Royal Court of France
 

As you enter the court in Paris, an old man, finely dressed, approaches and addresses you with a slight Tuscan accent:
My most cherished friend, let me guide you through the court of the King. I cannot bear the pretensions and petty conceits of these Frenchmen, so I thought to save you from suffering the company of dandies and gasbags as you sought to find your way around these hall.

The unbolded italics, then, are largely his.



Forms of address for the King:
Carolus Dei Gratia Francorum Rex Latin
Charles, par la grâce de Dieu roi de France French

Full style:
très haut, très puissant et très excellent Prince, Charles VI., par la grâce de Dieu roi de France

Papal address of the Crown:
carissimo in Christo filio nostro Carolus Francorum regi christianissimo

The person of our most beloved monarch, Charles VI, and his highborn kin


A religious from St Denis wrote this of France's young monarch. A bit flattering, I think, but there are far worse characters than him. That pig Clisson comes to mind:

“His size, without too big being, surpassed the average size; he had sturdy limbs, a wide chest, a clear complexion, the lively eyes. One noticed in him all the happy disposals of the youth. Skillful and strong enough to pull a bow and to launch the javelin, fascinated by war, a good rider, there testified in him an irritated fervor all the times that his enemies provoked him to attack. He distinguished himself by such a courtesy that while approaching the least people, he greeted them with benevolence and called by their name. As early as his first years he was noticed by his genoristy; later his munificence remained unrestrained by moderation to the point that he did not keep nothing for him than he had the strength to give.”

And I must stress the youth of the French King. He is now but fifteen years upon this earth, and the reins of power lie with his uncles, the three co-regents, as well as their allies, the duc de Bourbon and the duc de Bretagne.

Take care in what you call these French pricks:

The enfants de France (fils, fille de France) were sons and daughters of the sovereign, and styled in medieval seals filius/filia regis.
The King himself is a child, and I think it would be a bit much to expect him to have already produced an heir at fifteen. This isn't Rome, after all. Besides, first he must fall in love- or force himself to fall in love, for the good of France.

The eldest surviving son of the King is automatically Dauphin de Viennois as well as heir apparent. He may be addressed as très haut, très puissant et excellent Prince or, more fully, par la grâce de Dieu roi de France, dauphin de Viennois, comte de Valentinois et de Diois. On seals, the heir apparent was called filius regis or filius regis primogenitus.

In France, prince was not a title, but a rank that denoted dynasts, i.e., individuals with an eventual succession right to the throne. The word, and its connotation of sovereignty, was felt to be their preserve. Collectively known as the Princes du Sang (less often princes du sang de France, princes des lys) they were, in theory, all descendents in legitimate male line of a French sovereign outside of the royal family itself. The term dates from the 14th century. The princes of the blood all had a seat at the Conseil du Roi, or Royal Council, and at the Paris Parlement.

Ranking among the princes du sang was by order of succession rights. The closest to the throne (excluding any fils de France) was called Premier Prince du Sang. The eldest brother of the King and the Premier Prince du Sang was très haut et très puissant Prince
This is Louis, duc de Orleans. The King's younger brother, he is heir presumptive, as would assume the throne if Charles were to die without issue.

Until the 15th century, precedence among princes of the blood, or even between them and other lords, depended on the title.
God knows how they love their precious titles.

The other Princes of the Blood were très haut et puissant Prince.
Anjou, Berri, and Bourgogne. These three, brothers to the King's late father- the damnable French always mutter 'Vive le roi' when they mention his passage- would inherit next. For now, while they are far from being Kings themselves, they rule France nonetheless.

Foreign princes at the Court were haut et puissant Prince.
The Germans drink too much, the Castilians only look to the women, the Italians are worse, and God help the Englishman who steps foot in this court.

A son of France was born de France: all his descendants, however, had his main title (whether an apanage or a courtesy title) as their family or last name.
Thus Louis, Jean, and Philippe are all members of the royal family, but their children are d'Anjou, de Berri, and de Bourgogne, respectfully. Or disrespectfully, depending upon whom you ask.

In general, a titled person was called Monsieur le duc de Villeroy, or Monsieur le comte d'Alaincourt and addressed as Monsieur le duc, Monsieur le comte; the same went for members of the royal family.
Thus as a general rule, flatter the aristocrats, snub the arrivistes, and God save you should you run afoul of Clisson's moneymaking.

The history of France and her kings

The treaty of Verdun (843) definitely established the partition of Charlemagne's empire into three independent kingdoms, and one of these was France. A great churchman, Hincmar, Archbishop of Rheims (806-82), was the deviser of the new arrangement. He strongly supported the kingship of Charles the Bald, under whose scepter he would have placed Lorraine also. To Hincmar, the dream of a united Christendom did not appear under the guise of an empire, however ideal, but under the concrete form of a number of unit States, each being a member of one mighty body, the great Republic of Christendom. He would replace the empire by a Europe of which France was one member. Under Charles the Fat (880-88) it looked for a moment as though Charlemagne's empire was about to come to life again; but the illusion was temporary, and in its stead were quickly formed seven kingdoms: France, Navarre, Provence, Burgundy beyond the Jura, Lorraine, Germany, and Italy. Feudalism was the seething-pot, and the imperial edifice was crumbling to dust. Towards the close of the tenth century, in the Frankish kingdom alone, twenty-nine provinces or fragments of provinces, under the sway of dukes, counts, or viscounts, constituted veritable sovereignties, and at the end of the eleventh century there were as many as fifty-five of these minor states, of greater or lesser importance. As early as the tenth century one of the feudal families had begun to take the lead, that of the Dukes of Francia, descendants of Robert the Strong, and lords of all the country between the Seine and the Loire. From 887 to 987 they successfully defended French soil against the invading Northmen, and the Eudes, or Odo, Duke of Francia (887-98), Robert his brother (922-23), and Raoul, or Rudolph, Robert's son-in-law (923-36), occupied the throne for a brief interval. The weakness of the later Carlovingian kings was evident to all, and in 987, on the death of Louis V, Adalberon, Archbishop of Reims, at a meeting of the chief men held at Senlis, contrasted the incapacity of the Carlovingian Charles of Lorraine, the heir to the throne, with the merits of Hugh, Duke of Francia. Gerbert, who afterwards became Sylvester II, adviser and secretary to Adalberon, and Arnoul, Bishop of Orléans, also spoke in support of Hugh, with the result that he was proclaimed king. Thus the Capetian dynasty had its rise in the person of Hugh Capet. It was the work of the Church, brought to pass by the influence of the See of Reims, renowned throughout France since the episcopate of Hincmar, renowned since the days of Clovis for the privilege of anointing the Frankish kings conferred on its titular, and renowned so opportunely at this time for the learning of its episcopal school presided over by Gerbert himself.

The Church, which had set up the new dynasty, exercised a very salutary influence over French social life. That the origin and growth of the "Chansons de geste", i.e., of early epic literature, are closely bound up with the famous pilgrim shrines, whither the piety of the people resorted, has been recently proved by the literary efforts of M. Bédier. And military courage and physical heroism were schooled and blessed by the Church, which in the early part of the eleventh century transformed chivalry from a lay institution of German origin into a religious one, by placing among its liturgical rites the ceremony of knighthood, in which the candidate promised to defend truth, justice, and the oppressed. The Congregation of Cluny, founded in 910, which made rapid progress in the eleventh century, prepared France to play an important part in the reformation of the Church undertaken in the second half of the eleventh century by a monk of Cluny, Gregory VII, and gave the Church two other popes after him, Urban II and Pascal II. It was a Frenchman, Urban II, who at the Council of Claremont (1095), started the glorious movement of the Crusades, a war taken up by Christendom when France had led the way.

The reign of Louis VI (1108-37) is of note in the history of the Church, and in that of France; in the one because the solemn adhesion of Louis VI to Innocent II assured the unity of the Church, which at the time was seriously menaced by the Antipope Antecletus; in the other because for the first timer Capetian kings took a stand as champions of law and order against the feudal system and as the protectors of public rights. A churchman, Suger, abbot of St-Denis, a friend of Louis VI and minister of Louis VII (1137-80), developed and realized this ideal of kingly duty. Louis VI, seconded by Suger, and counting on the support of the towns -- the "communes" they were called when they had obliged the feudal lords to grant them charters of freedom -- fulfilled to the letter the rôle of prince as it was conceived by the theology of the Middle Ages. "Kings have long arms", wrote Suger, "and it is their duty to repress with all their might, and by right of their office, the daring of those who rend the State by endless war, who rejoice in pillage, and who destroy homesteads and churches." Another French Churchman, St. Bernard, won Louis VII for the Crusades; and it was not his fault that Palestine, where the first crusade had set up a Latin kingdom, did not remain a French colony in the service of the Church. The divorce of Louis VII and Eleanor of Acquitain (1152) marred the ascendancy of French influence by paving the way for the growth of Anglo-Normal pretensions on the soil of France from the Channel to the Pyrenees. Soon, however, by virtue of feudal laws, the French king, Philip Augustus (1180-1223), proclaimed himself suzerain over Richard Coeur de Lion and John Lackland, and the victory of Bouvines which he gained over the Emperor Otto IV, backed by a coalition of feudal nobles (1214), was the first even in French history which called forth a movement of national solidarity around a French king. The war against the Albigensians under Louis VIII (1223-26) brought in its train the establishment of the influence and authority of the French monarchy in the south of France.

St. Louis IX (1226-1270), "ruisselant de piété, et enflammé de charité", as a contemporary describes him, made kings so beloved that from that time dates that royal cult, so to speak, which was one of the moral forces in olden France, and which existed in no other country of Europe to the same degree. Piety had been for the kings of France, set on their thrones, set on their thrones by the Church of God, as it were a duty belonging to their charge or office; but in the piety of St. Louis there was a note all his own, the note of sanctity. With him ended the Crusades, but not their spirit. During the thirteenth and fourteenth centuries, project after project attempting to set on foot a crusade was made, and we refer to them merely to point out that the spirit of a militant apostolate continued to ferment in the soul of France. The project of Charles Valois (1308-09), the French expedition under Peter I of Cyprus against Alexandria and the Armenian coasts (1365-1367), sung of by the French trouvère, Guillaume Machault, the crusade of John of Nevers, which ended in the bloody battle of Nicopolis (1396) -- in all these enterprises, the spirit of St. Louis lived, just as in the heart of the Christians of the east, whom France was thus trying to protect, there has survived a lasting gratitude toward the nation of St. Louis. If the feeble nation of the Marionites cries out today to France for help, it is because of a letter written by St. Louis to the nation of St. Maroun in May, 1250. In the days of St. Louis the influence of the French epic literature in Europe was supreme. Brunetto Latini, as early as the middle of the thirteenth century wrote that, "of all speech [parlures] that of the French was the most charming, and the most in favour with everyone." French held sway in England until the middle of the fourteenth century; it was fluently spoken at the Court of Constantinople at the time of the Fourth Crusade; and in Greece in the dukedoms, principalities and baronies found there by the House of Burgundy and Champagne. And it was in French that Rusticiano of Pisa, about 1300, wrote down from Marco Polo's lips the story of his wonderful travels. The University of Paris, founded by favour of Innocent III between 1280 and 1213, was saved from a spirit of exclusiveness by the happy intervention of Alexander IV, who obliged it to open its chairs to the mendicant friars. Among its professors were Duns Scotus; the Italians, St. Thomas and St. Bonaventure; Albert the Great, a German; Alexander of Hales, an Englishman. Among its pupils it counted Roger Bacon, Dante, Raimundus Lullus, Popes Gregory IX, Urban IV, Clement IV, and Boniface VIII.

France was also the birthplace of Gothic art, which was carried by French architects into Germany. The method employed in the building of many Gothic cathedrals -- i.e., by the actual assistance of the faithful -- bears witness to the fact that at this period the lives of the French people were deeply penetrated with faith. An architectural wonder such as the cathedral of Chartres was in reality the work of popular art born of the faith of the people who worshipped there.

Under Philip IV, the Fair (1285-1314), the royal house of France became very powerful. By means of alliances he extended his prestige as far as the Orient. His brother Charles of Valois married Catherine de Courtney, an heiress of the Latin Empire of Constantinople. The Kings of England and Minorca were his vassals, the King of Scotland his ally, the Kings of Naples and Hungary connections by marriage. He aimed at a sort of supremacy over the body politic of Europe. Pierre Dubois, his jurisconsult, dreamed that the pope would hand over all his domains to Philip and receive in exchange an annual income, while Philip would thus have the spiritual head of Christendom under his influence. Philip IV laboured to increase the royal prerogative and thereby the national unity of France. By sending magistrates in feudal territories, by defining certain cases (cas royaux) as reserved to the king's competency, he dealt a heavy blow to the feudalism of the Middle Ages. But on the other hand, under his rule many anti-Christian maxims began to creep into law and politics. Roman law was slowly re-introduced into social organization, and gradually the idea of a united Christendom disappeared from the national policy. Philip the Fair, pretending to rule by Divine right, gave it to be understood that he rendered an account of his kingship to no on under heaven. He denied the pope's right to represent, as the papacy had always done in the past, the claims of morality and justice where kings were concerned. Hence arose in 1294-1303, his struggle with Pope Boniface VIII, but in that struggle he was cunning enough to secure the support of the States-General, which represented public opinion in France. In later times, after centuries of monarchical government, this same public opinion rose against the abuse of power committed by its kings in the name of their pretended divine right, and thus made an implicit amende honorable to what the Church had taught concerning the origin, the limits, and the responsibility of all power, which had been forgotten or misinterpreted by the lawyers of Philip IV when they set up their pagan State as the absolute source of power. The election of Pope Clement V (1305) under Philip's influence, the removal of the papacy to Avignon, the nomination of seven French popes in succession, weakened the influence of the papacy in Christendom, though it has recently come to light that the Avignon popes did not always allow the independence of the Holy See to waver or disappear in the game of politics. Philip IV and his successors may have had the illusion that they were taking the place of the German emperors in European affairs. The papacy was imprisoned on their territory; the German empire was passing through a crisis, was, in fact, decaying, and the kings of France might well imagine themselves temporal vicars of God, side by side with, or even in opposition to, the spiritual vicar who lived at Avignon.

But at this juncture the Hundred Years War broke out, and the French kingdom, which aspired to be the arbiter of Christendom, was menaced in its very existence by England. English kings aimed at the French crown, and the two nations fought for the possession of Guienne. Twice during the war was the independence of France imperilled. Defeated on the Ecluse (1340), at Crécy (1346), at Poitiers (1356), France was saved by Charles V (1364-80) and by Du Guesclin.

Les Grands Officiers de la Couronne
The Great Officers of the Crown are the chief officers of the king, in charge of war, justice, finance, the king's household, took early on the title of Officers of the Crown to distinguish themselves from all other officers. Around the 12th century, the list of Great Officers settles down to the senechal, constable, chancellor, butler and chamberlain. The office of senechal was abolished in 1190 because its holders were acquiring too much power. Over the course of the Middle Ages, kings tried to similarly curb the other officers. They are entitled to the style of "my cousin" by the king. Their powers extend over the whole kingdom, and they preside over the relevant administrations (corps de l'Etat).

Other officers are merely Officers of the King's Household.


The Connétable
One of the original five officers of the royal household: the Sénéchal, Chambrier, Connétable, Bouteiller and Chancelier. The office is a very ancient one, since it existed in the late Roman Empire (comes stabuli, count of the stable). After the abolition of the office of Sénéchal in 1191, the Connétable was the most important officer in the army. His insign of office was the straight sword, which represented the king's sword whose care was his. He carried before the king during the coronation ceremony. The same sword appears, held by a hand issuant from a cloud, on both sides of his coat of arms.

As first officer of the crown, he ranked in precedence immediately after the peers. He had the position of lieutenant general of the King both within and without the kingdom, making him second only to the King in martial affairs. The constable had under his command all military officers, including the marechaux; he was also responsible for the financing of the army. He also administered military justice within the host (the name of the jurisdiction was the connétablie), which he exercised with the assistance of the maréchaux (marshals) of France. The office was established by King Philip I in 1060 with Alberic becoming the first Constable.

Constables of France
Raoul I de Brienne (d1344) 1329-1344
Raoul II de Brienne, Comte d'Eu et Guines (executed for treason 1351) 1344-1350, prisoner of the English since his capture in 1346, executed immediately on his return to Paris.
Charles de Castille d'Espagne (died 1354) 1350-1354
Jacques Ier(premier) de Bourbon (1319-1362) 1354-1356
Gauthier VI de Brienne (killed 1356) 1356
Robert Morean de Fiennes (1308-1372) 1356-1370
Bertrand du Guesclin (1320-1380) 1370-1380
Olivier IV de Clisson (1336-d1407) 1380- Current holder

Maréchal de France (alternatively, Marcheaux de France)
The Marshal of France is one of the Officers of the King's Household. The title derived from the office of marescallus Franciae created by Philippe Auguste for Albéric Clément (circa 1190). Marshals serve as lieutenants to the Constable.

Two Marshals appointed by Charles the Wise, 1364-1380
Jean IV de Mauquenchy, Lord of Blainville, Marshal of France in 1368
Louis II de Champagne, Count of Sancerre (b. 1342), Marshal of France in 1369
Both still serve

Lieutenant General
An occasional appointment by the King to lead an army in a specific region.

Grand maitre de Arbelestries
The Grand Master of Crossbowmen

Amiral de France
The Admiral of France. After the naval defeat at Ecluse, the office has diminished considerably.

Port OriFlamme
Carries the Royal Standard in battle. An extremely prestigious position.

The oriflamme was a sacred banner used by the kings of France in times of great danger. It was distinct from the heraldic banner of the French kings (semis of fleur-de-lys on azure, as expected). Its history is fairly continuous from 1124 onward, when it is first mentioned. It is first described in 1225. It consists of two parts: a gilded lance, to which is attached a silk banner, red with green fringes. The floating end of the banner splits into two or more trailing strips. The name, aurea flamma, conflates the banner (flamma) and the color of the lance. The banner is sometimes represented as attached vertically to the lance, and sometimes as attached to a horizontal bar, itself suspended from the lance.

It was deposited in the abbey of Saint-Denis, north of Paris, where kings of France were buried, next to the relics of Denis who evangelized the area. When going to war, the French king would come to Saint-Denis to "raise the banner."

The Chancelier
The second officer of the crown. His function was that of head of the administration of justice. In ceremonies, he sat to the left of the king. His function was originally to be Keeper of the Seals, and to seal all royal acts, without which the acts were not valid. In modern France, his appointment was for life; in fact, he was the only royal officer in the whole kingdom who did not automatically lose his office at the death of a king, and did not wear mourning. Behind the shield, two silver and gilded maces are placed in saltire, and the achievement is surmounted by a magistrate's hat or mortier.

Grand Chamberlain, in charge of justice, finance, weights and measures.

Grand Bouteiller-échanson, master of ceremonies, judgements of nobility, royal table and wine cellars.

The insignia of office are two gilded silver bottles with the arms of the king.

Chambrier, runs Paris

Grand Panetier
The office is mentioned in the 11th century: this officer of the Royal Household was in charge of the provision of bread (pain). He had jurisdiction over the breadmakers of Paris and collected a tax on them.

Below his arms are placed the nef d'or and the cadenat which were laid next to the king's setting at table.

Grand Veneur
the royal game warden

Grand Maitre de Eaux et Forests
Charge of the waters and forests

Grand Maître de France
Head of the King's Household, to whom all the king's officers swore oath. His insignia is a staff of gilded silver ending in a crown-shaped ornament.

Grand Aumonnier de France
Head of the chapel royal

Grand Ecuyer

Grand Fauconnier

Grand Louvetier

Grand Maréchal-des-logis

Grand Prévôt

Grand Queux
The royal cook

Capitaine des Gardes de la Porte

The state of devotion in France and the affairs of Mother Church:

France is obedient to His Holiness Clement, Pontifex Maximus, currently residing in Avignon

Cardinals of the holy and apostolic Church
Bertrand Cardinal Lagier, O.Min., Bishop of Ostia and Velletri
Gui Cardinal de Maillesec, Bishop of Palestrina.
Gérard Cardinal du Puy, protector of S. Clemente.
Guillaume Cardinal Noellet, deacon of S. Angelo in Pescheria.
Hugues Cardinal de Saint-Martial, deacon of S. Maria in Portico.

The proper address for a Cardinal is "Your Illustriousness" though this has not been firmly established.

A summary of the archdioceses is being compiled, but disputes between the sees of Arles and Vienne has unfortunately occuppied the attentions of our canon lawyers and other ecclestiastical experts.

Archdioceses
Archdiocese of Aix (-en-Provence)

• Latin Name: Aquensis in Gallia or Aquae Sextiae Salluviorum
• Elevated: 8th Century

Archdiocese of Arles

• Latin Name: Arelat
• Elevated: 5th Century

Archdiocese of Auch

• Latin Name: Augusta Auscorum
• Elevated: 9th Century

Archdiocese of Besançon

• Latin Name: Bisuntinus
• Elevated: 4th Century

Archdiocese of Bordeaux

• Latin Name: Burdigalensis
• Elevated: 3rd Century

Archdiocese of Bourges

• Latin Name: Bituricae
• Elevated: 4th Century

Archdiocese of Embrun

• Latin Name:
• Elevated: 9th Century

Archdiocese of Lyon

• Latin Name: Lugdunensis
• Elevated: 3rd Century

Archdiocese of Narbonne

• Latin Name: Narbo Martius
• Elevated: 8th Century

Archdiocese of Reims [Nota bene]

• Latin Name: Rhemensis
• Elevated: 4th Century
• Current Holder: Richard Picque

Archdiocese of Rouen

• Latin Name: Rothomagensis
• Elevated: 5th Century

Archdiocese of Sens

• Latin Name: Senonensis
• Elevated: 8th Century

Archdiocese of Toulouse

• Latin Name: Tolosanus
• Elevated: 11 July 1317

Archdiocese of Tours

• Latin Name: Turonensis
• Elevated: 3rd Century
• Current Holder: Seguin d'Auton

Archdiocese of Vienne

• Latin Name: Vienna
• Elevated: 5th Century

Nota bene:
Urban II, "potestatem ligandi" of 25 Dec 1089:
"First and foremost we confer upon you and your successors [the Archbishops of Reims] the power to consecrate the kings of France; so that, just as St. Remi, having converted Clovis to the faith, is known to have instituted the first christian king in this kingdom, so you and your successors, who perform in the place of St. Remi in the church of Reims by God's will, may perform the function of anointing and ordaining the king or the queen. We have also decided, and establish by the present, that just as the kings of France first receive the crowned insignia from your hands, likewise in solemn processions in which the same kings are crowned, they shall be crowned by no other archbishop or bishop in your presence or that of your successors."
Alexander III, "cum sis per Dei gratiam" of 13 Apr 1179:
"We have decided by apostolic authority, that none other than the archbishop of Reims is permitted to anoint the king of France, or to crown him, as has been established by ancient custom."

The relations of France, and the means by which to compel the intransigent

The vast and fertile lands of France, her vassal Dukes, and those territories rightfully belonging to the Crown


An apanage is a portion of the demesne of the Crown which is given by the sovereign to a younger son.

The origin of the apanage can be found either in the old Frankish custom of dividing the inheritance between the sons (a custom which feudalism replaced with the "partage noble" in which the eldest son received most of the estates); or in the fact that, at its origins, the Capetian monarchy was relatively weak, and the principle of succession by the eldest son was not secure until the late 12th century.

Philippe IV (reigned 1285-1314) introduced three major innovations to the apanage system. First, he made apanagists to the rank of peers. By 1328, all apanagists had been made peers: Charles de Valois and Robert d'Artois in 1297, Philippe de Poitiers in 1315, Louis d'Évreux and Charles de La Marche in 1317, Louis de Bourbon in 1327, Robert d'Artois for Beaumont-le-Roger in 1328.

The second innovation, which appeared in 1297 and was henceforth applied to all royal grants and not just apanages, was a clause reserving for the king "superioritas et resortum": the latter being appellate jurisdiction, the former being sovereignty, meaning that the king's regalian rights (the right to pass laws, to mint coins, etc) remained intact.

The third, more important innovation was the introduction of a clause restricting inheritance of the apanage to male heirs. This was done in a charter of November 29, 1314 and in the case of his second son's apanage of Poitiers. This clause did not become standard for some time. The last and most important counter-example was the grant of the duchy of Burgundy in 1363, which only specify "haeredes suos" (his heirs; the word is masculine, but it is grammatically possible to construe it as heirs male or female). The restriction to male heirs became standard, mentioned in an ordinance of Charles V in 1374.

Nephew,

Your dear Unlcle writes you from his home in Riom, Auvergne. The weather is most pleasent, and the climate is unquestionably good. Yet, trouble is always afoot and with the English still in France we must always be on our guard.

Thus, I write to you that we maintain ties between our lands and look well upon eachother as is the case. Perhaps we may enhance our bonds with the exchange of ambassadors and trade agreements? We think with such we may be ever more in-touch and be only a letter away from defending France's honour when the English surely make their moves, and we to strike them down.

For the greater glory of God,

His Grace Duke Jean de Valois, Duc de Berri et d'Auvergne, Comte de Poiters, et de Montpensier

Nephew,

It is good to hear you have taken up practicing the joust again. It shall serve you well in the Court, but also on the field of battle. Tis' a very useful sport. Yet, you musn't foget the skills you will learn from it. Take heed in the instructor and hang closely on his words. For one day your life may hang on what he has taught you if you are caught on the field. Yet, I have faith in you and wish oyu the most wonderful sucesses. If I were not so old I would train with you myself.

Yet, my time is passing adn soon my son will be taking a more active role in the matters. That is why I plan to send him to Paris, along with my ambassador, he shall learn the ways of the French Court, I hope, and become a fine Frenchman. He will need to know of the history of this great land, and its value for he shall be one of the many leading our armies against the English heathens in the near future. It shall not be me on the horse fighting in combat, but my son. Thus, he needs to know of the Honour that is France.

I shall see that he and my ambassador ride out as early as possible. Expect their arrival to Paris in good time. Yet, if the situation warrants I still feel myself of good vigour and strength to make the journey to Paris should the bickering grow to loud. Tis' only the duty of your uncle to see that his nephew is in good stead. Thus, I await your man to speak on your behalf in Riom. Though it would be a welcome to see your arrival in Auvergne. Until then I bid thee good well.

For the greater glory of God,

His Grace Duke Jean de Valois, Duc de Berri et d'Auvergne, Comte de Poiters, et de Montpensier

The Ambassador's Arrival

A small envoy rode into Paris today. Bearing the flag of Auvergne they presented themselves before the Court and wished an audience with the King of France. The envoy identified themselves as being sent by the Duke of Auvergne. They claimed to be Jean de Berri and Louis-Auguste-Achille Harlay, the son of the Duc de Berri et d'Auvergne and The Auvergnat Ambassador, respectively.

Jacques Boucher, a man of short stature, fast talk and French Blood, rode up to the Grand City of Paris. Behind him, where three Knights, of good size and courageous service, followed him, bearing the Royal Standard of the House of Lusignan and the Flag of the Kingdom of Cyprus. The travel from Ledra was extremely monotonous, as the diplomat traveled the Mediterranean quite often. Although, when they were forced to land in Naples for three days due to a storm, the Religous Confrontation between the Neopalitan Supporters of the Anti-Pope in Rome and the True Believers of Cyprus, it did get interesting.

Jacques approached the Gates of the Royal Palace and addressed the guard.

Bonjour! I am Jacques Boucher, Permanent Ambassador to France from the Christian Kingdom of Cyprus.

A sealed letter arrives from Windsor Castle, England

Unto Charles VI., par la grâce de Dieu roi de France

We are glad to receive Your Majesty’s message, because We also feels that peace and prosperity between Our two realms would be the best for both. We hope that the conflicts might be put behind us, and that We shall be able to work together in co-operation.
We shall instruct for one of our noble men to come to meet Your Majesty at Rouen to discuss all the matters in person.



Written in own hand at Windsor, in the year of Our Lord 1383 A.D

Richard, Rex Anglia




Also a second letter is sent from Windsor

Unto Olivier, Connétable de France, Seigneur de Clisson, Comte de Porhoët, Seigneur de Belleville, de Montagu, de la Garnache, de Blain, d'Yerrick et de Beauvoir

Your Honour,
Your desire for peace, although you are a man of war is very noble, and although I am also a man of war, and I have fought in several campaigns in France, I agree to Your Honour’s ideas of peace.
I have seen the letter from His Majesty, and as I am sure Your Honour will soon be made aware off, His Majesty has replied to His Majesty positively, and His Majesty’s uncle, my brother Thomas of Woodstock, Earl of Essex, Earl of Buckingham, son of His Majesty King Edward III and brother of the Black Prince, have left England and I hope that you have made preparations to accept him in Rouen. He will also bring with him a second man that we hope will be able to stay on in Frnace as English envoy after the negotiations have finsiehd.


Written in own hand at Windsor, in the year of Our Lord 1383 A.D

John of Gaunt

King of Castile and Leon, Duke of Lancaster, Earl of Richmond, Lancaster, Derby, Lincoln and Leicester,

http://img36.exs.cx/img36/6429/rouen3rc.gif

Rouen

The passage across the Channel had been quiet and the water had been silent all the time, and Thomas of Woodstock could only send his warmest feelings to the Almighty for giving him so good weather. Normally he disliked ships, they moved way to much, but this crossing had been just superb, and it seems like Sir Simon had kept his promise. The vessel sure had been a fine one.

Now as he entered Rouen Thomas of Woodstock looked over at Roger le Strange, 5th Baron Strange and smiled. The passage had been a good one this far, but now was when they trouble, and hard times would begin.

Riding with a set knights and armed men that the Lord Chancellor in France, Thomas Holland, Earl of Kent, had sent them from Calais Thomas felt pretty secure, but you could never know with these Frenchmen.
Damned frogs…


”Now Baron Strange what think you off Roune?”

”Well Your honour, I have always though France is nice, but the problem is really that there are to many Frenchmen living here… haha

Thomas started laughing and smiled

”Careful now… let us hope none of these peasant understand what we say… But yes I guess you are correct.
Now, we got a task ahead, so we must try to put all this feelings behind, and look to the future. I mean after all we can at least listen to mad Charles and his proposals…"

”Yes, must certainly Your Honour”





Arriving at Rouen castle


The English party arrive in the courtyard of Rouen Castle, and Thomas of Woodstock grabs hold of the first guard he finds.

”Good sir, would you be so pleased as to inform the governor of the castle, or if either of them have arrive the King or the Constable of France, thatThomas of Woodstock, Earl of Essex, Earl of Buckingham and Roger le Strange, 5th Baron Strange have arrive from England upon His Majesty’s request as envoys from His Majesty King Richard II of England!”

A messenger, looking road-worn and hard-used by battle, hands over a sealed message bearing the ermine crest of Brittany.

Unto his Majesty Charles le Bien-Aime, King of France

Though my good Duc rides into the field to better battle those who would oppose the just law of Bretagne, he has empowered me to send notice that he will most certainly be joining your court for a time when matters become more secure and settled in the easternly regions around Fougeres and Rennes.

The good Duc, after so many destructive wars both in Bretagne and further abroad, wishes to see with his own eyes the state of the lands and to personally secure the mercentile and martial aid we all dearly require. Further, he wishes to go on further to the holy city of Avignon so that he might take counsel with the most Holy Father on matters of conscience and the immortal soul.

Your envoy to Nantes will be made welcome as though he was in fact your royal self, in anticipation of the time when you might yourself come in person.

Laurient du Nantes, Chancellor

The fanfare greeting a party was irrespective of its size. In this case, the old Baron d'Oiselet, Etienne, was the first noble to hear of the arrival of Jean de Berri. Stomping through the palace where he took part of the regency government, he rousted the servants with shouts, ordering them to provide a welcome suitable for a Prince of Blood.

"Your Excellency," he practically bellowed when Jean de Berri was introduced with Harlay. "It is truly an honor," he said respectfully, "très haut et puissant Prince. His Majesty will see Your Excellency shortly." d'Oiselet scuttled away, making last-minute corrections for the meeting when a steward approached him.

"Chypre?" he asked, dumbfounded. "de Lusignan, no? Bring him, bring them all to see the King. And get the damn Regents!"



M. Boucher was escorted with M. Harlay, immediately behind Jean de Berri, as they entered the court. There, in the full splendor of youth, sat Charles, sixth of the name, King of France. He rose once he saw Jean de Berri: "My cousin, it is a great day to have you here," he said, hugging Jean with his muscled arms. "Please, I beg you sit. Are these the ambassadors I was told of?"

And thus the meeting commenced, with two men of royal blood and two ambassadors making near-perfect symmetry.

Jacques Boucher, the Ambassador to France, sat adjacent to the French King, and his dear uncle, the Duke of Avernge and Berry. Undecided as to whom should speak first, he finally rose to his feet, and made a low, reverent bow.

You Majesty, King James I of Cyprus sends his very best wishes to your health.

He then stands back up to address the man.

Your Majesty, I come from my tiny kingdom to request something from the splendid Kingdom of France.