Albion Rising: A Henry Frederick Timeline
- Thread starter VVD0D95
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VVD0D95
Banned
Most definitelyUlrik born a girl TTL is an interesting development, and the one that would be interesting for continued British-Danish alliance
Deleted member 147978
Would there be more sons for Christian IV?
I'm positively sure there are other names besides Christian and Frederick for Haus Oldenburg.
TTL Sophie (OTL Ulrik) was the last child, he turned to mistresses afterwards.
Chapter 46: Belgium?
VVD0D95
Banned
Chapter 46: Belgium?
March, 1611
It was perhaps one of the ironies of life that Isabella, who had so wanted a son to ensure that the Spanish Netherlands could not return to Spain and to her idiot brother, was now left with only a daughter to inherit the territory after her. And due to an agreement, she had made with her father before marrying Albert, her daughter would now need to marry one of Philip’s sons.
At least she knew who her daughter’s husband was likely to be, which meant that she could ask her brother to send the boy to her in Brussels-assuming of course that Philip retained the sense not to marry her daughter to his heir-and thus shape the boy to her needs and to her daughter’s needs.
To that end, she looked at her husband and cousin, Albert, and said. “I spoke with the doctors earlier today.”
Albert looked up from the paper he was reading. “And?”
“They say that Anna has recovered well and that she won’t fall ill with this illness again.” Isabella answered. Their daughter Anna had fallen ill with some sort of fever a few weeks ago, and at one point it had appeared as though she too might go, but now, thankfully, their daughter had recovered. At least that’s what the doctors said.
“That is good.” Albert replied. “Have you written to Madrid?”
Her brother Philip, the King of Spain had insisted that she write to him the moment that she knew what was going on with their daughter. “I have.” She said. She’d kept the letter short and to the point.
“And, what do you think he will say?” Albert asked.
“Either that we should confirm a betrothal between Anna and one of his sons immediately, or that Anna should be sent to Madrid.” Isabella said.
“And neither of those scenarios appeal to you.” Albert surmised.
“Do they appeal to you?” Isabella asked. Albert was often hard to read when it came to things like this. He had been raised in Madrid, and had gotten on well with her father, but like her father he very rarely let his true feelings show. Not unless he’d had a few drinks.
“I think that we must do what is right for Anna. And I do not think betrothing her to someone who is himself a baby, will work right now.” Albert replied.
“So, what do you suggest I say when Philip inevitably makes the suggestion?” Isabella asked.
“Tell him that you will consider it and that in time it will be validated. They are both young yet. We can wait a few more years.” Albert replied.
Isabella wasn’t sure that that would work, Philip could be very demanding when he wanted to be. But she nodded all the same. “Very well, that is what I shall do.” She saw Albert nod and then look down at the paper he had been reading before.
Tentatively she asked. “What is that you’re reading?”
“A proposal for inclusion in the Fundamental Law.” Albert replied, referring to the document that they had agreed needed to be drafted in order to ensure that the territories under their control followed at least some similar basic principles.
“And what is within this proposal?” Isabella asked. She had thought that most of the proposals had already been sent in and decided on.
“A desire for the property rights of everyone to be respected within the law.” Albert said.
“Surely that is common sense?” Isabella asked. Such a thing would endear the people to them, and ensure that they could not be tempted to turncoat if the Dutch offered something more lucrative, especially as the Dutch had a strange concept of rights regarding property.
“It is, but each of the provinces has their own definition of property rights, this would codify it into one single law for every single territory.” Albert said.
“Ah.” Isabella replied, that would cause an issue. “How tightly worded is it?”
“Very, Brouckére was the one who wrote it.” Albert said.
“I see, so what is it that is causing you trouble?” Isabella asked.
“There is a second clause attached within the proposal.” Albert said. “It discusses the right for a person who believes themselves to have been unfairly detained to ask the court to summon their detainer to court to determine whether the detainee has been detained lawfully.”
“And that is troubling because of the current situation.” Isabella surmised. They were in a truce with the Dutch, but war could break out at any moment, if it did, then such a proposal could harm them from doing what needed to be done to ensure victory.
“Yes.” Albert said. “If I agree to this, if we agree to this, we will be tying one hand behind our back throughout a future war.”
“Do we need to agree to it?” Isabella asked. “Could we not ask for an amendment?”
“I am not sure. The deadline for the law is July, it is already March. I do not want to tie things down any further.” Albert said.
“Perhaps we could amend the proposal ourselves?” Isabella asked.
“What do you suggest?” Albert asked.
“Get Bourchier to make a few changes to the wording and then put it forward. No one need know.” Isabella said. “We can keep the right to determine if a detention was lawful, in every case except that of war.”
“And with Bourchier writing it, it will be without loopholes.” Albert said smiling.
“Exactly.” Isabella replied.
“Excellent, I shall speak with Bourchier on the morrow.” Albert replied.
“Good.” Isabella said smiling.
A moment of silence passed between them and then Albert asked. “Have you figured out a way to get Leopold to leave?”
Leopold, their cousin, who had fled from the disastrous Siege of Julich to Brussels a few months ago and had been causing chaos ever since. Both Isabella and Albert wanted him gone, but figuring out how to get him gone without offending the Emperor or Leopold’s brother had proven to be difficult. But Isabella thought she’d found a solution.
“I think so.”
“Go on.” Albert prompted.
“There is a ship that will be travelling from Brussels to Naples in a few days’ time. It stops off in Spain and Portugal and then keeps going until it reaches Naples. It doesn’t stop in hostile territory. From there Leopold can travel through the Papal States or journey by another ship to Hungary. A simple journey and it gets him out of our hair.” Isabella said.
“I like it. Will he agree to go?” Albert asked.
“I think so. He doesn’t like it here anymore than we like him being here.” Isabella said.
Albert snorted, and Isabella smiled. She just hoped her cousin would go.
Chapter 47: Sigismund Matchmaker
VVD0D95
Banned
Chapter 47: Sigismund Matchmaker
March, 1611
“Anna has entered confinement.” Sigismund said, as he put down the letter he’d received from the ambassador to London. There had been no fanfare, merely a service said in the Chapel Royal and then his daughter had entered confinement. That was good, it meant that the English King had less hassle.
“Good.” His own Anna-his wife- replied.
Sigismund nodded, then looked at the other letters on the table before him. He sighed. He was getting tired of this. Constantly trying to keep a state together when the members of that state didn’t seem concerned. He wanted to smack the nobles’ heads together and work, but he couldn’t do that. Not yet anyway.
“There is a new Tsar in Russia.” He said then.
Anna looked at him, eyebrows raised. “Who?”
Who indeed, when the letter had come, Sigismund had been shocked? They had gone for someone so unknown. Or rather someone who only seemed to be good at one thing, fighting. “The previous Tsar’s cousin. It seems the nobles gathered together and deposed the previous Tsar. They decided that this new one would better serve their ends.”
“Why?” Anna asked.
“Because he is beating us.” Sigismund said simply. “It seems that he was the one responsible for pushing our forces out of Smolensk the first time and is the one handling the siege again.”
“What are you thinking?” Anna asked then.
Sigismund laughed; his wife knew him too well. “That if that is what he’s good for, that perhaps it would be better not to play into his hands.”
“You mean to sue for peace?” Anna asked sounding surprised.
“Not yet. Not just yet anyway. I will ensure that there are men prepared to continue the fight. I am meeting with the Sejm on the morrow to discuss continuing the funding.” Sigismund answered. No doubt the Sejm would demand some concession or the other from him, and truth be told he wasn’t sure what more he could give. Unless he just became a puppet.
“So, what will you do?” Anna asked.
“I’ll start looking for people within Russia who might be willing to undermine the new Tsar, people who were loyal to Vasili, and start whispering in their ear and wetting their appetites. I will also get Stanislaw prepared for the long haul, at Smolensk.” Sigismund said. “And I will start negotiations with this new Dmitri who has appeared.”
Dmitris seemed to appear in Russia like weeds in a garden. This was the second…no…third one that Sigismund could remember. Would he be as annoying to the Russians as the previous two?
“What about the Danish?” Anna asked. “Weren’t they supposed to contribute as well?”
“They are.” Sigismund said, remembering what his ambassador in Copenhagen had said. “Indeed, I believe King Christian intends to launch an attack into Sweden from Scania this week or the next.”
“Will that achieve what you want it to?” Anna asked.
“I think it will.” Sigismund said. At least he hoped it would. He needed Sweden distracted, otherwise, this war was going to cost him more than a few concessions at the Sejm.
“Good.” Anna said. “I don’t think it would be good if we were left to do all the work ourselves.”
Sigismund smiled. His wife knew how he felt about the war and about the effort their allies had put in before this. His smile turned to a frown as another thought came to mind. The longer the war went on, and he was starting to think that the war might go on for longer than he had hoped, meant they’d need more allies and more money. Whilst he hoped that England could provide subsidies, he wanted to spread the basket wide.
To that end he looked at his wife and said. “That’s why I wanted to speak to you now.”
“Oh?” Anna replied.
“There have been two offers of marriage for Wlad.” Sigismund said. “One from Spain and the other from France. Both are offering large dowries for their respective Princesses. I would like your advice on who to choose.”
He expected Anna to immediately say Spain, and therefore was quite surprised when she asked. “Which Princess are the French offering?”
“The youngest one, Henrietta.” Sigismund said.
“And the dowry?” Anna asked.
“600,000.” Sigismund said. “The Spanish are offering 500,000 for Princess Maria.”
“I’d go for Maria then.” Anna replied.
“Why?” Sigismund asked intrigued.
“Because Princess Maria is older, and thus will be able to marry our son sooner, thus meaning that the succession can be secured sooner. That will be important when the time comes.” Anna said.
Sigismund acknowledged that with a nod, it was rare to hear Anna refer to Wlad as her son, usually she called him by his title, but he supposed this was encouraging. “True, though the Spanish have done little to actually stop the Swedes from causing chaos.” Which he knew wasn’t their fault, being on the other side of Europe and all. “But I suppose that if we are allied together, they might find it useful to put a good word in with Prague to get the Emperor to do something.”
Sigismund doubted that. The Emperor seemed to be half mad. At least according to reports he’d read.
“I think so. And besides, the dowry and possible access to trade with the New World through Spain is worth more than what the French can offer besides the dowry. And it would also help to keep the English onside.” Anna said.
Sigismund frowned. “How so?”
“You have always said that King James is desperate to remain neutral in the wars in Europe and that he wants to keep on Spain’s good side.” Anna said.
“Yes…” Sigismund replied wondering where his wife was going with this.
“Well, the best way to do that is to have a mutual tie with Spain through our children. Anna is married to his heir, and Wlad married to the Princess of Spain would provide a familial tie no matter how distant. And if King James is anything like what the ambassador has suggested, then that will matter to him.” Anna said.
Sigismund considered that. He supposed that was true, the English ambassador and his own man in London had both suggested that King James was desperate for close ties to powers that could protect, something he’d lacked as a child. If this was one way of keeping him sweet, then so be it. He looked at Anna and smiled. “I suppose you are right.” Anna rewarded him with a grin.
Last edited:
VVD0D95
Banned
Nope, her cousin, also named Anna or Anne, was Wlad's birth mother, she died when Wlad was three.
A minor continuity error. False Dmitri II was a thing since 1608 at the very least.
False Dmitry II - Wikipedia
VVD0D95
Banned
A minor continuity error. False Dmitri II was a thing since 1608 at the very least.
False Dmitry II - Wikipedia
en.wikipedia.org
Noted, thanks
VVD0D95
Banned
A minor continuity error. False Dmitri II was a thing since 1608 at the very least.
False Dmitry II - Wikipedia
Edited:
He was dead by 1610 IOTL.Noted, thanks
False Dmitry III - Wikipedia
Though False Dmitrii III had little backing IOTL and even less ITTL, when his supporters are likely to be arrested by Swedes (Ivangorod is on the Swedish border). His uprising was pretty marginal and never really became a thing.
A better pretender horse to bet on would be https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tsarevich_Ivan_Dmitriyevich or rather his parents/"regency council" - they were the ones flying the banner of False Dmitry II after he got killed
A better pretender horse to bet on would be https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tsarevich_Ivan_Dmitriyevich or rather his parents/"regency council" - they were the ones flying the banner of False Dmitry II after he got killed