The van Vlaanderen chronicles - part II
Of Henri II, a good christian lord who became King of France and the Portucale
The death of Hughues II in 1091 marked the end of the Capetian Kings in France. The Capetian heir dying in the dungeons at Meaux, Guilhém of the House of Poitou proclaimed himself King until the crown was ursurped by the Bourgogne dynasty in 1102. Thus Hugues the Fat lay the groundwork of the absolute dominance of the House de Bourgogne in France for many years to come.
In the winter of the year 1166 the fates of the Dynasty would change for the worse. King Guilhelm "the unready" de Bourgogne took an arrow wound during a minor enagement with retreating forces of the rebellios Margot I, Duchess of Champagne. He died of his cankerous wound after a week of agony on the 30th of December. His son, now King Gaucelin of France would only survive the rebellios Duchess Margot by a few months when he died on the battlefield on the 6th February 1168 at the age of 17. He was to be the fith and last King of the House of Bourgogne as he did not manage to produce an heir. The late Duchess Margot would posthumously be called "Bruta to France" since heir upraising caused the death of two Kings and the loss of the Duchy of Champagne to the Kingdom.
Since the establishment of Salic law, the Kingship of France passed down obeying male primogeniture. However since the the chaotic ending of House Capet, royal power was curbed by the great houses and the monarch being elected by the chief lords of France. The Electorate, ordered by precedence was consting of
The will of the King
The Duke of Burgundy, Bourbon and Auverne
The Duke of Berry and Anjou
The Duke Ursurpant of Champagne and Samogitania
The Duke of Poitou and Galicia
The Duke of Toulouse
The Duke of Flanders
The Duke of Gascogne
The Duke of Valois
The Duchess of Orleans
The Electorate was hard to control for the de Bourgogne Dynasty after the untimely death of the King. Their faction maintained only the votes of the late King, the Dukes of Champagne, Poitoi and Orleans. It was challenged by a alliance of various houses to break the power of the de Bourgogne. Led by the House of Flanderen it would secure the majority of the great nobles of France.
![111px-Armoires_portugal_1093[1].png 111px-Armoires_portugal_1093[1].png](https://forumcontent.paradoxplaza.com/thumbnail/public/46559/111px-Armoires_portugal_1093[1].png)
So when the electorate of France ceased debating on the 25th of March, 1168 the Duke of Flanders is said to have given a solemn nod of acceptance. Thus Henri II was crowned King of France and of the Portucale, Defensor Catharsis on the 1st of April 1168 on the Île de la Cité. The ceremony took place on the foundations of Notre Dame de Paris, witnessed by crowds on the island itself and boats alike. On the Shores of the Seine the victorious household guard of Flanders stood vigil, just having returned form Ypperen where Count Herbet had been convinced to renew his "forgotten" oath of fealty to the Duke of Flanders.
Thrice the realm saw itself being invaded by the Moors of Mauretania which kept the Kingdom off balance. The Reconquista of Spain thus resulted in a frequently challenged stalemate, with gains and losses to the crown. The Crown of Aragon and France were forced into cooperating against the heathens lest they be driven out of Iberia.
The following years saw the fleurs de lys splattered with red tears of the Franks when Henri II began a long campaign of reunification and restoration of the divided realm. Many a lord had fallen to the rank cathar plaque, only to sully the royal chopping blocks with vile fluids later. The realm thus saw a critical concentration of power amongst remaining christian lords which were able to seize holdings indiscriminatly during the civil war. To balance these Lords and their influence the King redistributed fiefs amongst landless or loyal nobility.
Thus the Duchy of Cordoba was created and granted to Roger de Luxembourg, a drinking compagnion to the King and distinguished relentless impaler of heretics. In 1180 the cathar heresy won one its greatest supporters, the Duke of Vasconie. The consequentual revokation of his titles and honours caused his subsequent short uprising. The colours of Vasconie have since been added to the royal coat of arms. The Duchy of Mallorca was ursurped from the Taifa ruler and granted to the brother of the King, Ulrich of van Vlaanderen. The Duchy of Poitou was revoked from the de Bourgogne in order to break their power and granted to the hapless count of Artois, now Duke Raoul II. The Duchy of Champagne was lost to the influence of the Holy Roman Empire due to the suspicious death and seemingly arranged inheritance to the Duke of faraway Samogitania. A duke of one County so that the King of Castille could press his feudal contract. The County of Charolais was granted to the Steward of France, Jean I d'Ivrea, Duke of Burgundy, Bourbon and Auverne rewarding loyalty. The Duchy of Seville was granted to Onfroy de Blois, to restore his house to past glory and territory.
During his reign the King grew apart with his german wife Adela von Steinfurt, by now barren mother of four daughters and the crown prince Gaucelin. The divorce was swiftly granted by his holyness, the Pope in Rome on grounds of consanguinity. This allowed Henri II to marry Charlotte d'Anjou cementing an alliance with her powerful dynasty in central France. Where other nobles of the day had to resort to skullduggery, the diplomatic acumen of the King paved his goals a sturdy path.
The Kingdom and surrounding realms in 1183:

During his time, Henri II played a major role in the on and off peace negotiations of the Holy Roman Empire. Upon their conclusion his most christian ambition, the holy league could finally muster its troops and start off the third and finally successful Crusade for Jaffa. The Duchy of Jaffa was awarded to the Pauperes commilitones Christi Templique Solomonici - the Knights Templar. As the first Saracen prince is making his move on the fledgling crusader state, the King of France is urging his christian brothers to muster troops in its most urgend defense.
![445px-Hattin[1].jpg 445px-Hattin[1].jpg](https://forumcontent.paradoxplaza.com/thumbnail/public/46552/445px-Hattin[1].jpg)
The army of the Knights spend, the enemy is sieging Jaffa. When will good christian Lords send relief to the starving city?
Of Henri II, a good christian lord who became King of France and the Portucale
![150px-Wappen_Landkreis_Meissen[1].png 150px-Wappen_Landkreis_Meissen[1].png](https://forumcontent.paradoxplaza.com/thumbnail/public/46555/150px-Wappen_Landkreis_Meissen[1].png)
The death of Hughues II in 1091 marked the end of the Capetian Kings in France. The Capetian heir dying in the dungeons at Meaux, Guilhém of the House of Poitou proclaimed himself King until the crown was ursurped by the Bourgogne dynasty in 1102. Thus Hugues the Fat lay the groundwork of the absolute dominance of the House de Bourgogne in France for many years to come.
In the winter of the year 1166 the fates of the Dynasty would change for the worse. King Guilhelm "the unready" de Bourgogne took an arrow wound during a minor enagement with retreating forces of the rebellios Margot I, Duchess of Champagne. He died of his cankerous wound after a week of agony on the 30th of December. His son, now King Gaucelin of France would only survive the rebellios Duchess Margot by a few months when he died on the battlefield on the 6th February 1168 at the age of 17. He was to be the fith and last King of the House of Bourgogne as he did not manage to produce an heir. The late Duchess Margot would posthumously be called "Bruta to France" since heir upraising caused the death of two Kings and the loss of the Duchy of Champagne to the Kingdom.
Since the establishment of Salic law, the Kingship of France passed down obeying male primogeniture. However since the the chaotic ending of House Capet, royal power was curbed by the great houses and the monarch being elected by the chief lords of France. The Electorate, ordered by precedence was consting of
The will of the King
The Duke of Burgundy, Bourbon and Auverne
The Duke of Berry and Anjou
The Duke Ursurpant of Champagne and Samogitania
The Duke of Poitou and Galicia
The Duke of Toulouse
The Duke of Flanders
The Duke of Gascogne
The Duke of Valois
The Duchess of Orleans
The Electorate was hard to control for the de Bourgogne Dynasty after the untimely death of the King. Their faction maintained only the votes of the late King, the Dukes of Champagne, Poitoi and Orleans. It was challenged by a alliance of various houses to break the power of the de Bourgogne. Led by the House of Flanderen it would secure the majority of the great nobles of France.
![120px-Arms_of_the_Kingdom_of_France_%28Ancien%29.svg[1].png 120px-Arms_of_the_Kingdom_of_France_%28Ancien%29.svg[1].png](https://forumcontent.paradoxplaza.com/thumbnail/public/46558/120px-Arms_of_the_Kingdom_of_France_%28Ancien%29.svg[1].png)
![111px-Armoires_portugal_1093[1].png 111px-Armoires_portugal_1093[1].png](https://forumcontent.paradoxplaza.com/thumbnail/public/46559/111px-Armoires_portugal_1093[1].png)
So when the electorate of France ceased debating on the 25th of March, 1168 the Duke of Flanders is said to have given a solemn nod of acceptance. Thus Henri II was crowned King of France and of the Portucale, Defensor Catharsis on the 1st of April 1168 on the Île de la Cité. The ceremony took place on the foundations of Notre Dame de Paris, witnessed by crowds on the island itself and boats alike. On the Shores of the Seine the victorious household guard of Flanders stood vigil, just having returned form Ypperen where Count Herbet had been convinced to renew his "forgotten" oath of fealty to the Duke of Flanders.
Thrice the realm saw itself being invaded by the Moors of Mauretania which kept the Kingdom off balance. The Reconquista of Spain thus resulted in a frequently challenged stalemate, with gains and losses to the crown. The Crown of Aragon and France were forced into cooperating against the heathens lest they be driven out of Iberia.
The following years saw the fleurs de lys splattered with red tears of the Franks when Henri II began a long campaign of reunification and restoration of the divided realm. Many a lord had fallen to the rank cathar plaque, only to sully the royal chopping blocks with vile fluids later. The realm thus saw a critical concentration of power amongst remaining christian lords which were able to seize holdings indiscriminatly during the civil war. To balance these Lords and their influence the King redistributed fiefs amongst landless or loyal nobility.
Thus the Duchy of Cordoba was created and granted to Roger de Luxembourg, a drinking compagnion to the King and distinguished relentless impaler of heretics. In 1180 the cathar heresy won one its greatest supporters, the Duke of Vasconie. The consequentual revokation of his titles and honours caused his subsequent short uprising. The colours of Vasconie have since been added to the royal coat of arms. The Duchy of Mallorca was ursurped from the Taifa ruler and granted to the brother of the King, Ulrich of van Vlaanderen. The Duchy of Poitou was revoked from the de Bourgogne in order to break their power and granted to the hapless count of Artois, now Duke Raoul II. The Duchy of Champagne was lost to the influence of the Holy Roman Empire due to the suspicious death and seemingly arranged inheritance to the Duke of faraway Samogitania. A duke of one County so that the King of Castille could press his feudal contract. The County of Charolais was granted to the Steward of France, Jean I d'Ivrea, Duke of Burgundy, Bourbon and Auverne rewarding loyalty. The Duchy of Seville was granted to Onfroy de Blois, to restore his house to past glory and territory.
During his reign the King grew apart with his german wife Adela von Steinfurt, by now barren mother of four daughters and the crown prince Gaucelin. The divorce was swiftly granted by his holyness, the Pope in Rome on grounds of consanguinity. This allowed Henri II to marry Charlotte d'Anjou cementing an alliance with her powerful dynasty in central France. Where other nobles of the day had to resort to skullduggery, the diplomatic acumen of the King paved his goals a sturdy path.
The Kingdom and surrounding realms in 1183:

During his time, Henri II played a major role in the on and off peace negotiations of the Holy Roman Empire. Upon their conclusion his most christian ambition, the holy league could finally muster its troops and start off the third and finally successful Crusade for Jaffa. The Duchy of Jaffa was awarded to the Pauperes commilitones Christi Templique Solomonici - the Knights Templar. As the first Saracen prince is making his move on the fledgling crusader state, the King of France is urging his christian brothers to muster troops in its most urgend defense.
![445px-Hattin[1].jpg 445px-Hattin[1].jpg](https://forumcontent.paradoxplaza.com/thumbnail/public/46552/445px-Hattin[1].jpg)
The army of the Knights spend, the enemy is sieging Jaffa. When will good christian Lords send relief to the starving city?
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