The Grand Duchy of the West - A Valois-Burgundian TL
- Thread starter BlueFlowwer
- Start date
Juan is gonna have a word with then about the pirates for sure.
I really have no ability to make maps, but I can see what I can do.Say it'd be really great if we could get a map of what the Grand Duchy of Brabant looks like now 40ish years after the PoD.
Chapter 26 - Brabant from 1505 to 1506
Chapter 26 – Brabant from May 1505 to September 1506
It was a riding accident on the 27th of May that caused the death of Johann. The fifteen-year-old heir to the Dutchy of Cleves and County of Mark had been gifted a brand-new stallion by his father and had taken it upon himself to tame the spirited horse. Normally, it would be left up to the grooms at the stable, but Johann were on the cusp of manhood and wanted to prove himself, firmly ensconced in the invulnerability of youth. A young knight like himself should be riding a magnificent steed after all.
The result of the morning’s meeting between a boy and his horse would spell the end of an independent Cleves once and for all. A young stablehand’s scream brought people rushing towards the riding area where the stallion was kicking at the fence and snorting in frustration, his hooves bloody. Johann was still alive when the attendants found him, his spine broken and several ribs crushed, and a gaping wound in his skull. While several grooms struggled to subdue the furious horse, desperate calls went to Duke John and the elderly physician in the court. Sadly, in spite of all attempts to treat the young man’s injuries, the brutal wounds proved to be fatal and Johann passed away mere hours after. In rage, his father slew the horse that had killed his only child with his own sword and put the decapitated head on top of a pike, its lips white with foam.
Rumours quickly spread from Cleves and reached the ducal court in Brabant in a few days’ time. Grand Duke Philip had just arrived in the city of Malines early that morning when riders arrived to the ducal palace in early afternoon. At first, he could barely believe what he heard, but as the day went on, others confirmed the truth of the messengers’ words. The morning after, Philip called his councillors to his chambers.
His eldest son, Philippe, his brother John, Count of Saint Pol, his wife Philippa, Charles of Guelders, Philip of Cleves, Jean Carondelet, Filips Wielant, Charles I de Croÿ, William II de Croÿ, Jean Sauvage and Mercurino Arborio; all gathered in together to go over the scenario unfolding in Cleves and to plan for the future. None were surprised of the summoning that came from the Grand Duke. Their liege’s ambition towards the north-east dominions was well known amongst his circle of advisors. And all of them had served Philip loyally for years, some even for decades. After a few days of meetings, plans had emerged. Charles of Guelders and Philip of Cleves would leave for Cleves at the head of a large entourage and a force of 2,000 men, composed of knights, archers and foot soldiers. The border in Northern Brabant would be fortified as well as the counties of Zutphen and Veluwe above Cleves. Philip moved his court to the city of Breda two weeks later, as the proximity would be better to monitor the situations. Carondelet also left Brabant on Philip’s order towards the nearby Dutchy of Wilhelm IV, Duke of Julich-Berg. Wilhelm had one living child, a daughter named Maria, who was the sole heir to the estates of Julich, Berg and Ravensberg. Maria had been betrothed to the late Johann of Cleves in order to bind their inheritance together. As she had now been bereft of her intended bridegroom, Philip intended to offer her another one. His third son, Arnold of Brabant had turned fourteen and was turning into a sturdy and intelligent young man. Philip saw a lot of himself in the ambitious boy, including the wish to become something more then just a spare to his elder brothers. Jean had Rethel, Guise, and Eu, as well as the governorship of the County of Burgundy and while the Count of Rethel had given his father to cause for displeasure whatsoever, as he had grown into a sensible man of letters who governed Burgundy, Rethel, Guise and Eu with a fair hand, he did not have the fierce drive as Arnold and seemed utterly content with both his lands and his beloved lady wife, Marie d'Albret. The Count or Countess was rarely apart and Marie was just as devoted to Jean as he to her.
It was with this in mind that Philip summoned his son to his chamber before Carondelet was to leave. Arnold would leave with the councillor to the court of Wilhelm to make his case as the duke’s future son in law and prospective heir. It was the lesson that would be impressed by his father; “You must not only win the heart of Maria, but of the court and the people as well. A ruler’s subjects follow steadfastness and strength, but you must also know when to give mercy towards them.” Philip fixes his look on Arnold, an image of himself at the same age, tall, solid, with golden brown hair and green eyes set underneath dark, prominent brows. Arnold had been the only one of his seven children who had inherited his green eyes, as all but him, Margaretha and Cecilia had taken after their brown eyed mother. Philip could not remember if his firstborn son with Mary of York had been green eyed or if he had her pale blue ones. After over twenty years his memories of baby Charles were fading and Mary had since long been reduced to memories of a shy smile, a faint hint of rosewater and a pale face.
“If you wish to become a lord like your brothers, then prove that you are willing to take the responsibilities that comes along with that high honour. I trust that you will conduct yourself in a manner benefiting your station.”
After Arnold left to prepare himself for the journey that would start three days later, Philippe, Count of Namur sat down in front of the fireplace. “Those words are the same you have given me more times than I could count, father.”
Philip nodded, pouring wine into two goblets and offering one to his son.
“As eldest son and heir you have another responsibility then Arnold. You needed to learn the lesson earlier then he does. Your privileges are higher, but so are your duties.”
Philippe leaned back in his armchair. “Speaking of duties. Beatrijs believes we have done our duty again. It is too early to announce to the court now, but in a few weeks’ time we will. Little Marguerite will have a brother or sister to share the nursery with around the New Year."
“Well done my lad. Well done to both of you. A grandchild shall be a great relief for us all.”
For a few minutes father and son said nothing, watching the light rain falling outside. Philip basked in the glow of the fire and the news he just heard. The silence was interrupted by Philippe’s question. “Father, may I ask you something? Of course, you can ask me anything you wish right now.” Philippe snorted, but carried on. “Do you ever wish your first son had lived? My half-brother Charles, I mean.” The duke blinked, surprised by the question. He rarely talked about Charles or Mary with his children.
“No father wishes their children to die. Of course, I miss Charles. He was my firstborn child. But the lord gives and the lord takes away.”
“He would have given you the kingdom of England if he lived.” The Count of Namur replied. “Two realms to rule. I cannot give you England or any realm.”
“Do you think I find you lacking because you are not a prospective Prince of Wales? You are my son and the heir to the greatest patrimony of lordships and counties inherited and conquered by the previous Dukes of Burgundy from the time of Philip the Bold to Philip the Good. The County of Saint Pol, Rethel, Guise and Eu, the Prince-Bishoprics of Liege and Utrecht, Guelders, Zutphen, Veluwe have all been added to the Crown. If we manage to acquire Cleves and Mark then I shall aim for Frisia too. I shall leave you a kingdom as large as England and in several ways, even more splendid. All of these jewels, I shall place in your care one day. You are the heir to the only realm that matters. You are not my firstborn son, but you are the son the lord gave to me and even more importantly, you are Philippa’s son. A better heir I could not have asked for. Even if Charles had lived, I can not tell for sure that we would have gotten England without strife and struggle. Infant sovereigns have a bad history in that place. My mother’s father perished in the bloody struggles that ensued from their last child king. Perhaps your father-in law would claim the Crown against Charles. Or perhaps anarchy would have broken out, as fractions compete for various claimants. Perhaps Charles would have grown up and had heirs of his own and they would have clashed against each other’s and laid both realms to ruins. I cannot tell what would happen if he had lived. In some ways, perhaps his death spared of all of a disastrous era. Or perhaps, he would lead us all into a golden age. One never knows what an infant in the cradle would grow up to become.
But, yes, I wish he had lived. No father wishes to see their children die.”
Philippa joined Philip in his bedchamber that night. “I think Arnold excel in this endeavour.” Philip remarked, while she rested her head on his shoulder, tucked in his arms as usually. “Of course, he will excel, he is our son after all. And we both know he has hungered for something of his own for years.” Her husband snorted in response, and a few moments of silence said: “I do not wish to see my realm torn to pieces by my sons when I grow old. My brother John married an heiress of his own and he has never given me cause for concern. Our Jean had Rethel and Guise for himself as well as the stewardship of Burgundy and I will see myself elected as Pope before he gives Philippe any cause for concern. Antoine’s place is the Church. Arnold is meant for an earthly realm. We both know that is true.” Philippa nodded in agreement over that statement. A little while afterwards, she heard soft breathing, a clear signal that her husband was asleep. “Let Arnold aspire to become a Duke in his own right.” She whispered quietly. “After all, when I were his age, I aspired to become the greatest duchess in the West.” And thus, Philippa of Guelders, Grand Duchess of Brabant, closed her eyes and let sleep carry her off as well.
Arnold of Brabant in 1505
Charles of Guelders and Philip of Cleves arrived in Cleves at the head of their entourage and “escort” of 2,000 armed men, and was greeted by Duke John II. The relationship between the Duchies of Cleves and Brabant had been tense for decades, ever since the 1480s and the Hook and Cod Wars in the bishopric of Utrecht. The Hooks had allied with John I of Cleves and he had sent his brother, Engelbert with an army to oust the Burgundian-controlled Prince-Bishop, David, who happened to be Philip’s half-uncle. The goal was to make Engelbert the new Bishop and it resulted in the Second Utrecht Civil War breaking out in 1481. Engelbert had been imprisoned by Philip until 1488 when he had been traded to Nevers as their new Count while Philip took Rethel and its heiress that previously belonged to Nevers. That had given John a grudge against the Grand Duke. Plus, raiding parties at the borders between Cleves and Guelders and the north-eastern part of Brabant had been occurring for years, so Philip already had cause to be irate. To put it mildly, neither duke held any warm affection for each other.
But now, John had lost his only heir. His brother Engelbert in Nevers had no children living from his marriage either. He had tried to wed Charlotte of Bourbon-Vendome, but the scandal of his imprisonment and loss of Rethel and Eu had caused her father to turn him down and he had instead married Louise de Bourbon, the daughter of the Count of Montpensier in 1495. Their marriage had thus far born two daughters, both passed away weeks after birth.
Now Philip had the upper hand. The offer brought by Philip was a similar one to the offer Philip the Good had offered Jacqueline of Hainault in 1428. The Duke of Cleves would retain his duchy but would become a vassal of Philip, would be designated as his successor. Cleves would maintain it’s laws and customs and not be subjected to any arbitrary taxation or harshness. Officials in Cleves would of course benefit from the generous dutchy. The threat of military force laid clear in the air if John rejected the offer.
The message was loud and clear. The greatest Duke in Europe could either be his liege or his destroyer.
With that in mind John told the ambassadors that he would speak with the Council of Cleves before he made the decision, as they had a large part in governing the dutchy. Charles and Philip were prepared to be patient and after a few days of hospitality Charles withdrew towards the nearest town at the border in Guelders, where they were only three days away from Cleves to await the decision. Philip of Cleves remained at the court in order to facilitate any dispute. Charles reached out to Philip in Breda and told him that the duke was likely to accept their offer as he had little choice otherwise. However, events turned out more difficult than they expected. People in Cleves had reacted strongly towards the death of Johann and even more as their independence were to be swallowed alive by the Brabantians. Angry voices spread around from town to town and while there were many people who did not raise their voice in anger towards their neighbour, as laws and customs had been promised to stay as it was, many others did. Especially several of John II’s illegitimate children. And Philip of Cleves and other Brabantians would become a target for the publics rage.
The incident that lit the fuse happened as several Brabantians had been invited to a hunting party by local officials outside the city. Philip and several members of his retinue enjoyed it, chasing boards and hinds through the dense forests and moorlands. As they were headed back towards the city, the whole party was ambushed by raiders. The fighting that ensued were quick and frantic.
As it ended, over a dozen of Brabantians had died. Philip had been taken captive at the end and whisked away towards their stronghold. Several of the raiders had also been cut down, including four bastards of Cleves. When they were identified, Duke John was horrified. His illegitimate children had orchestrated a large-scale attack on foreign ambassadors under his protection. If Philip of Cleves turned up death, Grand Duke Philip had every cause in the world to declare war on him. This was casus belli against Cleves.
John II of Cleves
And a few weeks later, Philip of Cleves’s decapitated head ended up mounted on a pike above the gates of the city itself. Once the Grand Duke found out about that, there was no going back. Calls went out from Breda and a gathering of soldiers began from cities like Ghent, Brussels, Liége and Guelders. Charles of Guelders were entrusted with the command and in early July the campaign begun. The Brabantian forces numbered over 9,000 men in total while Cleves could only raise around 4,000 in defence. John of Cleves decided to side with his people against the ducal force, rather than surrendering his duchy or his bastards, as Philip had demanded the heads of many of his illegitimate children, most of them involved in plots against the Brabantians.
The campaigns against Cleves lasted from July in 1505 until March in the following year.
As Cleves was an Imperial State in the Holy Roman Empire, representatives sent messengers to Emperor Maximilian in Austria for aid against the invading Brabantians. They needn’t have bothered as the Hapsburgs were allies towards the Valois-Burgundians. Plus, Archduchess Anne, Philip’s sister had just given birth to her third son, Frederick. Much to Maximilian’s relief as his heir finally had another healthy son. Anne used her newly strengthened influence to persuade her father-in-law and husband to urge Duke John to submit to her brother as “the offer to the Duke by my noble brother was made in good faith while the wicked and treasonous bastards conspired to slew his faithful councillors while they enjoyed the sacred protection of hospitality.” Archduke Frederick joined his wife, knowing that staying on the same side as his wealthy and impressive brother-in law would benefit the imperial house in the long run. Maximilian sent a emissary to the Prince-Bishopric of Munster, near the border of Cleves. The emissary urged Conrad of Rietberg to push for a peaceful ending to the war and for John II to see sense with regard to Philip’s offer.
No help came from Wilhelm IV, Duke of Julich-Berg either. The offer from Jean Carondelet had been extremely well crafted and Arnold of Brabant had proven to be a most impressive young man to Wilhelm. His daughter Maria quickly took to her prospective bridegroom and urged Wilhelm to arrange the match and become allied with the Brabantians. The massacre of the ducal ambassadors had caused revulsion amongst several rulers and few were willing to extend any aid towards Cleves.
During the campaigns Charles focused the warfare on the anti-Flemish strongholds. Those cities and towns that surrendered were spared or treated with leniency. Bounties was put out on the “Kleves bastards” as they were called, with promises of rewards of they were captured and turned over. By spring, over seventeen of the male bastards had been arrested and charged with conspiracy and murder and thus executed by beheading. The seven female bastards who had been arrested had been less lucky and given to the war captains as spoils of war. The harsh treatments of the daughters had been ordered by Charles as to break the duke’s valour. He also allowed them to write letters to their father, describing their sad situations. In February the siege of the city of Kleve began in earnest. By March John ordered the gates opened for Charles of Guelders and surrendered the Schwanenburg Castle to the invades. Charles ordered the duke confined to his chamber for the time being, while his men secured both city and castle. After everything had been scourged through and several ducal officials had been imprisoned, Charles sent word to Philip of Brabant that Cleves had been taken.
Philip arrived in the city later in the day, making a grand entrance with his white stallion draped in cloth of gold and scarlet cloth. The duke himself was richly attired and wore a jewelled hat, while the armour of the knights in his entourage shone in the spring sunlight. Once inside the castle, he immediately summoned the estates of Cleves. With all resistance broken down and the duke himself held as prisoner he had the upper hand in dealing with them.
Upon their gathering, Philip laid out the terms for peace. The Duchy of Cleves would become a vassal of the Grand Duke of Brabant, who in turn would swear to respect the local laws, traditions and taxations of Cleves. The rights of the subjects would be respected and no officials would be subjected to cruelty or disrespect. The estates of Cleves would enjoy the same privileges and rights as the Estates General of the Low Countries and a place amongst them. As their liege, Philip also swore to protect Cleves in times of wars and peace. In return the Duchy would supply manpower upon when asked and respect Philip and his heirs as their rightful rulers.
After a week of negotiations, the Estates agreed to the terms and Philip were declared as “The rightful Duke of Cleves and Count of Mark by Grace of God”.
A month later, Philippa of Guelders and Philippe, Count of Namur arrived in Cleves. Both duke and duchess spent spring and summer traveling across the duchy and county of Mark, getting to know their new territory. John, Count of Saint-Pol had been left in charge of the low countries in their absence, as they were not to return until beginning of autumn. Countess Beatrice remained in Flanders, as her second daughter Philippa, affectionately nicknamed Pippa, had her nursery set up in Ghent. While count and countess both had hoped for a son, their new daughter was nonetheless adored.
Philip and Philippa had hoped for a peaceful autumn when they returned to the Low Countries, but it was not to be. Dark clouds were gathering while they were away and the tables would be turned as the Duchy of Brabant found themselves under the attack of a enemy from September that would require tremendous effort to ward off.
In late August, Charles VIII of France and the dauphin attacked the duchy on several flanks. Boulogne, Vermandois, Luxembourg and the Palatinate of Burgundy would find themselves meeting heavily armoured troops hellbent on assaulting the Grand Duchy itself.
Author's Note: Back with a bang! Here there be invasions aplenty. Hope you all like this chapter, there is a lot happening. And then France attacked!
It was a riding accident on the 27th of May that caused the death of Johann. The fifteen-year-old heir to the Dutchy of Cleves and County of Mark had been gifted a brand-new stallion by his father and had taken it upon himself to tame the spirited horse. Normally, it would be left up to the grooms at the stable, but Johann were on the cusp of manhood and wanted to prove himself, firmly ensconced in the invulnerability of youth. A young knight like himself should be riding a magnificent steed after all.
The result of the morning’s meeting between a boy and his horse would spell the end of an independent Cleves once and for all. A young stablehand’s scream brought people rushing towards the riding area where the stallion was kicking at the fence and snorting in frustration, his hooves bloody. Johann was still alive when the attendants found him, his spine broken and several ribs crushed, and a gaping wound in his skull. While several grooms struggled to subdue the furious horse, desperate calls went to Duke John and the elderly physician in the court. Sadly, in spite of all attempts to treat the young man’s injuries, the brutal wounds proved to be fatal and Johann passed away mere hours after. In rage, his father slew the horse that had killed his only child with his own sword and put the decapitated head on top of a pike, its lips white with foam.
Rumours quickly spread from Cleves and reached the ducal court in Brabant in a few days’ time. Grand Duke Philip had just arrived in the city of Malines early that morning when riders arrived to the ducal palace in early afternoon. At first, he could barely believe what he heard, but as the day went on, others confirmed the truth of the messengers’ words. The morning after, Philip called his councillors to his chambers.
His eldest son, Philippe, his brother John, Count of Saint Pol, his wife Philippa, Charles of Guelders, Philip of Cleves, Jean Carondelet, Filips Wielant, Charles I de Croÿ, William II de Croÿ, Jean Sauvage and Mercurino Arborio; all gathered in together to go over the scenario unfolding in Cleves and to plan for the future. None were surprised of the summoning that came from the Grand Duke. Their liege’s ambition towards the north-east dominions was well known amongst his circle of advisors. And all of them had served Philip loyally for years, some even for decades. After a few days of meetings, plans had emerged. Charles of Guelders and Philip of Cleves would leave for Cleves at the head of a large entourage and a force of 2,000 men, composed of knights, archers and foot soldiers. The border in Northern Brabant would be fortified as well as the counties of Zutphen and Veluwe above Cleves. Philip moved his court to the city of Breda two weeks later, as the proximity would be better to monitor the situations. Carondelet also left Brabant on Philip’s order towards the nearby Dutchy of Wilhelm IV, Duke of Julich-Berg. Wilhelm had one living child, a daughter named Maria, who was the sole heir to the estates of Julich, Berg and Ravensberg. Maria had been betrothed to the late Johann of Cleves in order to bind their inheritance together. As she had now been bereft of her intended bridegroom, Philip intended to offer her another one. His third son, Arnold of Brabant had turned fourteen and was turning into a sturdy and intelligent young man. Philip saw a lot of himself in the ambitious boy, including the wish to become something more then just a spare to his elder brothers. Jean had Rethel, Guise, and Eu, as well as the governorship of the County of Burgundy and while the Count of Rethel had given his father to cause for displeasure whatsoever, as he had grown into a sensible man of letters who governed Burgundy, Rethel, Guise and Eu with a fair hand, he did not have the fierce drive as Arnold and seemed utterly content with both his lands and his beloved lady wife, Marie d'Albret. The Count or Countess was rarely apart and Marie was just as devoted to Jean as he to her.
It was with this in mind that Philip summoned his son to his chamber before Carondelet was to leave. Arnold would leave with the councillor to the court of Wilhelm to make his case as the duke’s future son in law and prospective heir. It was the lesson that would be impressed by his father; “You must not only win the heart of Maria, but of the court and the people as well. A ruler’s subjects follow steadfastness and strength, but you must also know when to give mercy towards them.” Philip fixes his look on Arnold, an image of himself at the same age, tall, solid, with golden brown hair and green eyes set underneath dark, prominent brows. Arnold had been the only one of his seven children who had inherited his green eyes, as all but him, Margaretha and Cecilia had taken after their brown eyed mother. Philip could not remember if his firstborn son with Mary of York had been green eyed or if he had her pale blue ones. After over twenty years his memories of baby Charles were fading and Mary had since long been reduced to memories of a shy smile, a faint hint of rosewater and a pale face.
“If you wish to become a lord like your brothers, then prove that you are willing to take the responsibilities that comes along with that high honour. I trust that you will conduct yourself in a manner benefiting your station.”
After Arnold left to prepare himself for the journey that would start three days later, Philippe, Count of Namur sat down in front of the fireplace. “Those words are the same you have given me more times than I could count, father.”
Philip nodded, pouring wine into two goblets and offering one to his son.
“As eldest son and heir you have another responsibility then Arnold. You needed to learn the lesson earlier then he does. Your privileges are higher, but so are your duties.”
Philippe leaned back in his armchair. “Speaking of duties. Beatrijs believes we have done our duty again. It is too early to announce to the court now, but in a few weeks’ time we will. Little Marguerite will have a brother or sister to share the nursery with around the New Year."
“Well done my lad. Well done to both of you. A grandchild shall be a great relief for us all.”
For a few minutes father and son said nothing, watching the light rain falling outside. Philip basked in the glow of the fire and the news he just heard. The silence was interrupted by Philippe’s question. “Father, may I ask you something? Of course, you can ask me anything you wish right now.” Philippe snorted, but carried on. “Do you ever wish your first son had lived? My half-brother Charles, I mean.” The duke blinked, surprised by the question. He rarely talked about Charles or Mary with his children.
“No father wishes their children to die. Of course, I miss Charles. He was my firstborn child. But the lord gives and the lord takes away.”
“He would have given you the kingdom of England if he lived.” The Count of Namur replied. “Two realms to rule. I cannot give you England or any realm.”
“Do you think I find you lacking because you are not a prospective Prince of Wales? You are my son and the heir to the greatest patrimony of lordships and counties inherited and conquered by the previous Dukes of Burgundy from the time of Philip the Bold to Philip the Good. The County of Saint Pol, Rethel, Guise and Eu, the Prince-Bishoprics of Liege and Utrecht, Guelders, Zutphen, Veluwe have all been added to the Crown. If we manage to acquire Cleves and Mark then I shall aim for Frisia too. I shall leave you a kingdom as large as England and in several ways, even more splendid. All of these jewels, I shall place in your care one day. You are the heir to the only realm that matters. You are not my firstborn son, but you are the son the lord gave to me and even more importantly, you are Philippa’s son. A better heir I could not have asked for. Even if Charles had lived, I can not tell for sure that we would have gotten England without strife and struggle. Infant sovereigns have a bad history in that place. My mother’s father perished in the bloody struggles that ensued from their last child king. Perhaps your father-in law would claim the Crown against Charles. Or perhaps anarchy would have broken out, as fractions compete for various claimants. Perhaps Charles would have grown up and had heirs of his own and they would have clashed against each other’s and laid both realms to ruins. I cannot tell what would happen if he had lived. In some ways, perhaps his death spared of all of a disastrous era. Or perhaps, he would lead us all into a golden age. One never knows what an infant in the cradle would grow up to become.
But, yes, I wish he had lived. No father wishes to see their children die.”
Philippa joined Philip in his bedchamber that night. “I think Arnold excel in this endeavour.” Philip remarked, while she rested her head on his shoulder, tucked in his arms as usually. “Of course, he will excel, he is our son after all. And we both know he has hungered for something of his own for years.” Her husband snorted in response, and a few moments of silence said: “I do not wish to see my realm torn to pieces by my sons when I grow old. My brother John married an heiress of his own and he has never given me cause for concern. Our Jean had Rethel and Guise for himself as well as the stewardship of Burgundy and I will see myself elected as Pope before he gives Philippe any cause for concern. Antoine’s place is the Church. Arnold is meant for an earthly realm. We both know that is true.” Philippa nodded in agreement over that statement. A little while afterwards, she heard soft breathing, a clear signal that her husband was asleep. “Let Arnold aspire to become a Duke in his own right.” She whispered quietly. “After all, when I were his age, I aspired to become the greatest duchess in the West.” And thus, Philippa of Guelders, Grand Duchess of Brabant, closed her eyes and let sleep carry her off as well.
Arnold of Brabant in 1505
Charles of Guelders and Philip of Cleves arrived in Cleves at the head of their entourage and “escort” of 2,000 armed men, and was greeted by Duke John II. The relationship between the Duchies of Cleves and Brabant had been tense for decades, ever since the 1480s and the Hook and Cod Wars in the bishopric of Utrecht. The Hooks had allied with John I of Cleves and he had sent his brother, Engelbert with an army to oust the Burgundian-controlled Prince-Bishop, David, who happened to be Philip’s half-uncle. The goal was to make Engelbert the new Bishop and it resulted in the Second Utrecht Civil War breaking out in 1481. Engelbert had been imprisoned by Philip until 1488 when he had been traded to Nevers as their new Count while Philip took Rethel and its heiress that previously belonged to Nevers. That had given John a grudge against the Grand Duke. Plus, raiding parties at the borders between Cleves and Guelders and the north-eastern part of Brabant had been occurring for years, so Philip already had cause to be irate. To put it mildly, neither duke held any warm affection for each other.
But now, John had lost his only heir. His brother Engelbert in Nevers had no children living from his marriage either. He had tried to wed Charlotte of Bourbon-Vendome, but the scandal of his imprisonment and loss of Rethel and Eu had caused her father to turn him down and he had instead married Louise de Bourbon, the daughter of the Count of Montpensier in 1495. Their marriage had thus far born two daughters, both passed away weeks after birth.
Now Philip had the upper hand. The offer brought by Philip was a similar one to the offer Philip the Good had offered Jacqueline of Hainault in 1428. The Duke of Cleves would retain his duchy but would become a vassal of Philip, would be designated as his successor. Cleves would maintain it’s laws and customs and not be subjected to any arbitrary taxation or harshness. Officials in Cleves would of course benefit from the generous dutchy. The threat of military force laid clear in the air if John rejected the offer.
The message was loud and clear. The greatest Duke in Europe could either be his liege or his destroyer.
With that in mind John told the ambassadors that he would speak with the Council of Cleves before he made the decision, as they had a large part in governing the dutchy. Charles and Philip were prepared to be patient and after a few days of hospitality Charles withdrew towards the nearest town at the border in Guelders, where they were only three days away from Cleves to await the decision. Philip of Cleves remained at the court in order to facilitate any dispute. Charles reached out to Philip in Breda and told him that the duke was likely to accept their offer as he had little choice otherwise. However, events turned out more difficult than they expected. People in Cleves had reacted strongly towards the death of Johann and even more as their independence were to be swallowed alive by the Brabantians. Angry voices spread around from town to town and while there were many people who did not raise their voice in anger towards their neighbour, as laws and customs had been promised to stay as it was, many others did. Especially several of John II’s illegitimate children. And Philip of Cleves and other Brabantians would become a target for the publics rage.
The incident that lit the fuse happened as several Brabantians had been invited to a hunting party by local officials outside the city. Philip and several members of his retinue enjoyed it, chasing boards and hinds through the dense forests and moorlands. As they were headed back towards the city, the whole party was ambushed by raiders. The fighting that ensued were quick and frantic.
As it ended, over a dozen of Brabantians had died. Philip had been taken captive at the end and whisked away towards their stronghold. Several of the raiders had also been cut down, including four bastards of Cleves. When they were identified, Duke John was horrified. His illegitimate children had orchestrated a large-scale attack on foreign ambassadors under his protection. If Philip of Cleves turned up death, Grand Duke Philip had every cause in the world to declare war on him. This was casus belli against Cleves.
John II of Cleves
And a few weeks later, Philip of Cleves’s decapitated head ended up mounted on a pike above the gates of the city itself. Once the Grand Duke found out about that, there was no going back. Calls went out from Breda and a gathering of soldiers began from cities like Ghent, Brussels, Liége and Guelders. Charles of Guelders were entrusted with the command and in early July the campaign begun. The Brabantian forces numbered over 9,000 men in total while Cleves could only raise around 4,000 in defence. John of Cleves decided to side with his people against the ducal force, rather than surrendering his duchy or his bastards, as Philip had demanded the heads of many of his illegitimate children, most of them involved in plots against the Brabantians.
The campaigns against Cleves lasted from July in 1505 until March in the following year.
As Cleves was an Imperial State in the Holy Roman Empire, representatives sent messengers to Emperor Maximilian in Austria for aid against the invading Brabantians. They needn’t have bothered as the Hapsburgs were allies towards the Valois-Burgundians. Plus, Archduchess Anne, Philip’s sister had just given birth to her third son, Frederick. Much to Maximilian’s relief as his heir finally had another healthy son. Anne used her newly strengthened influence to persuade her father-in-law and husband to urge Duke John to submit to her brother as “the offer to the Duke by my noble brother was made in good faith while the wicked and treasonous bastards conspired to slew his faithful councillors while they enjoyed the sacred protection of hospitality.” Archduke Frederick joined his wife, knowing that staying on the same side as his wealthy and impressive brother-in law would benefit the imperial house in the long run. Maximilian sent a emissary to the Prince-Bishopric of Munster, near the border of Cleves. The emissary urged Conrad of Rietberg to push for a peaceful ending to the war and for John II to see sense with regard to Philip’s offer.
No help came from Wilhelm IV, Duke of Julich-Berg either. The offer from Jean Carondelet had been extremely well crafted and Arnold of Brabant had proven to be a most impressive young man to Wilhelm. His daughter Maria quickly took to her prospective bridegroom and urged Wilhelm to arrange the match and become allied with the Brabantians. The massacre of the ducal ambassadors had caused revulsion amongst several rulers and few were willing to extend any aid towards Cleves.
During the campaigns Charles focused the warfare on the anti-Flemish strongholds. Those cities and towns that surrendered were spared or treated with leniency. Bounties was put out on the “Kleves bastards” as they were called, with promises of rewards of they were captured and turned over. By spring, over seventeen of the male bastards had been arrested and charged with conspiracy and murder and thus executed by beheading. The seven female bastards who had been arrested had been less lucky and given to the war captains as spoils of war. The harsh treatments of the daughters had been ordered by Charles as to break the duke’s valour. He also allowed them to write letters to their father, describing their sad situations. In February the siege of the city of Kleve began in earnest. By March John ordered the gates opened for Charles of Guelders and surrendered the Schwanenburg Castle to the invades. Charles ordered the duke confined to his chamber for the time being, while his men secured both city and castle. After everything had been scourged through and several ducal officials had been imprisoned, Charles sent word to Philip of Brabant that Cleves had been taken.
Philip arrived in the city later in the day, making a grand entrance with his white stallion draped in cloth of gold and scarlet cloth. The duke himself was richly attired and wore a jewelled hat, while the armour of the knights in his entourage shone in the spring sunlight. Once inside the castle, he immediately summoned the estates of Cleves. With all resistance broken down and the duke himself held as prisoner he had the upper hand in dealing with them.
Upon their gathering, Philip laid out the terms for peace. The Duchy of Cleves would become a vassal of the Grand Duke of Brabant, who in turn would swear to respect the local laws, traditions and taxations of Cleves. The rights of the subjects would be respected and no officials would be subjected to cruelty or disrespect. The estates of Cleves would enjoy the same privileges and rights as the Estates General of the Low Countries and a place amongst them. As their liege, Philip also swore to protect Cleves in times of wars and peace. In return the Duchy would supply manpower upon when asked and respect Philip and his heirs as their rightful rulers.
After a week of negotiations, the Estates agreed to the terms and Philip were declared as “The rightful Duke of Cleves and Count of Mark by Grace of God”.
A month later, Philippa of Guelders and Philippe, Count of Namur arrived in Cleves. Both duke and duchess spent spring and summer traveling across the duchy and county of Mark, getting to know their new territory. John, Count of Saint-Pol had been left in charge of the low countries in their absence, as they were not to return until beginning of autumn. Countess Beatrice remained in Flanders, as her second daughter Philippa, affectionately nicknamed Pippa, had her nursery set up in Ghent. While count and countess both had hoped for a son, their new daughter was nonetheless adored.
Philip and Philippa had hoped for a peaceful autumn when they returned to the Low Countries, but it was not to be. Dark clouds were gathering while they were away and the tables would be turned as the Duchy of Brabant found themselves under the attack of a enemy from September that would require tremendous effort to ward off.
In late August, Charles VIII of France and the dauphin attacked the duchy on several flanks. Boulogne, Vermandois, Luxembourg and the Palatinate of Burgundy would find themselves meeting heavily armoured troops hellbent on assaulting the Grand Duchy itself.
Author's Note: Back with a bang! Here there be invasions aplenty. Hope you all like this chapter, there is a lot happening. And then France attacked!
Last edited:
Horses aren't the best for Cleves. And since Mary of Burgundy didn't die in a riding accident, I figured someone else had to die due to horse related shenanigans.
Arnold is definitely hungry for a duchy of his own. And Cleves has a new overlord.
Nobody saw the french invasion coming!
That's Fair.
He definitely deserves one. Damn right they do.
Hopefully Philip can Beat back Charles.
Arnold is his father's son. And Maria is very taken with him. And we're gonna see the response to Frances's invasion in the next chapter. That is also where Charles of Lorraine is gonna come into the picture.
Good to hear.
Oh yeah! The man who Will be as much of a headache For France as his namesake grandfather was! Sweet!
I really hope I have written a chapter to live up for Charles.
Unfortunately we're also gonna have to say farewell to a member of Philip's family as well.
We shall see people's reactions.
Keep the tissues ready if you need them.
Plus we're gonna meet the the next Princess of Wales as well!
Yes, I intend for it to be very exiting. After all baby Richard needs a bride as well.
I find it ironic that Philip is just like, let me invade Cleves now, I have waited for this moment ever since I was eight years old and then France and its army just bursts down his door all rudely when he got this shit wrapped up. Lmao, what goes around comes around.
I also felt like it was a good time to bring up baby Charles of Brabant and the many opportunities that could have occured if the flemish lands and England had been governed by the same person. And the history of baby kings in England.
Map of the Grand Duchy
I think this map shows all of Philip's posessions right now.