5 Journey Through the Middle Ages, Chapter 5

Since last night until today, Louisa had already met some of the nobles of Brudor.

As one of the kingdom's most prominent noble families, the Count of Brudor could not manage his lands alone. To run his estates effectively, he appointed several local nobles and clergy to serve him—much like how great regional nobles might serve the king directly.

For instance, the captain of the Count’s guards was a baron and also a distant cousin of Louisa. The Balzac line had ruled Brudor for many generations. The eldest son inherited the title of Count of Brudor, while other children either received titles and lands from their mother's side or, if especially favored by their father, were granted lesser subsidiary titles. Those without such privileges were largely left to their own devices.

The captain of the guard came from such a branch. Though his father did not abandon him entirely and arranged a favorable marriage, securing a wife with land to bring as dowry within the territory. Since the title was attached to the land, his descendants inherited the baronial title.

Similarly, the estate’s steward and chief servant were among the highest-ranking attendants, positions exclusively held by nobles. Of course, 'nobles' here also included ordinary knights. In truth, the term 'knight' functioned more as a broad social class, encompassing even kings and dukes. It resembled the ancient concept of the "scholar-gentry" in China—a status that conferred certain rights and opened pathways for social advancement.

The nobles introduced to Louisa by the Count included some knights, though not all Brudor knights were present, and not even all the significant ones. However, almost all the barons had gathered. There were originally seven baronial lineages in Brudor, and the Count exercised strong control over them. Three of these had become extinct in the male line, with female descendants marrying into the Balzac family, thus transferring the titles.

Due to church doctrine mandating monogamy and denying inheritance rights to illegitimate sons, the absence or early death of legitimate male heirs—common occurrences—led to these outcomes.

Though these three baronial families might have had male cadet branches eligible to inherit, the Count’s support of his own male relatives claiming the titles made the results predictable.

The other four barons had also intermarried with the Balzac family over several generations, forming relatively stable alliances. While marital alliances were never entirely secure, they at least provided some guarantee.

One baron served at the king’s court and sent his steward in his place; the others were present. As for the knights, aside from the Count’s personal guards, only a few representatives among those holding positions serving the Count were sent to meet the future liege lady.

The assembled nobles appeared in the great hall. After formal greetings and brief introductions, the Count addressed some official business. Yet more than the mundane matters, everyone’s attention was on Louisa, the future Countess. Though the prospect of a female ruler had been anticipated, unease lingered.

Even in kingdoms with queens, female sovereignty was rare. In this male-dominated, patriarchal, and often misogynistic era, the idea of being led by a woman instinctively felt unsettling. Or rather, compared to Louisa herself, many were more concerned about her future husband.

Although Brudor followed a system where the eldest daughter inherited, and Louisa would govern the lands independently without sharing authority with her husband—unlike most titles without male heirs where the husband ruled through the wife—the reality depended heavily on her own capabilities.

If she proved incapable, complete control by her husband was not impossible.

"Yes, regarding the king’s request: a one-time land tax to fund the war against Gaudlan," the Count mentioned. This tax directly affected the assembled nobles, as they all owned substantial estates.

However, the purpose was not to rally collective resistance. Generally, unless the king’s demands were oppressive, complaints aside, payments were made. The discussion was to prepare for the upcoming conflict—the land tax itself was a wartime levy.

In the Middle Ages, taxes on land or heads were not regular but levied sporadically with solid justification to demand funds. Land rents were a separate matter and should not be confused with land tax.

"...Our king’s finances are in poor shape," someone complained, shaking their head. "Forty sous per knight’s fee is too steep! And we just paid a movable property tax last year."

The 'knight’s fee' referred to the standard knightly holding originally established. Some knights now held much more land, others held titles without estates. Land tax was calculated on actual holdings.

A sharp voice remarked, "It’s because he’s always hungry for more land! Yes, the royal demesne has never been larger, but the debts have nearly crushed the merchants of Rolandcy. His Majesty has already defaulted once—does he expect a second chance? No matter the interest, Rolandcy’s merchants won't lend him more money."

The Vasson royal family originated from a negotiated settlement within the Vasson realm, initially possessing very little territory. Even though their lands were fertile, surrounded by powerful lords, they seemed weak.

Yet through generations of diligent kings, the current monarch’s holdings made the royal demesne proportionally normal, if not large.

But this progress came at a price. The current king provoked several wars of succession to gain more land, as distant relatives with claims contended in the absence of a clear heir. War demanded vast funds; even with victories and ransoms from captured nobles, expenses often outweighed gains.

Defeat would be a financial bottomless pit.

The land won represented future steady income but offered little relief for immediate fiscal troubles.

"And the 'Holy Crusade'! If His Majesty hadn’t suffered a stroke last year, he would have surely continued organizing it... There’s no more devout king!" one said.

"I heard the king can no longer pay the dowries of several princesses..." another joked.

At this time, the king paid princesses’ dowries in installments rather than lump sums. On one hand, though the king’s income was high, his expenditures were greater, leaving little surplus. On the other, it served as insurance.

In the Middle Ages, husbands rightfully used their wives’ dowries. Once the money was given, generosity was shown, but the princess’s family lost out. If misfortune struck—if the king died or was overthrown quickly, or the princess died before bearing children—the remaining payments could be halted, limiting losses.

History held such lessons: in one case, a princess married but before the formal wedding, the king was overthrown by a great noble. Not only was her dowry unpaid, but she was nearly detained.

After the meeting, the Count tested Louisa: "My child, what are your thoughts on our financial matters?"

Louisa considered and replied, "People always spend much on war; most of the income is poured into it."

"Exactly. Yet we cannot complain about war—it is war that gave our ancestors opportunity, making us noble," the Count said lightly. "Even the wealthy Brudor, at its peak earning more than our king, carries a heavy financial burden."

Brudor was indeed wealthy, thanks to fertile lands and broad plains. Its strategic location at a crossroads favored commerce. But even so, matching its liege’s income was partly due to the Vasson crown having few lands in earlier generations.

Seeing Louisa’s serious expression and quick grasp, the Count continued, "Louisa, I have decided you shall inherit Brudor. But being a capable Countess is no easy task. Since we spoke of finances, here is your first challenge: increase our revenue. What say you?"

Without hesitation, Louisa agreed. Compared to war or politics, managing finances sounded easier to a modern mind.

Yet, in the following days, no brilliant ideas came. Until overhearing talk about the cold market in Troyes, she decided to visit it for inspiration—this was no ordinary market, but the greatest source of Brudor’s wealth!

Markets existed everywhere, much like rural fairs. But Brudor’s markets were different; while retail trade was present, their main business was wholesale, even international wholesale—Louisa immediately thought of a "Canton Fair." Thanks to these markets, the Count of Brudor amassed great wealth.

Blois hosted over fifty markets, with six renowned ones. The "Brudor Markets" referred collectively to this series. Among the six prominent markets, Troyes held two: the cold market and the hot market.

The terms 'cold' and 'hot' indicated the season: winter for the cold market, summer for the hot. Troyes, as Brudor’s capital and the seat of the Count’s court, was currently holding the cold market.