The Chronicle of France 1087 - ????

It was in 1560 that my King, Jean-Maire II decided that now was the time to start recording our glorious empire's history. Looking back over all the historical records that survive i saw that the tale of our rise to greatness began in 1087 and the ascension of King Phillipe I.

In 1087 King Phillipe came to the throne, the Kingdom was in pieces, his father had left lands which were broken by many English holdings. The King sought to unite all his provinces togeather and so 3 months after his rise to the thorne he personally lead an attack force into Normandy. The Englih were ill prepared for such an attack, especailly so soon after the king's coronation and they hastily fled the area. The king consolidated his grip on this newly won province by enlisting peasents from his capitol to guard it.

2 years later the King yet decided to follow the englsih soldiers into Anjou. The lord of Anjou took one look at the king's forces and decided to flee to Aquitain.

IT was later that year that our fortunes took a turn for the worse. The English king decided that losing two important provinces was an insult to his Kingship and decided to send troops across the seas into Flanders.

{The following report was found in an old book in the keep libary}


The First battle of Flanders - 1090

We gripped our spears tightly, even though we outnumbered the english archers slightly the english were better equipped. We watched silently as the english marched steadily towards us, suddenly they stopped, as if they had sensed something. Men around me were praying in low voices, some for their family, some for victory. However, this was disturbed by english arrows zipping through the leafy canpoy and down onto us. Only when they ran out of arrowns did they confront us face to face, we forced one of their units to run. Half the men were chasing the runnig englishmen when the the otehr unit charged. Men around me were cut to pieces as our line collapsed completely and we were chased off the field in an unglorious defeat.

The signed name was not legible

The King lost many men in that battle but there ws enoguh money to replace the casualties. 2 years later in 1092 he ordered the retaking of Flanders, this casued yet another english retreat as the French troops heavily outnumbered the English.

However, the Englsih king was not to be put off by the retreat, in 1093 the Englsih king personnaly lead an attack, backed by 3 units of archers and 1 unit of peasents. The records show that the newly appointed Duke of Flanders, Lord de Boullion was present with his guard of militia. The lord had handpicked his unit from the best soldiers in his town and it was a highly experienced force which faced the english.
{The following was handed to us by the mayor of Gilleps - Lrd Boullion's home town.}

The Second battle of Flanders - 1093

Mama, Papa,

I hope I find you both well, you may have heard of an epic battle which took place a week ago. The English came to take our land from us and we repelled them. You should have seen our Goeffry in battle, he was like a wolf, taking down most of the enemy king's bodyguards in an ambush The english were approaching our main army when Goeff lead the charge into the flank, the english reeled but we managd to get to his unit just in time.

We lost of men in that battle, you remember Christoff, Marcel and Jacob? They all died bravely fighting the invaders, please pass on my condolances to their parents and tell them that they died bravely, whcih is more than what can be said of the English archers, who ran from the battlefield when we approacehd them.

All my love
Serge Boullion



All of this warmongering sapped French military stength, however ,there was just enoguh troops left from the earlier campagins to risk an attack into the last English hstronghold in France : Aquitain.

The English line was comprised mainly of peasents but well equipped hobilars made up the rest of the enemy force. Accounts from the day tell of a slightly rushed french assault into the enemy peasant line by the French troops, just as the French sensedvictory, hobilars poured from the forest and encircled the french vanguard. The King hastily rushed the rest of his men into the fray, sending in his heir: Prince Phillipe, to hold off 2 units of hobilars coming in from the left. This relfie came just in time, only the unit of archers and a depleted unit of Militiamen broke and ran, but the sight of their brothers in arms fighting tooth and nail bought them new courage. The French line lasted long enoguh for the King to be able to move his archers behind the battleline and assault the English from behind. Seeing that they were teapped the English broke and ran. On the right flank, the prince's men had managed to rout one unit of hobilars but the last man was dragged down and killed by the enemy just before the King could rush to his son's aid. Saddened by his son's death, the King ordered that all of the captives be killed, as a sign of how much his son meant to him.


The battle signalled the end of english power in mainland europe, however, it seems that the next year the english tried again to break into Flanders, lead yet again by Lord de Boullion the French mustered all they could, even recruiting the peasent garrisons of nearby normandy. The armies squared up to each other on the bloodied turf that had been the graves of many english and frenchmen alike.

The third battle of Flanders - 1095
found in local records
It was early morning when the english came for battle. However they saw no enemy as Lord de Boulion had ordered the hiding of every unit. We watched as the englsih rode past our positions, yet we dared not attack. Every second was as nervewracking as the last. I thoguht my unit was done for when an english dog sniffed the air, as if he had noticed our presence. Time seemed to stand stil at this moment, nobody dared move. Thankfully the owner didn't notice and the army soon mover on. By late evening the English had gotten tired of searching for us and it seems that they decided to abandon their search in favour of going home to thier families. Why must we continue fighting, surely they are similar to us, with the same family and friends that we have.

However, this battle wasn't the end of the tale, the Englsih king decided to raid the province again the next year.

The English had superior forces, including the English crown prince whilst the french force conisted of mainly militiamen and a depleted unit of archers. Again, lord de boullion tried to hide a ambush unit in the same place but this time the impetuous english first wave, lead by the crown prince charged into the woods, scattering the peasent unit. However, the English King was also advancing upon the French line with his second wave, and called away the prince's troops, alone and without support, even the prince's household guard couldnt stop them being annihilated by vengeful french militaimen.

All this time the Englsih king was oblivious to the dange and ordered his men forward. Lord de Boullion took the surprising tactic of rushing forward with his men, risky as it seemed it patyed off for the French, the english battlelines were barely drawn when the french force hit with full impact. Trying to hold his line togeather, the English king was cut down by arrow fire. Wit their king dead, the line borke and was all but swept up by the unit of militamen emerging from the forest.

he latter years of King Phillipe's reign was spent building mighty churches to relive what he saw as his blood debt. He ordered that the holy land be captured and in the last year of his reign, a crusade set out to do exactly this. With his death the french kingdom passed to his son who would enlarge and stabilise the kingdom.