The English Charlemagne: A Plantagenet-Capet TL
- Thread starter Liminia1
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Alright people, I have posted the expanded version of chapter 1, finally hit that 1.4k word bare minimum that I always want to have. I may come back laterish to keep rewriting and improving the chapter cause honestly starter chapters should be incredibly long but I didn't do that 
I'll see you all in anticipation of Chapter 1.1 which Elia is writing see y'all later.
I'll see you all in anticipation of Chapter 1.1 which Elia is writing see y'all later.Amazing work as alwaysAlright people, I have posted the expanded version of chapter 1, finally hit that 1.4k word bare minimum that I always want to have. I may come back laterish to keep rewriting and improving the chapter cause honestly starter chapters should be incredibly long but I didn't do that
Alright people, I have posted the expanded version of chapter 1, finally hit that 1.4k word bare minimum that I always want to have. I may come back laterish to keep rewriting and improving the chapter cause honestly starter chapters should be incredibly long but I didn't do that
really fantastic how you've expanded and greatly improved the first chapter, Chapeau, although I see the Angevins and perhaps Lorraine and Savoy trying to get into the three-way competition between Edward, the Valois and Burgundy, with the former ( I mean the Anjou ) possibly harboring strong ambitions for the throne, while the latter try to earn a little something from the future sovereign ( in practice it is likely that they will sell themselves to the highest bidder )
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Honestly I will probably expand it into Iberia, Italy and the Holy Roman Empire in terms of content because like I always believe the first chapter sets the scene for history
Again I'm not going to spoil what happens or what changes in the TL/what butterflies are there cause idk what Elia is cooking rn. I'll just be giving you all a general scene of the land.
Chapter 1.1 An accusation
Fountainbleau Palace, France March 13, 1313
A carriage slowly arrives with four guests of honour arriving at the shining court of Philip the IV of France. The carriage slowly stops at the palace with the English knights dismounting and preparing to escort the English royal family.
"My liege, your guests have arrived." A courtier announced. I nodded dismissing the courtier. "Sons, go and welcome your sister and her family, they." I took a brief pause before continuing. "Are our guests of honour and you will treat them as such." My sons nodded before going out with their wives. I took off my crown and fiddled with it, how lonely it was to be the king surrounded by enemies.
I hugged my brothers, I haven't seen him in quite a while. "Charles, Louis don't tell me I took all the fun out of Fountainbleau when I left for England did I?" I ruffled their hair. "We're fine, LITTLE sister." They emphasized the word before ruining my hair just like I have with theirs. "And you must be their wives! I have just the thing for you two both." I immediately called upon a servant to deliver two embroidered purses to Margaret and Blanche. "I made these myself, in England because I had some time on my hands. Please tell me if these are good though." Margaret and Blanche flushed to the gesture, I smiled eagerly. "My wife, we shouldn't let our family stand out in the cold?" Edward took my hand, it was nice seeing him jealous for once. I took his hand. "Let's go I can't wait for what we are going to do tonight!"
"Please tell me, everything is ready." I asked my brother Louis. "Always the over thinker, our play is ready, you'll be fine little brother. As long as we enjoy ourselves with our wives we will be fine." My brother replied easily. I breathed a sigh of relief and walked over to join the guests to watch the play. I took my seat beside Blanche placing my hand in between the two of us. I enjoyed the play fully but did not realize, Blanche never placed her hand on mine.
"Oh my days, you should have seen that actor, he was so funny like: JUST DIE ALREADY. And he kept wacking that sword like it was a toy. I haven't laughed that hard in a long time!" I told Margaret and Blanche. They laughed as well agreeing that the knight and hero was the funniest character of the play. "My wife, we must get going." Edward called for me, I pouted in front of him, "Give me one more minute, let me finish this conversation." Edward sighed and nodded. "You must see me in London and in England. Ok? It is stupid boring over there, I need some fun with you two please????" I begged to Margaret and Blanche. They looked at each other agreeing and ruffling my hair as I hugged them one last time before leaving Fountainbleau. I saw my family wave back fiercely as we were leaving but I noticed one thing. Charles and Louis were not holding their wives hands.
Someone knocked onto the door. "Who is it?" I asked. "Who else could it be?" I heard hearing the voice of Philip of Aunay, my secret lover. I opened the door beckoning him to enter as I closed the door shut and asked him to pour out some wine. I placed my hands around him, "Don't tell me you came here because you missed me, love." I whispered to him. "Partly my princess, I got a letter from your father-in-law, Philip. I have to go to England." I frowned hearing the news, and he stopped talking before briefly kissing me as I melted into the kiss before coming to my senses and pulling away. "We can't do that just now, let's eat first and then drink. You are a fine wine, and I intend to savour it." I whispered to him in a seductive tone. He nodded before joining me in eating the feast that we prepared for this day.
London, England November 9 1313
I arrived back at London with Isabella as I already wasn't quite as pleased with the whole visit. Isabella has spent the majority of her time doting on her family, with not enough affection being given to me but I decided with the help of my adoptive brother, Piers Gaveston to arrange a feast in order to fix my relationship with my wife. "Prepare a feast, my subjects." I ordered to my staff.
"WHAT ARE YOU TWO HOLDING?!?" I screamed at the two knights, Walter and Philip of Aunay, two Norman knights who were part of a bundle of knights that my father assigned to me for the trip back home. I looked on in anger as those two knights were holding two embroidered purses, the same purses I gave to my sister's in law. They didn't reply to me, "I demand an answer!" I yelled at the two, "We bought these at the local town market at Cherbourg and these two purses caught me and my brother's eye." I breathed in anger, "My wife, may you please join me in this feast?" I looked and thought, "Very well, you two are dismissed." I walked back into the room joining my husband and was delighted in him providing a feast, it would keep me distracted from the fact, that I know that my sister-in-laws cheated on my brothers. When the feast was over, I prayed to god for an answer and for what to do.
A carriage slowly arrives with four guests of honour arriving at the shining court of Philip the IV of France. The carriage slowly stops at the palace with the English knights dismounting and preparing to escort the English royal family.
"My liege, your guests have arrived." A courtier announced. I nodded dismissing the courtier. "Sons, go and welcome your sister and her family, they." I took a brief pause before continuing. "Are our guests of honour and you will treat them as such." My sons nodded before going out with their wives. I took off my crown and fiddled with it, how lonely it was to be the king surrounded by enemies.
I hugged my brothers, I haven't seen him in quite a while. "Charles, Louis don't tell me I took all the fun out of Fountainbleau when I left for England did I?" I ruffled their hair. "We're fine, LITTLE sister." They emphasized the word before ruining my hair just like I have with theirs. "And you must be their wives! I have just the thing for you two both." I immediately called upon a servant to deliver two embroidered purses to Margaret and Blanche. "I made these myself, in England because I had some time on my hands. Please tell me if these are good though." Margaret and Blanche flushed to the gesture, I smiled eagerly. "My wife, we shouldn't let our family stand out in the cold?" Edward took my hand, it was nice seeing him jealous for once. I took his hand. "Let's go I can't wait for what we are going to do tonight!"
"Please tell me, everything is ready." I asked my brother Louis. "Always the over thinker, our play is ready, you'll be fine little brother. As long as we enjoy ourselves with our wives we will be fine." My brother replied easily. I breathed a sigh of relief and walked over to join the guests to watch the play. I took my seat beside Blanche placing my hand in between the two of us. I enjoyed the play fully but did not realize, Blanche never placed her hand on mine.
"Oh my days, you should have seen that actor, he was so funny like: JUST DIE ALREADY. And he kept wacking that sword like it was a toy. I haven't laughed that hard in a long time!" I told Margaret and Blanche. They laughed as well agreeing that the knight and hero was the funniest character of the play. "My wife, we must get going." Edward called for me, I pouted in front of him, "Give me one more minute, let me finish this conversation." Edward sighed and nodded. "You must see me in London and in England. Ok? It is stupid boring over there, I need some fun with you two please????" I begged to Margaret and Blanche. They looked at each other agreeing and ruffling my hair as I hugged them one last time before leaving Fountainbleau. I saw my family wave back fiercely as we were leaving but I noticed one thing. Charles and Louis were not holding their wives hands.
Someone knocked onto the door. "Who is it?" I asked. "Who else could it be?" I heard hearing the voice of Philip of Aunay, my secret lover. I opened the door beckoning him to enter as I closed the door shut and asked him to pour out some wine. I placed my hands around him, "Don't tell me you came here because you missed me, love." I whispered to him. "Partly my princess, I got a letter from your father-in-law, Philip. I have to go to England." I frowned hearing the news, and he stopped talking before briefly kissing me as I melted into the kiss before coming to my senses and pulling away. "We can't do that just now, let's eat first and then drink. You are a fine wine, and I intend to savour it." I whispered to him in a seductive tone. He nodded before joining me in eating the feast that we prepared for this day.
London, England November 9 1313
I arrived back at London with Isabella as I already wasn't quite as pleased with the whole visit. Isabella has spent the majority of her time doting on her family, with not enough affection being given to me but I decided with the help of my adoptive brother, Piers Gaveston to arrange a feast in order to fix my relationship with my wife. "Prepare a feast, my subjects." I ordered to my staff.
"WHAT ARE YOU TWO HOLDING?!?" I screamed at the two knights, Walter and Philip of Aunay, two Norman knights who were part of a bundle of knights that my father assigned to me for the trip back home. I looked on in anger as those two knights were holding two embroidered purses, the same purses I gave to my sister's in law. They didn't reply to me, "I demand an answer!" I yelled at the two, "We bought these at the local town market at Cherbourg and these two purses caught me and my brother's eye." I breathed in anger, "My wife, may you please join me in this feast?" I looked and thought, "Very well, you two are dismissed." I walked back into the room joining my husband and was delighted in him providing a feast, it would keep me distracted from the fact, that I know that my sister-in-laws cheated on my brothers. When the feast was over, I prayed to god for an answer and for what to do.
Chapter 1.2 Burning the mystical
September 14, 1307, Gisors, Normandy
"You can't arrest me! What are my charges?" I looked at the terrified and prideful templar. "By order of the king of France, the entire order of the Knights Templar is charged with heresy!" I announced with pure anger, already the Knights Templar I owed them money from a bad loan but now with the king joining me here I could be free from this despised order. "Take him away!" I shouted at the bailiffs as they escorted the devastated templar. I whispered in his ear just to spite him, "If it wasn't for the king's specific orders, I would have killed you." I watched him with a look of pure anger against the man as those words had broken him.
"What is the meaning of this? King of France! You can not arrest the Knights Templar for heresy without my approval!" I yelled at the king. Philip merely raised his sceptre and the guards approached me as the king walked towards me. "If you have a problem in me, conducting heresy trials you can consult your predecessor, your Holiness." Philip whispered with a low growl. I shivered in fear, the last pope was assassinated by thugs, now he told me that he ordered the killing. "You are going to issue a papal bull ordering the arrest of all of these Knights Templars and to have their lands confiscated by their respective kings for the church." Philip continued never wavering in his fear-inducing tone. I shook and nodded before cheekily replying, "You just want to get rid of your debt to my order of knights." I replied in as stern of a voice I can muster. "Well, your holiness if you are so clever, then you better do as I ask or." He raised his sceptre and the guards took only two paces closer to me and I paled at the realization, "I will have to dumb down your cleverness." Philip finished.
I walked down towards the dungeons, in sat the man, grandmaster of the order: Jacques de Molay. He only mediated in his cell as I called upon the torturers and guards. "Has he said anything?" I asked, "No, my king." I nodded, "Torture him until we get a confession from him understood?" I sternly ordered, "Yes, my king. Pierre grab the torture instruments." I watched as the torturer ran back in order to get the devices. "By the end of this, Jacques. Your rich and powerful order will be destroyed and in those ashes will my crown shine ever more." I mockingly told the silent grandmaster. As I walked away, I did not realize the praying in latin that was being spoken and the eyes of the grandmaster facing my back.
I watched as the servant approached me, "My lord, the inquisitors have succeeded. We have 139 confessions including those of the grandmaster. All charges have been proven and we are ready to burn these knights at the stake." I looked at the tower in which the knights were imprisoned. "Get it done. Francois, begin to seize the property and assets of the knights in France to compensate for the loss of money we spent on these trials." Francois understood what I meant, and ran off. I watched as 54 knights were escorted to the stake and watched them burn. Finally, I have done it, my debts are gone.
A servant rushed in, "My king! De Molay, and De Chauney!" He was panting and tired. "Speak, servant of the king." I replied. "They recanted their confessions. My king." I smiled, "Burn them at the stake for relapsed heresy immediately." I immediately ordered sending my servants away. "Yes, my king." I couldn't believe it, I had won completely, I immediately walked towards where the pope stood already quite weak and uneasy. "The grandmaster and the Preceptor of Normandy have recanted. You will dissolve their order am I clear?" I threatened, the timid pope silently nodded and I walked away with a cruel smile on my face. "You should join me, in the burning of your precious grandmaster." I ordered.
I sat looking at the pale grandmaster, he was sickly and starved as the guards tied him up to the post. I watched as the king mockingly asked for any last words. Immediately the fire was set underneath Jacques and he calmly stated, "God knows who is wrong and has sinned. Soon a calamity will occur to those who have condemned us to death. My king and his excellency the pope we shall truly see who will ascend to heaven after this for god has already granted me eternal salvation for my sacrifice." Philip laughed at him and I just looked on in sorrow. I walked away from the burning unwillingly to watch it continue.
I looked at the storming rain. It was raining incredibly hard and I watched as the tears fell. Perhaps it was because I could not save the knights templar. Suddenly lightning struck the building and I watched as fire began to spark inside the palace. It began to reach my knees and ankles immediately as I screamed in pain. I looked up as saw Jacques de Molay standing in front of me: "Your holiness, it is time for you to depart. God has called upon your soul to be judged." I begged in fear and asked for repentance. Jacques did not reply as I couldn't breathe and slowly drifted into unconsciousness.
I rode through with my horse to go hunting. It was a cold day for sure but it was certainly a good time to hunt, I crushed the knights templars and my coffers were full once again. I wasn't particularly happy about the fact the pope died within a month after the trial but I didn't die yet and that's what mattered. Suddenly my horse was spooked and I calmed it down and I saw the ghost of Jacques de Molay with the deadliest stare I have ever seen. I blinked and he was gone, but now was not the time to think about hallucinations because my servant called and told me Isabella, my lovely daughter was returning to see me, it would keep me distracted I suppose talking to my daughter about her life in England.
"You can't arrest me! What are my charges?" I looked at the terrified and prideful templar. "By order of the king of France, the entire order of the Knights Templar is charged with heresy!" I announced with pure anger, already the Knights Templar I owed them money from a bad loan but now with the king joining me here I could be free from this despised order. "Take him away!" I shouted at the bailiffs as they escorted the devastated templar. I whispered in his ear just to spite him, "If it wasn't for the king's specific orders, I would have killed you." I watched him with a look of pure anger against the man as those words had broken him.
"What is the meaning of this? King of France! You can not arrest the Knights Templar for heresy without my approval!" I yelled at the king. Philip merely raised his sceptre and the guards approached me as the king walked towards me. "If you have a problem in me, conducting heresy trials you can consult your predecessor, your Holiness." Philip whispered with a low growl. I shivered in fear, the last pope was assassinated by thugs, now he told me that he ordered the killing. "You are going to issue a papal bull ordering the arrest of all of these Knights Templars and to have their lands confiscated by their respective kings for the church." Philip continued never wavering in his fear-inducing tone. I shook and nodded before cheekily replying, "You just want to get rid of your debt to my order of knights." I replied in as stern of a voice I can muster. "Well, your holiness if you are so clever, then you better do as I ask or." He raised his sceptre and the guards took only two paces closer to me and I paled at the realization, "I will have to dumb down your cleverness." Philip finished.
I walked down towards the dungeons, in sat the man, grandmaster of the order: Jacques de Molay. He only mediated in his cell as I called upon the torturers and guards. "Has he said anything?" I asked, "No, my king." I nodded, "Torture him until we get a confession from him understood?" I sternly ordered, "Yes, my king. Pierre grab the torture instruments." I watched as the torturer ran back in order to get the devices. "By the end of this, Jacques. Your rich and powerful order will be destroyed and in those ashes will my crown shine ever more." I mockingly told the silent grandmaster. As I walked away, I did not realize the praying in latin that was being spoken and the eyes of the grandmaster facing my back.
I watched as the servant approached me, "My lord, the inquisitors have succeeded. We have 139 confessions including those of the grandmaster. All charges have been proven and we are ready to burn these knights at the stake." I looked at the tower in which the knights were imprisoned. "Get it done. Francois, begin to seize the property and assets of the knights in France to compensate for the loss of money we spent on these trials." Francois understood what I meant, and ran off. I watched as 54 knights were escorted to the stake and watched them burn. Finally, I have done it, my debts are gone.
A servant rushed in, "My king! De Molay, and De Chauney!" He was panting and tired. "Speak, servant of the king." I replied. "They recanted their confessions. My king." I smiled, "Burn them at the stake for relapsed heresy immediately." I immediately ordered sending my servants away. "Yes, my king." I couldn't believe it, I had won completely, I immediately walked towards where the pope stood already quite weak and uneasy. "The grandmaster and the Preceptor of Normandy have recanted. You will dissolve their order am I clear?" I threatened, the timid pope silently nodded and I walked away with a cruel smile on my face. "You should join me, in the burning of your precious grandmaster." I ordered.
I sat looking at the pale grandmaster, he was sickly and starved as the guards tied him up to the post. I watched as the king mockingly asked for any last words. Immediately the fire was set underneath Jacques and he calmly stated, "God knows who is wrong and has sinned. Soon a calamity will occur to those who have condemned us to death. My king and his excellency the pope we shall truly see who will ascend to heaven after this for god has already granted me eternal salvation for my sacrifice." Philip laughed at him and I just looked on in sorrow. I walked away from the burning unwillingly to watch it continue.
I looked at the storming rain. It was raining incredibly hard and I watched as the tears fell. Perhaps it was because I could not save the knights templar. Suddenly lightning struck the building and I watched as fire began to spark inside the palace. It began to reach my knees and ankles immediately as I screamed in pain. I looked up as saw Jacques de Molay standing in front of me: "Your holiness, it is time for you to depart. God has called upon your soul to be judged." I begged in fear and asked for repentance. Jacques did not reply as I couldn't breathe and slowly drifted into unconsciousness.
I rode through with my horse to go hunting. It was a cold day for sure but it was certainly a good time to hunt, I crushed the knights templars and my coffers were full once again. I wasn't particularly happy about the fact the pope died within a month after the trial but I didn't die yet and that's what mattered. Suddenly my horse was spooked and I calmed it down and I saw the ghost of Jacques de Molay with the deadliest stare I have ever seen. I blinked and he was gone, but now was not the time to think about hallucinations because my servant called and told me Isabella, my lovely daughter was returning to see me, it would keep me distracted I suppose talking to my daughter about her life in England.