The Youngest Prince Of The English Royalty House [EN]: Chapter 146

Richard I (3)

Following Richard I’s ascension, a storm swept through the political landscape of England.

The old guard of nobles who had served Henry II either passed their titles to their children or chose honorable retirement, watching the new king ascend. This was, of course, done with the understanding that it would lay the groundwork for a generational shift, ushering in the era of King Richard I.

As the old powers relinquished their authority, a power vacuum naturally arose.

Nobles began to curry favor with Richard, hoping to seize key positions. They all had their eyes on two upcoming events: the ‘banquet’ and the ‘hunt.’

They aimed to use these public events to demonstrate their loyalty to Richard I and secure their positions.

However, Richard I’s actions differed from those of other newly appointed kings. Instead of holding the traditional banquet and hunt, he decided to relocate the capital and immediately prepared for a military parade.

Richard I desired to show the nobles of England what kind of king he was, showcasing the power of the standing army.

The standing army was terrifying.

-Dudududu.

Well-trained heavy cavalry charged forward.

-Clack, clack, clack, clack.

Infantrymen with spears, bows, and swords marched.

“…!”

I could see it. The gazes of all the nobles in England had changed.

The nobles’ eyes were filled with awe as they watched Richard’s army.

The standing army was a money-guzzling behemoth that required enormous maintenance costs, but it was also a fearsome force that could be mobilized at any time.

In any case, Richard, without bothering to introduce gunpowder, instilled fear in all the nobles with just the existing military force.

“Our England loves peace.”

He mentioned peace here.

To show such a fearsome force and then speak of peace!

In the current European climate, where conflicts erupt at the slightest opportunity, not many would take this literally. It clearly meant, ‘I want to live in peace this time, so behave yourselves!’

The proud Richard I declared peace to all of Europe while displaying hundreds of thousands of standing troops.

Now, instead of the familiar feeling of ‘brother,’ I see him as Richard I, the Lionheart, living through history.

Honestly, my head was swimming, but I solidified one thought: the Richard I I knew and the Richard I of history are essentially the same person.

In the end, King Richard I is a ruler who seizes England with powerful military force and personal charisma.

‘So, I need to be careful. I must not become a royal who holds Richard I back, nor a royal who is checked by Richard I.’

In the original history, King John, despite his lack of ability, repeatedly stabbed his brother Richard I in the back. Fortunately, Richard I didn’t feel threatened by his youngest brother; otherwise, he would have been killed long ago.

Now I am the Duke of Normandy without Normandy (heir to the throne).

Having already ended the civil war and secured everything I could get, such as the right to inherit the English throne and Aquitaine, I didn’t particularly covet central government positions.

Frankly speaking, now is not the time for me to step forward. If I do, the nobles who have been quiet will only scrutinize me even more.

Even my close nephew, the Count of Champagne, is subtly wary of me, isn’t he?

‘People have a habit of trying to bring down those above them. So, I need to act moderately. If England becomes more prosperous… the power dynamics in the upper echelons can change at any time. I need to proceed as gently as possible. Of course, I must act whenever I want something.’

However, I have no intention of sharing the benefits I have with other nobles.

Factional strife might be fun, but now is not the time for such wasteful endeavors.

My current stance should be to make the most of what I have, avoid making enemies, and not disturb the new king’s mood as much as possible.

* * *

I wanted to return to Aquitaine immediately, but I couldn’t leave Normandy because of a symbolic event.

It was because the first court council was held in Rouen, the capital of Normandy.

The court council, led by pro-King (Richard’s faction) nobles such as the Count of Champagne and the Earl of Oxford, was essentially a meeting filled with praise for Richard I.

To put it bluntly, this council was a place for vassals to show their pious obedience to the powerful new monarch.

“This Count of Champagne petitions His Majesty. Our young nobles have a great desire for a new era.”

Of course, young nobles like the Count of Champagne offered ‘opinions,’ but they acted cautiously, maintaining a certain ‘line,’ as if checking how much ‘leeway’ the new king would allow.

They repeated phrases like, “Perhaps… His Majesty….”

After the court council ended, Richard I personally summoned me.

From now on, I had to act with the attitude of a subject serving a monarch. My eyes, mouth, and gestures were full of humility.

“Your Majesty, did you summon me?”

“Yes.”

The aura exuded by Richard I, the King of England, whom I saw again, seemed much more profound than before. He had already reigned as the powerful Duke of Normandy, but now he was the King managing the nation of England without having to be mindful of others, so it was only natural.

“I am now the monarch of England.”

Richard I emphasized the fact that he was a ‘monarch’ to me. There was no way I wouldn’t know what that meant.

“Of course, Your Majesty. You are the one and only King of England.”

I, who was fully capable of a surprise act of worship [kneeling and showing reverence], spoke politely as a subject.

“I will take care of things in Rouen, so go to your territory without any worries. I will be your shield.”

Richard gave me a reward. He would protect me safely.

* * *

-England, Aquitaine-

After the court council and the private audience with the king, the vassals who were watching me became even more numerous because I remained quiet and didn’t step forward.

After that, I formally became Duke John of Normandy.

‘Of course, Richard I might call me at any time.’

However, the core of the regime has not been fully determined yet. I also don’t know when I will be summoned back to Normandy.

While I was thinking this, I realized that a new uninvited guest was next to me. Or should I call him a pitiful old man rather than an uninvited guest?

“Aquitaine, my youth is melted into this territory.”

Seeing my father’s face, full of affection as if reminiscing about something, made me laugh. A father who gave up everything and relied on his youngest son.

“Shouldn’t you, as the Duke of Brittany, go to mainland England?”

“John, other than when I went to London because you were there, my base has always been on the continent.”

“You don’t have to say more. I will take responsibility for my father’s old age.”

“Oh, that’s my son. You soothe this father’s heart well.”

I will properly take care of my father’s old age, who handed over all power to Richard I. He has taken care of many things for me without my knowing.

Besides, it’s not just my father.

“I will also take good care of my mother. Isn’t this her hometown?”

“Thank you, John.”

As I expected, my mother, who thought she would enjoy various luxuries by Richard I’s side, also came to Aquitaine with my father.

“What are you going to do in the future, Father?”

“I want to see my great-grandchildren’s antics soon.”

Yes, my father must live a long life.

“What are you going to do in the future, Mother?”

“Now that I’m not a Queen Dowager but a Duchess, I should spend my time doing odd jobs.”

I realized the core of my mother Eleanor’s words.

‘She’s going to help Mary.’

I’ve heard rumors that my mother Eleanor has marked Mary as her successor.

Anyway.

“The Duke of Normandy has returned.”

I, the Count of Mortain, the Duke of Ireland, the Duke of Aquitaine, and the Duke of Normandy.

I came home.

**

-Holy Roman Empire-

After the War of the Lions, the change of power in England ended relatively smoothly. Richard I gained complete power.

When the former king, Henry II, was preparing for death under the name of the Duke of Brittany.

The German Empire, or the Holy Roman Empire, which had received investments from various countries, was still fighting happily today.

Most of the prince-electors were on the side of Otto, the new master of the two Saxon-Bavarian electorate states. However, it wasn’t just the prince-electors who were strong in the Holy Roman Empire.

In the first place, it wasn’t just the prince-electors who existed in the vast nation of the Holy Roman Empire. Other factions, guessing that the ‘benefits’ they would receive would disappear as the prince-electors seized power, began to stir.

Under the pretext that ‘the instigator of the unfortunate incident is known as the King of Germany, but how could the King of Germany, who has legitimacy, make such a choice? This incident is a conspiracy by external forces to exploit the death of the Lion Duke,’ they joined the King of Germany.

The German Empire was divided into the German King faction, which followed the King of Germany, and the Elector faction, which followed the new prince-elector Otto, and a full-scale civil war broke out.

The battle of the strongest in Germany had begun.

-Ugh.

-God, please save me.

Thousands and tens of thousands of soldiers were dragged in without knowing why and died on the battlefield, but the nobles were not worried about such expendable forces. They were not very interested in the deaths of their inferiors.

Unless the Black Death decimates the people in the distant future, conscripts are merely living wealth to the German nobles.

[Richard I showed off hundreds of thousands of standing troops, effectively suppressing the nobles of England.]

Even after hearing the news of Richard I showing off hundreds of thousands of standing troops to show his power from afar, they were not very impressed.

It was more urgent to defeat the enemies beyond the battlefield right now.

“Judgment to the pretender!”

“The Emperor’s seat belonged to the Lion Duke!”

Anyway, they were well aware of the negative impact of civil war. Even England, despite its quickly ended civil war, had various side effects, didn’t it?

However, the brave, steadfast, and even cunning Germans knew.

After the death of the late Emperor Frederick I, the Holy Roman Empire, which had lost its outstanding leader, was bound to be shaken anyway, and they had to take advantage of this conflict to benefit as much as possible.

It was a battlefield. Not just a territorial war, but a huge gamble that could change history.

There was a rising noble who was making very good use of this atmosphere: the Count of Habsburg, who had been in close relationship with Safe John for decades and had made considerable profits in various ways.

‘Is this the opportunity that Prince John spoke of?’

He thought of John, who respected him, a mere local noble, and said that a great opportunity would come.

The Count of Habsburg had already decided to join the faction of the Elector of Saxony, Prince John’s nephew. He thought it would be more beneficial to him.

“I must support Otto and build a closer friendship with Duke John of Normandy.”

However, the Count of Habsburg, who was slowly preparing to intervene in the civil war, received a visit from an unexpected person.

“Your Excellency, Count of Sulzbach has requested to enter the inner castle.”

The Count of Habsburg greeted the visitor faster than anyone else at the visit of a major figure who had not participated in the civil war.

“How could such a precious person come to such a humble place?”

Count Sulzbach, a middle-aged man whose face was wrinkled by the passage of time but still had a handsome appearance.

Unlike the old nobles of Aachen who ignored the provinces, he showed respect to the Count of Habsburg, a count of a rural territory.

“What brings you here?”

“I came here with a very important matter. Of course, it will be an important matter for you too, Count of Habsburg.”

The late Emperor Frederick had told him that he would choose ‘neutrality’ in the conflict between the Lion Duke and the King of Germany, which was bound to happen in the future. But the closer he got to death, the more attached he became to his granddaughter.

So, he was going to help his grandson-in-law, Safe John.