The Rise and Fall of the Empire, part IV
The Finale
The Cast
Richard II, King of England and France
Queen Isabel, Mother and Regent to Richard
de Clare the younger, Duke of Gascony and a traitor
John de Hautville, Duke of Norfolk and a rebellious Brigand
Bleddyn Woodhouse, Duke of Gwynned and a much mistaken rebel
John Angevin, Duke of Cornwall and a treasonous cur
de Leyburne, Marshal of England and 2nd Regent
Charles de Rohan, Duke of Galloway and a most treacherous snake
Henry de Quincy, The Duke of York
Morcar Woodhouse, exiled son of Bleddyn and later Duke of Gwynned
Anne Angevin, Wife of Richard II and Queen of England and France
Marshal Arnulf, 2nd Marshal of England after de Leyburne
Louis Ap Tegwared, Steward of England, wounded at the battle of Ansbach
Prince Bevan, son of Richard II and Duke of Normandy
Ursula von Wittelsbach, Daughter of the Duke of Bavaria and wife to Prince Bevan
George Talbot, a reformist priest
Henry, Earl of Somerset and misguided rebel
Prince Edward,2nd son of Richard II and Duke of Beja
Charles de Rohan the younger, 2nd Duke of Galloway and a traitor
Alan de Quincy, Count of Algericas and a rabblerouser
Marshal de Champagne, 3rd Marshal of England
Prince William, Duke of Normandy, grandson of Richard II and son of Prince Bevan
John of the Western Isles, Duke of the Western Isles, a misguided rebel
The Duke of Northumberland, a coward
The Earl of Durham, A heroic warrior of the King
The Count of Yperen, a traitor
Sir Henry of Cherbourg, Hero of the battle of Clermont
The Duke of Meath, a misguided Rebel
The Earl of Bedford, a misguided Rebel
The Duke of Valois, a misguided Rebel
The Duke of Guyenne, a misguided Rebel
The Earl of Carrick, The Duke of Galloways lapdog and a treacherous rebel
The Duke of Berry, a misguided Rebel
The Duke of Connacht, a misguided Rebel
The Earl of Tuadmumu, a misguided Rebel, who fell at Grey's Hill
Henry Grey, 4th Marshal of England and Hero of the battle of Grey's Hill
Young Richard was seven years old when he was crowned King in Westminster in 1392, like his father King Edward, much of Richard II’s early governance was guided if not controlled by his mother, Queen Isabel. The first few years of Richard’s reign were fairly quiet, de Clare still battled against the King and his mother in the Estates-General and now the De Hautville’s of Norfolk were crying out against the child King in parliament. Richard though remained for the most part, blissfully unaware of the trouble brewing around him. In 1396, Queen Isabel died. De Clare, seeing his chance appear before him broke into open revolt around the Duchy of Gascony, de Clare had hoped to find the King weak and alone, but it was not to be. Though young, Richard II still had supporters, his Marshal; John de Leyburne levied the Royal armies and marched for the south of France. With such a show of strength from the Royalist quarter all support for de Clare melted away and the errant Duke was forced to face the Royal armies alone. De Clare was crushed at the battle of Bordeaux and Gascony fell to the Royal army soon after. De Clare was stripped of his Lands and was exiled. He left for the family stronghold in Taranto, but would never return to the Empire.
In 1400 A.D, despite the failures of de Clare in rebelling against the King, another rebellion was instigated, this time in England, Norfolk, Gwynned and Cornwall, Norfolk now owned by the populous de Hautville family, Gwynned by the descendants of Bevan Epee de Dieu's brother and Cornwall controlled by the Angevin’s. Both rebelled against the King with the intention of replacing him with another. This was a true state of emergency; none in England had ever rebelled against the King in such a way since the rule of the Angevins. Marshal de Leyburne levied armies all over England to fight the massed forces of the rebels. The two armies met outside Bedford; once again the Royals had the advantage of numbers and pressed against the rebels. The battle was hard fought; both Norfolk and Cornwall were able soldiers. But in the end higher numbers won out and beat back the rebels. De Leyburne’s army moved to attack Norfolk’s lands. Hearing of the rebellion and sure of a victory, the Duke of Galloway rebelled and marched south to invade Lancaster and capture Richard II. Galloway’s army was intercepted by Henry de Quincy, Duke of York, on the Tyne River and were beaten back to Scotland. Now de Leyburne turned to the Duchy of Gwynned, led by the descendants of Gwydion Woodhouse, younger brother to Bevan “Epee de Dieu” Woodhouse. De Leyburne joined with the Earl of Warwick’s army and defeated Gwynned’s army. He then lay siege to Harlech and captured it in August. De Leyburne, fearing Gwynned would rise again had the Duke executed, his lands were given to his exiled son Morcar Woodhouse.
In 1401 AD, the rebel forces sued for peace offering tribute and renouncing any claims they had on the Kings land. Regent and Marshal John de Leyburne accepted these terms knowing full well that harsh treatment of the rebels would incite the already rebellious nobles in the rest of the Empire. Later that year King Richard II reached his majority and de Leyburne stepped down from the regency, but stayed as Marshal to advise the young man. Although Richard II was popular with the lower classes, he was unpopular with the Earls of the Empire and Catholic Church. In 1403, on the advice of none other than de Clare, count of Taranto, Richard II was excommunicated for his tolerance of heretics and Muslims in his Spanish lands and an unwillingness to hand over authority to the Church. This served only to lower his vassals’ loyalty.
In 1405, as a sign of peace and goodwill between the Angevin dynasty and the Woodhouse dynasty, Richard II married Anne Angevin, descendant of Henry II and daughter of the Duke of Cornwall. Later that year she gave birth to a son Bevan and later another named Edward. Richard II’s position was strengthened by the birth of an heir and a popular marriage. Over the next few years’ peace reigned once again over the Empire and the economy began to rise in strength. Richard II took to travelling the Empire and even managed to expand its borders through an invasion of a Muslim held Switzerland. After a successful campaign against the heathens, Marshal de Leyburne died peacefully in Caen.
In 1419 the Duchy of Auvergne, Richards vassal declared war on Brabant which neighboured the Empire, Richard in support of his vassal declared war and levied his armies to march against the Duke of Brabant. Richards’s army took weeks to form up in Paris and Brabant took this opportunity to storm into France and besiege the city of Rheims. In October Richard’s army reached Rheims and smashed Brabant’s forces. While resting in Rheims the King was accosted by the townspeople seeking him to expel the apparently corrupt moneylenders in the city. Seeing it as part of his civic and religious duty, Richard agreed and ordered the City bailiffs to arrest them and seize their assets. Richard set off for Ansbach days later, the march was made in winter and Marshal Arnulf, being old and infirm, despite being a military mastermind died. Richard would have to fight this battle alone. On the 13th of March 1420, Richard reached Ansbach and met Brabant’s army. The battle was closely fought and both sides were even in number, Richard himself led a daring charge against the Duke and captured him, although Louis Ap Tegwared suffered a heavy injury to his groin and had to be carried from battle. The Duke of Brabant, seeing no alternative sued for peace, offering fifteen hundred pounds of silver. Richard II accepted and, the war being over, he returned to the Grand palace at Orleans. Steward Ap Tegwared, suffering from his grievous wound caught a fever and died the next year.
In 1421, Prince Bevan, now reached his majority and was married to Ursula Von Wittelsbach, sister to the Duke of Bavaria. Prince Bevan was given the Dukedom of Normandy and its associated lands to govern. In September of that year, a great reform, sponsored by the King himself was put forward to the Church inside the Empire, written by a scholar and Priest George Talbot. The Catholic Church, now having next to no authority in the Empire could do nothing to stop the reform and watched as the biggest political entity in Europe slipped from the Catholic Church. The Pope already having enough trouble with a war against the Kingdom of Naples had no wish to try his luck against England and its European possessions.
The Pope however would have no choice, seeking to take back Pentheivre in Brittany and expand along the Burgundian coast; King Richard II declared war on the Pope, officially to support his distant relation King Fulk of Naples. Richard marched to war in September 1423. Richards’s army met the Northern Papist army in Zeeland and gave battle. Richard II once again fought heroically but like his Steward four years ago suffered a bad wound to his groin as was unable to fight for the remainder of the battle. The Papists were defeated in Zeeland and had no army to defend in Brittany. The county of Brugge, seeking insurance and protection offered their vassalage and was admitted to the Empire. In 1424 the Pope yielded ownership of both Pentheivre and Zeeland to King Richard II. However the war against the Pope angered hard line Catholics who were dismayed at his sponsorship of heretical reforms. One of these, Henry, Earl of Somerset would not stand for anymore and rebelled against the King and marched for Lancaster. Richard could call on two personal armies during wartime. His English army, could count on around three thousand men, whereas his continental army number up to and often above twelve thousand men, following the traditional Woodhouse doctrine that any trouble would come from Europe. Richard levied both his armies, one to defend Lancaster and the other to attack Somerset. But the continental army always took weeks to assemble and then had to cross the Channel. By the time it had reached Southampton, Somerset had already reached Lancaster. Richard II met Somerset’s army just outside a small town named Poulton le fylde. This time the Royal army was outnumbered by Somerset’s five thousand strong. On the 2nd of November battle was fought and Richard defeated by a superior foe and retreated to Cumbria. While Somerset laid siege to Lancaster, the continental army reached and laid siege to Somerset. In December, fearing a complete destruction, Somerset sued for an honourable peace and paid a tribute of eleven hundred pounds.
In 1426, in direct confrontation with the Pope, Richard II sponsored another Church reform, the reform once again written by Talbot allowed for greater freedom from the Church in daily life and discouraged Church landowning and monetary penance. Later that year, Prince Edward, younger son of Richard II reached his majority and was awarded the county of Tourraine and the title Duke of Beja.
The Pope, now at peace with Naples was eager for reconciliation with what he called Christianity’s most prestigious and righteous defender, and proposed a repeal of the Talbot reforms and perhaps some indulgences in return for the King and Kingdoms re-communication with Holy mother Church. King Richard, also anxious to keep the loyalty of his more religious subjects accepted the payment of Indulgences, but not the reform, the Empire he put forward, was too large to be maintained by a system meant for smaller and less diverse countries. The pope agreed and King Richard paid the incredible sum of fourteen thousand pounds to the Catholic Church in return for reconciliation.
The Duchy of Galloway, now under a new Duke asked and was granted re-admittance into the Empire and brought lands in Burgundy and Scotland back into the Empire. In 1429 King Richard, seeking to finish off the Muslims in mainland Europe once and for all and taking advantage of the Almohad rebellions attacked the newly independent Sheikdom of Cadiz and swiftly defeated it. In 1430 the Duchy of Navarra was admitted to the Empire and brought extensive lands in Spain back to the Empire. With the Empire almost at its proportions in Bevan III’s reign, Richard II grew increasingly popular and in 1430 was offered the chance to increase Royal power and institute Royal Perogatory. Richard refused and again in 1432 was offered the chance and again refused, knowing full well the trouble previous Kings had experienced under it. Remembering safe times under the Empire and worried of the Muslim invasion in Croatia, the county of Portobello was admitted to the Empire. Later in 1432 Waldensian Heretics began preaching apolistic poverty and a break from Rome in Rheims. Incensed and encouraged by the Catholic clergy, the people of Rheims started to riot and lynched the Waldensians, burning around fifty at the Stake.
Queen Anne, now forty-six years old fell ill and died in 1435, Richard was reportedly heartbroken and did not leave his Palace in Orleans for over a year, until in 1436 in a shock decision he instituted Royal Perogatory and readmitted de Hautville Duke of Norfolk into the Empire. The institution of Royal Perogatory pleased mostly the smaller Earldoms, but did not entertain the Larger more powerful Dukes, Cornwall and Galloway began to speak against it and rallied others to their cause. In 1437 the Earldom of Angus rebelled against the King and marched an army south, it was intercepted by the Kings army in Northumbria and annihilated. In Spain, the Count of Algeciras, Alan de Quincy began to against a monarchy and call for a true representation of the people in the Empire, he was assassinated in 1437. Marshal de Champagne was later assassinated, probably in revenge.
The Dukes of the Empire smouldered against Royal Perogatory and Richard’s support began to dwindle, much of his Empires loyalty was kept by gifts sent to the most powerful and disloyal Dukes. In 1438 another tragedy befell Richard II when his second son, Edward, Duke of Beja died of Pneumonia. Prince Edward was only thirty years old; Richard II was now forty-eight years old and had ruled England for forty-one years. A year later, Prince Bevan, Duke of Normandy died, his Duchy passing to his eldest son William.
In 1440 the Duchy of Galloway declared war on the Swiss Kingdom over a dispute in Burgundy, Richard II joined the war against the Swiss and lay siege to their lands in Italy, months later the Earl of Dorset rebelled against the King but was quickly defeated by the Duke of Hampshire’s army and surrendered and was readmitted within months. The war against Switzerland was academic as far as Richard was concerned, he captured three of their cities and Galloway signed a peace with the Swiss making minor gains in Italy. Richard however would spent two years in a cold war against the Swiss until the Pope called for a resolution and peaceful end to the war. Both Richard and Switzerland agreed.
Richard would spend only a year of peace in Orleans before being brought news of Munster’s rebellion in Ireland. Richard levied his armies and sailed for Ireland. He reached the Duchy of Munster late in 1443 and quickly lay siege to the city, by chance, Munster’s army had sailed for France, while Richards’s army in England had quickly sailed across St. Georges channel and landed in Ireland before Munster could reach Normandy. On New Years day 1444, Munster sued for peace and Richard accepted, his vassal’s loyalty was now so precarious he could not risk tarnishing his reputation.
In 1447, in reaction to the weakening of the Catholic Church in the Empire, the County of Jaffa, the last English Crusader state broke away from the Empire. England had lost all holdings outside of west Europe.
1449 A.D would be forever remembered as the beginning of the end for the English Empire that had covered Western Europe in its entirety. The war would ruin the Empire and change the face Europe forever.
In 1449, the Duke of the Western Isles, one of the longest serving vassals and most loyal rebelled along with the less loyal Duke of Galloway. Galloway’s armies in Scotland marched for Lancaster, while his armies in Burgundy besieged and captured the cities of Metz and Verdun before reaching Rheims. As the war continued more and more Duchies either fought directly against Richard II or declared their own independence in the chaos. These are the major battles of the English Civil War discounting minor skirmishes.
Battle of Carlisle 17th June 1449-Rebel Victory
As Galloway marched south, Richard ordered the Duke of Northumberland to levy his forces and block the Duke of Galloway at Carlisle. The two armies met north of Carlisle on the 17th June 1449. Northumberland’s forces were quickly attacked by the rebels and broke and ran within an hour, Northumberland’s army deserted the King and disappeared leaving the road to Lancaster open.
Battle of Durham 10th July 1449-Royal Victory
With Northumberland’s forces deserting Richard depended on the Earl of Durham to block Galloway’s army. The two armies met on the 10th of July. In the hard fought battle the Earl of Durham defeated the Duke of Galloway. King Richard rewarded the Earl with a sum of five hundred pounds.
The city of Metz captured by Galloway 11th October 1449
Battle of Rheims 15th October 1449-Rebel Victory
The continental army, still not fully united was caught out at Rheims. The Count of Yperen, one of the newest members of Rebel faction had charged south to Rheims to join up with Galloway’s army. There it found and outnumbered the Rheims army and inflicted a heavy defeat on the Kings forces.
Battle of Clermont 1st January 1450-Rebel Victory
The remnants of Rheims continental army, reinforced by the Count of Vermandois’s army were chased and defeated by the Count of Yperen outside the town of Clermont. The Royal army, its morale broken was quickly routed and chased off the field suffering minor casualties, a rearguard action led by Sir Henry of Cherbourg held off the rebel forces and inflicted comparable casualties before retreating with the rest of the army.
Battle of Lancaster 10th January 1450 -Royal Victory
The Duke of Galloway made another play for Lancaster castle, the ancestral seat of the Woodhouse dynasty; this time approaching from the direct north he met King Richard II’s army in the River Ribble valley. Galloway’s forces were worn down by months of marching and fighting in hostile terrain. They faced King Richard II’s Royal army, fresh and with high morale on the 10th of January on the cold winter morning. The rebel forces were pelted with arrows as they tried to climb the hills towards Richard II’s position fired by veteran longbowmen. When the Scots finally the reached Richard II’s army they were overwhelmed by a large contingent of Lancastrian men at arms and flanked by English knights. Galloway’s army broke and ran and were massacred or drowned as they tried to swim the freezing River Ribble.
The city of Verdun captured by Galloway 4th February 1450-Rebel Victory
8th February 1450, Duke of Meath sides with the rebels, Duchy of the Western Isles and County of Yperen sign a peace with King Richard II
Battle of Verdun 20th February 1450-Rebel Victory
Following the capture of the city, the Royalist forces gathered their men at Rheims; the number was bolstered with reinforcements from Prince William of Normandy. Royalist forces attacked the Rebels outside Verdun. The battle was closely fought, but even though the Royalists outnumbered the rebels by two thousand men the rebels held their ground and threw the Royalists back. Sir Henry of Cherbourg, the hero of Clermont was killed while protecting the Royal Standard. Most of Prince William’s men deserted after the defeat, severely depleting the Continental armies strength.
2nd Battle of Verdun 9th April 1450-Royal Victory
The Continental army spent a month drawing new recruits and reinforcements from Brittany while Galloway’s forces sat in Verdun. On the 9th April the Royalists launched a lightening attack on the rebels and succeeded in catching them off guard, split up and unready for an attack the rebels were defeated and retreated to Metz.
Battle of Towcester 26th April 1450-Royal Victory
The Duke of Meath’s army, reinforced by the Earl of Bedford’s army met a combined Royalist force consisting of King Richard II’s army and the Duke of Lancaster, and Duke of Gloucester’s armies. Battle was joined early in the afternoon, both sides were evenly matched in number, but the rebel’s novice army was no match for the Lancastrian veterans. The defeat knocked the Earl of Bedford out of the war and forced the Duke of Meath to fight on the defensive. England itself seemed safe and there seemed to be light at the end of the tunnel.
Armagnac joins the rebels; Meath sues for peace 24th May 1450
Battle of Northampton 24th May 1450-Royal Victory
The remnants of the Duke of Meath’s army attack Royal positions but are beaten back with heavy casualties. The Earl of Dublin, heir to the Duchy is killed during the fighting. The battle forces the Duke of Meath to sue for peace and knocks them out of the war.
3rd Battle of Verdun or the Battle of Vaux-devant-Damloup 25th May 1450-Rebel Victory
Galloway returned to Verdun in May, this time outnumbering the Royalists they met the continental army outside a small village named Vaux-devant-Damloup. The battle started early in the morning, both sides manouevreing for position before the Royalists launched an attack leading through the Village, the rebels moved to meet them and a bloody melee erupted in the Village square. Meanwhile the main armies engaged eachother in the farm fields adjacent to the village. The battle was fought evenly until the rebel forces captured the village and flanked the Royal army late in the evening. Both sides had taken considerable casualties but the rebels had taken back the area around Verdun.
Battle of Agen 21st June 1450-Royal Victory
Royalist armies from Tourraine attack the Armagnac forces in Agen, the rebels are outnumbered and quickly defeated being forced to withdraw to Armagnac and stopping them from reinforcing the north. This battle would force the Count of Armagnac to sue for peace.
Armagnac sues for peace, pays reparations of five thousand pounds 7th July 1450
Meath sues for peace, pays reparations of eight thousand pounds 21st July 1450
2nd Battle of Rheims 23rd July 1450-Rebel Victory
Scottish reinforcements bolstered by Burgundian mercaneries attack the continental army sheltering in Rheims, the continental army breaks leaving small pockets of soldiers to fight for themselves. Some of the army serving the Duke of Valois desert. It is a crushing defeat for the Royalist forces and brings the Duke of Valois into the war on the Rebels side.
Battle of Galloway 29th July 1450-Rebel Victory
The Lancastrian army, fatigued and demoralised try in vain to capture Galloway with too few men. The Duke of Galloway attacks with men fresh from the Duchy of Albany and defeats the beleagured royalists, who retreat south to Newcastle. After months of security in England, the rebel victory displays the threat against Lancaster.
Duke of Valois sides with the Rebels 23rd August 1450
Battle of Amiens 24th August 1450-Royal Victory
After the defeat at Rheims one month ago, the continental army withdrew to Amiens to take on reinforcements and provisions. When the Duke of Valois rebelled he used this chance to destory the Continental army while it was waiting for reinforcements. However he attacked to late. The battle was closely fought until reinforcements from Normandy arrived behind the Duke of Valois’s lines. Panicked by the sudden appearance of the Royalists, the rebel lines broke. The Duke of Valois surrendered and offered reparations of two thousand pounds. Weeks later, Prince William would leave with his army and not return.
Duke of Leinster sides with the rebels 1st September 1450
Royalist armies invade Ireland, Leinster sue for peace 8th October 1450
Galloway captures Rheims 24th October 1450
The Duke of Guyenne sides with the rebels 26th December 1450
The Duke of Romagna sides with the rebels 14th January 1451
3rd Battle of Rheims 19th January 1451-Rebel Victory
After assembling in Paris over winter the continental army moves to Rheims to retake the Royal city and liberate the Cathedral and the French Crown jewels stored there. Both armies were well rested and no advantage of numbers were possessed by either side. Both armies carried about twelve thousand men. However, most of the Veterans of the Royal army now lay dead in the fields of France, and the continental army was made up of recruits hastily drawn up from Royal vassals who rarely saw combat. The rebels on the other hand had seen plenty of battles. Royalist morale crumbled and their forces broke upon the Rebel halberd press. The battle lasted from morning to mid-afternoon, by that time the Royalist forces had fled, leaving over five thousand dead on the field. The rebels had suffered just as badly, but their morale held them in place.
Galloway captured by Royal forces 8th March 1451, King Richard sues for peace but is refused.
Battle of Orleans 17th April 1451 -Royal Victory
The Duke of Guyenne had declared for the rebels in December but had to wait through winter for a good campaigning season. By March his army was on the move and by early april had reached Orleans and laid siege to it. On the 17th of April, the continental army, joined with the Count of Sens army attacked Guyenne’s army in the early morning, utilising the heavy fog to creep close to their lines and let loose a hail of arrows into them before attacking them from all sides. In the confusion Guyenne’s army lost the distinction between friend and foe and chaos gripped the rebels. By afternoon the rebels had been defeated. It was the first royal victory of the year and the first in seven months.
Western Isles rejoins the Empire 7th June 1451
The Duke of Galloway is excommunicated on Richard II’s insistence 29th June 1451
Battle of Paris 1st July 1451-Royal Victory
The continental army once again was recuperating in Paris while simultaneously on the defensive. On the 1st of July the rebel army, attacked. This time the continental were rested, could choose their terrain and had some veterans among them. The battle nonetheless was hard fought, both took casualties in the thousands and it seemed as if the battle would never end until the Earl of Carrick’s right flank faltered and began to rout, weakening the army and forcing it to withdraw.
2nd Battle of Paris 5th August 1451-Royal Victory
A month later and the continental army still defended Paris, this time an Italian army led by the Duke of Romagna attacked. The battle was shortlived. The Royalists in high morale and in good stead tore into the fatigued peasantry of Romagna’s army and put them to flight, chasing them into the Seine.
The Duke of Romagna sues for peace and offers five thousand pounds
The Duke of Guyenne sues for peace and offers six thousand pounds
4th Battle of Rheims 21st Septmember-Royal Victory
The Continental army, well experienced and well stocked with impetous warrios set out from Paris to liberate the city of Rheims, on the 21st of September the Rebel army rides out to meet them. Battle is joined on a fallow field, both sides fight well but the rebels are outnumbered and by late morning it begins to slow. Rain falls bogging down mounted cavalry and heavily armoured men at arms. By midday the rebel army breaks and flees the field. The Royalists stay to tired to run and unable to negotiate the now flooded field they slowly march for the city and castle of Rheims.
Duke of Berry sides with the rebels 18th November 1451, the Duke of Berry’s army, serving in Paris deserts and joins the rebels.
Scottish Royalist army deserts 19th January 1452
5th Battle of Rheims 21st January 1452-Royal Victory
The Royalists brought as many men as they could to Rheims for a final campaign against the Duke of Galloway, instigator the Civil War. The rebels were keen to hold on to Rheims and defeat King Richard II’s army in the field. For the fifth time in three years the Royalist and rebel armies met outside Rheims, the gateway to Paris. The Royalists were more numerous and better experienced than the rebels that came against them now. The advantages that the rebels had enjoyed were now part of the Royalists repetoire. The rebels had no choice but to attack and it showed, the Royalist line held and then counterattacked, with French and English knights driving a wedge between the rebel armies and moving to envelope the surrounded soldiers. The rebels suffered enormous casualties and pulled back to Verdun.
Duke of Connacht sides with the rebels 19th February 1452
Battle of Orleans 26th February 1452-Royal Victory
The Duke of Berry had the luck of being far south of the main theatre in Northern France, thus he was able to gather his forces and lay siege to the French Capital of Orleans. However it didn’t take long for King Richard II to organise an army to lift the siege. Taken from counties surrounding Orleans the temporary army struck on the 26th of February. The Duke of Berry with only three thousand men against five thousand was heavily outnumbered. His men were untested and tired from marching across France. The Royalists fought fanatically in defence of their homes which lay nearby. With so few men the Duke of Berry could not stand up to such an attack and fell back by late afternoon. Orleans had been saved.
4th Battle of Verdun 1st March 1452-Royal Victory
The rebels had taken stock of the situation and were prepared for a Royalist counterattack. On the first day of march it came. The battle was fought on a small plain five miles from the village of Vaux. The Royals with strength in number, morale and now a good Marshal engaged the rebels on a broadfront saving their knights to flank the rebel forces now engaged in a deadly bill press. The rebels outnumbered and outfought were beaten out of Verdun and back into Metz, a victory in Metz would mean a counterattack into Galloway’s Burgundian lands.
Battle of Chatres 10th April 1452-Rebel Victory
The Duchy of Connacht had spent most of their time between now and February sailing across the sea to France, when they landed they marched straight for Paris hoping to surround the continental army at Verdun. However, the Orleans defence force was still raised and was sent north to intercept the Irish army. They met on the 10th of April, one mile from Chatres both armies deployed. Both were evenly matched, both fatigued from weary marches. The Duke of Connacht attacked first, charging through the longbow volleys he hit the Royal lines with such force it almost split them in two, between the two armies a brutal melee erupted by both sides. The Royalist force, so demoralised by the initial charge broke by late morning and fled the field.
5th Battle of Verdun 26th May 1452Rebel Victory
The Royalist force, still besieging Verdun and stopped from being reinforced due to the battles in and around Chatres was on its own. The rebel army had pulled back to Burgundy and returned with new soldiers. The rebels attack on the 26th of May on a hot summers day. The Royalists exhausted from the heat and two months of siege struggled to put up a strong defence. The battle lasted three hours before the Royalists managed to stagger away. The rebels had won a victory and with it had dashed Royalist hopes of a quick end to the war.
Orleans falls to Berry 16th June 1452
Verdun falls to rebels 1st July 1452
2nd Battle of Chatres 8th July 1452-Royal Victory
Prince William had once again decided to join the fight against the rebels, he despatched his army to meet up with the Orleans defence force. The two armies moved onwards to Chatres to break the rebel siege. Battle was joined again in the same spot two months ago. This time the Royalist forces attacked subjecting the rebels to a hail of arrows. The rebels fought back and the two infantry lines met, Prince William, placed on the right flank did not move to attack the rebels. As the Royalists fought the rebels back Prince William and his Normans left the field and returned to Normandy. But even this disaster didn’t halt the Royalist line which now pushed hard against the rebels finally breaking them. Casualties had been high, half of the Royalist army had deserted under Prince William. But the rebel army under the Duke of Connacht had suffered equally.
2nd Battle of Galloway 21st July 1452-Rebel Victory
The Royalist war machine was running out of men only a small force of two thousand men guarded Galloway against any rebel counterattacks. It was no surprise that on 21st of July a combined force of five thousand Irish and Scots attacked the Royalists and beat them out of Scotland. Although the Royalists fought bravely, they were outnumbered by fresh troops with a local populace that gave the majority of their support to the rebels. The Royalist army withdrew to Cumbria to hold the border against any incursions.
Galloway recovered by the rebels 27th July 1452
Paris falls to the rebels 30th July 1452
3rd Battle of Chatres or the Battle of Grey’s Hill 22nd September 1452-Rebel Victory
The Orleans defense force numbering around three thousand men still held Chartres, they were low on supplies and reinforcements weren’t coming. It was up to these men to fight off the rebels. In september the Earl of Tuadmumu landed in Normandy and made his way south to Chatres. The Royalists were under no illusions. The rebels outnumbered them two to one, but still they held their ground. Led by Marshal Henry Grey the Royalists spread themselves out upon a long stretch of hills tyring to get the best out of their numbers. The rebels attacked at morning, slowly but surely the Royalists lost men and ground, gradually they were pushed back to a small rise in the hills. There five hundred men made their last stand against the rebels, fighting with sword first and fist and teeth later the Royalists died one by one, each of them dying on a mound of slaughtered rebels. When the Earl of Tuadmumu himself led the charge against their line he was de-horsed by the Marshal of England and brutally killed. Legend says that on that hill atop a mound of dead bodies the Marshal and his Squire fought hopelessly to try and keep the royal standard aloft, when the Marshals leg was hooked and sliced off by a rebel bill he leaned against his Squire to keep the banner aloft, until as they were surrounded and worn down both were killed by the rebels. The Heroic last stand of Marshal Grey and the men of Orleans touched even the rebels, for as they buried the bodies of their honourable foes, the Marshal of Tuadmumu picked up the Royal Standard and planted it on that hill, forever remembered as Grey’s hill.
The battle of Grey’s hill was the last battle of the English civil war for a whole year. No other combat was fought. Royalist forces by order of Richard II withdrew to England and prepared for armageddon. The English Kingdom lay in ruins, England and France were splintered, the people terrorised by war and hardship. Still Richard II now sixty-eight years old reigned over this shell of its great self. Chaos ruled the Land and Richard II was King in all but reality. His heir, his Grandson William was uncooperative and best, and now only his most devoted vassals stayed with him. England would need a radical turn-around to return to the glory days of Henry III and Bevan II and III.
Europe 1453
