Emma, Duchess of Brabant - An Austro-Burgundian TL
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Chapter 64: The East V
1511
Greece
Francis Giustiniani returns to serve his father Theodora’s consort Constantine. He brings along his wife Anne and their two children, Theodoros and Madeline. Anne is expecting her third and Francis had originally planned to leave her and the children behind, but Anne would not be parted from her beloved husband. She gives birth to her third child, another daughter, in Mystras. The girl is named Marguerite. Strong-willed, devoted to her husband, and eager to learn about the culture of her ancestors, Anne soon becomes a favorite of both the court and her in-laws.
Thomas and his daughter Yolande bond over their love of art. Yolande paints a self-portrait and has it sent to Portugal, hoping to impress her fiance with both her beauty and her skills as an artist. Thomas is amazed at her skills, though he does comments that she is more beautiful than the painting. Her mother would be so proud of her.
When the ship sails to convey her to Portugal Thomas is as teary-eyed as his mother was when her children went away. Theodora comforts her son though his other coping mechanism soon creates distance between them. Thomas has commissioned a series of sculptures of classical heroes to be displayed at Mystras. Though it takes his mind off his daughter and earns plaudits from intellectuals and artists both at the time and for many centuries afterward, Theodora is less than thrilled to have sculptures of pagan gods and heroes displayed around her very Christian court.
Cyprus
King Constantine throws a massive tournament in Nicosia. The young knights Philip and Manuel steal the show. The final joust comes down to the two brothers-in-law. Manuel is victorious and crowns his wife Queen of Beauty. Isabella accepts with a dutiful smile, though she wishes she would be known for something other than beauty.
Philip congratulates Manuel on his victory but in private he sulks and broods and drinks. Helena is there for him. She patiently listens as he pours his heart out. He still grieves for his father, blaming the King for his death. But he can do nothing to achieve vengeance. Failing like this makes him feel like he has failed his father. Helena tells him that as his wife he will always be enough for her. He has never heard that from either of his parents and that moves him. At the end of the night, Philip is gently asleep on his wife's lap. The changed state of their marriage can be gleaned from the first line of Helena's next letter to her mother. "I am so happy."
1512
Greece
A pair of deaths shake up the leadership of both Greeks and Turks.
Sultan Bayazid breathes his last in Constantinople. The winner of the race to the capital is his son Selim, who now sends his armies forth to crush his brothers.
In Mystras Theodora's son and heir, Thomas takes ill. He is bled regularly and administered all sorts of concoctions. Thomas declares that his fool doctors are the thing that is killing him. Modern historians tend to agree with him. Thomas passes with his wife and his mother at his bedside. Isabella is grieving but she holds herself together to send her husband off with a smile.
Theodora though is beyond words. The first of her babies to draw breath has breathed his last. The weight of all her sufferings bears down on her and it takes Isabella and her husband Constantine to hold her back up.
For a brief moment, Theodora even questions her faith in God. For how could the almighty be so cruel to one who has loved him so much? The quiet sobs of her daughter-in-law snap her out of this self-pity. God has granted her many other children and grandchildren all of whom will also be hurting. It is Theodora's job to be a comfort to them, especially poor kind Isabella, who has lost the man she loved, but is, as always focused on helping her in-laws and children. Theodora takes her daughter-in-law into her arms and holds her as she lets it all out.
Thomas’s fifteen-year-old son Andreas is crowned co-Emperor. He is solum throughout the ceremony, still grieving for his father. All agree he gives a greater performance of regal grief. He joins his grandparents in heated discussions over the future. Both Theodora and Constantine believe that Selim will break his father's peace. They disagree on what to do about it.
Constantine wants to back one of the Sultan’s brothers in the hopes he will prove more willing to respect the peace.
Theodora hates the idea of consorting with the infidel, even if she must acquiesce to it. In any case, she believes Selim's victory is inevitable and that they should instead focus on strengthening their defenses and looking to allies. Andreas agrees with his grandmother, remembering that though his father thought Selim an enemy, he also thought him a fierce warrior, in contrast to his brothers who were not very impressive characters.
Cyprus
King Constantine eyes developments in the Ottoman Empire warily. Selim is much more aggressive than his father and has made it clear he wishes Bayazid had finished business in the last war. He hurriedly sends word to Andrea Doria offering to place him in command of a new Cypriot navy.
Helena and her husband Philip have gotten closer since Philip’s defeat at the tourney. Together they conceive a child but Helena loses the baby before she even knows it is growing in her. The young girl is devastated but is comforted by friends near and the kind words of her mother and sisters from afar. She prays for both her brother and her baby to find peace in the next life.
1513
Greece
The Byzantine remnant state has developed a sophisticated system of militia service. This allows them to call on a large number of soldiers, albeit only for a defensive war. Inspired by the example of King Leonidas, Andreas trains alongside the common soldiers. His little brother Hercules is as fierce as his namesake and longs to go into battle but the best his mother and grandmother will allow him is to train alongside his brother Andreas. Little Hercules hero-worships his big smart and strong older brother.
Thomas’s full sisters are also growing up fast.
Theodora is compassionate and pious, and annoyed at the flocks of boys who are in awe of her famous beauty. She tells them, and anyone who will listen, that the only man she will give herself to is Jesus Christ. Her parents have been reluctant to give their oldest daughter to the Church, but her persistence, and the support of her grandmother and namesake, has been breaking down their resistance.
Her sister Anna, by contrast, would gladly take any moral of attention Theodora shirks. Anna is a jack of all trades and a master of none. Beautiful, but not as beautiful as Theodora. Intelligent, but not as intelligent as Yolande. To cope she has developed a biting sense of humor. She prays that when she marries her husband will show her more attention than her family does.
Isabella is used to being the baby of the family. Her doting parents have spoiled her rotten and she thinks the worse thing that could ever happen to her is not getting what she wants. Like most girls her age she loves pretty dresses and shiny jewelry and dreams of marrying a handsome prince. She is not an evil person per say, just very naive and selfish.
Margret, the family's youngest child. Just three years old when her father died, she has no memory of him, something that will haunt her for the rest of her life. She is a shy gentle child who is very close to her mother and hates seeing her sisters fight. In turn she is adored by her family.
Constantine Giustiniani contacts his allies. Venice and Genoa assure him their fleets will be available when the time comes.
Cyprus
Andrea Doria begins to rebuild the Cypriot navy. He moves back to Cyprus together with his wife Maria and their growing brood of children, who will be married into pretty much all of Genoa's prominent families.
Manuel and Isabella are expecting their first child. Manuel is excited and thrilled. Isabella by contrast is tired, depressed, and bored. People talk and talk about the baby and it seems all Isabella is an oven to bake sons in. Her parents continue to leave her out of conversations about the family's interests and go on and on about the stupid baby.
Helena is also expecting again, and unlike her friend, joyous at the prospect of becoming a mother, though this is tempered by an overwhelming fear of either losing her baby, or being a bad mother once the child comes into the world.
Seeing her friend's sadness, she insists on spending time with Isabella. Helena becomes a light in Isabella's otherwise dark life. Isabella in turn reassures Helena that she will be a spectacular mother.
One night Isabella confesses that if Helena were somehow to become a man and be her husband, like Iphsis of Mythology, she would not feel so glum at the prospect of motherhood. Helena hugs her and tells her not to worry. That her brother, Isabella’s husband Manuel is a good man and loves her, and that she herself will always be there as a friend. Looking into her friend’s kind eyes Isabella realizes that she is in love, and in despair, for she fears Helena will not reciprocate her feelings.
Helena gives birth first, prematurely. Philip would have drunk himself into a stupor but his brother Manuel corners him and drags him to Helena’s beside, knowing how much his presence will comfort her. Helena is panicked and fearful but is put at ease by her husband and he friends, especially Isabella, who comforts her with songs. Helena's child is born alive and safe, a small baby boy named John after his grandfather. Fearing for his health and the state of his immortal soul, his parents have him baptized immediately. Little John is adored by his parents and his mother in particular is utterly absorbed with his care.
One month later Isabella is easily delivered of a daughter. Manuel generously offers to let her name the child but Isabella declines, as she knows her choice, Telethusa, who in mythology marries Iphis, would be deemed highly inappropriate.
Instead, Manuel names her Catherine after his maternal grandmother and elder sister, and because there have been enough Theodora's in the family. Isabella struggles to bond with her baby but wastes no time in using little Catherine as an excuse to spend time with fellow new mother Helena, who is keen to see the two cousins bond.
One day Helena jokes that their children would make a great couple one day. For reasons unknown to Helena Isabella bursts into tears. In secret, the reluctant young mother prays to God to cleanse her of these "unnatural" desires and to make her a better mother. God, as always, is silent.
1514
Greece
Theodora's granddaughter and namesake fulfills her lifelong wish and joins a convent. She spends time with her maternal grandmother Bianca Maria, who is a renowned Abess, famed for her compassion towards the poor and meek. Theodora the elder is very proud of her namesake as is her mother. Anna jokes that she is happy her more beautiful sister is off the marriage market and the two girls embrace, all past jealousies overcome.
Selim the grim crushes the Safavids at the Battle of Chaldiran. While the Christian world has been released that the aggressive Sultan was distracted, the decisive end of the war means he is free to eliminate other irritants on his Empire’s borders. This makes said irritants, namely the Egyptians, Greeks, and Cypriots, very nervous.
Cyprus
King Constantine of Cyprus sails for Egypt to meet with the Sultan. Philip and Manuel travel with him. The Mameluke Sultan is concerned about Selim and wants Cyprus's support in the event of war. Believing a fight is coming no matter what he does, Constantine pledges his support.
A tourney is held in Cairo where King Constantine and his knights face off against the kin of the late pretender James of Cyprus. Manuel is unhorsed by James "Breakbones", son of the usurper. James himself is defeated by Philip, who avenges his brother-in-law. Crowds of curious Egyptians gather to see a Frankish tourney.
Isabella has begged off relations with her husband, citing the need to recover from Catherine's birth. Helena by contrast is pregnant again by the time Philip leaves for Egypt. Isabella looks after her, fretting after her health and doting on her as a husband would. This makes her very happy. Tragedy strikes when Helena loses the baby. Isabella is her comfort amidst this tragedy and Helena finds she loves her than she ought to as a sister-in-law. Mired in grief, she is unable to deal with all of these confusing feelings.
1515
Greece
Andreas sails to Cyprus to wed Princess Margaret. He has heard good things about her but is still nervous. He wonders how a mere child could cause him so much anxiety.
His sister Isabella is sent to France to wed the young count of Maine. The handsome young boy is everything she could dream of and she revels in the glamor of the French court.
Her sister Anne is very jealous that she has to wait for her marriage to Leopold of Austria. Indeed she cynically wonders if the match will take place at all.
Little Margret cries to see her brother and sister leave and all her mother’s promises that they are both going to be happy do nothing to comfort her.
With the war against Persia finished, Selim prepares to turn on Egypt.
Cyprus
Margret of Monferato travels from Monferato to Cyprus. She is accompanied by her mother Elizibeth, who dotes on her, and by her friends, the twins of Odo and Isabella Giustiniani, Odo, and Elizibeth, who are eager to see the famous Cypriot Court.
The young Princess has an easygoing personality and a kind heart, especially when it comes to children. While she might not be as well educated as some Princesses, she makes up for it with a natural intelligence and an earnest eagerness to learn new things. She is determined to be a good Queen for Cyprus and a good wife for Andreas.
It comes as no surprise then that she becomes fast friends with Helena. Margret is quick to sense that Isabella is in distress about something and tries to be her friend as a result. Isabella calls her a sweet child and prays she will not be worn down by the sorrows and disappointment of life. Helena writes to her nephew that he has a wonderful wife, and warns him not to be unkind to her.
With a healthy little boy, a husband who adores her, and another baby growing in her belly. Helena is happy as can be. Only, she has strange feelings towards her sister-in-law, feelings she can't explain. Feelings that make her feel like a traitor to her Philip, who she knows loves her very much, and who she loves as well.
King Constantine meets his granddaughter when she first steps off the boat. They tenderly embrace and close observers could see Grandfather and Grandaugher both were in tears. Margret wants to make up for lost time and become as close with her grandfather as family should be. The King could not be happier and thanks God for giving him such a good granddaughter. For the first time in years, his subjects can see the King of Cyprus smile.
The wedding between Margret and Andreas is a splendid affair. Young Margret dazzles the court, her own worries soothed by the supportive and loving presence of her mother, who carefully chaperones her child to avoid intrigue or scandal.
Andreas finds his young wife to be pretty and charming. However, due to her young age, he sees her more as a youth to be protected than a woman to be loved. Their parents had already agreed the couple would wait to consummate the marriage. Elizabeth is happy that her daughter has a good husband but still keeps a close watch on Andreas, just in case.
A great tourney is held to celebrate the wedding. Helena watches as both her brother and husband triumph, her joy, not the least bit lessened by its inevitability, or her sister-in-law’s snarky whispers. Helena tells her to just enjoy the show and be happy.
However, Helena will be unable to see the tourney through to the end. Her baby, perhaps as Philip will later joke, eager to partake in the events, insists on making his entrance today of all days. Helena keeps her cool and her labor is quick and easy, concluding before the day's festivities.
Philip's victory prize is sweetened by a message telling him he has a second son. The boy is named Philip after his father.
Margret and Andreas come to see Helena after her labors are concluded. Isabella congratulates her friend on another child. She cannot help but be jealous of how close Helena is with her husband and children. Manuel is not sure what he is doing wrong, as he is doing everything he can to be a good husband. He asks his sister and, just before she drifts off to a well-deserved sleep, she tells him that she might just be different.
Greece
Francis Giustiniani returns to serve his father Theodora’s consort Constantine. He brings along his wife Anne and their two children, Theodoros and Madeline. Anne is expecting her third and Francis had originally planned to leave her and the children behind, but Anne would not be parted from her beloved husband. She gives birth to her third child, another daughter, in Mystras. The girl is named Marguerite. Strong-willed, devoted to her husband, and eager to learn about the culture of her ancestors, Anne soon becomes a favorite of both the court and her in-laws.
Thomas and his daughter Yolande bond over their love of art. Yolande paints a self-portrait and has it sent to Portugal, hoping to impress her fiance with both her beauty and her skills as an artist. Thomas is amazed at her skills, though he does comments that she is more beautiful than the painting. Her mother would be so proud of her.
When the ship sails to convey her to Portugal Thomas is as teary-eyed as his mother was when her children went away. Theodora comforts her son though his other coping mechanism soon creates distance between them. Thomas has commissioned a series of sculptures of classical heroes to be displayed at Mystras. Though it takes his mind off his daughter and earns plaudits from intellectuals and artists both at the time and for many centuries afterward, Theodora is less than thrilled to have sculptures of pagan gods and heroes displayed around her very Christian court.
Cyprus
King Constantine throws a massive tournament in Nicosia. The young knights Philip and Manuel steal the show. The final joust comes down to the two brothers-in-law. Manuel is victorious and crowns his wife Queen of Beauty. Isabella accepts with a dutiful smile, though she wishes she would be known for something other than beauty.
Philip congratulates Manuel on his victory but in private he sulks and broods and drinks. Helena is there for him. She patiently listens as he pours his heart out. He still grieves for his father, blaming the King for his death. But he can do nothing to achieve vengeance. Failing like this makes him feel like he has failed his father. Helena tells him that as his wife he will always be enough for her. He has never heard that from either of his parents and that moves him. At the end of the night, Philip is gently asleep on his wife's lap. The changed state of their marriage can be gleaned from the first line of Helena's next letter to her mother. "I am so happy."
1512
Greece
A pair of deaths shake up the leadership of both Greeks and Turks.
Sultan Bayazid breathes his last in Constantinople. The winner of the race to the capital is his son Selim, who now sends his armies forth to crush his brothers.
In Mystras Theodora's son and heir, Thomas takes ill. He is bled regularly and administered all sorts of concoctions. Thomas declares that his fool doctors are the thing that is killing him. Modern historians tend to agree with him. Thomas passes with his wife and his mother at his bedside. Isabella is grieving but she holds herself together to send her husband off with a smile.
Theodora though is beyond words. The first of her babies to draw breath has breathed his last. The weight of all her sufferings bears down on her and it takes Isabella and her husband Constantine to hold her back up.
For a brief moment, Theodora even questions her faith in God. For how could the almighty be so cruel to one who has loved him so much? The quiet sobs of her daughter-in-law snap her out of this self-pity. God has granted her many other children and grandchildren all of whom will also be hurting. It is Theodora's job to be a comfort to them, especially poor kind Isabella, who has lost the man she loved, but is, as always focused on helping her in-laws and children. Theodora takes her daughter-in-law into her arms and holds her as she lets it all out.
Thomas’s fifteen-year-old son Andreas is crowned co-Emperor. He is solum throughout the ceremony, still grieving for his father. All agree he gives a greater performance of regal grief. He joins his grandparents in heated discussions over the future. Both Theodora and Constantine believe that Selim will break his father's peace. They disagree on what to do about it.
Constantine wants to back one of the Sultan’s brothers in the hopes he will prove more willing to respect the peace.
Theodora hates the idea of consorting with the infidel, even if she must acquiesce to it. In any case, she believes Selim's victory is inevitable and that they should instead focus on strengthening their defenses and looking to allies. Andreas agrees with his grandmother, remembering that though his father thought Selim an enemy, he also thought him a fierce warrior, in contrast to his brothers who were not very impressive characters.
Cyprus
King Constantine eyes developments in the Ottoman Empire warily. Selim is much more aggressive than his father and has made it clear he wishes Bayazid had finished business in the last war. He hurriedly sends word to Andrea Doria offering to place him in command of a new Cypriot navy.
Helena and her husband Philip have gotten closer since Philip’s defeat at the tourney. Together they conceive a child but Helena loses the baby before she even knows it is growing in her. The young girl is devastated but is comforted by friends near and the kind words of her mother and sisters from afar. She prays for both her brother and her baby to find peace in the next life.
1513
Greece
The Byzantine remnant state has developed a sophisticated system of militia service. This allows them to call on a large number of soldiers, albeit only for a defensive war. Inspired by the example of King Leonidas, Andreas trains alongside the common soldiers. His little brother Hercules is as fierce as his namesake and longs to go into battle but the best his mother and grandmother will allow him is to train alongside his brother Andreas. Little Hercules hero-worships his big smart and strong older brother.
Thomas’s full sisters are also growing up fast.
Theodora is compassionate and pious, and annoyed at the flocks of boys who are in awe of her famous beauty. She tells them, and anyone who will listen, that the only man she will give herself to is Jesus Christ. Her parents have been reluctant to give their oldest daughter to the Church, but her persistence, and the support of her grandmother and namesake, has been breaking down their resistance.
Her sister Anna, by contrast, would gladly take any moral of attention Theodora shirks. Anna is a jack of all trades and a master of none. Beautiful, but not as beautiful as Theodora. Intelligent, but not as intelligent as Yolande. To cope she has developed a biting sense of humor. She prays that when she marries her husband will show her more attention than her family does.
Isabella is used to being the baby of the family. Her doting parents have spoiled her rotten and she thinks the worse thing that could ever happen to her is not getting what she wants. Like most girls her age she loves pretty dresses and shiny jewelry and dreams of marrying a handsome prince. She is not an evil person per say, just very naive and selfish.
Margret, the family's youngest child. Just three years old when her father died, she has no memory of him, something that will haunt her for the rest of her life. She is a shy gentle child who is very close to her mother and hates seeing her sisters fight. In turn she is adored by her family.
Constantine Giustiniani contacts his allies. Venice and Genoa assure him their fleets will be available when the time comes.
Cyprus
Andrea Doria begins to rebuild the Cypriot navy. He moves back to Cyprus together with his wife Maria and their growing brood of children, who will be married into pretty much all of Genoa's prominent families.
Manuel and Isabella are expecting their first child. Manuel is excited and thrilled. Isabella by contrast is tired, depressed, and bored. People talk and talk about the baby and it seems all Isabella is an oven to bake sons in. Her parents continue to leave her out of conversations about the family's interests and go on and on about the stupid baby.
Helena is also expecting again, and unlike her friend, joyous at the prospect of becoming a mother, though this is tempered by an overwhelming fear of either losing her baby, or being a bad mother once the child comes into the world.
Seeing her friend's sadness, she insists on spending time with Isabella. Helena becomes a light in Isabella's otherwise dark life. Isabella in turn reassures Helena that she will be a spectacular mother.
One night Isabella confesses that if Helena were somehow to become a man and be her husband, like Iphsis of Mythology, she would not feel so glum at the prospect of motherhood. Helena hugs her and tells her not to worry. That her brother, Isabella’s husband Manuel is a good man and loves her, and that she herself will always be there as a friend. Looking into her friend’s kind eyes Isabella realizes that she is in love, and in despair, for she fears Helena will not reciprocate her feelings.
Helena gives birth first, prematurely. Philip would have drunk himself into a stupor but his brother Manuel corners him and drags him to Helena’s beside, knowing how much his presence will comfort her. Helena is panicked and fearful but is put at ease by her husband and he friends, especially Isabella, who comforts her with songs. Helena's child is born alive and safe, a small baby boy named John after his grandfather. Fearing for his health and the state of his immortal soul, his parents have him baptized immediately. Little John is adored by his parents and his mother in particular is utterly absorbed with his care.
One month later Isabella is easily delivered of a daughter. Manuel generously offers to let her name the child but Isabella declines, as she knows her choice, Telethusa, who in mythology marries Iphis, would be deemed highly inappropriate.
Instead, Manuel names her Catherine after his maternal grandmother and elder sister, and because there have been enough Theodora's in the family. Isabella struggles to bond with her baby but wastes no time in using little Catherine as an excuse to spend time with fellow new mother Helena, who is keen to see the two cousins bond.
One day Helena jokes that their children would make a great couple one day. For reasons unknown to Helena Isabella bursts into tears. In secret, the reluctant young mother prays to God to cleanse her of these "unnatural" desires and to make her a better mother. God, as always, is silent.
1514
Greece
Theodora's granddaughter and namesake fulfills her lifelong wish and joins a convent. She spends time with her maternal grandmother Bianca Maria, who is a renowned Abess, famed for her compassion towards the poor and meek. Theodora the elder is very proud of her namesake as is her mother. Anna jokes that she is happy her more beautiful sister is off the marriage market and the two girls embrace, all past jealousies overcome.
Selim the grim crushes the Safavids at the Battle of Chaldiran. While the Christian world has been released that the aggressive Sultan was distracted, the decisive end of the war means he is free to eliminate other irritants on his Empire’s borders. This makes said irritants, namely the Egyptians, Greeks, and Cypriots, very nervous.
Cyprus
King Constantine of Cyprus sails for Egypt to meet with the Sultan. Philip and Manuel travel with him. The Mameluke Sultan is concerned about Selim and wants Cyprus's support in the event of war. Believing a fight is coming no matter what he does, Constantine pledges his support.
A tourney is held in Cairo where King Constantine and his knights face off against the kin of the late pretender James of Cyprus. Manuel is unhorsed by James "Breakbones", son of the usurper. James himself is defeated by Philip, who avenges his brother-in-law. Crowds of curious Egyptians gather to see a Frankish tourney.
Isabella has begged off relations with her husband, citing the need to recover from Catherine's birth. Helena by contrast is pregnant again by the time Philip leaves for Egypt. Isabella looks after her, fretting after her health and doting on her as a husband would. This makes her very happy. Tragedy strikes when Helena loses the baby. Isabella is her comfort amidst this tragedy and Helena finds she loves her than she ought to as a sister-in-law. Mired in grief, she is unable to deal with all of these confusing feelings.
1515
Greece
Andreas sails to Cyprus to wed Princess Margaret. He has heard good things about her but is still nervous. He wonders how a mere child could cause him so much anxiety.
His sister Isabella is sent to France to wed the young count of Maine. The handsome young boy is everything she could dream of and she revels in the glamor of the French court.
Her sister Anne is very jealous that she has to wait for her marriage to Leopold of Austria. Indeed she cynically wonders if the match will take place at all.
Little Margret cries to see her brother and sister leave and all her mother’s promises that they are both going to be happy do nothing to comfort her.
With the war against Persia finished, Selim prepares to turn on Egypt.
Cyprus
Margret of Monferato travels from Monferato to Cyprus. She is accompanied by her mother Elizibeth, who dotes on her, and by her friends, the twins of Odo and Isabella Giustiniani, Odo, and Elizibeth, who are eager to see the famous Cypriot Court.
The young Princess has an easygoing personality and a kind heart, especially when it comes to children. While she might not be as well educated as some Princesses, she makes up for it with a natural intelligence and an earnest eagerness to learn new things. She is determined to be a good Queen for Cyprus and a good wife for Andreas.
It comes as no surprise then that she becomes fast friends with Helena. Margret is quick to sense that Isabella is in distress about something and tries to be her friend as a result. Isabella calls her a sweet child and prays she will not be worn down by the sorrows and disappointment of life. Helena writes to her nephew that he has a wonderful wife, and warns him not to be unkind to her.
With a healthy little boy, a husband who adores her, and another baby growing in her belly. Helena is happy as can be. Only, she has strange feelings towards her sister-in-law, feelings she can't explain. Feelings that make her feel like a traitor to her Philip, who she knows loves her very much, and who she loves as well.
King Constantine meets his granddaughter when she first steps off the boat. They tenderly embrace and close observers could see Grandfather and Grandaugher both were in tears. Margret wants to make up for lost time and become as close with her grandfather as family should be. The King could not be happier and thanks God for giving him such a good granddaughter. For the first time in years, his subjects can see the King of Cyprus smile.
The wedding between Margret and Andreas is a splendid affair. Young Margret dazzles the court, her own worries soothed by the supportive and loving presence of her mother, who carefully chaperones her child to avoid intrigue or scandal.
Andreas finds his young wife to be pretty and charming. However, due to her young age, he sees her more as a youth to be protected than a woman to be loved. Their parents had already agreed the couple would wait to consummate the marriage. Elizabeth is happy that her daughter has a good husband but still keeps a close watch on Andreas, just in case.
A great tourney is held to celebrate the wedding. Helena watches as both her brother and husband triumph, her joy, not the least bit lessened by its inevitability, or her sister-in-law’s snarky whispers. Helena tells her to just enjoy the show and be happy.
However, Helena will be unable to see the tourney through to the end. Her baby, perhaps as Philip will later joke, eager to partake in the events, insists on making his entrance today of all days. Helena keeps her cool and her labor is quick and easy, concluding before the day's festivities.
Philip's victory prize is sweetened by a message telling him he has a second son. The boy is named Philip after his father.
Margret and Andreas come to see Helena after her labors are concluded. Isabella congratulates her friend on another child. She cannot help but be jealous of how close Helena is with her husband and children. Manuel is not sure what he is doing wrong, as he is doing everything he can to be a good husband. He asks his sister and, just before she drifts off to a well-deserved sleep, she tells him that she might just be different.
Chapter 65: England and Burgundy
Greenwich, February 1516: Princess Isabella of Wales delivers a daughter named Princess Mary, named after Queen Maria of Castile. While the baby is healthy and hale, their was much disappointment that the long-awaited pregnancy resulted in another daughter. Everyone is surprised that Prince Richard’s managed to make it this long. Richard is just getter sicker and sicker, and he’s somewhat lost a sense of personality, as Princess Isabella complains to her mother-in-law.
Antwerp, December 1516: The Christmas celebrations are much toned down in Burgundy as Duke Philippe has died. The transition of power to his son, Charles, was very smooth, as Philippe had unofficially abdicated due to health issues several years earlier. Dowager Duchess Kunigunde’s role as First Lady of the Court is taken up by Duchess Matilda, who has all the grace and charm of her mother.
Wiltshire, June 1517: Mary Boleyn, the beautiful and vibrant sister of the famous stigmatist and mystic, Sister Anne Boleyn, marries a handsome young nobleman named William Carey. The couple had met at a ball thrown by Catherine Neville at her estates. The newlywed’s bliss was broken by the death of Princess Cecily, Dowager Countess of Warwick, who was Mary’s grandmother. Meanwhile, Cecily’s cousin, Edward Lytton, heir to the title of Warwick, marries the daughter of Thomas Howard, Duke of Norfolk, Anne Holland (b. 1499).
Guelders, September 1518: Jean, the brother of Duke Charles of Burgundy, is married to Margaret of Orleans, the eldest daughter of Duke Philippe of Orleans. Jean is awarded the title “Duke of Guelders” as a wedding gift. The two are getting along well, and both also get along with Duke Charles and Duchess Matilda, but everyone is worried about the increasingly worse situation in France. The youngest of the 3 Burgundian boys, Maximilian, is more interesting in spiritual matters and decides to begin seminary.
London, November 1518: Princess Isabella gives birth to her fourth child. As the Neapolitan ambassador wrote: “This night the Princess of Wales was delivered of a daughter, to the vexation of as many as know it;—the entire nation looked for a prince." The baby, born at the Tower of London, is named Eleanor. This will be the last child for Richard and Isabella. Richard is only getting worse. In the few hours of the day he isn’t asleep or drugged to a stupor, he complains of constant headaches and pain in his legs and chest. Any marital act of love is impossible.
Kent, January 1520: After many years of near constant illness and near death, Richard, Prince of Wales, dies in the arms of his mother. The entire court is thrown into a fit of mourning. Queen Radegonde is absolutely devastated, she has lost all but one of her children. She will visit Burgundy later on in the year, simply because she wants to see Matilda again. King William has lost the only male heir to England. It’s obvious that young Princess Margaret will be England’s next monarch.
Speaking of the 3 daughter of Prince Richard, there is some variety as regards to personality. Princess Margaret is strong-willed and intelligent, Isabella remarks that she is just like her maternal grandmother, Queen Maria of Castile, and Richard, while he was alive, compared her to her namesake, Margaret of Lancaster, who, despite her advanced age, still has an important role at court.
Princess Mary is perhaps less intelligent, but she has an amazing gifts for instruments and languages, speaking English, French, Latin, Greek, Spanish and Portuguese. Princess Eleanor is all sweetness and smiles, and her cheerful personality is a balm to her mother’s often anxious soul.
Antwerp, December 1516: The Christmas celebrations are much toned down in Burgundy as Duke Philippe has died. The transition of power to his son, Charles, was very smooth, as Philippe had unofficially abdicated due to health issues several years earlier. Dowager Duchess Kunigunde’s role as First Lady of the Court is taken up by Duchess Matilda, who has all the grace and charm of her mother.
Wiltshire, June 1517: Mary Boleyn, the beautiful and vibrant sister of the famous stigmatist and mystic, Sister Anne Boleyn, marries a handsome young nobleman named William Carey. The couple had met at a ball thrown by Catherine Neville at her estates. The newlywed’s bliss was broken by the death of Princess Cecily, Dowager Countess of Warwick, who was Mary’s grandmother. Meanwhile, Cecily’s cousin, Edward Lytton, heir to the title of Warwick, marries the daughter of Thomas Howard, Duke of Norfolk, Anne Holland (b. 1499).
Guelders, September 1518: Jean, the brother of Duke Charles of Burgundy, is married to Margaret of Orleans, the eldest daughter of Duke Philippe of Orleans. Jean is awarded the title “Duke of Guelders” as a wedding gift. The two are getting along well, and both also get along with Duke Charles and Duchess Matilda, but everyone is worried about the increasingly worse situation in France. The youngest of the 3 Burgundian boys, Maximilian, is more interesting in spiritual matters and decides to begin seminary.
London, November 1518: Princess Isabella gives birth to her fourth child. As the Neapolitan ambassador wrote: “This night the Princess of Wales was delivered of a daughter, to the vexation of as many as know it;—the entire nation looked for a prince." The baby, born at the Tower of London, is named Eleanor. This will be the last child for Richard and Isabella. Richard is only getting worse. In the few hours of the day he isn’t asleep or drugged to a stupor, he complains of constant headaches and pain in his legs and chest. Any marital act of love is impossible.
Kent, January 1520: After many years of near constant illness and near death, Richard, Prince of Wales, dies in the arms of his mother. The entire court is thrown into a fit of mourning. Queen Radegonde is absolutely devastated, she has lost all but one of her children. She will visit Burgundy later on in the year, simply because she wants to see Matilda again. King William has lost the only male heir to England. It’s obvious that young Princess Margaret will be England’s next monarch.
Speaking of the 3 daughter of Prince Richard, there is some variety as regards to personality. Princess Margaret is strong-willed and intelligent, Isabella remarks that she is just like her maternal grandmother, Queen Maria of Castile, and Richard, while he was alive, compared her to her namesake, Margaret of Lancaster, who, despite her advanced age, still has an important role at court.
Princess Mary is perhaps less intelligent, but she has an amazing gifts for instruments and languages, speaking English, French, Latin, Greek, Spanish and Portuguese. Princess Eleanor is all sweetness and smiles, and her cheerful personality is a balm to her mother’s often anxious soul.
Thank you very much! And yes, I felt Guelders needed a new Duke.
Chapter 66: French Tensions II
Aquitaine, April 1516: Elizabeth of England, Dowager Queen of France, and Duchess of Aquitaine in her own right, dies in her sleep at the age of 72. The entirety of France is very much upset by this, Elizabeth having been a stable force that held the Valois family together during times of trouble.
Versailles, July 1516: Queen Blanche of France gives birth to her second daughter, Princess Elisabeth. She is named for both the recently deceased Duchess of Aquitaine and for Isabella of Portugal, the Countess of Toulouse, who also acts as her godmother.
Berry, May 1517: Duchess Bona of Berry gives birth to the Duke’s 4th daughter, Jacquetta of Berry. The reason for naming the baby after the Dowager Duchess of Milan, Bona’s mother, is because Philippe hopes to secure the wealth of Milan as a backing to the Berry side of the court (which is joined by the Dukes of Lorraine, Anjou, Count of Armagnac, and, most recently, the Duke of Normandy). On the opposing side is the Duke of Orleans and Alencon, as well as the Count of Angouleme.
Versailles, June 1517: Little Princess Elisabeth dies of an infection. Queen Blanche is thrown into an intense mourning. One courtier remarked that surely the Queen hadn’t grown too attached to a child so young, to which Blanche replied “Don't forget that she would have been my friend."
Berry, February 1518: Duchess Bona of Berry gives birth to her last child, a boy named Philippe for her scheming husband.
Toulouse, September 1518: Isabella, Countess of Toulouse, Dowager Queen of England and Infanta of Portugal dies. Her charitable deeds were not quickly forgotten, and she had ruled Toulouse wisely. Perhaps her death was the last thing holding Charles and Philippe together.
Versailles, June 1519: Dauphin Joseph, always a very sickly child, dies of tuberculosis at the age of 8. His younger brother, Charles, is proclaimed Dauphin in his place. While the King, Queen, and their inner circle are distracted by mourning, Duke Philippe of Berry gathers an army of Swiss mercenaries and his supporters personal soldiers. Philippe declares himself King of France and immediately begins marching towards Paris. He also announces that his brother is unfit to rule, and that all of Queen Blanche’s children (baring the eldest, Princess Madeline), were nothing more than her bastards by Edward Livingston.
Fontainebleau, September 1519: The royalist forces of King Charles and the rebel forces under claimant-King Philippe clash at Fontainebleau outside of Paris. The battle will go down as one of the bloodiest in French history, with casualties reaching around 5,000. The rebels won by far, however they had lost Guy, the Count of Armagnac (who leaves behind his son Louis as Duke) and Louis, the Duke of Normandy (who is succeeded by his son Jean). The royalists meanwhile had lost the Duke of Alencon, who left his sole daughter Anne as Duchess.
The Archbishop of Reims, Cardinal Robert de Lenoncourt, refused to crown Philippe as King. The Archbishop was found mysteriously dead a few days later, and the new Archbishop was proclaimed as Louis of Orleans, who was a supporter of Philippe. Pope Pius declared this proclamation illegal and threatened excommunication. King Philippe VIII declares his eldest son, Louis, the Dauphin, Francois is given the Duchy of Aquitaine, and little Philippe is given Berry. Adelaide and Victoria are already in Savoy, but a search begins for matches with Princess Margaret and Princess Jacquetta. Dowager Queen Margaret flees to her homeland of England.
Charles and Blanche, alongside their two children, Madeline (aged 11), and Charles (aged 4), are thrown into “the Temple” a decrepit medieval fortress. Philippe is not exactly sure what to do with them. He considers poisoning all of them, and covering it up as an illness, but that would simply be too suspicious. There is some talk with the King of Aragon about handing over Blanche and her son, but Dauphin Louis is simply too important to be exchanged. Others demand an execution for both Charles and Blanche. Madeline is still promised to the King of Scotland and her survival is the only one assured.
Versailles, July 1516: Queen Blanche of France gives birth to her second daughter, Princess Elisabeth. She is named for both the recently deceased Duchess of Aquitaine and for Isabella of Portugal, the Countess of Toulouse, who also acts as her godmother.
Berry, May 1517: Duchess Bona of Berry gives birth to the Duke’s 4th daughter, Jacquetta of Berry. The reason for naming the baby after the Dowager Duchess of Milan, Bona’s mother, is because Philippe hopes to secure the wealth of Milan as a backing to the Berry side of the court (which is joined by the Dukes of Lorraine, Anjou, Count of Armagnac, and, most recently, the Duke of Normandy). On the opposing side is the Duke of Orleans and Alencon, as well as the Count of Angouleme.
Versailles, June 1517: Little Princess Elisabeth dies of an infection. Queen Blanche is thrown into an intense mourning. One courtier remarked that surely the Queen hadn’t grown too attached to a child so young, to which Blanche replied “Don't forget that she would have been my friend."
Berry, February 1518: Duchess Bona of Berry gives birth to her last child, a boy named Philippe for her scheming husband.
Toulouse, September 1518: Isabella, Countess of Toulouse, Dowager Queen of England and Infanta of Portugal dies. Her charitable deeds were not quickly forgotten, and she had ruled Toulouse wisely. Perhaps her death was the last thing holding Charles and Philippe together.
Versailles, June 1519: Dauphin Joseph, always a very sickly child, dies of tuberculosis at the age of 8. His younger brother, Charles, is proclaimed Dauphin in his place. While the King, Queen, and their inner circle are distracted by mourning, Duke Philippe of Berry gathers an army of Swiss mercenaries and his supporters personal soldiers. Philippe declares himself King of France and immediately begins marching towards Paris. He also announces that his brother is unfit to rule, and that all of Queen Blanche’s children (baring the eldest, Princess Madeline), were nothing more than her bastards by Edward Livingston.
Fontainebleau, September 1519: The royalist forces of King Charles and the rebel forces under claimant-King Philippe clash at Fontainebleau outside of Paris. The battle will go down as one of the bloodiest in French history, with casualties reaching around 5,000. The rebels won by far, however they had lost Guy, the Count of Armagnac (who leaves behind his son Louis as Duke) and Louis, the Duke of Normandy (who is succeeded by his son Jean). The royalists meanwhile had lost the Duke of Alencon, who left his sole daughter Anne as Duchess.
The Archbishop of Reims, Cardinal Robert de Lenoncourt, refused to crown Philippe as King. The Archbishop was found mysteriously dead a few days later, and the new Archbishop was proclaimed as Louis of Orleans, who was a supporter of Philippe. Pope Pius declared this proclamation illegal and threatened excommunication. King Philippe VIII declares his eldest son, Louis, the Dauphin, Francois is given the Duchy of Aquitaine, and little Philippe is given Berry. Adelaide and Victoria are already in Savoy, but a search begins for matches with Princess Margaret and Princess Jacquetta. Dowager Queen Margaret flees to her homeland of England.
Charles and Blanche, alongside their two children, Madeline (aged 11), and Charles (aged 4), are thrown into “the Temple” a decrepit medieval fortress. Philippe is not exactly sure what to do with them. He considers poisoning all of them, and covering it up as an illness, but that would simply be too suspicious. There is some talk with the King of Aragon about handing over Blanche and her son, but Dauphin Louis is simply too important to be exchanged. Others demand an execution for both Charles and Blanche. Madeline is still promised to the King of Scotland and her survival is the only one assured.
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Yeah, France is a mess.
I felt bad for killing Bess and Joseph, but Blanche, her husband, and kids are obviously based off one of my historical favorites (Marie-Antoinette and Louis XVI).