Of course. But this reading of letters does stop more saucy love letters *im looking at you spanish princess*
An Imperial Match: Anne Boleyn marries Charles V
- Thread starter pandizzy
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Felipe being a good big brother is so charming to see. His much younger brothers are probably very thankful for a devoted playmate. And Joana’s letter couldn’t have come at a better time, Felipe’s in need of someone showing interest in him and caring what he thinks or says. Here’s hoping Joana comes round to more correspondence after seeing Felipe’s portrait.
Felipe has his mother's extroverted personality, and her deep love for her family.
I think she just needed a little shove in the right direction, and her mother was more than happy to assist.
18th of February, 1536.
London, England. 18th of February, 1536.
The Duke of Norfolk gifted John a new hawk for his thirteenth birthday, a bird that the King named Valour, for he seemed especially bold and courageous. And to encourage the bonds of friendship between the King and his nephew, Charlie was also given a hawk that he named Jason, after the hero in the classics.
The two boys rode together in one of King Henry's great parks, birds at their arms. John looked around them, at the guards and grooms and servants that followed him and Charlie. It was strange, he thought, how he was never truly alone. He had grooms to take off his clothes, servants to scrub his body whenever he took a bath. Servants to give him food, to fill his cup with watered-down wine. Even to hand him a cloth in the stool. It was a wonder no one had asked him to brush his hair for him, or to chew his food for him.
He looked at Charlie. Even his friend was with him at all times. They shared a room now, with Charlie sleeping on a small mattress by the fire. He said he didn't mind when John asked for him to come to his own grand bed, and the King didn't know how to convince his friend to do so.
"I received an offer for a Danish princess," John murmured, letting Valour fly so he could catch a small rabbit in the woods. "The Lord Chancellor said I could say no or yes to the proposal."
"What was the proposal, Your Majesty?" Charlie asked gently. John was not offended by his forwardness, he revelled instead. It meant his friend still saw him as who he was, an equal, even if he was not.
"I'd marry Elizabeth of Denmark, the younger sister of King Hans and my sister Margaret would marry King Hans' son, Frederik," said John. The young prince of Denmark had been born on the first day of that year, the first child of the young king and queen of Denmark. "Elizabeth is around my age and everyone said she is a great beauty."
"So you will marry her?" Charlie asked. John shrugged.
"I don't know," he said. "I spoke with my mother and she wants my sister to go to Denmark, but not for Princess Elizabeth to come here." He shook his head. "She wants me to marry an infanta of Portugal."
"Is there even an infanta available?" Charlie said. "I heard Infanta Manuela has taken vows to become a nun." John shrugged again.
"There is the Infanta Margarida, but the Lord Chancellor said she has to go somewhere else," said John. "I don't know if I even want a foreign wife. How can you know where their loyalties lie, in truth?"
"I suppose there is some truth to that matter," Charlie murmured. He smiled. "I heard Pierre is going to marry Dorothy Stafford."
"Cousin Ursula's daughter?" John asked. No one had spoken to him on the matter, even if his permission as the king wasn't so dutifully requested during his minority. "Why?"
"My uncle said it's because the Staffords want to grow closer to you, so they may regain their duchy," Charlie answered.
"Baron Stafford is the son of a traitor," John responded with a scowl. "They shall not have Buckingham back, I swear to you."
Charlie shrugged. "If you say so," he said. "My half-sister Isabel is pregnant by her Baynton husband. They want to name him Henry, after your father."
John smiled. He'd like that. "Your sister should come to court," he murmured, "And serve my mother as one of her ladies. All of your sisters should."
"I think some would accuse that of being a Howard coup," Charlie responded. "I have too many sisters." John laughed; that much was true.
Their hawks returned, flapping wings triumphantly with their catches. John whooped eager and offered his arm forward, for Valour to clutch his sleeve. When the bird flew away again, he turned to his friend.
"Lord Dudley wants me to marry someone from the Empire, or maybe Sweden." His lips twisted. "A heretic."
"Why?" he asked.
"I think he wants to appease the Protestants here in England," John answered. "For my reign to be one of religious tolerance."
"Is that something you want?"
"If I am to marry someone from the Empire, then I want to marry a relative of the Emperor," John answered instead. "Maybe Margarita or Juana of Austria."
"I thought Infanta Margarita was too sickly to be married to a king," Charlie murmured. "And Infanta Juana is already promised, is she not?"
"I guess," John said. He frowned. "It doesn't seem to me that anyone is truly available." He looked at him. "I'm to turn fourteen in a year and everyone said it's best for me to be married then, so that I can have a son that may keep the French from gaining England. Oh, Charlie, what should I do?"
Charlie didn't answer. He didn't know what to say. There was no answer that would please his friend, because there was no foreign princess close in age to him of a suitable rank or ancestry. He might have said that John best marry an Englishwoman, but that would be a disaster. Wouldn't it?
--
Barcelona, Catalonia. 27th of February, 1536.
"The entourage that brings Infanta Joana to Toledo will also take Infanta María to Portugal, for her own marriage, two months later," Anne murmured, reading the paper before her. "Queen Leonor wishes for María to bring twenty dresses with her, made in the Portuguese fashion, and a hundred chemises, as well as many other things. Does she think we are made of money?"
When no answer came her way, Anne looked at her husband. "Charles, are you listening to me?"
He was not, but still, Charles said, "Yes, very attentively." His eyes were still directed to his wife's face, the pale aspect of her usually swarthy skin. She looked sick, and tired. He moved his hand to stroke her wrist gently, even as he felt the steady beat of her pulse inside her skin. "How do you feel?"
Anne looked away. "Tired and fat," she responded. "As I always do."
"Have you been eating well?" Charles asked. "Resting? Did you sleep today?"
"I slept," Anne said. "I have been taking care of myself, husband. There is no need to worry."
"I worry because I love," said Charles. He took her hand and brought it to his lips for a gentle kiss. "This will be our last, Anne."
She looked at him. "Charles…" she started.
"Nine heirs is plenty for me," he murmured. "We already have four sons and even if this baby is a girl, I shall thank the Lord for her." His eyes met hers. "The last time, Anne."
"But we love each other," she whispered. He nodded, clutching her hand.
"It is for that reason that we shall remain apart," he said. "Had I known better of your state following Eduardo, I would never have risked your life with this baby, but what is done can’t be undone." Charles looked at her, her striking dark eyes that retained their glint even with her frail body. He could see their love reflected in her pupils, in the faces of their children. Margarita and Eduardo especially, who had taken after their mother so keenly. He kissed her hand. “Do you understand me?”
Anne looked ready to refuse, but she nodded sadly. “I understand.”
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Oh I wonder who it is that John will end up marrying? Hopefully it is a girl that is generally suitable.... Awww, poor Anne, but I suppose it is for the best, she's getting older, and another pregnancy could be deadly.
Definitely curious about that myself.
Poor Anne indeed. That’s hard.
Ironically, if this pregnancy left her unable to have any more children…as long as she was otherwise alright and the baby was alright, it’d work out OK, they wouldn’t have to abstain going forward.
I think when people see who it is, they will be very "Oh, but of course!"
Plus it wasn't uncommon for people of the same sex to share a bed in this time in a non sexual nature. In fact among women it was even seen as a way to protect their honor by ensuring that affairs or assault could not be inflicted on them by men.