The Youngest Prince Of The English Royalty House [EN]: Chapter 152

152. Aquitaine is a Wave (1)

-September, 1202, Poitiers, capital of Aquitaine, England-

Good heavens.

I felt a wave of dizziness wash over me.

Because of the sheer volume of ‘work’ before me.

“Good heavens… Even after the administrative officials and vassals have had their turn, there’s still so much to do.”

“It’s all work created by His Grace the Duke,” Amiard, the chief administrator of Aquitaine, said bluntly.

“No… I didn’t expect it to be this much.”

I hadn’t anticipated this much work either. To be precise, I hadn’t realized that even with administrative streamlining, the workload would still be so immense.

But I am Safe John, the Angevin of will.

Even while observing Chief Administrator Amiard’s reaction, I tackled the work as efficiently as possible.

“Haa…”

I sighed briefly, turning over the last of the documents.

“I’ve completed everything the Duke should handle.”

“Thank you for your hard work, Your Grace.”

“Lord Amiard, you’ve worked hard as well. You may leave now.”

Amiard departed.

“It’s hard being a Duke.”

I was realizing that a high title isn’t always a blessing. The Angevin Project, which I call the Anglicization of England, was proving more challenging than I initially thought.

Even after laying the foundation and grappling with the work for nearly 10 years, it feels like a bottomless pit.

But I, who have no intention of ever being driven out of the West French continent, had to secure the future of England and the peace of my family.

‘Ha, the path of Safe John, who will keep all the people safe, is long and arduous.’

I poured myself some wine from the desk and nibbled on cheese as a snack.

It’s time to enjoy myself after work.

Just then.

“The Duchess Mary has arrived.”

“Let her in.”

My beloved wife entered.

“Welcome, Mary.”

“John, so how did it go?”

I knew perfectly well what she was asking, but I pretended not to.

“Mary, the Angevin plan is progressing steadily.”

“That’s not what I came to hear. Our. Daughter. What was your firsthand experience with her like?”

Honestly, it’s a topic I’d rather avoid. How could I have known Elisabeth would turn out like that?

When I hesitated, unable to speak, Mary grew a little impatient.

“John!”

“Well…”

It’s the truth. No matter how much she is my daughter, she was truly a ‘princess’ unlike any I had ever encountered.

Anyway, I recounted to my wife in detail what had happened when I met my daughter a few days prior.

“…That’s what happened. In the end, what can I do with a child who declares she’s going to marry a gold ducat?”

I shared the touching story of Elisabeth.

“Ha.”

My wife, far from moved, let out a hollow laugh.

“Good heavens, she’s going to marry a gold ducat. Making incomprehensible noises is just like you? Ha….”

“….”

‘No, honestly, she takes after you, Mary?’ I refrained from saying such things. I simply kept my mouth shut.

Saying the wrong thing at times like this can plant the seeds of discord.

“The man who takes our daughter will have a hard time.”

“Aren’t you usually worried about your daughter’s well-being?”

“My daughter is not an ‘ordinary’ daughter. That child… She has already taken control of the young ladies in the name of Adelaide. She helped you by using ‘fathers’ who can’t beat their cute daughters. It’s really scary.”

That also seems like you, Mary.

“So… what are you going to do?”

She’s referring to our daughter’s marriage.

“Do what she wants. Honestly, our family doesn’t need to be tied down by marriage. Anyway, John.”

“Tell me.”

“Is the reform starting now?”

“I am Aquitaine.”

I declared confidently to Mary.

Now, limited to Aquitaine, I can become an absolute, complete aristocrat. Aquitaine and nearby nobles, what can you do?

“Are you going to start now?”

“His Majesty’s permission has been granted in Rouen, so there’s no need to be concerned about anyone else.”

* * *

My policies were being implemented effectively.

The introduction of the Court of Integrity [a court established to ensure fairness and justice] silenced potential enemies who might oppose my views.

It created an environment where I could defeat them ‘legally’.

Most of the nobles in Aquitaine recognized the Court of Integrity. Or, perhaps it’s more accurate to say they were in a state where they couldn’t resist Safe John, who was using the Court of Integrity to oppress them.

The anti-discrimination law was on the table, and at least the nobles who were vassals under me had no intention of violating it. It would be tantamount to a self-destructive declaration, bringing down the new order of Angevinization, which was recognized even in the capital, Rouen.

Anyway.

Now, the autumn of 1202 was ripe.

Yes, this rich and sweet autumn. In this good weather, I was planning to put into practice what I had been preparing for.

Harvest season. It’s time for me, the great lord, to step out personally.

“The Duke of Normandy is coming! Clear the way!”

-Chuck, chuck, chuck, chuck.

-Doo-doo-doo-doo.

The Aquitaine standing army, divided into infantry and cavalry, was on the move.

It’s not for nothing that Teacher Ma [likely a reference to Mao Zedong] said the famous line, ‘Power comes from the barrel of a gun!’ In the end, a leader must have military power as a foundation to educate his subordinates.

Only a lord who has secured military power can keep his vassals in line. Of course, if you often use force beyond simply showing off your military power, that’s a problem, but today it’s just for escort.

I was going to open the treasure chest in front of the vassals and many people who had been injected with etiquette by my elite escort force, which looked elite at first glance.

And in front of a newly built building, when I went up to the prepared podium, those who were waiting paid their respects.

-We greet the Duke of Normandy.

-May God bless the Duke!

There was no need to say much. I just had to state the key points.

“The languages of England and West France (the French territory occupied by England) are too difficult, so I, John, Duke of Normandy, will now inaugurate the era of Angevin on a large scale for the people.”

The important thing here is that the ‘people’ I’m talking about include serfs, but the ‘people’ I really want to talk about are the Third Estate [the commoners, including merchants, artisans, and free peasants].

The third class consists of the youngest sons of noble families who do not receive land, bastards, merchants, administrators, and free citizens.

The monarchs of the French Bourbon dynasty failed to control them, but I have been handling the Third Estate, which has been the support base of my power, well since before. This emerging force can be a powerful weapon if used properly.

So I prepared a gift for them.

“For the advancement of Angevin, I, the Duke, have prepared two books.”

The first is.

“Peter.”

“Yes, Your Grace.”

Peter immediately ordered the servants to bring a cart full of books.

I took a book from the cart and said.

“This is an England-Angevin dictionary. Perhaps the intelligent ones will understand what this means.”

I compiled the Angevin dictionary through the young priestly forces and scholars.

Changing medieval French to Angevin (modern French) was difficult, but it could be solved with a lot of time and money. Priests also had to make a living, so they liked gold ducats.

But will that be enough?

Soon I am thinking of converting the official documents of administrative officials to ‘Angevin’. Of course, it will take a little more time, but it won’t take long.

Now there’s something else to do.

“Godfrey.”

“Yes, Your Grace.”

This time, Godfrey had the knights bring another cart full of books to me.

I carefully took a book from another cart.

Because this was not human knowledge, but the ‘Bible’, the alpha and omega of the Middle Ages.

“This is the Bible, translated into Angevin. His Holiness the Pope has personally approved the future of England.”

As promised, the short-haired priests stood up at that moment.

They had already received word from the Vatican and were ready to help me.

“Servants of the Lord.”

“Yes, Your Grace.”

“You must show God’s great word to all the people.”

“We will.”

I never reinterpreted the Bible. I am a reform monarch, not a religious reformer, and if I do such a thing, the tower I have built will collapse.

So I didn’t change the existing Bible, I just changed the language to Angevin. Of course, I also sought cooperation from the Vatican for this work. Peter’s successor, my teacher, guessed my ‘intention’ and readily agreed.

Carts full of England-Angevin dictionaries and Bibles continued to arrive.

And around this time.

There are people who have eyes that say, ‘Why are there so many books?’

But I have no intention of resolving the doubts of those nobles.

‘Not yet’.

“This Aquitaine is the most important place after the great capital Rouen. That’s why the great monarch Richard I is watching. Our change. Fortunately, so far, it has been going smoothly with the cooperation of my vassals and people. I look forward to your continued support.”

After saying hello, I.

Held a banquet to commemorate the creation of the world’s first Bible in Angevin.

* * *

After Prince John won the civil war and occupied Aquitaine, Aquitaine has changed.

Of course, since the days when the Duke of Brittany reigned as Henry II, England has attached great importance to the continent. Instead of playing the role of a neighborhood leader on the island of Britain forever, he was building the history of a great England based on the European continent.

But Prince John, now the ruler of Normandy and Duke of Aquitaine, showed a slightly different movement.

He was trying to integrate Aquitaine based on a new claim called Angevin.

Recently, the people of the Aquitaine territory have felt several visible changes in their skin.

Especially Sunday school.

A training place where priests, who are also protectors and teachers of the people, educate young people to become true Christians.

Already, Sunday school has been teaching Angevin to young children.

“So, is this the Bible for us?”

“It’s easy to read!”

The young people who entered the church in Aquitaine were able to read the Bible translated into Angevin.

“For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life.”

I was able to understand John 3:16, the foundation of Sunday school.

“Okay, here’s the bread to be distributed today.”

More important than all that, I could eat bread.

These were the moments when Aquitaine was changing.

* * *

-Waters near Aquitaine-

There are no vassals who hate a competent lord in any era. The commanders in Aquitaine respected their lord John.

Duke John of Normandy did not ignore the commanders when he was reforming the internal affairs with the administrators.

[No matter what you do, you cannot neglect the military power of the territory. Commanders, as well as individual soldiers.]

The more competent the lord, the happier the vassals. They know that they can do more if they think their power is safe.

At least there are many vassals who like it even if their lord is not blinded by jealousy or only digs, but wasn’t Normandy John a self-made monarch who started from Mortain and obtained Aquitaine?

“Lord Charles, our lord has shown mercy again.”

“The naval budget of Aquitaine has increased. As expected, our Safe John knows how important the sea is!”

Charles, the commander of the Aquitaine fleet, who had been busy with piracy and warship construction, raised a toast on the deck.

“These days, the Venetians are a little suspicious.”

The Republic of Venice, which made huge profits by intervening in the civil war of the Holy Roman Empire under the pretext of Enrico Dandolo’s death, had no choice but to experience internal chaos because it lost the powerful Enrico Dandolo.

At this time, people who envied England and Safe John were slowly shaking Venice with gold ducats.

Roniero Dandolo, who is close to John, is a formidable commander, but his political power is slightly lacking compared to his father.

“But. What can those guys do?”

But Robin just laughed.

“Haha. In the end, doesn’t the power of merchants come from the fleet? If those guys act up, we can plunder them. The existing Venetian fleet is just prey for our newly designed warships.”

Charles also secretly wanted Venice to go crazy. That way, he could demonstrate the might of England.

“So Admiral, what’s the name of that flagship?”

Charles answered Robin’s question with a proud voice.

“Great William, this flagship will be the future of England.”

The future battleship, with a 1-2 story stern building, 3-5 masts, and 1-2 rows of gun emplacements, was looking at the sea like Guillaume (the old name of William the Conqueror), who was aiming to restore England.