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A new timeline, one which will run till 1730. All comments and feedback welcome.

Enjoy:



1662

Birth of Mary of York, daughter of James, Duke of York and Anne Hyde

Anne Isabella of France is born and survives

1663

James, Duke of Cambridge is born

Tensions between England and the Dutch Republic grow.

1664

Birth of Anne of York, daughter to James, Duke of York and his wife Anne Hyde

England declares war on the Dutch Republic, France. Early victories under the Duke of York create a sense of confidence for the English.

1665

England seizes New Amsterdam, in the protracted Four Day Battle, but loses Suriname to the Dutch, and begins losing to the Dutch in Europe, whilst Munster loses to the French. James, Duke of York returns home briefly during a lull in the fighting and knocks up his wife.

Philip IV of Spain dies, and Charles, Prince of Asturias, his crippled and handicapped son succeeds to the throne as Charles II of Spain

1666

Charles, Duke of Kendal, second son of the Duke of York is born, just as Catherine of Braganza gives birth to a stillborn girl. The Duke of York ventures back out to the field of battle.

French forces defeat Munster, and force the English ally to surrender, leaving England fighting the Dutch, Danish and French fleets on its own, one last victory and then Charles reluctantly agrees to come to the negotiating table. Treaty of Westminster signed, Suriname recognised as Dutch colony, New Amsterdam tentatively becomes an English colony.

After the treaty, the Earl of Clarendon is forced out by Charles, and forced to flee to France, to avoid impeachment, he would later die in Versailles. Charles forms the CABAL, a group of ministers who would control much of the running of government for the next ten years.









1667

Birth of Marie Thérèse of France, daughter of Louis XIV and Maria Theresa, sister to their son Louis, Dauphin of France and their other daughter Anne Isabella.

The first proper act of the CABAL is initiated in the Royal Militia Act, which formally confirms an earlier act of 1661, that had placed the army under the direct supervision and pay of the crown, Charles names his cousin Prince Rupert, Duke of Cumberland as Paymaster of the Forces, and Commander of the Horse, out ranking the Master of Horse, the Duke of Buckingham. Charles also has Parliament pass the Royal Navy Act, which states that any man aged sixteen or over who lives in a coastal town or village must join the royal navy and stay for a two year service at minimum. He also asks for a raise in the funding to his allowance which he then uses to improve the quality of ships in the navy. Parliament protests this, but Charles overrules them, and prorogues Parliament.

1668

Philippe, Duke of Anjou the second son of Louis XIV and Maria Theresa is born, much to the delight of Louis, who believes he now has a true claimant for the throne of Spain should the inevitable happen and Carlos II dies without a direct heir.

In Scotland, the Earl of Lauderdale brings evidence against the Duke of Argyll to Charles, and subsequently Charles removes Argyll from his position as Lord Lieutenant of Scotland, replacing him with Lauderdale as Secretary of State for Scotland, giving him command of Falkland Palace. Charles also, instructs the Earl of Arlington to keep his ear to the ground in regards to the Franco-Dutch tension over the Spanish Netherlands, and to also approach Louis about a possible alliance.

1669

Maria Antonia of Austria is born to Emperor Leopold and his wife Margaret Theresa, she will be his only surviving child by Margaret. Emperor Leopold also begins his plans to fight the Turk.

Princess Henrietta, daughter of James, Duke of York dies from a fever. Catherine of Braganza gives birth to another stillborn son, and is informed she will never give birth to another child. Parliament, led by the Earl of Shaftesbury demands that Charles divorce her and marry elsewhere. Charles refuses and dismisses Shaftesbury from the CABAL and replaces him with Sir Thomas Clifford as Lord Chancellor, and Chancellor of the Exchequer. Sir Stephen Fox, paymaster of the forces informs the King and Prince Rupert that they do not have enough money to go to war with the Dutch at current rates. Charles goes to Parliament asking for more money, Parliament led by Shaftesbury demands that Charles divorces Catherine if he wants more money, Charles refuses and prorogues Parliament.











1670

Through the negotiations of the Earl of Arlington, Charles signs the secret Treaty of Dover with Louis XIV, in which in return for an annual subsidy of £225,000 a year, Charles will convert himself and his country to Catholicism at the right moment. They also agree to a defensive pact against the Dutch Republic. Charles swears Arlington to secrecy, and does not inform the rest of the CABAL, he just about informs the Duke of York, and only after learning the Duchess of York has converted to Catholicism.

Emperor Leopold despairs of ever having a male heir, his second son Johann Leopold dies a few months after being born, and his wife Margaret Theresa falls gravely ill following this last pregnancy. Leopold continues his internal reforms and his vigorous promotion of the counter reformation. He also begins considering the possibility that a Habsburg might not end up ruling Spain forever.

In the Republic, General De Reyuter dies, several hampering the Dutch and their confidence in new manoeuvres he was training them in. Manoeuvres the English will later use well.

1671

Tensions between France and the Dutch Republic grow. Louis XIV wants to bring the Spanish Netherlands under his control, however, the expansion of France to such an extent terrifies the Estates General led by Johann de Witt, they try tempting Charles into an alliance with them in return for restoring William as Prince of Orange and Stadtholder. However, Charles has another idea, he wants his nephew as Sovereign Prince of the Netherlands, and has been tempted to show him the Secret Treaty of Dover, but reconsiders after seeing his nephew’s own staunch Calvinism, instead he allows William to return to the Republic.

In Spain, Carlos II suffers an attack of convulsions but somehow survives. The desire for him to sire heirs quickly reappears, despite his young age, his mother and regent begins considering options for him, and also begins her own internal quarrel against her husband’s bastard son John of Austria.

1672

Charles, desperate to bring some of his plans to fruition, goads his cousin Louis into preparing for a war with the Dutch. He then sends a ship named the Merlin sailing toward Amsterdam, the ship is seized but protocol is not followed, giving Charles a weak Casus Belli for war. He declares war on the Dutch, followed by Louis declaring war on them. The ships are prepared, and they move out at Solebay they convincingly defeat the Dutch who had been lured out to that location, the Duke of York is injured however, and forced to sit out the rest of the war.

Prince Rupert now commanding the fleet, dispatches the Earl of Sandwich to capture Dutch trading fleets, which he succeeds in doing. This causes panic in the Dutch Republic, and as such a defeat for their fleet at Battle of Texel, leads to a combined Anglo-French force landing near Amsterdam, faced with the risk of outright defeat, the Dutch led by De Witt capitulate, and agree to the harsh Treaty of Breda, which confirms English possession over New Amsterdam, renamed New York, it also confirms English possession over several Dutch towns on the coast, as well as French hegemony within the spice trade. William is also confirmed as Sovereign Prince of the Netherlands.

High off of victory, Charles issues the Royal Indulgence granting religious freedom, or rather the ability for non-conforming Protestants and Catholics to hold office in government without having to pay a fine. Parliament weakly protests, but nothing major comes from it. Lord Ashley resigns from the Commons in protest.

1673

Emperor Leopold strikes a significant blow against Protestant Hungarians and enforces the counter reformation with much vigorousness. He also loses his wife Margaret Theresa after she dies from a drawn out illness. At the end of the year, Leopold has married his distant cousin, Claudia Felicitas of Tyrol. They will have two sons before Claudia herself dies.

Louis XIV watches Spain with great interest, the political struggles of Carlos II’s mother and his brother John of Austria are dividing Spain and Madrid in half. Louis eyes up the Spanish Netherlands and tries to tempt Charles into another war, yet his cousin is not quite as eager, having already achieved his aims.

In Scotland, the Earl of Lauderdale manages to remove the Earl of Mar from his position as Lord Treasurer of Scotland, a mainly symbolic office, but one that provides great power to its holder. Mar is accused of embezzlement and has to retire to his estates to prevent impeachment. Charles grants Lauderdale the office of Lord Treasurer.

1674

Emperor Leopold welcomes a much wanted son into the world, the boy is christened Maximilian Leopold. Leopold then pursues his counter reformation campaign vigorously, and also begins eyeing up a new war against the Turk.

The Lord Ashley returns to the Commons and then to the Lords, where he demands a more vigorous scrutiny of the actions of the Earl of Lauderdale in Scotland, and of his most hated enemy the Duke of Buckingham. Ashley decries Buckingham as a tyrant and a mad man, bent on destroying good governance within England. Charles refuses to see anything against Lauderdale, though he writes to the man and advises him to tone down his actions. Against Buckingham however, he asks for evidence to be presented for he has grown tired of the man. Evidence is found but dismissed b Buckingham’s lawyers, and so Ashley is forced to resign once more from the Lords in disgrace, Buckingham’s relationship with the King is never the same, but he continues on for now.

King Louis deciding he needs to act and act quickly, declares war on Spain and invades the Spanish Netherlands. This provokes a harsh response from William, from Emperor Leopold and from Spain. Charles, trying to prevent a loss of face also belatedly declares war on Louis. And common sense would dictate he stand down, the man continues. Troops invade the Spanish Netherlands, and face off against a Spanish host at Cambrai, winning there and taking the town. A defeat at the Battle of Lille Road hampers their advance to Lille, whilst a victory at Saint Omer gives them another strategic entrance point.

1675

The War of the Quadruple Alliance continues. King Louis, personally commanding the French forces at Saint Omer, moves forward, at the Battle of Fort Knokke they defeat a Spanish host and capture the fort, before advancing forward and capturing Veurne. The French host under the command of the Duke of Orleans however struggles. Suffering defeat at the hands of a Anglo-Dutch host under the command of William, Sovereign Prince of the Netherlands, they are pushed back to Cambrai and then placed under siege. A French relief force under the command of Louis Joseph, Duke of Vendome hurries to aid the Duke of Orleans. They manage to pen the allied host between the walls of Cambrai and their own host, a great defeat for William, who just about manages to escape to Lille.

On the waves, an English fleet under the command of the Duke of York sacked and burned Dunkirk, a former English possession, they then proceeded to burn French ships at anchor at Calais. They then engaged in a fight with a French fleet off the coast of Normandy, the superior French naval numbers breed unease in the Duke of York, but under his steady command and some good conditions, they manage to defeat the French fleet convincingly. This gives them a huge boost, and enables them to engage a French fleet returning from the Indies. Seizing the fleet they strip it of its wealth before returning it to the French. This greatly angers King Louis who writes from Veurne, and sends Charles an angry letter. However, Charles is riding high of this victory, and Parliament is quite content to allow the King whatever he wishes. Charles begins contemplating entering the field himself.

1676

The War of the Quadruple Alliance sees the tide turn. Louis is pushed out of Veurne and then Fort Knokke by an allied host under the command of the Duke of Monmouth, who displays his tactical smarts in the manoeuvres. The Imperial army under the command of Emperor Leopold himself finally enters the fold joining with William, Sovereign Prince of the Netherlands to drive the French out of Cambrai and back into France itself. Faced with a humiliating defeat, Louis begins making threats to Charles, threats which are rightly ignored, Louis then suffers defeat on the waves as the Duke of York and the Royal Navy defeat another French detachment at the Battle of Cherbourg, faced with an impending Allied invasion, Louis sues for peace.

In The Treaty of Paris, the status quo is restored, though Louis is formally recognised as sovereign over Artois and Picardy. This treaty is a serious embarrassment for Louis and is one that he will not forget in the years to come. However, there is one good thing to come out of it. Knowing that Charles of Spain needs an heir, and knowing that his daughter is as good a wife as any, Louis offers Anne Isabella in marriage to Charles, Charles views a portrait of her and immediately says yes. The two are formally betrothed by the end of the treaty.

In England, Lord Ashely is summoned back to the Lords and reappointed to the CABAL as Lord Chancellor and Chancellor of the Exchequer he is also created Earl of Shaftesbury. Charles does this in a move to precipitate the fall of Buckingham, a man he had once seen as a brother, but who has in recent times grown to greatly anger Charles. Parliament votes to increase the annual amount the crown can contribute to the army, as a consequence of the great showing by the Duke of Monmouth who is feted as a hero upon his return from the continent.

1677

Anne Hyde, the Duchess of York who had formally converted to Roman Catholicism alongside her husband at the beginning of the decade, passes away from a fever. Her husband is now left a widow, however, with two sons who are healthy there is some debate over whether or not he needs to marry again. Eventually, James decides against doing so, with the reasoning that if he did, it would only complicate matters. Instead, he throws himself fully into enjoying his newly enhanced reputation in the court and country to take up with new women.

The Earl of Shaftesbury begins his campaign to remove Buckingham from office. He gathers accounts and records of every meeting Buckingham has made over his tenure in office. He then presents these records to the King, who agrees that they paint a rather damning picture of the man. With the King’s blessing, Shaftesbury presents the records to Parliament who swiftly vote to impeach Buckingham. Before the impeachment can begin though, Buckingham resigns and retires to his estates, the King demands that Buckingham be left alone then, for he has suffered enough. Shaftesbury angered by this about turn resigns his post in the ministry and becomes the King’s chief opponent in the Lords, forming a coalition in Parliament of those who wish for greater Parliamentary scrutiny, they demand a look at the King’s finances, which the King refuses, when they move to impeach Buckingham and Clifford, the King prorogues Parliament.

In France, King Louis is greatly aggrieved with his loss in the War of the Quadruple Alliance, instead of focusing on internal reforms, he continues with the accumulation of war resources, for yet another go at the dice. He sends a letter to Charles reminding him of the Treaty of Dover and the danger its release would pose to Charles. He sees his daughter Anne Isabella married off to the decrepit Carlos II. He also begins looking around for wives for his sons. Louis decides to bring forward, his son’s marriage to Maria Anna Victoria of Bavaria, and so a grand ceremony occurs at Versailles and then at Rheims, which brings Bavaria closer into the French orbit.

Emperor Leopold, made a widower the previous year, and with only one surviving son in Maximillian begins looking for a new wife to ensure a more stable succession. In early 1677, Leopold marries Eleanor Magdalene of Neubeurg, her father now in the running for the succession to the Elector Palatinate. By year’s end Eleanor will be pregnant, and Leopold will be focusing in more administrative reform.

1678

In Vienna, Empress Eleanor gives birth to a boy named Joseph, who has his older brother Maximilian as a godfather. Leopold begins focusing on internal reforms for the Empire, but also keeps one eye on the Spanish Netherlands and Bavaria, having not been quite happy with the marriage of Maria Anna Victoria to Dauphin Louis. Leopold’s reforms include, changing the manoeuvres that the military engage in, and changing the tactics that they use. Many see this as his plan for another war against the Turk, something that is definitely encouraged.

In Versailles, Maria Anna Victoria gives birth to a baby boy, named Louis and titled Duke of Burgundy. The birth of an heir for the heir is greeted with much approval at court, and as such, the King himself feels more secure now. Louis steps up the plans for another invasion of the Spanish Netherlands and has the Duke of Vendome conduct military manoeuvres within Versailles and at Paris, and within Picardy as well, to give the impression that more is coming.

In Scotland, the Earl of Lauderdale’s authority is questioned when the Duke of Argyll funded rebellion by Presbyterian lords occurs. Lauderdale is captured as he tries to put the rebellion down, prompting Charles to dispatch his son the Duke of Monmouth alongside the Duke of Cambridge and some ten thousand regulars into Scotland. The Duke of Argyll comes to aid them as well. The Battle of Boswell Bridge occurs and sees the Presbyterians defeated, Lauderdale returned and Monmouth and Cambridge making names for themselves. Lauderdale’s embarrassing capture and imprisonment gives Charles the excuse he needs to dismiss the man from his office. He names the Duke of Argyll as Secretary of State for Scotland and gives him command over Edinburgh Castle. He names Monmouth General of the Forces- essentially Field Marshal- and stations him within Portsmouth over the protests of the Duke of York who fears that this will give too much power to Monmouth.

1679

Deciding that he has had enough of preparing, Louis sends a force under the command of the Duke of Vendome into the Spanish Netherlands. The host’s speed of movement catches the Spanish off guard, resulting in Tournai falling before anyone knows what’s going on. The French forces manage to advance across the Scheldf river, and manage to capture Menin and lay siege to Courtrai. As French forces lay siege to Courtrai, Dutch forces under the command of Prince William move into bolster a gathering Spanish host under Alexander Farnese. Madrid’s response is to send a force of men under the command of John of Austria into Gascony to raid and pillage.

In London, Charles summons Parliament again, this time with the intention of going to war with the French. However, the country party led by the Earl of Shaftesbury continues their demands for impeachment of Buckingham and Lauderdale, as well as an investigation into the crown’s finances. Shaftesbury even dares to bring up the topic of Arlington and Clifford’s religious preference. Charles gives a speech from the throne in which he greatly criticises Shaftesbury and his allies from ‘distracting from the true and proper purpose of Parliament,’ and giving into ‘gossiping like fish wives.’ Shaftesbury retorts that ‘The King has given into lust and sin, if he would be so kind as to inform us why we should war, then we will oblige him.’ The King loses patience, but instead of proroguing Parliament has he had been wont to do before, Charles formally dissolves Parliament, ending the Cavalier Parliament which had sat since his coronation and return to the kingdom. On 23rd December, four months after Parliament’s dissolution, Charles suffers a serious stroke that leaves him paralysed and barely able to talk.

John III of Poland meets in Vienna with Emperor Leopold and the two sign an alliance. Promising to aid one another against the other’s enemies, mainly France and the Turk. John has his eyes on Prussia, but at the moment is wary of doing anything that might bring French wrath onto his dominions, especially with Russia growing larger by the day. As part of their alliance, Leopold’s son and heir Maximillian is betrothed to Teresa Kunegunda, daughter to King John. Upon his return to the commonwealth, John begins changing army manoeuvres to those more suited to hit and run campaigns than long drawn out battles.

1680

In London, King Charles is found dead in his bed on New Year’s Day. The King suffered a stroke during the night, and having died without legitimate issue, he is succeeded by his brother James, Duke of York who becomes James II and VII. The new King summons Parliament on the 12th January, receives a grant of £1.2 million a year from Parliament. James also confirms his eldest son James, Duke of Cambridge as Prince of Wales, Duke of Cornwall and Rothesay, and keeps his second son as Duke of Kendal, though he had offered the Duchy of York to him. Initially, things between James and Parliament are good, he orders an enquiry into how Buckingham and Lauderdale conducted their affairs when they served as ministers, both men are later impeached by Parliament for abusing the crown’s prerogative and thrown in the tower-where Lauderdale dies- however, when it comes to the matter of the French campaign in the Spanish Netherlands, James finds himself disagreeing with Parliament. James is in favour of aiding the French, whilst Parliament wishes to aid the Dutch and the Spanish. There are arguments made by both sides over why their view is the best one, but eventually, James decides to prorogue Parliament. He would later recall it in the summer to discuss the matter of religious toleration, as it had been brought to his attention that several officials were preventing Catholics from taking up appointments given to them by the crown. The opposition led by the Earl of Shaftesbury state that Catholics cannot hold such powerful positions as that would invite popery into the land. James rubbishes these claims, and refuses to submit himself to an Anglican oath, he dissolves Parliament and appoints the Catholics to their roles, threatening anyone who refuses to allow them to assume their rightful places with a stay in prison. He also sends an envoy to Versailles looking to arrange a marriage between his eldest son and Marie Thérèse of France. A quarrel between him and his son the Prince of Wales, over the arbitrary nature of his government, leads to James replacing Argyll as Secretary of State for Scotland with the Prince of Wales, and banishing his son to Falkland Palace.

Responding to Spanish aggression, Louis sends a host under the command of his brother, the Duke of Orleans out to Gascony to handle the Spanish. The Spanish and French hosts do not clash, but they shadow one another, and as such the Spanish are unable to properly implement the plans of their commanders. In the Spanish Netherlands, Courtrai falls to French forces, and from there the Duke of Vendome plans on marching on Utrecht, believing that taking the city would give him complete control over the area. However, the Dutch and Spanish forces have amassed at Antwerp and are now steadily advancing southwards. It is at this moment that the Emperor sends a force under the command of Ernst Rüdiger von Starhemberg to aid the Spanish forces. William and Farnese garrison Ghent, whilst Vendome finds himself wracked by indecision over what to do.

1681

In England, James II and VII continues to rule without Parliament’s aide, or approval. He appoints several openly Catholic nobles to high positions within his household and in positions in government based in London. This draws protests from the country party, and also leads to the publishing of several pamphlets that decry the King and label him an agent of the Pope. James has the people who publish and spread these pamphlets found, arrested and then executed for treason. This simply feeds into the outcry against him. The Declaration of Freedom, which enables all Catholics to practise communion and what some would call popery completely openly, is met with outrage, as is the King’s demanding of the Bishops in Anglican churches to read in Latin as well as English.

In Scotland, James, Prince of Wales watches his father’s actions with horror. He has kept Scotland moderate throughout his father’s sweeping reforms and changes, and ensured a balance. After the King’s Demand is issued and rejected by several leading Bishops, the Earl of Shaftesbury and his notable ally the Duke of Argyll approach the Prince of Wales offering him the crown, if he supports them against his father. James is horrified by the idea, arrests Argyll and refuses Shaftesbury. James writes his father about this incident and warns his brother Charles.

Shaftesbury turns to the Duke of Monmouth who accepts, and in the Letter of the Seven, Shaftesbury alongside the Earls of Essex, Devonshire and Danby as well as the Viscount of Lumley and Bishop of London and Edward Russel and the Earl of Plymouth claim that Charles II legitimised the Duke of Monmouth on his death bed and therefore James Scott, Duke of Monmouth is the rightful King not James II. They demand all good Protestant Englishman rise alongside them and remove tyranny.

James II sends a force under the command of his trusted lieutenant, John Churchill, Lord Churchill to face off against Monmouth and his regiments at Portsmouth. Churchill lays siege to Portsmouth but is unable to break through, instead he is forced to make a move back to London. In that time, Monmouth and his brother Plymouth advance toward Winchester, which surrenders without much of a struggle. In the north of the country, Essex and Danby gather regiments of the army that are terrified of a return to arbitrary rule, and advance southwards. They meet and defeat a host commanded by James’s brother in law, the Earl of Clarendon at the Battle of Corby, taking Clarendon prisoner. The year ends with James II in London having lost two battles and lost Winchester, a important symbolic town. Yet his sons are gathering forces and are marching southwards and toward London.

In the Spanish Netherlands, Vendome finally advances from Courtrai, this movement forces William and Farnese to advance from Ghent as well. At the battle of Lys, Vendome somehow manages to outflank and outsmart William and Farnese to defeat them and send their forces scattering into the wind. Ghent falls to the French, and Spain shits itself. In southern France, a battle between the Duke of Orleans and the Spanish forces in Gascony takes place. Orleans wins and the Spanish are pushed back into Spain proper.
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