Introduction: 1316
"On the 5th of June, in 1316, Louis X of France (also Louis I of Navarre), commonly called 'the Hutin', departed from life, most likely as the result of drinking an excessive quantity of chilled wine after a vigorous game of tennis. It was the end of a brief and unhappy reign that had begun with scandal, misery and embarrassment. Louis X had attempted many things during his reign, and succeeded at exactly one, something that, in typical fashion, only became clear some months after his death.
That one thing was, in theory, a simple matter, and yet Louis had either failed at or made a rather dismal attempt of it for the last decade, depending on who one asked. However, on the 15th of November, his success became definite. That one thing, of course, was securing the line of succession, a feat Louis and his second wife Clementia of Hungary had performed by bringing forth a male child that was indubitably his, feats his alleged daughter by his first wife Margaret of Burgundy, Joan, could obviously not boast of.
As the young boy born a king was baptised and christened 'John', as his mother had wished, his uncle Phillip 'the Tall', Count of Poitiers must have looked on with a mix of resentment and satisfaction. Resentment because had John been a stillborn or a girl, he would have had an excellent chance at taking the throne himself. Satisfaction, because as Regent he was the most powerful man in the kingdom, having successfully elbowed his ambitious uncle Charles of Valois out of the way.
How was Phillip to know that in a handful of years he would be dead, and his uncle would once again have clambered into power? And the boy he cast those perhaps envious glances at? John the Posthumous would live. Indeed there were many long hard years ahead for this man who would live and die a king for all the days of his life."
--John I of France, Vol. 1; A King in His Cradle, Antony Oates (1978)
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Just a little something I've started up to keep myself busy. Enjoy.
That one thing was, in theory, a simple matter, and yet Louis had either failed at or made a rather dismal attempt of it for the last decade, depending on who one asked. However, on the 15th of November, his success became definite. That one thing, of course, was securing the line of succession, a feat Louis and his second wife Clementia of Hungary had performed by bringing forth a male child that was indubitably his, feats his alleged daughter by his first wife Margaret of Burgundy, Joan, could obviously not boast of.
As the young boy born a king was baptised and christened 'John', as his mother had wished, his uncle Phillip 'the Tall', Count of Poitiers must have looked on with a mix of resentment and satisfaction. Resentment because had John been a stillborn or a girl, he would have had an excellent chance at taking the throne himself. Satisfaction, because as Regent he was the most powerful man in the kingdom, having successfully elbowed his ambitious uncle Charles of Valois out of the way.
How was Phillip to know that in a handful of years he would be dead, and his uncle would once again have clambered into power? And the boy he cast those perhaps envious glances at? John the Posthumous would live. Indeed there were many long hard years ahead for this man who would live and die a king for all the days of his life."
--John I of France, Vol. 1; A King in His Cradle, Antony Oates (1978)
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Just a little something I've started up to keep myself busy. Enjoy.