The Valois Dynasty

[TheSilverKnight]

Today was the day...a cold one in Paris, in 1205. King Philippe II of the French, he would be. What a glorious title. King of the French. He could see it now. Barely five years before, Philippe de Valois had been a humble soldier in the service of King Louis IV. But now fate had landed him on the French throne. Our story takes us back a year, when Louis IV (of the family Capet), was King.
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The bedchambers were silent, in November of 1204. The King was not well. It was assumed he was sick with something, but they did not know what. It was snowing heavily, and the ground was covered in white. The King lay silent, clutching his stomach, as his attendees stood close by, as well as the King's wife, Marie de Medici, daughter of an Italian noble. She looked at him, and he gasped for air. The cardinals and priests of Paris had given him his last rites, and all was set for when he dies. His wife was sobbing, for he had no heir, and the dynasty would die with him. He leaned a bit, to his closest atendee, the Count of Anjou.
Philippe de Valois..will be my heir..tell him...he is the King.. he said softly, and took off his crown, laying it on the desk beside him, then he turned to the wall, and died...
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He remembered it perfectly. The organ and choir sang heavenly choruses of the latin song books, and turned towards his people and sat down, his wife, Catherine de Medici, the sister of the previous queen, next to him. The Archbishop of Reims looked upon him, and lowered the crown on his head, saying prayers.
The coronation regalia was given to him, and he stood upright.
Today is the dawn of a new era, people of France Today, you will be gifted by god he exclaimed to his people.
Cheers rang out through the church, as knights stood beside the King and Queen. It was the beginning of the Valois dynasty on the throne of France. A new era had begun.

Ok, that's part one. I will write more, but I want some people to read it and tell me what you think.

[TheSilverKnight]

Philippe II had an heir. His name was Francois. Francois was born in 1206, after much struggle by his mother to produce an heir. Philippe II, however, did not hear of the birth of his son, for he was in Italy, struggling against the excommunicated Sicilians for the Pope. The holy banner had been raised, and he could not ignore its' call. In his place, his wife Catherine de Medici was installed as regent. Philippe would not return until 1220, after he had conquered Sicily and Naples and installed his nephew Jean as King Jean (John) I of Sicily-Naples.
So we come to France, 1206, where Catherine de Medici had given birth...
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The regency had originally been thought to be given to King Philippe's cousin, Charles de Valois, but his wife was given the regency instead. Barely 6 days after her son Francois was born, she assumed the regency. Her first matter of state was to pass the law which would make divorce legal in France. The Pope had approved it, but Le Council de Nobles had not yet approved it. It would be a major event in the reign of Catherine I. She was a cunning woman, who could get anything she wanted from simple manipulation and having affairs with people. One such affair was that of her and the King's brother, Louis, the Count de Provence. It began with flirtation in Catherine's lavish court, which soon grew to love. The affair erupted in 1211, and Louis was exiled, then the affair was ended. No other important events happened in the reign of Catherine as Regent of France.
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When Philippe II returned to France in 1220, he was a changed man. Sickly and weakened from several wounds sustained, he was in no fit shape to rule.
In a sudden change of events, the King suffered a mental rage attack in 1221, and in a frenzy, stabbed a senior cardinal, and his brother, the Count of Anjou, killing both. He was deemed unfit to rule. He was overthrown in 1222, and his 15 year old son Francois became the second monarch of the Valois dynasty. King Francois I

More to come. Francois will be married to someone. But who? Will it be an English or Scottish Princess? A German Baroness? Perhaps a Spanish Queen?? More to come

[TheSilverKnight]

anyone?? please read and review

[frogbeastegg]

Quote[/b] (TheSilverKnight @ Jan. 09 2004,13:25)]anyone?? please read and review

Sounds familiar

What kind of review do you want? If you want the quick type then your idea is good and has potential but a little more polish would go a long way, for example Francois was born in 1206, after much struggle by his wife to produce an heir. has an effect because it sounds like Francois own wife gave birth to him I think you meant 'mother' not 'wife' there A read though or two with the aim of polishing your work would remove eye popping errors like that and leave the reader free to sit back end enjoy the tale.

If you mean a more in-depth review going over the story point by point, giving advice on where to alter things etc I am not nearly qualified to give advice like that, but someone here may be.

You know that almost sounded like a halfway decent comment, there must have been something in that tea I just drank

[Ludens]

It is good, but a bit short. Perhaps you could say it is a review itself.
There isn't much to say about. You just pick out a few highlights. The way you work out those highlights is amazing. You manage to show the scene with only a few sentences. Very good
But just when it gets interesting, the story skips to the next highlight.

If you could work out those highlights some more, tell more about them, and tell about the meaning of the event for the characters, it would be more of a story. But perhaps that is not what you have on your mind.

Adding more character to the personages also helps.


This is my humble advise to the Leader of the Crusade against Oversized Signatures.

Your obedient servant,
Sir Ludens of the Crusade against Oversized Signatures.

[TheSilverKnight]

Legally, Francois was not yet of age to rule, so his mother was chosen as the regent. Francois resented this very much.
Catherine de Medici had given birth to another son in 1221, named Louis, and he was given the title of Count of Chambord, and was the next heir after Prince Francois (Now King Francois I). The coronation was lavish, yet, unlike King Philippe II's coronation in 1205, the King had no wife to sit beside him and be crowned Queen Consort. His mother, Catherine, was a very posessive and controlling woman, and wished for a woman who would provide the 3rd monarch of the Valois dynasty.
There were several cantidates:
Princess Mary of Scotland, who was the daughter of James Stuart, King of Scotland,
Baroness Wilhelmina Hohenstaufen, Duchess of Swabia,
Queen Johanna of Navarre

Each of these proved good choices for wives.
If Francois married Queen Johanna of Navarre, Navarre would be added the realms of France, therefore providing a 3 way attack on the English from Anjou, Toulouse, or Navarre respectively.
If Francois married Princess Mary of Scotland (who was the crown princess), a vital alliance would be formed against England.
And, if Francois married the Duchess of Swabia, Swabia would be added to French realms.

If only she could decide. She decided, finally, her son had no choice in the woman he would be married to, so she decided to meet them all first..

Baroness Wilhelmina, when they met, was rude and selfish, stuffy, and overall unpleasant. She was unsuitable.

When she met Johanna of Navarre, she got to meet Francois. She took one look at Francois, and left.

All that was left was Princess Mary of Scotland. She was witty, charming, beautiful, and smart. Francois took a look at her, and she looked at him, and it was love at first sight. It was a match made in heaven...

Ok, that was part 3. The royal wedding will come up, and Francois will engage in his first war, against Navarre