The Youngest Prince Of The English Royalty House [EN]: Chapter 143

143. What Else Can You Expect From the Germans? (3)

Henry II, the great king of England, once visited our territory. I’m proud to call him my father. He started as the Count of Anjou and went on to conquer England and western France. He essentially laid the foundation for ‘Anjou,’ making him the English version of Gwanggaeto the Great! [Gwanggaeto the Great was a king of Goguryeo, an ancient Korean kingdom, known for his extensive territorial expansion.]

He was overly fond of women, but he was still a capable man. That’s probably why Richard also respectfully calls his father ‘Royal Father.’

“So, the Holy Roman Empire is in chaos?”

“Yes, Royal Father.”

Anyway, my father’s reaction to the news of the Holy Roman Empire being in a state of turmoil, almost like the Thirty Years’ War, was extremely simple.

“What else can you expect from the Germans?”

It was such a dry remark. As expected, my father doesn’t understand the German mentality!

‘Henry of Anjou, isn’t he of our bloodline too!’

My Anglo-Saxon and Frankish blood cried out at my father’s words, ‘What else can you expect from the Germans?’

“Father, aren’t we also of German descent?”

“John, my beloved youngest, we are different from those guys.”

“How are we different?”

I asked my father, who was suddenly drawing a line.

“We, the proud descendants of Anjou… are fundamentally different from those German fellows.”

Thus began the Anjou Theory lecture, which lasted for over an hour.

It felt like taking a class from an elderly professor who specializes in historical distortion. How did a man whose hobby is embracing women prepare such a high-quality lecture?

Saying that Germans can’t be helped. It’s funny for someone with a significant amount of German blood to say that, but in my father’s worldview, the noble people of Anjou and the barbaric Germans are different beings, so it can’t be helped.

Richard couldn’t hide his boredom, and I also felt tired.

But our eldest son was different.

“Your Majesty, those were excellent words.”

Like the top student who listens attentively to the teacher’s class in the front row, he was matching his grandfather’s tune with sparkling eyes.

“James, you must keep my intentions in mind and become a great leader. And call me Grandfather.”

“Yes, Grandfather.”

“Our grandson. He’s kind like John.”

Our James, look how well he takes care of his grandfather.

Well, James is practically the legitimate ‘eldest grandson.’ Ah, Arthur (Geoffrey’s son), the crown prince of the Kingdom of Jerusalem, has long been pushed aside. Now that side is a remote branch pushed to the Middle East.

The traditional eldest grandson is now James. Even God knows this.

Then there are the other grandchildren.

“Grandfather! We’re here too.”

“Why do you only like Brother!”

“Oh my, Charles, Louis, you’re here too.”

Unlike James, they can’t be heirs, but they will grow up to be key nobles.

They were also Henry II’s ‘grandchildren.’

“Our little ones have become so reliable.”

Henry II smiles brightly as he looks at his other grandchildren.

But the ultimate weapon is another descendant.

“Grand~father~”

“We’re here~”

Adelaide and Elizabeth.

My daughter-in-law Adelaide, who has become even more beautiful, and my only cute daughter Elizabeth.

“Oh~ to think that such cute young ladies are my granddaughters!”

Granddaughters who inherited the beauty of my sister-in-law and my wife Mary? This is a cheat key. When cute and pretty granddaughters act charming, their grandfather’s heart melts.

Surrounded by his grandchildren, the old father enjoyed himself as a ‘grandfather.’

Several minutes later, Richard said to his father.

“So, Royal Father. Shouldn’t we talk to the Duke of Aquitaine?”

What do you mean? Is there something you can’t tell me after telling Richard first?

“Richard, I want to talk to John about that matter separately later.”

“Well, it’s not bad for Royal Father to tell me separately.”

What is it? Why don’t you tell me?

Is this the difference between a mere prince and a crown prince? A moment of disappointment washed over me.

‘I think I know what it is roughly.’

At that moment.

As if reading my disappointed heart, my father said.

“John, I brought a lot of pocket money. And I’ll pay for the banquet too.”

To try to sway me with money, that is indeed the right choice.

John, who spends money like the sea for the people of the territory, always needs attention and funds!

After that, a banquet was held in our Aquitaine territory.

The cost came from the pocket of Henry II, the great king of England.

So I started to enjoy the banquet with peace of mind. I’m always happy when it’s not my own money.

* * *

It’s a moonlit night.

Sigh, sip. I drank wine with my father for the first time in a while.

“For England and Anjou!”

“Cheers!”

My father looked older than I had seen him in a long time. Of course, he’s old enough now, so it’s true that he’s elderly.

“John.”

“Yes, Father.”

At my immediate answer, as if he had been waiting for it, my father looked at me with strange eyes, then smiled slightly and said.

“Richard, that guy. I don’t like him, but he’s really amazing in terms of ability. So the succession work is too difficult.”

“You know what’s happening in the Holy Roman Empire right now.”

You know very well about the incident of our German friends whose German king is unreliable and messed up. Shouldn’t you be satisfied with a competent successor like Richard?

“Thinking about the German king, that young brat, Richard is much better. But John, if you think differently. Capable children always want more than that.”

“More than that?”

“To make Anjou not just a rising power. But the ruler of Western Europe.”

Hasn’t that already been achieved? The French are bowing their heads, and the leader of Western Europe is the great England, isn’t it?

“You’re very greedy.”

“Listen carefully, John. A rising power that shows its limits can never become a great power. How long do we have to be mindful of those Roman guys?”

“I will keep that in mind.”

“That’s right, isn’t it hard to raise children too?”

“It’s not that hard.”

“You’re lying.”

My children were perfect, but there weren’t no conflicts at all. How can there be a 100% perfect father in the world?

James was at a level where I could laugh and talk about it now.

The other children must have been disappointed in me when I was out traveling for the territory.

Originally, the descendants of England are strong in alcohol. Our father’s face turned slightly red, but.

“Father must have had a strange son like me.”

I readily admitted myself. Aren’t I a really strange son even by medieval standards?

‘When I was a child, I was Safe John, who asked for his teacher to be saved as a birthday present.’

Honestly, considering that England’s history has been corrected just by saving my teacher Thomas Becket because of me and not antagonizing the popes.

“A strange son… that’s not wrong.”

My father raised the corners of his mouth.

Looking at his wrinkled mouth, my heart ached.

Now old and no longer looking for women, the old father, whose only joy in life is drinking alcohol, said with a wrinkled smile.

“But the end of my life is very comfortable. Unlike me, that guy David lived a painful life. He had to trust only Solomon, an illegitimate child born of adultery, but I have Richard and John, you see.”

Henry II, he also had a lot of heartache because of his children like David. [David was a king of Israel, known for his complex family life and struggles with his sons.]

Honestly, if I hadn’t been a normal Prince John, I would have died of frustration, saying, ‘Brutus, oh John, you too!’ [A reference to Julius Caesar’s assassination, implying betrayal by someone close.]

“The ruler always keeps the worst in mind. So I always felt impatient. If I collapsed, England would be over. John, as you know, rising powers are always checked. It’s also a job to endure such checks as the monarch of a country.”

“It must have been hard.”

“It was hard. Very much so, especially knowing that if I collapsed, England would be more shaken than the reign of my mother, Empress Matilda (not a formal queen), so I endured. Of course, this is an excuse. A bad father who couldn’t give you love sooner.”

Henry II, who drank another glass.

Revealed his long-hidden heart to me.

“I want to put down the heavy crown now, if it’s your brother… and John, if it’s you, England wouldn’t have been shaken. While the German guys are fighting. Our kingdom must become more complete.”

“In the end, it was as expected.”

Richard I will be enthroned soon.

* * *

―Eastern Roman Empire, Constantinople―

There is only one country that would be truly happy when it is said that a ‘Game of Thrones’ is taking place in the Holy Roman Empire.

The Roman Empire, which is not a fake Rome fabricated by Germans through incitement and manipulation, but has been certified as a genuine product by themselves.

That is the Eastern Roman Empire.

“So, Prime Minister, how is the matter with the fake Rome going?”

“It’s burning more than expected.”

Alexios II, the emperor of True Rome, the true Rome.

“German King, I’m disappointed.”

Disappointed in the German King Heinrich.

He was one of the people who had caused trouble, but he was still disappointed because the other party was below expectations. To show the disgrace of being rebelled against by his vassals, not the Lionheart faction.

It seems that the fake Rome of the Germans has run out of power.

“This is all thanks to Your Majesty’s wisdom.”

The emperor smiled at the prime minister’s words, which were half sincere and half flattering.

“Hahaha. It’s still a long way off.”

It was such a refreshing smile. It feels like the fatigue gained while being an emperor has been relieved.

“If they rebelled against our empire, they should suffer too.”

Alexios II knows well. That the mastermind behind the rebellion his uncle had caused in the old days was the fake Rome.

To be exact, he knew very well that it was the work of Frederick I.

‘And yet he advocates for the cause of the Crusades.’

In the first place, all the ‘civil wars’ that took place in the Eastern Roman Empire were instigated by foreign countries. Even when his uncle and 친누나 [close older sister] tried to betray him, the influence of the Holy Roman Empire was involved.

Of course, Alexios II was able to know that fact only after the Crusades ended and he enjoyed power.

So Alexios II ruined the 판 [scene/situation] that the German nobles were preparing for a ‘civil war.’

It’s not an assassination openly instigated by Emperor Alexios II, who knows 품위 [dignity/grace]. He just stimulated the nobles of the Holy Roman Empire.

The guys who think that fighting and getting something is unconditionally beneficial believed those words. Those who had a lot of resentment towards Lionheart were also easily co-opted.

In the end, isn’t it an extension of factional strife?

“The phoenix has spread its wings again.”

Fake Rome, where tribes play 선제후 [prince-electors], XX lord, or 야만족’s [barbarian’s] games, cannot be compared to the true Roman Empire.

Of course, if Safe John had seen it, he would have thought, ‘Those Greek guys who play 민속놀이 [folk games] when they’re bored are ridiculous.’

* * *

―Holy Roman Empire―

Although everyone underestimates him.

The German king was a successor who had received Emperor 수업 [lessons/training] from Frederick I.

He was already a German king preparing for a civil war. So, although there was a slight crisis, he was not so soft that he would be defeated by the rebellion of his vassals.

“Any last words?”

“Kill me honorably.”

“Honorably? That’s funny, there is no ‘honor’ for traitors.”

“Kill him by hanging!”

In this era, ‘beheading’ with an execution sword in the German region was an honorable death.

But he could not give such an honorable death to the vassals who dared to revolt against the German king, believing in the lip service of the high-ranking nobles who said they would come to ‘support.’

―Keueueueuk.

―Ja… A… Bi….

The German king, seeing the traitors who did not die easily even when hanging 대롱 대롱 [dangling], said.

“You Judas-like bastards!”

The German king, who seemed to be on the verge of death, escaped from the crisis thanks to the help of 지원군 [reinforcements] and vassals who sincerely followed the family, and his hidden potential. To be exact, he did not end the civil war in a big frame, but suppressed the first stage of the internal rebellion.

Everyone expected that the incompetent German king would become a noble prisoner on the day he was betrayed by his direct vassals, but German King Heinrich overcame it because of his 억울함 [sense of injustice/resentment].

In this short moment of conflict, he realized several things.

Even though he was cornered like this, the young Otto had no intention of giving up the 제관 [imperial crown] that he was aiming for.

‘I can only trust myself.’

“Saxony-Bavaria has raised an army.”

Otto, the son of Lionheart, raised a flag, saying, ‘The German king who interfered with the legitimate imperial election is not qualified.’

“Other secular 선제후 [prince-electors] have 준동했습니다 [rebelled/stirred]!”

“The archbishoprics have declared neutrality!”

A large-scale fight began.

Of course, at this moment, England was leisurely preparing to welcome a new king.