Champagne

But when they heard that the Army was to retreat still further, and abandon all this rich, flourishing northern country to the invaders without a blow, why, it was incredible! What was the matter? Where were their reinforcements? Only fifteen days ago they had been marching enthusiastically up through the lovely forest of Argonne.

Now they were going to retreat into Champagne.

But they were too busy with preparations to spend much time sulking.

The officers declared that they would lead their men to victory yet.

So the retreat commenced to the booming accompaniment of the threatening German artillery.

Little did George know of cool old General Joffre, and his desperate plans.

Little did he imagine that the endless falling back, falling back, falling back through Champagne, was to go down into history as a masterpiece of Fabian strategy.

All he understood of that campaign was, day after day of retreating along the hard white roads, then into the fields and digging trenches.

He made a marriage treaty with his great rival, by which his little daughter Margaret and Henry's eldest boy were betrothed.

On his wife's death in 1160 he married Alice of Champagne, daughter of Count Thibaut V, whose four brothers, William, an ecclesiastic, Henry, Count of Champagne and Brie, Thibaut, Count of Chartres and Blois, and Stephen, Count of Sancerre, formed the strongest family alliance that could be opposed to the menacing power of Henry II.

He maintained a firm alliance with the orthodox Pope Alexander III.

He showed himself a constant vindicator of ecclesiastical rights.

A gradual concentration of powers was preparing the monarchy to extend its influence.

It was from within that the strength came before any serious attempt was made to use it outside.

The great house of Champagne, holding also the county of Blois, hemmed in the royal domain in dangerous proximity.

It was a diplomatic triumph to knit the princes of this powerful line in close alliance with the crown.

They had by this time gained room within its borders and become its allies, and they even suffered severe losses in fighting for it.

But as the defense of the empire became hopeless, they soon followed the invading movement and pressed on to the valleys of the Moselle, the Meuse, the Scheldt, and the Somme, and the plains and cities of what is now Champagne.

And immediately after the death of Alaric, who had sacked Rome and occupied Italy, the Goths under their new leader, Athulf, a name which has been softened and Latinized into Adolphus, adopted the momentous resolution of relinquishing Italy and seeking their fortune in the West.

Bearing with them the treasures of Alaric, they marched into Gaul.

So these are things like bills of exchange, bookkeeping transfers.

They have these trade fairs where they get together once or twice a year, like in Champagne.

Yeah.

uh and they would settle accounts uh huge amounts of money where there would actually be very only small amounts of coins ultimately charge hands because change hands because they're doing most of it through virtual monies but