1665: News Update in Europe
Dutch make gains against Spanish, but Portuguese face losses in Iberia
1665 would finally see an end to the stalemate in the Low Countries. With the Spanish deciding to pursue a strategy of focusing on Portugal, several infantry detachments were withdrawn from the Flemish army and sent to Iberia. Thus, the Dutch decided to make their move. Crossing the river, they laid siege to the recently captured city of s'Hertogenbosch. Within a couple of months, the city had capitulated. The victory of the Dutch was, however, offset by major losses in Iberia. The Spanish army there, bolstered by Flemish reinforcements, headed straight for Lisbon, burning and plundering as they went. Unstoppable, they reached the city by the end of the year and began to make preparations for a siege.
Scottish Highland army eviscerated in a devastating defeat for the Royalists!
After clearing out most Royalists from England, Fairfax's Roundheads moved north into Scotland to relieve Edinburgh. Warned of their arrival, the Highland chiefs chose to stay and fight rather than flee as cowards. When the Parliamentarians arrived, the battle began. The Highlanders decided to employ the ever faithful highland charge. However, the results of that day were more akin to Flodden than to Bannockburn. The Scots were massacred by a hail of gunfire as they charged forward, most not even reaching the British lines before falling to their deaths. Quickly the battle became a rout, and the Roundheads proceeded to chase the Scots all the way up to the Highlands, massacring and burning along the way. The Royalist cause, now more than ever, is dead in Britain.
Charles II Travels to Rome and marries Finnish Queen Christina!
Charles II, after converting to Catholicism, was encouraged by his advisers to make the conversion "official" in the minds of the Irish people by embarking on a pilgrimage to Rome. Not wanting to be potentially captured by the English on his journey, the travel was kept secret, only to be announced on his return home. It just so happened that at the same time, Queen Christina of Finland was in the city, as she too hadn't yet visited since her conversion. They were both traveling under secret names so as to avoid attention, with Charles pretending to be an English Royalist exile and Christina playing the part of a minor noblewoman of the Polish branch of the House of Vasa. Soon enough, they ran into each other and fell in love. Charles, it turned out, was the only man able to break Christina's determination to remain unmarried, coaxing her with his charm and flamboyance, while he in turn was attracted to her intellect and wit (her lack of good looks were more than supplanted for by his ample array of mistresses). Before any sort of marriage, though, they revealed their identities, and each was overjoyed to know that they'd be marrying a fellow royal. The marriage rites were given by the Pope himself in St. Peter's Basilica, and afterward the marriage was consummated and, by the end of the year, Christina was pregnant. When both monarchs had returned to their respective countries, the pilgrimage, marriage, and pregnancy were each officially announced.
Dutch make gains against Spanish, but Portuguese face losses in Iberia
1665 would finally see an end to the stalemate in the Low Countries. With the Spanish deciding to pursue a strategy of focusing on Portugal, several infantry detachments were withdrawn from the Flemish army and sent to Iberia. Thus, the Dutch decided to make their move. Crossing the river, they laid siege to the recently captured city of s'Hertogenbosch. Within a couple of months, the city had capitulated. The victory of the Dutch was, however, offset by major losses in Iberia. The Spanish army there, bolstered by Flemish reinforcements, headed straight for Lisbon, burning and plundering as they went. Unstoppable, they reached the city by the end of the year and began to make preparations for a siege.
Scottish Highland army eviscerated in a devastating defeat for the Royalists!
After clearing out most Royalists from England, Fairfax's Roundheads moved north into Scotland to relieve Edinburgh. Warned of their arrival, the Highland chiefs chose to stay and fight rather than flee as cowards. When the Parliamentarians arrived, the battle began. The Highlanders decided to employ the ever faithful highland charge. However, the results of that day were more akin to Flodden than to Bannockburn. The Scots were massacred by a hail of gunfire as they charged forward, most not even reaching the British lines before falling to their deaths. Quickly the battle became a rout, and the Roundheads proceeded to chase the Scots all the way up to the Highlands, massacring and burning along the way. The Royalist cause, now more than ever, is dead in Britain.
Charles II Travels to Rome and marries Finnish Queen Christina!
Charles II, after converting to Catholicism, was encouraged by his advisers to make the conversion "official" in the minds of the Irish people by embarking on a pilgrimage to Rome. Not wanting to be potentially captured by the English on his journey, the travel was kept secret, only to be announced on his return home. It just so happened that at the same time, Queen Christina of Finland was in the city, as she too hadn't yet visited since her conversion. They were both traveling under secret names so as to avoid attention, with Charles pretending to be an English Royalist exile and Christina playing the part of a minor noblewoman of the Polish branch of the House of Vasa. Soon enough, they ran into each other and fell in love. Charles, it turned out, was the only man able to break Christina's determination to remain unmarried, coaxing her with his charm and flamboyance, while he in turn was attracted to her intellect and wit (her lack of good looks were more than supplanted for by his ample array of mistresses). Before any sort of marriage, though, they revealed their identities, and each was overjoyed to know that they'd be marrying a fellow royal. The marriage rites were given by the Pope himself in St. Peter's Basilica, and afterward the marriage was consummated and, by the end of the year, Christina was pregnant. When both monarchs had returned to their respective countries, the pilgrimage, marriage, and pregnancy were each officially announced.