A destiny fulfilled - An Eleanor of Austria TL

[isabella]

The long journey towards Rome was almost completed but Philiberta de‘ Medici, Duchess of Nemours was not happy because the closer they got to Rome, the more nervous and insecure she became thinking to the meeting who waited her in the Holy City. Meeting her new in-laws in Florence had been much easier as none of the most important ones had been present but now the moment of meeting them was almost arrived and she was scared to not doing a very good impression and ruin the understanding who she had found with Giuliano, destroying the fragile foundations of their marriage. Giuliano, instead, couldn't wait to arrive and show off his young and beautiful bride to his kinsmen and he had no idea of Philiberta’s fears (who maybe was a good thing as he would likely laugh of her fears, ruining the effect of his subsequent reassurances that his siblings would love her but Alfonsina, his widowed sister-in-law, would be jealous of her higher rank).
Few days later, after a sumptuous reception at their arrival in the Holy City and two private meeting with her new in-laws, Philiberta was quite ready to laugh of her previous fear: Pope Leo X had given her a warm welcome and a lot of compliments, Lucrezia Salviati, Maddalena Cybo and Contessina Ridolfi had all decided who they must quickly become her friends so she had nothing to fear from the siblings of Giuliano. On the other relatives Jacopo Salviati, Francesco Cybo, Piero Ridolfi and their children (Lucrezia had ten, Maddalena six and Contessina four or five but not all of them were in Rome) were friendly enough to not give her any reason for worrying unlike Piero’s widow the fearsome Alfonsina Orsini, who she felt as extremely hostile and possibly jealous (and the fact who she was Lorenzo’s mother was another reason for being extremely glad to have married Giuliano). Among the younger generation she had taken notice of few people: the young Cardinal Innocenzo Cybo and the other churchmen Giovanni Salviati and Niccolò Ridolfi, who would become Cardinals like their cousin in a couple of years, and the young Caterina Cybo and Maria Salviati and the latter’s husband Giovanni Ludovico de‘ Medici, former pupil of Jacopo Salviati and the only surviving member of the other Popolano branch of the family.
Maybe the only shadow on that month in Rome, other than Alfonsina‘s hostility, was the frequency of certain jokes about expanding the family, but as they were always directed to Giuliano (and his answer “I am working on it, but depend from God’s will” was without doubt true) and everyone was showering her with affection she was not caring too much for it…

 

[Awkwardvulture]

Awww, glad that Philiberta and Giuliano seem to be off to a good start to their marriage, the Medici are certainly going to do well for themselves here.

 

[isabella]

Awww, glad that Philiberta and Giuliano seem to be off to a good start to their marriage, the Medici are certainly going to do well for themselves here.

Yes, they are becoming quite close and the Medici clan is very happy for that (Philiberta would likely become irritated if she knew the Pope’s half-joke answer to his brother “and I will pray for it, then” but as that happened only twice and both times Philiberta was far away, well she had not idea of it)

 

[isabella]

The 13 years old Anne Boleyn was reading to her mistress, who was lying on the bed in her room as the sixteen years old Queen of England was finding her child too active for being willing to deal with both the baby and her husband who continued to look at her like she was too frail and ready to break in any moment, at the point who Eleanor was starting to joke who her child was not yet born and already conspiring with his father against her as Henry was trying to persuade her who entering in confinement two months before giving birth was a good idea and their child was keeping her tied to her bed.
Anne was glad to be still free to move and take part to the celebrations of the Court, like the banquet organized by the King for celebrating the birth of his niece, lady Margaret Brandon, who was to be the Queen’s goddaughter, barely a month after the much bigger celebrations for the birth of the Count of Charolais, nephew of both the King and Queen of England, who was also King Henry’s godson.

Eleanor was lying on her bed, reading the last letters from her sisters-in-law, both full of useful advices on how dealing with the last stages of pregnancy and dealing with overprotective husbands… She had never meet Margaret of Scotland, but hoped to be able to remedy soon to that as she was really appreciating the suggestions received from her since the beginning of her pregnancy and felt a kindred spirit.
Answering to letters of Mary, Margaret and also to the last one who Isabella had sent her before departing for Milan would require time, reason for which she was grateful to have already sent her letter to the soon Empress Anna of Hungary, as the poor girl would require a lot of help and emotional support for dealing with her grandfather and his moods. Thinking to the fate of the Hungarian princess had always the result to appreciate her own fate as Henry‘s overprotectiveness was without doubt much easier to bear than being married to a man so much older than her…

 

[HortenseMancini]

I feel Eleanor's concerns for Anna...the poor girl is about to be married to a man more than old enough to be her grandfather!

 

[Awkwardvulture]

Awww, so glad that Eleanor's pregnancy will soon be over with, and that she seems healthy so far...

 

[isabella]

I feel Eleanor's concerns for Anna...the poor girl is about to be married to a man more than old enough to be her grandfather!

Anna is twelve but highly pragmatic and so is well resigned to her fate and while she is not thrilled to marry a man only few years younger than her father she will do her duty and is just hoping who Maximilian will be tolerable and she know who marrying so high will have its advantages… and while is true who Maximilian had four grandchildren older then her, well she is not thinking to that…

Awww, so glad that Eleanor's pregnancy will soon be over with, and that she seems healthy so far...

Yes, the baby will be born in August, so we are quite close to

 

[isabella]

Isabella was happy to have been arrived in Milan, after a journey who, while not excessively uncomfortable at the same time had not been much easy. Traveling over mountains was never easy and she hoped to not have to repeat the journey, at least in the near future. At least Duke Massimiliano had organized a sumptuous welcome for her and had taken care to have magnificent apartments ready for her, giving her, at the same time, freedom to change anything she wanted. Isabella had quickly decided who for the moment her new rooms were perfects as they were, delaying any change to a not so near future.
Massimiliano was handsome and charming as he had been in Vienna and Isabella felt extremely hopeful for the future, and her letter to Eleanor was full of reassurances about her happiness and satisfaction with her fate.

One of the most sumptuous among the celebrations organized by Massimiliano had been a big party for the 14th birthday of his Duchess, who had arrived only days after the solemn celebration of their wedding in the Duomo of Milano…
Isabella was resplendent in a green velvet dress and jewels of emeralds who Massimiliano had gifted to her. Life in Milan for now looked to be good, but Isabella knew well who her husband’s hold on Milan was still uncertain, for both rulership and possession of the lands. Still Milan was a very important place, under any aspect, and her family would help her husband if the French tried again to conquer the Duchy or the Swiss would made too much pressure on Massimiliano and his council. She had meet also her new brother-in-law, Francesco, and the Duke of Ferrara and the Marchioness of Mantua, siblings of Massimiliano’s late mother, who had journeyed to Milan for the wedding and so she had the chance to meet the famous Isabella d’Este, who was still handsome in her 40’s, and always ready to share stories about her family and Massimiliano’s parents. She was just sorry to have been unable to meet the equally famous Lucrezia Borgia, but the Duchess of Ferrara had been unable to be present at the wedding as she had given birth to a daughter, Eleonora, at the beginning of the month.

 

[HortenseMancini]

Looks like Isabella is off to a good start as Duchess! Hopefully that continues and she and Massimiliano don't face too much strife.

 

[Awkwardvulture]

Ooh it's great that Isabella seems to be starting off well, and that at least she can expect her family to protect her and her husband from his enemies.

 

[isabella]

Looks like Isabella is off to a good start as Duchess! Hopefully that continues and she and Massimiliano don't face too much strife.

Ooh it's great that Isabella seems to be starting off well, and that at least she can expect her family to protect her and her husband from his enemies.

Thanks very much. Isabella is extremely welcomed by her husband and his family who are quite proud to have an Archduchess marrying in the family… the stability of Massimiliano’s rule for now is not in immediate danger as they need to worry mostly for the actions of the French, but right now France is in a limbo without a King…

 

[ordinarylittleme]

Isabella d'Este and Lucrezia Borgia ? Oh, this will be fun

 

[isabella]

Isabella d'Este and Lucrezia Borgia ? Oh, this will be fun

Lucrezia is NOT there as she had just given birth to a daughter… And I doubt they will ever be in the same place at the same time here (at least NOT when our Isabella is also present) so… Still in 1515 they were both alive and Isabella’s brother is the husband of Lucrezia and their other sister was Massimiliano‘s mother so…
But I think who I will have a chapter in Ferrara in 1516, still I am not sure who Isabella d’Este will be there…

 

[ordinarylittleme]

Lucrezia is NOT there as she had just given birth to a daughter… And I doubt they will ever be in the same place at the same time here (at least NOT when our Isabella is also present) so… Still in 1515 they were both alive and Isabella’s brother is the husband of Lucrezia and their other sister was Massimiliano‘s mother so…
But I think who I will have a chapter in Ferrara in 1516, still I am not sure who Isabella d’Este will be there…

I am very deeply interested in the possibility of all three women interacting together, I'm sorry

 

[isabella]

Anna of Bohemia and Hungary was quite scared since her arrival in Vienna as she knew to be there for marrying Emperor Maximilian and becoming the new Empress would give her a lot of responsibilities for which she felt to not being ready, being only twelve years old.
Emperor Maximilian had been courteous towards her but was quite clear who he was not truly interested in her or remarrying in general and would do it only because he had no grandson available for her and her father had pushed for the wedding.
Still at twelve, she was old enough for marrying, meaning who the ceremony who would unite her and Maximilian would be a full marriage, while her eight years old brother Louis would marry the nine years old Archduchess Mary in a much less binding ceremony than her own, and that made her incredibly nervous, also if she knew who the Emperor had no intention to consummate the marriage before she was at least sixteen.
Another thing who made her not exactly comfortable was the request of her uncle, the King of Poland, to be the godmother of his newly born second daughter, who would be another Anna, in her honor, but she supposed who she needed to get used to this thing now who she was too be the Holy Roman Empress…
Instead she was relieved to see who her brother, who during all the journey to Vienna had been quite excited to the idea of meeting the young Archduchess, had quickly established a good relationship to her, as they were soon quite inseparable, playing together at any chance they got with great amusement of both Vladislaus and Maximilian.

 

[Awkwardvulture]

Awww nice that Louis and Mary at least get along well, while Anna, though probably unaware, st least won't be too young if/when the marriage is consummated

 

[isabella]

Awww nice that Louis and Mary at least get along well, while Anna, though probably unaware, st least won't be too young if/when the marriage is consummated

Oh, Louis and Mary were both super eager to have a playmate of their age so they got along very quickly.
Maximilian has no intention to bed a girl who is way too young but he know who he will have to consummate the wedding once she is 16…

 

[isabella]

Marie, Duchess of Burgundy was extremely proud of her young husband, listening to Charles’ solemn renunciation to the Kingdoms of Castile and Aragon, as she knew well how much her husband’s pride was hurt by the necessity to confirm his acceptance of the succession of his younger and unknown brother in that Kingdoms, who in Charles’ mind belonged to him by right.
Still Maximilian had negotiated with Ferdinand of Aragon and the Cortes of both Castile and Aragon a fair compensation for Charles’ renounce, who would be paid once Charles signed the agreement and recognized formally who both his younger brother and youngest sister would have a superior claim to the kingdoms of Castile and Aragon than his own. One of the reasons for which Charles had agreed to this compromise in the end was the fact who the succession would be altered also in Burgundy, with the lines of Eleanor, Isabella and Mary surpassing the one of Ferdinand in the succession and also in Austria, with eventual sons of Maximilian and Anna ahead of the Spanish boy (as Charles had started to call the brother who he had never meet).
Another part of the deal was the payment from Spain of large sums who were to partially compensate Charles and most important buying for him the elevation of Burgundy to a restored hereditary Kingdom of Lotharingia (for compensating the loss of rank given by the renounced to the other two Kingdoms) and in a couple of years securing him the election as King of the Romans (and future Holy Roman Emperor) as soon Maximilian was able to arrange it.
Her little Philip, Count of Charolais was happily sleeping near to her, unaware of the fact who in a couple of months he would be the one called Duke of Burgundy as soon his father received his royal crown.

 

[Awkwardvulture]

Well Charles got quite the compensation for losing Spain, and I imagine shunting aside Ferdinand's line doesn't hurt either, and I'm sure that money will help.

 

[isabella]

Well Charles got quite the compensation for losing Spain, and I imagine shunting aside Ferdinand's line doesn't hurt either, and I'm sure that money will help.

Exactly. Charles’ compensation was quite generous as Maximilian won the confrontation at distance with Ferdinand (who by the way knew who that was NOT one of the times in which he would be able to spare money)