Dawn of the XV Century.
England had recently renewed hostilities with the French. Where England was a more centralized Kingdom, they had lost all but a few precious scattered holdings on the main land, save in Gascony and Calais. The French meanwhile were scattered, relying heavily upon vassals, above all the King was weak, yet even what they held to themselves was able to outfight the English on even terms but time would tell whether politics or internal corruption would tip the scale.
Europe was at a critical point. Navarra was at war with the larger kingdom of Aragon, other powers, including Savoy took the chance to show their loyalty to their alliance or simply to seize what spoils they could.
The Irish lords of Leinster found themselves soon to fall to a war of aggression by the English. It remained a matter of time and the question was asked whether they would be demanded as tribunaries or their peoples exiled and cast out, and the Pale extended over Leinster as well.
Naples too, helped keep France divided as a Valois King of Naples held many of his old French territories. They were politically neutral and uninterested in the war of their French brothers. Instead sought to keep their scattered lands independant under Louis' rule and expand out into Epirus.
Already, Jean rode armoured on his steed but the era of Breton knights was closing, instead their officers rode few in numbers along side an almost entirely infantry force. They could afford to field no more.
He watched as the sun rose over the green fields of Vendée.
Soon, Anjou and Maine would be in his hands as was just. Charles de Blois had taken his father and mother from him and now he would seize the rich lands to the east that he Charles had left his daughter. It had been many years but justice would at last be served
Over the hills, war pipes sounded with battle drums in chorus.
The melody unchanged since the days of Arthur, it called them forward.
Jean had not hear the call for many years now, but he knew it well.
It called for war and war called them forward.
