The Youngest Prince Of The English Royalty House [EN]: Chapter 34

[Episode 34, John Receives Attention]

-1185, Ireland-

‘Alright, preparations are almost complete. Time to send our poor Muslim friends to hell.’

‘You infidels who believe in the prophet Jesus as God, want to get wrecked by us, juiced up on jihad [a holy war in Islam]?’

As the Crusaders prepared to advance, the Muslims slowly prepared their defenses.

A new year dawned.

Many people looked forward to and hoped for this year of 1185.

“Lord, watch over us this year as well.”

“God, I will live diligently for you this year as well.”

Here, enjoying the New Year of 1185, is the peaceful island of Ireland!

While the Eastern Roman Empire was in an uproar over the news of the Great Crusade.

Ireland, the island of rebels, or rather, the island of abundance.

The people here were enjoying a very happy time, regardless of the war.

This was partly due to the geographical situation, being far from the battlefield.

But it was also because the new agricultural methods initiated by Prince John were finally showing results.

“Wow…”

“Is that real?”

Although the Irish were already benefiting from agricultural products supported by Mortain, which had seen the effects of ‘crop rotation’.

Seeing their own achievements with their own eyes was a different experience.

The serfs were excited by the ‘jackpot’ that had appeared before their eyes.

To obtain so much yield from limited farmland.

“To think we would produce so much grain.”

“Indeed, Prince John is a lord sent by God.”

To the innocent people who knew nothing, what they could eat right now was what mattered.

The Great Lord of Ireland, John, like Joseph in the Bible.

Had prepared for the potential failure of crop rotation in Ireland by buying grains that could be stored for a long time in advance.

And using the grain as currency,

He gave a lot of grain to the hungry people and bought sheep and cattle from them.

He had thought of stockpiling food to prepare for all worst-case scenarios, such as the failure of crop rotation.

Anyway, look at the results.

The crop rotation farming method was a huge success in the Mortain estate and the large Irish estate.

Even with the stockpiled food untouched and the estate residents eating bread to their heart’s content,

The food situation became so good that they could even sell military rations to the Crusaders.

Considering that ‘food’ is national power in the 12th century as well as in the 21st century.

The grains and feed stockpiled in Ireland and Mortain now represented nothing short of a ‘power’.

As her husband John’s ventures became a hit, Mary boasted to her ever-critical mother-in-law.

“Mother, did you see? My husband has achieved Joseph’s accomplishments.”

Joseph was a Jew in Genesis who was betrayed by his brothers and sold into slavery in Egypt.

But he wisely solved the food problem by foreseeing Egypt’s 7 years of abundance and 7 years of drought in a dream.

With this, Joseph was favored by Pharaoh and became the Prime Minister of Egypt.

After becoming Prime Minister, Joseph developed water management and reclamation farming techniques to increase grain storage and grain production.

Egypt, under Joseph, not only endured 7 years of drought but also built a ‘hegemony’ in neighboring countries with the surplus food.

Just like Peter, John’s estate agent, is exerting influence over other estates in Ireland with ‘food’.

Anyway, Mary was happy that her husband John was spreading his wings like Joseph and achieving great things.

Eleanor, who heard her daughter-in-law’s boast, smiled brightly and said.

“Don’t be mistaken. The reason my son is so great is not thanks to ‘you’, Mary, but thanks to ‘me’, his wise mother, right?”

“Tsk, you’re exaggerating too much. Mother, who didn’t even have time to love John, is saying that?”

Mary scoffed at her mother’s remarks, who seemed to have left her conscience in Mecca, the Islamic holy land.

When Mary complained like that, Eleanor said confidently.

“It’s late, but I’m giving him love and attention even now, right? Because John is the son I love the most besides Richard.”

Not long after the ‘John’ story ended, the topic suddenly changed.

“By the way, Duke Norfolk seems to be working too hard these days. Since Father is not in England, we need to be more wary of our surroundings, right?”

“Of course. The reason Henry d’Anjou left England with peace of mind is because of Duke Norfolk.”

Rulers who have to leave their territories and kingdoms for various reasons entrust their territories to the vassals they trust the most.

Henry II wanted to prevent England from becoming chaotic due to his absence.

He appointed the trusted Grand Duke Norfolk as the kingdom’s temporary regent.

Duke Norfolk, the father of Robin who is by John’s side, and the most politically astute of Henry’s 7 nobles.

Thanks to that guy, the chaos in England, which had entered a wartime footing, was reduced, and the serfs could farm without any worries.

“The nobles who participate in the Crusades implicitly entrust their territories to their most cherished vassals. That’s to check their loyalty and ability.”

Eleanor, who said that, looked at the young man she had never paid attention to and said.

“In that sense, your role is important, Peter.”

“I know that well. Your Majesty the Great Queen Mother.”

“You’ve been doing well so far, so far…”

Eleanor said those meaningful words to Peter and went back to her room.

To be honest, she never thought that her youngest son, John, who she thought was ordinary compared to his brothers, would change like this.

In a way, John was doing his own kind of politics that others couldn’t see.

The youngest sons of noble families without estates, who would later become the bourgeoisie of France or the gentry of England.

And countless bastards who are ignored by everyone.

Prince John’s estate was where such talented people gathered and worked hard.

“Maybe John knows a new world that no one has ever seen.”

Eleanor muttered to herself.

“My sons are fighting hard, so should this mother give them some help? It’s a bit of a waste of money, though.”

She decided to prepare a ‘gift’ for her most beloved Prince Richard and her beloved youngest Prince John anyway.

A very special gift that Safe John would be so happy to go crazy for!

Ah. What about the first son and the third son, Henry and Geoffrey?

Those guys who turned away from their mother until the end are the same bastards as Henry.

**

-Somewhere in the guest room of the Eastern Roman Empire-

While Prince John was receiving attention from other people.

There were people whose thoughts about John had changed.

Those people were John’s older brother, the third brother, young King Henry, and Duke Geoffrey of Brittany.

“Brother, we must no longer ignore John.”

“…”

John.

The youngest, who was more ordinary than his other brothers and showed a timid appearance in everything.

Now he was showing a completely different side.

The unexpected aspects that John had recently begun to show.

If it was one or two, it would be cute to just watch.

But as it went too far, they became increasingly wary.

The first Henry and the third Geoffrey never expected it.

That Prince John would be so full of presence.

In fact, Prince John was now an idol star of the Crusades.

Among the princes of the Angevin-Plantagenet family.

Who would have known that the youngest would grow up so much?

When Prince John first recited a poem of a type that no one had ever heard of.

Even until he became a giant of Minnesang [German lyric poetry] beyond poetry and was recognized by people in Germany, France, and England.

John’s brothers didn’t care.

They just thought he was acting out like the youngest sons of other noble families.

Anyway, the youngest, who couldn’t expect a good estate to inherit the throne.

Because there was a high possibility that he would remain a cute existence.

And by proposing to Princess Agnes more than 200 times.

Even when he made a name for himself as John, the epitome of a romantic man representing this era.

The brothers didn’t care.

Even if his name was widely known, what use was a reputation that was preceded by feelings of ‘mockery’ and ‘pity’?

But.

Gradually, John revealed unpredictable aspects.

“Among the men who bear Adam’s original sin, there can be no one without ambition.”

That is the principle that Prince Geoffrey has gained while living in the world.

Other than Adam, who disobeyed God’s word and ate the fruit of good and evil.

There can never be anyone in this world without ambition and greed.

Even royalty, nobles, and even serfs and slaves from pagan backgrounds!

“What are you trying to say, Geoffrey?”

“I have now realized that John is the most greedy person among our brothers.”

With those words, Prince Geoffrey recalled the past and said.

“When I saw our youngest… refusing his father’s request to give him Aquitaine in one go, I started to be wary of him from then on.”

“Hmm…”

“And when he chose the Claire family, called the king’s mercenary family, as his in-laws, not the Gloucester family, which had a duchess who could inherit the estate without brothers, I couldn’t get a grasp.”

Geoffrey, who trailed off like that, said.

“But now I know for sure that John is also our competitor.”

“Geoffrey, are you saying… that John is also a great noble who will compete with us for interests?”

“That’s right, brother.”

Without knowing it, John became wary of his brothers.

And without knowing it, he was recognized by his brothers as a great noble.

Safe John is becoming increasingly dangerous.

Regardless of the success or failure of the Crusades, the Angevin family’s game of thrones continues!

**

At the moment when the scale of the Crusades became even larger with the joining of the Eastern Roman Empire.

Our proud Iberian friends began the Reconquista [the historical period of the Iberian Peninsula], the campaign of driving out the Islamic forces from the Iberian Peninsula.

‘Our huge Crusader army is holding onto other Islamic forces, so you’re going to leisurely soak the Islamic guys, right?’

Well, I felt like we were showing off our talents and those friends were sucking the honey.

But I didn’t feel too bad.

[John, thank you. Thanks to you, my beloved youngest, who moved the Crusaders, my husband (Alfonso VIII) made a decision. Now this older sister will move the Kingdom of Castile, or rather, Iberia, and properly kill the Islamic kids in it!]

My second older sister, Queen Eleanor of Castile (same name as my mother), who had been quiet for a while, sent me pocket money along with a letter.

The Aragon-Castile allied forces, which had political and diplomatic significance, joined the ‘Crusades’ and began the holy war.

In the Third Crusade.

It meant that the ‘first’ battle had begun.

It’s not bad for the Christians in Iberia to have their first fight.

The weaker the Islamic forces, the better for us.

Anyway, now our main Crusader force has finished all preparations.

If it’s just one word, ‘God wills it’.

Now charge forward, that’s what I mean!

While waiting nervously for orders.

Good news came from across the sea.

Stockpiled food to be used as military rations and feed for horses had arrived.

Large transport ships and warships were approaching slowly.

The Crusaders quickly headed to the port.

“Wow! New military rations.”

“Oh my god, to see stockpiled military rations while fighting a war.”

Western Europe.

To be exact, military rations came from the territories ruled by the Angevin family.

Of course, the problem was not the amount of these military rations.

It was that military rations that people did not expect had come in.

Supply troops are important in any war.

But after I started crop rotation.

In the Angevin family’s territories, which followed my crop rotation.

They supported much more food than expected.

Very.

Reliably!

To be honest, I want to stay holed up in Ireland and just focus on development.

But to people born in Europe in the Middle Ages.

The Crusades are like destiny.

Even the prince of Hungary, which can be said to be a second-rate country compared to our England.

The Crusaders are moving to defeat the pagan guys and build achievements.

I am participating in these Crusades.

Of course, unlike my other amazing brothers.

Isn’t it a less scary position where I can play as Safe John?

Yeah, that’s right.

While waiting for orders.

Richard and Baldwin IV’s ‘dream team’ in Jerusalem.

News came that they had begun to seriously confront the Ayyub Sultanate led by Saladin and General Al-Muzaffar Umar.

Right then, orders from the Crusader command were delivered to me.

I am the Holy Roman Emperor, the Eastern Roman Emperor.

In front of my father Henry II.

I was to hear the orders that I had to carry out as a Crusader.

Of course, the person giving me orders now is Frederick I, the Holy Roman Emperor.

“John Anjou-Plantagenet, I heard that you are good at catching pirates.”

Ah, it’s not that I’m good at catching pirates, it’s that I barely survived.

It was so hard because of the pirates of Allah!

Of course, I can’t say ‘No, I’m not’ here.

Looking at the atmosphere.

It seems like they are trying to use me to support Richard and Baldwin IV’s operation.

“Move your Irish fleet and the fleet we support to repel all the pirates in Acre. That key point that the Islamic guys took because of the damn rebellion.”

“Yes, I understand.”

“And John, the commander who will go with you is…”

I was shocked?

No, why are you coming out of there among so many commanders?

Why am I the admiral?