Hugh II

**Hugh II**, King of Angelona, of House Beaumont, born in Bourgenay in 1383, died 1457, was an Angelonian King from 1421 to his death in 1457.

## Early life

Hugh was born in 1387 in Bourgenay, the son of Richard I and Sophia of Bohemia.

In 1400 Hugh was married to Eleonor of Aragon, the daughter of King John I of Aragon and Yolande of Bar. Hugh had four children with Eleonor, including Prince Robert in 1401.

## Jewish revolt of 1416

King Richard was forced to depart from a campaign in Algeria early after news reached him of Jewish uprisings in his lands in northern Egypt. The cities of Rosetta and Damietta both had large Jewish populations who in 1416 began an uprising due to tax rates imposed by the local Lord's. Richard arrived in Rosetta with his large army and quickly suppressed the revolt.

Prince Hugh was dispatched from Angelona with an army of 2,000 and arrived in Damietta at around the same time as his father arrived in Rosetta and quelled the Damiettan Jewish revolt. King Richard ordered all Jewish men to be rounded up and be put on trial for treason. Around 8,000 Jew's were imprisoned and were spared death after Queen Sophia begged her husband to show clemency. Instead, Richard executed the ring leaders, banished others involved and imposed a financial penalty on other families supporting the revolt. Hugh stayed in Damietta for two years to ensure order was maintained.

## King of Angelona

Richard returned from the Jewish revolts to Angelona with his health deteriorating. Richard had suffered many battle wounds over the years and in 1418 announced that he was too old to go on any further campaigns. He retired to his favoured palace of Burgonia and left the affairs of state to his wife, sons and royal council. Richard died at the Palace of Burgonia in 1421 and Hugh was crowned King.

## The War of Angelona

In 1439, Sultan Jaqmaq of the Mamluk Empire, gathered an invasion force of 20,000 and landed in Angelona sparking the War of Angelona. Jaqmaq was joined in an alliance with the Ottomen Sultan Murad II, who sent an army of 15,000 Ottomen's to Angelona. Hugh was caught unprepared with his naval forces dispersed around the Mediterranean. He sent convoys to Europe requesting help as the Ottomen/Mamluk army laid siege to a number of Angelonian cities.

Angelona spent 7 years under siege, but eventually won the war when Hugh destroyed the Mamluk/Ottoman army at Mortalain in 1446. It took Angelona many years to recover from the effects of the war. The countries farms had been plundered and many castles required rebuilding. Aragon, France and Cyprus sent a large number of supply ships to assist in the recovery. Pope Eugene IV commended Angelona for its victory and celebrated the war as a victory for Christendom. He further called on European monarchs to send aid and settlers to Angelona in a bid to strengthen one of Christianity's last remaining Kingdoms in the region.

Whilst the war resulted in a victory for King Hugh. The losses to Angelona were high and he suffered more defeats in battle than he won. The saving grace for Angelona was its superior naval power under James, Prince of Avindeanshire, which undoubtedly won the war for Angelona. In 1449 Hugh ransomed the Ottoman and Mamluk nobles that he captured in the war for a huge price which went some way to rebuilding the country.

## Later life

After the War of Angelona, Hugh spent the remainder of his reign rebuilding and strengthening the Kingdom. Whilst some criticised his tactics during the war, none doubted his wise plans to revive the defence and agriculture of Angelona. In 1457, Hugh collapse data state council meeting and a week later died. Upon his death his eldest son, Robert III, was crowned King.