Royal Parliament

[Ignoramus]

[OOC] This thread is for players in the Magna Carta PBM to post in character public deliberations in the Royal Parliament. All out of character debate should be conducted in the OOC thread.

The Parliament has two main functions: to vote taxes, , and to pass petitions for the King ot conside.

The Parliament will be governed by William the Conqueror (Ignoramus) or, in his absence, by his son, Prince Rufus (Cultured Drizzt fan).

Petitions need to be formally proposed as follows:

Petition by (name of baron): I beseech the King to declare war on Scotland.

Petitions need two seconders (who should explicitly use the word "second" when supporting a motion) before they can be put to the vote.

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(OOC: Posting can start as soon as William the Conqueror(that's me) makes his first post)

[Ignoramus]

The newly constructed St. Stephen's Chapel in London was a scene of some activity. King William of England had just called the first Parliament of the English Realm. A few groups of discontented Saxon peasants had attempted to disrupt the meeting, but were dealt with appropriately by the Norman men-at-arms standing guard.

Inside the chapel were the assembled nobles of the realms. At this present time, the only notables present were William Rufus, the favourite son of the Conqueror, Robert Curthose, the eldest son of the Conqueror, and of course the king himself.

Once all the attending nobles had taken their seats, the king rose to speak.

"I have called you here, my vassals and noblemen of the realm, to hear your petitions on the governance of the realm. Since my conquest of this fair land some fourteen years ago, I have had no time to attend to such matters, as the Saxon swine were ill-disposed to my rightful rule.

However, apart from the rebellious Saxons in York, there now exists peace throughout my realm. I am therefore intending to call such parliaments as these when I require advice on pressing concerns.

Now, my barons. Let me hear your petitions!"

[mini]

Robert had arrived early at the chapel. A day before, dressed as a commoner, he had walked throughout London to inspect the various places of public works his father had instructed only to find nothing to fault.
Typically his father, flawless in all he did. Curse him.

Today, he had walked through the great chapel. Robert found the whole thing rather pompous for a man whose idea of religion was that god was there to act on his wishes.

Robert II, nicknamed Curthose by his father for he was shorter in length than average in their family, reminisced about his youth.
For some reason, his father had never seemed to like him. Or atleast seemed to like his younger brother better.
As he didn't get along with Rufus, there had been much strife between them. And their father always seemed to side with Rufus. Robert had not forgotten.

And when William the bastard decided England was rightfully his and departed on his invasion, Robert had been eager to go along.
Yet his father had deemed his place to be in Normandy. While William the Bastard performed the deed that changed his name to WIlliam the Conqueror, Robert was stuck in Normandy.
Henry I of France already felt threatened by William's marriage to Mathilda of Flanders, one of his barons gaining a whole new kingdom absolutely terrified him. Henry I therefore attempted a few invasions of Normandy, which Robert repelled.
Noble work, yes. But carving out a whole new kingdom would have been somethign Robert excelled at. His military prowesse was known to be up there with his fathers.
Yet it had been William Rufus who had been taken along across the channel.


Years later, Robert II named Curthose, still had not forgotten all the slights at his character, from youth to the present day.

He eyed his brother askance when he accompanied the king into the chapel.
Face composed, he heared the speech his father gave. A silence fell as the king gazed upon both his remainign sons.
As Rufus remained silent, Robert spoke atlast


"Your majesty," Robert had ceased calling his father 'father' at any occassion a long time ago, "Henry I of France is restless. After the last 2 invasions I had to repel, his mind has been distracted by several of his barons showing their malcontent. A few have even openly rebelled."
He studied his fathers face, trying to catch a glimp of his thoughts. "As matters in the new realm have settled down, I would like to request more resources to be dispersed to Normandy.
The castle at Caen needs better training facilities if we are to retain our lands on the main land."
Robert faked some hesitation before breeching the next subject
"Also, I'd like to request receing more men, or the approval of recruiting more men so we can fortify our powerbase on the mainland outside Normandy. Bretania lies for the taking, the bretons are in revolt. To the north, Flanders is yet still independant, but Henry I will not tolerate those peasants to ignore his rule for much longer.

We should strike before Henry does, lest our family lands be endangered by our former souvereign who feels threatened by our secession."

There, it was said. Rufus had his usual grin whenever he and Robert were together, and his fathers face could have been set in stone. Feeling anger rising, Robert smashed it with all his pwoer of will, and only he knew how great the effort was to keep a plain face.


Robert II, Duke of Normandy, requests upgrading of Caen barracks and extra troops to expand into bretagne or flanders.

[Cultured Drizzt fan]

Henry barges into the council chamber, how can we turn our attention to the french when in the north the scots wait for a chance to destroy us! we must turn the full force of our armies north to end the scots once and for all!
Petition by Henry: I beseech the king for troops be trained at nottingham and used to take york and then move north to take on the Scots.

[mini]

Spoiler Alert, click show to read: 

drizzt, aren't you supposed to be Henry, about to come of age? ;p I'll assume you are henry, barging in on a meeting he is slightly too young for.

Robert eyed this youngest of his brothers and sighed. Yet another one his father preferred over his eldest son. Irritation crept up his spine. Looking at his father, he couldn't discern anything which might give away his thoughts.

"My Lord. I agree with young Henry here that your attention should turn north. Although I have no evidence about these so-called warmongering Scots and will await until Henry furnishes any to judge them as an enemy.
Yet the Saxon remnants at York must be destroyed undoubtedly.
As My Lord's spies can tell him as good as I can, taking York will not take all the men My Lord has in his service. Therefore, why not lash out in 2 directions? Creating a powerbase on both the Island as the mainland.
We should not neglect our family estates in Normandy, nor should we refrain from using the current weakness of Henry I of France. If we do not strengthen our hold on the mainland, we will suffer retribution from the French king once he puts down the current revolts. He still has not forgiven us for abandoning our vassalship and go gallavanting on our own. If he doesn't strike at us, we will serve as an example for his other vassals, and could inspire them to break away aswel. He must and will act.
This is a certainty, whereas the Scots have yet not given any cause for enmity.

If I may suggest My Lord, you can take York with but a fraction of the army here. Whereas I need more resources to expand and prepare for French retribution." Robert concluded with an irritated glare at his youngest brother.

[Cultured Drizzt fan]

(ohh If I can be henry that would be fine, I just assumed I couldnt RP him until he came of age, I will change it.)
Henry smiles Mischeiviously at his brother, I was not proposing we let our estates be neglected I just question the wisdom, nay Sanity of someone who would provoke french anger at us before we are secure in the Isles.