Conseil du Royaume

[Braden]

*Henri stands in response*

My lords,

Firstly I thank you for supporting my Edict as it stands. Next, Father, I have to advise you that I have not put the wording of my Edict to paper lightly.

Indeed, in previous drafts I included both English and Castillian holdings.

*Henri shows a hand to stay any negative comments from members of the House of Aquitaine*

Should I have been permitted by law to present further Edicts, rest assured the questions you raise would have been addressed. I would have the provinces previously held by Castille handed back to Spain BUT…*again a pause*... Aquitaine has shed much blood to obtain them, would you not have them compensated for the deaths suffered…Noble deaths at that?

Nay I say, I would have them only relinquish such provinces if it was agreed they would have provinces we take from the Heathen Moors in our Crusade. A Crusade I called for during the last session and agreed upon.

I cannot propose such Edicts however, such is the law of our lands so they remain…ideas.

*Henri turns as if to sit but turns back towards the King swiftly*

No, Father, I do not either forget Hamburg…where your army still sits in siege..or Magdeburg or Nuremburg. I would be willing to give Hamburg should it fall to YOUR hands. Hamburg is NOT mine to withhold my King, should it fall it is YOURS to use as you feel fit!

In truth, and in front of these Lords, I say…yes, I would wish Hamburg as my own Barony but that is not so yet and I cannot predict the future. However, I ask you and the other lords here that with Bern, Staufen and Hamburg we ensure the continued safety of Frankfurt. Without them, Frankfurt is isolated and nearly surrounded by Imperial lands.

A defensible border is, my lords, the Channel, the narrows of Iberia and a clearly defined border with the Germans.

So, I ask you Father, you point to Guilliaums behaviour as an example but remember he was excommunicated…we are good CATHOLICS we do not…NOT…lead by using the examples set by those who were shown to be evil. Again, I say, we leave Albion to the English, the Channel our border. The English are sore, shamed and beaten…but perhaps their pride does not permit them to accept it so? Is this why there is no peace with them..or indeed the Germans?

Do we fall to such a sin as Pride my Lords? I say, nay, we do not! We rise above those around us who would use pride as an excuse to continue war when it is lost and bring needless suffering to their peoples.

I fear, My King, you underestimate me no?

*Henri smiles and sits again*

((OOC: Lots depends on how you see “rebels”, I take them as the game see’s them, “Independent Nations”, rather than the Rebel forces that randomly spawn on the map…example, Hamburg was actually an Independent City State – Hamburg-Bremen in its HRE time))