A Thorn In The Rose: A War Of The Roses TL

I mean, the Yorks still hold London
Didn't stop the Lancasters in OTL. Also if Wooferton, the Battle in Wales and Siege/Battle of Ludlow and the victory and Calais all happen in this time period, people are going to question if the Lord supports them. Also holding London didn't help the Yorks during the readeption and Bosworth campaign.
 
Like the madman hiding out in Wales because he managed to lose his kingdom to a vassal is divinely blessed.
1. Madman is a poor term for Henry, a better term is mentally ill. 2. With how pious he is and all the victories he is enjoying would it be that much of a stretch to say he is?
 
1. Madman is a poor term for Henry, a better term is mentally ill. 2. With how pious he is and all the victories he is enjoying would it be that much of a stretch to say he is?
In medieval Europe, 0 difference.

Despite his victory at Wooferton, he's practically lost the midlands, his victory at Wales didn't net him any territorial gains, the battle/seige of Ludlow hasn't happened, the victory at Calais wasn't against the Yorkists, he's lost London, he's lost Cornwall, he's lost London, he's lost the north, he's lost Ireland, he's lost confidence (if not support) of the Scottish, he's lost support of the French. He's politically isolated on the international front aside from maybe Brittany (maybe) and Burgundy (I'll point out that Philip le bon is currently allied with the Yorks as per otl, and isn't nearly idiotic enough to ditch em for the Lancasters when the Yorks have all major ports and thus control a good chunk of his economy), and now he has the greatest English general of the day coming at him.

For all the "divine favor" he supposedly has, Henry's seriously fucked.
I suppose, though if Henry is still made a Blessed ITTL then not really.
He wasn't made a blessed. A cult emerged following his death but afaik no formal what's it called occured.
 
Despite his victory at Wooferton, he's practically lost the midlands, his victory at Wales didn't net him any territorial gains, the battle/seige of Ludlow hasn't happened, the victory at Calais wasn't against the Yorkists, he's lost London, he's lost Cornwall, he's lost London, he's lost the north, he's lost Ireland, he's lost confidence (if not support) of the Scottish, he's lost support of the French. He's politically isolated on the international front aside from maybe Brittany (maybe) and Burgundy (I'll point out that Philip le bon is currently allied with the Yorks as per otl, and isn't nearly idiotic enough to ditch em for the Lancasters when the Yorks have all major ports and thus control a good chunk of his economy), and now he has the greatest English general of the day coming at him.

For all the "divine favor" he supposedly has, Henry's seriously fucked.
Wait is Burgundy officially allied with Yorks? I must've missed that bit then. Also don't worry, Divine Favour is never a straightforward matter 🙃
He wasn't made a blessed. A cult emerged following his death but afaik no formal what's it called occured.
Oops, that's my mistake. I remember reading he was remembered as a Blessed Martyr, and must've assumed the Blessed was literal.
 
Chapter 148: Brittany

VVD0D95

Banned
Chapter 148: Brittany

March, 1462


Nantes was dark and gloomy. Similar to Truro in a lot of ways. Margaret of Anjou, Queen of England wanted to scream. The darkness and the gloominess was doing her head in. She didn’t know what to do about it though. After the attempt on her life a few weeks ago, she’d been confined within the castle and had only gone out for a walk sparingly.

Perhaps she was being overly cautious, but given that her husband was in Wales, she was their son’s only parent who was with him. She didn’t want Edward growing up without a mother. And so, she stayed inside. But it was driving her mad.

To combat that, she cleared her throat and looked at the men who were in the study with her.

“What news from England?” She asked.

Edmund Beaufort, son of the late Duke of Somerset spoke then. “York holds London, Cornwall, the Midlands and the North. Only Wales remains out of his grasp.”

Margaret nodded and found herself wondering, not for the first time, how it had gone so terribly wrong. How had they lost so much of England? “And what of those of the King’s supporters who remain in England?” Some had no doubt bent to Edward of York, others had fled to Brittany, and she was trying to find a way to pay for them all.

“They are trying to gather around the vestiges of gentry support for the Crown, but it is difficult.” Beaufort said.

“Who is commanding them?” Margaret asked. That would make the difference she felt.

“Henry Fane, Your Majesty.” Beaufort said.

“Who?” Margaret asked frowning, the name sounded familiar but from where she didn’t know.

“A local knight of the shire from Kent. It seems he has grown tired of York’s family running roughshod over everything and has taken leadership into his own hands.” Beaufort supplied.

“I see. And how capable is he?” Margaret asked. She would’ve preferred someone else, perhaps Buckingham’s brother to lead them, but beggars could not be choosers.

“Reports say quite capable. He has managed to evade capture so far.” Beaufort said.

“Evading capture is not the same as leading men into battle.” Margaret said, pointedly.

Beaufort bowed his head in recognition of that and added. “There are doubts of course. But it is the best that is there for now, Majesty.”

Margaret grunted and turned to look at the Comptroller of the Household Sir William Scott, brother of Sir John Scott and asked. “What has our gracious host said?” She’d tasked Scott with the job of getting the Duke of Brittany to commit to a formal alliance, or at least more money for them to buy men.

William said nothing for a moment and then answered. “The Duke was not willing to make a commitment, Your Majesty. Not until he knew more.”

“Knew more?” Margaret exclaimed. “What does that mean?” She knew what it meant. Until they knew if Henry would emerge out of Wales, nothing was certain. Nothing.

“I do not know, Majesty, he refused to elaborate.” Scott said.

Margaret sighed, she wanted Scott to push but also knew that they couldn’t risk that. Doing so would only antagonise the Duke. It was why she’d stopped herself from sending any letters to Paris. The new King of France, was very much against Brittany retaining independence, as far as she knew.

“Very well.” She said eventually. “We shall leave it there for now.”

There were many other things that she wanted to discuss, but as she looked around the room, and at Beaufort and Scott, she found that these weren’t the people she wanted to talk about these issues with. She wanted Henry. Her husband would know what to do. These men, good as they were, would not.
 
Wow, loved this last update. Louis XI dead and Brittany's beng cautious - I really hope the Duke won't join Lancastrian forces. By the way, is the Duke Francis II as OTL? There were so many dukes in OTL 1450s-60s, English butterflies could well have changed that ITTL.
 
There was a plan to have Charles and Mary of Burgundy be married, wonder if it will happen here too..

Poor Margaret! She lost her kingdom, is living in a foreign place, her husband is fighting a war very far from her and she has to raise their child alone, really hope she can get some good news or at least a good ending for her.
 

VVD0D95

Banned
Wow, loved this last update. Louis XI dead and Brittany's beng cautious - I really hope the Duke won't join Lancastrian forces. By the way, is the Duke Francis II as OTL? There were so many dukes in OTL 1450s-60s, English butterflies could well have changed that ITTL.

Glad you liked it :) And it is indeed Francis II
 

VVD0D95

Banned
There was a plan to have Charles and Mary of Burgundy be married, wonder if it will happen here too..

Poor Margaret! She lost her kingdom, is living in a foreign place, her husband is fighting a war very far from her and she has to raise their child alone, really hope she can get some good news or at least a good ending for her.

;)
 
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