A world at the crossroads of history.

Eurasia in 1400: a land

of Mongols, Mohamedeans and Kingdoms
France:
Europe in 1400 was a continent divided into four powerful realms. The first and
foremost of the feudal monarchies of Europe was the mighty Christian
Kingdom of France, at the time under the weakling grip of King Henri II “The
Mad”. France had many great monarchs under the House of Capet such as King
Philippe II “Augustus”, King Louis IX “The Saint” and King Philippe IV “The
Fair”. However, the brief reigns of King Philippe IV´s sons would cause much
instability to the once prosperous Kingdom. In a decade, three kings would be
crowned in Reims and be buried in Saint Denis Basilica; those would be King
Louis X “The Good” – who would die poisoned by the realm´s Chancellor
Count Theobald de Chantillon after the emancipation of the serfs. King Louis X
´s son Jean would be born the same day of his father´s death and would survive
till the end of the next day, making him King Jean for 2 days. After the death of
the infant King Jean, King Louis´s Brother Prince Philippe would succeed be
crowned as King Philippe V a mere year after Philippe IV´s death. Throughout
his brief three-year reign, King Philippe V would be engaged in negotiations
with the Duke of Flanders, Baldwin de Amiens after his successful revolt
against King Philippe IV´s attempt at centralization. King Philippe V would
succeed in his endeavor, bringing the stubborn back into the realm. King
Philippe V would be then henceforth be known as “The Negotiator”. However,
Philippe´s fortunes would turn out to be short, as he would die in the next year
Royal Hunt in the Chateau de Evreux of his cousin the Count of Evreux.
As the Realm once again mourned the death of the King, the next Prince in line
would succeed… and the Prince would be King Philippe´s brother Prince
Charles. The Prince would - as were all the Kings of France before him - be
crowned in Reims and take the regal name Charles IV. King Charles IV had the
longest reign of his brothers and nephew, as he would reign for 6 years. His
reign was marked by France´s participation in the Tenth Crusade of 1322
against the Bahinid Sultanate of Egypt. The conflict would endure for 3 years
before a costly Christian Victory against the Mohamedeans, establishing the
Christian Kingdom of the Egypt in union with the reestablished Kingdom of
Jerusalem under the House of Anjou with the King´s cousin Paul of Naples –
third son of King Charles of Naples – as King Paul I of Egypt and Jerusalem.
Due to his successes, King Charles IV was to be known as “The Sword of
Christ” as he was personally engaged in many battles. However, during the
Siege of Alexandria in 1325 an arrow to the shoulder would wound him. In his
return to France three months later, he would succumb to disease by the poorly
treatment he received in the final hours of the siege. Before leaving for the
crusade in 1322, Charles left his wife Queen Marie of House Luxembourg
pregnant; a baby boy would be born 9 months later and be named Charles in
homage to his father.
By the time of his father´s death, the infant Prince Charles was almost three
years old. A regency would rule in his stead till the now King Charles V could
be crowned in Reims and assume his full responsibilities’ as King of France.
Until the King was declared of age 12 years later, the Queen Mother Marie
Luxembourg and a cadre of the realms most distinguished nobleman, from
scions of the Capetian Dynasty, such as the House of Valois to powerful
southern nobleman such as the Foix and Armagnac, would rule France. The
young King was to be educated by nobleman in court, especially by the martial
minded Crusader veterans of the Tenth Crusade. One such nobleman, the
Marshal of the Realm became the young monarch´s guardian; Count Jean Luke
de Sancerre. The Count was the infant Louis father´s favorite and he enjoyed a
steady friendship with the Queen Mother, not to mention his record as a
commander during the Battle of Sinai and the Siege of Cairo. Count Jean Luke
maintained his post.
Of the Great Council Offices during the regency, Duke Charles de Valois was
appointed as Constable of the Realm (the most prestigious Office of State).
Duke Charles was an ambitious man and wanted the crown for himself and his
son, however the birth of Prince Charles thwarted his plans and the reluctant
Duke was unwilling to go to greater lengths to get the Crown. Duke Charles
was, after all, a loyal Capetian and managed to stop the treacherous assignation
attempt at Queen Marie by the Saracens in 1323.
The Office of Grand Master of the House of France was given to Duke Jean de
Bretagne of House Dreaux, another cadet branch of the Capetian Dynasty. Duke
Jean was quiet yet avaricious man. At the beginning of his rule in Bretagne, he
reformed the finances of the duchy and conducted a census, improving tax
collection and channeling funds for the improvements of bustling cities such as
Nantes and Brest.
Finally the Office of Chancellor of the Realm was occupied Duke Philippe
Charles de Champagne, a deceitful yet masterful diplomat, he enjoined familial
ties to the House of Sancerre, being second cousin to Count Jean Luke.
The first five years of regency were relatively calm for the realm, as the legacy
of King Philippe IV´s financial reforms were kept, however other such
centralization measures were repealed and power decentralized to the feudal
holding of the lords of the land. The emancipation of the serfs and the
abolishment of slavery were kept by the regency as most of the free peasants
worked analogous to serfdom.
The regency years as chronicled by churchmen from all throughout the realm
were dreadful as the English invasion in Normandy and Guyana to claim the
French throne ravaged the countryside with marauders and Castilian
Mercenaries – who were contracted by King Geoffrey “The Wretched” with the
blessings from King Juan III -. During these turbulent years, various cultural
developments occurred in all of France. The South, in particular, developed a
branch of Christianity called Bourantism, considered a heresy by the Church in
Rome and the Supreme Pontiff, the regency sought to suppress it, even if
unsuccessfully.
The Count of Flanders, Baldwin sought to secede from the Kingdom and join
the Holy Roman Empire with the promises of autonomy and lesser taxes from
Emperor Albrecht II von Habsburg. The endeavor succeeded and during the
War of Flemish Secession, the French levies lost in the Great Battle of Cambrai,
in the battle Imperial Forces ambushed the levies and routed the entire force of
8.000 men.
Peace was finally signed in Bruges in 14th of February 1325. Duke Baldwin
managed to hold and expand his holdings into the County of Zeeland, Namur
and Hainaut, serving as a bulwark of the Habsburg Emperor in the Netherlands.
In the end, nobleman won, Mongols invaded, the Royal Family was slaughtered
and the peasants lived in hunger. Evil won and France had changed.