When Your Gone, I'll Still Be Bloody Mary: A Timeline

[Historico]

When Your Gone, I’ll Still Be Bloody Mary: An Alternate History
Written by Austin Ross

Prologue:
Love is just a history that they may prove

Despite many reports that as she grew with age, The Queen’s once attractive figure was in all actuality quite short, and did not cut an imposing figure. As one Spanish Courtier wrote, The Queen was rather flabby than fat, she is of white complexion and fair, and has no eyebrows. Yet despite her apparently relatively common features seen through the eyes of high Spaniard standards, the Twenty-eight year old King of Napes, Milan and Jerusalem viewed his "cara y muy amada tia", as one of the most beautiful creatures in the world. We have many reports from the Queen’s Ladies-in-waiting; that upon their wedding night, that the King eagerly consummated his marriage, despite some difficulty on the part of the Queen, who had prepared herself the life of a maid and not allowed for any man to enter her chambers before that summer night.

As the weeks turned into months, signs continued to become visible on the form of the Queen that Phillip had indeed performed his marital duty. Court Doctors had confirmed that the Queen’s Belly had grown considerably as well as swelling in her breasts and elsewhere. In the month of April 1555, the royal couple moved to Hampton Court, which was closer to London and the Queen would be able to rally her supporters to her cause in the case of an uprising. During her time at Hampton, she was visited by her sister the Lady Elizabeth, and the two reconciled after her younger half-sibling reiterated formally her lack of involvement in the recent Thomas Wyatt’s rebellion.

The Event which nations across the continent of Europe has waited for took place at Daybreak on Tuesday, April 30th 1555. Bells rang out across all of London, that the good Queen Mary had given birth to healthy son. Although she experienced hours of pain, and there was much danger in a thirty-nine year old woman giving birth in an age of such medical uncertainty. According to a letter that Phillip wrote to his father Emperor Charles V, what was one to expect from an heir who could potentially become King over England, France, Naples, Jerusalem, Ireland, Spain, Sicily, Austria, Milan, Burgundy, Branbant, Hapsburg, Flanders and Tyrol.

King Phillip satisfied the hopes of the Englishmen who waited eagerly outside of Hampton, as they watched as the young consort raised his heir from a window in the palace. In a magnificent display of excitement, shops were closed as the commons rushed to mass and huge block parties erupted over all London. According to Thomas Gresham, the English Ambassador the Netherlands, The Queen was brought to bed of her young Prince, who she aptly named after the shared ancestor John of Gaunt, 1st Duke of Lancaster; John of the House of Tudor-Hapsburg. A new era in the world was about to begin…

King Phillip II and I offering John, Prince of Wales to Victory, by Titian ca. 1555

[SavoyTruffle]

Oh, this is awesome! Consider me a follower.

[Gonzaga]

I'll be following this too!

Just a nitpick: I really doubt that Philip would write to his father telling that this son could become king of Spain, Naples and Sicily. Philip already had a son in Spain (Don Carlos, Prince of Asturias) and the agreement among the Habsburgs was that Carlos would rule the Spanish and Italian territories, while any son from Philip and Mary would gain England and Netherlands. So, at the time, Philip telling his father that his second could rule Spain (even if only potentially) would be like saying that he was expecting/desiring his eldest son to die childless. It wouldn't be very "polite", if you know what I mean.

[Evan]

Warming pan theory, anyone?

This is a huge blow to the Protestant cause. I think it will lead to widespread dissatisfaction, at least.

[Historico]

Originally Posted by Evan

Warming pan theory, anyone?

This is a huge blow to the Protestant cause. I think it will lead to widespread dissatisfaction, at least.

The warming pan theory is very intriguing, but im sure this is going to be knocked out of the park, when Mary births another child, a few years after John(Making the two false pregnacies, acual pregnancies). Speaking of John, Prince of Wales, how does everyone like the name, it does seem that John I, does seem to have undergone a rise of populariaty during the Tudor age IOTL. And with both Mary and Phillip having the common ancestor of John of Gaunt, Duke of Lancaster, I think it would be a good way of honoring their shared lineages, while also not pissing to many people off by not naming their son after either Henry or Charles lol.

[Gonzaga]

Originally Posted by Historico

Speaking of John, Prince of Wales, how does everyone like the name, it does seem that John I, does seem to have undergone a rise of populariaty during the Tudor age IOTL. And with both Mary and Phillip having the common ancestor of John of Gaunt, Duke of Lancaster, I think it would be a good way of honoring their shared lineages, while also not pissing to many people off by not naming their son after either Henry or Charles lol.

Well, John was a regnal name both in Castile and Aragon, so it would normal Philip think about it as a possible choice. Maybe he could have named him Philip after himself, but IOTL it seems that he tried to avoid it, only his last son shared his name. But other likely possibility would be Ferdinand, after Ferdinand of Aragon, father of Mary and ancestor of Philip.

[Historico]

Originally Posted by Gonzaga

I'll be following this too!

Just a nitpick: I really doubt that Philip would write to his father telling that this son could become king of Spain, Naples and Sicily. Philip already had a son in Spain (Don Carlos, Prince of Asturias) and the agreement among the Habsburgs was that Carlos would rule the Spanish and Italian territories, while any son from Philip and Mary would gain England and Netherlands. So, at the time, Philip telling his father that his second could rule Spain (even if only potentially) would be like saying that he was expecting/desiring his eldest son to die childless. It wouldn't be very "polite", if you know what I mean.

Thanks G, I was kind of unsure how to place the whole smorgesboard of crowns that Phillipian-Marian union know holds. I couldn't really find it substantiated in my agreement on which heir would inherit which crown.Oh and don't worry, I have my plans for our dear Uncle Don Carlos

[Gonzaga]

Originally Posted by Historico

Thanks G, I was kind of unsure how to place the whole smorgesboard of crowns that Phillipian-Marian union know holds. I couldn't really find it substantiated in my agreement on which heir would inherit which crown.Oh and don't worry, I have my plans for our dear Uncle Don Carlos

Well, given the mental and health state of Carlos probably nothing good will come from this.

[Historico]

Originally Posted by SavoyTruffle

Oh, this is awesome! Consider me a follower.

Thanks Savoy, you've been a loyal follower to my many starter TL's this summer lol