Challenge: European "Flowery Wars"

A possible crazy idea:

Leaving aside religious fanaticism, the main reason a medieval state might want to take hostages would be the possibility of ransom, and to exert political pressure. The ransom note opens up an intriguing possibility: Ceremonial war could act as a convoluted loophole method of transferring wealth from one state to another.

Notably, usury was prohibited during medieval Europe, in that Christians were forbid to accept interest for loans. Suppose there was a lack of Jewish/etc. moneylenders for whatever reason (e.g. more anti-Semitism makes them impractical), or the Church also prohibits Christians from taking loans that require interest.

Whatever the cause, we are now in a scenario where loans are essentially impossible. This opens up a situation where it might be possible to arrange for 'loans' in highly ceremonial terms.

E.g., state A and B might make an agreement to make ceremonial war now, and a year from now, with the terms that 100 noblemen from A will be captured and ransomed in the current war, while 110 noblemen from B will be captured and ransomed after a year has passed. This essentially serves as a one-year loan with 10% interest. Highly convoluted? Most definitely. But it would serve as a loophole around religious restrictions.

Probably ASB or highly implausible though. And far different from the flowery wars of the Triple Alliance you seem to have in mind (If you want duplicates of those, you'd have to butterfly away Christianity/etc. and some sort of PoD keep human sacrifice well and alive in culture. Which makes for a very sad and scary world.)
 
How could a few states in Europe get into a series of ceremonial wars to take captives?

I will admit that one thought that came to mind as I read the title was a war over a Flower Show. :)

Another was a convaluted War of the Roses set up between countries ruled by different branches of the same family.
 
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