The Youngest Prince Of The English Royalty House [EN]: Chapter 93

93. Rising Chaos (2)

—1189, Ireland—

There is no peaceful Ireland. Only a sorrowful one.

As a High Lord, I tried to grasp the situation in the Middle East through all the information lines in Europe. More precisely, it was news from European noble families with vested interests in the Middle East.

The death of King Guillaume I of Jerusalem.

The unease of those in high places, unknown to the lower classes, began to rise.

Of course, people who only farm and trade wouldn’t know, but as someone who protects this fairly small territory, Ireland is troublesome in many ways.

It’s a life as a High Lord that has been difficult in many ways, except for the holy mass.

Several reports suggest it’s still safe, but is it really? It’s clearly the calm before the storm.

“Troublesome.”

I stroked my reddish beard with a serious face, lost in thought, endlessly, like a Möbius strip.

After finishing my thoughts, I quietly spoke to Peter, who stood by my side.

“Henry’s fall from his horse, Father’s illness, and Guillaume I’s… death. Peter, surely all of this isn’t a coincidence, is it?”

“It used to be coincidence, but now it is not.”

Peter was right. This is no coincidence.

I’ve learned as I’ve lived.

To live comfortably, new trials will always torment me!

I can still laugh off Father’s illness, accepting that this cunning old man is acting. At least Father is not my enemy, no matter what tricks he plays.

But Guillaume I’s death… It was troublesome in many ways.

Who? England!

The Kingdom of Jerusalem, which protects the Holy Land and where various interests conflict, was ultimately our Angevin territory [territory controlled by the Angevin dynasty]. And he’s dead.

Masoud (converted), our smart former Sultan who obtained territory in Egypt.

[My letter will arrive later than you realize the situation. But the important thing is that Guillaume I’s death is definitely not a coincidence. An accident during hunting would be more fitting.]

He sent a letter to Ireland with such urgent content. Of course, this letter arrived later than the latest news, as Masoud said.

Ireland is already in a state of emergency.

It’s not just because the ruler of the Kingdom of Jerusalem, whom we put in place, died, but it’s being accepted as part of a process.

“Peter.”

“Yes, Your Highness?”

“We need to prepare.”

The next day, I immediately summoned the Assembly in the name of the Lord and spoke to the delegates of the three estates [clergy, nobility, and commoners] with a serious face.

“John, High Lord of Ireland, will begin the meeting.”

This news and countermeasures must be approached as a ‘problem’ involving all three estates.

Of course, not only me but also the clergy, nobles, and third estate friends here had serious expressions.

As it has always been since the beginning of human history until the Third World War, the ruling classes hate change. Of course, they hate not only reform but also chaos.

“Since everyone has already heard the news, I will skip the introductions and go straight to the discussion.”

No one was unaware of Guillaume I’s death. It was an event made even more famous by the enraged Earl of Suri.

“Bishop Lothaire.”

“Yes, Your Highness.”

Bishop Lothaire’s expression was more indifferent than usual today. But through experience, I knew. This man is also becoming sensitive due to Guillaume I’s death.

“What are the movements of the Knights Templar?”

“They are currently buying supplies in the Middle East and Italy.”

I didn’t ask about military movements, and the clever Bishop Lothaire seemed to have grasped the key point.

Of course, whether in the future, the late 12th century, or the late Middle Ages, the core of the Knights Templar is financial power. It’s not for nothing that Philip IV framed them as heretics and stole their gold in the future.

“It seems we need to increase our forces further.”

It’s not just about increasing my forces, but also about ordering them to reinforce me when a truly dangerous moment comes. A dangerous moment is when our England engages in folk games (civil war) like the Eastern Roman Empire.

“Even if it’s not war, it seems like chaos could arise.”

“Your Highness’s words are wise.”

“We don’t know what will happen, but it’s right to prepare.”

They were slightly soulless people during church school, but now they seem to feel like they’ll be screwed if they stay still. Their faces alone showed passion.

Indeed, Europeans show patriotism when faced with their own threats!

“So I plan to prepare in various ways. First, I need to move the Safe Guild and cooperate with Venice. I need to buy information from them.”

That old man Enrico Dandolo has the most information in the world.

Of course, information requires a fee, but high-quality information is greater than a thousand pieces of gold.

And I said to the delegates attending the Assembly with a bitter expression.

“Everyone, prepare yourselves. It seems like uneasy things will happen in our Ireland too.”

* * *

While her husband John was busy handling the situation.

The Duchess of Ireland, who prides herself on being Safe Mary, was leisurely drinking wine with her mother-in-law.

Of course, this mother-in-law and youngest daughter-in-law, who have become close like a daughter and mother recently, are actually more interested in politics than anyone else.

Especially recently, while watching the antics of her ‘daughter’ and ‘sons’ and living out her remaining years very quietly, Eleanor. The woman who transformed in three stages from the daughter of the Duchess of Aquitaine to the Queen of France and the Great Queen of England was very interested in politics.

‘Of course, I am in exile, but I cannot live without politics.’

Unfortunately, she was not born as the Duke of Aquitaine (son) but as a Duchess, so she tasted many tragedies in life. But through those bitter experiences, she was called the greatest woman in Europe.

From her girlhood to now, when she is called someone’s grandmother, she has gone through many crises and lived an uneasy life, and she still had many desires.

That’s why she asked her daughter-in-law.

“Mary, is this your doing?”

She asked a direct question. At Eleanor the Great Queen’s words. Mary smiled brightly. A light smile.

“Oh, Mother. How could that be?”

“Really?”

Eleanor the Great Queen tilted her head, but Mary continued.

“Anyway, if I really planned something like this, I would have done it more elegantly. With a plausible reason.”

“A plausible reason?”

“I like things quiet and secretive. You know very well how I do politics, Mother, don’t you?”

Eleanor thought about her daughter-in-law’s words and said.

“Seeing you, I don’t have to worry about John’s future. I know very well, Mary, that you are reducing John’s workload.”

“I’m just a lacking daughter-in-law in front of Mother, aren’t I? If you were satisfied, you wouldn’t have come to me like this.”

“What are you talking about? I love you more than the other children, don’t I?”

Mary said to her mother-in-law, who was making a brazen expression like John.

“Mother, you didn’t just see my abilities, did you?”

“It would be harder to find a daughter-in-law among my daughters-in-law who doesn’t have noble blood, wouldn’t it?”

“That’s right.”

When Mary readily admitted it, Eleanor said.

“So, is the kill list complete?”

“At least we need to kill the tails that others don’t care about.”

With those words, Mary mimed chopping her own neck with the edge of her hand.

“You’re a scary daughter-in-law.”

Eleanor said, seeing her daughter-in-law’s cold expression.

“Surely not… Isn’t the truly scary one Mother, who is watching the board from above?”

Of course, Mary thinks differently.

* * *

—Kingdom of France, Paris—

The death of Guillaume I was also known in the Kingdom of France.

—Bang.

The monarchs of the Capetian dynasty, who had Hugh Capet as their founder and were little more than figureheads, were the best when it came to patience.

But today, Philip II’s patience seemed to have already run out.

“Ha.”

Of course, Philip II, unlike other youngsters, did not reveal his emotions. But there was anger in that sigh.

“Your Majesty, calm down.”

“Yes, calm… I must calm down.”

Although he didn’t have as much resentment as his late father, Louis VII, Philip II was truly wronged today.

He was implicitly regarded as a ‘schemer’ who was making the current state of Europe chaotic.

Yes, Philip II could also plot.

He didn’t know about other things, but seeing Guillaume I of the Kingdom of Jerusalem, he was indeed angry. He couldn’t have felt good about the Angevin bastards occupying the Holy Land, could he?

But this is not true.

‘Why would I mess with Guillaume I!’

Of course, Philip II has people in the Kingdom of Jerusalem, but why would he harm Guillaume I, who even changed his name to French and doesn’t oppose the Kingdom of France?

Rather, it is more realistic to be friendly with Guillaume I and make the Kingdom of Jerusalem ‘neutral’ when the Angevin family grabs each other’s collars and fights later.

Besides, Philip II’s main interest right now is ‘domestic affairs.’ He doesn’t have time for foreign affairs yet.

“Secretary… It seems like chaos will arise.”

In this Europe… no, in this world, they do not compromise unless it is their own ‘territory.’

“Then what do we do?”

“Our France will become a France that loves peace.”

In Western international politics, France was a traditional powerhouse, but it lost its power because of that Angevin family. That’s why Philip II has many grievances against John and Henry II.

Philip decided to be the safest Philip possible, within limits.

* * *

—Europe—

The biggest reason why the history of Northeast Asia and Western history are different is.

Unlike the East, where there is an absolute powerhouse called China since the unification of Qin Shi Huang, the West never allows an absolute sole powerhouse.

The politicians of Europe were cunning. Since the fall of the ancient Roman Empire, they are the ones who do not allow any one to ‘dominate.’

The countries that envied the three successful Western powers of the Third Crusade, the Eastern Roman Empire, the Holy Roman Empire, and England, automatically began to check the three powers.

Implicit movements occurred. Not by diplomats from each country meeting and doing ‘work,’ but actively in the ‘European’ way.

If you gain a vast territory, you need administrative recovery. The Eastern Roman Empire, a country with a huge physique, gained territory in the Middle East in addition to Anatolia, but it had no time to breathe due to the corrupt ‘management problems’ that occurred in the process. It was the work of some ‘invisible hands.’

To be honest, the Eastern Roman Empire has gained so much ‘territory’ that it is exhausted just by the administrative and military tasks to digest that territory. They have to pay attention to internal audits, so they cannot concentrate no matter what chaos occurs in the West.

The Holy Roman Empire had nothing to touch like that. It is true that Frederick I, the red-bearded emperor whom Jesus Christ created for the Germans, is a great emperor, but his successors were too lacking.

Having empresses and princes with ‘ambiguous’ abilities, whether intelligent or completely incompetent, was a mistake of the Holy Roman Empire, no, the Hohenstaufen dynasty.

And people who take advantage of that contacted the prince-electors [the princes of the Holy Roman Empire who had the right to elect the Emperor].

Of course, the old Emperor Frederick knows that, so he is focusing on domestic affairs rather than external affairs.

And England.

There are cases where the saying that a lion gives birth to a lion cub has become a misfortune.

Recently, England, which has been gaining momentum, was poisoned by the existence of too many outstanding princes and princesses. There is a limit to the number of territories and ‘direct control lands,’ but there are too many ambitious children.

The problem with England is that there are too many sailors on the ship.

Anyway, Sicily, a warm island as peaceful as Ireland.

There was also an ambitious person here who inherited the blood of Anjou.

“So that’s what happened. They’re really bad people. To drive such a peaceful Europe into ruin. Anyway, we know what to do, right?”

“Yes, Your Majesty.”

“Okay, you can go now.”

The woman who sent the person away went into an empty room and muttered.

“My sisters and brothers… and John are too arrogant. To ignore me like that.”

The woman, who was intently looking at a map of Europe and the Middle East, raised the corners of her lips.