The Youngest Prince Of The English Royalty House [EN]: Chapter 109

109. Bonjour, Brittany (1)

It’s always fun to watch other people’s family feuds.

It’s amusing to see them squander their national power fighting amongst themselves. And if a gap becomes too apparent, a neighboring country might break neutrality to protect the balance of power in Europe and invade.

Medieval Europeans loved war even more than early modern Europeans. They love God more than anyone, but they absolutely reject the one thing God taught them: to love your neighbor as yourself.

Since the fall of the ancient Roman Empire, the essence of Europe has been the give and take of hating one’s neighbor as an enemy to gain an advantage.

The recent Battle of Le Mans was a victory for Prince Richard. However, no one considered the Battle of Le Mans a decisive battle. Many more battles would follow.

The decision of the nobles of the Low Countries to join Richard’s army surprised Europe.

That the nobles of the Low Countries, after much deliberation, sided with Richard! Can there be such unconscionable counties like Henry II in the world!

But what surprised people more was something else.

Every influential figure in Europe looked at the state of Western Europe with a puzzled expression and said:

[Why is France staying still?]

Whether the Low Countries joined Prince Richard or not, the Kingdom of France did not move.

People were puzzled. That Philip II, who had so many grievances against Prince John, was so peace-loving.

Could it be that the day the Lord returns is coming?

In the first place, neutrality is something that can only be maintained if the other party respects it. The fact that a vaguely strong Low Country like the County of Flanders joined Richard was tantamount to provoking France.

Why is the Kingdom of France being so quiet? Many countries had such questions, but before long, those questions were neatly resolved.

The Duchy of Burgundy (an appanage, land granted in France to members of the royal family to live according to their status), called the second team of the Capetian dynasty, stepped forward.

Showing support for Prince Henry and joining the White Lion Army to pressure the Angevin territory, people could now understand. Richard crossed the line first, so France would slowly intervene.

And soon after, the official position of the Kingdom of France was released.

[We have nothing to do with the problems of Burgundy. They are an appanage, but all their actions are not the will of the King of France.]

‘Ah… the Capetian royals are forced to pressure Anjou. But I, Philip II, have done nothing!’

Outwardly, the Kingdom of France remained silent even when its second team, Burgundy, stepped forward. The royals moved their troops, but they claimed to know nothing.

Even if the appanage moved, no one could believe the nonsense that France would never interfere in other people’s family feuds.

Philip II’s absurd words meant that the Kingdom of France was officially ready to participate.

Since the second team has stepped forward, isn’t it natural for the first team to step forward?

And.

Spain, which had been carefully watching this atmosphere, was also starting to get restless.

Whatever the reason, Prince Richard is diminishing France’s spirit by moving the ambiguous counts of the Low Countries while other countries are remaining neutral.

And France, unable to step forward itself, sent France-Capet’s second team, Burgundy, to give strength to Prince Henry.

Spain is also starting to get itchy.

“Are you tempted, dear?”

“Tempted….”

The King of Spain was tempted. Prince John’s request for neutrality is, after all, a request that does not need to be kept after the Low Countries moved. Spain has a justification to participate.

The question is which force to choose between the Black Lion and the White Lion, and to what extent to intervene.

Seeing this, little Eleanor thought.

‘Richard, you really don’t listen to your sister.’

“What about mercenaries, mercenaries?”

But aren’t mercenaries swords for hire that are not affiliated with a country?

“To be honest, there are many wandering knights.”

“That’s right.”

“Among them, there are people who would become mercenary leaders if they had the chance.”

“Hmm….”

Fernando’s worries deepened. But he didn’t feel as bad as before.

At that time.

“Philip II has sent an envoy.”

The infamous Philip II sent an envoy to Spain.

This guy also seems to have no intention of maintaining neutrality at all, now that Richard has seduced the Low Countries.

* * *

―English territory, Western France―

I watched the swaying scenery.

Over 100 enemy ships were destroyed. 50 ships were captured.

I created a creative economy with the fleet.

No matter how strong Brother Geoffrey is, he was weaker than the Irish fleet that protected the Christian world from Islamic pirates.

It was the difference in experience, armament, and treatment.

Our Ireland, whatever else, had excellent naval battles because it had commanders from pirate backgrounds who did not discriminate between Islam and Christianity.

Above all, they had a lot of experience destroying other fleets.

‘Soon, the Breton army.’

Anyway, I can smell France from the sea.

No, I smell a more foreign Brittany.

Bretons, they are people who reveal their own colors even in the 21st century French Fifth Republic [the current French government].

That’s the same now. But they, too, are just playing along under the successful England.

Well, is England easy now? Angevin England existed in the future.

It is England that occupies Western France. It can be called Great England as the word says.

Of course, compared to the absolute monarchy era of the future, the position of a feudal great power is different. So I thought about becoming safer.

‘There must be no Hundred Years’ War, a war of hegemony between the French and the English, because everyone will be Angevin.’

I will plant the fruit of Anjou in this French vineyard. Like a cuckoo, I will drive out the legitimate ‘chicks’ from the nest and put my chicks in the nest. In the great field called Anjou.

Anyway, after finishing my thoughts, I looked at the blue sea.

In my eyes, it was a sea of very deep and difficult history.

A beautiful sea. I felt the scent of Europe and the romance of the Middle Ages.

Rather than a hazy sky like poverty in the midst of plenty, a clear sky is in front of my eyes.

But reality was reality.

“How many slaves did you catch?”

“I think we saved over 5,000 sailors (rowing slaves).”

“Release the second liberation candidates.”

“Yes, Your Highness.”

But in the barbaric war across the sea, I thought of extreme efficiency. The slave trade is our Ireland’s pure business.

However, because we had a merit system, if they showed a certain amount of loyalty and slave mentality, we would release them and use them as regular sailors. That’s why they work harder.

Anyway, the horizon is soon visible. I remembered what I was going to do.

I already know through the painful history of France how England attacked Western France in the Hundred Years’ War. And I know very well how Spain also attacked and harassed Western France in the Thirty Years’ War.

“Land.”

The landing operation was dangerous in any era.

There is a reason why the Gallipoli landing operation and the Normandy landing operation became legends in contrasting senses in World War I and World War II.

But if there is a powerful fleet that has already devastated the coast, landing becomes easier.

We, who had already seized the sea, could easily land by punishing the enemy with high-performance pure horn bows.

* * *

―December 1190―

When the harsh winter wind blew, we landed and quickly moved south, arriving at Brest, the core naval port of Brittany.

“It’s the Black Lion Army!”

“Run away!”

“Looting is prohibited.”

Port looting should be natural, but I have no intention of coming inside and supplying with looting.

“Ha….”

There is no fear now.

But it’s strange.

Why isn’t Brother Geoffrey still coming out to greet me?

But as I wondered, with a huge force of over 50,000 troops, the White Lion’s flag and the Breton lord’s flag were raised.

It’s my brother Geoffrey.

And Brother Geoffrey asked me for a meeting.

“Brother, can we afford this?”

“John, I wanted to talk to you one last time.”

Last.

Seeing that he says this place is my grave, he is very arrogant. I even respect him in many ways.

But this composure won’t just be a bluff. There will be a reason. A strategist is always prepared for many things.

Baldwin IV and Saladin in the movie talked to avoid fighting.

But Brother Geoffrey and I started a ridiculous conversation before the battle.

“Then let’s have a last conversation.”

“I love you, soon to die John.”

“Yes, Brother.”

“You must be curious about the last battle.”

Brother Geoffrey is opening his mouth first without me asking anything. The problem is that it was the word I was really curious about.

“Did the Duke of Brittany spare me last time?”

I’ve been wondering since before.

With the joining of William Marshal, the sword of England, frankly, if I had made a mistake at that time, if the other party had come out a little stronger, if I was lucky, I would have been a prisoner, and if I was unlucky, I would have been killed in battle.

“Well….”

To my question, Brother Geoffrey smiled silently. It was an emotionless smile, but it wasn’t artificial. In the first place, the word emotion is not so affectionate to the evil Brother Geoffrey.

But he also answered my questions diligently.

“Did I spare you for you? Or did I spare you for me? Or did I spare you to confirm something?”

“What do you mean?”

“Anyway, John, unfortunately, you have come to Brittany, which will be your grave. I’ll kill you soon.”

“Duke of Brittany, I will live today too.”

After saying our last goodbyes, we returned to the command post. Of course, neither of us had the foolish idea of ambushing the other.

Face is important in front of others.

I went straight to the rear for command.

Now is the time to be a commander, not a knight. If I get greedy and die in battle like Richard III or Gustavus Adolphus II, it’s no different from causing a huge nuisance.

A bleak wind blows.

I said, holding the halberd.

“Fire!”

―Fire!

Soon after, the flag went up. The sound of the horn was heard.

The Middle Ages, starting from a distance.

This battle is not a battle wasted for show and romance. Above all, Brother Richard is not here now.

I am in overall command, and I am responsible.

The time of arrows has passed. Now is the time of fighting.

“Charge!”

At that time.

The sound of a White Lion Army’s lance breaking was heard from somewhere, and I smiled.

It is true that the flower of the Middle Ages is the knight. But the important thing is the infantry.

I gave these infantry the proper weapon, the halberd, so there is no fear now.

Now I am a commander.

* * *

John’s Black Lion Army and Geoffrey’s White Lion Army began a battle, baring their teeth and claws and aiming at each other.

Longspee was still shaking; it was the second battle he had experienced. The battlefield is still scary for a clumsy knight, even if he rides on a horse and slaughters the enemy from a better position.

But Longspee, with courage, leaned on the stirrups, lowered his posture, raised his upper body, and stabbed the enemies.

―Stab.

Longspee had talent—the talent to kill people!

But apart from his strength, he didn’t feel good. He was not as brave as Prince Richard.

He ruthlessly swept away the enemies, but every time the enemies died, anxiety remained at his fingertips.

“Are you shaking?”

At that time.

Someone approached Longspee.

“Yes, Duke Ark.”

A fate more cruel than a bastard in some ways. It was the Chinese knight Ak Bul-hwi. He helped Longspee from the side and said.

“Actually, I’m shaking too.”

―Swish.

But even so, Ak Bul-hwi smiled and said.

“But if the bastard you and the knight from a foreign land want to be recognized, we have no choice but to fight, right?”

Bastard.

A cursed existence despised by the church and the royal family.

A status that can only be confident in Ireland, except for a few special people.

Even though he was still young, Longspee knew Ireland treated these bastards well.

Prince John, who is not a bastard but a legitimate son, does not ‘treat’ bastards outwardly like others follow him. He sincerely respects bastards like lost lambs.

So Longspee knows very well he has to survive and prove it. Isn’t Duke Ark next to him saying a man must give everything to the one who recognizes him?

Ak Bul-hwi, who was cutting down enemies, said to Longspee.

“Look forward to it. Prince John is the only true emperor in Europe who has tasted Chinese water [referring to John’s openness to foreign ideas and cultures].”

He had already married a Western woman and become the head of the Ark family. He had children, and now England had become Ak Bul-hwi’s second home. And with this, Ak Bul-hwi was planning to make a Western emperor.