A Happier Wedding, A Greater France

[Yorel]

Hi, everyone.
Well, this is the second timeline I'm launching, but it will probably my first real try at a timeline considering I never updated the first after my first post...

The idea came to me after a thread I had started. Someone then asked if I would make a timeline on the subject of the thread, and after much thinking I decided to give it a try. I hope the timeline looks plausible and likely. I'm also hoping that you won't have a problem regarding clarity as I'm not a native English speaker and I hope not to make any language mistakes.

Anyway, here goes. Enjoy!

[FONT=&quot]A Happier Wedding, A Greater France[/FONT]​

[FONT=&quot]
Prologue: An arranged wedding[/FONT]

[FONT=&quot]On November 24, 1615, in the city of Bordeaux, the fourteen year old Louis XIII, King of France and Navarra, was married to Anna of Austria, Infanta of Spain. This wedding had been arranged by the Queen Mother, Marie de Medici, following her pro-Hapsburg policies. This day was also the last day Louis XIII would see his sister Elisabeth, as she would marry Philip, Prince of the Asturias (and later King of Spain as Philip IV) the next day. The double’s marriage goal was to strengthen the ties between the French and Spanish royal families, and was following a tradition dating back to the wedding of King Philip II of Spain with Elisabeth of Valois, daughter of Henri II of France.[/FONT]

[FONT=&quot]However, the marriage was not starting on good bases: his arranged bethroal to the daughter of the King of Spain was humiliating for young Louis XIII. Having idolized his father, the late king Henri IV of France, Louis never saw the Spanish as anything but enemies. Thus, the forced wedding that Marie de Medici, whom the young King hated (despite the fact she was his mother), looked like a betrayal in regards of his father’s memory and policies. The fact Louis XIII was forced to consummate his marriage to prevent any diplomatic incidents (and possible asking of annulment by Spain) also left a heavy trauma on his persona and would keep him away from his wife’s chamber for four years.[/FONT]

[FONT=&quot]Eventually, under the pressure and pleas of his friend and favorite Charles d’Albert, Duc de Luynes, the young Louis XIII shared once again his wife’s bed and soon Anne of Austria became pregnant. On December 1619, she delivered a healthy son to her husband [1]. The boy was named Louis, after his father, who was overjoyed with the birth of an heir. In the following years, Anne of Austria would give her husband five other children: Marie (b. 1622), Elisabeth (b. 1626), Philippe (b. 1631), Henri (b. 1638) and Charles (b. 1640) [2]. The birth of so many children eventually eased the relationship between Louis XIII and his wife, and the couple became pretty close despite the fact they had started on bad terms. Although Louis remained wary of Anne’s Spanish blood and considered women frivolous, he would always treat Anne with respect and never took any mistresses. He tried to find time to take care of his wife and children, although his royal duties often kept them part. He would eventually seek the political support of his wife, although this would be rare and would mostly happen when the King argued with Cardinal Richelieu over certain decisions [3].[/FONT]

[FONT=&quot]Most of Louis XIII’s reign would however be dominated by his co-operation with his chief minister, from the moment Richelieu rose to power in 1624 to his death in 1642. During this time, France followed policies of centralization, which weakened and depleted the powers of the nobility. This angered a great deal of nobles, who rallied around the Queen Mother and her favorite son, Gaston, Duke of Orleans, but opposition became minimal following the Day of the Dupes. Gaston d’Orléans would still remain a nuisance, but only a handful on nobles would rally to his cause: his influence had been severely weakened with the birth of his nephew Louis in 1619 and would take another huge blow with the birth of Prince Phillippe in 1631. Gaston d’Orléans would eventually submit to his brother and remain a lawful servant of the crown until his death [4].[/FONT]

[FONT=&quot]Regarding Religion, Louis XIII’s reign is quite peculiar. In his realm, the King of France and his minister Cardinal Richelieu weakened the position of the Protestants by stripping them of a certain number of rights and privileges which had been granted by Henri IV. The right to practice the religion however remained untouched by the French King, thus keeping the main aspects of the Edit de Nantes.[/FONT]
[FONT=&quot]French foreign policies regarding Protestantism however went the opposite way of its inner policies, but that’s because it did not follow Religion. The opposition of the France to Hapsburg hegemony as well as the wish to break Hapsburg encirclement (since the House of Austria was ruling both Spain and the Empire) lead the French to join the side of the main Protestant Nations during the Thirty Years’ War, and that intervention would have a crucial role in the resolution of the conflict.[/FONT]

[FONT=&quot]This conflict would be the cause of a violent dispute between King Louis XIII and his wife, as Anne of Austria was (comprehensively) oppose as to waging War against her brother Philip IV of Spain and cousin Holy Roman Emperor Ferdinand III. The French King and his wife would eventually reconcile later: Anne remained opposed to the war against her family, but had understood her husband was acting for the good of his kingdom in this situation, not of his family. This probably explains why she raised few objections in regards of the wedding of her two daughters.[/FONT]

[FONT=&quot]As a matter of fact, Cardinal Richelieu’s diplomacy played a heavy role in the weddings of Marie and Elisabeth of France. Since their father and his liege, Louis XIII, had agreed to support those who opposed Hapsburg domination over the Empire, Richelieu had few difficulties in convincing the King that dynastic alliances would help strengthen the ties between France and its allies or to try to gain other allies against the Hapsburg. As such, in 1638, negotiations eventually lead to the wedding of the then sixteen year old Marie of France to Philip William, son of Wolfgang William, Count Palatine of Neuburg [5]. Richelieu had hoped to drive Wolfgang William to the French camp via this prestigious marriage, but Wolfgang maintained his neutrality during the conflict. This marriage would however prove useful to France years later… [6][/FONT]

[FONT=&quot]By contrast, the wedding of Elisabeth of France proved more complicated. The Netherlands had always been a fiercely opponent of the Hapsburgs. As such, Richelieu negotiated the bethroal of Elisabeth to William II, Prince of Orange-Nassau and Statdholder of the United Provinces, so that they would be tied more closely to France. Religion, however, came in the way: Elisabeth wished to maintain her Catholicism, but the Dutch did not like the idea of the future Princess of Orange being a Catholic. Anne of Austria refused that her daughter was forced to abandon her religion if she didn’t wish to, and manage to convince her husband Louis XIII. The French King then asked for Richelieu to seek a compromise with the Dutch, which required intense negotiations. Finally, in the year 1641, Elisabeth of France married William II of Orange [7]. The Compromise that had been reached was that the new Princess of Orange would be able to keep her religious belief, but would have no word in her son Religious education and, were she to exercise Regency for her son, would have to keep her husband’s councilors. Elisabeth of France accepted them, not knowing the influence it would later have on her son, William III [8], and his policies.[/FONT]

[FONT=&quot]Though the conflict raged for most of the first half of the seventeenth century, neither Louis XIII nor Cardinal Richelieu would see the end of the Thirty Years’ War. The chief minister of France breathed his last in 1642, and his king followed him in the grave barely one year later on May 14, 1643. Thus, the twenty three year old Dauphin ascended the throne of France as Louis XIV. This would be the beginning of a glorious fifty-three year long reign…[/FONT]

[FONT=&quot][1] POD. OTL, Anne’s first pregnancy resulted in a miscarriage.[/FONT]
[FONT=&quot][2] OTL, Anne suffered four miscarriages before giving birth to two sons. Here, she is luckier and her six pregnancies all go well.[/FONT]
[FONT=&quot][3] Anne and Louis XIII are closer ITTL because she never had four miscarriages. As a result, she is a bit more effective in countering Richelieu, although the latter remains pretty powerful.[/FONT]
[FONT=&quot][4] OTL, Gaston d’Orléans was a much more effective trouble maker because he was heir to the crown up to 1638. Here, his rebellions and plots are less effective since he is in a weaker position and finds fewer supporters.[/FONT]
[FONT=&quot][5] OTL, Philip William married Anne Catherine Vasa of Poland, daughter of Sigismund III, in 1642.[/FONT]
[FONT=&quot][6] But that is another story that will be explained later.[/FONT]
[FONT=&quot][7] OTL, William II married Mary, Princess Royal and daughter of Charles I of England.[/FONT]
[FONT=&quot][8] Not OTL William III of Orange, but his ATL counterpart who is the son of William II of Orange and Elisabeth of France ITTL.[/FONT]

 

[RyuDrago]

Huh, a more intrapendent Louis XIII at bed and a rabbit Anne of Austria...

So, the different Louis XIV reigned until 1696... There will be a lot of butterflies for sure.

I'm surprised to see a more loyal Gaston of Orleans...

 

[SavoyTruffle]

Interesting. Will things turn out far better for France?

 

[Evilprodigy]

I don't read many TL's but this has caught my intrest, subscribed

 

[Vitruvius]

You're actually doing it! Looks good so far, I can't wait to see who Louis XIV marries and how he end the 30 Years War.

 

[The Professor]

Yay you've started it!

There were some minor grammar errors but they didn't detract from the clarity

 

[johnjcakos]

Subscribed, Yorel! Very good start. Only one minor remark : I think Louis's first born son in 1619 would have been named Henri, after Louis's beloved father Henri IV.

 

[Yorel]

Subscribed, Yorel! Very good start. Only one minor remark : I think Louis's first born son in 1619 would have been named Henri, after Louis's beloved father Henri IV.

True, I could have called Louis XIII's firstborn Henri. However, logic tells me that, if Louis XIII called his first son Louis and his second son Philippe OTL, then there is a good chance he would do the same ITTL. Louis XIII does have a son named Henri though here : his third son.

Anyway, thank you all for your support . I will work on the next update, so stay tuned.

 

[johnjcakos]

True, I could have called Louis XIII's firstborn Henri. However, logic tells me that, if Louis XIII called his first son Louis and his second son Philippe OTL, then there is a good chance he would do the same ITTL. Louis XIII does have a son named Henri though here : his third son.

Granted, but in this TL, Louis's son was born only 9 years after Henri's assassination.

 

[Yorel]

Here comes the next update! I'm quite happy it only took me one week to write the next update, as I feared my tendency to procastinate would make it longer .

Anyway, enjoy!

[FONT=&quot]Chapter 1: Early years of Louis XIV, King of France and Navarra[/FONT]

[FONT=&quot]The man who would become King Louis XIV of France was born to Louis XIII and Anne of Austria on December 1619, shortly after the couple resumed sharing the same bed. For both of Louis’ parents, the birth of an heir this early on their marriage was a blessing. To Anne, the birth of the Dauphin was a way of securing her position: her marriage had started on ill bases, Louis XIII having thought the marriage to be imposed to him by his mother Marie de Medici. The birth of the future Louis XIV allowed Anne to get closer to her husband, who would always take care of her after that.[/FONT]

[FONT=&quot]None was happier than Louis XIII himself however. Not only had the King of France become a father and secured his succession, but this also gave him some ground against his opponents. The birth of his eldest son had effectively weakened the position of the main opponents of Louis XIII’ early reign: his mother Marie de Medici and brother Gaston, Duc d’Orléans. Though he was still second in the order of succession, Gaston’s position had been weakened but he would only be neutralized with the birth of Louis XIII’s second son twelve years later. Marie de Medici also suffered from the weakening of her favorite son, as the latter had always supported her.[/FONT]

[FONT=&quot]Tensions were still high in Louis XIII’s early reign, and as such the King of France ensured that the Dauphin would be sheltered from court intrigues. As a result, the future Louis XIV was kept away from his grandmother and uncle, and thus never fell under their influence. Louis also enjoyed a rather happy childhood, though he received the strict education of a prince.[/FONT]

[FONT=&quot]Louis XIII proved to be a very affectionate father: he and his son the Dauphin often played together when royal duties gave Louis XIII enough time to do so. Having good memories of his own father, Henri IV, Louis XIII adopted a similar attitude towards his children: as such, he always asked them to call him “Papa”, even in public, which went against usual court usages. The Dauphin would always call his father this way in private, though he felt he had to stop doing so in public once he turned 14. Louis XIII’s eldest son would always be his favorite child, as they shared a lot of time together and had similar personalities. Though Louis XIV would never come to idolize his father (as the latter had done with Henri IV), he would always respect his decisions, even those he didn’t agree with, and show the loyalty and love expected from a prince to his royal father.[/FONT]

[FONT=&quot]The future Louis XIV shared a lot of time with his mother until she gave birth to the Dauphin’s sister, Marie de France, in 1622. Anne of Austria always favored her youngest children because they were the ones who needed the most of attention. Since he lost the attention of his mother because of her, the Dauphin became very jealous of his sister Marie and would stay this way until he turned seven. By this time, Anne of Austria had given birth to her second daughter, Elisabeth de France, and she was worried the future Louis XIV would feel jealous of the baby Elisabeth or would come to hate his mother for not paying attention. She eventually talked about it to Louis XIII, who chose to reduce contacts between mother and son as he didn’t wish for Louis XIV to share with Anne of Austria the same relationship Louis XIII had suffered with Marie de Medici.[/FONT]

[FONT=&quot]Though he shared less time with his mother, the Dauphin never came to hate her. In their encounter, he would always ask about her health and would always show her love. Louis XIV would also find a confident in his mother, as he would always go see her when he felt troubled or sad. Anne of Austria would become one of her son’s main supporters, something the latter would thank her by ensure she wouldn’t need anything and care for her well-being.[/FONT]

[FONT=&quot]Though he had many siblings, the Dauphin didn’t grow with all of them. Unsurprisingly, as Dauphin, he spent few time with his youngest brothers Henri, Duc de Berry, and Charles, Duc d’Alençon, as they were only babies (being aged respectively four and two) when Louis XIV got on the throne. On the other hand, the Dauphin always had a good relationship with his brother Philippe, Duc d’Anjou, despite their age difference. Though Philippe was twelve years younger, he and the Dauphin often played together, mostly Chess as it was one of the Duc d’Anjou’s favorite games.[/FONT]

[FONT=&quot]The most interesting part of the future Louis XIV’s relationship with his siblings was with his sisters. Though he had been jealous of his sister Marie, they eventually developed a casual brother-sister relationship and even shared similar passions, most notably their love of horse riding. Once Marie turned sixteen, she was married to Philip William, son of the Count Palatine of Neuburg, in hopes of him joining the French side during the Thirty Years’ War. The Dauphin escorted his sister halfway on her travel towards Neuburg, and would share a huge correspondence with her until her death.[/FONT]

[FONT=&quot]Louis XIV was more distant with his other sister Elisabeth, the latter being the most secretive but also the calmest of Louis XIII and Anne of Austria’s children. Though Elisabeth and her elder brother shared a common love for literature, she spends most of her time reading while Louis XIV was far more interested in physical activities. Elisabeth’s other main interest was Religion, being so pious it was even considered to make her a nun before she was wedded to William II of Orange. The Dauphin had been very reluctant to have his sister wed a Protestant, even when negotiations allowed her to keep her Catholic faith. He eventually gave in but he would, at least five times a year, send her a letter asking Elisabeth about her well-being. In the end, Elisabeth would be the sibling Louis XIV would care the most for; despite the fact they had few in common.[/FONT]

[FONT=&quot]Education of Louis, Dauphin de France and future Louis XIV[/FONT]

[FONT=&quot]Louis XIII always kept a close watch on his son and heir’s education, sometimes involving himself when his royal duties allowed him to do so. The King of France made sure the Dauphin received the best professors he could find as well as the best education you could give to a Prince. As such, the future Louis XIV received a rather complete education.[/FONT]

[FONT=&quot]During his own education, Louis XIII had mostly been interested in everything that regarded the military. As a result, the King of France made sure his son would receive a strong education in everything that was linked, directly or not, to warfare and armies. Louis XIII was wishing to transmit his passions to his son, in which he succeeded. The Dauphin soon developed a love for horse riding, like his father had done. The future Louis XIV became a skilled rider and very knowledgeable on horses, knowing every horse breed known by his contemporaries. This passion for horses would never die out: even when he became King of France, Louis XIV continued to purchase horses and show care for the horse he had buy, inquiring about their health and the state of his stables. Eventually, this would lead him to create the Haras Royaux de France [1] which soon became a reference in the Horse Riding World and are today the basis of the Fédération Française d’Equitation [2].[/FONT]

[FONT=&quot]The Dauphin also became skilled with weaponry: though he didn’t learn to use them all, he learned about most of the weapons used in warfare. Along his reign, he showed a good ability of appreciation in regards to weapons, which would prove useful in the development of the French military during his reign. In regards to their use, the future Louis XIV showed incredible skills in Fencing: a skilled swordfighter, he never lost a single training duel after he turned eighteen, practicing it as often as he could. He was also good at archery [3] and using firearms, be it arquebuses or muskets. As a result, he would prove a skilled hunter during his reign.[/FONT]

[FONT=&quot]Though they were part of his education, Hunting, Fencing and Horse Riding became some of the Dauphin’s favorite distractions, though they weren’t the only ones. Because of his strong connection with his father Louis XIII, the Dauphin’s favorite distraction was the same as his father: music. This would have later consequences on court life, as Louis XIV would often organize concerts or operas to distract himself and his court. This would also lead the future King of France to patronize several artists, most notably Jean-Baptiste Lully (1632-1692) [4]. The Dauphin also had an interest in other forms of art, most notably Painting and Literature. As a result, his reign would saw the blooming of French culture as he would protect and patronize a lot of preeminent artists [5].[/FONT]

[FONT=&quot]However, while numerous similarities can be found between father and son in their education and passions, Louis XIV stands out from Louis XIII in his studies. Though Louis XIV learned History and knew it well, he never found the same interest as his father. On the other hand, the Dauphin mastered and enjoyed studying literature, something his father never had. Louis XIV also mastered the basics of mathematics and geometry, but soon lost interests when he started learning more complicated notions. In overall, the Dauphin proved a better student than his father. But that student had a major flaw: when a lesson was proving too long or uninteresting for his tastes, the future Louis XIV had a tendency to slack off. He even skipped his lessons when he could, receiving severe scolding from his parents. As he grew up and became more serious, these incidents became less and less common though.[/FONT]

[FONT=&quot]The future Louis XIV’s studies also included teachings on Diplomacy and Politics, some which were personally led by his father. However, once the Dauphin turned thirteen, the age the King of France could rule without regency, Louis XIII decided his eldest son needed a more direct look at politics. The Day of the Dupes having rid him of his main political enemies in 1630, the King of France decided it was safe for his son to be present at every major political event and to assist every Royal Council he held, starting February 1633. This would give the future Louis XIV some vital needed experience which would help him throughout his reign. During the Royal Councils he attended, the Dauphin was often asked by his father what he would do, allowing Louis XIII to judge the ability of his successor and to take part in his education. Though it didn’t had an importance in the King of France’s decision in the end, it forced Louis XIV to develop his analyzing abilities so that he could judge the response he proposed his father and try to understand why Louis XIII had taken the same decision or why he didn’t do so.[/FONT]

[FONT=&quot]Another figure would play a role in the Dauphin’s political education, though a more darker and somber role: Cardinal Richelieu. The personality of Richelieu would leave a deep mark on Louis XIV: while he never questioned the abilities of his father, nor his father’s trust in his chief minister, the figure of the Cardinal always scared him because of his influence and intelligence. Though the Dauphin never considered his father a puppet of Richelieu, the figure of the Cardinal convinced him never to let any of his minister take the same importance and rival the King’s authority. These would have consequences on his later policies as he would often take decisions alone.[/FONT]

[FONT=&quot]Accession to the throne, first years of reign and marriage[/FONT]

[FONT=&quot]On May 14, 1643, Louis XIII the Just, King of France and Navarra, breathed his last, thirty-three years exactly after the assassination of his father Henri IV. For six weeks, Louis XIII had been suffering from diarrhea and vomiting, symptoms which led nowadays expert to say he died of Crohn’s disease. Nowadays doctors also admitted Louis XIII’s doctor, Bouvard, also played a part as his treatments weakened the King as much as the disease he was suffering [6].[/FONT]

[FONT=&quot]The Dauphin, now King Louis XIV of France, was at his father’s side for the whole time Louis XIII’s agony lasted. Though he kept a dignified attitude throughout his father’s last days, he was visibly affected by the state of his father’s health, some witness accounting they saw him with tears in his eyes more than once. Same witnesses wrote that the last words of Louis XIII to his son were: “My death ends my reign but begins yours. Always prove worthy of the crown you’re wearing.” They also state Louis XIV only wept once the doctors confirmed his father had passed away.[/FONT]

[FONT=&quot]The first act of Louis XIV as King was to honor his father’s memory by respecting his last will. As such, the new King of France made sure his father and predecessor’s body was transferred to the Basilique de Saint-Denis without ceremony, as Louis XIII had wished. Only a small escort, which included Louis XIV himself, led the former king’s coffin to his grave. The simple procession left quite an impression on the population of Paris: eventually, some of the Parisians followed their former King on the way to his grave, expressing their condolences and support to their new sovereign. Louis XIV would never forget his father’s funerals and would always show care for the Parisians. Following these events, the King declared three days of mourning in the whole kingdom, except at his court where he made it last one week. Louis XIV himself mourned his father for a whole month.[/FONT]

[FONT=&quot]The coronation of Louis XIV in Rheims took place on June 28. The new king knew his father that his father had wished his funerals to be made without ceremony because he didn’t wish to impose his people what seemed to him as a useless and excessive ceremony. Louis XIV, still wishing to show the might of the King, underwent the ceremony of his coronation but choose to keep it simple. Though the ceremony respected the tradition and ceremonial, it appeared very modest for its time and can be recorded as one of the less expensive ceremonies of the French Monarchy. However, the coronation of Louis XIV left another mark in history for another reason…[/FONT]

[FONT=&quot]Among the usual titles the King of France and Navarra received upon his coronation, Louis XIV included that of “Count of Barcelona”. This was no ordinary action, and was done for no ordinary reasons: though he had been a great king, Louis XIII had left to his son a France that was still engaged in the Thirty Years’ War. The French were fighting both the Austrian and Spanish branches of the Hapburgs, and this had led the French to support Catalan Rebels in Spain. As a result of this, the Catalans had recognized Louis XIII as their ruler under the name Lluis I, Count of Barcelona. The fact Louis XIV choose to be entitled Count of Barcelona among other things during his coronation was a way of showing the Catalan Rebels he was wishing to keep supporting them. This strong sign left a good impression on Rebel leaders, which soon acclaimed the King of France as Lluis II de Barcelona.[/FONT]

[FONT=&quot]The Thirty Years’ War was nearing its end though when Louis XIV took the throne: the tide of the war was strongly against the Hapsburgs, and peace negotiations had begun. Louis XIV had no intention of pursuing the war in the Empire any longer than necessary as he felt his allies wouldn’t follow him. He particularly feared a Swedish withdrawal from the war as Queen Christina of Sweden, who had lost her father (the great king Gustav II Adolphus) to war, seemed particularly reluctant in pursuing the war. Alongside France, Sweden was the main power behind the Anti-Hapsburg coalition, and Louis XIV didn’t wish to pursue the fight if Sweden were to withraw. In the end, Louis XIV sent Cardinal Mazarin, Richelieu’s successor, to the table of negotiations with rather free hands: knowing France would still gain much from the peace treaty, Louis XIV trusted Mazarin with few instructions, and their correspondence during the peace negotiations never saw any complaints about what Mazarin had done and negotiated.[/FONT]

[FONT=&quot]On the other hand, Louis XIV set his eyes on Spain, and more precisely Catalonia as he was hoping to add it to the French crown. He thus concentrated his efforts on the other side of the Pyrenees, hoping to defeat the Spanish soundly and to impose them a very advantageous peace treaty for France. Thus, the War of the Pyrenees, originally a secondary front of the Thirty Years’ War, became the center of attention of the French armies and would see fierce fighting between French-backed Catalan rebels and their Spanish opponents.[/FONT]

[FONT=&quot]Another concern of Louis XIV was his succession. It didn’t appear urgent upon his coronation: the twenty-three year old King was still young and had three young brothers who could succeed him upon his death. Furthermore, the Duc d’Anjou, who had become heir to the throne following his brother’s coronation, had made a vibrant vow of loyalty to his brother in public, barely half a year after his brother had sat on the throne, which got rid of the threat of the younger brother of the king opposing him and becoming a new Gaston d’Orléans. However, a strange series of events would change the new King of France’s mind…[/FONT]

[FONT=&quot]Two years after Louis XIV’s coronation, Philippe d’Anjou, heir to the throne, fell from his horse and broke his leg while accompanying his brother during a hunt. Though he eventually recovered, he stayed bedridden for a month and a half, with serious concerns regarding his health in the first week. Six months after the incident, the young Duc de Berry, Henri, aged 5, nearly drowned himself in one of the ponds of the Palais Royal: only the intervention of an attendant saved his life. Two month later, the three year old Charles, Duc d’Alençon and youngest brother of Louis XIV, fell from one of the Louvre’s windows, but was fortunately caught by a musketeer, Albert of Parmagnan [7]. A plot against the King’s family was at first suspected, but the resulting inquiry didn’t found any proof of such, though the Conspiration contre les frères du Roi [8] remained a popular myth which survived to this day and is still explored among Conspiracits [9].[/FONT]

[FONT=&quot]Though the succession hadn’t been endangered in the end, Louis XIV showed a great deal of worry as his three brothers and immediate successors had escaped death, something which shaken the King’s belief his succession was assured were he to die without sons. Determined to avoid a succession crisis, like France had known in its past with the Hundred Years War and, more recently, the accession of Henri IV to the throne of France [10], Louis XIV started seeking a bride.[/FONT]

[FONT=&quot]Wishing to strengthen Franco-Swedish ties and to keep the alliance of the two major Anti-Hapsburg powers of the Thirty Years’ War, Louis XIV first asked for the hand of one of Queen Christina’s cousins, more precisely to one of the daughters of Catherine of Sweden, Christina’s aunt and the wife of John Casimir of Zweibrücken-Kleeburg, who were the next in line to the Swedish throne after their brother Carl Gustav. Queen Christina saw the advantages a marriage between one of her cousins and the King of France could have, but the question of Religion posed her a problem. Though secretly Roman Catholic, Christina knew that the Swedes were Lutheran and would only want a Lutheran King. As such, marrying one of her three cousins to a Catholic effectively excluded her from the line of succession to the Swedish throne, something Christina was very reluctant to do. She eventually denied the French King’s request, with the official explanation being she didn’t wish to risk a Personnal Union between France and Sweden. Seeing he could not hope for him, Louis XIV tried to negotiate the wedding of his brother Philippe d’Anjou instead, but this also failed. In the end, marriage negotiations between Sweden and France failed. Queen Christina and King Louis XIV would however develop a strong friendship via their correspondence, which would result in the negotiation of an alliance treaty which was to last twenty years and would be signed by both parties following the end of the Thirty Years’ War.[/FONT]

[FONT=&quot]With the prospect of a Swedish marriage gone, Louis XIV began searching for a bride in other European countries. Eventually, he settled on Victoria Farnese, daughter of Ranuccio I, Duke of Parma & Piacenza [11]. Victoria was only one year older than Louis XIV and wasn’t yet married. When the proposal of the French King arrived at the Ducal Palace of Parma, her nephew, the seventeen-year old Ranuccio II of Parma [12], couldn’t believe his luck. He quickly gave his consent, and soon Victoria Farnese was en route for France, where she arrived in October. Louis XIV married her in Lyon on October 19, 1647. Despite having been arranged, the marriage would be a happy one. Victoria Farnese would give birth to a total of ten children [13], six of whom would survive up to adulthood: Louis (b. 1650), Victoire (b. 1652), Marie (b.1653), Philippe (b. 1654), Alexandre (b.1657) and Elisabeth (b. 1660). Thus was secured the bloodline of France…[/FONT]

[FONT=&quot][1] Can be roughly translated as “Royal Horse Breeding Grounds of France”. I do not know if the word Haras is used in English, but if not it’s a synonym of breeding grounds as it’s a place where horses are raised, bred, educated and eventually sold.[/FONT]
[FONT=&quot][2] French Horse Riding Federation.[/FONT]
[FONT=&quot][3] I know it may seem strange for an early 17th Century Prince to learn Archery, given the fact that bows and crossbows were no longer used in warfare. However, Louis XIII was given archery lessons in his younger years: I thus supposed his son could also have been given some.[/FONT]
[FONT=&quot][4] Like OTL, Lully’s talents in both music and court will allow him to be patronized by the King of France. Take note that there is a minor butterfly here: OTL, Lully died in 1687 after he accidentally hit his foot with his conductor baton (at the time, they were actual rods and not the sort of wand used nowadays). The incident happened while he was composing a Te Deum following the recovery of OTL Louis XIV from an illness. TTL Louis XIV is healthier than his OTL counterpart, so Lully gets to live 5 years longer here since he won’t have to compose said Te Deum.[/FONT]
[FONT=&quot][5] Much like his OTL counterpart.[/FONT]
[FONT=&quot][6] According to chroniclers, in the last two years of Louis XIII’s life, Bouvard practiced a total of 34 bloodlettings, 1200 clysters and 250 purges on the body of his King.[/FONT]
[FONT=&quot][7] Couldn’t resist to a small reference here . Albert of Parmagnan was the name of the hero of a 1990’s Franco-Canadian cartoon called Albert the Fifth Musketeer. It was a kid’s show and a parody of Alexandre Dumas’ Three Musketeers. One my favorite Cartoons as a kid .[/FONT]
[FONT=&quot][8] Conspiracy against the King’s brothers[/FONT]
[FONT=&quot][9] Don’t know if the word exist OTL. But ITTL, it’s a word used for people who believe in Conspiracy Theories. Funny how neologism can easily be justified when doing Alternate History, huh .[/FONT]
[FONT=&quot][10] Henri IV’s accession to the French crown was met with strong opposition in the beginning. First, Henri IV was still protestant when Henri III died. Second, he got the throne via Salic Law as he was a descendent of St. Louis IX of France, making him a very distant (nearly obscure) relative of Henri III.[/FONT]
[FONT=&quot][11] OTL, Victoria Farnese (1618-1649) married Francesco I d’Este, Duke of Modena & Regio, in 1648. She died after giving birth to a daughter who died at age 7.[/FONT]
[FONT=&quot][12] Ranuccio II Farnese (1630-1694) is the son of Odoardo Farnese (1612-1646), Duke of Parma & Piacenza, son of Ranuccio I and thus brother of Victoria.[/FONT]
[FONT=&quot][13] Butterflies make Victoria Farnese not die in 1649 as she isn’t in the same situation (different place & husband). She is also more fertile.[/FONT]

 

[Xgentis]

Great start subscribed.

 

[Evilprodigy]

Great update, I hope the French get Catalonia though, it would a nice start to the creation of a greater France given that the population is more or less loyal to Louis XIV

 

[kasumigenx]

Great update, I hope the French get Catalonia though, it would a nice start to the creation of a greater France given that the population is more or less loyal to Louis XIV

I like a French Catalonia actually.

 

[SavoyTruffle]

France's history will be changed here. It seems as if *Louis XIV might be looking to the south more than towards the Rhine.

 

[Evilprodigy]

I like a French Catalonia actually.

Agreed, it is an oddly natural-looking addition to France

Plus it happened IOTL so therefore it is safe to do

France's history will be changed here. It seems as if *Louis XIV might be looking to the south more than towards the Rhine.

You have a point, it is also alot easier to assimilate a culture that both likes you and shares a common religion and linguistic base

 

[SavoyTruffle]

Barcelona was also a part of Charlemagne's Marca Hispania, so at least the Catalonia conquest has some basis in history.

 

[Yorel]

Great update, I hope the French get Catalonia though, it would a nice start to the creation of a greater France given that the population is more or less loyal to Louis XIV

I do plan on having France getting larger. I'm not sure it will include Catalonia though, but I haven't decided yet what I will do with it.

As for the people's loyalty towards Louis XIV, it is currently linked to the fact Louis XIII was an extremly popular King from what I read. Since his son is young and proved respectuous, he has earned his people's popularity. Rest assured though: I do plan on having TTL Louis XIV end his life with a better reputation than his OTL counterpart .

It seems as if *Louis XIV might be looking to the south more than towards the Rhine.

Well, it's true Louis XIV will focus his eyes on the other side of the Pyrenees, but that's because things there are going to get interesting.

As for the Rhine... Nah, I'm not gonna say anything: stay tuned if you want to know more.

Also, I would like to thank those who read and commentend this timeline so far . I will work on the next update, which should be an overview of the main European events of the 1650s.

 

[pompejus]

Willem II married to a catholic wife is interesting as OTL he was pretty much anti-catholic (but since he wouldn't have anything to say about his marriage I can still see it happen easily). I wonder if it changes his opinion about catholicism. Also I wonder if it butterflies away his early death, which could be interesting in the powerstruggle between the rich merchants and the stadholder, certainly if Willem has a powerful French ally.

 

[RyuDrago]

Interesting update, this Louis XIV surely received a far better education respect to his OTL counterpart... and surely will made the difference.

I'm a bit surprised he married at 28, which is maybe a too far age for a king of that period and of the weight of that of France to take wife.

Maybe, some bastard sons before the marriage could be an interesting twist...

 

[archaeogeek]

Interesting update, this Louis XIV surely received a far better education respect to his OTL counterpart... and surely will made the difference.

I'm a bit surprised he married at 28, which is maybe a too far age for a king of that period and of the weight of that of France to take wife.

Maybe, some bastard sons before the marriage could be an interesting twist...

Indeed, although the french married late as a people, 28 is uncharacteristically old for a french monarch - OTL Louis XIV was married at 22 and that was actually old too; Louis XV was betrothed at 11, Louis XIII and XVI, both married at 15, Henry IV's arranged marriage was at 19, etc.