“The Angevin Empire survives and a Dutch Empire is founded.”
Part 1.1 The Angevin Empire 1189/1199
Richard was born at Beaumont Palace, Oxford, on 8th September, 1157, the third son of Henry II and his French wife, Eleanor of Aquitaine, the daughter of William IX, Duke of Aquitaine and ex wife of King Louis VII of France. Henry was Eleanor's second husband, she was eleven years his senior and their marriage proved to be a stormy one.
From the first, Richard was his mother's favourite son. After the birth of their youngest child, John, Richard's parents drifted into open enmity. King Henry made the beautiful Rosamund Clifford his mistress, it was said that he truly loved her, deeply wounding Richard's mother, Queen Eleanor. The neglected Queen returned to her native Aquitaine, there establishing her own court and taking Richard along with her, who was designated her heir.
In 1172, when he was fourteen years old, Richard was invested with his mother's inheritance of Aquitaine and Poitou at Limoges. He joined his discontented elder brother Henry in rebellion against their father, when Eleanor of Aquitaine attempted to join them in Paris, travelling dressed as a man, she was captured by one of her husband's patrols and was imprisoned for the remainder of Henry II's reign. The untimely death of the young Henry later made Richard heir to the entire Angevin Empire.
Richard was in open rebellion against Henry II when the latter died in 1189 but on succeeding to the throne on he acted generously to William Marshall and to all who had remained loyal to his father and honoured his last wishes. One of his first actions as king was to order the release of his much loved mother, Queen Eleanor, from the captivity she had endured for the last ten years.
His coronation as King of England took place in Westminster Abbey on the 23rd of September 1189. During the ceremony, a dove was seen to flying around the King's head in its erratic flight. Many in those suspicious days saw this as an good omen. Previously on July 20th 1189 he was coroneted Duke of Normandy. He also ruled as Duke of Aquitaine, Duke of Gascony, Lord of Ireland (Ire was partially ruled by England) Count of Anjou, Count of Maine, Count of Nantes, Count of Tours, Count of Poitou, Count of La Marche, Count of Auvergne, Count of Limoges, Count of Perigord, Overlord of Brittany and Overlord of Toulouse.
On 12 May 1190 Princess Berengaria, the daughter of King Sancho VI of Navarre, married Richard I of England and was crowned the same day by the Archbishop of Bordeaux and Bishops of Evreux and Bayonne. The coronation took place at first Richard was betrothed to Alys, daughter of the King Phillip II of France, but since she was his half-sister the Pope Innocent III did not grant permission for their marriage.
Richard's attention was captivated by the Crusade he had promised to lead. England seems to have been regarded as little more than a source of revenue. He is reported to have said "I would sell London itself if only I could find a rich enough buyer." Richard made out a will leaving his nephew, Arthur of Brittany as heir to the entire Angevin Empire. However due to his younger brother John’s rebellion in England at that time he was not able to lead the crusade. Therefore, by July 1190, the French led by King Phillip II set out on their momentous enterprise. (A different chapter)
Richard received disquieting news from England while he was visiting his French possessions with his wife in June 1190 in order to raise taxes for his Crusade, his younger brother John was plotting against him. He immediately left for England. An English Army upon his arrival at Dover was already assembled for the Crusade. Now had had the use it to crush his rebellion which he had started with help of bribed Barons and other nobles who did not joined the Crusader’s army.
It took Richard and his army the better of 1191 the crush his brother’s rebellion. At the last Battle at Nottingham Forest his brother John was captured and upon his return to London he died, probably poisoned. The rebelled Baron’s land was ceased to the Crown which in time put more English revenue in Richard’s coffers. After the crush of the rebellion only a few English Barons were left and Richard was now in full control of his English realm. He still wanted to join the Crusade but he heard rumours at his court of Phillip story’s that Richard was a coward who probably had forced his brother to rebel, so he would not be able to join the Crusade. This infuriated Richard so much the he send some agents to the Holy Land.
On 28 April 1192 King Phillip II of France was murdered at Tyre by two Hashshashin. Rumours circulated that Richard had had some involvement in Phillip’s murder.
When word arrived at Paris about Philip’s death the court was in turmoil. The was no heir, the Crown Prince Louis had just died on May 2nd after he severe fever.
Richard seized the opportunity to get a hold on the Frankish Crown since he believed he was the rightful heir with his mother Eleanor of Aquitaine as his biggest supported. Since there were no children of Philip II and the other “possible” pretenders were in the Holy Land. Already he had gathered an army of over 20,000 men, half of them mercenaries in Normandy under the presumption for joining the Crusade. While his army marched to Paris his Mother went to visit to the Pope, promising him that Richard would continue the intended Crusade after his Coronation at Rheims.
July 8th 1192 Richard and his army arrived at Paris. He was met by the Provost of Merchants of Paris, who informed him that he was invited by the citizens of Paris who wanted to pay homage to their new king. Queen Isabelle who had fled earlier to Hainaut.
With or without the Pope’s consent Richard and his Army set for Rheims after a week’s stay at Paris. Guillaume of Blois Cardinal of Rheims, a pretender to the French Crowm himself but after becoming a bishop of Charters in1165 had had relinquished his rights, anointed and coroneted Richard as King Richard I of France at the Rheims Cathedral on September 30th 1192. Only after he had received papal consent. Celstine III wanted Richard’s aid in gaining control in Sicily, which his mother had promised him he will do so. His Wife was not present at his coronation since she was pregnant of his first son.
His first son and heir was born a few days later on October 8th 1192. He was named Henry after his grandfather .
However not all his fiefs paid homage to him as King of France at his coronation, partly due that some of them where at the Holy Land and did not send there representatives. Thus Richard forfeited all their lands and titles for the exceptions of those who did attent or send their representatives. One of these lands was the Champagne.
Although he wanted to go to London to meet his son, he had to stay in France to take care of matters of state. He appointed a chancellor of all of France including his “Angevin” possessions. The Count of Toulouse did not accept him as King of France so he had to deal with him as well. After his coronation he partly disbanded his Army. He sacked his mercenaries. The remainder of his Army under the command of Baron Robert of Locksley was send in preparation for the invasion of Toulouse to the south of France. At Clermont the Army mad camp and held for winter. Richard Received Papel consent for the capture of Count Raymond VI since he was a supporter of the Cathars. A small sect considered heretical by the Pope.
The Battle of Toulouse commenced on May 6th 1193. It took many battles (Richard gained several victories over the French and he adopted the motto "Dieu et mon Droit" ("God and my Right") which is still used by Angevin monarchs today.) and a four month siege of Toulouse, but Richard finally conquered Toulouse on September 30th 1194. Many of the Cathars were killed during the battle, some converted an small group fled to Aragon.
After a year of being a king of France he finally was de facto King of France. And with the defeat of Raymond VI of Toulouse he also gained his possessions in the Holy Roman Empire, the County of Provence.
The army was disbanded after the Battle of Toulouse. Richard returned to London to meet his son. He still had to aid Pope Innocent III but first he had to attend to England’s affairs of State. Some Baron’s (the few ones left after the rebellion) thought that Richard could ruled England and France by himself. Richard unexpectedly agreed since he wanted to go on a Crusade. He appointed Robin Baron Locksley as “Vicar” of England and he was to rule England in his stead when Richard was not in England. He also gave Robin the Duchy of York, Kent and Essex. In order the secure him enough wealth, and to put put him on top of the English noble peerage, second to the king, to rule in his absence with a solid powerbase since there were still some grunted Barons left.
In the spring of 1195 Richard returned to Paris. He received word that Henry II former Count of Champagne, King of Jerusalem was on his journey back to France to claim his right for the French Crown. Richard persuaded Leopold Duke of Austria to capture him when he crosses his country. Richard paid him the sum 150,000 silver marks. (the first time in history the ransom was paid previous the capture).
July 8th 1196 another son was born. He was named William. He named him Duke of Champagne. To state his right as King of France.
In the spring of 1199, a horde of Roman treasure was discovered by a peasant ploughing a field by Chalus, near Limoges, which was delivered to his lord, Archard of Chalus. Richard, as overlord, claimed the find as his and when it was not forthcoming besieged Chalus with his mercenary captain, Mercadier. On the evening of 26th of March while Richard was walking around the castle directing the siege, an archer, using a frying pan as a shield, fired a crossbow bolt at him from the battlements, he ducked in time (OTL he got wounded and died later that evening) and the bolt embedded passed him by. When the Castle fell, the archer was brought before Richard, who, forgave him, stating "Live on, and by my bounty behold the light of day," he gave orders that he was to be set free and given a hundred shillings.
___________________________________________________
Ok, this is the first part of the first chapter. (and my first try at an Alternative timline)
I am very cutious the any response, but please keep in mind that this an alternative history board. Anything is possible.........
Below a map of Europe at the end of 1199. The borders of the Angevon Empire are in Black
Part 1.1 The Angevin Empire 1189/1199
Richard was born at Beaumont Palace, Oxford, on 8th September, 1157, the third son of Henry II and his French wife, Eleanor of Aquitaine, the daughter of William IX, Duke of Aquitaine and ex wife of King Louis VII of France. Henry was Eleanor's second husband, she was eleven years his senior and their marriage proved to be a stormy one.
From the first, Richard was his mother's favourite son. After the birth of their youngest child, John, Richard's parents drifted into open enmity. King Henry made the beautiful Rosamund Clifford his mistress, it was said that he truly loved her, deeply wounding Richard's mother, Queen Eleanor. The neglected Queen returned to her native Aquitaine, there establishing her own court and taking Richard along with her, who was designated her heir.
In 1172, when he was fourteen years old, Richard was invested with his mother's inheritance of Aquitaine and Poitou at Limoges. He joined his discontented elder brother Henry in rebellion against their father, when Eleanor of Aquitaine attempted to join them in Paris, travelling dressed as a man, she was captured by one of her husband's patrols and was imprisoned for the remainder of Henry II's reign. The untimely death of the young Henry later made Richard heir to the entire Angevin Empire.
Richard was in open rebellion against Henry II when the latter died in 1189 but on succeeding to the throne on he acted generously to William Marshall and to all who had remained loyal to his father and honoured his last wishes. One of his first actions as king was to order the release of his much loved mother, Queen Eleanor, from the captivity she had endured for the last ten years.
His coronation as King of England took place in Westminster Abbey on the 23rd of September 1189. During the ceremony, a dove was seen to flying around the King's head in its erratic flight. Many in those suspicious days saw this as an good omen. Previously on July 20th 1189 he was coroneted Duke of Normandy. He also ruled as Duke of Aquitaine, Duke of Gascony, Lord of Ireland (Ire was partially ruled by England) Count of Anjou, Count of Maine, Count of Nantes, Count of Tours, Count of Poitou, Count of La Marche, Count of Auvergne, Count of Limoges, Count of Perigord, Overlord of Brittany and Overlord of Toulouse.
On 12 May 1190 Princess Berengaria, the daughter of King Sancho VI of Navarre, married Richard I of England and was crowned the same day by the Archbishop of Bordeaux and Bishops of Evreux and Bayonne. The coronation took place at first Richard was betrothed to Alys, daughter of the King Phillip II of France, but since she was his half-sister the Pope Innocent III did not grant permission for their marriage.
Richard's attention was captivated by the Crusade he had promised to lead. England seems to have been regarded as little more than a source of revenue. He is reported to have said "I would sell London itself if only I could find a rich enough buyer." Richard made out a will leaving his nephew, Arthur of Brittany as heir to the entire Angevin Empire. However due to his younger brother John’s rebellion in England at that time he was not able to lead the crusade. Therefore, by July 1190, the French led by King Phillip II set out on their momentous enterprise. (A different chapter)
Richard received disquieting news from England while he was visiting his French possessions with his wife in June 1190 in order to raise taxes for his Crusade, his younger brother John was plotting against him. He immediately left for England. An English Army upon his arrival at Dover was already assembled for the Crusade. Now had had the use it to crush his rebellion which he had started with help of bribed Barons and other nobles who did not joined the Crusader’s army.
It took Richard and his army the better of 1191 the crush his brother’s rebellion. At the last Battle at Nottingham Forest his brother John was captured and upon his return to London he died, probably poisoned. The rebelled Baron’s land was ceased to the Crown which in time put more English revenue in Richard’s coffers. After the crush of the rebellion only a few English Barons were left and Richard was now in full control of his English realm. He still wanted to join the Crusade but he heard rumours at his court of Phillip story’s that Richard was a coward who probably had forced his brother to rebel, so he would not be able to join the Crusade. This infuriated Richard so much the he send some agents to the Holy Land.
On 28 April 1192 King Phillip II of France was murdered at Tyre by two Hashshashin. Rumours circulated that Richard had had some involvement in Phillip’s murder.
When word arrived at Paris about Philip’s death the court was in turmoil. The was no heir, the Crown Prince Louis had just died on May 2nd after he severe fever.
Richard seized the opportunity to get a hold on the Frankish Crown since he believed he was the rightful heir with his mother Eleanor of Aquitaine as his biggest supported. Since there were no children of Philip II and the other “possible” pretenders were in the Holy Land. Already he had gathered an army of over 20,000 men, half of them mercenaries in Normandy under the presumption for joining the Crusade. While his army marched to Paris his Mother went to visit to the Pope, promising him that Richard would continue the intended Crusade after his Coronation at Rheims.
July 8th 1192 Richard and his army arrived at Paris. He was met by the Provost of Merchants of Paris, who informed him that he was invited by the citizens of Paris who wanted to pay homage to their new king. Queen Isabelle who had fled earlier to Hainaut.
With or without the Pope’s consent Richard and his Army set for Rheims after a week’s stay at Paris. Guillaume of Blois Cardinal of Rheims, a pretender to the French Crowm himself but after becoming a bishop of Charters in1165 had had relinquished his rights, anointed and coroneted Richard as King Richard I of France at the Rheims Cathedral on September 30th 1192. Only after he had received papal consent. Celstine III wanted Richard’s aid in gaining control in Sicily, which his mother had promised him he will do so. His Wife was not present at his coronation since she was pregnant of his first son.
His first son and heir was born a few days later on October 8th 1192. He was named Henry after his grandfather .
However not all his fiefs paid homage to him as King of France at his coronation, partly due that some of them where at the Holy Land and did not send there representatives. Thus Richard forfeited all their lands and titles for the exceptions of those who did attent or send their representatives. One of these lands was the Champagne.
Although he wanted to go to London to meet his son, he had to stay in France to take care of matters of state. He appointed a chancellor of all of France including his “Angevin” possessions. The Count of Toulouse did not accept him as King of France so he had to deal with him as well. After his coronation he partly disbanded his Army. He sacked his mercenaries. The remainder of his Army under the command of Baron Robert of Locksley was send in preparation for the invasion of Toulouse to the south of France. At Clermont the Army mad camp and held for winter. Richard Received Papel consent for the capture of Count Raymond VI since he was a supporter of the Cathars. A small sect considered heretical by the Pope.
The Battle of Toulouse commenced on May 6th 1193. It took many battles (Richard gained several victories over the French and he adopted the motto "Dieu et mon Droit" ("God and my Right") which is still used by Angevin monarchs today.) and a four month siege of Toulouse, but Richard finally conquered Toulouse on September 30th 1194. Many of the Cathars were killed during the battle, some converted an small group fled to Aragon.
After a year of being a king of France he finally was de facto King of France. And with the defeat of Raymond VI of Toulouse he also gained his possessions in the Holy Roman Empire, the County of Provence.
The army was disbanded after the Battle of Toulouse. Richard returned to London to meet his son. He still had to aid Pope Innocent III but first he had to attend to England’s affairs of State. Some Baron’s (the few ones left after the rebellion) thought that Richard could ruled England and France by himself. Richard unexpectedly agreed since he wanted to go on a Crusade. He appointed Robin Baron Locksley as “Vicar” of England and he was to rule England in his stead when Richard was not in England. He also gave Robin the Duchy of York, Kent and Essex. In order the secure him enough wealth, and to put put him on top of the English noble peerage, second to the king, to rule in his absence with a solid powerbase since there were still some grunted Barons left.
In the spring of 1195 Richard returned to Paris. He received word that Henry II former Count of Champagne, King of Jerusalem was on his journey back to France to claim his right for the French Crown. Richard persuaded Leopold Duke of Austria to capture him when he crosses his country. Richard paid him the sum 150,000 silver marks. (the first time in history the ransom was paid previous the capture).
July 8th 1196 another son was born. He was named William. He named him Duke of Champagne. To state his right as King of France.
In the spring of 1199, a horde of Roman treasure was discovered by a peasant ploughing a field by Chalus, near Limoges, which was delivered to his lord, Archard of Chalus. Richard, as overlord, claimed the find as his and when it was not forthcoming besieged Chalus with his mercenary captain, Mercadier. On the evening of 26th of March while Richard was walking around the castle directing the siege, an archer, using a frying pan as a shield, fired a crossbow bolt at him from the battlements, he ducked in time (OTL he got wounded and died later that evening) and the bolt embedded passed him by. When the Castle fell, the archer was brought before Richard, who, forgave him, stating "Live on, and by my bounty behold the light of day," he gave orders that he was to be set free and given a hundred shillings.
___________________________________________________
Ok, this is the first part of the first chapter. (and my first try at an Alternative timline)
I am very cutious the any response, but please keep in mind that this an alternative history board. Anything is possible.........
Below a map of Europe at the end of 1199. The borders of the Angevon Empire are in Black
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