No. A Spanish heiress will marry Archduke Karl (she would be too young for Joseph’s eventual second son) or some other relative of the Habsburg (Leopold of a Lorraine as landless son of an Archduchess would be likely the first choice, specially if he inherited some of his father’s military talent)
Yes, she will still get the style of "Serene Highness" and other priveleges. The only thing that may irk her (yes, French court ladies of rank were THAT petty) is that Princesses Conde & Conti are entitled to sit on cushioned seats with hard back in presence of Queen/Dauphine, while she and her daughters are only entitled to tabouret. The chair rivalry can get absurd but funny (to a morbid amusement of Dauphine who will have to watch this circus).
VVD0D95
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Lol, wasn't this also the reason for why the Duke of Orleans junior hated James the old pretender?
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Chairs were serious business, so I can easily believe this
I have this really funny image in my head now of the War of the Spanish Succession being fought whilst the war of chairs is raging in Versailles
I wonder... what about Marie-Anne de Bourbon-Condé (1678-1718)? OTL her father had considered a marriage between her and Ferdinando.
Chapter 48: Swift
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Chapter 48: Swift
August, 1695
Jonathan looked at the man sat in front of him and wondered what ridiculous thing he’d be asked to do now. When he’d first come to Vienna all those years ago, he’d thought he’d make a name for himself as a satirist and as a writer, indeed Sir William had told him that the Emperor would approve of such a thing. Well, he’d done a lot of writing, but he’d not really done any satirising. It seemed the Emperor did not approve of such things. Still, he’d learned a lot from all of this.
Albert Hohenlohe, the foreign minister for the Emperor cleared his throat. “The Emperor wants me to tell you that he liked the recent essay you wrote on the matters of statecraft, Herr Swift.” For a Austrian, the man’s English was quite good, far more passable than Jonathan’s German. “However, he does wish that you had not included the bit about listening to one’s people beyond the point of reason.”
Jonathan raised an eyebrow. “What has His Imperial Majesty defined as the point of reason, Herr Hohenlohe?”
“That is neither here nor there.” The man replied dismissively. “He has asked that you write something new for the court.”
Jonathan felt his heart quicken. If he was being asked to write for the court, then he would be paid a lot. “What would His Imperial Majesty like me to write?”
Here Herr Hohenlohe was silent for a time, before producing a set of papers which he passed to Jonathan. Jonathan read them and then waited as Hohenlohe spoke. “His Imperial Majesty wishes for you to write a play around the time of the Greek epics, he wishes for you to write something inspiring and relevant to the current age.”
Jonathan looked at the man and then asked. “So, why has he sent you, if it is for the court? Would it not be better for Herr Waldburg to be in attendance on this matter?” Waldburg was the interior minister after all.
Herr Hohenlohe looked neither offended or insulted, instead he simply looked amused. “His Imperial Majesty wishes for the court to receive the play first, and then he wishes for it to be sent out across the Empire.”
“Ah.” Jonathan said, coming to the understanding then. “He wants to know what to take out before then?”
“Exactly.” Hohenlohe said.
“Well, I will need a few things then, if I am to make this a proper play.” Jonathan said. He didn’t like writing plays, but perhaps this might be the start of something. Plus if it was meant for the court, he would get a large commission, which might help cover some of the things he’d done whilst staying in Vienna.
“The information is in the papers before you.” Hohenlohe said.
“I know that, but I will need two actors in particular to make this work.” Jonathan said, his mind racing.
“Who?” Hohenlohe asked.
“Anna Maria Eggenberg and Clemens Schomberg.” Jonathan said. Both of them were fantastic actors, but he knew the Emperor despised Schomberg for some reason.
Hohenlohe looked as if he might say no for a moment, before he sighed and said. “Very well. I shall arrange it accordingly.”
“Thank you.” Jonathan said. “How long do I have to prepare this?” He asked then.
“Three weeks to write, and another two weeks to get everything sorted.” Hohenlohe replied before he rose and departed.
Jonathan remained seated for a moment, thinking it through. This could be his chance, he could move from writing propaganda for the Emperor into doing things that actually interested him. He’d been to plays in Vienna, and found them lacking. Now he could write something he found inspiring. This was his chance. Excitement coursed through his veins, and he was about to start reading through the notes, when he heard something slip through his door. He got up and found a piece of paper on the floor, he picked it up and opened it.
The words on the page made him want to scream, of course they’d do this now.
Chapter 49: Saxon
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Chapter 49: Saxon
December, 1695
December, 1695
“Who is Magdalena?” His wife Maria Anna asked.
Johan Georg, Electoral Prince of Saxony froze. He had not heard that name in years, five, to be precise, after he’d been forced to give her up. “Why do you ask?” He responded trying to keep his voice as neutral as possible.
“One of my ladies mentioned seeing her in the market in Dresden the other day, and the other ladies started whistling, saying how the Elector wouldn’t be happy.” Maria Anna said. “Why wouldn’t the elector be happy?”
Johann George closed his eyes briefly, took a breath and then looked at his wife. “She was my mistress until a few months before our marriage.”
His wife looked surprised, which surprised him, he would have thought she would have put two and two together, seeing how smart she was. “Oh, so that’s who your mistress was.”
“Yes.” Johann said, now wishing he had been more discrete in his youth.
“What stopped you two?” Maria Anna asked.
Here Johann Georg hesitated. He did not know what answer to give his wife. The truth that his father had thought the woman might be his daughter had meant Johann was committing a grievous sin, one that not even the Habsburgs committed, and thus he had ended the relationship there and then. But telling his wife that would lead to all sorts of problems. So, instead he settled on an answer he had half formed in preparation for this moment. “She became over mighty and began demanding things that were above her station.”
“Such as?” His wife asked.
“She wanted to marry me, and have the marriage be classed as equal.” Johann said.
“Surely she would have known such a thing could never have happened?” Maria Anna asked.
“Indeed, but she still wanted to try. I told her I could not allow such a thing, thus ended things there.” Johann said. That much was true, as much as it had pained him.
“So, why would the Elector be unhappy that she is back?” Maria Anna asked. “Will he be worried that you will fall back into old habits?” There was no challenge in his wife’s tone simple curiosity.
Johann Georg sighed. “I wouldn’t fall back into old habits. I am not such a fool as to get involved with such a woman as that. No, it is more that she might make demands which are beyond her station again.”
“Such as what?” Maria Anna asked.
Johann Georg suspected he knew why the woman he had once loved was back, but to say that to the Emperor’s sister by marriage would cause all sorts of problems, instead he said. “I do not know, that is the concerning thing.”
“I see.” His wife said. There was a long pause and then she said. “Well it is for the elector to sort out.”
“Indeed.” Johann replied, taking the chance to change the topic his wife had given him he turned the conversation to something which had been concerning him for some time. “I think the nurses are hurting our children.”
“What makes you say so?” His wife asked, eyebrow raised.
“I went to see Johann Georg,” Johann said, referring to their son, and thinking to himself that they really should have named him something else. “And I saw bruises on his arms. When I asked him where they came from, he whimpered.”
“And why do you think the nurses are the ones doing it?” His wife asked. “He’s an active child, we both know this.”
“Because if it had happened when he was playing they would have come to either you or myself. They didn’t, meaning to me they have something to hide.” Johann said.
His wife seemed to consider this and then said. “Well, we could either dismiss them and get a replacement or find enough proof they are doing this and have them executed.”
“I do not want our son and daughter being exposed for longer than they have to be.” Johann said. He’d personally kill them himself if he found out they were hurting his children.
“And do you want them to hurt someone else’s children?” His wife asked.
“Of course not.” Johann said.
“Then you know what must be done.” His wife replied.
Chapter 50: East India
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Chapter 50: East India
March, 1696
March, 1696
Sir John Gayer, governor of the Seven Islands that were coming to be known as Bombay rubbed the sweat from his brow. It was damnably hot, even by the sea. He knew he had business to attend to, and thus fought down the urge for a stiff drink. He looked up at the men gathered around him, company men all of them, though he was beginning to suspect one of the men was from the crown, and he needed to know who.
That was why he began with the important news first. “Have any of our ships found the pirate?” The pirate in question being Henry Every who had done something so disastrous as to anger the Mughal Emperor.
Nicholas Waite, his deputy shook his head. “Unfortunately not, Sir. It seems the man knows the passages far better than our own sailors, for he continues to evade us.”
Sir John wanted to swear, the longer Every was out and about, the more pressing their need to find him to prevent a diplomatic insult to the Emperor became. “And what of the Mughals, have they found him?”
Waite shook his head. “Not as of yet. Though they did find two or three members of his crew who’d been deserted on smaller ships as a distraction.”
Sir John sighed. “Well that is some small comfort.” He paused then, as he thought it through. “Where could the man go? He cannot have passed through all the channels that we’ve put in place, and that the Emperor himself has put in place. So, where is he?”
“It is possible that he has gone to Arabia, Sir.” Waite suggested. “After all, that place is a deserted wasteland that very rarely gets any contact with the outside world. And it is not as if the Ottomans would tell us if he were there.”
“But they would tell the Emperor if he were there, given their alliance.” Sir John pointed out. “So, unless the Emperor has already found Every and is simply pretending that he has not, to make us sweat, we are still searching for him.”
Waite nodded, and another man who was on the order of command, Stephen Strutt spoke. “Should I write to the Portuguese, Sir? Perhaps getting them involved would help?”
Sir John thought on that, whilst it would make sense to do, if the Portuguese got the man first, then they’d be far more likely to benefit from Imperial gratitude. Which would make his life that much harder. “No.” he said, deciding on a solution. “We shall triple our patrols over the water we own, and work together with the Imperial fleet to ensure that Every is found and delivered.”
“Very well, Sir.” Stephen Strutt said.
Waite spoke then. “There is something else that we should perhaps take into consideration as well.”
“And what is that?” Sir John asked.
“The Emperor is ageing, our man at his court reports that he recently suffered an illness after returning from campaign. At present his sons are spread out across his empire. the son that is closest to him in location is Muhammed Muazzam, who is in the Punjab. His preferred son Azam Shah is in the east, and his third son is in Persia, whilst his fourth son is the one closest to us. That son has said that he would grant the monopoly on trade that his father denies us.” Waite said.
“So, what are you suggesting?” Sir John asked, beginning to feel uneasy.
“We take a side during the oncoming succession struggle, and ensure our man wins.” Waite said.
“That goes against company policy.” Sir John said. It was true, during the previous struggles over the succession, the Company had never once sided with one claimant or another.
“Perhaps it is time we change that, Sir.” Waite suggested. “We do not know whether Muhammed Muazzam or Azam Shah will be quite content to have us here, we know that Kam Baksh is, we would be foolish to not exploit this.”
Sir John looked at Strutt who said. “I think there is some sense in what Waite says, sir. We do need to secure our position here.”
Sir John rubbed at his face and then said. “Well we shall see what happens. The Emperor is not dead, yet. Things could change if we find the pirate.”
He could tell Waite did not agree with him, but the man still nodded. “Yes, Sir.”
Kaushlendra pratap singh
Banned
For India -
1690 - a daring attack in the night on Mughal royal war camp situated in Tulapur(Maharashtra) result in the death of Aurangzeb.at the same time Raigad fell to the treachery of Suryaji Pisal. Sambhaji’s queen, Yesubai and their son, Shahu I, were captured and killed by Muqarrb khan.
1690-1700 mughal prince Muhamad Akbar come to India from Persia and gain help from Rajput and Sikh for his coronation. At his front were titular hair of Aurangzeb Muhammad Azam Shah and his elder brother Bahadur Shah who was governor of Awadh Subha.
1691- for the safety against any incursion from north India and consolidating there rule in Deccan Maratha re-establish Vijayanagar as there capital. This also gives me supports of Tamil Nayaks.
1694- Maratha fight with danish force in Kerala which develops a new doctrine for rapidly moving infantry with firearms and small light artillery to rapidly move around the enemy line as they use cavalry in mughal Maratha force.
1697- Maratha completed doctrine of light rapid moving artillery.
1696- Sikh Guru asked help from Maratha against mughal, but due Maratha are in the process of setting a bureaucracy to rule Deccan and solidify there rule they only help with gold.
1690-1700 - Deccan which economy does not destroy in further mughal and Maratha war progress towards rapid expansion due to stabilising the rule of Maratha and the war in north India make Deccan only producers and seller of the Indian subcontinent.
1701-bahadur shah became mughal Emperor and began March towards Punjab to end Sikh who supported his brother.
1690 - a daring attack in the night on Mughal royal war camp situated in Tulapur(Maharashtra) result in the death of Aurangzeb.at the same time Raigad fell to the treachery of Suryaji Pisal. Sambhaji’s queen, Yesubai and their son, Shahu I, were captured and killed by Muqarrb khan.
1690-1700 mughal prince Muhamad Akbar come to India from Persia and gain help from Rajput and Sikh for his coronation. At his front were titular hair of Aurangzeb Muhammad Azam Shah and his elder brother Bahadur Shah who was governor of Awadh Subha.
1691- for the safety against any incursion from north India and consolidating there rule in Deccan Maratha re-establish Vijayanagar as there capital. This also gives me supports of Tamil Nayaks.
1694- Maratha fight with danish force in Kerala which develops a new doctrine for rapidly moving infantry with firearms and small light artillery to rapidly move around the enemy line as they use cavalry in mughal Maratha force.
1697- Maratha completed doctrine of light rapid moving artillery.
1696- Sikh Guru asked help from Maratha against mughal, but due Maratha are in the process of setting a bureaucracy to rule Deccan and solidify there rule they only help with gold.
1690-1700 - Deccan which economy does not destroy in further mughal and Maratha war progress towards rapid expansion due to stabilising the rule of Maratha and the war in north India make Deccan only producers and seller of the Indian subcontinent.
1701-bahadur shah became mughal Emperor and began March towards Punjab to end Sikh who supported his brother.
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VVD0D95
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That looks cool and all but think you missed the chapter where it’s
Mentioned aurzegb is still alive
Kaushlendra pratap singh
Banned
in this thread there is no mentioned of India and Aurangzeb, you are really confusing with other thread of yours, if i am wrong can please you send me towards that thrademark in which mentioned happen.