Conseil du Royaume

[Braden]

Henri stands

Indeed brother, I wish you well in establishing your own Duchy on our Southern frontier. I too welcome Villain into our family and toast his continued work with the Duchy of Lorraine.

((OOC: I confirm the completion of extensive, awesomely evil, back-handed, backroom dealings)

[_Tristan_]

Philippe sits upon his throne, anger visibly rising, then turns towards his son Henri.

Please tell me what accomplishments and what qualities does Sieur de la Salle hold that you think he should be a valid addition to our illustrious family ? True, he has met success in battle... He's not the first, and in thse trying times, he surely will not be the last... Hence what makes him stand over the rest ? If I were to follow your lead my son, I'll soon find myself considered the sire of so many nobles, I could field armies with only my sons... So think twice about this...


Or did your vassal offer you something special in your meetings with him, that makes him stand out from the rest ? something that makes him special ? Because from what I know of the man, aside from a mean streak, there is nothing out of the ordinary in that man... For that matter what did you own brother promise you ? What hold do they have on you ? Am I to believe the spreading rumours about the untimely death of your former liege lord, Duc Thomas, under your command ? Is this a way to silence them from speaking the truth about these matters ? Have your ambitions led you to commit the unthinkable ?

Speaking of which, I bestowed upon you the title of Duke but never did I bestow upon you the lands that belonged to you liege. Hence Frankfurt and Staufen are not truly yours. Your liege dying without a will made those province part of the King's Demesne. But I'm in a conciliatory mood, so I will have you retain your newly chosen Ducal capital of Frankfurt.

But Staufen is not yours to give. It belongs to me. Or rather, it will belong to your brother for I would not break the word of a Royal Prince to another but on the condition that he refuses to make Vilain de la Salle part of the Capet family.

Philippe glares at Henri and turns with a knowing smile to Charles.

[Tamur]

A boy page ducks along the tables of the Conseil and delivers a small scroll to Prince Henri's retinue, then returns to Sir Barthelemy's side

[Braden]

My King,

I am sorry you feel this way but unfortunately you believe the law different from what is actually written.

The property of a Duc who dies without a living will then "his land goes to the highest member of his feudal chain", which would have been me even without the Duc's untimely AND ACCIDENTAL death.

I'm sorry father, I'm really not sure what or why you feel this way but Lorraine is my domain by right...in law and you cannot take that from me, or would you start a very dangerous precident where the King can step in and take a Duc's property as he wishes?

Villain is not even MY vassal, he is the vassal of my Count. To my own knowledge Villain is a very loyal and brave man. He has defeated an enemy that would have even cause me to baulk...because I requested him to defend our lands!

He did not shurk his duty even on pain of his OWN potential death...actually, to many, his own CERTAIN death.

Lorraine defends us against an enemy who repeatedly refuse approaches for peace, we do so without undue demands. The fact that I wished to pass Staufen to another to control was not just so that I could reward Villain but also so that Lorraine need no longer worry about our Southern border.

Had you, father, thought to actually ASK the reasons behind this instead of believing some bizarre rumours which are slanderous and unfounded..then perhaps you would not feel this way.

Besides, what "ambition" do you speak of? Mine? My ambition has always only been to serve you first and attain my own province, this is no less than Charles and far less than Louis. Do you deny that it was you who promised me Hamburg but only IF I pledged myself to the then Duc of Lorraine? Was is such a shock that he died and I then followed your instructions and pledged myself to the new Duc?

I ask you...and think carefully my father...do you really believe me, the Captain of the Order of the Fleur De Lys of all things, to be even remotely capable of what you intermate here?

scourn is in Henri's eyes as he sits back down

[Braden]

Council,

My scribes have discovered the exact time and period where Frankfurt was confirmed as part of Lorraine and therefore was then officially handed to Thomas before his demise by the then Duc of Lorraine.

Sorry father but I feel your silence means you have accepted that I am correct and always have been.

[Cecil XIX]

Duc Raymond rises to speak.

Prince Henri, I hope you will forgive this ignorant man, for I cannot see how the fact that Franconia is a part of the Duchy of Lorraine undermines the Kings arguement.

For the benefit of discussion, allow me to quote Rule 3(d).

Raymond recites the rule, placing emphasis on certain parts.

3(d) - Wills & Inheritance: Upon the death of a noble his land goes to the highest member of his feudal chain. If he is independent the land goes to the King. All land in the King's Demesne is passed to the new King. Duke's can pass on their rank to a House member of their choosing, by naming a successor in a valid will. Wills must be PMed to Zim before the Avatar’s death to be considered valid. If a Duke dies without naming a successor, the King picks the successor from among the highest ranked Nobles in their House.

Given this rule, I would say the King's argument is that both Franconia and Swabia defaulting to himself, due to the fact that they were in Duke Thomas's personal desmense at the time as his death. As such, the fact that Franconia was under Duke Thomas's suzerainity at the of his death seems to be consistent with the Kings actions.

[Ituralde]

But doesn't the land only fall to the King if the deceased noble is indepedent? Duc Thomas wasn't independent, he was a member of the Hosue of Lorraine, as was Prince Henri at the time of death. So Prince Henri was the only member of Duc Thomas feudal chain, making him the highest ranking one he would have gained all that land.

Really these matters of bureaucracy are tedious affairs for lawyers and paper pushers. I'll hope we can resolve this quickly!