Shouldn't you wait before posting again Sarthaka? You were already warned in your previous lists about repetitive claiming when your lists hit a crucial point that defined the list. Should the others who complained before have no input, I'll claim, as I'm liking this particular storyline, but I'll claim if people have no complaints.
List of monarchs III
- Thread starter Shiva
- Start date
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- alt history lists ruler game
Alexander. Robert is based on some historical figures in terms of character, yes, aka Richie Lionheart and Charles of Anjou, but otherwise he's not really a carbon copy of anyone.
List of Kings and Queens of England
1040 - 1042: Harthacnut I (House of Denmark)
1042 - 1066: Edward III "the Confessor" (House of Wessex)
1066 - 1108: Margaret I "the Pious" (House of Wessex) [1]
List of Kings and Queens of England & Scotland
1108-1120: Edgar I & II "the Valiant" (House of Dunkeld) [2]
1120-1157: David I “the Gallant” (House of Dunkeld) [3]
1157-1174: Constantine I & IV (House of Dunkeld) [4]
1174-1191: William I “the Generous” (House of Dunkeld) [5]
1191 - 1218: Malcolm IV "the Bard" (House of Dunkeld) [6]
1218 - 1222: Alexander I "the Fierce" (House of Dunkeld) [7]
1222 - 1239: Robert I "the Crusader" or "the Usurper" (House of Flanders) [8] - Held the Counties of Flanders, Artois, Boulogne and Calais on the mainland.
1239 - 1245: British War of Succession
List of Potentates of Britain & Éire
1245 - 1273: Mark I “the Magnificent” (House of Vyvyan) [9]
1273-1291: David II “the Magnanimous” (House of Vyvyan) [10]
[10] Prince David was the only son of Potentate Mark and would succeed him upon his death in 1273. He was described as being nearly seven feet (210 cm) in height and having an athletic build. In order to further cement the legitimacy of the house of Vyvyan he would be married to Philippa of Flanders, a granddaughter of Robert I and Bona of Burgundy’s son, Phillip. Their Union would produce seven children to survive to adulthood. David would be raised within the Waldensian faith but he would be known for his religious tolerance and for allowing Catholics to practice within his realm without persecution. In 1281 he would face a massive rebellion in Ireland over tax disputes that would end in a British victory, but David would surprisingly allow most of the rebellious Irish lords to keep their lands and heads if they agreed to send hostages to live in the new capital. After suppressing the rebellion he would continue expanding his Father’s city of Camelot and would also embark on the construction of an expansive network of roads to better connect his realm. Despite his strict religious upbringing he would have no problem with taking several mistresses and would father over a dozen bastards who were all given various titles and the surname “FitzDavid”. He would also accept thousands of fleeing Cathars escaping persecution in France and would even give them land in Ulster to settle in. However, this would ultimately lead to the end of his reign in 1291, when he was stabbed at a banquet by the son of an Irish Ulsterite chieftain who had lost land due to Cathar resettlement. David would manage to survive for three more days but he would eventually succumb to his wounds and the assassin would later be drawn and quartered by David's successor, __________.
1040 - 1042: Harthacnut I (House of Denmark)
1042 - 1066: Edward III "the Confessor" (House of Wessex)
1066 - 1108: Margaret I "the Pious" (House of Wessex) [1]
List of Kings and Queens of England & Scotland
1108-1120: Edgar I & II "the Valiant" (House of Dunkeld) [2]
1120-1157: David I “the Gallant” (House of Dunkeld) [3]
1157-1174: Constantine I & IV (House of Dunkeld) [4]
1174-1191: William I “the Generous” (House of Dunkeld) [5]
1191 - 1218: Malcolm IV "the Bard" (House of Dunkeld) [6]
1218 - 1222: Alexander I "the Fierce" (House of Dunkeld) [7]
1222 - 1239: Robert I "the Crusader" or "the Usurper" (House of Flanders) [8] - Held the Counties of Flanders, Artois, Boulogne and Calais on the mainland.
1239 - 1245: British War of Succession
List of Potentates of Britain & Éire
1245 - 1273: Mark I “the Magnificent” (House of Vyvyan) [9]
1273-1291: David II “the Magnanimous” (House of Vyvyan) [10]
Margaret I of England, England's first female monarch
[1] Born in 1045 as the daughter of Edward Aetheling, Margaret I had the support of dynastic legitimacy with her when her supporters enrolled her nomination to the Witenagemot in 1066 after the death of Edward the Confessor - who had been a dear uncle/great-uncle to Margaret I as well. The powerful Earl of Essex, Harold Godwinson made his claim on the English Throne on the basis of Edward the Confessor promising him the throne. It was believed that Harold would take the throne due to his immense power, but surprisingly all, the Witenagemot selected Margaret I on the basis of her dynastic heritage, surprising even Margaret I from her castle near Hampton. Nevertheless, she accepted the offer and entered London in January 1066 as Queen of the English, the first female monarch of England. But immediately crisis enveloped Europe as not only did Harold Godwinson lay claim to the throne, but so did King Harald of Norway and Duke William of Normandy. Margaret's first weeks and months of rule were immediately seized by war councils being called throughout England to prepare for war. Margaret's Witenagemot marched on Essex and executed Harold Godwinson quickly but in mid-1066 the Norwegian Fleet invaded from the north. Though Margaret I did not fight personally on the field and left the fighting to her commanders, like the Earl of York, she did lead the administrative efforts and visited the troops often. Harald's Invasion failed with the man dead in a ditch somewhere near Stirling Bridge. On 12 September 1066, the Earl of Hampton also defeated William of Normandy's invasion, ending the 1066 Crisis and cementing Margaret I's position as Queen of the English.
Immediately after the war, efforts were made by Margaret I to find a suitable husband. After years of diplomatic struggling and politicking, Margaret I married Malcolm III of the Scots in 1069, accepted by both the Witenagemot and the Council of Scotland - though the Council of Scotland made it clear that a child of the union would be King of both Kingdoms, the Kingdoms would remain separate as different legal entities. Margaret I and Malcolm III held no power in the other's realm other than the Monarch's spouse. The two would have six children with one another of which 5 would grow into adulthood. Margaret I was opposed to war, but in 1074, on the insistence of her husband, Anglo-Scottish forces entered the Kingdom of Strathclyde and annexed it (partitioning it between the two Kingdoms). That was the only offensive war Margaret I's England partook in throughout the entirety of Margaret I's life. Margaret I gained much praise for her piety. She attended charity works, and she granted generous donations to orphans and the poor of England, often touring England whenever she felt like it. She also toured Scotland on multiple occasions. She also reformed the Church to be more in line with Rome. She was also a moderating influence on her husband, and alongside England, Scotland prospered as well. A small hiccup came when Irish pirates attacked the English western coast in 1092, but they were driven back by the newly created English Navy. In 1108, after ruling England for 42 years in a reign known as Gloria Margaretae or Glory of Margaret, Margaret I died at the age of 63. She was canonized as St. Margaret after her death. She was succeeded by her son, Edgar.
[2] Edgar was the first born son of his parents. He became King of Scotland in 1097, fighting off a rebellion started by his uncle Duncan, earning him the nickname of the Valiant. Ten years later his mother would die and he rose to the throne. In his personal life, he married Maud, Countess of Huntingdon, his childhood friend and a woman he was well known to dote on to the point of bringing her with him to Scotland after he defeated his uncle. Their marriage caused a bit of a scandal as everyone had expected him to marry a daughter of France. However, Edgar made it clear he would have no other woman aside from his Maud. The pair would soon inspire many tales of their epic romance, with some being more accurate than others. They would have seven children with four living to adulthood. Maud proved herself to be a capable queen, ruling England in her husband's name while he was on his Wales campaign.
Edgar and his brothers were eager to show their dominance over the rest of the British isles and in 1114, war was declared. Edgar lead his army to invade Wales, Subrogation the kingdom of Gwent, dividing it up among his favored councilors. He continued marching through South-East Wales, conquering as much land as he could, granting it to men he could trust, including his younger brothers.
Henry, Duke of Normandy made an alliance with the princes of Wales in hopes in exchange for their support of Henry pushing the claim he had from his father, William, Duke of Normandy on the English. In retaliation, Edgar sought an alliance with Louis VI of France, arranging a dynastic match, this also smoothed any ruffled feathers for Edgar's decision to snub a French wife for his beloved Maud. He even insisted on going to France himself so he could negotiate with his fellow king in person instead of sending an envoy. Unfortunately this would prove to be his undoing as his ship sink in the English Channel in what would be known as the White Ship tragedy. He would be remembered as a pious, ambitious, affable king, his son, David would succeed him as monarch.
[3] David was the eldest surviving son of Edgar and Maud and ascended to the throne after his father’s tragic death in the White Ship tragedy. David had gained his title as “The Gallant” after fighting alongside his father during his conquest of South-East Wales and continued to march west after being put in charge of the army by his father who left to arrange a marriage for him with a member of the French Royal Family. This was the last time he saw his father alive. After a few months David received new that his father had died and was forced to end his campaign short so he could ride back to England and be crowned as king.
David’s first act as king would be to find a wife and would finish his father’s plan to marry a princess of France and would marry Elizabeth of Vermandois a cousin of King Louis VI. David would also finish what he started when his father left and that was the conquest of Wales. David had left his army in southwestern Wales and after his coronation would return to finish his campaign by heading north towards the Kingdom of Deheubarth and would conquer it two years later and then would move on further north. David would end up consolidate the remaining Welsh Kingdoms into the Kingdom of England by the midpoint of his reign as king.
King David I “The Gallant”
David would also make a change to the order of his titles. When his father became king of England he was already the king of Scotland and thus styled himself as King Edgar I of Scotland and King Edgar II of England. This made the title the Kingdom of Scotland and England however when David became king he wished himself to be styled as the king of England and Scotland and thus had the titles reversed. David would however not style himself as the King of England, Scotland, and Wales and would instead have Wales become part of the Kingdom of England.
David did not escape scandal during his reign as one appeared upon his return to England. While David had been fighting in Wales he found the company of a Welsh commoner and had unintentionally fathered a son as a result. This would not come to light until during his wedding to Elizabeth in which the grandfather of the child burst into the room and demanded that his grandson be raised in the Royal Court since it was found out that the mother had died in childbirth. Many were shocked by this revelation and some began to call him an adulterer however it was eventually dismissed since he had not been married to Elizabeth when the child was conceived. David did agree however to raise the child feeling that he was responsible for the death of its mother and came to a compromise that since the child was of Welsh heritage he decreed that once the child came of age he would become Duke of Wales and the title of heir would be Prince or Princess of Wessex in honor of his grandmother.
David would die in 1157 and his second son, Constantine, would succeed him.
[4] Constantine was the second son of David and Elizabeth to survive childhood and was not expected to ascend to the thrown. However, several years before King David’s death his eldest son Edgar had shockingly renounced his claim to the throne to enter the priesthood, making Constantine the heir. He would marry Princess Constance of France, a daughter of Louis VI and their union would produce eight daughters who would all survive to adulthood, but no sons. During his reign, he faced several major revolts in both Wales and the Scottish highlands that he would brutally suppress with the help of his half-brother John, Duke of Wales. John’s heritage would cause some of Constantine’s advisors to grow suspicious of the Duke and they would attempt to persuade the King to dismiss him, but ultimately nothing would come of these accusations and John would remain a loyal asset to the King throughout his reign. Constantine would continue his Great Grandmother’s legacy of strengthening his realm's ties with the church in Rome and he would fund the establishment of several universities that would remain centers of knowledge for generations to come. However, in 1174 his reign would be cut short by what historians believe to have been a heart attack, and he would be succeeded by his brother, William.
Seal of William the Generous
[5] William was the third surviving male child of David I and Elizabeth. William had ascended to the throne after the early death of his brother who had no male heirs to succeed him and thus William was made king. Though Constantine had several daughters William was chosen over them due to male preference by the Royal Court and wanting to continue to the House of Dunkled as the ruling family of England. William would gain the nickname of “the Generous” after he would often go out of his way to help other who were in need and was considered a “man of the people” and thus gained many friends over the course of his reign. William would end up marring Bertha of Swabia, a daughter of Frederick II, Duke of Swabia and great-granddaughter of Emperor Heinrich IV of the Holy Roman Empire through her grandmother and they would have several children together. In the end William would be known by historians by improving the kingdom’s economy and improving the lives of the people he served.
William would die in 1191 and be succeeded by his son, Malcom.
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Malcolm IV Of England and Scotland
[6] Malcolm IV was the eldest grandson of King William I of England and Scotland and was already 27 years of age at his ascension, having married Princess Kristina of Denmark just a year prior. Malcolm's ascension to the throne created immediate controversies when instead of the normal I & IV regnal titles associated with the name Malcolm, Malcolm decreed that simply the highest regnal numbering would be adopted for his name. This did create resentment in England, for many believed Malcolm to be favoring the Scots, as Malcolm took the Scottish numbering of regnal names in his personal case. Nevertheless, despite some resistance from the nobility, the Witenagemot accepted Malcolm IV's decision. The century had been peaceful for England and Scotland, but Malcolm IV was about to change that. Born and raised in the Highlands of Scotland, he was a hardy fellow and saw the Norse holdings on the Shetlands as a black mark against the united Crowns of England and Scotland and eyed Ireland and Mann aggressively. In 1194 after some years of preparation, Malcolm IV and his expanded joint Anglo-Scots Navy invaded the Shetland and Orkney islands held under the Danish Crown and forcibly annexed the islands under the Scottish Crown. The Danes only accepted the annexation with the Treaty of Roskilde in 1199. In 1197, Malcolm IV's army invaded Ireland as well (seizing Mann along the way) and captured most of the Irish eastern coast, establishing the town of Malcotrus (a bastardization of the latin name Malcolmus Petrus which meant Malcolm's Pier) as the capital of the 'Grand Duchy of Ireland' which Malcolm IV proclaimed to be under the jurisdiction of the English and Scottish Crowns. Local Irish lords continued resistance but as each year passed into Malcolm IV's reign, more and more of Ireland was captured and annexed by Malcolm IV's funded highly autonomous 'Banner Armies' - which were autonomous armies representing the Crown for military projection created under Malcolm IV.
In 1200, on the insistence of both the English Witenagemot and Scottish Council, as well as his family, Malcolm IV returned back to the British isles, and settled down, letting his Banner Armies to do the conquering in his name in Ireland. The next year, Malcolm IV played host to a curious bunch of travelers. Occitan and Italian missionaries and men of Christ were fleeing Church oppression into England, which had lax Church oversee in comparison to the rest of Europe. The Waldesians had arrived, asking Malcolm IV for refuge. Malcolm IV accepted - the reason for which is lost to time - and allowed the Waldesians to settle down in England, Wales and Scotland. In 1207, fascinated by Waldesians and increasingly irritated by Church corruption, Malcolm IV and the royal family converted to Waldesianism, becoming the first among the Latin Christian World to reject Rome and its authority. This provoked a Anglo-Scottish Rebellion from 1207-1209 called the 'Anti-Malcolmite Rebellion' which was put down by pro-Malcolmites. England and Scotland underwent a transformation as official preaching in favor of Waldesianism took place. Malcolm IV brought down the lavishness of the Royal Family by a great deal, with only the Crown on his head and tougher and lighter clothes that he wore being the only indication that he was a royal when he left the palace for walks among the common folk. This behavior from the monarch inspired many Englishmen, Welshmen and Scotsmen to convert to Waldesianism. In 1210, the Church of Britain was established by Malcolm IV as the official Waldesian Church for England, Wales, Scotland and Ireland under his nominal leadership but under the de-facto leadership of an elected council of Priests. In 1218, Malcolm IV died peacefully with his family and 6 children by his side.
[7] Alexander was a king who thrived on the glory of battle. He was known to be loud, brash, and reckless. He was in his early twenties when he became king, a true warrior at heart. It was said that he had to be brought back to the Fifth Crusade, kicking and screaming because he didn't want to leave the battle to be crowned. The minute he had a lavish coronation, he was back on the shores of Egypt, continuing to lead his armies. Despite the crusade itself ending in failure, Alexander was noted to be a fierce fighter, earning his nickname. Once he was back home, he decided to continue his father's conquest of Ireland, proclaiming himself an Emperor like Alexander the Great (he however was never officially crowned) When he was not planning military campaigns he was hunting and hawking, not caring at all for politics and statecraft, leaving his advisors to do as they pleased. Unfortunately this would lead to his downfall on 1222. During a fateful hunting trip, he had a bit too much to drink and decided to wrestle a boar. The boar won.
[8] Born to Philip, Count of Artois and Boulogne and his Flemish wife, Joan of Alsace, Robert held vast estates in Northern France at the time of the rising of his uncle, Philip the II, to the throne. Of Philip the II there is not much to say, for he is one of the most well known characters of this period of history. His vast wars to permanently end the threat of the Gasconian Poitous, his persecution of the various heresies in France and his involvement in the Roman Decade of Discord, which saw the Papacy briefly move to Lyon in France before returning to Rome at the behest of Frederick of Saxony, Holy Roman Emperor at the time, alongside his great efforts at centralizing the french crown have markedly placed Philip into the place of one of Europe's most famous rulers. Less talked about is his Flemish brother and Nephew, of whom before his coronation as King of England at the age of 28 nothing is known much, besides french chronichles mentioning Robert's great effort to expand french presence in the Netherlands and his conflicts with the Dukes of Brabant and Holland, proxies of the Swabian and Saxon political parties of the Holy Roman Empire, but nonetheless both dangerous to the security of Flanders.
The spread of Waldesianism to England during the reign of Malcolm IV and his son William, had, if anything, not changed much of the religious-ethnic make-up of England. Most of the lower classes still didn't give a whit about what Waldesianism what, while most of the upper classes found it absolutely ridiculous and contrary to the proper role of an aristocrat and clan leader in society, and much against the traditions of both the Anglo-Saxons and Scots. While King Alexander himself had not payed heed to the Waldesian creed, even participating in the crusade for Egypt, he had allowed his younger brothers, fanatic waldesians and thrift rulers alike, to govern his realms for him while he hunted and drank himself to death. It was to no-ones surprise than when the Wittangemot convened in York, besides Alexander's various brothers and potential heirs, the remainder of the Catholic nobility and men of influence banded together and refused to elect a Waldesian Prince. Despite military pressure from the remaining Dunkelds, the Catholic faction would eventually chose a man powerful enough to subdue the whole of Britain under their hell - Philip's heir, Louis VI of France, called the Lionheart for his various acts of chivalry and gallantry. And thus, most gallantly, Louis, who was busy fighting a war to claim land in Holy Roman Arelat, refuse. In his place, however, Robert proposed his favourite cousin and friend, Robert of Flanders. The British lords would formally invite Robert to London following that, and Robert took sail from Bruges with a large armada and a great retinue, with a following of knights above a thousand in numbers.
Expelling the Dunkelds from the country proved, unexpectedly, easy. The remaining Dunkeld princes feriouscously guarded their rights, even against each other, and Robert's knights and seizure of much of the English banners proved an extremely useful tool in bringing the country to siege. Even after the Dunkelds would be politically exiled, violence continued, as many Waldesian lords and communes were fiercely repressed by Robert, who saw the "heretics" as an abomination and a creation of the devil. To those Waldesians who remained quiet, there was some measure of tolerance as long as taxes were payed and levies were assembled, but to those who took up arms, mass killings, genocide and the taking of land became the norm. The "Land Reform" allowed Robert to liberate many of the mainly Catholic serfs, and also bring many migrants from his holdings in the Netherlands to fill in the gaps. This "migration" allowed many of the techniques and technologies being evolved in mainland Europe to change much of the structure of British agriculture, easing the pressure for food in Britain's mainly English urban centers. Cities such as London, Dublin, York, Nottingham, Edinburgh, Glasgow, Plymouth and others grew vastly during this period, which allowed the growth of the manufacturing and merchant classes to develop in the cities, alongside a new artistic class that would embrace the "Robertian Period of Britain" which would absorb many influences from French and Flemish art.
Robert also re-organized the meetings of the Witenagemot following the lines of the many city councils of Flanders - where the monarch and the nobility would personally exchange oaths. This allowed to garner many concessions from the lords upon whom his rule had originally depended upon, but it also forced Robert to set up a council of mostly British nobles who would assist him at all times, contrary to Flanders where his power was much more intervowen in the matters of state. To Robert, however, this was no great matter. The ability to collect taxes, muster levies and essentially prepare Britain for the "Great Undertaking" that was to be the fifth Crusade dominated the later parts of Robert's reign. This did not mean Robert was completely blind to Britain's needs and wants, despite spending the majority of his time in France and Flanders. Cathedrals and monasteries popped up all throughout the British Isles, starting and renewing monastic literate tradition, with the Crown encouraging Burghers, Nobles and even rich peasants to send their sons to study in monasteries and churchs all throughout the country to spread literacy and promote Catholicism, ports were increased in size to follow up on Robert's ambition to seize the rebellious and remaining parts of Ireland, alongside an expedition against the Norwegian crown to conquer Iceland and the Faroe Islands. However, all of this would come after the fifth crusade.
The fifth crusade started in 1235, when papal dispensations were sents to the various Kingdoms of Western and Central Europe. The fifth crusade was perhaps the most popularly supported yet, with the Holy Roman Emperor, the Kings of Hungary, France and England/Scotland all joining. Robert himself convened a massive fleet that he used to board and transport his rather large army for the time all the way into the Atlantic and then the Meditteranean. The works of contemporary month "Alfred of Kent" perhaps best describe the King's venture. Stopping in Lisbon to assist his cousin, Sancho the II of Portugal, Galicia and León, the Flemish-British contingent participated in a massive campaign below the Tagus, which secure Sancho's possessions all the way to the sea - Alentejo, Extremadura, Badajoz, Algarve and the mouth of the Guadiana and Guadalquivir. Many Flemish and English lords and their retinues remained behind to help settle these regions. With funds looted from the Moors, Robert continued on his way, recruiting Italian mercenaries from Genoa and Pisa to re-fill his numbers and raiding all along the coast of North Africa, with Sicilian scholars mentioned that when the English fleet docked in Syracuse, it looked more like a treasure fleet than a military one. Landing in Smyrna with permission from the Byzantine Emperor to meet with the Holy Roman Contingent, who had come overland, Robert's disagreement with Holy Roman Emperor Konrad led him join his cousin Louis in an invasion of Egypt. Robert would, alongside the French crusaders, conquer Egypt, with many Dutch, English and Scottish second-sons gaining vast and rich tracts of land along the Nile, although the British-Flemish contingent of the Crusade would start to break down when Robert was poisoned by assassins while besieging Gaza after crossing the Sinai. The death of Robert so far away from home created a panic that would see the Crusade abandoned by the British contigents, who took the majority of the fleet home and deserted the Flemings. While this great act of cowardice, is, perhaps, enough of a grand story of it's own, the "dissapeareance" of the Treasure Fleet off the coast of Portugal would cause great havoc amongst the returning lords who broke off from the main fleet to escape storms and return in time for the Witangemot. It was perhaps the greatest mistery marking the Britain of those times.
Robert would have five children with his wife Bona of Burgundy. Upon the return of the lords from Crusade, the British would elect Mark Vyvyan as Robert's heir.
Potentate Mark I of Britain and Eire
[9] In 1239,the Witenagemot convened to elect a new person as King of England, Scotland and Ireland. There was a problem however. Where was the Council of Scotland? Indeed, even the Scots asked this question frequently - for under King Robert, the Council of Scotland had been greatly sidelined, and most Scots - either Catholic or Waldesian - resented this situation, especially considering that House Dunkeld was a Scottish Royal Family by origin, which created much tension. As England came under the throes of much suppression of Waldesianism, Scotland became the Isles's premier region for Waldesian Christianity which Robert could never really shake off - especially with his Crusader problems. The closest descendant of the former Dunkeld monarchs - now greatly diminished as a house - Mark of House Vyvyan rose to the occasion and gave fiery speeches in Scotland, denouncing the 'overreach' of the Witenagemot and English Laws in Scotland. Scotland heard this, and indeed considering Mark himself was the Speaker of the Right Gallery in the Council, the Council of Scotland did not accept the Witenagemot's authority at the comvention and raised Mark, the nearest Dunkeld relative to the position of King of Scotland. Thus began the British War of Succession.
The anti-Waldesian nobles fought the good fight, but with Waldesian rebellions in the back, and with Mark gaining the support of the Danes and Holy Roman Empire, Mark began to push into England. In York `1242, he was crowned King by English dissenters against Flemish rule, and in 1245 he entered London, abandoned by the Flemish who fled back to the mainland. In 1245, with Britain under his military occupation, Mark declared the Potentate of Britain and Eire. dissolving the Kingdom of England, Scotland and the Grand Duchy of Wales, with himself as Potentate, as the British equivalent of Imperator or Emperor. The Witenagemot was dissolved, and instead the Assembly was brought in as the Legislature with equal representation for Lords, Merchants and Oligarchs from England, Scotland, Ireland and Wales. Waldesianism became the Official Religion once again. As the Crusade turned against the Christians and the Muslims pushed the Crusaders out at the disastrous Battle of Jerusalem, Mark I received economic support in the form of Arabic merchants as well, whose merchandise transformed Britain into a place of great trade.
In 1249, the Charter of the Nation was adopted by the Assembly and Mark I which stipulated that the Union between England, Scotland and Wales as Britain was to remain for eternity and that all future Potentates (monarchs) of the Potentate would be a part of the Waldesian Church of Britain. The Charter was passed in the Assembly forever to be the un-amendable Constitution of the nation. Thereafter, Mark I settled down for domestic efforts. He led a widespread conversion effort, and by the end of his reign, Britain would be unshakably Waldesian. In 1253, a rebellion against Mark I was stamped down upon and anti-Waldesian nobility was expelled from Britain and indeed from much of Northern Europe, as Mark I threatened war with any North Sea power giving them refuge, forcing the displaced English Lords to seek refuge in Italy. Mark I also brought a great deal of change in the legal nature of Britain, compiling a set of criminal codes early on and issuing the Court System which made British justice the best in Europe at its height. Furthermore, Mark I cut down on the expenses of the monarch and royal family a great deal - in line with Waldesian ideals to live simply - and saved a great deal of money for the British treasury. Exclusive trade with the Arab nations made Britain prosper economically and soon British economic influence was felt all over Northern Europe. The most glaring example of which was when the Kingdoms of Norway and Denmark followed Britain in denouncing the Papacy and declaring themselves Waldesians as well. In 1260, a new capital in Northern England, the center of hub between Scotland, England and Wales, was constructed named Camelot after the Arthurian myths. A fully planned city, it was grand in its simplicity and became the economic capital of Northern Europe as the British court moved there alongside the Assembly. Mark I's reign would posthumously be called the Pax Marci for the unprecedented peace and stability that he brought to Britain after half a century of chaos.
Mark I would die in 1273 surrounded by family. He was succeeded by his son David as the Potentate of Britain and Eire.
[10] Prince David was the only son of Potentate Mark and would succeed him upon his death in 1273. He was described as being nearly seven feet (210 cm) in height and having an athletic build. In order to further cement the legitimacy of the house of Vyvyan he would be married to Philippa of Flanders, a granddaughter of Robert I and Bona of Burgundy’s son, Phillip. Their Union would produce seven children to survive to adulthood. David would be raised within the Waldensian faith but he would be known for his religious tolerance and for allowing Catholics to practice within his realm without persecution. In 1281 he would face a massive rebellion in Ireland over tax disputes that would end in a British victory, but David would surprisingly allow most of the rebellious Irish lords to keep their lands and heads if they agreed to send hostages to live in the new capital. After suppressing the rebellion he would continue expanding his Father’s city of Camelot and would also embark on the construction of an expansive network of roads to better connect his realm. Despite his strict religious upbringing he would have no problem with taking several mistresses and would father over a dozen bastards who were all given various titles and the surname “FitzDavid”. He would also accept thousands of fleeing Cathars escaping persecution in France and would even give them land in Ulster to settle in. However, this would ultimately lead to the end of his reign in 1291, when he was stabbed at a banquet by the son of an Irish Ulsterite chieftain who had lost land due to Cathar resettlement. David would manage to survive for three more days but he would eventually succumb to his wounds and the assassin would later be drawn and quartered by David's successor, __________.
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Unclaiming, I had finished my post but then when I tried to post it it said to refresh the page and then my post was gone.
Yeah it was going to be about the king turns Catholic and a religious civil war happens against the people who practiced Waldesian Christianity and countries like France and the Holy Roman Empire get involved.
List of Kings and Queens of England
1040 - 1042: Harthacnut I (House of Denmark)
1042 - 1066: Edward III "the Confessor" (House of Wessex)
1066 - 1108: Margaret I "the Pious" (House of Wessex) [1]
List of Kings and Queens of England & Scotland
1108-1120: Edgar I & II "the Valiant" (House of Dunkeld) [2]
1120-1157: David I “the Gallant” (House of Dunkeld) [3]
1157-1174: Constantine I & IV (House of Dunkeld) [4]
1174-1191: William I “the Generous” (House of Dunkeld) [5]
1191 - 1218: Malcolm IV "the Bard" (House of Dunkeld) [6]
1218 - 1222: Alexander I "the Fierce" (House of Dunkeld) [7]
1222 - 1239: Robert I "the Crusader" or "the Usurper" (House of Flanders) [8] - Held the Counties of Flanders, Artois, Boulogne and Calais on the mainland.
1239 - 1245: British War of Succession
List of Potentates of Britain & Éire
1245 - 1273: Mark I “the Magnificent” (House of Vyvyan) [9]
1273-1291: David II “the Magnanimous” (House of Vyvyan) [10]
1291-1300: Alexander II "the Cruel" (House of Nevylle) [11]
Alexander II, Potentate of Britain & Éire, as Sir Alexander Nevylle (c.1287)
[11] Alexander of Norfolk, son of Edgar Nevylle and Anabella Vyvyan, was an English noble with close ties to the royal house of England. Born into relative obscurity due to his father's poverty, he has been brought into the fold as the knight and tutor to King David's eldest son, Prince Mark of the House of Vyvyan. Essentially raising the boy until 1290, when he turned 12, Alexander was given extensive lands surrounding and near the northern city of Camelot, although he preferred his father's small hunting estate outside of London. His existence in the final days of the King's life was that of a man of ambition, as he sought the hand of the greatest heiress in Britain, Constance, Countess of Derby. But upon the death of King David, all turned to Lord Alexander to retrieve the boy-King, nearly 15, from his retreat on Alexander's estates. What happened next is unclear, but the knigh-Lord claimed his charge had died a day earlier, or illness, and his manor was shut off from all while the sickness ran through. Many believed him, but then came the issue of rule. While Prince Mark did have a younger brother, he was a babe of 2, and all the remaining children were Princesses, the eldest, Joan, prepared to leave for Denmark to marry their own heir. Alexander, "bearing the heavy burden of family", offered himself as King, He proposed to, essentially, take David's place, marry his widow, and rule. His honour, never before questioned, allowed the ambition to be veiled, although the Queen Dowager refused to marry him. Instead, he married the Princess Joan, and sent the next eldest girl to Denmark in her place.
Alexander was not, in many ways, a good king. A strong knight, a good man, but a terrible administrator. He ran through money quickly, was cheap with his supporters (his brother-in-law, the Earl of March, claimed he had been given more credit from a fishmonger than the King), and earned an enemy of Sir Constantine FitzDavid, his predecessor's eldest illegitimate son, who was a celibate knight. He secured the marriage of Constance of Derby, his previous target, to his ailing uncle, and kept her as his mistress. Her only son and heir, Robert Nevylle, was said to be clearly Alexander's. But where he shined, was in spectacle. In a progress from Edinburgh to London, the King spent 2 years (1297-1299), beside Queen Joan and her remaining 3 sisters in England, greeting crowds of his subjects in gold and jewels. He was described by one poet as "the sun, so brilliant, so yellow, so high". Less kind viewers thought the King cut a strange figure in his ornamental robes. He wasn't as tall as his predecessor, but much thinner, and some satircal drawing in court called him "the Wheat King", particularly dark when a famine occurred after crops were destroyed by his entourage in some areas. But the sight of the King and Queen was remembered for decades to come. He left the crown nearly broke High off the success of his travels, he sought to visit Ireland after settling in London for a time to recover, physically and financially. Thus, in 1300, he boarded a boat, leaving most of his court behind, and sailed away. The boat was never seen again, and it is assumed King Alexander's ship sank on the voyage, although legend claimed he instead settled on the Isle of Mann and changed his name to Arthur Nell. But regardless, Alexander was gone and he was thus succeeded by __________.
1040 - 1042: Harthacnut I (House of Denmark)
1042 - 1066: Edward III "the Confessor" (House of Wessex)
1066 - 1108: Margaret I "the Pious" (House of Wessex) [1]
List of Kings and Queens of England & Scotland
1108-1120: Edgar I & II "the Valiant" (House of Dunkeld) [2]
1120-1157: David I “the Gallant” (House of Dunkeld) [3]
1157-1174: Constantine I & IV (House of Dunkeld) [4]
1174-1191: William I “the Generous” (House of Dunkeld) [5]
1191 - 1218: Malcolm IV "the Bard" (House of Dunkeld) [6]
1218 - 1222: Alexander I "the Fierce" (House of Dunkeld) [7]
1222 - 1239: Robert I "the Crusader" or "the Usurper" (House of Flanders) [8] - Held the Counties of Flanders, Artois, Boulogne and Calais on the mainland.
1239 - 1245: British War of Succession
List of Potentates of Britain & Éire
1245 - 1273: Mark I “the Magnificent” (House of Vyvyan) [9]
1273-1291: David II “the Magnanimous” (House of Vyvyan) [10]
1291-1300: Alexander II "the Cruel" (House of Nevylle) [11]
Margaret I of England, England's first female monarch
[1] Born in 1045 as the daughter of Edward Aetheling, Margaret I had the support of dynastic legitimacy with her when her supporters enrolled her nomination to the Witenagemot in 1066 after the death of Edward the Confessor - who had been a dear uncle/great-uncle to Margaret I as well. The powerful Earl of Essex, Harold Godwinson made his claim on the English Throne on the basis of Edward the Confessor promising him the throne. It was believed that Harold would take the throne due to his immense power, but surprisingly all, the Witenagemot selected Margaret I on the basis of her dynastic heritage, surprising even Margaret I from her castle near Hampton. Nevertheless, she accepted the offer and entered London in January 1066 as Queen of the English, the first female monarch of England. But immediately crisis enveloped Europe as not only did Harold Godwinson lay claim to the throne, but so did King Harald of Norway and Duke William of Normandy. Margaret's first weeks and months of rule were immediately seized by war councils being called throughout England to prepare for war. Margaret's Witenagemot marched on Essex and executed Harold Godwinson quickly but in mid-1066 the Norwegian Fleet invaded from the north. Though Margaret I did not fight personally on the field and left the fighting to her commanders, like the Earl of York, she did lead the administrative efforts and visited the troops often. Harald's Invasion failed with the man dead in a ditch somewhere near Stirling Bridge. On 12 September 1066, the Earl of Hampton also defeated William of Normandy's invasion, ending the 1066 Crisis and cementing Margaret I's position as Queen of the English.
Immediately after the war, efforts were made by Margaret I to find a suitable husband. After years of diplomatic struggling and politicking, Margaret I married Malcolm III of the Scots in 1069, accepted by both the Witenagemot and the Council of Scotland - though the Council of Scotland made it clear that a child of the union would be King of both Kingdoms, the Kingdoms would remain separate as different legal entities. Margaret I and Malcolm III held no power in the other's realm other than the Monarch's spouse. The two would have six children with one another of which 5 would grow into adulthood. Margaret I was opposed to war, but in 1074, on the insistence of her husband, Anglo-Scottish forces entered the Kingdom of Strathclyde and annexed it (partitioning it between the two Kingdoms). That was the only offensive war Margaret I's England partook in throughout the entirety of Margaret I's life. Margaret I gained much praise for her piety. She attended charity works, and she granted generous donations to orphans and the poor of England, often touring England whenever she felt like it. She also toured Scotland on multiple occasions. She also reformed the Church to be more in line with Rome. She was also a moderating influence on her husband, and alongside England, Scotland prospered as well. A small hiccup came when Irish pirates attacked the English western coast in 1092, but they were driven back by the newly created English Navy. In 1108, after ruling England for 42 years in a reign known as Gloria Margaretae or Glory of Margaret, Margaret I died at the age of 63. She was canonized as St. Margaret after her death. She was succeeded by her son, Edgar.
[2] Edgar was the first born son of his parents. He became King of Scotland in 1097, fighting off a rebellion started by his uncle Duncan, earning him the nickname of the Valiant. Ten years later his mother would die and he rose to the throne. In his personal life, he married Maud, Countess of Huntingdon, his childhood friend and a woman he was well known to dote on to the point of bringing her with him to Scotland after he defeated his uncle. Their marriage caused a bit of a scandal as everyone had expected him to marry a daughter of France. However, Edgar made it clear he would have no other woman aside from his Maud. The pair would soon inspire many tales of their epic romance, with some being more accurate than others. They would have seven children with four living to adulthood. Maud proved herself to be a capable queen, ruling England in her husband's name while he was on his Wales campaign.
Edgar and his brothers were eager to show their dominance over the rest of the British isles and in 1114, war was declared. Edgar lead his army to invade Wales, Subrogation the kingdom of Gwent, dividing it up among his favored councilors. He continued marching through South-East Wales, conquering as much land as he could, granting it to men he could trust, including his younger brothers.
Henry, Duke of Normandy made an alliance with the princes of Wales in hopes in exchange for their support of Henry pushing the claim he had from his father, William, Duke of Normandy on the English. In retaliation, Edgar sought an alliance with Louis VI of France, arranging a dynastic match, this also smoothed any ruffled feathers for Edgar's decision to snub a French wife for his beloved Maud. He even insisted on going to France himself so he could negotiate with his fellow king in person instead of sending an envoy. Unfortunately this would prove to be his undoing as his ship sink in the English Channel in what would be known as the White Ship tragedy. He would be remembered as a pious, ambitious, affable king, his son, David would succeed him as monarch.
[3] David was the eldest surviving son of Edgar and Maud and ascended to the throne after his father’s tragic death in the White Ship tragedy. David had gained his title as “The Gallant” after fighting alongside his father during his conquest of South-East Wales and continued to march west after being put in charge of the army by his father who left to arrange a marriage for him with a member of the French Royal Family. This was the last time he saw his father alive. After a few months David received new that his father had died and was forced to end his campaign short so he could ride back to England and be crowned as king.
David’s first act as king would be to find a wife and would finish his father’s plan to marry a princess of France and would marry Elizabeth of Vermandois a cousin of King Louis VI. David would also finish what he started when his father left and that was the conquest of Wales. David had left his army in southwestern Wales and after his coronation would return to finish his campaign by heading north towards the Kingdom of Deheubarth and would conquer it two years later and then would move on further north. David would end up consolidate the remaining Welsh Kingdoms into the Kingdom of England by the midpoint of his reign as king.
King David I “The Gallant”
David would also make a change to the order of his titles. When his father became king of England he was already the king of Scotland and thus styled himself as King Edgar I of Scotland and King Edgar II of England. This made the title the Kingdom of Scotland and England however when David became king he wished himself to be styled as the king of England and Scotland and thus had the titles reversed. David would however not style himself as the King of England, Scotland, and Wales and would instead have Wales become part of the Kingdom of England.
David did not escape scandal during his reign as one appeared upon his return to England. While David had been fighting in Wales he found the company of a Welsh commoner and had unintentionally fathered a son as a result. This would not come to light until during his wedding to Elizabeth in which the grandfather of the child burst into the room and demanded that his grandson be raised in the Royal Court since it was found out that the mother had died in childbirth. Many were shocked by this revelation and some began to call him an adulterer however it was eventually dismissed since he had not been married to Elizabeth when the child was conceived. David did agree however to raise the child feeling that he was responsible for the death of its mother and came to a compromise that since the child was of Welsh heritage he decreed that once the child came of age he would become Duke of Wales and the title of heir would be Prince or Princess of Wessex in honor of his grandmother.
David would die in 1157 and his second son, Constantine, would succeed him.
[4] Constantine was the second son of David and Elizabeth to survive childhood and was not expected to ascend to the thrown. However, several years before King David’s death his eldest son Edgar had shockingly renounced his claim to the throne to enter the priesthood, making Constantine the heir. He would marry Princess Constance of France, a daughter of Louis VI and their union would produce eight daughters who would all survive to adulthood, but no sons. During his reign, he faced several major revolts in both Wales and the Scottish highlands that he would brutally suppress with the help of his half-brother John, Duke of Wales. John’s heritage would cause some of Constantine’s advisors to grow suspicious of the Duke and they would attempt to persuade the King to dismiss him, but ultimately nothing would come of these accusations and John would remain a loyal asset to the King throughout his reign. Constantine would continue his Great Grandmother’s legacy of strengthening his realm's ties with the church in Rome and he would fund the establishment of several universities that would remain centers of knowledge for generations to come. However, in 1174 his reign would be cut short by what historians believe to have been a heart attack, and he would be succeeded by his brother, William.
Seal of William the Generous
[5] William was the third surviving male child of David I and Elizabeth. William had ascended to the throne after the early death of his brother who had no male heirs to succeed him and thus William was made king. Though Constantine had several daughters William was chosen over them due to male preference by the Royal Court and wanting to continue to the House of Dunkled as the ruling family of England. William would gain the nickname of “the Generous” after he would often go out of his way to help other who were in need and was considered a “man of the people” and thus gained many friends over the course of his reign. William would end up marring Bertha of Swabia, a daughter of Frederick II, Duke of Swabia and great-granddaughter of Emperor Heinrich IV of the Holy Roman Empire through her grandmother and they would have several children together. In the end William would be known by historians by improving the kingdom’s economy and improving the lives of the people he served.
William would die in 1191 and be succeeded by his son, Malcom.
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Malcolm IV Of England and Scotland
[6] Malcolm IV was the eldest grandson of King William I of England and Scotland and was already 27 years of age at his ascension, having married Princess Kristina of Denmark just a year prior. Malcolm's ascension to the throne created immediate controversies when instead of the normal I & IV regnal titles associated with the name Malcolm, Malcolm decreed that simply the highest regnal numbering would be adopted for his name. This did create resentment in England, for many believed Malcolm to be favoring the Scots, as Malcolm took the Scottish numbering of regnal names in his personal case. Nevertheless, despite some resistance from the nobility, the Witenagemot accepted Malcolm IV's decision. The century had been peaceful for England and Scotland, but Malcolm IV was about to change that. Born and raised in the Highlands of Scotland, he was a hardy fellow and saw the Norse holdings on the Shetlands as a black mark against the united Crowns of England and Scotland and eyed Ireland and Mann aggressively. In 1194 after some years of preparation, Malcolm IV and his expanded joint Anglo-Scots Navy invaded the Shetland and Orkney islands held under the Danish Crown and forcibly annexed the islands under the Scottish Crown. The Danes only accepted the annexation with the Treaty of Roskilde in 1199. In 1197, Malcolm IV's army invaded Ireland as well (seizing Mann along the way) and captured most of the Irish eastern coast, establishing the town of Malcotrus (a bastardization of the latin name Malcolmus Petrus which meant Malcolm's Pier) as the capital of the 'Grand Duchy of Ireland' which Malcolm IV proclaimed to be under the jurisdiction of the English and Scottish Crowns. Local Irish lords continued resistance but as each year passed into Malcolm IV's reign, more and more of Ireland was captured and annexed by Malcolm IV's funded highly autonomous 'Banner Armies' - which were autonomous armies representing the Crown for military projection created under Malcolm IV.
In 1200, on the insistence of both the English Witenagemot and Scottish Council, as well as his family, Malcolm IV returned back to the British isles, and settled down, letting his Banner Armies to do the conquering in his name in Ireland. The next year, Malcolm IV played host to a curious bunch of travelers. Occitan and Italian missionaries and men of Christ were fleeing Church oppression into England, which had lax Church oversee in comparison to the rest of Europe. The Waldesians had arrived, asking Malcolm IV for refuge. Malcolm IV accepted - the reason for which is lost to time - and allowed the Waldesians to settle down in England, Wales and Scotland. In 1207, fascinated by Waldesians and increasingly irritated by Church corruption, Malcolm IV and the royal family converted to Waldesianism, becoming the first among the Latin Christian World to reject Rome and its authority. This provoked a Anglo-Scottish Rebellion from 1207-1209 called the 'Anti-Malcolmite Rebellion' which was put down by pro-Malcolmites. England and Scotland underwent a transformation as official preaching in favor of Waldesianism took place. Malcolm IV brought down the lavishness of the Royal Family by a great deal, with only the Crown on his head and tougher and lighter clothes that he wore being the only indication that he was a royal when he left the palace for walks among the common folk. This behavior from the monarch inspired many Englishmen, Welshmen and Scotsmen to convert to Waldesianism. In 1210, the Church of Britain was established by Malcolm IV as the official Waldesian Church for England, Wales, Scotland and Ireland under his nominal leadership but under the de-facto leadership of an elected council of Priests. In 1218, Malcolm IV died peacefully with his family and 6 children by his side.
[7] Alexander was a king who thrived on the glory of battle. He was known to be loud, brash, and reckless. He was in his early twenties when he became king, a true warrior at heart. It was said that he had to be brought back to the Fifth Crusade, kicking and screaming because he didn't want to leave the battle to be crowned. The minute he had a lavish coronation, he was back on the shores of Egypt, continuing to lead his armies. Despite the crusade itself ending in failure, Alexander was noted to be a fierce fighter, earning his nickname. Once he was back home, he decided to continue his father's conquest of Ireland, proclaiming himself an Emperor like Alexander the Great (he however was never officially crowned) When he was not planning military campaigns he was hunting and hawking, not caring at all for politics and statecraft, leaving his advisors to do as they pleased. Unfortunately this would lead to his downfall on 1222. During a fateful hunting trip, he had a bit too much to drink and decided to wrestle a boar. The boar won.
[8] Born to Philip, Count of Artois and Boulogne and his Flemish wife, Joan of Alsace, Robert held vast estates in Northern France at the time of the rising of his uncle, Philip the II, to the throne. Of Philip the II there is not much to say, for he is one of the most well known characters of this period of history. His vast wars to permanently end the threat of the Gasconian Poitous, his persecution of the various heresies in France and his involvement in the Roman Decade of Discord, which saw the Papacy briefly move to Lyon in France before returning to Rome at the behest of Frederick of Saxony, Holy Roman Emperor at the time, alongside his great efforts at centralizing the french crown have markedly placed Philip into the place of one of Europe's most famous rulers. Less talked about is his Flemish brother and Nephew, of whom before his coronation as King of England at the age of 28 nothing is known much, besides french chronichles mentioning Robert's great effort to expand french presence in the Netherlands and his conflicts with the Dukes of Brabant and Holland, proxies of the Swabian and Saxon political parties of the Holy Roman Empire, but nonetheless both dangerous to the security of Flanders.
The spread of Waldesianism to England during the reign of Malcolm IV and his son William, had, if anything, not changed much of the religious-ethnic make-up of England. Most of the lower classes still didn't give a whit about what Waldesianism what, while most of the upper classes found it absolutely ridiculous and contrary to the proper role of an aristocrat and clan leader in society, and much against the traditions of both the Anglo-Saxons and Scots. While King Alexander himself had not payed heed to the Waldesian creed, even participating in the crusade for Egypt, he had allowed his younger brothers, fanatic waldesians and thrift rulers alike, to govern his realms for him while he hunted and drank himself to death. It was to no-ones surprise than when the Wittangemot convened in York, besides Alexander's various brothers and potential heirs, the remainder of the Catholic nobility and men of influence banded together and refused to elect a Waldesian Prince. Despite military pressure from the remaining Dunkelds, the Catholic faction would eventually chose a man powerful enough to subdue the whole of Britain under their hell - Philip's heir, Louis VI of France, called the Lionheart for his various acts of chivalry and gallantry. And thus, most gallantly, Louis, who was busy fighting a war to claim land in Holy Roman Arelat, refuse. In his place, however, Robert proposed his favourite cousin and friend, Robert of Flanders. The British lords would formally invite Robert to London following that, and Robert took sail from Bruges with a large armada and a great retinue, with a following of knights above a thousand in numbers.
Expelling the Dunkelds from the country proved, unexpectedly, easy. The remaining Dunkeld princes feriouscously guarded their rights, even against each other, and Robert's knights and seizure of much of the English banners proved an extremely useful tool in bringing the country to siege. Even after the Dunkelds would be politically exiled, violence continued, as many Waldesian lords and communes were fiercely repressed by Robert, who saw the "heretics" as an abomination and a creation of the devil. To those Waldesians who remained quiet, there was some measure of tolerance as long as taxes were payed and levies were assembled, but to those who took up arms, mass killings, genocide and the taking of land became the norm. The "Land Reform" allowed Robert to liberate many of the mainly Catholic serfs, and also bring many migrants from his holdings in the Netherlands to fill in the gaps. This "migration" allowed many of the techniques and technologies being evolved in mainland Europe to change much of the structure of British agriculture, easing the pressure for food in Britain's mainly English urban centers. Cities such as London, Dublin, York, Nottingham, Edinburgh, Glasgow, Plymouth and others grew vastly during this period, which allowed the growth of the manufacturing and merchant classes to develop in the cities, alongside a new artistic class that would embrace the "Robertian Period of Britain" which would absorb many influences from French and Flemish art.
Robert also re-organized the meetings of the Witenagemot following the lines of the many city councils of Flanders - where the monarch and the nobility would personally exchange oaths. This allowed to garner many concessions from the lords upon whom his rule had originally depended upon, but it also forced Robert to set up a council of mostly British nobles who would assist him at all times, contrary to Flanders where his power was much more intervowen in the matters of state. To Robert, however, this was no great matter. The ability to collect taxes, muster levies and essentially prepare Britain for the "Great Undertaking" that was to be the fifth Crusade dominated the later parts of Robert's reign. This did not mean Robert was completely blind to Britain's needs and wants, despite spending the majority of his time in France and Flanders. Cathedrals and monasteries popped up all throughout the British Isles, starting and renewing monastic literate tradition, with the Crown encouraging Burghers, Nobles and even rich peasants to send their sons to study in monasteries and churchs all throughout the country to spread literacy and promote Catholicism, ports were increased in size to follow up on Robert's ambition to seize the rebellious and remaining parts of Ireland, alongside an expedition against the Norwegian crown to conquer Iceland and the Faroe Islands. However, all of this would come after the fifth crusade.
The fifth crusade started in 1235, when papal dispensations were sents to the various Kingdoms of Western and Central Europe. The fifth crusade was perhaps the most popularly supported yet, with the Holy Roman Emperor, the Kings of Hungary, France and England/Scotland all joining. Robert himself convened a massive fleet that he used to board and transport his rather large army for the time all the way into the Atlantic and then the Meditteranean. The works of contemporary month "Alfred of Kent" perhaps best describe the King's venture. Stopping in Lisbon to assist his cousin, Sancho the II of Portugal, Galicia and León, the Flemish-British contingent participated in a massive campaign below the Tagus, which secure Sancho's possessions all the way to the sea - Alentejo, Extremadura, Badajoz, Algarve and the mouth of the Guadiana and Guadalquivir. Many Flemish and English lords and their retinues remained behind to help settle these regions. With funds looted from the Moors, Robert continued on his way, recruiting Italian mercenaries from Genoa and Pisa to re-fill his numbers and raiding all along the coast of North Africa, with Sicilian scholars mentioned that when the English fleet docked in Syracuse, it looked more like a treasure fleet than a military one. Landing in Smyrna with permission from the Byzantine Emperor to meet with the Holy Roman Contingent, who had come overland, Robert's disagreement with Holy Roman Emperor Konrad led him join his cousin Louis in an invasion of Egypt. Robert would, alongside the French crusaders, conquer Egypt, with many Dutch, English and Scottish second-sons gaining vast and rich tracts of land along the Nile, although the British-Flemish contingent of the Crusade would start to break down when Robert was poisoned by assassins while besieging Gaza after crossing the Sinai. The death of Robert so far away from home created a panic that would see the Crusade abandoned by the British contigents, who took the majority of the fleet home and deserted the Flemings. While this great act of cowardice, is, perhaps, enough of a grand story of it's own, the "dissapeareance" of the Treasure Fleet off the coast of Portugal would cause great havoc amongst the returning lords who broke off from the main fleet to escape storms and return in time for the Witangemot. It was perhaps the greatest mistery marking the Britain of those times.
Robert would have five children with his wife Bona of Burgundy. Upon the return of the lords from Crusade, the British would elect Mark Vyvyan as Robert's heir.
Potentate Mark I of Britain and Eire
[9] In 1239,the Witenagemot convened to elect a new person as King of England, Scotland and Ireland. There was a problem however. Where was the Council of Scotland? Indeed, even the Scots asked this question frequently - for under King Robert, the Council of Scotland had been greatly sidelined, and most Scots - either Catholic or Waldesian - resented this situation, especially considering that House Dunkeld was a Scottish Royal Family by origin, which created much tension. As England came under the throes of much suppression of Waldesianism, Scotland became the Isles's premier region for Waldesian Christianity which Robert could never really shake off - especially with his Crusader problems. The closest descendant of the former Dunkeld monarchs - now greatly diminished as a house - Mark of House Vyvyan rose to the occasion and gave fiery speeches in Scotland, denouncing the 'overreach' of the Witenagemot and English Laws in Scotland. Scotland heard this, and indeed considering Mark himself was the Speaker of the Right Gallery in the Council, the Council of Scotland did not accept the Witenagemot's authority at the comvention and raised Mark, the nearest Dunkeld relative to the position of King of Scotland. Thus began the British War of Succession.
The anti-Waldesian nobles fought the good fight, but with Waldesian rebellions in the back, and with Mark gaining the support of the Danes and Holy Roman Empire, Mark began to push into England. In York `1242, he was crowned King by English dissenters against Flemish rule, and in 1245 he entered London, abandoned by the Flemish who fled back to the mainland. In 1245, with Britain under his military occupation, Mark declared the Potentate of Britain and Eire. dissolving the Kingdom of England, Scotland and the Grand Duchy of Wales, with himself as Potentate, as the British equivalent of Imperator or Emperor. The Witenagemot was dissolved, and instead the Assembly was brought in as the Legislature with equal representation for Lords, Merchants and Oligarchs from England, Scotland, Ireland and Wales. Waldesianism became the Official Religion once again. As the Crusade turned against the Christians and the Muslims pushed the Crusaders out at the disastrous Battle of Jerusalem, Mark I received economic support in the form of Arabic merchants as well, whose merchandise transformed Britain into a place of great trade.
In 1249, the Charter of the Nation was adopted by the Assembly and Mark I which stipulated that the Union between England, Scotland and Wales as Britain was to remain for eternity and that all future Potentates (monarchs) of the Potentate would be a part of the Waldesian Church of Britain. The Charter was passed in the Assembly forever to be the un-amendable Constitution of the nation. Thereafter, Mark I settled down for domestic efforts. He led a widespread conversion effort, and by the end of his reign, Britain would be unshakably Waldesian. In 1253, a rebellion against Mark I was stamped down upon and anti-Waldesian nobility was expelled from Britain and indeed from much of Northern Europe, as Mark I threatened war with any North Sea power giving them refuge, forcing the displaced English Lords to seek refuge in Italy. Mark I also brought a great deal of change in the legal nature of Britain, compiling a set of criminal codes early on and issuing the Court System which made British justice the best in Europe at its height. Furthermore, Mark I cut down on the expenses of the monarch and royal family a great deal - in line with Waldesian ideals to live simply - and saved a great deal of money for the British treasury. Exclusive trade with the Arab nations made Britain prosper economically and soon British economic influence was felt all over Northern Europe. The most glaring example of which was when the Kingdoms of Norway and Denmark followed Britain in denouncing the Papacy and declaring themselves Waldesians as well. In 1260, a new capital in Northern England, the center of hub between Scotland, England and Wales, was constructed named Camelot after the Arthurian myths. A fully planned city, it was grand in its simplicity and became the economic capital of Northern Europe as the British court moved there alongside the Assembly. Mark I's reign would posthumously be called the Pax Marci for the unprecedented peace and stability that he brought to Britain after half a century of chaos.
Mark I would die in 1273 surrounded by family. He was succeeded by his son David as the Potentate of Britain and Eire.
[10] Prince David was the only son of Potentate Mark and would succeed him upon his death in 1273. He was described as being nearly seven feet (210 cm) in height and having an athletic build. In order to further cement the legitimacy of the house of Vyvyan he would be married to Philippa of Flanders, a granddaughter of Robert I and Bona of Burgundy’s son, Phillip. Their Union would produce seven children to survive to adulthood. David would be raised within the Waldensian faith but he would be known for his religious tolerance and for allowing Catholics to practice within his realm without persecution. In 1281 he would face a massive rebellion in Ireland over tax disputes that would end in a British victory, but David would surprisingly allow most of the rebellious Irish lords to keep their lands and heads if they agreed to send hostages to live in the new capital. After suppressing the rebellion he would continue expanding his Father’s city of Camelot and would also embark on the construction of an expansive network of roads to better connect his realm. Despite his strict religious upbringing he would have no problem with taking several mistresses and would father over a dozen bastards who were all given various titles and the surname “FitzDavid”. He would also accept thousands of fleeing Cathars escaping persecution in France and would even give them land in Ulster to settle in. However, this would ultimately lead to the end of his reign in 1291, when he was stabbed at a banquet by the son of an Irish Ulsterite chieftain who had lost land due to Cathar resettlement. David would manage to survive for three more days but he would eventually succumb to his wounds and the assassin would later be drawn and quartered by David's successor, Alexander of Norfolk.
Alexander II, Potentate of Britain & Éire, as Sir Alexander Nevylle (c.1287)
[11] Alexander of Norfolk, son of Edgar Nevylle and Anabella Vyvyan, was an English noble with close ties to the royal house of England. Born into relative obscurity due to his father's poverty, he has been brought into the fold as the knight and tutor to King David's eldest son, Prince Mark of the House of Vyvyan. Essentially raising the boy until 1290, when he turned 12, Alexander was given extensive lands surrounding and near the northern city of Camelot, although he preferred his father's small hunting estate outside of London. His existence in the final days of the King's life was that of a man of ambition, as he sought the hand of the greatest heiress in Britain, Constance, Countess of Derby. But upon the death of King David, all turned to Lord Alexander to retrieve the boy-King, nearly 15, from his retreat on Alexander's estates. What happened next is unclear, but the knigh-Lord claimed his charge had died a day earlier, or illness, and his manor was shut off from all while the sickness ran through. Many believed him, but then came the issue of rule. While Prince Mark did have a younger brother, he was a babe of 2, and all the remaining children were Princesses, the eldest, Joan, prepared to leave for Denmark to marry their own heir. Alexander, "bearing the heavy burden of family", offered himself as King, He proposed to, essentially, take David's place, marry his widow, and rule. His honour, never before questioned, allowed the ambition to be veiled, although the Queen Dowager refused to marry him. Instead, he married the Princess Joan, and sent the next eldest girl to Denmark in her place.
Alexander was not, in many ways, a good king. A strong knight, a good man, but a terrible administrator. He ran through money quickly, was cheap with his supporters (his brother-in-law, the Earl of March, claimed he had been given more credit from a fishmonger than the King), and earned an enemy of Sir Constantine FitzDavid, his predecessor's eldest illegitimate son, who was a celibate knight. He secured the marriage of Constance of Derby, his previous target, to his ailing uncle, and kept her as his mistress. Her only son and heir, Robert Nevylle, was said to be clearly Alexander's. But where he shined, was in spectacle. In a progress from Edinburgh to London, the King spent 2 years (1297-1299), beside Queen Joan and her remaining 3 sisters in England, greeting crowds of his subjects in gold and jewels. He was described by one poet as "the sun, so brilliant, so yellow, so high". Less kind viewers thought the King cut a strange figure in his ornamental robes. He wasn't as tall as his predecessor, but much thinner, and some satircal drawing in court called him "the Wheat King", particularly dark when a famine occurred after crops were destroyed by his entourage in some areas. But the sight of the King and Queen was remembered for decades to come. He left the crown nearly broke High off the success of his travels, he sought to visit Ireland after settling in London for a time to recover, physically and financially. Thus, in 1300, he boarded a boat, leaving most of his court behind, and sailed away. The boat was never seen again, and it is assumed King Alexander's ship sank on the voyage, although legend claimed he instead settled on the Isle of Mann and changed his name to Arthur Nell. But regardless, Alexander was gone and he was thus succeeded by __________.
What If Mary, Queen of Scots, dies in childbirth in 1566, and Scotland remains independent from England to the present.
Monarchs of Scotland
1542 to 1566 : Mary (House of Stewart)
1566 to 1575 : James VI (House of Hamilton) (1)
(1) For many years, the Earl of Arran had been next in line to Mary and acted as her Regent until he had been replaced by Marie of Guise. Variously Protestant and Catholic as the situation required, he tried to marry his eldest son first to Elizabeth of England, and then Mary of Scotland herself. Neither succeeded. In 1566 he intended to retire to France and petition the French King to return his confiscated Duchy of Chatellerault, but the news of Mary's death and his own succession as King of Scotland precluded that.
James faced opposition from the Earl of Lennox who sought support from the Scottish Parliament to overthrow James and have himself crowned as King Matthew of Scotland. This failed. Both had legitimate claims, but Arrans was deemed more senior, Lennox attempted to claim the King was illegitimate, but this merely went over ground that has been discarded in challenges towards his earlier regency.
By the time of his succession, James was married and a father of nine, the eldest of which, James, would have been made Duke of Rothesay but had been declared legally insane in 1560, so whilst James lived and would outlive his father, he was legally manipulated into abdication and the heir designate was made the new Kings second son, John, twenty six, but as yet unmarried. The King sought a continental match for John, and several offers were made, with one being accepted.
Similar offers were made for the King's other two unmarried sons, David and Claud, as all his daughters were already married and a fifth son had died in infancy.
The King would die after only nine years on the throne whilst on a summer retreat to Hamilton Castle in Lanarkshire, and would be succeeded by ___________.
Monarchs of Scotland
1542 to 1566 : Mary (House of Stewart)
1566 to 1575 : James VI (House of Hamilton) (1)
(1) For many years, the Earl of Arran had been next in line to Mary and acted as her Regent until he had been replaced by Marie of Guise. Variously Protestant and Catholic as the situation required, he tried to marry his eldest son first to Elizabeth of England, and then Mary of Scotland herself. Neither succeeded. In 1566 he intended to retire to France and petition the French King to return his confiscated Duchy of Chatellerault, but the news of Mary's death and his own succession as King of Scotland precluded that.
James faced opposition from the Earl of Lennox who sought support from the Scottish Parliament to overthrow James and have himself crowned as King Matthew of Scotland. This failed. Both had legitimate claims, but Arrans was deemed more senior, Lennox attempted to claim the King was illegitimate, but this merely went over ground that has been discarded in challenges towards his earlier regency.
By the time of his succession, James was married and a father of nine, the eldest of which, James, would have been made Duke of Rothesay but had been declared legally insane in 1560, so whilst James lived and would outlive his father, he was legally manipulated into abdication and the heir designate was made the new Kings second son, John, twenty six, but as yet unmarried. The King sought a continental match for John, and several offers were made, with one being accepted.
Similar offers were made for the King's other two unmarried sons, David and Claud, as all his daughters were already married and a fifth son had died in infancy.
The King would die after only nine years on the throne whilst on a summer retreat to Hamilton Castle in Lanarkshire, and would be succeeded by ___________.
What If Mary, Queen of Scots, dies in childbirth in 1566, and Scotland remains independent from England to the present.
Monarchs of Scotland
1542 to 1566 : Mary (House of Stewart)
1566 to 1575 : James VI (House of Hamilton) (1)
1575 to 1604 : John II (House of Hamilton) (2)
(2) Though John was the second son of James VI he became heir to the throne over his elder brother due to him being found insane. John began his reign as King of Scotland with relative ease and nothing of note came until 4 years into it when James Douglas, 4th Earl of Morton, accused the king and his younger brother, Claud, of being part of the murders of high level nobility however these claims were thrown out due to him being the king. John also saw illiteracy was a problem in his kingdom and over the course of his reign he would found several grammar schools to solve this problem. John had also had the privilege to host the French ambassador at his estate in Hamilton where they became good friends which helped to improve relations with the Kingdom of France.
John would die in 1604 and would be succeeded by ________.
Monarchs of Scotland
1542 to 1566 : Mary (House of Stewart)
1566 to 1575 : James VI (House of Hamilton) (1)
1575 to 1604 : John II (House of Hamilton) (2)
(1) For many years, the Earl of Arran had been next in line to Mary and acted as her Regent until he had been replaced by Marie of Guise. Variously Protestant and Catholic as the situation required, he tried to marry his eldest son first to Elizabeth of England, and then Mary of Scotland herself. Neither succeeded. In 1566 he intended to retire to France and petition the French King to return his confiscated Duchy of Chatellerault, but the news of Mary's death and his own succession as King of Scotland precluded that.
James faced opposition from the Earl of Lennox who sought support from the Scottish Parliament to overthrow James and have himself crowned as King Matthew of Scotland. This failed. Both had legitimate claims, but Arrans was deemed more senior, Lennox attempted to claim the King was illegitimate, but this merely went over ground that has been discarded in challenges towards his earlier regency.
By the time of his succession, James was married and a father of nine, the eldest of which, James, would have been made Duke of Rothesay but had been declared legally insane in 1560, so whilst James lived and would outlive his father, he was legally manipulated into abdication and the heir designate was made the new Kings second son, John, twenty six, but as yet unmarried. The King sought a continental match for John, and several offers were made, with one being accepted.
Similar offers were made for the King's other two unmarried sons, David and Claud, as all his daughters were already married and a fifth son had died in infancy.
The King would die after only nine years on the throne whilst on a summer retreat to Hamilton Castle in Lanarkshire, and would be succeeded by his son, John.
James faced opposition from the Earl of Lennox who sought support from the Scottish Parliament to overthrow James and have himself crowned as King Matthew of Scotland. This failed. Both had legitimate claims, but Arrans was deemed more senior, Lennox attempted to claim the King was illegitimate, but this merely went over ground that has been discarded in challenges towards his earlier regency.
By the time of his succession, James was married and a father of nine, the eldest of which, James, would have been made Duke of Rothesay but had been declared legally insane in 1560, so whilst James lived and would outlive his father, he was legally manipulated into abdication and the heir designate was made the new Kings second son, John, twenty six, but as yet unmarried. The King sought a continental match for John, and several offers were made, with one being accepted.
Similar offers were made for the King's other two unmarried sons, David and Claud, as all his daughters were already married and a fifth son had died in infancy.
The King would die after only nine years on the throne whilst on a summer retreat to Hamilton Castle in Lanarkshire, and would be succeeded by his son, John.
(2) Though John was the second son of James VI he became heir to the throne over his elder brother due to him being found insane. John began his reign as King of Scotland with relative ease and nothing of note came until 4 years into it when James Douglas, 4th Earl of Morton, accused the king and his younger brother, Claud, of being part of the murders of high level nobility however these claims were thrown out due to him being the king. John also saw illiteracy was a problem in his kingdom and over the course of his reign he would found several grammar schools to solve this problem. John had also had the privilege to host the French ambassador at his estate in Hamilton where they became good friends which helped to improve relations with the Kingdom of France.
John would die in 1604 and would be succeeded by ________.
What If Mary, Queen of Scots, dies in childbirth in 1566, and Scotland remains independent from England to the present.
Monarchs of Scotland
1542 to 1566 : Mary (House of Stewart)
1566 to 1575 : James VI (House of Hamilton) (1)
1575 to 1604 : John II (House of Hamilton) (2)
1604 to 1626 : Robert IV (House of Hamilton) (3)
(1) For many years, the Earl of Arran had been next in line to Mary and acted as her Regent until he had been replaced by Marie of Guise. Variously Protestant and Catholic as the situation required, he tried to marry his eldest son first to Elizabeth of England, and then Mary of Scotland herself. Neither succeeded. In 1566 he intended to retire to France and petition the French King to return his confiscated Duchy of Chatellerault, but the news of Mary's death and his own succession as King of Scotland precluded that.
James faced opposition from the Earl of Lennox who sought support from the Scottish Parliament to overthrow James and have himself crowned as King Matthew of Scotland. This failed. Both had legitimate claims, but Arrans was deemed more senior, Lennox attempted to claim the King was illegitimate, but this merely went over ground that has been discarded in challenges towards his earlier regency.
By the time of his succession, James was married and a father of nine, the eldest of which, James, would have been made Duke of Rothesay but had been declared legally insane in 1560, so whilst James lived and would outlive his father, he was legally manipulated into abdication and the heir designate was made the new Kings second son, John, twenty six, but as yet unmarried. The King sought a continental match for John, and several offers were made, with one being accepted.
Similar offers were made for the King's other two unmarried sons, David and Claud, as all his daughters were already married and a fifth son had died in infancy.
The King would die after only nine years on the throne whilst on a summer retreat to Hamilton Castle in Lanarkshire, and would be succeeded by his son, John.
(2) Though John was the second son of James VI he became heir to the throne over his elder brother due to him being found insane. John began his reign as King of Scotland with relative ease and nothing of note came until 4 years into it when James Douglas, 4th Earl of Morton, accused the king and his younger brother, Claud, of being part of the murders of high level nobility however these claims were thrown out due to him being the king. John also saw illiteracy was a problem in his kingdom and over the course of his reign he would found several grammar schools to solve this problem. John had also had the privilege to host the French ambassador at his estate in Hamilton where they became good friends which helped to improve relations with the Kingdom of France.
John would die in 1604 and would be succeeded by his son Robert.
(3) Robert was the second born son of John and his wife, Marguerite of Valois. His older brother James died as an infant so Robert, born in 1577 was raised with the knowledge that he would one day be king. He married his distant cousin, Arabella Stewart, the heir of her father, Charles, the 5th Earl of Lennox. This would also tie up dynastic loose ends. The couple would have five children.
In 1603, Robert would travel to London to attend the coronation of King Edward VII, successor to Elizabeth I. Although Arabella, descendant of King Henry VII, had already signed away her claims to the English throne, the new King Edward wanted to strengthen his dynasty's claim. He did so by requesting the marriage between his son Edward, and Robert's daughter Margaret.
While waiting for permission from his father, Robert enjoyed being the guest in the English court. Despite being an ardent Catholic, he was a moderate and saw sense in keeping the pace between the religious factions. It was during his time in the English court did he write The True Law of Free Monarchies, that spoke of the divine rights of monarchs.
Once the negotiations concluded, Robert returned home to Scotland, pleased that peace had been obtained.
Five months after his return, the Duke of Rothesay received news of his father's death. In the spring of 1604, he was crowned as Robert the Fourth of Scots. He continued his father's polices. He also made his own court of poets and musicians, wanting to bring the renaissance to Scotland. He also created his own trading company, wishing to expand Scotland's wealth. He even commissioned a play by the English playwright, William Shakespeare, about his ancestor and namesake Robert the Bruce.
Robert's peaceful reign came to an abrupt end when in 1607, when the Earl of Tyrone come to the Scottish court, begging for help against the English aggression as the new King Edward was taking a even harder stance then his predecessors. Unfortunately, Robert could not break treaty he had with England, although he did offer sanctuary to the fleeing earls. This did not sit well with his English counterpart, who threatened to dissolve the childless marriage between his son and the princess Margaret if the earls were not sent to England to receive their judgement. Robert refused,, and called the other man's bluff.
While neither King Edward nor son followed through with the threat, tensions between Scotland and England grew tense, with many Scottish mercenaries supporting the Irish rebellion. The alliance was considered null and void when King Edward VII died in 1612, and Margaret of Scots died in 1615. Feeling that nothing was holding him back, Robert decided to attack Northumberland, successfully taking the castle of Alnwick from the Percys. His former son-in-law, King Edward VIII meet with him outside Newcastle with the force of the English troops. While the battle would end in a loss for the Scottish, Robert managed to fatefully wound the monarch before retreating back to Scotland. Despite loosing, Robert felt he had struck a blow to the English, avenging his royal ancestors.
The rest of his rule was largly made up of training his troops and seeking out new ventures. He would die of typhoid fever in 1626, leaving his throne to______.
Monarchs of Scotland
1542 to 1566 : Mary (House of Stewart)
1566 to 1575 : James VI (House of Hamilton) (1)
1575 to 1604 : John II (House of Hamilton) (2)
1604 to 1626 : Robert IV (House of Hamilton) (3)
(1) For many years, the Earl of Arran had been next in line to Mary and acted as her Regent until he had been replaced by Marie of Guise. Variously Protestant and Catholic as the situation required, he tried to marry his eldest son first to Elizabeth of England, and then Mary of Scotland herself. Neither succeeded. In 1566 he intended to retire to France and petition the French King to return his confiscated Duchy of Chatellerault, but the news of Mary's death and his own succession as King of Scotland precluded that.
James faced opposition from the Earl of Lennox who sought support from the Scottish Parliament to overthrow James and have himself crowned as King Matthew of Scotland. This failed. Both had legitimate claims, but Arrans was deemed more senior, Lennox attempted to claim the King was illegitimate, but this merely went over ground that has been discarded in challenges towards his earlier regency.
By the time of his succession, James was married and a father of nine, the eldest of which, James, would have been made Duke of Rothesay but had been declared legally insane in 1560, so whilst James lived and would outlive his father, he was legally manipulated into abdication and the heir designate was made the new Kings second son, John, twenty six, but as yet unmarried. The King sought a continental match for John, and several offers were made, with one being accepted.
Similar offers were made for the King's other two unmarried sons, David and Claud, as all his daughters were already married and a fifth son had died in infancy.
The King would die after only nine years on the throne whilst on a summer retreat to Hamilton Castle in Lanarkshire, and would be succeeded by his son, John.
(2) Though John was the second son of James VI he became heir to the throne over his elder brother due to him being found insane. John began his reign as King of Scotland with relative ease and nothing of note came until 4 years into it when James Douglas, 4th Earl of Morton, accused the king and his younger brother, Claud, of being part of the murders of high level nobility however these claims were thrown out due to him being the king. John also saw illiteracy was a problem in his kingdom and over the course of his reign he would found several grammar schools to solve this problem. John had also had the privilege to host the French ambassador at his estate in Hamilton where they became good friends which helped to improve relations with the Kingdom of France.
John would die in 1604 and would be succeeded by his son Robert.
(3) Robert was the second born son of John and his wife, Marguerite of Valois. His older brother James died as an infant so Robert, born in 1577 was raised with the knowledge that he would one day be king. He married his distant cousin, Arabella Stewart, the heir of her father, Charles, the 5th Earl of Lennox. This would also tie up dynastic loose ends. The couple would have five children.
In 1603, Robert would travel to London to attend the coronation of King Edward VII, successor to Elizabeth I. Although Arabella, descendant of King Henry VII, had already signed away her claims to the English throne, the new King Edward wanted to strengthen his dynasty's claim. He did so by requesting the marriage between his son Edward, and Robert's daughter Margaret.
While waiting for permission from his father, Robert enjoyed being the guest in the English court. Despite being an ardent Catholic, he was a moderate and saw sense in keeping the pace between the religious factions. It was during his time in the English court did he write The True Law of Free Monarchies, that spoke of the divine rights of monarchs.
Once the negotiations concluded, Robert returned home to Scotland, pleased that peace had been obtained.
Five months after his return, the Duke of Rothesay received news of his father's death. In the spring of 1604, he was crowned as Robert the Fourth of Scots. He continued his father's polices. He also made his own court of poets and musicians, wanting to bring the renaissance to Scotland. He also created his own trading company, wishing to expand Scotland's wealth. He even commissioned a play by the English playwright, William Shakespeare, about his ancestor and namesake Robert the Bruce.
Robert's peaceful reign came to an abrupt end when in 1607, when the Earl of Tyrone come to the Scottish court, begging for help against the English aggression as the new King Edward was taking a even harder stance then his predecessors. Unfortunately, Robert could not break treaty he had with England, although he did offer sanctuary to the fleeing earls. This did not sit well with his English counterpart, who threatened to dissolve the childless marriage between his son and the princess Margaret if the earls were not sent to England to receive their judgement. Robert refused,, and called the other man's bluff.
While neither King Edward nor son followed through with the threat, tensions between Scotland and England grew tense, with many Scottish mercenaries supporting the Irish rebellion. The alliance was considered null and void when King Edward VII died in 1612, and Margaret of Scots died in 1615. Feeling that nothing was holding him back, Robert decided to attack Northumberland, successfully taking the castle of Alnwick from the Percys. His former son-in-law, King Edward VIII meet with him outside Newcastle with the force of the English troops. While the battle would end in a loss for the Scottish, Robert managed to fatefully wound the monarch before retreating back to Scotland. Despite loosing, Robert felt he had struck a blow to the English, avenging his royal ancestors.
The rest of his rule was largly made up of training his troops and seeking out new ventures. He would die of typhoid fever in 1626, leaving his throne to______.
James VI of Scotland, prev. 2nd Earl of Arran, b. 1515, r. 1566-1575, m. Margaret Douglas
- a) James Hamilton, 3rd Earl of Arran, b. 1537, d. 1609
- b) John II of Scotland, b. 1540, r. 1575-1604, m. Marguerite of Valois (1553-1615)
- a) James Hamilton, 3rd Earl of Arran, b. 1537, d. 1609
- b) John II of Scotland, b. 1540, r. 1575-1604, m. Marguerite of Valois (1553-1615)
1) Prince James, d. pre 1577
2) Robert IV of Scotland, b. 1577, r. 1604-1626, m. Arabella Stewart (1575-1616)
- a) Margaret, Queen of England, d. 1615, m. 1603, Edward VII of England (d. 1618)
- b) Four other children of Robert IV
- c) seven other children of James VI
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Claim Scotland.
But the ages don't seem to quite synch up - we have Robert born in 1577 to a wife born in 1575. Let's say they were officially married when Robert turned 16, that still puts the oldest that Margaret could be in 1603 as about nine. Yet by 1607, Edward VII threatens to dissolve the childless marriage of the Prince of Wales and Margaret - when the eldest Margaret could sensibly have been is fourteen.
But the ages don't seem to quite synch up - we have Robert born in 1577 to a wife born in 1575. Let's say they were officially married when Robert turned 16, that still puts the oldest that Margaret could be in 1603 as about nine. Yet by 1607, Edward VII threatens to dissolve the childless marriage of the Prince of Wales and Margaret - when the eldest Margaret could sensibly have been is fourteen.
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