Henry II (The Anarchy Book 13) Read online

  Henry II

  Book 13 in the

  Anarchy Series

  By

  Griff Hosker

  Published by Sword Books Ltd 2016

  Copyright © Griff Hosker First Edition

  The author has asserted their moral right under the Copyright, Designs and Patents Act, 1988, to be identified as the author of this work.

  All Rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced, copied, stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted, in any form or by any means, without the prior written consent of the copyright holder, nor be otherwise circulated in any form of binding or cover other than that in which it is published and without a similar condition being imposed on the subsequent purchaser.

  A CIP catalogue record for this title is available from the British Library.

  Thanks to Simon Walpole for the Artwork and Design for Writers for the cover and logo. Thanks to Kent and Julie, two of my New Zealand readers, for giving me such an enjoyable time in Wellington.

  Book list

  Ancient History

  The Sword of Cartimandua Series (Germania and Britannia 50A.D. – 128 A.D.)

  Ulpius Felix- Roman Warrior (prequel)

  Book 1 The Sword of Cartimandua

  Book 2 The Horse Warriors

  Book 3 Invasion Caledonia

  Book 4 Roman Retreat

  Book 5 Revolt of the Red Witch

  Book 6 Druid’s Gold

  Book 7 Trajan’s Hunters

  Book 8 The Last Frontier

  Book 9 Hero of Rome

  Book 10 Roman Hawk

  Book 11 Roman Treachery

  Book 12 Roman Wall

  The Wolf Warrior series (Britain in the late 6th Century)

  Book 1 Saxon Dawn

  Book 2 Saxon Revenge

  Book 3 Saxon England

  Book 4 Saxon Blood

  Book 5 Saxon Slayer

  Book 6 Saxon Slaughter

  Book 7 Saxon Bane

  Book 8 Saxon Fall: Rise of the Warlord

  Book 9 Saxon Throne

  The Dragon Heart Series

  Book 1 Viking Slave

  Book 2 Viking Warrior

  Book 3 Viking Jarl

  Book 4 Viking Kingdom

  Book 5 Viking Wolf

  Book 6 Viking War

  Book 7 Viking Sword

  Book 8 Viking Wrath

  Book 9 Viking Raid

  Book 10 Viking Legend

  Book 11 Viking Vengeance

  Book 12 Viking Dragon

  Book 13 Viking Treasure

  Book 14 Viking Enemy

  Book 15 Viking Witch

  Norman Genesis Series (820-1020 A.D.)

  Hrolf the Viking

  Horseman

  The Battle for a Home

  Revenge of the Franks

  The Aelfraed Series (Britain and Byzantium 1050 A.D. - 1085 A.D.)

  Book 1 Housecarl

  Book 2 Outlaw

  Book 3 Varangian

  The Anarchy Series (England 1120-1180)

  English Knight

  Knight of the Empress

  Northern Knight

  Baron of the North

  Earl

  King Henry's Champion

  The King is Dead

  Warlord of the North

  Enemy at the Gates

  Warlord's War

  Kingmaker

  Henry II

  Modern History

  The Napoleonic Horseman Series

  Chasseur à Cheval

  Napoleon’s Guard

  British Light Dragoon

  Soldier Spy

  1808: The Road to Corunna

  Waterloo

  The Lucky Jack American Civil War series

  Rebel Raiders

  Confederate Rangers

  The Road to Gettysburg

  The British Ace Series

  1914

  1915 Fokker Scourge

  1916 Angels over the Somme

  1917 Eagles Fall

  1918 We will remember them

  Combined Operations 1940-1945

  Commando

  Raider

  Behind Enemy Lines

  Dieppe

  Toehold in Europe

  Sword Beach

  Breakout

  The Battle for Antwerp

  Other Books

  Great Granny’s Ghost (Aimed at 9-14-year-old young people)

  Adventure at 63-Backpacking to Istanbul

  Dedicated to two future princes: my grandson Samuel and Thomas!

  Prologue

  Chester

  My men and I had thwarted an attempt by Stephen the Usurper to capture Henry, Prince of England. He had gone back to London with his tail between his legs. We had shown that our men and our leader were made of steel. Henry had shown that he had grown as a leader. He had learned from his mistakes and was now ready to become king. I had helped him to develop into such a leader. Now I had to ensure that he attained the throne.

  There were still many obstacles in his way. Stephen still held on to London and, with it, the power of the Tower and the City. There he had the money from the richest city in England and the strongest fortress, the White Tower. He was an ally of King Louis and now pressure was being applied to Normandy. Geoffrey, Henry’s father, was now Duke of Normandy but there were still enemies. Henry’s younger brother, Geoffrey, sought a title for himself. I foresaw problems there. Younger brothers wanted more power than they were entitled to.

  Although I was growing weary of this war I had sworn an oath and nothing would stop me fulfilling it. My wife and daughter had died. My son had gone on a Crusade to atone for his sins and the woman I loved, Henry’s mother, Empress Matilda, now lived in a priory. My only purpose was to ensure that Henry became king.

  As I stood on the battlements of Chester Castle, I thought about the events which had led us to this moment. If we could neutralize the Scots then it might be possible for us to start to build up an army which could defeat Stephen, once and for all. We had come close many times but each time events had conspired to snatch victory at the last moment. Many men had died in the last sixteen years but the last to die, the Earl of Gloucester, had been a blow for although we had disagreed on many things, he had brought a great number of supporters to Henry’s side. I was now Henry FitzEmpress’ major ally. It grieved me but when we went to visit King David of Scotland, I would have to put Henry’s future before my own feelings. I did not trust the Scots but King David had intimated that he was willing to support Henry and to relinquish his claims. I hoped so.

  “You are quiet my lord and you are alone. Is aught amiss?”

  I turned and saw my hostess. The Countess of Chester, Maud daughter of the Earl of Gloucester, was a dear friend and ally. Her husband was neither. I turned and bowed. I was aware that the Earl of Chester’s sentries were watching us.

  “My lady, I am putting my thoughts into some sort of order. Tomorrow we ride to visit your Great Uncle and we may bring peace to our northern lands. My own people will be safer as will England. This is a moment for reflection.”

  She laughed and put her hand on my arm, “You can fool many others, Alfraed, but not me. You hate the Scots and your heart will not be in your words. You do this for Henry. Had my father been alive then you would never have even considered it.”

  I nodded, “Perhaps. Or it may be that I am older and wiser now.”

  “Your body may have aged but your mind is as sharp as ever. You have done all that my aunt, the Empress, could have asked. Your loyalty has been nothing short of remarkable. Do not berate yourself. There is no dishonour in making peace with the Scots for the good of the country and the future king.”

  “You m
ay be right. I fear that I have put honour on too high a pedestal.”

  “Would that my husband had too.”

  She was right but it was not my place to criticise him while his guards were listening. “We should return to the hall. I have upset your husband enough by my private conversations with you.”

  She linked my arm as she led me from the battlements. “And I do not think that you will lose one moment of sleep worrying about offending my husband. There is no knight in this realm or any other who would willingly face you in battle. You are still the Empress’ Knight and the Warlord of the North. I, for one, sleep better, knowing that to be true.”

  Chapter 1

  I had sent most of my men back to Stockton. I had retained James, my youngest squire and the son of my old friend and comrade Sir Edward, and Dick along with ten archers. Henry FitzEmpress was not surprised by the size of my escort but Ranulf, Earl of Chester was.

  “My lord, we go to meet with the Lion of Scotland! You have a handful of archers and a half-trained boy. What if his words of peace are false and this is a trap?”

  Ranulf was far too much of a plotter and a politician for my liking. Henry’s disparaging look told me that he saw through this shallow earl. “If King David is foresworn and tries to trap us then he will have broken an oath he swore to me and Prince Henry as well as the Empress Matilda. Oaths are sacred, my lord, and men do not break them.”

  He flashed me an angry look for he had broken oaths so many times that his word meant nothing. He had switched sides to suit his own purposes each time the wind shifted. I was only surprised that he had not jumped back into bed with Stephen. I suspect the fact that I had outwitted Stephen and come away victorious had swayed him and he had decided to stay in our court; at least for the time being.

  We were travelling through the Duchy of Lancaster. It had been part of the Earl’s domain until the Battle of the Standards when Stephen the Usurper had given it to King David. I knew that the real reason Ranulf, Earl of Chester, accompanied us was in the hope of regaining this fertile land. Even Henry was impressed with the land through which we rode.

  “This is fine land. No offence, Warlord, but the lands along the Tees are crude and wild compared with this. The land reminds me of parts of the Loire.”

  “I am not offended, lord. My land is hard and unforgiving but it breeds tough men. We can face harsh winters and fierce enemies. I was not born there; your grandfather gave the land to my father, but I am grateful that he gave it to my family for I have come to love it.”

  “And yet your son has spurned it, apparently.” I detected the hint of a sneer in Ranulf’s voice.

  Before I could answer Henry snapped a retort. He had fought with my son and considered him a friend, “Hold your tongue, Chester! You go too far. Sir William has gone to atone for something he feels he did wrong. He fights in the Crusades which is God’s work against the enemies of Christ. He has spurned nothing! I, for one, hope that when he has done his penance then he will return home. When I am King he shall have a fine manor! He and his father have been the most loyal of my supporters and I do not forget such acts. You would do well to remember that.”

  I knew that if Maud had been with us she would have said something to her husband too. He reddened and dropped his horse back a little so that he was riding amongst his household knights. There he would not be criticised. He was shallow. Prince Henry and I did not need to seek the shelter of those who owed us fealty. Dick, my captain of archers, and our squires rode with us and we had an easy manner amongst us. We had fought together and shared hardship, hunger and thirst. There were no secrets between us. Henry’s grandfather and his uncle had been the same. They enjoyed the company of their warriors. That was the difference: Henry was a warrior and Ranulf was a politician.

  We had many knights and men at arms with us. We had wagons for the meeting would be one which would shape the future of our two countries and Prince Henry did not wish to appear like a ragged urchin begging at the high table. We would break our journey at Preston which was the chief town of Amounderness. This was the largest wapentake in the Duchy. I hoped that we would be afforded a good welcome by the burgesses. They did not like Scottish rule. If they became part of England, once more, then their lives would be richer and more peaceful.

  We were greeted like a conquering army. It was a rich town with a good stone wall around it and fine buildings, many of them stone. With a population larger than Stockton, the streets were thronged as we headed through them. Only a few of us would be housed in the large hall and the rest would camp beyond the walls. Dick and James stayed in the hall with me. James enjoyed both the food and the company. He was wide eyed at the array of dishes presented to the future king. I was cynical enough to realise that the burgesses were making a good impression. If they feted Henry, then they would reap the reward in the future. I hoped that I had trained him well enough so that he could see through their plans. The burgesses spoke of the privations they had suffered under the Scots.

  “Their taxes are unendurable, lord. It seems they tax us so that their own people do not have to pay taxes. Their tax collectors tell us that we can afford to pay and therefore we should. We are paying so that the Scots can live better than we do!”

  “Aye, lord, they see us as a milk cow to be milked dry.”

  I said nothing but I looked pointedly at Henry. He gave the slightest of acknowledgements to me and then stood. This would be the first time I had seen him speak to those who were not warriors. I would be interested to see how far he had come or how far he had yet to go.

  “My burgesses, things will change. I am not yet king but with allies like the two earls who flank me then I believe I will soon attain that most sacred of offices. But when I am king you will still pay taxes.” I saw their faces fall. “But they will be fair and equitable taxes which all shall pay. This time of anarchy has emptied the coffers of this land. The treasure my grandfather and great grandfather had accumulated has been frittered away and lost. If we are to make this land great once more then we will have to endure hard times first.”

  The burgesses knew business. They understood, as did my steward, John, about profit and loss, good times and bad. They nodded. As he sat down I said, quietly, “That was well done, lord.”

  He looked at me and said, equally quietly, “And that means I must tax you, Warlord. I can show no favourites.”

  I smiled, “And that is as it should be. I am happy to be taxed so long as it is by the rightful king of England. John, my steward, will wince. That is in the nature of money counters; that is the worst pain that they can endure.” He laughed. “And besides, before this civil war is over I hope to continue to make money at the expense of Stephen and his people.”

  He frowned slightly, “You did not make money from the Queen Matilda, did you?”

  “My men found treasure, lord. As you know my men always share such bounty.”

  He laughed, “Now I see why she had a face which looked as though she had sucked a lemon!”

  “It is hard to say lord; that look may have been because she is a shrew and that is her natural expression. She is a thin faced women whom I suspect has a cold heart. I know that I have never seen her smile. Unlike your mother who always smiled.”

  “I know what you mean. I hope my mother is happy. It is sad to see my parents apart.”

  “The marriage was arranged, lord. I fear that is what happens to kings and princes. They are not allowed the freedoms such as I enjoy.”

  “Then I will break that mould. When I marry, it will be to a woman whom I wish to be my queen. It will not be for a political alliance. I would take the wife of an enemy if I thought it right for me.”

  As we ate I could see that I had helped to raise a strong prince who knew his own mind. Had I done the right thing? Time alone would tell. As Athelstan, my mentor, had once said, ‘When you cast the bones then the result is out of your hands. Do not complain because there are not enough spots! If you do not wish to gamble,
then do not throw the bones!’

  The road through Cumberland was a dangerous one. This land had been debated by the English and the Scots since before the time of the Romans; since before they were even known as English and Scots. This was not Amounderness. The loyalty of the folk of this land was not obvious. The road twisted and turned between high fells, deep valleys and more lakes than I had ever seen. My archers reverted to their role of scouts rather than my bodyguards. We kept shields close and eyes watchful. Again, I was impressed with Henry. He carried himself like a warrior. Ranulf, in contrast, comported himself as he had in Amounderness.

  Once we had passed the road east, to the Tees, the land became flatter and we could breathe a little easier. Here King David maintained control and when we approached Carlisle Castle we saw that we were expected and would be welcomed. King David himself rode from the castle to greet us.

  “My great nephew, it is good to see you again. This day will finally see an end to the bickering and fallings out which have plagued our two lands.”

  I saw, behind the king, Henry, Prince of Cumberland. His father may have smiled but there was enmity and hatred in the Prince’s eyes.

  Henry FitzEmpress nodded, “And I am happy to be here too. The Earl of Cleveland has chased Stephen south. I am hopeful of a successful conclusion to my campaigns.”

  “You will soon be king?”

  “I will be king. I am not so presumptuous to say when. My mother and I have suffered setbacks before.”

  “Come let us continue this inside the castle. We have prepared an area by the river. I see you have wagons. We have food for them. We slaughtered some cattle.”

  “Good, for I like English beef.”

  I had spoken to gauge the reaction of the king and his son. His son jerked his horse’s head around and galloped back to the castle. The king smiled, “You never change, Earl. My son has yet to understand how you deliberately provoke him.”