1545
Francis convenes the French Etat-Generaux to cement the peace with Savoy, completely dissapointed with himself at his repeated failures, but the French General Estates refuse to sign the peace, and for the first time in many years Eleanor and Francis' disagree as Eleanor refuses to accept the end of the war, as her own vassals are clamoring for war with the Holy Roman Empire. Emperor Frederick, believing that the Franco-Spanish-Burgundians can no longer maintain the war, invades Burgundy at the head of an army of 24000 men. Eleanor's finest general in Burgundy, the Count of Egmont prepares resistance at the head of 15000 hastily prepared men to defend Flanders against Frederick. The battle of Brussels looks to be an Imperial Victory, but an army led by the young Duke of Bourbon, Charles de Bourbon, crashes the rear of the Imperial army. The massacre of Brussels sees Frederick's professional condotierri-mercenary army absolutely annihilated. Of the 24000 men Frederick brought into Burgundy, only two thousand are taken captured - the rest are dead. The Holy Roman Emperor attempts to escape from the French but eager gendarmes capture the fleeing Emperor. Eleanor goes to Artois, where she receives her cousin in her court. Emperor Frederick is treated well, but Eleanor refuses to treat with him, as she orders the Duke of Vendome to invade Savoy once again. Amadeus of Savoy-Milan is offered to be allowed to keep the Principality of Turin, if he returns young Princess Eleanor and the Duchy of Savoy proper and the County of Nice to France.
Amadeus, who is thoroughly afraid of further French interventions and wants a guarantee that they will not invade again, "obtains" permission to consumate his marriage to the under-age Eleanor. With the marriage consumated, he presents Savoy and Nice to the French, but holds his marriage as a fait acompli. With Francis isolated in Paris, it is Eleanor and her trusted generals who must decide to continue the war or not.
Francis convenes the French Etat-Generaux to cement the peace with Savoy, completely dissapointed with himself at his repeated failures, but the French General Estates refuse to sign the peace, and for the first time in many years Eleanor and Francis' disagree as Eleanor refuses to accept the end of the war, as her own vassals are clamoring for war with the Holy Roman Empire. Emperor Frederick, believing that the Franco-Spanish-Burgundians can no longer maintain the war, invades Burgundy at the head of an army of 24000 men. Eleanor's finest general in Burgundy, the Count of Egmont prepares resistance at the head of 15000 hastily prepared men to defend Flanders against Frederick. The battle of Brussels looks to be an Imperial Victory, but an army led by the young Duke of Bourbon, Charles de Bourbon, crashes the rear of the Imperial army. The massacre of Brussels sees Frederick's professional condotierri-mercenary army absolutely annihilated. Of the 24000 men Frederick brought into Burgundy, only two thousand are taken captured - the rest are dead. The Holy Roman Emperor attempts to escape from the French but eager gendarmes capture the fleeing Emperor. Eleanor goes to Artois, where she receives her cousin in her court. Emperor Frederick is treated well, but Eleanor refuses to treat with him, as she orders the Duke of Vendome to invade Savoy once again. Amadeus of Savoy-Milan is offered to be allowed to keep the Principality of Turin, if he returns young Princess Eleanor and the Duchy of Savoy proper and the County of Nice to France.
Amadeus, who is thoroughly afraid of further French interventions and wants a guarantee that they will not invade again, "obtains" permission to consumate his marriage to the under-age Eleanor. With the marriage consumated, he presents Savoy and Nice to the French, but holds his marriage as a fait acompli. With Francis isolated in Paris, it is Eleanor and her trusted generals who must decide to continue the war or not.
