An Unfaithful Ally (1054 – 1058)
The Barons’ Revolt of 1046 within the empire gave rise to a blossoming relationship between the Kaiser and King of England. As the two recovered from decades of unwavering conflict, both garnered a mutual respect for one another. The young Kaiser felt indebted to Henry for unwittingly saving his realm and birthright from the lower nobility that sought to usurp him. Henry and Liutbert’s alliance was reciprocal – Henry would aid the Holy Roman Empire in any ensuing conflicts threatening the Kaiser’s realm, and the empire would protect Henry’s french holdings in Normandy from the Frankish to his west.
A period of recovery for the two realms occurred between 1054 and 1055, with the decline of Norse domination of the North Sea providing excellent waters for trade on the eastern coast of England. From this prosperity, the Norman and Saxon cultures of England slowly began to come together as further distinct people – as the efforts of the Anglo-Normans to assimilate into Saxon culture began to bear fruit. Among the lower nobility and peasantry, the Anglo-Norman language began to emerge and adapt as the earliest form of the modern English language, as Old Norman French and Old English began to merge. However, the Norman shire-reeves and counts which oversaw England seldom used the new language, preferring to speak French over the new emerging Anglo-Norman tongue.
Continuing the tradition of continental cultures, the Normans further constructed towering castles in northern England and Meath to cement their supremacy and control of the unruly regions. The year of growing trade and commerce within the English Kingdom maintained their supremacy over the isles, eclipsing Scotland in terms of economic and military power, despite King Haukur’s acquisition of Ireland in 1042.
Haukur’s control of the Celtic nobility throughout Britain was slowly waning. His popularity from the victory of the Second Leinster Campaign slowly wore off – with many able to see his inexperience in the development and feudalisation of Scotland in the 11th century. Religious divide was tearing Haukur’s realm apart, with the Insular Irish and Norse Highlanders hostile to each other on the basis of religion. The King needed his realm to unify for a common cause – the threat of England.
Evoking a sense of retribution among the Irish and Scottish nobility through his careful tip-toeing of Scottish politics, Haukur was widely supported by the royal court in St. Johnstoun to ignite a dispute with England regarding the territory of the Shire of Northumberland, citing a claim to it through his lineage to the King of York. Henry had denied any chance at negotiation, refusing to discuss disputes with northern heathens. By the tail-end of 1055, King Haukur moved his armies south of the river tweed to invade the Kingdom of England. Away from the safety of the undeveloped highlands, John of Warwick’s armies swiftly bested his opponent outside of Newcastle. Calling upon the assistance of the Holy Roman Emperor, Kaiser Liutbert’s attention was focused on the eastern pagans in Poland and Great Moravia. Once more alone in their battles against their heathen rival, Henry decidedly lead a campaign of conquest into the Scottish hinterland, able to defeat his enemies with ease – at the cost of precious supply.
1056 saw a deeply malnourished and demoralised English army marching into St. Johnstoun, sacking the city for the first time in June – which would not offset the starved nature of the English army in Summer. Scotland’s lands were simply too poor for large armies to march across its countryside. That same month, John of Warwick’s health was rapidly declining – largely due to complications related to old age and gigantism. During the siege of Dumbarton, John of Warwick would pass away at the age of 63, leaving a significant brain drain within the English military command.
Further losses at Longford at the hands of King Haukur’s esteemed commander, Conall lead to Scottish supremacy of Ireland. In the ensuing months, Henry lost what he had conquered a few months prior, and retreated to the developed English border for a much-needed resupply. From 1056 to 57, what occurred could be described as a stalemate, with only minor Scottish advances into Anglesey, Wales. Once resupplied, Henry landed in Ireland with a force of twenty-nine thousand men, eclipsing the Scottish armies in the region twofold. Expecting an easy victory, Haukur and his commander Fuacarta the Impaler once more convene to crush the English advance. Now prepared, Henry moves into Longford, besting both Haukur and Fuacarta’s armies in one fell swoop. The lack of communication allowed Henry to slowly pick apart any Scottish attempt to reinforce Fuacarta’s armies, leading to a stunning victory. Losing close to seven-thousand compared to Henry’s two-thousand and fifty, Haukur was unable to levy further men for his cause.
By November, the King of Scots’ crippling loss at Longford forced him to concede territory in both Ireland and Great Britain to Henry, with Wexford, Carlow and Kildare handed over to England. What followed was a complete collapse of Scottish dominion over Ireland, with the distrust of Haukur and his loss of eastern Ireland to the Norman invader. As quickly as Haukur had convinced Fingen II to hand Ireland to him, it was lost – further diminishing Scottish influence and power throughout the British Isles.
. In our timeline King Athelstan forged an alliance with the newly crowned Otto the Great, and every once in a while the English would go on to assist the HRE militarily. Good stuff.
