Records: Angevin Elevations

## **Prelude to the Elevations**

First things first: King Edward transferred the Port of Calais back to France. He still owned it, but anything he could do to reduce the amount of psychic residual from all that happend leading up to it, during and after the battle, he wanted to wash that away from England and France alike.

The aftermath of transferring Calais... that sent a different kind of shockwave through Europe. There was blood and soul and meaning to the city. There was also progress – and progress was what King Edward IV was imparting to the world. Life goes on. Sometimes, life even comes back to visit after they're dead.

### **The Noble House of Plantagenet**

The transfer was a necessary step for the next stage of the evolution of the Noble House of Plantagenet. The Angers-based corporatized House was raised as an official, independent "noble" in England, France, and Aquitaine. In this case, the House was to be granted a feudal barony and would be managing it, reporting on it, collecting tax and giving the required percentage to the Sovereign of the individual kingdom.

It was kind of a political-level management company. The Kingdom didn't lose the territory: they just now treated it as vassal fief. Further, even if something happened to the family line ruling the country, a sudden abdication or health or beyond, there was still a layer of work, placement and income for the Noble House.

### **In England**

Granted a barony encompassing the port of Dover in England, that was the shortest route from England to France and the normal point of transfer to Calais.

### **In France**

As expected, once Dover was granted to Noble Plantagenet management on one side, Calais was granted on the other. This was somewhat breath-taking that the king of both would be giving these two points away, but they certainly weren't going far.

### **In Aquitaine**

In a complex story all its own, Aquitaine had soft-annexed Roussillon from Peter IV of Aragon. Mostly coordinated by the Sergeants-at-Arms, Peter was informed that the local aristocracy of Roussillon was switching allegiance to Aquitaine. After the Plantagenet phenomena had retaken Aquitaine, conquered France and assumed Castile, Peter had zero desire to start a war – and gave his blessings. King Rick, in turn, granted Roussillon to Noble Plantagenet as a barony, giving them a foothold on the Mediterranean.

### **In Arelat**

Also a King Rick call, the decision was made to grant Noble Plantagenet the former Prince-Bishopric of Basel. The city and now barony of Basel was in the northeast corner of Arelat, in the heart of Europe, and a perfect jump-off point on the River Rhine to the new *Kingdom of Germany.*

### **In Italy**

With the blessing of Joanna, Queen of Italy, Prince Rick of Taranto carved the Barony of Santa Maria di Leuca from his Principality and had the Noble Plantagenet report directly to the Queen's Court and Parliament in Rome. This was the southeastern Land's End of Italy, the farthest tip of the peninsula in the Mediterranean. Under Plantagenet management and CCC construction, a world-class, heavily-defended port and lighthouse was quickly built.

### **In Castile (pending)**

Spain... *wasn't granted yet*. That it would be was a given, but given *where* was still up in the air. John had ideas on the north coast to facilitate traffic towards England, Rick suggested southward to facilitate traffic into the Mediterranean. They were now leaning south, but at Rick's suggestion, the Spanish grant wasn't made yet.

## **Noble Houses**

The idea of corporatizing Houses wasn't *entirely* new. The House of Habsburg, for instance, was fairly sprawling and complex, but it was still dependent on maintaining the male line. The western definition of dynasty still had that blood succession, and should one fall into any sort of bad luck, the organization went extinct.

The idea of basing the concentrated political power of a machine like a noble or royal house on the fertility of leaders was beginning to look... *dated*. At the very least, broadening the rules of succession meant less chance of wars (and losing the estates).

Given the acceptance of the Church to this new idea – and given the success of the Plantagenets and the recognition of the Church for such an entity – following similar options was starting to look attractive to aristocratic families.

## **The Royal "\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_"**

As the Noble Plantagenet took the role of a separate "House" – and acted as mortar between royal bricks, the place, name and privilege of entities such as the Royal Company, or other institutions such as the Royal Academy or the Royal Order of Merlin, were examined and evolved.

The Royal Company was one of the biggest, starting in England, especially since it had offices that Rick had created to work completely independently in Bordeaux. The Kingdom of Aquitaine had it's own Crown Treasury... *and separate Royal Wardrobe*. Did the Royal Company pay tax to England or Aquitaine? Did it pay both? What was the relationship?

There were already complex transnational business issues that merchants dealt with, especially given trade duties coming and going in international ports. This was an extension of that, but now dealt with internal company structure to best and most fairly deal with the issues.

### **The Royal Company**

The bulk of the Royal Company was going to switch to the "Noble Company" unless it was a business that was specific to a particular jurisdiction, such as something that only serviced subjects of England. For instance, the Royal Company had been contracted as the printing business for English tax stamps. That unit would continue as the Royal Company *of England*. Aquitaine, France, Arelat and so on would have their own branches for work that was handled in-country.

General shipping and import/export would definitely shift to the *Noble Company*.

Certain arms, munitions or materiel would be shifted to the *Noble Company*, while any defense products that were considered ultra-sensitive might remain as *Royal Company of KingdomX*.

Likewise for subdivisions, such as the CCC, Ambrosius Company or any future endeavour.

#### **The Noble Bank**

The Noble House of Plantagenet was opening a bank that would have a magically-connected ledger. A cash deposit made in England could be withdrawn in Arelat and vice versa. Deposits were secured and guaranteed.

Further, loans were offered at the level of the individual, the company, or the noble. Interest rates were based on risk, and individuals were guaranteed loans of 10% or less.

This was absolutely revolutionary for the time – and was quickly a massive success throughout Plantagenet areas – and soon beyond.

### **The Royal Academy of Natural Philosophies**

The RANP would retain its "Royal" title, but based on the local Crown's support of the Academy, might carry different crown emblems based on where contributions were made.

While discoveries were coming back that were leading to business (and eventually tax), the seed/capital investment was predominantly coming from the Crowns. This led to complex tracking of projects, where they were funded and researched versus where they were developed and monetized (if at all).

Finally, where there might be more sensitive politics, the Noble Plantagenet would be stewards to a generic branch of the Royal Academy that would connect a semi-unflagged front to the greater academic and scholarly effort.

### **The Order of Merlin**

Similar to the Royal Company, the "Royal" of the *Royal Order of Merlin* would be retained only insofar as the mages doing work that was sensitive to national security. The "Royal versions" would be compartmentalized sub-groups of the general *Order of Merlin*. Every ROM was an OM, but the OMs weren't in the ROMs.

Unless there was a frontier situation that was of interest to a specific Crown, most of the forward magical work would be handled by the "unflagged" Order of Merlin. This was political expediency, especially as the English presence could have unintended consequences (especially if something went wrong). Take away the "royal," however didn't diminish the prestige or power of an operator as *Merlin was freakin' Magical Merlin*.

The general Order would be more or less hosted by the Noble Plantagenet and based in Angers, Anjou.