Beorhtweald: Chapter 1: Ascending to the throne.
So my father, Beornnoth first non-Iceling king of Mercia is dead. Faded from existence. Like he did, I also aspire to become Brytenwalda but not for "God" or any other delusions, my late father had. And like him, I will also work, night and day, day and night to that dream, and I am also fearful of many things, but battle isn't one, it's all the spies constantly watching me. But just because I fear everyone is a spy doesn't mean I can't hold a great conversation with them. My father asked me to get revenge on Essex and I would, provided this syphilis doesn't take me.
However right now my troops were too small, and the earls didn't have too many men to give. I came to the conclusion that I must do what my father would have skinned me alive fr, and give up. That plunged Mercia even more into debt.
The earl of Oxford demanded gavelkind succession be restored. King Offa had made the realm primogeniture meaning even if we conquered say, Wessex, the realm would not spilt up. However it seemed my vassals like chaos. I obliged him as I could ill afford a civil war, and it wasn't very harmful in the short term as I only have one daughter and am not likely to have any more children with this syphilis plaguing me.
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Speaking of civil war, the Merovingian dynasty had been restored in Middle Francia which was renamed to Austrasia. In Aquitaine there was a similar revolt to restore them in west Francia. It seemed the Franks were tired of the failures under the Carolingian dynasties' "Karl 'the great'."
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My spymaster advised me to build a post system. I smacked my head with my palm and said "And how do you propose we do that when we're both broke and indebt to Jews Genius?"
Bishop Osred had finished converting the heretics in Derby. I cared not what fake being in the sky these peasants believed in, but if they didn't convert they might rebel, and depose and kill me. I sent Osred to finish the job in my personal earldom of Northampton.
As I suspected! There are spies all over this castle! I caught one myself, who was watching over me when I woke up. I took him out by the wrist, told a guard to tie him up, moved him to the most public place, gathered the court and witan and said "ladies and noblemen! This man is a spy! He was watching over me as I slept! As I'm sure there are more of you among the audience, now this is your fate if you are caught." Then I struck him once in the face, once in the stomach, kicked him in the groin, and as he whimpered put my hands around his neck and strangled him. I did not want to behead him, as I was afraid my executioner was also a spy and would only pretend to behead him.
I was afraid the syphilis was going to take me tomorrow, and so asked Ealdred who was my personal court physician when I was but an earl in Northampton, to try something new to save my life. I felt amazing after a naked sprint through the woods. Like I was releasing my inner animal.
The king of Wessex offered ten gold for one of the earls who had thought for Wigheard during the war. As I wanted to be friendly with that king, I gleefully accepted.
I decided to use the money to revoke the county of Leicester. Though Tamworth is and always will be my home, I felt it would be useful to own the ex capital of Mercia. In addition as Leicester was still held by Seaxburh daughter of king Offa, she could still rebel to usurp me. Well she was in jail but either of her sisters, or her regent could still do so!
My fellow plotters agreed to support me in revoking Leicester only on the condition Seaxburh is removed from the dungeons. I ransomed her to herself. Wasn't like she would be countess of Leicester for much longer, and it was better she not have the money to raise troops.
The ultimatum was issued, and refused, so I declared war on Seaxburh! I ordered the earl of Derby and the earl of Lyndsey to raise troops, meanwhile, I raised troops from Tamworth and Northampton. We immediately marched to Leicester, the only place she could flee was Northumbria.
We started by overwhelming her tiny flanks, which left the centre exposed to our cavalry charges. With nobody protecting their flanks they didn't have any room to swing their swords, so they too fell, along with all hopes of an Iceling restoration.
Meanwhile my scum I have the displeasure of having to call "brother", found out at one point Mercia owned the earldom of Amounderness. I would secure that earldom, but not while i'm finishing off King Offa's spawn.
I decided to betroth my daughter to the heir to the earldom of Westmorland. Westmorland borders Amounderness, so we could attack them one after the other, if we so pleased, which would put me that much closer to Brytenwalda.
After I besieged Leicester, I captured the sister of Seaxburh. As I wanted as few claimants to Mercia as possible, she was tossed off the battlements so she would die.
Orthodox Christians had retaken their land from Iconoclast worshippers. This seems petty to me, just fools bickering over who's the most stupid fool, neither of them were right in the end.
Seaxburh publically renounced ownership of Leicester and fled the country. She was still dangerous, out there in the wide world. The promise of her hand, and with it a kingdom could entice many a man to swear his sword to her and come to lop my head off and stick it on a spear on top of the battlements. But without Leicester to provide taxes and food, that would be a lot more difficult.
Athelweald who had obviously never been granted the earldom of Essex on account of us losing that war, was instead made earl of Northampton. I felt a king needed to personally watch over the ex seat of the former ruler of Mercia.
The court began gossiping that I had gone mad! Of course not! It was obvious that they were all spies sent by the Umayyad caliph who all wanted to make me emir of Seville! How could anybody deny such logic! And I needed to double my efforts in order for him to agree to do so! I'll have him and th e court know me and my syphilis are entirely healthy and normal!
One of those courtiers offered to go hunting or to take the falcon out with me. Since the falcon was probably going to peck my eyes out I decided to opt for the hunt instead. At least if the courtier was a spy as he obviously was, I could shoot an arrow in his back!
But then my horse threw me off it's back! Obviously this was all an elaborate and deliberate attempt by the horse to assassinate me! I shot at the horse but it ran away. When I returned to castle Tamworth, I took the falcon out to look for it as I didn't want him coming back and trying again. Unfortunately we never found the horse, for all I know it could still be plotting to kill me!
Aelf and my daughter were married, and I made sure all their kids would be my dynasty. I asked for the money, as I wanted it for what came next.
The queen of Lothian, itself a state that separated from the kingdom of Northumbria, who owned Amounderness, had only 300 men and one ally in Wales, who was currently being conquered by a host invasion. War was declared for my claim on the earldom of Amounderness.
Word had come from Austrasia, that the Saxons were now using boats. Boats were not only faster than foot, but could also come here to England and land Saxon raiders here. The men who sailed such boats called themselves "Vikings" meaning pirates. Norse men are also Vikings.
King Karl the Great had finally done something great which wasn't reversed, and put down the revolt trying to Restore the Merovingian dynasty. It mattered little, his kingdom was a shadow of it's former self, most likely smaller than when his younger brother was still alive and in charge of what is now Austrasia.
Speaking of Austrasia, king Theoderic died without an heir. However, the Merovingian dynasty was not dead yet, as before he died, he managed to get his wife pregnant. It was doubted that the new King Heinrich, would step aside for the baby boy when he is born.
After the siege of Amounderness, joined by Northumbrian troops who wished to make Lothian pay tribute to Northumbria, we assaulted a church near the capital, which we easily took, as well as Appleby castle in Westmorland. However the defenders were able to repulse us, but whatever their morale was gone, and it was mostly Northumbrians who died, and the mercians who died were probably traitors who jumped on enemy swords anyway.
My daughter and heir caught the flu. Worse I was worried people were trying to kill her. I sent her as well as Ealdred into hiding. I believed he would try and poison her, but if I didn't send them into hiding, my daughter would die of the flu, then my brother whom I hate more than anything in the world, including these damned spies which were probably his anyway, would inherit and steal these lands from our dynasty.I could not let that happen!
The queen of Lothian gave me control of Amounderness, and I named my son in law earl. My hope was that he would raise troops and attack for Westmorland. If not I will try to kill the earl there so he inherits, or attack for him when the king of Northumbria is either too weak or dead.
