AAR: Henri IV de Bar & Yolande de Dampierre 1337-

[Ges]

My first AAR.

Setup:
1) starting date 1337, ending date january 1st 1419
2) Pick 1 count somewhere in Central Europe.
3) no more than 1 province at startup.
4) very hard/weakling

goals/rules for CK:
1) get hold of something that is playable in EU2 & and make it as independence as possible.
2) try to chance your dynasty/your lands to german(only marry german maids & so on)
3) remember to roleplay when deciding what to do.
4) no cheating/re-playing/exploits/gamey solutions

We pick Henri de Bar of Verdun. He's married to Yolande de Dampierre and they have one child; first heir Edouard of Bar.

As we can see Henri got basically nothing so he's good choice for playing.

 

[Veldmaarschalk]

Good luck with your first AAR

As we can see Henri got basically nothing so he's good choice for playing.

This is probably a bug

 

[Ges]

Let's start.

1337:
Henri de Bar has decided (and is destinated) to become something greater than just petty count in the heart of Europe. First He and his wife Yolande want to make sure that everything they'll acquire will stay in the family.

To achieve this Henri changes semisalic primogeniture to salic primonigeture. And while he's anyway changing laws he decides to change traditional customs to feudal Contract. To make sure that his towns and nobles will agree to these new ideas he have to increase their power.

Henri & Yolande had a daughter - Berthe

1338:
Pope calls a crusader to free Alexandria. There is no way that Henri could go when all these problems between kings of France and England.

Verdun becomes better place to live (and tax) when peasants claim new land.

1339:
Henri & Yolande had another daughter - Cécile. So marriage had so far been atleast fertile. But Henri would like to have some more boys in order to make sure he has a heir.

1340:
Henri & Yolande had a son - Gaucher. Great!

 

[unmerged(60276)]

A 1337 AAR! Cool.

Good luck with it. And yeah, weird that he has nothing at the begining of the game.

 

[Ges]

1341:
Henri & Yolande had another daughter - Alix. nothing new to Henri.

December. A Courier gets to Henri and tells that Henri may have a claim to a county somewhere in Burgundy. After consulting his legal advisors (which takes considerable time since Henri don't have that much money or prestige) it's clear that Henri really got a claim on the title: count of Macon

Henri's legal advisor tells that the story goes like this: Duke of Burgundy is Henri's uncle - Eudes de Bourgogne. He gave county of Macon to his son - Henri's first cousin - Philippe de Bourgogne. Philippe has now died, last word being that he went mad:

Okay, Henri IV de Bar got his first claim. Quite a achievement when you look what he has gained so far.

But not to get too anxious over this claim. Henri's legal advisor tells that more important issue is possible future claim on Duchy of Burgundy. Duke Eudes has changed to semisalic from salic premonigatory. This may make Henri future claimant to that title.

But as the present situation tells Henri is no where near to get that claim: Duke isn't old (just 46 years), he got two male heirs (both healthy) and still fertile wife (just 33 years old). The duchy is too powerful for Henri anyway, it end ups surely to someone else, but maybe Henri will get a claim.

Anyway Henri decides to put the issue aside and go get some more prestige by drinking wine and getting more daughters.

 

[Ges]

1343:
Word tells that Eudes de Bourgogne's wife is pregnant again. great.

1344:
Bubonic plague arrives in Verdun.

Story tells that while Duke Eudes gained a son he lost another to plague. So Henri IV de Bar is still third heir to the title.

1345:
Oldest son of Duke Eudes is also killed by bubonic plague. So only Duke Eudes (50 years old) and his last remaining son (1 year old) stand between Count Henri and Duchy of Burgundy. Count Henri's legal advisor tells that it's: "Time to wait."

King of France decides to declare war on Kingdom of England. Also count Henri was asked (and bound) to take his regiment and take part in this little dynastic clash.

1346:
September. After minor clashes for year the first big battle of war is fought. Count Henri did well:

1347:
After two years of fighting France is in turmoil. Count Henri has been whole time with the main army. Several vassals didn't approve with kings move to take main army to England - far away from home. Althought count Henri has been loyal and valorous whole time he hasn't been rewarded at all. On the contrary Henri has lost lot of gold in this war. Things have to end now. Count Henri has told his wife Yolande to look for new liege.

Wife Yolande tells count Henri that Jeanne d'Evreux, Duchess of Auvergne would be perfect choice for a new liege. Weakest one a round - so more power to is left to vassal.

Count Henri IV de Bar is now vassal of Duchess of Auvergne.

 

[unmerged(48100)]

You should maybe think about the Emperor of the HRE being a better liege than the French. If you can get a claim on a French neighbour of you, turn to the Germans for help.

 

[Ges]

1348:
Plague hit hard family of count Henri; both younger daughters Cécile and Alix died.

Duke Eudes of Burgundy has another child. This time is girl thought. Duke's last remaining heir gets plague. Now when Duke is getting old (53 years already) count Henri is closer to the title than ever.

1349:
Eustache de Bourgogne (Duke's heir) is cured. Count Henri sees the title going further away.

1351:
Duke Eudes of Burgundy gives his heir a title of count. Count Henri's wife Yolande decides that now is the best time to make a move and tries to make move assinating Duke's heir.

Yolande and young yet tricky Spy Master/Diocese Bishop Humbert de Poitiers-Valentinois succeeded. There is now only the old Duke between Count Henri and the title.

1352: First year when Count Henri IV de Bar didn't drink that much wine.
January: Edouard de Bar feasts his 16th birthday. Now it's time to find him a bride. After long diplomatic actions Yolande finds a suitable candidate. Here are the newly weds:

February: These marriage diplomatic actions lead also to something else. Count Henri's prestige raised from 90 to 140. Now it's first possible for count to "make up" somekind of claim (count of Auvergne which took 102 prestige) and reason for war against Duchess of Auvergne - the weak liege.

This diplomatic play is path way to war between count Henri and his former liege Duchess of Auvergne. War is declared may 1st 1952. First time count Henri is truly independent.

July - Bad news: just 6 months after the weddings of first heir Edouard his young wife dies after long sickness.

October: And now some good news. Old Eudes de Bourgogne - Duke of Burgundy dies in old age and is inheirted by count Henri....

...hrrrmmm... Duke Henri IV de Bar. But now Henri's liege is again King of France. The re-meeting after 5 years is not friendly since it's clear to King that this Duke is not faithful anymore.

Duke Henri's legal advisors (now better than back in Verdun) point out that inheritance also contains several claims against Jeanne d'Evreux, Duchess of Auvergne - Duke Henri's former liege.

The war wasn't going that well anyway but now Duke Henri has all the resources from duchy of Burgundy.

1353:
Duke Henri won easily the war against duchy of Auvergne with new resources and got 3 new titles: Duke of Auvergne, count of Auvergne and Boulogne.

And here we go again:

Duke Henri goes to war again - he didn't get even chance to visit his new home. From one war directly to next one. great. pass the wine.

1854:
January: Duke's first heir Edouard de Bar has been 1½ year without wife after his former one died. Duke Henri wants to keep some free time from the war and decides to have double weddings for his children (Edouard and Berthe) in same month.

Edouard's new wife is Maria von Rendsburg 16 years old daughter to Duke of Holstein. Berthe is wed to long time war pal of Duke Henri - marshall Lancelot de Poitiers-Valentinois - 20 years old warrior. First heir Edouard is also given several counties in the process.

And to everybody who is interested how Duke Henri IV de Bar is doing overall:

November: Count Edouard and Maria had a son - Pierre.

 

[unmerged(48100)]

Seems you're quite like the historical Burgundy, considering being rebellious and not the most loyal. I still think you should get France with German help. Or English in this case.

 

[stnylan]

Very much setting up a quasi-historical Burgundy. Playing all sides against each other.

Welcome to AAR -writing!

 

[Ges]

1356:
Count Edouard and Maria had a son Guillame. At this point it's clear to all nobles in Burgundy that first born son Pierre is bastard and new first heir is Guillame.

1358:
Short war against infidels who has invaded in south France. Edouard's brother count Gaucher gets county of Rosello.

Bad news: Duke Henri's war wound starts seriously hamper him and on top of that he gets the plague. After this he is really getting tired of constant warfare against english.

1359:
Duke Henri decides to leave King of France and after a little plotting with Swedish king he's independent (but surely near death) Duke.

Later the same year Duke Henri dies. In the end he was able to leave his son Edouard strong realm. Edouard II de Bar, new Duke of Burgundy is truly independent and strong prince.

1362:
This is how things look like in April:

1363:
New son is born to Duke Edouard and Maria - He is called Louis

1364:
Maria - Duke Edouard's second wife dies. Maria gave Duke Edouard 3 sons and 3 daughters.

Few months later Duke Edouard II de Bar gets new (third) wife - Agathe, daughter of Duke of Meissen.

1366:

Duke Edouard and Agathe had a son Philippe.

1367:
Somebody else is also getting tired of all this war between England and France. Just one vassal more, but atleast Duke Edouard is popular.

1371:
Pierre - Duke Edouards bastard son turns 16 and gets married with Mechtild von Württemberg daughter of count of Württemberg.

Also people in Chalons starts to think themselves as being Franks - not Germans.

 

[unmerged(48100)]

Bad luck you wanted to get your lands German and now they turn French.

But your realm looks rather impressive, maybe go for Flanders next?

 

[stnylan]

You know that realm map shows just how delightfully mediaeval and messy your realm is.

 

[Ges]

Bad luck you wanted to get your lands German and now they turn French.

But your realm looks rather impressive, maybe go for Flanders next?

Well, you can't get everything. people are hard to control.

You know that realm map shows just how delightfully mediaeval and messy your realm is.

yeah, but what can you do with it?

 

[Ges]

1372:
Time for war again. It's obvious that the long war between French and English makes it possible for Duke Edouard II de Bar of Burgundy to grab some extra land. This time Duke decides to attack english possessions in western France - namely counties of Saintonge & Angouleme. War is short and in the process Duke ends up with his third duke title - Duke of Aquitaine.

Duke Edouard's third wife Agathe dies. Few months later he marries the fourth one - Barbara - 16 years old daughter of Count of Ansbach.

1373:
Time for another set of wedding. Guillaume - future Duke of Burgundy - turns sixteen. He is wed with Amalberga daughter of Duke of Meissen.

Duke Edouard's holdings look like this after making both Guillaume and Pierre counts:

Count Pierre's first wife dies. He quickly marries again with his new wife.

1374:
Count Guillaume had a son - Ameden. So now Duke's heir got the heir too. Duke Edouard had also a son. His fifth - Alain. Let's celebrate!

1376:
Count Guillaume had second son - Eustache.

1377:
Duke Edouard just isn't blessed with marital happiness. His fourth wife Barbara died in labour. Again a new wife in the court. The fifth one is Eufemia of Meissen.

1378:
Eufemia dies after little over year of childless marriage. Duke Edouard's sixth wife is Gisela von Friedenthal.

1379:
Duke Edouard has now a claim on the county of Ile-de-France.

1380:
Duke Edouard and Gisela had a son - Bruno.

1381:
Duke Edouard had second son with Gisela. Son is named Henri.

1383:
Duke Edouard gets plague. 47 year old Duke clearly isn't far from dead.

This spells Big Trouble for Duke Edouard: Count Pierre is saying that he should be the first heir - not Count Guillaume. Count Pierre also got a heir - 8 year old son Josselin. It may be the last chance for him to challenge legal heir Count Guillaume over the Duchy of Burgundy. Let's hope that everything will remain peaceful after Duke Edouard is dead.

 

[unmerged(48100)]

Interesting indeed. Good at least Gisela survives giving birth to Edouards children.

 

[stnylan]

Aren't bastards lovely?

 

[Ges]

1381-88:
Both Kingdoms of France and Germany are in flames. Civil war in east and west but so far Burgundy has been calm. Just little bit of tension in the air. This leads to 3 new counts accepting Duke Edouard II de Bar of Burgundy as their liege. New vassals are counts of Aargau, Bourbon & Neuchatel. Also title "Duke of Flanders" is added to Duke Edouard.

1385:
Unrests spreads in to Burgundy. Duke Edouard's brother Count Gaucher breaks free and takes away three counties with him. Luckily Duke Edouard is recovered from the plague and is able to keep his realm intact. After some military operations peace is agreed on the grounds that Gaucher still stays as Count of Rosello but returns 2 other counties to Duke Edouard.

1386:
Duke Edouard gives some counties to his son Alain and his wife Gisela.

1391:
After being 5 years vassal of King of Aragon Gaucher loses his county and is welcomed back to the court of his brother Duke Edouard.

1392:
Time of war again. This time Duke Edouard heads north. Goal is to get 2 loosely claimed counties from King of Germany which is still weak after all those civil war years. Counties are Andernach and Köln. After some sieging and 2 battles goal is achieved. Köln and Andernach is now part of Duke's realm. Also county of Dauphine Viennois is after peace agreement added to Duke Edouard's realm.

1393:
Legal advisors point to the Duke of Burgundy that he could also be Duke of Lesser Burgundy. One title added.

1396:
The Dole Meetings start.

Under the pressure of his own sons, grandsons and outside powers Duke Edouard II de Bar of Burgundy was forced to start negotiations. These negotiations were first started at the city of Dole in the heartland of Burgundy in April 1396. The goal of the Dole Meetings was different for everyone. But to everybody it was clear that agreement must be met before 60 year old Duke Edouard will die. If there is no agreement on the faith of Burgundy then there is chance of bigger European conflict over burgundian affairs.

Realm of Duke Edouard II de Bar of Burgundy on the eve of Dole Meetings.

It's clear to all outside powers that Realms of Duke Edouard II de Bar of Burgundy just won't fade away while waiting. Something has to be done. It's time to try with diplomatic means before war.

 

[stnylan]

Doling out Burgundy's lands? Don't tell me you've gone gavelkind or something similar?

 

[unmerged(48100)]

Would be cool though. With the map as it is now this certainly would get an interesting EU2 game later on.