alternatehistory.com
1319-23: The Holy Land
1319-23: CHARLES OF DE LA MARCHE'S UNEXCELLENT ADVENTURE
"Charles of de la Marche's efforts at an Armenian crusade began in personal disappointment--thwarted politically by his elder brother Philip at home, with a ruined farce of a marriage that he could not extract himself from, life in France seems to have become intolerable for him. A deeply, if conventionally pious man, it seems likely that he chose to cast personal misfortune as a sign from God, and like so many of his class, he turned to warfare in the Holy Land as a form of penitence. While there were numerous projects available for a prince who wished to fight for the Cross, Charles turned to one that seemed promising and tantalizingly near to Jerusalem--the Kingdom of Armenia, whose monarch, Oshin, was said to be considering union with the Church of Rome. With what we imagined was an excellent chance of serving as a French van who would be followed by the might of his nephew's kingdom, Charles set out for what he imagined was his grand place in history...
"Even though he was heading to the East with only a few dozen men-at-arms, Charles' preparations took months. By the time of his arrival in Cyprus, King Oshin was dead, and his young son, Levon IV was king, under the regency of Oshin's brother-in-law, Oshin of Corycos[1]. Oshin of Corycos was not so friendly with Rome as his cousin had been--indeed, there were rumors he had poisoned the King for that very reason. The arrival of a French prince on his kingdom's metaphorical doorstep offering his sword to fight the Turk and Mahometan was thus less divine providence to his mind then a constant irritation. Oshin's rule was a tenuous thing, based both on a manipulation of his traditional status, and his willingness to placate more traditional elements of his besieged kingdom--allowing a French prince and his armed escort to ride around and fight Mamluks and Turks at will was an obvious danger to it. Thus, Charles wound up spending over a year in negotiations, getting nowhere, even as his men sat idle and soaked up his funds. At which point the news of his brother's death reached him...
"Charles' return to France accomplished nothing, aside from raising tensions between France and England, and he returned to Cyprus with little more than a promise of funds. By the time he returned, most of the men he had gathered had left. His last few months were spent between pointless negotiations with the Armenian Regent, and desperate efforts to gather a new army, which seemed to have worn down his always fragile health. His death in the beginning of 1323--rumored to be another poisoning in some circles--saw him leave behind no children, simply his still imprisoned wife.[2] He was the last surviving child of Philip the Fair."
--While the Savior Wept: Crusading in the 14th Century, by Barbara Morell, 1983
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[1] This was actually the state of affairs in Cilicia IOTL.
[2] Charles survived to 1328 IOTL, outliving Blanche by two years, by some accounts.
"Charles of de la Marche's efforts at an Armenian crusade began in personal disappointment--thwarted politically by his elder brother Philip at home, with a ruined farce of a marriage that he could not extract himself from, life in France seems to have become intolerable for him. A deeply, if conventionally pious man, it seems likely that he chose to cast personal misfortune as a sign from God, and like so many of his class, he turned to warfare in the Holy Land as a form of penitence. While there were numerous projects available for a prince who wished to fight for the Cross, Charles turned to one that seemed promising and tantalizingly near to Jerusalem--the Kingdom of Armenia, whose monarch, Oshin, was said to be considering union with the Church of Rome. With what we imagined was an excellent chance of serving as a French van who would be followed by the might of his nephew's kingdom, Charles set out for what he imagined was his grand place in history...
"Even though he was heading to the East with only a few dozen men-at-arms, Charles' preparations took months. By the time of his arrival in Cyprus, King Oshin was dead, and his young son, Levon IV was king, under the regency of Oshin's brother-in-law, Oshin of Corycos[1]. Oshin of Corycos was not so friendly with Rome as his cousin had been--indeed, there were rumors he had poisoned the King for that very reason. The arrival of a French prince on his kingdom's metaphorical doorstep offering his sword to fight the Turk and Mahometan was thus less divine providence to his mind then a constant irritation. Oshin's rule was a tenuous thing, based both on a manipulation of his traditional status, and his willingness to placate more traditional elements of his besieged kingdom--allowing a French prince and his armed escort to ride around and fight Mamluks and Turks at will was an obvious danger to it. Thus, Charles wound up spending over a year in negotiations, getting nowhere, even as his men sat idle and soaked up his funds. At which point the news of his brother's death reached him...
"Charles' return to France accomplished nothing, aside from raising tensions between France and England, and he returned to Cyprus with little more than a promise of funds. By the time he returned, most of the men he had gathered had left. His last few months were spent between pointless negotiations with the Armenian Regent, and desperate efforts to gather a new army, which seemed to have worn down his always fragile health. His death in the beginning of 1323--rumored to be another poisoning in some circles--saw him leave behind no children, simply his still imprisoned wife.[2] He was the last surviving child of Philip the Fair."
--While the Savior Wept: Crusading in the 14th Century, by Barbara Morell, 1983
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[1] This was actually the state of affairs in Cilicia IOTL.
[2] Charles survived to 1328 IOTL, outliving Blanche by two years, by some accounts.
- Space Oddity
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