Chapter 170 150: First Simulation
Losa had a total of three simulation opportunities for the Hundred Years' War scenario, whereas the 1453 Fall of Constantinople scenario had only one.
Because there is no room for trial and error, and Losa truly feels that it is simply impossible to complete, he plans to cast it aside.
Wait until he grows stronger, at least when he can contend with the three-headed giant dragon.
Time: 1423.
Location: France, Chinon
Background: [In 1328, since the late tenth century, the main branch of the Capet Dynasty ruling France became extinct.]
[The throne passed to Philip VI of the Valois branch of the Capet Dynasty.]
[The King of England, Duke of Aquitaine, and Count of Ponthieu, Edward III, believed that he had a greater claim to the French throne as the nephew of the previous king rather than Philip VI who was a cousin.]
[Thus began the so-called Hundred Years' War.]
You are "Charles," the eleventh child of the former King of France, Charles VI. Due to the successive deaths of your brothers Louis and John, you have been established as the new Crown Prince.
Your father, Charles VI, while hunting during an outing, was attacked by a werewolf and afflicted with wolf poison, leading him to occasionally fall into bouts of madness.
Since the King cannot govern, the French nobility split into the Burgundy Faction and the Armagnac Faction, engaging in a prolonged civil war.
Ultimately, the Burgundy Faction emerged victorious.
John, the Duke of Burgundy, seized the power of the French Regent King and began his tyrannical rule over Paris until he was driven back to Burgundy by you and your supporting Armagnac Faction.
Upon taking power, you immediately expelled the Empress Isabella whom you detested, causing her to turn to the Burgundy Faction, and in 1418, John, the Duke of Burgundy, led his army back into Paris.
You and your loyal vassals fled to Bourges, leaving you with only this small territory directly under your control, forcing you to rely on the Armagnac noblemen.
The English invaded Normandy, and John, the Duke of Burgundy, attempted reconciliation with you to jointly confront the external foes.
You feigned acceptance of John's invitation but found it difficult to restrain your anger upon seeing his despicable and unappealing face, so you drew a dagger and assassinated him.
John's son, Philip, succeeded as Duke and immediately launched retaliation against you, openly supporting the English King Henry V's claim to the French throne.
Burgundy officially allied with England.
Your father, poisoned by the wolf and mentally disturbed, was forced by the English to sign the Treaty of Troyes—stipulating that upon your father's death, Henry V would inherit the French throne and you, the Crown Prince, would be deposed.
Upon Henry V's death, his son, Henry VI, succeeded him as king of the United Kingdom and France, crowned as king of two realms.
The Duke of Bedford succeeded as Regent of France, and once again led an army southward.
Due to the disastrous defeat at the Battle of Agincourt, most of the French forces were lost, resulting in repeated failures and loss of prestige in the face of the British army led by the Duke of Bedford.
After hearing this lengthy background introduction, Losa felt that the situation of France was almost identical to that of the Kingdom of Jerusalem.
The King similarly suffering from a "grave illness," with vassals splitting into two factions in a power struggle, ignoring the invasion by foreign adversaries to continue internal conflict.
This Crown Prince Charles is a fool as well, clearly the Duke of Burgundy agreed to peace talks to jointly fight the external enemies yet he committed the grave palace taboo of assassination due to personal vendetta.
The perspective shifted.
A vast map appeared in front of Losa; the former France, now most of the northern territories have been marked with England's Three Lions crest and Fleur-de-lis flag (since the English king is now also the French king).
The area with the French Fleur-de-lis flag only remained south of the Loire River.
[You now face the problem of financial scarcity, numerous enemies, and the most prosperous northern part of France has been completely occupied by the English and Burgundy people.]
[Your direct domain has dwindled to the extreme, your vassals are unwilling to pay the obligatory vassal tax and shield tax since you have not ascended as King.]
[Mercenaries deprived of salaries, along with the coalition forces of Burgundy and England ravage what remains of France, and most of your subjects just want this terrible war over quickly, even if it means being ruled by an Englishman.]
You choose: A. Recruit an army from your vassals to defeat the marauding mercenaries in the countryside and restore a bright future for the French people.
B. Use titles and land to recruit the uncontrolled countryside mercenaries.
C. Write a letter to the Duke of Burgundy, solemnly apologizing for your past mistakes.
This is what the simulation is like...
The difficulty seems average.
Losa pondered briefly, based on his perspective, the current situation dictates that choosing option A is absolutely not feasible, as it is simply impossible.
Since he is only the Crown Prince and an already deposed one at that.
Even if these noblemen are willing to support him, until he is crowned as king, he has no authority to command them to fulfill their vassal obligations.
As for option B, merely titles and land, lacking the urgent wartime commodities of money and grain, is not likely to be easy.
Those mercenary groups are savvy individuals.
Dividing the alliance between Burgundy and England is the most crucial goal now!
France at present is unable to cope with these two powerful adversaries whatsoever.
Losa decisively chose option C.