Chapter 3 - Peace at Lyon
A month after Auvergne had been annexed King Henry V of England took half of his army to Champagne and leaving the rest sieging Le Mans.
Hugh of Lancaster was doind quite good in Scotland, he only lacked to capture the last two remaining strongholds of Scotland, Argyll, Where the main army of 25.000 celts where getting ready for the big battle and Lothian where Scotland kept sending armies to, to defend it from the English soldiers under Hugh of Lancaster's command.
The French king, Charles VI tried a dozen of times to sign a peace treaty with King Henry V, but Henry V had some bigger ambitions. He wanted to be crowned king of France, without any other illegitimate claimers like Charles VI.
Charles VI wanted to give England Guyenne, Toulouse and Languedoc. Which together with Bourbon and Armagnac is Aquitaine, the first lion in the kingdom. The last two being Normandy and England.
On December the 22nd, peace were made with the count of Orleans. He had to give up all his claims to any land in Europe. King Henry V gave the count coins enough to get his arse onboard a ship to Jerusalem where he could join the Templar Knights.
This newly acquired land meant that now there could be made a direct road from Rouen to Dijon. This is a very important thing for the English monarchs. This way King Henry and his succesors will be able to contact the Burgundians much easier.
Happy New Year anno domini 1421. It was celebrated by a victory against the 20.000 men French army in Orleans. King Henry V won with only 5.000 men this shows how great his skills are.
General Bedford went to Limoges, the eastern part of the count of Bourbon's domain. The other part of the Army of Aquitaine was now in Provence trying to force the Anjou counts to give up Anjou to the loyal English vassal of Bretagne.
In Poitou Bretagne was busy trying to get as much land before King Henry's generals came.
At the same time in the province next to Poitou, Berri, General Beauchamp was sieging the stronghold. This could take some time, but one thing was sure Beauchamp did not want to give anything to the celts in Bretagne apart from Anjou.
It did not take much time before Berri and Limoges were under English control. Actually took about 6 months, but this was nothing compared to the hundred years the war had already lasted.
Bedford attacked the Bourbons while they were eating breakfast. Bedford won and began sieging the capital of the Bourbons.
The bloody celts were done in Poitou. While the French army, or what was left of it, was marching around Burgundian coredomain which lay unprotected while the Burgundians helped the English army in Champagne.
While Henry was in Champagne, leading the siege, the French army had, without anybody really caring about it, taken Paris back. This was not good for the English "Take them while they sleep" strategy.
General Beauchamp was sent back to Paris to take it over once again.
A month later Champagne was finally back under English control. Now Henry V was getting tired of this war against frog eaters, so he marched towards Lyon. In between Lyon and Champagne was Burgundy. So Henry V wanted to give back to his allies while on his way towards Lyon.
King Henry decided to take the path through County of Burgundy(By the French known as Franche Comte), which was in the Holy Roman Empire. This was a little propaganda from Henry's side because he had never been on good term with the Germans. (Being descendant of the Vikings who went on berserk)
Henry attacked the main French army in the County of Burgundy and then in Lyon. Both battles were clearly won by Henry.
In Scotland Hugh of Lancaster had taken Lancaster, but had to admit that he would not be able to take over Argyll with his underfunded army.
In March 1422 Bourbon had fallen. General Bedford took Limoges which made land connection with Auvergne and the rest of Aquitaine, leaving Bourbon to the count.
In April 1422 Scotland signed a treaty with Hugh of Lancaster. Only Argyll and Lothian was left Scottish the rest became English.
In May 1422 Beauchamp was done in Paris with help from the local loyalists. Now he marched towards Lyon where he would unite with Henry and also Bedford who came to Lyon after his vctory in Bourbon.
July 1422 was the best month ever for the English soldiers. They got control of Provence and Lyon. Soon afterwards peace were made with the Anjou counts. Anjou was given to Bretagne, now Bretagne had been given what they deserved. Bretagne was only and ally of England in this war when the war is over Bretagne will be another Scotland and Ireland.
Bad news came to the Kingdom September the 3rd. King Henry V of England died in the Battle of Berri. He tried to hunt down the last remainings of the French army.
Henry V did not live long enough to see his dream come true, but his son Henry VI would get the chance!
However, his son King Henry VI was not even a year old when his dad died in battle. The King's Council was summoned to decide who should rule the kingdom.
General Bedford was the uncle of Henry VI, he was also a Lancaster. By the King's Council's accept he became the regent of Henry VI while infant. Hugh of Lancaster became and advisor of Henry VI and Bedford.
It was first in the early 1423 that the armies in Dauphine was succesful in taking control of the province. Now peace was made in Lyon. The King of France would now be Henry VI and his representant in France would be Charles VII who was the son of old Charles VI the Mad. England and France was now united officially, but there were still long way to a de facto union.
