alternatehistory.com
Chapter I: Ode to Diana and Apollo
The Restored King: Charles II of England Scotland and Ireland shortly after his Restoration
The news that Queen Catherine is pregnant is greeted with great enthusiasm across the three Kingdoms, but none are more satisfied then her Husband, King Charles II. For him this pregnancy represents the end of what much have felt like a dream.
Born on May 29th 1630, to King Charles I and Queen Henrietta Maria of France, Charles was their oldest surviving child. Charles' childhood coincided with what is known as both the 11 years tyranny and the Personal Rule, in which his father Charles I ruled without Parliament. Charles childhood, to be shared with his siblings Princess Mary, Prince James Duke of York, and Princess Elizabeth, was one out of a fairy tail. Doted on by his parents, the young heir to the throne grew up among the sons of the flower of the aristocracy.This idyllic existence, along with Charles' childhood, came to an abrupt end with the beginning of the Bishops wars in 1638, a period of conflict between England and Scotland. Sadly this was merely the beginning of what would be known as the Wars of the Three Kingdoms, a series of conflicts that changed the face of three nations forever.
Charles personally fought in the battle of Edgehill in 1642, one of the opening battles of the English civil war and for the next four years would accompany his father in his attempts to win the civil war, which would ultimately end in failure for the Royalists. Having fled to France, where his mother and her French relatives awaited, Charles could only act as a spectator for the next three years, during which his father lost the civil war, encourage a second one and ultimately pay for his actions with his life.
After King Charles I's execution on January 30th, 1649, Charles would try to win back his throne with the help of the Scots, but hopes would be dashed with defeat at the hands of Oliver Cromwell at the battle of Worcester on September 3 1651. After a daring escape from England, Charles would spend the next nine years in exile on the continent until his recall from exile in 1660.
During the 1660's Charles seemed to it all. The throne of his family, the adoration of his people, even children by his mistresses. The only thing missing was an heir to the next generation, and now, with Catherine's pregnancy, the missing piece slides into place.
The only other person in England who could be as happy as the King for the Queen's pregnancy is Charles' Lord Chancellor and de facto Chief Minister, Sir Edward Hyde Earl of Clarendon. The architect of the Anglo-Portuguese Alliance and the King's marriage to Infanta Catherine of Braganza, Clarendon would be the man to blame if Catherine failed to produce children. By late 1665 rumors had began to spread, no doubt spurred on by Clarendon's enemy Barbara Countess of Castlemaine, the King's principle mistress, that Clarendon had purposefully married Charles to a barren wife. This was because of the unfortunate marriage of Clarendon's daughter Anne to the King's only surviving brother and heir James Duke of York in 1660. A relationship had developed between Anne and York, one that ended in Anne's pregnancy. James in a shocking act of support, married her, thus creating the possibility of one of Clarendon's grandchildren sitting on the throne.
As Catherine's Pregnancy progressed, Courtiers began to talk. The Queen seemed to be bigger than most women would be at this stage in the pregnancy, though this could be because of her small stature (the Queen wasn't called the little Catholic Queen for nothing). In any case, aside from gossiping Courtiers, most of the attention wasn't on the Queen but rather the Dutch war.
The Second Anglo-Dutch war, as it became known, had started out well, with a great victory at the battle of Lowestoft. Sadly for England, the plan to capture the Dutch Spice fleet in the neutral Norwegian port of Bergan failed, mainly due to the delay of orders on the part of the King of Denmark and Norway. Thus this rich fleet managed to return to the Netherlands. With the fleet's return,the Dutch were able to afford a massive naval buildup over the rest of 1665. Compounding the threat of a resurgent Dutch fleet was the problem of who was to lead the Royal Navy.
The titular commander was the King's brother, Lord High Admiral James Duke of York & Albany. The Duke had led the English to victory at Lowestoft, but was almost killed several times during the battle. Because of this, King Charles, unwilling to risk the life of his heir, had ordered York to remain on shore, leaving command of the Fleet to their cousin Prince Rupert of the Palatinate Duke of Cumberland and General George Monck, Duke of Albemarle. Now, with Queen Catherine's pregnancy progressing, the possibility of York returning to personal command of the fleet is raised, though the decision is postponed until the Queen gives birth.
In February suspiring news reached the Court, now at Hampton Court, from Paris. The Queen Mother, Henrietta Maria, was preparing to return to England to be on hand for the birth of the Queen's child. Henrietta Maria had originally returned to England in 1662 and planned to spend the rest of her days in her adopted homeland. However, the Queen Mother had begun to suffer from bronchitis, which she had blamed on the damp English weather. Thus she had returned to France the previous year. The news of the Queen Mother's pending return, though welcome to her sons and daughter-in-law, is awkward diplomatically, considering that France had recently joined the conflict between England and the Netherlands on the Dutch side. In preparation for the Queen Mother's arrival, the Court moves to Dover Castle. The Queen Mother's landing on February 23, was a joyous occasion for the King and indeed the whole Court.
Queen Mother Henrietta Maria Shortly after the Restoration
Sadly February would end on a sad note, as Queen Catherine's mother, Luisa de Guzman Queen Mother & sometime Regent of Portugal, died on the 27th. The news would reach England in mid March, by which time the bulk of the Court and Government had returned to London, with the notable exceptions of the Queen and Queen Mother, along with most of their respective Households. The Two Queens remained at Hampton Court, a particular favorite residence for Queen Catherine. When the news reached England King Charles, in a show of compassion, insisted on traveling to Hampton Court to inform the Queen personally. The Queen is devastated by the news and collapses, which is to be expected from a woman who was so close to her mother. The King is alarmed, fearing that Catherine could miscarry or go into early labor. Thankfully the fears are premature, though the Queen would not fully recover from her mother's death for some months.
By the beginning of April the plague has all but died out in London, though a few isolated cases are still reported. With the plague having disappeared the Queens finally feel safe enough to return to London, doing so on April 2. Queen Catherine moves into St. James's to prepare for her confinement, at the recommendation of the Queen Mother, while Henrietta Maria moves back into her former residence, Somerset House.
On April 20th the news the King and Court had be waiting for arrives, the Queen is in labor. The news arrives as King Charles is meeting with his Privy council over Naval preparations. The King dismissed the Council with a quip that was typical of him "Gentlemen I must go to greet my successor. Let us hope he doesn't take to long to arrive". Then, King and Council departed for St. James's, where other members of the Royal Family and Court are gathering to await the Royal Birth.
The Queen's labor, unfortunately for Charles, lasted well into the night and early morning. Finally, at 9 'clock on the morning of April 21st 1666, the Queen gave birth to a baby boy, automatically Duke of Cornwall and Rothesay. Surprisingly to nearly all present, the Queen's labor continued and minutes later gave birth to a second child, a girl. The Queen of England had, for the first time in the history of the Nation, gave birth to Twins.
Catherine of Braganza with her eldest children
Chapter I: Ode to Diana and Apollo
The Restored King: Charles II of England Scotland and Ireland shortly after his Restoration
The news that Queen Catherine is pregnant is greeted with great enthusiasm across the three Kingdoms, but none are more satisfied then her Husband, King Charles II. For him this pregnancy represents the end of what much have felt like a dream.
Born on May 29th 1630, to King Charles I and Queen Henrietta Maria of France, Charles was their oldest surviving child. Charles' childhood coincided with what is known as both the 11 years tyranny and the Personal Rule, in which his father Charles I ruled without Parliament. Charles childhood, to be shared with his siblings Princess Mary, Prince James Duke of York, and Princess Elizabeth, was one out of a fairy tail. Doted on by his parents, the young heir to the throne grew up among the sons of the flower of the aristocracy.This idyllic existence, along with Charles' childhood, came to an abrupt end with the beginning of the Bishops wars in 1638, a period of conflict between England and Scotland. Sadly this was merely the beginning of what would be known as the Wars of the Three Kingdoms, a series of conflicts that changed the face of three nations forever.
Charles personally fought in the battle of Edgehill in 1642, one of the opening battles of the English civil war and for the next four years would accompany his father in his attempts to win the civil war, which would ultimately end in failure for the Royalists. Having fled to France, where his mother and her French relatives awaited, Charles could only act as a spectator for the next three years, during which his father lost the civil war, encourage a second one and ultimately pay for his actions with his life.
After King Charles I's execution on January 30th, 1649, Charles would try to win back his throne with the help of the Scots, but hopes would be dashed with defeat at the hands of Oliver Cromwell at the battle of Worcester on September 3 1651. After a daring escape from England, Charles would spend the next nine years in exile on the continent until his recall from exile in 1660.
During the 1660's Charles seemed to it all. The throne of his family, the adoration of his people, even children by his mistresses. The only thing missing was an heir to the next generation, and now, with Catherine's pregnancy, the missing piece slides into place.
The only other person in England who could be as happy as the King for the Queen's pregnancy is Charles' Lord Chancellor and de facto Chief Minister, Sir Edward Hyde Earl of Clarendon. The architect of the Anglo-Portuguese Alliance and the King's marriage to Infanta Catherine of Braganza, Clarendon would be the man to blame if Catherine failed to produce children. By late 1665 rumors had began to spread, no doubt spurred on by Clarendon's enemy Barbara Countess of Castlemaine, the King's principle mistress, that Clarendon had purposefully married Charles to a barren wife. This was because of the unfortunate marriage of Clarendon's daughter Anne to the King's only surviving brother and heir James Duke of York in 1660. A relationship had developed between Anne and York, one that ended in Anne's pregnancy. James in a shocking act of support, married her, thus creating the possibility of one of Clarendon's grandchildren sitting on the throne.
As Catherine's Pregnancy progressed, Courtiers began to talk. The Queen seemed to be bigger than most women would be at this stage in the pregnancy, though this could be because of her small stature (the Queen wasn't called the little Catholic Queen for nothing). In any case, aside from gossiping Courtiers, most of the attention wasn't on the Queen but rather the Dutch war.
The Second Anglo-Dutch war, as it became known, had started out well, with a great victory at the battle of Lowestoft. Sadly for England, the plan to capture the Dutch Spice fleet in the neutral Norwegian port of Bergan failed, mainly due to the delay of orders on the part of the King of Denmark and Norway. Thus this rich fleet managed to return to the Netherlands. With the fleet's return,the Dutch were able to afford a massive naval buildup over the rest of 1665. Compounding the threat of a resurgent Dutch fleet was the problem of who was to lead the Royal Navy.
The titular commander was the King's brother, Lord High Admiral James Duke of York & Albany. The Duke had led the English to victory at Lowestoft, but was almost killed several times during the battle. Because of this, King Charles, unwilling to risk the life of his heir, had ordered York to remain on shore, leaving command of the Fleet to their cousin Prince Rupert of the Palatinate Duke of Cumberland and General George Monck, Duke of Albemarle. Now, with Queen Catherine's pregnancy progressing, the possibility of York returning to personal command of the fleet is raised, though the decision is postponed until the Queen gives birth.
In February suspiring news reached the Court, now at Hampton Court, from Paris. The Queen Mother, Henrietta Maria, was preparing to return to England to be on hand for the birth of the Queen's child. Henrietta Maria had originally returned to England in 1662 and planned to spend the rest of her days in her adopted homeland. However, the Queen Mother had begun to suffer from bronchitis, which she had blamed on the damp English weather. Thus she had returned to France the previous year. The news of the Queen Mother's pending return, though welcome to her sons and daughter-in-law, is awkward diplomatically, considering that France had recently joined the conflict between England and the Netherlands on the Dutch side. In preparation for the Queen Mother's arrival, the Court moves to Dover Castle. The Queen Mother's landing on February 23, was a joyous occasion for the King and indeed the whole Court.
Queen Mother Henrietta Maria Shortly after the Restoration
Sadly February would end on a sad note, as Queen Catherine's mother, Luisa de Guzman Queen Mother & sometime Regent of Portugal, died on the 27th. The news would reach England in mid March, by which time the bulk of the Court and Government had returned to London, with the notable exceptions of the Queen and Queen Mother, along with most of their respective Households. The Two Queens remained at Hampton Court, a particular favorite residence for Queen Catherine. When the news reached England King Charles, in a show of compassion, insisted on traveling to Hampton Court to inform the Queen personally. The Queen is devastated by the news and collapses, which is to be expected from a woman who was so close to her mother. The King is alarmed, fearing that Catherine could miscarry or go into early labor. Thankfully the fears are premature, though the Queen would not fully recover from her mother's death for some months.
By the beginning of April the plague has all but died out in London, though a few isolated cases are still reported. With the plague having disappeared the Queens finally feel safe enough to return to London, doing so on April 2. Queen Catherine moves into St. James's to prepare for her confinement, at the recommendation of the Queen Mother, while Henrietta Maria moves back into her former residence, Somerset House.
On April 20th the news the King and Court had be waiting for arrives, the Queen is in labor. The news arrives as King Charles is meeting with his Privy council over Naval preparations. The King dismissed the Council with a quip that was typical of him "Gentlemen I must go to greet my successor. Let us hope he doesn't take to long to arrive". Then, King and Council departed for St. James's, where other members of the Royal Family and Court are gathering to await the Royal Birth.
The Queen's labor, unfortunately for Charles, lasted well into the night and early morning. Finally, at 9 'clock on the morning of April 21st 1666, the Queen gave birth to a baby boy, automatically Duke of Cornwall and Rothesay. Surprisingly to nearly all present, the Queen's labor continued and minutes later gave birth to a second child, a girl. The Queen of England had, for the first time in the history of the Nation, gave birth to Twins.
Catherine of Braganza with her eldest children
- Emperor Constantine
- Word Count: 1.4k