Welcome to the British History Podcast. My name is Jamie, and this is episode 481, Operation Bagget Storm.

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When we left off, Rufus and Robert of Bilem were marching upon Maine.

Specifically, Count Helias' fortress at D'anjou.

Now this fortress made military incursions and raids into Maine insanely difficult, which

Rufus and Robert found deeply inconsiderate. So naturally, it would

have to be brought down. Or at the very least, it would need to be occupied by good, honest

Normans who wouldn't interfere with the king's god-given right to go and raid and pillage the

people of Maine. The trouble was that Don Jules

was a formidable castle, and it wouldn't be easy to bring it down, especially now that Count

Helius had reinforced it. But don't worry, the fellas had a plan. You see, it was February, and that meant that the weather

sucked ass and heavy winter rains were coming in. On top of that, everyone knew that

Rufus and Robert de Bilem were embroiled in a war for the French Vexin. And it was also known

that Rufus's forces were badly bloodied from a year's worth of failed

military campaigns.

And I'm also sure that word was getting out that the royal treasury of England was basically

empty.

So no one in their right minds would start a war in Maine under these conditions.

And the fellas were pretty sure that Helius was stupidly in his right mind, which meant that

Don Jules would almost certainly be lightly garrisoned because Helius would naturally take

...