The Lion of France (Charles SI)

[duquerivas]

Charles VIII, King of France.

Paris, June 1483

"Is everything all right your majesty?" listen through the door. I get up from my bed, confused and review a half-written letter that is on the desk, signed at the end as Charles VIII of France, June 1, year 1483.

"I am all right. One moment please." I said trying to remember what I knew about that French king

Charles was 12 years old, which would put the date at 1483, two years before the crazy war, led by my ambitious cousin Louis II, Duke of Orléans. At this point, Anna de Francia was regent of the kingdom and was beset by ambitious dukes who coveted regency in order to gain control of France. Louis XI of France had made a peace with the Duke of Flanders and his father the Maximilian through my engagement to Archduchess Margaret, but three more important problems still remained, the succession to the Duchy of Brittany, the ambition of my cousin Louis of Orleans, and the lack of a permanent royal army.

I needed to solve the three problems quickly and the real rents were not going to be enough for my projects. Fortunately, France was richer than the other Christian kingdoms, and the king's lands were large and prosperous.

Course Settled, I levered myself out of bed and padded over to the Door, opening it. "Mademoiselle, if you would be so kind as to Summon my aunt the Viscounts of Tours? I believe it is time I had a look over the Crown's Lands." I said.

The young servant hurried to obey before I began to dress in the finest clothes I could find, if I learned something in my previous life it is that the first impression is the one that counts.

Thus dressed, I went down the door to the great dining room in the Royal Palace, where I would meet my regent and start with luck, a more successful life.

[duquerivas]

Charles VIII, King of France.
Paris, June 1483

While I was having lunch in the dining room, a fillet of beef and a huge jug filled with grape juice, Anna of Francia, my uncle and the current regent of the kingdom of France. "Please, sit dear aunt. We have a lot to speak about the future of France." I said as I motioned for him to sit next to me.
Did your servant of hers say that she wished to review the running of the kingdom, Her Majesty?” asked Anna.

"I did. For one thing, I've come to realize that there are many servants in my court and spending on luxuries that are totally unnecessary." I replied.
"It is true that there is an excess of servants and the continuous purchases of jewels have been costly for the treasury. However, I did not think you would consider it important." Anna answered.

I consider it, on another topic, I also believe that it is not necessary to hold so many parties a year, they greatly reduce the available money and it is exhausting for me to attend so many at my age. I am worried that he will start a war with our neighbors and we will not have enough money in the royal treasury. I also need you to start selling the palaces I have around France except for the royal palace, they are expensive to maintain and the nobles will pay a good price." I replied.

Do you want me to organize the sale of your palaces and dismiss your servants? Anna asked with a visibly concerned raised eyebrow.
"Only the ones that aren't necessary, I don't think I need hundreds of servants for my personal needs. I've also noticed that there are many areas set aside as game reserves on my royal lands that I won't use because I don't like to go hunting, they would be more productive if we start their exploitation". I said.

"Your Majesty of her, may I ask what sparked this sudden interest in running the kingdom?" Anna asked.

Simple, you. Have you seen how my neighbors have grown stronger, the Holy Roman Emperor and the Kings of Castile and Aragon? Because they have let me know that I would not be able to defend myself against them if they invade us and the nobles betray me. My father wiped out the noble league, but they haven't lost all their power and wealth yet. If this continues it's likely that he will end up being overthrown by the nobles in the next war. Shouldn't my kingdom be my priority?" I replied.

Anna frowned at this and said, "While I'm glad to see you're more interested in ruling, Your Majesty, I don't know how the nobles will react if you try to change the laws. The nobles won't tolerate you meddling in their lands and personal affairs."

I have no intention of ordering anything from them. You will notice that I am simply reforming my possessions." I answered.
Anna nodded at that, "It's fine. They seem like sensible reforms, as long as you don't try to introduce reforms in the land of the nobles it won't see any inconvenience." He said.

"It's decided then. When would you start?" I asked.

"The sale of the palaces can be done in the course of weeks, I know several nobles who will line up to buy them. The sale of the meat and skins will take months, since we will have to find and train several hunters and furriers." Said the regent as she looked at him thoughtfully, "Sawmills take at least 1 year to start reporting profits, so it's more of a long-term investment, but you'll have to explain to your fiancée about the reduction in clothing and jewelry." . Anna chuckled.

Damn. My fiancée Margaret of Austria did not remember that she lived in the royal palace. She is a good woman according to the stories, but she will not marry me until Maximilian proves to be a faithful ally. "I'll take care of it", I replied. "Order to separate all the teak wood that is found, to send it to Marseilles; your brother-in-law, the Prince of Liège, to send me the blacksmiths who investigate the blast furnaces. With luck, from a few years from now France will be a kingdom that amazes the world”.

"We all wish it, Majesty." Anna smiled, before heading towards the treasure.
……………………..
"This must be a joke" she yelled as she looked at the treasure of the kingdom of France, ten thousand shields sadly huddled in a corner of the vault, "How much is the income of the kingdom of France doing?" I said while looking at her severely

"Currently there are 300,000 escudos to be collected next month my king." Anna answered quickly.

"So, by the first of July there will be 300,000 escudos in my vault" I said

"Not exactly, your father to win the war with the league of nobles had to take out a large loan, for the next 10 years, 200,000 escudos are destined to pay debts." Anna said as she took out a notebook. "50,000 escudos are allocated for the payment of salaries and the maintenance of the kingdom's infrastructure, 40,000 escudos were your personal expenses last year, but with the reform you are making in your personal expenses, I calculate that you will only spend 10,000 escudos this year"

"Well. That explains the 10,000 shields of the treasure" I said resigned "Take what is left over, aunt, and start the reforms, I have to write letters."

Her Majesty Queen Isabella of Castile and King Ferdinand of Aragon
I humbly addressed myself before you to fulfill the last wish of my father, King Louis XI of France, for which I hand over the counties of Roussillon and Cerdagne, that my father unjustly took from you in the past, in return I only ask for a treaty between our Christian countries, and I hope that we will be allies again as in the time of Enrique de Trastamara and Charles V of France.
Charles VIII of France.

[duquerivas]

Anna of France, Viscounts of Tours.
Paris, 30 Jane 1483

The tourney for the king's thirteenth birthday and his coronation wasn't as grand as the one held at Flanders two years before, Anna noted. This wasn't to say that gold hadn't been spent but to her eye it seemed to have been spent differently. Rather than splendid stands and banners, the new King had focused on durable flags and almost everything used had the look of something that might very well be cleaned, folded up and stored away for another occasion.

Five feasts marked the occasion and while the first and last were entirely at the expense of the King, he'd cannily invited duke of Bourbon, duke of Orleans and duke of Brittany to each host one banquet, bringing with them delicacies from their duchies to spice up the food on offer. Once again this moderated the expense and Orleans hadn't been able to resist the temptation to show off.

Anna was sure that when duke of Lorraine learned of the extravagance shown, he'd leap at the chance to seek to surpass it at the next opportunity. At least duke Brittany and Bourbon were showing more restraint.

"You don't say that these rumors are true?" Charles of Orleans, Count of Angoulême asked as he escorted Anna to the high table of the Bourbon feast.
"That depends which rumors you mean. There's enough that if you recite them all I'll be dead before you're done."

"That might indeed be true, but the one I mean is that it is said you will be appointed treasurer in the king's council."
"Well it's not as if he needs a Constable, with the Duke of Bourbon."

"Ha, very true," Angoulême conceded. "Alas, my own experience with my county army has not been enough to catch the King's eye when set against to the mighty Duke of Bourbon. I heard that the Duke of Bourbon has the largest army of all his nobles."

"It can hardly compare with your army... whatever it was."

At least the duke of Bourbon can field a decent army, among all the nobles he is only equaled by Orleans and Brittany.
The count laughed out loud. "You have a sharp tongue ex-regent, what did you think of the appointment of the Duke of Alençon as admiral and the Viscount of Thouars as general of the new royal army?"

"go pester another noble lady Angoulême." Anna got up from her chair and went to sit closer to the king. "Trémoille, you have risen quite a bit in the kingdom."
"You're looking well," Trémoille observed from his own seat - one place closer to where the King would be sitting once, he arrived.
She snorted. "Flattering me to avoid the question?"

"The king has appointed me general because I do not oppose the proposals he wants."

"Well at least you weren't foolish enough to cross the king" He'd timed the remark right as the duke of Orleans entered and Anna saw to the Duke of Orleans furious at not having a seat on the royal council.

Fortunately, he left the banquet due to his annoyance. Instead the seat on her other side was occupied by a quiet duke. It took her some time to realize that the man was the Gilbert Duke of Montpensier, partly because he didn't chat with anyone.

"So why did the King appoint you his Seneschal?" she demanded of him, after reminding Trémoille to take Pierre Terrail, son of lord of Bayard, as his squire.
The pale-eyed lord chewed quietly on a mouthful of pheasant and then swallowed. "We have never discussed that matter."
"No, I don't suppose that you have."

"It may be," he said judiciously, "That you and I have much in common with Bourbon."
Trémoille leant forwards to look past Anna. "Oh, what is that?"

Montpensier smiled thinly and refilled his goblet. "noble councilors who hate Orleans."

"I hardly think the king is that calculating."

Anna drew her lips back from her teeth. "I would agree with that, Trémoille. Are you married, Montpensier?"

"A widower."

"And likely to remain that way until the King weds - the girls of the nobility must be more intelligent; the king will only take a princess as befits his lineage."

Montpensier made a non-committal noise that was lost as Angoulême finished a rambling set of remarks that were probably intended to be witty and possibly impressed the more inebriated.

The King rose to his feet. "Thank you, duke of Bourbon, for hosting this banquet. I'm, particularly pleased with the wine and with the results of the tournament."

"One of the regent's last duties was to help me consider the members of my new royal guard, the twelve tournament-winning knights would be the new members of the guard led by Baron Jacques of Mondragon, the twelve members who would be called the order of Saint Michael. As such it's fitting that it be today, at this feast, the appointments of the royal guard and royal councilors are terminated."

Anna looked at the tables mostly occupied by nobles of France. Appointments might win over some of the men - at least enough to push any active rebellion back until after the next year. Maybe.