighting in Scotland before the beginning of next year, or maybe even later, should God forbid it.

With chaos enveloping the English, Brabant declared war. With English claims on Brabant lands, it was not unexpected​

English province of Languedoc, under attack by the French (Provence)
July, Year of our Lord Fourteen Twenty-three

‘Put your backs into it! I want this stockade ready by nightfall!’​

Garrison-commander Winston yelled with all his might, as he had done for practically his whole life. He was pushing fifty, an age almost unheard of among the lower ranks of military for his time, and he knew it. Only higher-ranking commanders such as Generals and the like lived long, but Winston had stayed clear of the large battles and had yet experienced only skirmishes and minor battles. That had been as soldier, and here he was now, the commander of a whole army by himself. He had a staff of sergeants, but from the Duke Bedford’s orders, he was to lead the army as a whole. The responsibility lay heavily on his shoulders, but at the same time he was proud, and willing to show his eagerness to serve.

He had ordered his men to build stockades and defence structures along a ten-mile frontier. The work had taken several days, but with the eight thousand soldiers working, they were now finishing up the last of the stockade. They had built it as a crescent with an opening in the middle, forcing the assumed French attack to centre in the middle where they could not fight to their fullest capacity, or they would wheel around the stockade on either side, where scouts were ready to deliver the news to Winston. In either way, the French would be stalled for a few days, and if Winston could engage them while on the move through or around the barricade, then they would be halted for another few days. He sincerely hoped that that would be enough for the lord Duke Bedford.

‘Sire! They are approaching. Out scouts report French movement ahead of us. They are moving right toward us, showing no sign of going around the barricade. They should be here by noon.’​

‘Good job soldier. Keep at the French and survey their movements. They might have changed direction during your flight here. Inform me of any change in their formation.’​

The scout answered with a short, yes sire, and rode off. Winston praised his army for completing the stockade the night before. They had rested through the night and Winston hoped they were fit enough for a battle. Sleep could work miracles with a man, but if he worked too hard, it was known that he could be exhausted even the day after. Winston gave a short prayer to his divine king that it would not be so today.

The French attacked hard. Winston figured they did not want to waste any time marching around the barricade and thought they would win a quick victory to head on forward. However, Winston would not give them that pleasure. He was going to teach them about English resolve. With billmen and men-at-arms in the centre opening, and archers placed at the sides behind the barricade where they needed no protection, the English stood their ground as the first French charge began. Having dug long wooden poles into the ground, leaning forward, in front of the large gap in the barricade, the French cavalry was made inapplicable and the French commander had to make his knights dismount. It mattered little for Winston as the fray by the opening made it impossible for the heavily armoured soldiers to reach the enemy battle line. The poles made the French formations split up and the English had an easier time picking off individual soldiers while the French had to charge into a well formed English shield wall.

The fighting continued well into the evening, both sides taking massive losses. Winston had not yet utilised his own cavalry, wanting to save it until a possible French retreat, or a French breakthrough, should his own line falter. Throughout the day, both battle lines had been steady. The English stood firm and the French kept coming, neither side gaining ground. Winston had specifically ordered the men not to charge out of formation. Not until the French were retreating could they break formation to let the cavalry charge through. As night fell, and the torches were lit, the sound of the French retreat could finally be heard. Winston tried to hide his eagerness, being the leading commander, and shouted orders for the cavalry to make ready. With clouds of missiles showering into their backs, the French made their way away from the barricade. Finally letting the English foot soldiers stand down from formation, the cavalry moved between them and the massive amounts of corpses on the ground. Winston followed on his own mount and they charged, five thousand man strong, out of the opening in pursuit of the French. Letting his sergeants command the infantry, Winston rode ahead and tried to pick off as many enemies as possible before the darkness of the night enveloped them totally.

Breaking camp early the next day, the remains of the army began moving toward Provence and its capital of Marseilles. Winston had lost about one thousand foot soldiers. The archers and cavalry had been spared so far, but they were going to be put to good use now, he thought. Halting the French assault, that had been done and Winston though of the reward he would receive for it. Mayhap he could be promoted, even gain a title. Yes… But what if he took the enemy’s capital. Could he gain an officer’s rank then? A hereditary title which could be transferred to his son when he died. God, make it so. I have been your faithful servant for my whole life. I have never asked a favour from You. Please grand me this and I will die a happy man.

Despite tired, the English troops managed to defeat the
French under Garrison-commander Winston's leadership​

The initial charge went well for Winston and the first line of the French defence was subdued in but a day. Reinforcing the lines, the French Duke persisted in stalling the English counter-offensive. Winning battle after battle, Winston pressed further into the province until he stood by the very gates of Marseilles. Knowing, and expecting the trouble, of possessing no siege equipment, Winston had to begin a long siege where he had to starve the city into submission. With a small force, Winston prayed for a lack of reinforcements to the French by the surrounding towns. He could hold the exits from the city to stop any charge from within the walls, but he figured he needed reinforcements himself if he were to successfully take the city. With the camp ready and well outside range of the French defensive engines mounted on the walls, he sat down, as he always had as a garrison-commander, and waited.

 

[stnylan]

Well it's a classic case of over-extension that the game mimics fairly well. It can be something of a challenge to survive unscathed, but even so your size also works for you. And a good little focus on someone less important in the shape of Winston.

 

[Katapraktoi]

Tell me about it. ^^ I just can't wait until I have the whole of France so that I don't need to protect so many borders! Right now the small French duchies are still all over the place. Auvergine or whatever their name is, is still left. The Dauphin isn't gone yet, Burgundy is diplo-annexing its way south into my domains and Provence is still game in the south together with Foix. I just can't wait until I get more money and land so I can be left in peace and colonise the Americas instead. ^^

I had hoped Winston would bring a small break to the usual set of characters. I wanted someone new. I will bring in the good old Goodwill as well later on. It will be funnier, but a lot more to write, once I expand a bit more. Then I will probbaly create more characters to jump between in the updates. We'll see how it goes.

 

[Katapraktoi]

Ok, me again. Nothing new, I just wanted to inform everybody who is having troubles viewing my pictures. I have myself experienced it when looking at the AAR and the solution is simple. For those of you who do not know how to do this; if you cannot see the image, right click on it and click on "view image" or "reload image" or whatever it says on an English browser. For those who know how to, this message is completely unnecessary to read. The images are not broken in any way even if they are not showing. The host has not deleted them, so just do the above instructions and you'll be able to see them again. Just wanted to say this. Thank you.

 

[Katapraktoi]

In the Footsteps of Magna Charta - Chapter X

Chapter X​

English province of Wessex
July, Year of our Lord Fourteen Twenty-three

‘Joan, my child. Hear me out as I now speak of your future.’​

‘Yes, Father. I will listen and obey.’​

They were gathered in the private office of Henry Beaufort in the Winchester Cathedral. The small room was filled up by Henry, Bishop of Winchester, Thomas of Beaufort, the Duke of Exeter, and their as of yet, unmarried niece Joan of Beaufort, the daughter of their brother John Beaufort. With them were only their personal aides, whom they could trust not to speak to anyone what they heard in their masters’ private conversations.

‘Joan, my child,’ Henry repeated. ‘As you must know, England is in a position of war. While I have no lack of faith in our capabilities to defend ourselves, I do feel that our leadership could be rearranged in order for England to truly blossom. This is why I have called for you. You are of ripe age, Joan, you are truly a beautiful creature, blessed by the Lord’s hand. This is to our advantage, should you feel inclined to serve the English Crown.’​

‘Father, I will do anything that is asked of me, should it be from the King of England or the King of Heaven. As long as I am a tool for England’s prosperity, I will endure any hardship.’​

Henry lay his hand on the girl’s shoulder as to comfort her in a priestly way, as he had done a hundred times, perhaps a thousand times before to other ignorant fools. Just as he controlled those mundane creatures by saying it was the Lord’s will, he would now control his niece to do his bidding.

‘That is well, child. That is well. Then you will do what I tell you now, for it will save England a costly war, and though the current unworthy leaders of our nation will gain from it, I cannot allow England to fall. It is for the greater good that this happens.’​

Thomas nodded silently in agreement and looked at Joan. She seemed full of resolve. It grieved him, but he knew that what was to come had to be done. There was no other way. He felt the same as his brother. Bedford would gain from what was about to happen and it filled him with anger, but he had to give him that much. To serve England was a greater goal, and if things turned out right, then perhaps even a change of regent could be made. Perhaps…


Provence province of Maine, under siege by the English
January, Year of our Lord Fourteen Twenty-four


Saying that Bedford was pleased was a grave understatement. Having received word from the south that a garrison-commander by the name of Winston had successfully not only held back the French troops, but also pursued them and held them back on their own territory, Bedford’s position was secure and he revelled in the thought that the war with Provence was soon over. That meant he could either help Winter with the defence against Brabant, or leave it to the Earl to deal with by himself, allowing Bedford to travel to Northumberland to organise the war with the Scots.

The King had been moved from Paris to London together with his mother, now being old enough to be travelling in the cold of winter. He was one and a half-years-old and it would not be long before he would be taught to fence, ride, and shoot the bow. Languages like English, French, and Spanish, administration, warfare, economy, geography, was also going to be introduced throughout his childhood. All the skills that were necessary for a king. Bedford was ripped from his daydreaming of his own training during childhood when a messenger entered his tent.

‘I carry word from the lord Duke Exeter, lord Sire.’​

Bedford grabbed the leather package, oiled to be water resistant, with a short, leave, to the messenger. As the servant left the tent, Bedford opened the package and opened the rolled-up scroll.

To the Duke of Bedford, John of Lancaster, Regent of France

By this letter, Parliament has deemed it unnecessary for the Duke Bedford or the Earl Winter to return to England, should their intent be the war with Scotland. Issues are worked upon for understanding with this country to end the war. Parliament is more concerned with the Brabantian frontier and orders the Duke Bedford and Earl Winter to enforce English presence in the above mentioned areas.

Parliament
Secretary, lord Duke Winsbury​

Bedford stood quiet for some time. He had to let the words sink into his mind before he could even think of the illogic of it all. If a message could be less informative than this, he would have to see it with his own eyes. Solve the issues with Scotland. He had no objections with that, but how? How are the issues worked with, and how will they be solved to benefit both countries? And why were Winter and he not “allowed” to return to England. And Gloucester, how did he react to this? As Regent of England he must have had a voice in the matter. And if he had, if he was the one who was going to work out the issues, why had he not informed Bedford of it? The questions overwhelmed Bedford to the point where he had to sit down. After becoming organised, he quickly called for the clerk to write down his own dictated message.


Scots province of Lothian
February, Year of our Lord Fourteen Twenty-four

‘Do you, James Stewart, King of Scotland, son of Robert III, son of Robert II, take Joan Beaufort, daughter of John Beaufort, son of John of Lancaster, in the presence of God, to be your wife from this day forth. To have and to hold her, to cherish, to comfort, to love, and be her faithful, in sickness or in health, for better or for worse, for richer, for poorer, until death do you apart?’​

‘I do.’​

‘And do you, Joan Beaufort, daughter of John Beaufort, son of John of Lancaster, take James Stewart, King of Scotland, son of Robert III, son of Robert II, in the presence of God, to be your husband from this day forth. To have and to hold him, to cherish, to comfort, to love, and be him faithful, in sickness or in health, for better or for worse, for richer, for poorer, until death do you apart?’​

‘I do.’​

‘Then I hereby pronounce you man and wife. You may kiss the bride.’​

With the marriage of James and Joan, the Beaufort brothers thought they could have a
chance to claim the English throne. They were not completely correct in their assumption​

With the marriage of James I and Joan Beaufort, the Beaufort brothers thought that they had ended the war with Scotland, and thus gained an ally in the north. Henry and Thomas’s plan had been a simple one. If they could provide a wife as a means for peace, they could also open up a dialogue with the King of Scotland in private. With a Scots ally, they could use the opportunity to regain the throne of England while Bedford and Winter were away. The infant king had been moved to London, which suited the brothers perfectly. If they could make James start a second war when England was more prepared, they could distract Parliament and hopefully Henry’s guardians enough to kill him. Once Henry was dead, the Beaufort would claim the throne as Bedford was not present and make a truce with Scotland. They would appear as the saviours of England from the Scots threat. And if somebody protested, they would be easily quieted down. Such was the way of the Beaufort.

However, despite the Beaufort’s efforts, and to their great surprise and disappointment, James did not end the war. Indeed, he continued, ignoring the pleadings from his recently married wife. His reason for war was great, and could not be stilled just because of the simple act of a marriage. Marriage was held as an important tradition of the Church in Scotland, however, the office of King was even greater, and the item of Scots Kingship was not even possessed by the Scots! This could not be. James had made a promise he could not break. England would suffer until the Stone of Scone was returned, else they would feel the wrath of the Highlanders.

The Wars of the Low Countries​

The situation in the Low Countries, consisting mainly of the duchies of Burgundy, Brabant, and Luxembourg, was and had been solid for a long time until Fourteen Twenty. The involvement of the English had made the steady and not so flexible balance of power between the three nations fluctuate into chaos. When William IV had died and his daughter Jacqueline had claimed the provinces of her homeland as hers in favour for the English, many Dukes in the Low Countries went mad with rage. A woman to inherit was very unusual, in fact, it had been rare to even hear of such a thing, and so the lords had a right to be angry. But with the Countess’ marriage the lands would legally belong to her husband, and in this case that was the uncle of the King of England, Humphrey of Gloucester. However, during the time of Jacqueline’s flight from the Low Countries until her marriage two years later, the Dukes of Brabant and Burgundy both had claimed the provinces of Artois and Holland. While Brabant held Artois, Burgundy held Holland. When England claimed that both provinces belonged to England by law, it was only apparent that the Dukes would find themselves insulted. To add, the Duke of Luxembourg had formerly held the neighbour province of Zeeland, and was equally eager to give his voice for the rightful claim of the Low Countries in favour of Luxembourg.

When war started between the English and Scots in the early Fourteen Twenties, the Duke of Brabant thought that it would be a good time to enforce his claim on Artois and attacked England. If he could capture the infant king, then the English would have no choice but to renounce their claim to both provinces, and perhaps even pay a ransom for their king. However, his claim of the provinces, and tries to take Holland by force made his neighbour the Duke of Burgundy enraged and war broke out between them. Torn between his two enemies of England and Burgundy, the Duke of Brabant focused his forces against England to try to gain a quick peace with them, and thought he could deal with Burgundy afterwards.

Seeing a good chance, the Duke of Luxembourg also declared war upon England with the idea of connecting his Austrian provinces in the south to his northern ones by taking England’s eastern provinces in France. With two nations to the north to tangle with, England had still not yet seen the end of trouble they would have with the duchies of the Low Countries.


Provence province of Maine, controlled by the English
April, Year of our Lord Fourteen Twenty-four


Because of Bedford’s outstanding tactics in Maine, a sort of revolution hit the French province and made it switch sides to England’s favour. Throughout his life, Bedford was reluctant to tell anybody his ways, and only Winter was the only person he would tell how he had proceeded. To all else, it remained a mystery, however, the results did not lie. Maine had become English and Provence had lost its grip in northern France. With Maine, England now had a safe way from its northern to its southern French provinces. They needed no longer go by ship to reach Normandie or the other northern port-provinces.

The news of Luxembourg’s actions did not startle Bedford. He had now figured out the situation in the north and he was more concerned with Brabant’s and Burgundy’s claims to the provinces of Artois and Holland, the very same that Gloucester called for through his wife Jacqueline. He thought of the marriage, how Gloucester had almost forcefully demanded that he marry her. It seemed little like love, though it was there. Bedford recognised the glint in Gloucester’s eyes, the very same that Henry had had when there was something to be gained. And the Low Countries were certainly a prize to be gained. Bedford just hoped that they had not taken more than they could swallow. With the current wars the English military was already overstretched. At least now, with Maine’s fall, and the assumed peace that would probably follow with Provence, the south would be clear and its armies could be reassigned north. But conscripts in France were thin and with the high taxes in England the peasantry would be rioting to the news of a creation of a new army. It was a dire situation indeed.

Luxembourg took the chance to declare war when England was busy fighting both the Scots and Dutch Brabant​

After Maine’s fall, Bedford made himself the Duke of Anjou, in recognition of his victory, and Gloucester, having no real power in the matter, agreed on Bedford’s new possession, his words being just formalities. Still, he held nothing against Bedford for doing it. Indeed, he praised him for his work and felt that it was Bedford’s righteous reward for the seemingly bloodless takeover. Nevertheless, trouble would plague them both in the following months.

After Maine's fall, Bedford became the new Duke of Anjou and Maine​

With the passive actions of England, James I decided that if the English did not act, Scotland would. Massing an army of fifteen thousand men and five thousand horses, James crossed the border into Northumberland and engaged the stationed English army consisting of only seventeen thousand men. Because of the surprise attack by James, the English were caught unaware and were defeated in a series of battles, all in the favour of James. Not even with the reinforcements sent by Parliament when the news spread of the Scots attack, could the English hold their position and in the end, the whole Northern Army had to retreat to the south, taking up new positions in Yorkshire.

To England's surprise, the Scots managed to defeat the English army in Northumberland.
Some even started to wonder if a second William Wallace had emerged​

Meanwhile, a second revolt in Maine occurred, only weeks after Bedford had left the province to meet with Winter in Normandie. Rebel Frenchmen ravaged the countryside, killing their own brethren and plundered what they could take, all in the name of France. Those who had not opposed the English were seen as traitors and were executed, while the few English soldiers who were stationed to remain as a reminder of English dominance, were brutally tortured. It would take long before the English truly enforced their presence in Maine, and until then, the rebels were left alone, forcing the populace to fend for themselves.

As the English left Maine, there was no protection from French rebels​

 

[coz1]

Wow, lot's going on since I last checked. Issues at home in England, war with Scotland, Brabent and Provence, the Dauphin defeated, but not dead yet...not exactly the "Auld Alliance" but pretty darn close.

I think stnylan is right - a case of over-extension probably. Well that, and everyone is a little mad that you took France. And I would not assume that once you hold all of France, you will be at peace. By then, you should have a healthy dose of Germans attempting to irritate you, Spanish making life difficult and of course, the ever present Big White Blob getting blobbier and blobbier.

Still and all, England is blessed with good commanders and should do fine for a time. That is until the War of the Roses gets going. Never a time to rest, but always a good game!

 

[stnylan]

Another good and detailed portrayal of the events. I've never actually gotten round to installing AGCEEP, so it is quite interesting to see such a detailed AAR with all the events.

 

[Katapraktoi]

In the Footsteps of Magna Charta - Chapter XI

Chapter XI​

Scots province of Lothian
May, Year of our Lord Fourteen Twenty-four

‘This was not what we had discussed!’​

Henry was furious with the king, but he could not compare with the king himself.

‘You believe that I would forsake my path to acquire the Stone of Scone? You English really are fools, as they say. A mere marriage cannot stop my armies from claiming what is rightfully theirs, what is rightfully Scotland’s!’​

‘I have told you before, and I will tell you again. It is not within my power to give you that stone. It is kept in the Royal Palace in London, and the King himself is now installed there. I have no jurisdiction there.’​

‘ Brother, wait. My lord Sire, would you excuse my brother and I for a short while?’​

The Scots king waved his hand in approval and Henry and Thomas made their way along the corridor to be left undisturbed.

‘You may not be able to get that stone, brother. However, perhaps I can. With my title, I can come and leave the Palace unannounced as I please. I can get that stone, I am sure. If we can get a hold of it and give it to James, when peace has settled Parliament will look between their fingers on this one. We will be free of charge, and we will have acquired peace on behalf of England.’​

Henry shot an unconvinced look at his brother.

‘Trust be brother, we will succeed if we be discreet about the matter.’​

‘Fine. Make it happen, and quick.’​

In late May, the Stone of Scone, Scotland’s sacred symbol of Kingship was secretly smuggled through the country to the Scots capital of Edinburgh, and placed in the hands of James I. Even though James already was king in all but name, his coronation had not taken place since the Scots Church had not had the Stone of Scone in their possession. When it was finally returned by the Beaufort brothers, James could legally be crowned King of Scotland and serious discussions began to take place between him and the Beauforts about a peace between their countries respectively. With the demand that Scotland should see England as their superiors, many Scots nobles went mad with rage, but James knew what the Beauforts had in mind. Being only formally under the veil of friendship, James knew of the Beauforts’s plans for an English takeover, and accepted the, for the time being, vassalised state of Scotland. Once the Beauforts sprang their plan into motion, James would again be free to attack England to create as much commotion as possible, and once the Beauforts had England under their direct control, James would profit from his involvement, they promised. From that month and on, James declared that Scotland was no longer an enemy of England, though it would take more than a year before the last of the independent Highland clans to withdraw from the English border and end their guerrilla warfare.

With the corronation of James I, England and Scotland stopped warring.
However, it would take more than a year before the fighting truly ended
as James had not total control of his Highland warriors​

English province of Normandie, under attack by the Dutch (Brabant)
October, Year of our Lord Fourteen Twenty-four


The shouting of orders was swallowed by the massive explosions of dirt and snow as huge projectiles of stone struck down in the ground right next to the English formations. The air was densely filled with arrows, fired by both sides, which stroke down with brutal results. The English, holding a defensive position, was still the ones being pinned down as Dutch forces were making their way up the hills toward the English lines, supported by seemingly endless showers of arrows and trebuchet missiles. The English, led by Bedford and Winter, were hopelessly outnumbered and there were no reinforcements to call for. They had to make the stand here or flee south. Brabant and Luxembourg had both attacked their southern neighbour provinces, but while Luxembourg had halted with only besieging Champagne, Brabant had seized Ile de France, but when finding that the infant king was not there, had continued west in the hopes that he had not fled long. Bedford had met up with Winter in Normandie, who had had the command of the defence of both Ile de France, Caux, and finally Normandie until Bedford had showed up. Assuming command instantly, Bedford had ordered the construction of several defensive structures along the eastern border to Caux, to halt the Dutch rampage. Leading a desperate defence against a force thrice the size of his own, the situation for the English indeed looked grim.

Outnumbered, Bedford and Winter fought fiercely to the end.
Finally, they had to abandon the province of Normandie​

 

[coz1]

Somehow, I don't think things will work out quite as smoothly as the Beauforts assume.

And things are looking a bit dicey on the continent. Good luck.

 

[Katapraktoi]

In the Footsteps of Magna Charta - Chapter XII

Chapter XII​

English province of Anglia
January, Year of our Lord Fourteen Twenty-six

‘Before you, Henry VI, King of England and of France, I, Richard de Beauchamp, Earl of Warwick, solemnly swear that I will consider your enemies my enemies, your friends to be my friends, and that I will do everything in my power to protect your life. My sword, my soul, my mind, are at your disposal.’​

‘Your loyalty is admirable, lord Earl Warwick. I have no doubts that you will make great deeds in the war in France. Duke Bedford will surely have great use for your astonishing military skills.’​

‘Your words are too kind, my lord Sire.’​

Warwick bowed his head low in front of the king. He questioned himself whether the little boy understood what he even said, but practice makes perfect, and the tutors had taught him well for the short conversations necessary for the appointment of a new general.

‘I hereby give you the rank of Major General. You will serve under General Bedford.’​

The boy looked slightly nervously around for his tutor who nodded approving toward his pupil.

‘That is all,’ he continued.​

Warwick bowed once more toward the child king, and left the chambers.

To serve a child king, that I have not done. But to serve the King of England, that I have, and there is nothing more honourable than that. Fear not, my king. For it does not matter to this old veteran of yours if you be a year old or a hundred years old. I am still at your service, whenever you shall need me.

‘Did I do right?’​

‘Your Majesty did it splendidly. Just splendidly.’​

His aides had gathered around him as soon as Warwick had left the room. Instructing him to tell Warwick a set phrase, the tutors had taught Henry, just as Warwick had thought, what to say. Being the king, his words were the law, and as soon as he could speak, they were as valid as the regent’s were.

‘Then, can I play now? I haven’t played for the whole day.’​

‘But Your Majesty have not had his riding lesson as of yet. Does Your Majesty not want to become a strong and able king as Your Majesty’s father was?’​

‘No. I don’t want to be king. I want to play.’​

‘That is not appropriate behaviour for a king. A king must learn how to take care of his land and people. If all Your Majesty does is play, then Your Majesty will never learn such important lessons. Now, follow Oliver to the grounds, and I am sure that Your Majesty will find a very special new friend there.’​

‘A friend?’ Henry asked as he was pushed away by Oliver, the stable master. ‘What friend?’​

‘Your Majesty will see when we get there.’​

English province of Normandie, under siege by the Dutch (Brabant)
March, Year of our Lord Fourteen Twenty-six


The journey across the Channel had been rough in the winter storms, but Warwick had made it safely to the continent was now on the road toward the city of Caen. Following a year of constant conflict, the English had finally been able to push the Dutch back toward the east and reclaim bit by bit their grounds. Warwick hoped for the war not to have ended by the time he arrived. It would be a shame if he had been assigned to the army just as the war ended. He looked forward to meeting with the Duke Bedford and Earl Winter, two of the late king’s most trusted generals. Riding through the now melting snow on the road, Warwick was making his way toward the provincial capital with haste. Arriving after two day’s riding, he stood in front of the largest tent in the English camp.

‘…sure that those engines target the towers this time! We cannot have any more incidents like last week.’​

The voice came from within the tent as it was opened by a messenger who hurried out with dispatches in his hands. Warwick took the liberty of making his way inside as the messenger ran out.

'Gentlemen. I am Richard de Beauchamp, Earl of Warwick, at your service.’​

He bowed to the collection of lords who stood concentrated around a table in the middle of the tent. They all looked up from the papers that lay spread on the table and looked Warwick’s way.

‘I was sent by the King to assist you in this miserable campaign.’​

‘Well, that was interestingly enough,’ one of the lords uttered. ‘I am John of Lancaster, Duke of Bedford, and in charge of this campaign. For what reason are you here, lord Earl Warwick?’​

‘I am here to serve under the General Bedford. May I assume that the lord is that very same Duke Bedford?’​

‘Who else than a Bedford does this poxy bastard look like. Trust me on this one, lord Duke Bedford, your resemblance to the ugly French becomes more prominent for each day that passes with you trying to be their regent,’ a crude voice said, Warwick being unable to see which lord it was who uttered it.​

Not understanding the internal joke, he tried to laugh with the group as they let out a howling laughter themselves.

‘You must excuse lord Earl Winter’s humour, lord Earl Warwick. It may not be the most refined you will hear, but it can lift your spirits in this bloody miserable war,’ Duke Bedford explained to him.​

Warwick gave his superior a slightly awkward smile and tried to relax. He would lie to himself if he said he had not been nervous meeting this new commander, but as the tension had been released by Winter’s joke, he felt more relieved.

‘No offence taken, lord Duke Bedford. It pleases me greatly to be here, so that I can serve the King.’​

‘Good! For I will have none of those uptight lords who serve their own needs or Parliament’s. There is no higher authority than the King, whether the people or that damn document says otherwise.’​

‘Do not worry about loyalty, lord Duke Bedford. My soul is bound to his Majesty. I will not let either him or you down.’​

‘Then all is well. Come now then. You said you were at my disposal. Well, then I might have just the task for you.’​

With months passing by, the English counter-campaign began and the success was immeasurable. The hard winter had made the Dutch scour for supplies, and once run out the will to fight sunk drastically. Having already hoarded all supplies in the area of Normandie at least, the English had a good provision of supplies and were well fed until they broke camp to head east. As they came upon the unsuspecting Dutch in the province of Caux they were successful in driving them away. The recapture of the towns and cites went quickly and from Caux, the English divided themselves to proceed to different final destinations. Warwick was assigned to lead the liberation army of Calais, while Bedford and Winter were going to proceed further south to retake Ile de France and Champagne from Brabant and Luxembourg respectively.

By the beginning of September, Bedford was given news of Luxembourgian wishes for peace. Their army had been annihilated in the Battle of Champagne, and Bedford saw no reason to conquer their pitiful nation. It would only give more trouble of unrest and open new fronts to unwanted enemies. England had quite the handful of those as it were. What was more alarming was the news that Bedford received but a month later, just as the last remnants of the Dutch forces had been driven out of English lands.


English province of Ile de France
October, Year of our Lord Fourteen Twenty-six


Time was everything. He rode as hard as his mount would allow him to. They literally flew past every obstacle on the road on their way toward the English camp. “Deliver this as fast as you can. Protect it with your life. If you do not reach the General, we are all dead for sure. Now ride!” Those had been the words of his commander by the garrison he was stationed at. Just a month of duty at the border and this happens. He silently wished he had not joined the army. He had done it just to impress Maria back home. A French joining the English army. He must have been one of the first few, he thought. But better to be friend with the new masters rather than be killed by them. But when situations like these arose, he questioned himself if what he had done had been very smart. If they won, if the English lost, then what would happen to him? Death? Probably. Torture? Not very unreasonable. Just before they killed him, probably. No! Don’t think of that now. Think of the message that needs to be delivered. If he could deliver it, then perhaps the English would not lose. And then he did not need to be tortured, or more importantly killed for that matter. With those thoughts in mind, he spurred his horse even harder, determined to make it in time.

‘What does it say?’ Winter grumbled, sounding irritated and angry as usual when actually he was not.​

‘Hold on,’ Bedford answered.​

He had to read it through again to realise that what he had read was the truth.

‘Well?’ Winter asked again.​

‘It concerns the Duke of Burgundy.’​

‘Yes? Speak up man, what is so terrible about him? Has he done us a favour by killing himself, or somehow actually died the natural way?’​

‘No. No, nothing quite like it, my friend. Actually, he has declared war upon us.’​

‘He what?!’ Winter yelled in his usual thunderous way.​

‘But that is not what bothers me, lord Earl Winter. It is what is written below.’​

‘Give me that!’ Winter said as he took the letter from Bedford’s hands.​

…war upon us.

Further more, I can report that my scouts have sighted several bands clad in blue together with the Burgundians. With full assurance, I say that the Dauphin has once again taken up arms against us. With this, I humbly request assistance to fortify the southern and western borders for possible insurgences by French and Burgundian troops.

Garrison-commander Yale
Haywood outpost, Nivernais, October, 1426​

‘I’ll be bloody damned.’​

Winter sighed, before lighting up.

‘At least we’ll get to kill some French again as change to those measly Dutch!’​

 

[coz1]

Why those no good, dirty, rotten, stinking vassals! Well, at least with Warwick there to join Bedford, there is plenty of chance to win.

 

[stnylan]

I'd say a few thrashings are definitely in order. And I was quite impressed with the way you handled the young Henry VI.