An Imperial Match: Anne Boleyn marries Charles V
- Thread starter pandizzy
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25th of June, 1530.
Vienna, Austria. 25th of June, 1530.
The entrance into the Hofburg Palace was filled with servants, German nobles seeking to meet with him as Charles entered his family's holdings. He ignored most of them, walking into his private chambers and handing his hat to a groom by the window.
When the man left, he turned to Fernando Alba, now the Duke of Alba after his grandfather's death and Gattinara, who hobbled weakly on his cane. "Send a letter to my brother," he murmured. "I wish to see him as soon as possible."
Alba nodded and left, certainly to write to the King of Hungary. Charles turned to Gattinara. His advisor looked weaker, the travel from Bologna to Austria had sapped all of his remaining strength, and the Emperor chewed his lower lip.
"Sit, please," he murmured. "Don't overextend yourself." Gattinara nodded, sitting down. Relief bloomed on his face, his mouth parted to take in weak breaths. "I shall call the physician."
Gattinara shook his head. "No need, Your Majesty," he responded. "No physician can cure the work of God."
"Mercurino," Charles began, but quickly stopped. He didn't know what to say, what to do. Gattinara had been his most trusted advisor for years, the one who encouraged him to become the very best man he could possibly be. He had goals for the Empire, for Charles and to lose him would be a tragedy unlike any other. "Then rest. Please."
Gattinara nodded. "I shall rest, Your Majesty, once our work is done."
Charles shook his head, tears bubbling in his eyes. He looked away, not willing to believe Gattinara could ever die. He felt childish, weak and he knew his father would never allow such a thing.
But his father was dead. His grandfathers were dead and Charles was the head of his family. He had to be strong.
"I will have my brother named King of the Romans, as you wanted," he said, feeling the sunlight hitting his face through the window. "Ferdinand will be a good successor, in the Empire. The German princes respect him."
Gattinara nodded. "I know it so, Your Majesty," he murmured. "The King of Hungary seeks only to serve you, and will continue your work of a united Christendom."
"In the East, maybe, but the West will be divided amongst my sons," said Charles with a scoff. He shook his head, not believing the words that he was sprouting. "It was you who told me that a single head was the most needed to keep peace in Europe."
"And the Emperor was the one who often complained to me about the ever-present need to travel between his realms," Gattinara responded. Charles looked at him with a smile. "I only hope to save Don Felipe from the same trouble."
"Of course," said Charles. He placed his hands on the windowsill, looking out into the city. Everyone looked happy enough from his place, where he could not see their faces and their hearts. Would he allow himself to be fooled by the masquerade? The wars had taken much from him, but Austria seemed almost untouched by it. "Maybe if it was another son of mine to inherit it, I would feel more secure about the Empire."
"If what His Majesty wants is another son, then he must return to Castile to reunite with the Empress," Gattinara murmured and Charles nodded. He already knew that.
"I can't have another son," Charles murmured. "The Pope was clear about his desire." He shook his head, the memory of his weakness. The Pope had demanded Charles' third son, a boy of Spain to be dedicated to the chuch so he may accept the council with the heretics. To know that you are loyal to the one true faith, of course. Charles had no choice but to accept it.
"I am sure the Empress will grow to forgive you in time," Gattinara started, hesitantly.
"Why would she need to forgive me?" said Charles. He turned around sharply to look at Gattinara. "The Infantes are mine to do with as I please and the Empress can't do anything about it."
Gattinara dipped his head submissively. "Of course, Your Majesty," he said. Charles looked away, flexing his fingers around the windowsill.
He closed his eyes and took a deep breath.
"I haven't told her about it yet," he murmured. "The promise I made." He shook his head, the taste of his guilt acid on his mouth. "She will not like it." The Lord knew how Anne despised the church. It was a wonder she had stayed in Spain for so long, where the Inquisition snuffed out any flame of heresy before it could truly grown, instead of demanding to be sent somewhere else.
Though Charles didn't know where she could go, if she wanted to. He had installed an institution similar to the Inquisition in the Low Countries, while Austria was more his brother's home than his own. Maybe Naples, but she'd hate it there. He knew it.
No, she had to stay in Spain. For better or worse.
"Her Majesty, perhaps, would prefer to be told sooner rather than later," said Gattinara, oblivious to his inner turmoil. "If I know women, they do despise being left in the dark."
Charles shook his head, eyes squeezed shut. He knew Gattinara was right. He knew it and yet he did not move.
--
Palace of Westminster, England. 15th of July, 1530.
At the end of the hunt, Henry felt like himself for the first time in many months. There was no question at the tip of his tongue, no inner turmoil. He felt at peace, finally accepting the death of his little Duke of Somerset.
It was the way of the world. He felt thankful for the children he already had. Marie, John, Teddy and Bessie. They were enough for any man. His throne was secure upon the shoulders of his sons, upon the shoulders of his daughters' sons if it came time for them to inherit, though he prayed to the Lord it would not.
Henry was not completely satisfied with the number of children he had, however. Isabella had given birth to Herry only ten months before and Henry felt sure that she would soon conceive again. After their son died, he stopped visiting her bed, but since the past month, he had returned to it.
Isabella was just twenty-seven, a mother to two healthy children. She could have more.
And Henry had an inkling to what he wanted. Another little girl. He had a deep desire in him to have another daughter, after two sons. Bessie was already three and she'd be a good sister to another Lady of England, Henry was sure. Maybe he would call his daughter Eleanor, or Philippa, after his ancestors. He couldn't name her Isabella after her mother, of course. Elizabeth and Isabella were very well almost the same name. It would not work.
Then he stopped. Henry was walking down one of his gardens with Thomas More by his side. His chancellor was talking about the heretic found north of the Thames. The man would be burned, of course, but there was still a possibility of him repenting. Thomas was a deep believer in the power of forgiveness and Henry only pretended to listen. He cared not whether the man repented or not, only that the threat of heresy was snuffed out from his kingdoms.
But that didn't matter anymore, because he saw two noble women talking by the gardens, with a man just to the side. Henry recognized one of the women and the man to be Margaret Roper and her husband, William. Thomas More's daughter and son-in-law. Since her father had taken the chancellorship, Margaret and her siblings had been seen more and more often at court.
Henry didn't care about that. He liked Thomas and his family, they were good people, but the woman by Margaret's side, who talked excitedly with her, was a stranger to him.
And what a stranger she was. A tall and lean woman, with a restricting gable hood over her head. She wore simple brown and green garments, mere rags when compared to Henry's own clothes, but it was her face that attracted him. There was a sense of fragility to her. She had large blue eyes and a pale complexion. As Henry moved closer, he saw the blue-green veins appearing from under her flesh, the narrow shoulders and slim wrists hiding under her clothes.
She was as beautiful and fragile as an English rose.
As the two groups came close, Thomas and Henry stopped. Margaret and William did too, smiling brightly. All three curtsied and bowed deeply for their king, faces full of joy.
"Hello," said Henry, knowing that as king, he ought to begin the conversation. "Margaret, William."
"Good morrow, Your Majesty," William said, making another bow. He turned to Thomas. "Father."
"Good morrow, Will," Thomas responded.
Henry, eager, but unwilling to show his true emotions, turned to the strange woman. "And you are…?" he began, hoping to hide the desire stirring in his loins.
The woman smiled, dipping into a curtsy. "Katherine Chapernowne, Your Majesty," she responded.
Oh dear. Anne would definitely not enjoy sending a son of hers to the church.
Oh Henry, back up to your old shenanigans.
A son of Anne Boleyn as a (no doubt) cardinal - the ways of the lord are strange indeed
Well, I do so say that Anne does have at least one more son. Sadly, it seems his fate is already chosen for him, even if he hasn't even been conceived yet.
Well, hello Kat Ashley... This is an interesting twist...
Also, a half-Boleyn Prince in the church? And Henry actually *wanting* a daughter? Oh, the irony!
Also, a half-Boleyn Prince in the church? And Henry actually *wanting* a daughter? Oh, the irony!
This seems so delightfully messy I'm half inclined to deep dive into these 155 pages.
Do we know why IOTL Charles refused Isabella and Anne so insistently?
Do we know why IOTL Charles refused Isabella and Anne so insistently?
Read up to page 33. Preliminary thoughts:
1) Royals were pretty much never alone, always a factor to consider in these scenarios.
2) Nobles were rarely alone too. Anne Boleyn's absence would have been immediately felt and her escape - from court, from home and then from England - would be quite the (massive) feat.
3) Henry VIII would almost certainly have thrown her whole family into prison and asked questions later, if at all. The Boleyns being left out there in the cold is a kindness uncharacteristic of Henry. The injury done to Henry's prestige and his darling daughter would have violent consequences. Catherine being pregnant is just as well as otherwise he'd most likely seethe against her first and foremost. This break with Charles leaves Catherine and Mary in a precarious position, without a solid foreign sponsor.
4) Frederick disinheriting his eldest son in favour of a baby he can marry to Dorothea seems a recipe for disaster and civil war. Better to betroth the elder to Dorothea or marry him and promise a future grandson to her.
5) Considering Elizabeth Woodville, Owen Tudor, Juana Enriquez, the Avis, Beaufort and Trastamara origin stories, I think it's fair to say the English and Spanish would be more forgiving towards a mesalliance - and its fruit - than Imperials.
6) From a practical standpoint, Charles would probably need a dispensation to extricate himself from his betrothal (sponsalia per verba de futuro) with Mary and confirm the canonicity of his union with Anne. Until then, her status would be immensely precarious and subject to being cast off by Charles as nothing more than a glorified mistress. Similar to Anne's IOTL situation when Catherine died and Europe largely considered Henry VIII a free agent.
Reading on, I wonder how it will all work out.
1) Royals were pretty much never alone, always a factor to consider in these scenarios.
2) Nobles were rarely alone too. Anne Boleyn's absence would have been immediately felt and her escape - from court, from home and then from England - would be quite the (massive) feat.
3) Henry VIII would almost certainly have thrown her whole family into prison and asked questions later, if at all. The Boleyns being left out there in the cold is a kindness uncharacteristic of Henry. The injury done to Henry's prestige and his darling daughter would have violent consequences. Catherine being pregnant is just as well as otherwise he'd most likely seethe against her first and foremost. This break with Charles leaves Catherine and Mary in a precarious position, without a solid foreign sponsor.
4) Frederick disinheriting his eldest son in favour of a baby he can marry to Dorothea seems a recipe for disaster and civil war. Better to betroth the elder to Dorothea or marry him and promise a future grandson to her.
5) Considering Elizabeth Woodville, Owen Tudor, Juana Enriquez, the Avis, Beaufort and Trastamara origin stories, I think it's fair to say the English and Spanish would be more forgiving towards a mesalliance - and its fruit - than Imperials.
6) From a practical standpoint, Charles would probably need a dispensation to extricate himself from his betrothal (sponsalia per verba de futuro) with Mary and confirm the canonicity of his union with Anne. Until then, her status would be immensely precarious and subject to being cast off by Charles as nothing more than a glorified mistress. Similar to Anne's IOTL situation when Catherine died and Europe largely considered Henry VIII a free agent.
Reading on, I wonder how it will all work out.
No offense but this a historical fiction style narrative alternate history tl, I wouldn't expect everything to 100% match what was thought of these people...
Excellent chapter, Charles and Henry are once again being dumbasses but there is hope that Charles might turn around.
Because he reputed Anna not good enough for him (he reputed the Jagiellons to not be at the level of his family) and was interested only in a French or English match (as he was reasoning as Burgundian first and that point-of-view an Hungarian or Portuguese match were pretty useless)
I doubt who Henry would act too harshly as I doubt who he truly expected who Charles would keep the betrothal. Also Henry is NOT blameless here as he had previously broken his own betrothal to Charles‘ sister (as Eleanor was too young for marrying) AND the one between Charles and his sister Mary (for which a proxy wedding had been already celebrated while Charles was still under age) because Charles had delayed indefinitely the wedding…
That would NOT be the first time who something like that happened. Frederick’s son simply need to accept the situation as he was NOT born to inherit the Danish crown and would get his father’s former holdings.
Betrothals were made and broken often without any need of a dispensation, specially if one of then spouses was still canonically under age AND no kind of wedding was celebrated. Anne and Charles‘ wedding thus would be instantly valid (as consummation would be required for making any commitment binding and Mary was well under age).
Would that make Isabella a Narys figure then? Or Catherine perhaps? And who is Barbara Bracken in this TL?