Albion Rising: A Henry Frederick Timeline
- Thread starter VVD0D95
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The number of children is as OTL just with more luck on surviving boys
Also, the OTL name Marguerite stands out. IOTL she was named after her mom, Marguerite de Lorraine who ITTL can end up either Duchess of Essex or second Duchess of Bavaria. Should be Anne or Elisabeth or something.
VVD0D95
Banned
Bit of a cheeky nod by Anne to Margaret or Valois and also to her own ancestor Margaret Tudor (who will be cropping up in later Anne povs)The number of children is as OTL just with more luck on surviving boys
Also, the OTL name Marguerite stands out. IOTL she was named after her mom, Marguerite de Lorraine who ITTL can end up either Duchess of Essex or second Duchess of Bavaria. Should be Anne or Elisabeth or something.
Chapter 244: Scandal
VVD0D95
Banned
Chapter 244: Scandal
July, 1630
Anna Maria took a breath. She could understand where Henry was coming from. Spain was not somewhere they wanted to be associated with right now. What with the whole issue of the ships flying the Prince of Orange’s flag-an issue that hadn’t been resolved yet-followed by their snatching of Dutch colonies in the New World that had seen their power grow exponentially. But at the same time, did they really want to be even more closely tied with France?
Yes, the Siege of La Rochelle had ended, but that had simply sped up the King of France’s decision to reduce the Huguenots completely. Besides, their daughter Anne was married to the Duke of Orleans now, and may well be with child, if the letters that had come through from Paris were any indication. Surely that was good enough?
Henry didn’t seem to think so. It seemed he wanted the match with the Gonzaga girl that would strengthen ties with France and provide them with a good foot into Italy, regardless of the fact that their marriage already provided them with that. Still, she supposed it was a good thing to keep in mind. Especially with all the rumours swirling about plots and the like.
The doors opened and she stopped, finding herself looking at her Lord Chamberlain, the Earl of Dorset, bent over and in a fevered conversation with her Mistress of the Robes, the Countess of Arundel, and waited. Surely the two of them would turn around when they realised that she was in the room.
She waited, and waited, and when neither of them turned around she decided to clear her throat. The Countess was the first one to turn around and she very nearly jumped out of her skin when she saw Anna standing there.
The woman hurriedly curtseyed. “Your Majesty.”
That prompted the Earl of Dorset to turn around and bow. “Your Majesty.” He said.
Anna smiled wryly. “So, what is the meaning of all of this?”
A look was exchanged between the two. The Earl was the one who answered. “I was asking The Countess of Arundel whether it would be right to raise a particular issue with you, Your Majesty.”
“And I was saying that this is the sort of thing the Star Chamber is for, Your Majesty.” The Countess said.
“And what issue is this?” Anna asked.
“A pamphlet that has recently been published, Your Majesty.” Dorset said.
“A pamphlet?” Anna replied, why would they need to come to her about a pamphlet.
“It is to do with Your Majesty, Ma’am.” Dorset said.
“It’s to do with outright treason is what it is!” Alethea, Countess of Arundel stated firmly.
“Do you have the pamphlet with you?” Anna asked, she might as well see the damned thing if they were going to make such a fuss about it.
Dorset blushed-he actually blushed-and replied. “I do not, Your Majesty.”
“Why not?” Anna asked. Surely if this thing necessitated him coming to her, he should have it.
“It is too scandalous.” Dorset said.
“Well, what does it say then?” Anna asked, her patience was beginning to run out.
Dorset shared a look with Alethea and then answered. “It is written by a man called William Prynne, Majesty. It refers to you as a ‘whore of Babylon’ who has led the King astray, turning him into something that completely contradicts what he was meant to be. And it calls for all good Protestants to remove you.”
Dorset had turned completely red by the end of his statement. Anna sighed. So, the insults had started, had they? First Pym with his oversized ego, and now this Prynne fellow. “And what does he claim the King is meant to be?” Anna asked.
“The Protestant Saviour, Ma’am.” Dorset replied.
Alethea sniffed at that, and Anna laughed.
So, that was the angle these fools were going for, was it? She the vile minx who had led her husband astray and led him away from his path of never-ending war? They really knew nothing didn’t they? Everything Henry was doing; he was doing to prepare for what might come when everything was said and done. There was no guarantee of an everlasting peace-much as she might like that-and thus she found these comments hilarious.
“Invite him here.” Anna said.
Dorset and Alethea exchanged surprised looks. “Ma’am?”
“Invite him here. Let us see if he is as brave facing the woman he so loathes as he is hiding behind a pen.” Anna commanded.
Dorset looked as though he thought she’d gone mad, but he nodded all the same. “Yes, Your Majesty.” With that he bowed and hurried off to go and do as she had commanded.
Once he was gone, Alethea looked at her and asked. “Are you sure that is wise, Your Majesty?”
Anna nodded. “I think it is good to know the enemy. Let us see whether he is as brave as he thinks he is.” And if he was then she knew what she was up against, if he wasn’t, well that would discredit him completely. She was only a woman after all.
In a roundabout way, and her homeland is in trouble enough because of their ties - as while her brother wants to return to the policies of their granduncle, he cannot exactly do that being married to the highly Catholic Spaniard, who'd see the tolerance of Orthodox and Calvinist minorities in politics as insult, not to mention freedom of worship for Jews, which to Spanish princess is especially horrifying.
On the one hand Wladyslaw depends on Naples Duchies of his wife for income, on the other hand he's got to do something with problem that IOTL bit his brother in the ass Deluge-level hard (and TTL is threatening his son).
"Yes, we have your aunt being regent in Tuscany, darling, but her daughter-in-law is Spanish. And your sister-in-law Duchess of Bari... Spanish as well. So I'd pick either a Gonzaga or a third option".
By the way, given that TTL a Protestant branch with Jagiellon blood is thriving in Britain, the Jan Radziwill fraction may well start "Duke of Essex for the next King of Poland" campaign
Sounds hilarious but TTL can serve an explanation of Wlad to his wife as why he he has to be a moderate.
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VVD0D95
Banned
That would be hysterical"Yes, we have your aunt being regent in Tuscany, darling, but her daughter-in-law is Spanish. And your sister-in-law Duchess of Bari... Spanish as well. So I'd pick either a Gonzaga or a third option".
By the way, given that TTL a Protestant branch with Jagiellon blood is thriving in Britain, the Jan Radziwill fraction may well start "Duke of Essex for the next King of Poland" campaign
Yes, TTL "dissidents" would look up at Duke of Essex or Duke of Clarence as their saviors (and Brunswick-Wolfenbuttel branch is still thriving TTL as well, if the "dissident" faction wants to remove Vasas from the Kingship at the next elections). Though Essex or Clarence, if either of them gets married to a Catholic, sound like the most realistic election threat to their Polish cousins.That would be hysterical
The family-wide concern, as while she did convert to her Aunt's faith, she could not imagine that it makes her into savior figure in the eyes of Protestant nobility of her homeland (though Wlad's policies likely to be as OTL, with this explanation, which would led to issues in domestic life, which is especially troubling as he depends on Infanta Maria's Neapolitan wealth for personal income).