When I got into the game, I believe 1380, the English situation was very bad. First, Aquitaine was completely decimated. The lands there were nothing but rubble. People had fled to other places, trying to get away from war, death and destruction. All English lands in Southern France were being retaken by the French in the south. The only thing that I thought was going well was in the western Province of Poitiers. Earl Bouchier and Vicomte de Rohan were very much in control in this province.
As an Englishmean I thought, "We are dead, we might as well give up." Then, I got a report from Duc de Bourbon. He reported that he had been pillaging Flanders and becoming rich from the deed. He invited other English nobles to come. He allowed these Brits to pillage these lands if they needed funds.
I took this one step further....
It was my intention to distract and to deceive the French in anyway possible. I decided to leave one noble, Lord Kent, in the south to continue the attacks. I also thought that Rohan and Bouchier should continue to operate in the West Poitiers area. Then, I decided to start a completely new attack. I ordered Lord Hastings to return to England with me to gather troops for the upcoming operation.
I gathered a massive 7000 man army for this operation, and Lord
Hastings had 5000. The strategy was for myself was to land in Calais, and take
this massivefFortification. While Hastings would land at my left and attack
Dunkirk. Both of us had the odds against us, and I received my first bit of
criticism. William Bouchier told me not to leave myself out in the open. I
told
him that no one else could do it, and it had to be done.
I gave the traditional order to surrender, yet the Garrison did not. I decided to attack. In 70 days, the Keep level of 60, 4th only to Paris surrendered after my men stormed the castle. The only problem is that we lost 2000 stout Englishmen. Dunkirk fell in 150 days. After these impressive keeps fell the dominoes in Flanders were knocked down. Lille, Abbeville, Honfluer, and many others in the area were liberated by English troops. At last, victory might be ours.
I received a report from one of my Runners, who said Calias was besieged by a 8000 man French Army, led by Marshal Bourgoyne. I would not let my newly found prize fall. If Calais fell, the operation would too. Pondering the situation, I asked Duc Bourbon, if he could attack, as I had only 5000 men.
Bourbon said he could not. I sensed that the cause was being lost. Our French allies were not helping us as we had hoped. Bourbon's father was just murdered by Marshal Bourgoyne. There was not much advancement in the Poitiers region.
I decided to attack. I ordered my men to prepare for an attack. My adivisors told me I was crazy, but I had to show our allies that we must fight.
I charged Bourgogne's Army with everything I had. Alas, it was not enough. In order to save my men, I surrendered myself. I ordered my men to go back to their wives and children in England. I sent a runner to both Bourbon and Vicomte de Rohan, I asked if they could attack before I was sent away. Bourbon only had about 59 knights under his command. Rohan got troops for Bourbon, and Bourbon recruited troops also. Once Bourbon had about 7000 men, he attacked Marshal Bourgogne.
This was one of the high points of the war. Bourgogne's army was destroyed. And he was captured. Marshal Bourgogne was executed on the spot. The fighting Spirit was put back into my boys. I was freed, and then went to England to prepare for another attack.
Paris, the city that showed French Stubborness and power.
It had to be taken. I oganized a 4000 man English Army to attack. I reached the city, and the gave the order to surrender, then I attacked. In 120 days, I had taken Paris. I had things to do so I had to sail back to England.
Lord Chandos was given the order to defend Paris in my abscence. He was late. Within 30 daystThe French reclaimed the city by getting their own people to open the gates for them. Chandos was reprimanded, greatly.
Our Goal was to gain control of the French Parliament. To do so we had to take big Cities. I ordered my friend William to attack Paris. Paris was a symbol of French Resistance. I ordered it burned to the ground. I ordered Bouchier to allow the sheep to graze where the walls of once mighty Paris stood. He tore the city down.
The French dominoes started to fall. It happened so fast that I hardly had time to digest the news! Toulouse fell, Great Bohun took Orleans and Blois, Paris was turned into nothingnes. The only remaining major French cities were Poitiers, and Reims. It was time for our outlaws to ask for the removal of Philippe the VI de Valois.
French Parliament voted to remove Roi Philippe. Five Noble Claimants to the throne stepped up. Roi Philippe came back, the Crown Prince Jean, Vicomte de Rohan, Duc de Bourbon, and myself. My best Friend and comrade at arms, Vicomte de Rohan stepped down.
This vote resulted in nothing. The nobles who received the most votes were Jean de Valois, and myself. A new Vote was held. The Valois line was removed from the French throne. I was the new Roi de France. All of France was mine.
An ultimatum was given to the French nobles. They must either swear fealty to myself or become an outlaw. The infamous Marshal Bourgogne was the first to give me fealty. Our biggest enemy, now our ally!
The other French nobles went to monastaries or sought sanctuary elsewhere. They turned over their lands to the church. I found Philippe in Poitiers and had him arrested. My nobles attended his execution. He was hated by most of Europe. We also killed eight more outlaws.
The French Crown Prince was wanted to keep the fight going. He just surrendered, however, leaving me as the Roi de France.
For our last great attack, I ordered Chandos to make up for her mistakes, by invading Leon-Castille. Lady Isabella took Leon-Castille with 12,000 men, and witin 30 days. She then marched to Aragon.
On a final note the Pope recognized me as the Ruler of both England and France, plus Leon-Castille. He crowned me in Orleans, (the new capital of France) as Emperor of the Three Kingdoms. On my Left, was Vicomte de Rohan's son. (For Marcus was killed.) And my right, Chancellor William Bouchier's wife Alais, who took over after William met a violent death. I was the only one of the three to stay alive. Yet their spirit lives in both France and England.
Emperor Edward IV
King of England
Roi de France
King of Leon-Castille
Story by Jcraft4406
Hall of Famer in bishop 2
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