alternatehistory.com
1334-6: Free County of Burgundy
1334-6: "THAT PROUD AND LOFTY MAN"
"In 1334, the city of Dole saw a wedding celebrated with royal grandeur in its Notre-Dame cathedral. Like much of Dole, the cathedral was both impressive and fairly new[1]--though compared to much of what surrounded it, Notre-Dame de Dole seemed respectable in its age. For in the last few years, the little capital of the Free County of Burgundy had seen a fury of construction. Some of it was at the orders of the young man who was being married--the rest was done independently of him, and yet rested on the fact that he would be living here. "For Philip of Burgundy loved Dole more than any other place upon the Earth, and sought to live there as a great prince," noted Jean Froissart in his Chronicles, as he sought to describe 'the little Paris' that served the House of Poitiers as its capital. Poitiu and Berry may have been larger and richer, but the Free County was where Philip felt at home, his own master. The tale is told that once during an argument with his royal cousin, John declared loftily that Philip was his subject and had to do what he said. "That may be true now," replied Philip, "but when I am Count of Burgundy, I will be my own master, and I will refuse you!" The story is likely apocryphal--the feelings were almost certainly real...
"The bride came accompanied by her father, King John of Bohemia, and her brothers, Charles, and John Henry. Young Bonne--a rather tortured Francification of her birthname of Jutta by her ardently francophile father[2]--was nineteen, the same age as her husband. She had previously been engaged to the Count of Bar, but this betrothal had fallen through, and a glittering marriage to the Count-Palatine took its place[3]. Philip swore to his father-in-law that they would ride together in the upcoming crusade, as the guests watched a great play showing the Nine Worthies, accompanied by troops of singers and dancers. The king replied that he was honored to have so valiant a warrior with him...
"The marriage would of course, swiftly prove fruitful, with Philip's eldest son, (also named Philip, and generally known as the Count of Poitiers during his youth for simplicity's sake) born early the next year. None there realized that these grand hopes of crusade were soon going to be destroyed. Nor did they realize that so many at this joyous wedding would be bitter enemies fifteen years later..."
--Philip the Proud, by John Desmond (1993)
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[1] This is not the present day Notre-Dame de Dole cathedral, which is a Renaissance structure, but an earlier one built by the redoubtable Mahaut of Artois.
[2] The figuring of Medieval German/Bohemians ran "Jutta=Good=Bonne". As for John, he greatly preferred Paris to Prague, and actually sent his eldest son there to be raised.
[3] And Philip of Burgundy has stolen the OTL first bride of John of Valois, aka IOTL John II of France.
"In 1334, the city of Dole saw a wedding celebrated with royal grandeur in its Notre-Dame cathedral. Like much of Dole, the cathedral was both impressive and fairly new[1]--though compared to much of what surrounded it, Notre-Dame de Dole seemed respectable in its age. For in the last few years, the little capital of the Free County of Burgundy had seen a fury of construction. Some of it was at the orders of the young man who was being married--the rest was done independently of him, and yet rested on the fact that he would be living here. "For Philip of Burgundy loved Dole more than any other place upon the Earth, and sought to live there as a great prince," noted Jean Froissart in his Chronicles, as he sought to describe 'the little Paris' that served the House of Poitiers as its capital. Poitiu and Berry may have been larger and richer, but the Free County was where Philip felt at home, his own master. The tale is told that once during an argument with his royal cousin, John declared loftily that Philip was his subject and had to do what he said. "That may be true now," replied Philip, "but when I am Count of Burgundy, I will be my own master, and I will refuse you!" The story is likely apocryphal--the feelings were almost certainly real...
"The bride came accompanied by her father, King John of Bohemia, and her brothers, Charles, and John Henry. Young Bonne--a rather tortured Francification of her birthname of Jutta by her ardently francophile father[2]--was nineteen, the same age as her husband. She had previously been engaged to the Count of Bar, but this betrothal had fallen through, and a glittering marriage to the Count-Palatine took its place[3]. Philip swore to his father-in-law that they would ride together in the upcoming crusade, as the guests watched a great play showing the Nine Worthies, accompanied by troops of singers and dancers. The king replied that he was honored to have so valiant a warrior with him...
"The marriage would of course, swiftly prove fruitful, with Philip's eldest son, (also named Philip, and generally known as the Count of Poitiers during his youth for simplicity's sake) born early the next year. None there realized that these grand hopes of crusade were soon going to be destroyed. Nor did they realize that so many at this joyous wedding would be bitter enemies fifteen years later..."
--Philip the Proud, by John Desmond (1993)
-------------------------------------------------------------
[1] This is not the present day Notre-Dame de Dole cathedral, which is a Renaissance structure, but an earlier one built by the redoubtable Mahaut of Artois.
[2] The figuring of Medieval German/Bohemians ran "Jutta=Good=Bonne". As for John, he greatly preferred Paris to Prague, and actually sent his eldest son there to be raised.
[3] And Philip of Burgundy has stolen the OTL first bride of John of Valois, aka IOTL John II of France.
- Space Oddity
- Word Count: 520