The Youngest Prince Of The English Royalty House [EN]: Chapter 105

The Prelude to Civil War (2)

—1190, Le Mans—

Henry of Anjou.

The eldest son of Henry II and Queen Eleanor.

People knew Henry, Duke of Aquitaine, as a prince who lived for his own ego. But that was just his public persona.

Unlike his outward appearance of wielding authority as the eldest son, Prince Henry was, in a way, a more complex and perhaps more troubled prince than Geoffrey. His life wasn’t as glamorous as others thought.

Perhaps Prince Henry was the loneliest person in the Angevin royal family.

‘I wasn’t respected.’

From the beginning, he lived a life feeling unappreciated.

Prince Henry was born as the new eldest son, replacing his deceased brother William, but his parents never truly moved past William’s death.

Even as the eldest son, he wasn’t treated as such. Moreover, his mother, Queen Eleanor, favored Richard, who closely resembled the deceased William, and his father only doted on his youngest son, John.

As an adult, Prince Henry understood. No one loved him for who he was.

Of course, there were women and men who were attracted to his status as the ‘eldest son,’ but no one genuinely cared for Henry as a person.

To gain favor with his father and mother, he diligently studied the Bible and immersed himself in the classical education befitting a prince of the Roman Empire. All in an attempt to earn their recognition.

But as someone once said, the more you learn about the world, the more innocence you lose. Prince Henry, facing this harsh reality, understood a crucial truth: what Henry II and Eleanor cherished wasn’t simply the individuals John and Richard. His father’s love was intertwined with the future of England (Prince John’s affection was a different matter), and his mother’s love was ultimately about maintaining power within the French territories.

And now.

Prince Henry moved to seize everything in England that his parents valued.

His mother, Queen Eleanor, was in confinement—not quite exile—in Ireland, and he had taken actual control of Aquitaine.

Unfortunately, Henry II was not yet dead but in critical condition. The princes’ power struggle, which began by exploiting his incapacitation, was already spiraling out of control.

So, Prince Henry cut down the knight in front of him.

It was the tenth.

—Thwack.

Of course, it was a formality. A formality to demonstrate bravery appropriately.

His subordinates took care of the rest.

“Your Highness doesn’t need to fight anymore. Leave the rest to us.”

“Alright, I’ll leave it to you.”

A medieval commander doesn’t necessarily have to fight on the front lines. In fact, if they recklessly charged and were captured or killed, it would create a significant problem.

However, England, ruled by the Angevin family, direct descendants of the Normans, and populated by many French nobles, was a more warlike country, much like France. At least, some display of valor was needed, such as cutting down a few knights.

‘Le Mans……’

After the formality of dispatching a few knights, Prince Henry, slightly retreating to the rear, surveyed the battlefield.

Here in Le Mans, where the sea breeze carried the scent of the ocean, was the stage set by Henry, Duke of Aquitaine.

A ‘stage’ to convey a stark reality to his brother.

Prince Henry thought to himself, thinking of Richard, who was likely far away.

‘Richard, the crown is mine.’

Even if Prince Henry’s personal combat skills were inferior to Prince Richard’s, the war was ultimately fought by the army. And Prince Henry’s army was strong.

The army of Henry, Duke of Aquitaine—no, Prince Henry’s army—was the foundation that Prince Henry had painstakingly built over a long period.

From the beginning, what he needed to become the true King of England was economic, political, and military power, wasn’t it?

After the failure of the Great Revolt [a rebellion against Henry II led by his sons], Prince Henry realized that the reason he, who had seemingly succeeded in everything, was defeated by Henry II was because he lacked the overwhelming power to decisively seal the victory.

While being monitored by his father and brothers, Prince Henry secured superior weapons and capable commanders. This formidable army had been developed into an elite force over an extended period.

Even if the human weapon Richard sliced through knights and soldiers, even if Hercules and Samson were to be reborn, they were still limited by their inherent mortality.

—Thwack.

—Bang.

—Thud.

—Aaaagh!

However, Prince Richard fought remarkably well, exceeding Prince Henry’s expectations. To the point of being called a human weapon.

“Your Highness… this is unexpected.”

‘Richard is a dangerous guy.’

But Prince Henry wasn’t overly concerned. The battlefield’s outcome was determined by the army’s skill, not individual martial prowess.

Before his eyes, flags were waving. Flags bearing the image of lions.

Black and white, colors that were not commonly used by medieval people during this period.

The flag with three lions was the symbol of the Angevin family, but as was the case with flags during the civil war era, MSG-like [monosodium glutamate, used here to mean an extra additive or enhancement] additives were added to the symbol.

That was, color matching.

The black lion was a flag proposed by Prince John, who, possessing the noblest lineage among Prince Richard’s subordinates, presented it to his brother.

It was reminiscent of Edward the Black Prince [a famous English military leader during the Hundred Years’ War], who rampaged through France during the Hundred Years’ War, but from the perspective of the reincarnated Prince John, he considered Prince Richard to be the true ‘Black Prince.’

The white lion was created by Prince Geoffrey to counter Prince John’s black lion with ‘color,’ creating three pure white lions.

The flags of the black lion and the white lion fluttered.

Before Prince Henry’s eyes.

Prince Richard’s army was a top-tier elite force. But Prince Henry’s army was also an elite force that was not to be underestimated. Naturally, the fighting was fierce.

So, Prince Henry made the Sword of England his ally through negotiations. The commander who had been promised from behind went into battle.

William Marshal.

A commander no different from Henry II’s master sword appeared.

He came sooner than expected, but timing didn’t matter.

From afar, Prince Henry and Prince Richard’s eyes met. Now, in the midst of war, they couldn’t have an intimate conversation nearby.

But many unspoken conversations passed between them with that look.

Although a new variable emerged from behind, the war continued.

‘Is His Majesty testing me even after collapsing?’

A civil war is underway to determine the next heir to the throne.

Prince Henry, paradoxically, thought of his father, Henry II, who had collapsed in the Angevin territory.

‘John… try to endure.’

What Prince Henry was aiming for now was the youngest brother whom Henry II loved the most.

John, that child would try to endure, but it wouldn’t be easy to overcome the army joined by Geoffrey and William Marshal.

* * *

—Angevin Territory—

A time when everyone’s attention was focused on Le Mans, specifically the point where the princes’ civil war was taking place.

Blood was flowing in this territory as well.

Of course, they were people who could be dealt with at any time.

“Duke, we have taken care of everyone.”

“You’ve worked hard.”

The Duke of Norfolk looked at the blood-soaked Angevin castle and thought.

‘The stage has begun.’

He had eliminated the princes’ spies, who had been left in place to observe the ‘situation’ before the civil war erupted. But now the situation had changed.

Henry II. The old lion of England was already awake.

“Your Majesty. We have dealt with all the remnants.”

“You’ve done well.”

The Duke of Norfolk asked in response to the King’s voice.

“Did we really have to keep it a secret from the Earl of Surrey as well?”

“There’s no need to inform him. You know what I mean, don’t you?”

Although the Earl of Surrey was Henry II’s half-brother and a long-time loyalist, there were times when many people shouldn’t know the truth.

It was true that Henry II had collapsed from overexertion. But the reason he hadn’t announced it to the outside world was that his condition had quickly improved.

But Henry II did not immediately rise from his sickbed. It was to allow the civil war to unfold.

He said to his vassal.

“If a civil war is going to break out anyway, it should happen while I’m still alive.”

The Duke of Norfolk said to such a king.

“That is correct, Your Majesty.”

But even in this situation, Henry II, who was so worried about his youngest son, said to his subordinate.

“I’m worried about Prince John, but he will overcome it well.”

Safe John [referring to John’s improved capabilities] was much more capable than the original John. He demonstrated his abilities in every aspect and did not contemplate betraying his father.

So, the old King Henry II, who had become a monarch after navigating countless conflicts since his youth, hoped that his youngest son would overcome these trials.

The civil war was a natural conflict between the princes.

However, if Safe John were to lose in the civil war, he would spare Prince John. Henry II had already made countless ‘preparations’ to ensure Prince John’s survival.

Having finished thinking, Henry II said.

“I will lie down again. I have no intention of leaving the castle yet.”

Henry II had no intention of indulging in pleasures for the time being. He knew well that now was the time for him to exercise restraint as the King of England.

* * *

—Ireland—

Many wives were worried about their husbands who had left for the battlefield following Prince John. From the lower classes to the nobles, all of them.

Perhaps that was why even the lower classes of Ireland were focused on the civil war.

The king was incapacitated, and there were many ambitious princes. How could they remain indifferent?

Of course, there were few people in the world who desired war. It was the powerless who suffered because of the power struggles of the noble ones.

But even though the Irish were concerned about the war in many ways, they welcomed this civil war. There was a clear reason for it.

First, Prince John had already been generous in distributing rewards after the Third Crusade.

People do not act without incentive. Apart from the loyalty of the territory’s people to Prince John, who treated the Celts warmly as an Angevin, the Irish knew that Prince John was a lord who honored loyalty.

If they intervened in this civil war and made significant contributions on the battlefield, titles and gold coins would be guaranteed.

And Prince John did not disregard the concerns of the heads of households who were leaving for the battlefield. He intended to provide for the families of fallen soldiers who had Irish mercenaries as heads of households under the name of ‘post-mortem compensation’ and to provide additional consolation money according to their merits.

Second, everyone knew that this civil war would determine the fate of Ireland. The latest popular song of the bards, [The Civil War of the Lions], had spread throughout Europe. This song was already famous in Ireland as well. Of course, the main characters differed from territory to territory.

In this atmosphere, Mary.

“Please tell my father that I am grateful.”

“Yes, Duchess.”

She conferred with the envoy sent by Henry II. Of course, this conference was a conference in name only; in fact, Henry II was giving a gift to Prince John.

Not long after the envoy left, Mary received a letter.

“Duchess, a letter has arrived from the lord.”

“Oh my, a letter has arrived. Thank you.”

One to Count of Sulzbach.

And one to her husband, John.

Mary smiled as she received the two letters.

The two men had close relationships with Mary.

Mary, reading the secret letter from the Count of Sulzbach, which was written in various Latin codes.

‘So that’s what it means……’

After a brief moment of contemplation, she tore open the seal of the letter sent by John.

[To the wife whom her husband, in the middle of the battlefield… is worried about.]

A letter from her husband on the battlefield.

Mary felt touched by the words written with ‘sincerity’ instead of mere black ink.

But soon, Mary’s expression changed at the passage her husband wrote at the end.

[As I fought, I realized. I am not Eli the High Priest, so I will not become a foolish father. To be a father who is worthy to our son and to you, I will make sure that everyone recognizes the succession of all the children’s titles.]

Who is Eli the High Priest? He let his sons Hophni and Phinehas run wild as the precious children of Israel, and in the end, he incurred God’s wrath, his children died on the battlefield, and he himself fell backward from his chair and broke his neck and died a miserable death.

At first glance, it was a paradoxical statement—realizing the importance of family education while fighting a civil war in a dysfunctional royal family.

But the name of Eli the High Priest was mentioned deliberately.

And the story of Samuel, the elite boy of ancient Israel whom Eli the High Priest raised, was subtly alluded to.

It was a detail that others might skip over, but the intelligent Mary understood.

‘Ah, my husband is going through a lot. I keep tearing up.’

But Mary, Duchess of Ireland, realized the real intention that John had hidden in every corner of the letter. Yes, after all, couples resemble each other, especially after living together for nearly 10 years.

“My husband… I’m not sure, but is he slowly guessing that I’m Hannah?” [Hannah was Samuel’s mother in the Bible]