In the western part of the Saône Province, a mountain range hundreds of miles long stretches across the plains leading to the Principality of Burgundy, dividing the plains into two parts: east and west.
The length of the mountain range is not small, but the width is not. From the entrance to the exit, it is no more than ten miles wide. The middle of the mountain range seems to have been cut in half by a giant axe, and a wide valley appears among the mountains, becoming a passage connecting the east and west.
There is a prosperous castle in the wide valley, which is the city of Beaune, an important border trade town between the Principality of Burgundy and the County.
Under the setting sun, a fast horse was rushing towards Bona City from the canyon road in the west, carrying wind and dust.
Yate, wearing a military uniform, stood on a high tower in the West City and looked at the endless mountains, with a hint of worry in his resolute eyes.
Flanders' ambitions ultimately put the County of Burgundy on the opposite side of the Duchy of Burgundy. The County, which had just rejoiced in its victory in the Battle of the Successors, once again fell into crisis, an even greater crisis.
Att did not follow Flanders to France for an audience. As the commander of the main battle legion of the county, he and several commanders of the Longxia Army and the Palace Guard Corps stayed in the country to guard the western, northern and eastern borders respectively.
The Welsh Army also went to the western border to garrison at the city of Beaune after a very short wartime repair, ready to deal with the iron heel of the Principality of Burgundy.
After years of war, the Welsh Army was exhausted. The second phase of the succession war, which lasted for half a year, caused the Wells Army (Southern Frontier Garrison Army and Valley Garrison Army) to lose nearly 300 soldiers, including 126 legion soldiers.
Originally counting on being able to return to the southern valley to restore repairs after the First World War, now they have to put on armor again and face the disaster that may come at any time.
It is an indisputable fact that the Earl State is inferior to the Principality.
Just last night, Art received a battle report from the flying pigeons of Besançon. Four days ago, the Longxia Legion guarding the northern border had a large-scale battle with the cavalry of the Principality of Burgundy in the wilderness on the northern border. Although the Longxia Legion was an elite force with hundreds of heavy cavalry, it was still severely beaten by the cavalry of the Principality of Burgundy. In the end, it was only thanks to the 500 elite cavalry from Provence that they escaped.
What worries Art even more is that the Principality of Swabia, representing the Holy Ra Empire, has once again deployed troops on the border. This time without the constraints of the Principality of Burgundy, they have polished their swords and prepared to conquer the Duke of Burgundy in one fell swoop. The Jonah Army, which had just returned eastward not long ago, was obviously unable to withstand the enemy forces from Swabia.
The riddled New Count of Burgundy is facing three enemies in an instant. Now we can only hope that the new king Flanders will have enough courage and scheming to make the Kingdom of France the absolute backing of the new Earl of Burgundy...
As he was thinking about it, there were hurried steps on the wooden ladder of the high tower, and Ron climbed up panting heavily.
"Master, there is a battle report coming from the front." Ron calmed down and presented a piece of paper with both hands.
"Lord Odo reports - at noon today, the outpost of the Burgundy army crossed the border and raided a village on the border. Twenty households of civilians in the village were massacred. The enemy outpost has twenty cavalry and fifty infantry, all wearing armor, and will be stationed in the village tonight. Lord Odo asked for instructions on what to do."
At turned around and took the note, glanced at it, and rubbed it in the palm of his hand, "They are testing our reaction. If we don't make the slightest move, they will continue to drive in."
After weighing it for a moment, he whispered an order. Said: "Instruct the Odo tribe to see the opportunity and strike preemptively; just drive them away, no pursuit is necessary."
"Let the sergeant major select two hundred soldiers from the defenders to camp ten miles west of the city, and be ready to support the forward Odo tribe at any time." Art added.
There is no way, there is a huge disparity in strength. On the other side of the national boundary canyon were two hundred heavy cavalry, three hundred heavy infantry and six hundred armored infantry of the Palace Guards Corps of the Principality of Burgundy.
Humiliation Half a year ago, the Welsh Army could have taken advantage of the terrain to fight to the death, but now the main force of the Welsh Army must stick to the city of Beaune. The more than 100 cavalry and 300 infantry led by Odo really did not dare to confront the enemy.
While Art personally led the Welsh Army to deal with the enemy in the western city of Beaune, a war without gunpowder was going on in the city of Dijon, the capital of the Principality of Burgundy.
Flanders successfully used the suzerainty of a county to persuade the King of France and the Pope to personally go to the Duchy of Burgundy to participate in mediation negotiations.
The tense negotiations lasted for ten days, with all parties insisting on their own interests and threatening to use force.
In the end, all parties made concessions to each other, and the game of interests achieved a relative balance.
The County of Burgundy dissolved its vassal relationship with the Duchy of Burgundy and became an extraterritorial autonomous territory of the Kingdom of France.
As a price, the Count of Burgundy paid a one-time compensation of 3 million Fenni to the Dijon Palace, and will accept three times the punitive transit tariff for twenty years. At the same time, the Count of Burgundy will pay a "tribute" of 500,000 Finney to the Dijon Palace as usual every year, but this "tribute" has nominally become a "funding" between equal states.
At the same time, the Kingdom of France also made concessions. The King of France promised to open the commercial border to the Principality of Burgundy for five years. Within five years, goods from the Principality of Burgundy entering the Kingdom of France will not have to pay any transit tax.
In terms of actual benefits, the Principality of Burgundy not only suffered no losses, but also directly and indirectly gained nearly 10 million Fenni (mainly from tariffs).
The King of France was also the beneficiary. As an ambitious king, he only used some political means and five years of tariffs to obtain the territory of a county and an annual tribute of 500,000 pfennigs. Even if this territory temporarily maintained its autonomy, the King of France was paving the way for his own hegemony.
The Principality of Burgundy and the Kingdom of France are both beneficiaries, and the only one who will suffer in the end is the New County of Burgundy...
No matter what kind of compromises and concessions, Flanders finally stabilized the external situation.
The Principality of Burgundy withdrew its troops from the border one after another, and the Swabian army, which had originally planned to fish in troubled waters, also returned in frustration.
In early December, Art received an order from the Besançon Palace. After arranging the border defense of Beaune City, he rushed to the capital under the escort of a fifty-man personal army.
In the city of Besançon, a mansion that originally belonged to a certain earl of the previous dynasty has changed to a new owner.
Galvin, who had just finished a long interview and thrilling negotiations, was still dusty and had no time to rest at this moment. He dragged his tired and excited body to have a secret conversation with his good son-in-law Art in the study of his new mansion.
...In fact, it is not without benefit. The Duchy of Burgundy has agreed to cede the Earl of Longchard to the Count of Burgundy from the duchy's territory on the condition of three million fennigs. This money will be advanced by the Holy Order's treasury, and we must repay it at the same time as the loan of 5 million fennigs."
"The King of France has ordered a three-level meeting to discuss upgrading the Count of Burgundy to the Marquis of Burgundy. His Majesty the King of France originally wanted to change the name of the County of Burgundy to Franconshet, but the new monarch declined. In the future, no one will criticize the Marquis and the County."
"The Marquis of Burgundy will have one capital, six provinces, and four autonomous cities, and its territory will be greatly expanded."
Art was slightly stunned, "Six provinces? Including the Earl of Longxia, there are only five provinces. Where are the six provinces?"
Galvin smiled, "This is the purpose of the new monarch in calling you back from the west. The sixth province of the Burgundy Kingdom will be created by you Art yourself!"
"Huh?"
...
“Art, my uncle must have told you my plan. Although your southern viscounty is not very prominent now, I believe you can turn that land into a fertile land for my Burgundy kingdom.”
"The request to establish a new province has been approved by His Majesty the King. Since it is your territory, the name of the new province will be Wales, and you will be the first ruler of the new province, the Earl of Wales."
"The territory of the Province of Wales includes the east of Codor, south of the southern border of Lucese, and the province of Yona. All the territories south of the southern border legally belong to the former County of Burgundy. "
"Cousin Art, I have sent people to visit your valley viscounty, and also ordered people to read ancient books. The land south of the valley can extend to the northern border of the Principality of Lombardy, and it was once a trade route running from north to south and fertile farmland..."
Sitting in the Marquis's office in the inner court of the Besancon Palace, Art was somewhat lost in thought...
At noon on the first day of the Christian era in 1306, Prince Charles of France announced the royal decree on behalf of the King of France in the palace of Besancon.
The Marquis of Burgundy was formally established, with its capital Besançon, belonging to the Kingdom of France, and its first ruler was the Marquis of Flanders Otto.
On that day, the first ruler of Burgundy, with the authorization of the king, ennobled five provincial counts, two court counts and twenty-five viscounts and enfeoffed the land.
Baldwin, the former Count of Jonah of Burgundy, was conferred the title of Count of Jonah of Burgundy, with a fiefdom of the entire province of Jonah and three cities and twelve castles in the northeast of Côte d'Or, and was appointed Prime Minister of Burgundy.
The former Earl of Lucesin, County of Burgundy, was conferred as Earl of Lucesin, County of Burgundy, with a fiefdom of the entire province of Lucesin and one city and two castles in the Côte d'Or province, and was appointed as the new deputy minister of the palace.
Galvin, the former Viscount of the Court of the County of Burgundy, was conferred the title of Count of Codor, entrusted with two counties in the southern part of the Codor Province, and appointed as the new Palace Finance Minister.
Hriti Ika, the former Viscount of Longxia and the first deputy commander of the Longxia Army, was conferred the title of Earl of Longxia, granted the land of Longxia, and was appointed as the new military minister of the palace.
Former court earl, minister of the seal... canonized as court earl...
Attwood Wells, the former Viscount of the Border Counties of Burgundy, was conferred the title of Earl of Wales, entrusting the entire province of Wales, the city of Beaune and the surrounding two forts and twelve villages, the Fort of Marcy and the surrounding 20 miles of land, and was appointed as the military deputy of the palace...
The above are just the lords and fiefs, other official positions and money, as well as the amount of money that can be entitled to confer lower-level nobles, are not listed.
In addition to the province of Saône, which is firmly in Flanders' hands, the other five provinces and territories of the Burgundy Kingdom have their own rulers.
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A quarter-acre mansion surrounded by three four-story buildings in the south of Besançon is now the residence of Atwood Wells, the new Earl of Wales and the palace's military deputy. This was specially prepared for Atwood by the palace and given to him along with eight servants in the mansion.
"...Tsk, tsk, these wealthy businessmen know how to enjoy themselves. Look at these decorations, they are so luxurious." Ron accompanied Art as he walked in the mansion, and couldn't help but sigh at the luxurious life of the wealthy businessmen. This was originally the residence of a wealthy businessman in the city of Besançon. In the battle for succession, the wealthy businessman chose Bernard, and now it has naturally turned into a headless corpse.
Matt glanced around the mansion. It was big enough and luxurious enough. Flanders had put all his thought into it.
"Stop drooling and get down to business." Art said seriously.
Ron immediately calmed down, looked around to make sure that the servants were not nearby, and whispered, "Sir, the people in Amory sent back the news that Earl Baldwin was furious in the mansion last night. He originally wanted a quarter of the territory of Saône Province and the city of Codor, but the Marquis only gave him a county of Codor Province and several castles."
"Uncle Baldwin. The group of nobles around the Duke were also dissatisfied with the new monarch's reward, and they all threatened to go to the palace to see him..."
"Does the new monarch know?"
Ron lowered his voice again, "The ears and eyes we have installed in the inner court are not qualified to hear this news, so we don't know yet."
Att nodded and remained silent.
Ron looked around again, "Master, this will be your mansion in Besançon from now on. I think all the servants in the mansion should be replaced. These people are all new faces, and they always feel uneasy."
Matt smiled bitterly and said, "No, this mansion was given to me by the new king, and those servants were naturally given to me by the new king. I can't refuse the new king's wishes."
"Well, this mansion is big enough. You can recruit two more servants yourself."
Ron thought for a moment and suddenly realized, "Yes, sir."
"Ron, please make arrangements. I will go to the palace to meet the new king tomorrow. The war is over, and although we have obtained the title and fiefdom, what we have to do has just begun..."
….
"A letter has been sent from Besancon, and our lord has been officially canonized as a count. Our county of Tyniec and the entire valley have also become the newly established province of Wales in the Burgundy Kingdom, and the ruler is your lord."
When they heard that their lord had become an earl, and that he was a provincial earl who owned a province, everyone was naturally overjoyed. They were happy for their lord and for their boundless future.
"Okay, everyone, be quiet. I know what the guys are thinking. To be honest, I, Odo, am also very excited. I stayed out all night last night."
A burst of laughter came from the hall.
"However, what we have to do is just the beginning. Brothers, if you want to harvest the fruits, you have to do the current things well."
The hall gradually became quiet.
by your lord!'
"From now on, the Welsh Army has entered wartime repairs, and will be led by the adjutant of the legion, Angus, back south."
"Order, the deputy commander of the Welsh Army, Odo, selects fifty officers and soldiers to stay in Bonne City, and immediately sets out to form the Western Border Guard Corps."
"Today's military discussion is mainly about the selection of left-behind officers and soldiers to form the Western Guard Corps. Let me first briefly introduce the Western Guard Corps as a border army established by the Burgundy Palace. It has a strength of 500 and is supported by the palace. The Earl of Wales also serves as the commander of the regiment..."