Update 7: Tensions
Winter 1422
”I’ll be frank with you, I never expected your kingdom to last five months, let alone five years. You’ve done a fine job, lad.” King Phillipe of Burgundy raised his glass towards Henri and then drained it. Phillipe, unlike King Jacques, was not a pretentious noble. He understood that he was King because his people were not dissatisfied enough with his rule to overthrow him, and he sought to keep things that way.
”A Free Normandy was the dream of my father. A shame he did not live long enough to see it.” Henri said, staring down into the dark wine in his own glass. He was not much of a drinker, but it was quite a fine wine. King Phillipe had brought his best bottles of Burgundy wine with him. ”The unfortunate thing about it is, short of keeping the country free from the French, I do not know what to do with it. We need room to breathe...a border with King Jacques is an invitation to invasion.”
Phillipe snorted. ”If the French weren’t so involved in their fight with the English, they would be at war with us. Conquest for the sake of conquest is a fool’s errand, and one that Jacques frequently dispatches his troops for.” He filled his glass again from the quickly emptying bottle of wine. ”The best boundary between you and France is for France to be greatly reduced. Then, of course, you have to deal with whoever did the reducing…unless that was yourself.”
”We don’t have the forces for that. We need more men, more territory, more money…” Henri sighed. ”By all rights, the province of Maine is ours, but the French occupy it. I could demand its return, but a direct war with France is one we would not loose. Besides, we are allies.”
”Alliances change rapidly in Europe.” Phillipe said. ”Don’t be surprised when the war is over, and France decides you are too much of a risk to remain allied to. If you are allies, you are entitled to a share of any spoils, and that is something France will not stand for.”
”The problem there is that with such big neighbors, nobody will think about allying themselves with us. Nobody wants to be forced into a fight with the French, especially when there is little to gain.”
”You should consider joining the Holy Roman Empire…we may be beholden in name to the Emperor, but he also protects us in times of war. If France would fear anyone, it would be the combined might of the Empire.”
”Normandy freed herself to be done with overseers and masters…I don’t know if gaining and Emperor would be a good idea.”
”Unless you became the emperor.” Phillipe said, smiling.
Summer 1423
The city of Rennes was lavishly decorated in flowers and banners of both Normandy and Burgundy flew from every window. King Henri stood at the entrance of the Church of the Holy Trinity. The servants and pages surrounding him said nothing. Soon a carriage pulled up, and the coachmen opened the door. Henri offered his hand to his wife, helping her down out of the carriage. He then helped down a beautiful young woman, dressed in a lavish white dress.
”Sir Rainer,” he said to a knight that was waiting with the others. ”Escort my wife to her seat, I will join her after giving away the bride.” The young knight took his Queen’s arm and led her inside. ”So I finally get to have my revenge on you, dear sister. Shall I tell Duke Warren that you are nervous about marrying him?”
”Brother, I am not nervous.” Jacelyn said blushing. ”It is just such a warm day, that is all.” The siblings laughed. Suddenly music started in the church.
”That is the signal,” he offered her his arm. ”Shall we?” He led his sister into the church and presented her to her future husband. The ceremony was swiftly concluded. The Duke and Duchess of Caux and Bourgogne were presented to the people and the Court with much applause.
August 1425
King Jacques was dead, and his son, Louis the Hunter, had taken his place as King of France. His first actions were to seek a peaceful end to the war between France and England. His efforts were fruitless so far, but peace was not something Jacques had ever wanted, except if it entailed the total destruction of England. This gave King Henri some hope.
A loud scream interrupted Henri’s thoughts, and he looked up from the letter from the French Court. His door swung open, and Prince Henri, now a rascal of five, ran in with a wooden sword and shield. It was clear now that the scream was his battle cry, as he screamed again.
”I think the captain has lost account of you, my son.” Henri said calmly. ”Or do you run around with your weapons ready everywhere I go.”
”Mother wants me to go to bed, but I want to train. I want to be a powerful warrior like Duke Henri.” King Henri looked up and noticed that the sun had gone down. At some time, a servant had brought in and lit a candle and he had not noticed. He was getting too involved with his work.
”The Duke became the man he was because he listened to his mother, and honoured her and his father. You will need your sleep if you are to succeed in your training tomorrow.” The argument didn’t seem to sway the young warrior, so the King took another approach. Taking the Prince on his lap, and setting his sword and shield on the table, he tried to tap into the warrior spirit inside his son. ”Soon, you will have a little brother or sister. I will need your help, then, and so will your mother. You will be King someday, and will have your chance to be a great warrior, but I will need you to protect your siblings and your mother whenever I cannot. Can I trust you with that task?”
”Of course, father,” the Prince said.
”Good, now off to bed with you. You will need rest if you are to remain vigilant, my son.” Henri kissed his boy on the forehead, and the young prince ran off, to bed the King hoped.
Winter 1422
”I’ll be frank with you, I never expected your kingdom to last five months, let alone five years. You’ve done a fine job, lad.” King Phillipe of Burgundy raised his glass towards Henri and then drained it. Phillipe, unlike King Jacques, was not a pretentious noble. He understood that he was King because his people were not dissatisfied enough with his rule to overthrow him, and he sought to keep things that way.
”A Free Normandy was the dream of my father. A shame he did not live long enough to see it.” Henri said, staring down into the dark wine in his own glass. He was not much of a drinker, but it was quite a fine wine. King Phillipe had brought his best bottles of Burgundy wine with him. ”The unfortunate thing about it is, short of keeping the country free from the French, I do not know what to do with it. We need room to breathe...a border with King Jacques is an invitation to invasion.”
Phillipe snorted. ”If the French weren’t so involved in their fight with the English, they would be at war with us. Conquest for the sake of conquest is a fool’s errand, and one that Jacques frequently dispatches his troops for.” He filled his glass again from the quickly emptying bottle of wine. ”The best boundary between you and France is for France to be greatly reduced. Then, of course, you have to deal with whoever did the reducing…unless that was yourself.”
”We don’t have the forces for that. We need more men, more territory, more money…” Henri sighed. ”By all rights, the province of Maine is ours, but the French occupy it. I could demand its return, but a direct war with France is one we would not loose. Besides, we are allies.”
”Alliances change rapidly in Europe.” Phillipe said. ”Don’t be surprised when the war is over, and France decides you are too much of a risk to remain allied to. If you are allies, you are entitled to a share of any spoils, and that is something France will not stand for.”
”The problem there is that with such big neighbors, nobody will think about allying themselves with us. Nobody wants to be forced into a fight with the French, especially when there is little to gain.”
”You should consider joining the Holy Roman Empire…we may be beholden in name to the Emperor, but he also protects us in times of war. If France would fear anyone, it would be the combined might of the Empire.”
”Normandy freed herself to be done with overseers and masters…I don’t know if gaining and Emperor would be a good idea.”
”Unless you became the emperor.” Phillipe said, smiling.
Summer 1423
The city of Rennes was lavishly decorated in flowers and banners of both Normandy and Burgundy flew from every window. King Henri stood at the entrance of the Church of the Holy Trinity. The servants and pages surrounding him said nothing. Soon a carriage pulled up, and the coachmen opened the door. Henri offered his hand to his wife, helping her down out of the carriage. He then helped down a beautiful young woman, dressed in a lavish white dress.
”Sir Rainer,” he said to a knight that was waiting with the others. ”Escort my wife to her seat, I will join her after giving away the bride.” The young knight took his Queen’s arm and led her inside. ”So I finally get to have my revenge on you, dear sister. Shall I tell Duke Warren that you are nervous about marrying him?”
”Brother, I am not nervous.” Jacelyn said blushing. ”It is just such a warm day, that is all.” The siblings laughed. Suddenly music started in the church.
”That is the signal,” he offered her his arm. ”Shall we?” He led his sister into the church and presented her to her future husband. The ceremony was swiftly concluded. The Duke and Duchess of Caux and Bourgogne were presented to the people and the Court with much applause.
August 1425
King Jacques was dead, and his son, Louis the Hunter, had taken his place as King of France. His first actions were to seek a peaceful end to the war between France and England. His efforts were fruitless so far, but peace was not something Jacques had ever wanted, except if it entailed the total destruction of England. This gave King Henri some hope.
A loud scream interrupted Henri’s thoughts, and he looked up from the letter from the French Court. His door swung open, and Prince Henri, now a rascal of five, ran in with a wooden sword and shield. It was clear now that the scream was his battle cry, as he screamed again.
”I think the captain has lost account of you, my son.” Henri said calmly. ”Or do you run around with your weapons ready everywhere I go.”
”Mother wants me to go to bed, but I want to train. I want to be a powerful warrior like Duke Henri.” King Henri looked up and noticed that the sun had gone down. At some time, a servant had brought in and lit a candle and he had not noticed. He was getting too involved with his work.
”The Duke became the man he was because he listened to his mother, and honoured her and his father. You will need your sleep if you are to succeed in your training tomorrow.” The argument didn’t seem to sway the young warrior, so the King took another approach. Taking the Prince on his lap, and setting his sword and shield on the table, he tried to tap into the warrior spirit inside his son. ”Soon, you will have a little brother or sister. I will need your help, then, and so will your mother. You will be King someday, and will have your chance to be a great warrior, but I will need you to protect your siblings and your mother whenever I cannot. Can I trust you with that task?”
”Of course, father,” the Prince said.
”Good, now off to bed with you. You will need rest if you are to remain vigilant, my son.” Henri kissed his boy on the forehead, and the young prince ran off, to bed the King hoped.
