[center]The happy couple decides upon the name "Surely". "Don't call me Sherly"! I am very relieved that my lands will not pass to the French King upon my death, though a female heir is not a wise thing. The world is not safe, and a female ruler will be harassed and taken advantage of by other lords.

[img=http://i.imgur.com/BdeLDaO.png]

My French king is constantly at war with this vassal or that, and sometimes even tries to fight holy wars with some far off Muslim. I often have to lead his armies, so that keeps me busy enough. During a lull in the bloodthirsty Karling wars, I decide to get in touch with my spiritual side, and make a Pilgrimage to Santiago.

[img=http://i.imgur.com/UXl9za7.png]

Of course, there's only so much bloodshed and religion that can keep a man occupied. There needs to be some baby-making too - my wife gives birth to a child, whom I name BlueRose

[img=http://i.imgur.com/GJ0246L.png]

No sooner than a week after my second daughter is born does the French King call my armies for another pointless war. Enough is enough! I send word to some of the King's other prominent vassals and we band together to form an Independence Faction. We petition the King to release us from out Oaths of Fealty, as he his warmongering is a threat to the realm.

The king, perhaps, more willing to let parts of his realm go than to fight wars on multiple fronts, relents, and the Duchy of Flanders becomes sovereign.

[img=http://i.imgur.com/CInJbJ0.png]

The medieval world is dangerous for small, independent lords, however ; norse raiders sail down every season and plunder the Flemish countryside. I am hard pressed to defend my land, so I pledge loyalty to the King of Lotharingia.

"Conveniently", my Chancellor happened to discover ancient papers proving that the Duchy of Holland were ancestral Lands of the van Spam Dynasty. Such a claim would double my lands - and if I were a part of the Lotharingian Kingdom, the Duke of Holland wouldn't be able to call in the King.

To celebrate our new loyalties, my wife and I get to baby-making, and 9 months later she gives birth to my first son - we name him Jorrick.

[img=http://i.imgur.com/JRRxsn7.png]

For a year or two things are peaceful in Flanders. Soon, however, the Duke of Holland insults me - he accuses me of forging a claim on his lands! How dare he - those papers my Chancellor found are completely legitimate, nevermind their obscure and questionable origin! Such a slight can not go unpunished, and I decide to press my claims on Holland.

The following war lasts a year, but was decided in the first battles. The Duke of Holland's forces were in Friesland fighting off Norse raiders; my levies moved in after the battles finished and wiped out his armies. From there it was a simple matter of sieging the Duke in his castles, wearing down his will to fight. Eventually, his acknowledged my claims and relinquished the lands that are rightfully van Spam. The former Duke is now exiled to rule in Friesland - hopefully he has learned his lesson to not cross the van Spam family.

With the war over, I am now the Duke of Flanders and Holland. I'm practically a king! In fact, I begin styling myself as the King in Frisia. Of course none would recognize me as a king so long as I swore fealty to Lotharingia, so I began sowing seeds of discontent among my fellow vassals.

Eventually a formidable coalition forms demanding independence from their Karling overlords - the King has no choice but to accept.

Now independent, there can be no doubt about my hegemony over the low counties. No longer am I a mere duke, but I am the King of Frisia! And my daughters are Princesses, and Jorrick my Prince! It's good to be the king.

[img=http://i.imgur.com/12MMVtu.jpg]

Now there's the matter of those counts and dukes that, by rights, are vassals of Frisia. Time will tell if they bend the knee...[/center]