List of monarchs III
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Kings of Prussia
1703 - 1718: Charles I Emil "The Tiger" (House of Hohenzollern) [1]
1718 - 1731: Charles II Ferdinand "The Scholar" (House of Hohenzollern) [2]
1731 - 1739: Frederick I Augustus "Blackbeard Freddy" (House of Hohenzollern) [3]
1739 - 1778: Albert I William "The Old Lion" (House of Hohenzollern) [4]
1778-1780: Fredrick III Ernest "The Bold" (House of Hohenzollern) [5]
German Emperor:
1780-1808: Fredrick IV Ernest "The Bold" (House of Hohenzollern) [5]
1808-1834: Otto V Henry "Stupor Mundi" (House of Hohenzollern) [6] - Also King of Hungary, Croatia, Galicia, Dalmatia and Grand Duke of Tuscany and Lombardy until 1830.
1834-1840: Otto VI Fredrick "the Young" (House of Hohenzollern) [7]
1840-1906: Albert II Waldemar "The Old Protector" (House of Hohenzollern) [8]
1906-1948: Sigismund II Ferdinand "The Father of Europe" (House of Hohenzollern) [9]
1948-2002: Fredrick V William "The Unexpected" (House of Hohenzollern) [10]
2002-Present: William I Waldemar (House of Hohenzollern) [11]
[11] Born in Baghdad in 1942, during his father's tour of the Middle East, William I Waldemar was his father's eldest son, born to his first wife, Elisabeth Magdalena von Lerchenfeld, and became Heir Apparent upon his father's accession to the throne in 1948. making him the longest-serving heir apparent to the German Imperial Throne when he finally acceeded at the age of 60. LIke his father, he has a keen interest in both all things military and charitable foundations. He served in the German Imperial Airforce as a young man, and in fact, met his future wife, Empress Margaret (nee Infanta Margarita of Spain) during a military exchange with the Spanish Air Force, when he was asked to escort the Infanta, three years his elder, to the inaugural dinner for her new charity, the Spanish Heart Foundation. Though it was only supposed to be a PR exercise, really, the two hit it off immediately, and married three years later, in 1971.
In insisting Margaret become his wife, William met many an objection, not the least of them Margaret's blindness and Roman Catholic faith. However, the couple's love overcame all boundaries, and they celebrated their Golden Wedding Anniversary two years ago. Margaret still practices her own faith in private, but their four surviving children, including the heir to the throne, Prince Joachim Sigismund, have been raised in their father's Lutheran faith.
Emperor William has continued many of his father's patronages, but the cause closest to his heart is the eradication of polio, as his youngest daughter, Princess Liselotte, was crippled by the disease at the age of three in 1988, after catching it during a royal tour of Tanzania. The Princess's Trust for Polio, set up in 1998, ten years after Liselotte caught the disease, is due to celebrate its twenty-fifth anniversary this year.
His Imperial Majesty is now in his eighties and there are rumours that he plans to abdicate soon, in favour of Prince Joachim and his wife, the Princess Madeleine of Sweden, but Frankfurt has yet to confirm anything in that direction.
1703 - 1718: Charles I Emil "The Tiger" (House of Hohenzollern) [1]
1718 - 1731: Charles II Ferdinand "The Scholar" (House of Hohenzollern) [2]
1731 - 1739: Frederick I Augustus "Blackbeard Freddy" (House of Hohenzollern) [3]
1739 - 1778: Albert I William "The Old Lion" (House of Hohenzollern) [4]
1778-1780: Fredrick III Ernest "The Bold" (House of Hohenzollern) [5]
German Emperor:
1780-1808: Fredrick IV Ernest "The Bold" (House of Hohenzollern) [5]
1808-1834: Otto V Henry "Stupor Mundi" (House of Hohenzollern) [6] - Also King of Hungary, Croatia, Galicia, Dalmatia and Grand Duke of Tuscany and Lombardy until 1830.
1834-1840: Otto VI Fredrick "the Young" (House of Hohenzollern) [7]
1840-1906: Albert II Waldemar "The Old Protector" (House of Hohenzollern) [8]
1906-1948: Sigismund II Ferdinand "The Father of Europe" (House of Hohenzollern) [9]
1948-2002: Fredrick V William "The Unexpected" (House of Hohenzollern) [10]
2002-Present: William I Waldemar (House of Hohenzollern) [11]
[1] The eldest surviving son of Frederick William, the Great Elector of Brandenburg and Duke of Prussia within the borders of the Polish-Lithuanian Commonwealth, Charles Emil was born in 1655 and was raised in the image of the Great Elector - as Charles grew, he grew ever closer in appearance to his father, not only physically, but also in terms of personality - he was spirited, delighted in military matters and was quick-tempered, and was enrolled into the Brandenburgian army as a teenager as Coronel of the Prussian Radziwill regiment. Charles' first taste of battle and glory came in the Franco-Dutch war, where he served in the Rhineland and Alsace under the command of his father and Marshall Bournonville. Despite the protests of both Frederick William and Charles Emil, Bournonville remained mostly secluded in Strasbourg and was thus outmanouvered by Turenne, the greatest general of the time. At the battle of Turckheim, France's great victory in the Alsacitian campaign, Charles Emil lead the Prussian cavalrymen at the right-flank and fought honorably for the whole battle, with his unit being the last to disengage and protect the retreat of the ambushed Imperial army. Eventually, Charles Emil and his bodyguards were surrounded by French cavalrymen themselves, and the young Electoral Prince would go on to spend a year in captivity in Paris, where he was received well in King Louis' court, fascinated by France's military leadership and the wisdom of it's philosophers.
Frederick William would get both peace and his son back a year after the battle, paying a heavy ransom to the French in exchange for the safe return of his son. After his return to Berlin, Charles investigated how to further the might of the Prussian army - impressed by the might, manpower and quality of the armies of the Sun King. Despite the Hohenzollern's abrupt outing in the war, Frederick William of Brandenburg-Prussia came to a treaty with Emperor Leopold upon which his second youngest sister, Princess Eleonore of Austria would Charles Emil's wife. The two were married in Prague, in 1676, with Eleonore of Austria being allowed to keep her Catholic faith, although the couple's children were to be raised in the Calvinist faith. Charles Emil and his wife would move to Ducal Prussia, where the Electoral Prince and his wife would rule as governors for the rest of Frederick William's reign.
Charles began his reign with a re-structuring of the army and the General Staff - he instructed a cantonal system, created new academies for the training of officers, opened up the lower ranks to low class men. His temperamental and strict personality also gave the state's official's bare - Emil would tolerate no corruption, no failure. He introduced manuals at every level of the state giving direct procedures for each rank to follow - while failure and mistakes could be accepted, he said, a lack of ability and merit could not. The economy was also reformed to conform to mercantilist views and rapidly Brandenburg-Prussia started to prosper, with many protestant refugees from France, Austria and Poland all finding a home in the young state on the Baltic shore.
Speaking of the Baltic, Charles Emil's warlike eyes eventually looked northwards and eastwards - Sweden's hold on Pomerania deprived Brandenburg of a close port to the Baltic, while Polish West Prussia divided the Prussian lands in two and did not permit an effective ruling of the realm. Despite long years of inaction, mostly caused by his reforms and the lack of a proper opportunity. When conflict broke out between the Swedes and the Russians, Poles and Danes in what would come to be known as the "Great Northern War", Charles Emil did not hesitate to play both sides. Seeing Charles' early successes, Charles Emil made common cause with the Swedes, joining them in an alliance and striking out against the Poles in 1702. The reliable Prussian army, still adapting to the reforms, managed to occupy the whole of Royal Prussia minus Danzig, which was captured by the Swedish navy, and thus Charles decided to make peace with his Polish enemies. While King Augustus agreed to Prussian conditions, the Sejm did not, and neither did they agree to recognize Prussian independence and Charles' ambitions of becoming "King of Prussia", a title which had negotiated in consort with both Augustus of Saxony and his brother-in-law, Emperor Leopold. Angered at the Sejm's defiance, Charles Emil veteran army fell upon Greater Poland in 1703, rapidly capturing the whole of the region and most importantly it's capital, the Polish city of Poznan. With the threat of the Elector marching on Warsaw and breaking the Commonwealth in two, the Sejm signed the treaty of Krakow:
- The whole of Prussia, minus the city of Danzig, would become property of the Duke.
- Prussia's bonds of vassalage to Warsaw would be broken, with the newly independent Charles Emil becoming King-Elector of Prussia, a title recognized to him by both the Emperor and the Polish King.
- The region of Greater Poland would be integrated as "South Prussia", or the Grand Duchy of Posen, Poznan's German name, into the Prussian Kingdom.
Before leaving the war, Charles Emil's brother Frederick led an army into Danish occupied Swedish Pomerania, succeeding in ending the blockade of Stettin. While Charles Emil had expected Charles XIII of Sweden would hand him Danzig as a reward, the Swedish King denied it and thus, the bonds of alliance were broken and Prussia officially left the war. Now a King, Charles spent the rest of much of the Great Northern War acting as a smuggler and middle point for the other three powers, that is, until the end of the war, upon which he would be tempted into an alliance with Peter the Great, and thus was rewarded with both control over the whole of Pomerania and Danzig as a reward.
A whole man, a whole King for a whole Kingdom, Charles Emil military records made him one of the finest Kings of the age, becoming a patron of many universities, the arts and other projects in his old age. While he tolerated the poles under his reign, Charles Emil sent settlers both from Pomerania and Brandenburg into Posen and West Prussia, as both regions had been depopulated by the many wars, especially West Prussia. Continuing his father's colonial policies, Charles Emil was obsessed with Prussia gains a foothold in the Atlantic, choosing the Bight of Biafra as a better port than Arguim, where the Prussian Atlantic Company had settled. Founding the city of "Emilstadt" at the mouth of the Bonny River, Prussian soldiers carved themselves a small enclave around the river's mouth, establishing many relations with the neighboring natives, especially the Igbo.
Charles Emil was finally conquered by death in 1718, succumbing to lung cancer. He had survived his wife four years, leaving behind a little army of his own in children. His successor as King of the youngest realm in Europe was Charles Ferdinand.
[2] Charles Ferdinand was born in 1677 as the eldest child of Charles I Emil of Prussia and Eleonore of Austria. Like his father, Charles Ferdinand served in the army during the Great Northern War fighting against the Poles. Unfortunately, the Prince would be severely injured during battle and was thus forced to return home, being no longer able to fight on the frontlines. As a result of this, Charles Ferdinand began to read any book he could find, becoming well known among the royal courts in Europe for his knowledge about history and culture.
Charles Emil would die in 1718, leaving the Prussian throne to his son Charles Ferdinand. By this point, the new King was married to Princess Sophia Eleanora of Brunswick-Bevern, with their four children being named after famous figures in German history. Prussia didn't enter any wars during Charles Ferdinand's reign, as the King instead focused on his passion for the arts by acting as a patron to famous artists and writers of the early-to-mid 18th century. Charles Ferdinand even wrote a book on the history of Prussia from the time of the Old Prussians to the reign of his father Charles Emil.
Having become known as "the Scholar" for his intellect, Charles Ferdinand finally succumbed to his old battle wounds in 1731 at the age of 49. He was succeeded as King of Prussia by his eldest son, Frederick.
[3] Born as the eldest son of Charles Ferdinand, Frederick August was given the name Friedrich August Roger Heinrich by his father - after various historical figures - Frederick Barbarossa, Frederick Roger, the Stupor Mundi and even Augustus himself. Raised from a young age in the classical Prussian manner - or, raised by the army, as is proper in that Kingdom, it was clear that Frederick Augustus was not of soldiery stock. Even from a young age he was large, and fat clung to him no matter how much the generals made him run around the palace. Princess Sophia Eleanora eventually managed to convince her father-in-law and her husband that perhaps the army was not the way for Frederick, but both men argued that if Frederick did not fight, he would have to make due another way.
Frederick Augustus grew into a fat, pleasurable man, who was an adept at diplomacy and the matters of state, but where Frederick really shined was in the arts of cunning and secrecy - visitors to the Prussian court often commented in fellow European courts that nothing happened in Germany without the German prince having a hand in it, or at least, knowing about it. Even as a young man, Frederick Augustus convinced his father to allow him to organize the first Prussian Secret Police and Spy corps, which he would avidly use to spy on his fellow European monarchs or crack down on dissent, especially in rural Posen.
Ascending already aged 33, Frederick Augustus would not rule Prussia for long, nor would he leave any children after him, for the women did not like the Prince and neither did he like them in turn, using them most often as spies than as tools of pleasure. Frederick never consented to marriage and always considered his younger brothers as his heirs, and made sure to share the responsibilities of the state with them. Frederick continued the renovation of the Prussian civil service, as well as overhauling the economy and building new trade relationships with Britain, Hannover, the Dutch Republic, France and Sweden, all the while continuing his father's famed patronages - while preferring to focus on building new cities, building new ports, universities and installing the first obligatory primary school system in Europe.
Internationally, Frederick had to deal with the growing concerns over the Austrian Emperor's coming death - the Emperor had only left daughters behind, and while many (including Frederick), recognized her as heir, many still held doubts over it, especially as Frederick started to eye the Bohemian province of Silesia hungrily. Silesia was Austria's richest province and would only solidify Prussia as a quasi-independent state, sheltering Brandenburg from both Poland and Austria all the while vastly expanding the Kingdom and the economy. While Frederick did not live to see Maria Theresia succeed her father, he established plans for the conquest of Silesia when it did happen.
Frederick's had a major impact outside of Prussia proper, however. The Prussian Atlantic Company or "PAC" for short had entered the Bight of Biafra and had allowed Prussia control of a rich market, in slaves, ivory, gold and various other trade goods. Nonetheless, Frederick felt that if Prussia was to be taken seriously as a Great Power, it needed a colony - a true, colony at that, and for this, he decided to approach the Spanish to buy the northern half of New Spain, where indigenous tribes ran rampant and Spain suffered a net loss. Forming a conglomerate with permission from the Holy Roman Emperor (who also held a stake in it) and various German states, free cities and companies, all who could buy shares from the Colony's profits, Frederick announced the founding of the "Imperial American Company", with the first German settlers arriving in Texas in 1737. While the King and Emperor held the same stake - 35 percent of the company each, the rest of the shares were divided between Germans from all faiths and regions, and thus, Holy Roman Texas was one of the first areas of the world where freedom of religion was officially recognized. Despite the success, and while holding theoretical authority over Alta and Baja California, much of the Sonora, New Mexico and the whole of Texas, by the end of his reign, the colony still only straddled the Texan coast.
Frederick died in 1739, after a short seven year reign. He was succeeded by his brother, Albert William. He was famous for his pet tigers (which would become the animal most often associated with the Hohenzollerns, and thus, Prussia was often referred to as the "Prussian Tiger") and his long, Blackbeard, something which earned him the nickname Blackbeard, in contrast to whom he was named for, Frederick Redbeard.
[4] Born in 1701 as the second son of Charles II Ferdinand, Albert William was never expected to rule with his elder brother's unexpected death coming as a shock to many as he hadn't left any heirs of his own to succeed him. Thus this left Albert to become the next King of Prussia which he would take with a great degree of uncertainty as the kingdom was left with a great struggle coming with the planned conquest of Silesia, a conquest that had been planned by Frederick I Augustus before his untimely death. However, many saw Albert ascension to the throne as a blessing, for he had been raised to become a military commander first rather than a politician and his knowledge of military tactics would be useful during the war. Thus Albert's first year as king would be preparing military battleplans and setting up strategic alliances with several of the nearby German states to either gain their aid in the war or to keep them out of it entirely. The most important of these alliances would be one with the Archduchy of Austria and future Empress Maria Theresia. It was no secret that Emperor Charles VI's health was failing and that she would become Empress upon his death which would leave her vulnerable to attack from nearby neighbors seeking to chip away from the Empire. Thus a proposal was made, Albert would marry Maria Theresia to create a personal union between the Kingdom of Prussia and the Archduchy of Austria and in turn Albert would show the strength of the Prussian Army in its war with the Lands of the Bohemian Crown deterring would be attackers from going forward with their ambitions.
In 1740, Charles VI, Emperor of the Holy Roman Empire, would die and Maria Theresia would take the throne with Albert declaring war on Bohemia the following year, moving his men into Silesia to the surprise of the Bohemians who would be caught off guard by this action. Thus the war that would later be known as Frederick's War (in reference to King Frederick I Augustus since it was his plan before his death) would begin. The Prussian Army would follow the Oder River to quickly capture the city of Wrocław to secure their presence in the region before the Bohemian Army could meet them in battle. This would be mostly successful, with the Prussian Army coming within miles of Wrocław where they would meet the Bohemians in combat where they would defeat them moving to capture their target a few days later. With Silesia under de facto Prussian control, the Prussian Army would be ordered to march towards Prague to put pressure on the Bohemians to surrender. Along the way they would encounter the Bohemian Army again forcing them in the direction of Prague after a short battle. During their third confrontation with the Bohemians, the Bohemians would hold the line for several days before retreating. While the Bohemians would suffer critical losses, they would force the Prussians to camp for the winter not wanting to risk fighting in the extreme weather. The following spring, the Prussians would continue their march towards Prague with them forced to siege the city due to it being heavily fortified during the winter. However, it would not matter, for the city would fall a couple of months later ending the war in a Prussian victory. The treaty would call for the complete transfer of Silesia from Bohemia to Prussia.
The following year, after months of planning, Albert would marry Maria Theresia in a grand ceremony. The two would end up having several children together. The majority of Albert’s reign would be a Prussia and Germany as a whole at peace with no one wanting to challenge the Prussian might. After the third confrontation with the Bohemian Army, Albert would work to better reform the Prussian Army bringing in new minds with new ideas in to keep their army on top of the continent. Albert would also seek to strengthen the colonies in America, enforcing control over their claimed territories while managing to keep them out of the Seven Years War. The end of Albert’s reign would see the breakout of the American Revolution which Albert would seek to support so that Britain may be weakened enough to see Germany become the dominant world power. He would not see this, however, for he would die two years into the conflict with his heir, Fredrick seeing its conclusion.
{5] Fredrick was born in 1743. He was the first born child. He had the best education a boy could ask for, but he had a distant relationship with his parents as they were busy running their domains. In 1760, he would marry Princess Carolina of Orange-Nassau. They would have nine children before the American Revolution broke out. At which point, Fredrick sailed to America, leading the Prussian Army against Britain. He earned the nickname the bold when he managed to capture William Howe in the battle of New York Harbor.
He did not return home when his father died, believing it would be disrespectful to his memory if he didn't finish what the former had started. Unfortunately, two years later, Fredrick's mother died. Fearing someone might become emperor in his place, Fredrick made all haste to Austria. As Italy was divided between the King of Naples, the King of Sardina, and the King of Sicily, Fredrick choose to rename his domains as the German Empire.
He changed the capital to Prussia, feeling more comfortable in a Calvinist enivoriment. Speaking of his religion, he was forced to recall his troops from America (thankfully the war was almost over by then) so he could crush a Catholic revolt in Hungary. Despite now being in his fifties, he still was determined to lead his troops, making a speech to inspire them before the battle of Burgenland. The might of the Prussian army was far too overwhelming for the Catholic rebels, they were utterly crushed.
Fredrick was a very athletic man, but he had a tendency to push himself to exhaustion, this would lead to him having a stroke in 1800, causing his health to go on a downward spiral until 1808 when he died of a second stroke.
[6] Born during his grandfather's adventures in the American revolution, Otto Henry Sigismund Frederick was named after famed Holy Roman Emperors, as his birth was heralded as a new future for Germany. Raised in Austria, Otto was trained as any Emperor should be and more importantly for his family, possessed a deep intelligence that allowed him to learn and re-learn, with Otto being the first german prince to attend university and finish four different courses during his stay there. He would go on to join the army, where he proudly served in the subduing of Hungary as a Lieutenant-General and hasmore important modernizing generals in the Imperial army.
He was married at age 21 to Caroline of Bavaria, daughter of the important Duke of Bavaria and most importantly, a grandaughter of French King Louis XV and thus, a cousin of the French royal family. His marriage served as a way to tackle the growing Franco-German rivalry in the continent while Germany, which was attempting to leave it's "European" clutches, faced off Britain in the Americas and over the sea. With his marriage, both he and his wife retired to Frankfurt for college before eventually Otto was installed as governor of the Rhineland so as to gain political experience. In the Rhineland, Otto grew his famous fascination with industry and class-reform, with the Rhineland rapidly industrializing under his tenure and commencing the industrial revolution in the Empire.
When his father died in 1808, the various problems that lingered beneath the opulence of power both Prussia and Austria, now finally united, possessed, surfaced. First of all was the religious division between the Empire, and the infighting between the Austrian and Prussian political elites. Second was the myriad of Princedoms subjected to Imperial authority but essentially, still stuck in the ancient Holy Roman Empire and it's archaic bureaucracy. Second, was a proper constitution for the Empire, who would organize the various provinces and streamline the governing of the various, diverse duchies and Kingdoms of the land. Thus, after two years of hard-work with politicians, military generals, history professors and the various princes of the Empire, the Ottonian Constitutition of Germany, similar but also very different from the French 1792 constitution, was installed.
- The Empire of Germany is a Federal state born from the Holy Roman Empire of the German Nation. The Electors of Germany are thus elevated to the ranks of Kings, representatives of their Kingdom-Region and first supporters of the Imperial House. A wide spread land-reform and union of principalities is to be done, re-arranging the internal borders of the Empire. Besides the "Princely" regions, Germany shall be divided into administrative regions, which shall be subject to the people they govern and the Imperial Diet and the Kaiser.
- The Imperial Capital shall be Frankfurt, ancient capital of the Holy Roman Empire. Vienna, Prague and Berlin shall remain as capitals of the Archduchy of Austria, the Kingdom of Bohemia and the Kingdom of Prussia, whose crown is held by the Emperor.
- A semi-Constitutional system is put in place, with an elected parliament with a princely and a elected chamber who shall serve in an advisory position to the Kaiser and his government.
- The Electorates of Saxony, Hannover and Bavaria are elevated to the rank of Kings, as their realm cover several administrative provinces.
How Germany should look like.
With Germany settled, Otto also focused on the domains he had outside Germany - such as the Habsburg hereditary lands in Italy and the Kingdoms of Galicia-Lodomeria, Hungary and Croatia. While Otto had personally believed that to surrender these crowns of his to family members would ease the tension in these lands, especially in Hungary, many amongst Germany's elites disagreed, hoping to build a pan-germanic Empire in the ashes of the Holy Roman one. Nonetheless, Otto also ordered reforms there, for he believed that peace and prosperity were the best ways to mantain his crowns. More important for Otto during these years were the various enemies Germany had made itself in it's rise - Britain in the North and the Ottomans in the south, who had inherited much of the old enmity the muslims held for the Ottomans. Thus, it is no surprise that Germany instead decided to make diplomatic manouevers with France and Russia, Europe's two other biggest land powers, over mediation and appeasament. With Russia, it was won with a promise of a joint invasion of the Ottoman Empire and support for Russia's expeditions into Persia, Manchuria and the Caucasus, while for France, it was done with the renunciation of claims over Alsace and support for France in the Belgian crisis of 1811, when France intervened in that land after pro-French catholic revolutions in the southern Netherlands, against the Protestant Dutch Republic, who was crushing the rebellion with British support.
On the global stage, the objectives of the man that would become known as the second "Stupor Mundi" would be the growth of the German Colonial Empire. German Texas had expanded inland, while the german navy had finally consolidated authority in California, allowing for a administrative -re-arragement of the colony. The opening of opportunities (combined with a massive demographic boom in Germany itself) saw the rapid expansion of German America during his reign, securing Germany's position in the American continent. In Africa, the conquests of Nigeria, the Congo, Tanzania and Kenya would start during Otto's reign, as Africa was the only continent on earth still relatively free of European influence.
Nonetheless, Otto's greatest achievement would be the German-Ottoman war of 1821-1824, where much of the Balkans were liberated from occupation. The vastly succesfull war saw Germany expand into Bosnia and secure the loyalty of the Danubian Principalities, while Montenegro and Serbia would be joined in a German-allied state. After the war, the german liberals would form a government and plan for the independence of the "Habsburg" Kingdoms, as close allies of Germany in a customs union and perpetual alliance. The Kingdom of Romania (Combining Moldova, Wallachia, the Dobruja and parts of Transylvania) was given to Otto's younger brother Francis Ferdinand, the Kingdom of Hungary was given to the Habsburg Palatinates, Galicia-Lodomeria was put under the rule of the Radziwills, polish nobles who had married into a minor branch of the Prussian royal family, while Bosnia, Dalmatia and Croatia were formed into a singular Kingdom of Illyria under Ferdinand of Hohenzollern-Singmaringen. Tuscany and Lombardy were given to other Habsburg and Gotha cousins of Otto. Thus, Otto's greatest achievement was the Danubian Entente - a economic, military and political coalition of countries such as Germany, the Kingdoms of Hungary, Romania, Illyria, Galicia and Serbia, the Republic of Venice and the Grand Duchies of Lombardy and Tuscany.
At the end of his reign, Germany had the world's second largest economy, and it kept growing, dominance over much of Central Europe and the Balkans and was secure in it's position as Europe's strongest army and power. At his death, Prince Dalberg, Germany's chancellor, addressed parliament and concluded his speech with "The departed Emperor Otto led a coalition of new nations into the world stage, secured Germany's future and enchanted the world for his long reign. He was truly the World's marvel." He was survived by his wife and seven children, being succeeded by his grandson, Otto.
[7] Otto Fredrick, named for his grandfather and great-grandfather was the son of the Crown Prince, Charles Sigsmund and his wife, Anna Pavlovna. The couple had three children. Unfortunately, Charles Sigsmund died during the German-Ottoman war of 1821 when Otto was only four. While his grandfather was off fighting, his mother Anna fought her own battle against Empress Caroline who wanted her grandchildren to come under her supervision. When Emperor Otto returned in 1824, he quickly took control, insisting the young Ott be brought to Frankfurt so he could begin his education as crown prince immediately. However, his younger siblings could stay with their mother. The Dowager Crown Princess was unhappy, but she knew she could not refuse the emperor. When it came time to go, Anna hugged Otto so tightly, he had to be pried from her arms.
Despite the heartache, Otto thrived in Frankfurt. His grandparents were strict but allowed him certain amounts of freedom, like allowing him to walk the streets of Frankfurt (accompanied of course by two bodyguards and his governess). There could be no denying that Otto looked up to his grandfather, seeing him as a larger than life figure. The young boy would listen for hours as his grandfather regaled with tales of his battles. There is one popular story where Ott asked to accompany his grandfather to a session of parliament. When reminded that he had his lessons, Ott said, "I can learn more about ruling from you than all my tutors put together".
Ott was only seventeen when his grandfather died. He was headstrong and eager to prove himself. He doesn't have long to wait as Britain, Spain,Italy, Portugal, and France are disturbed by Germany's continued growth. They fear that the hot blooded young emperor might think himself another Alexander the Great and try to conquer the rest of Europe. So naturally, they decide to attack first.
Emperor Otto was fully prepared to fight against the alliance agianst him. However, he was not so hothead to realize that he needed allies. He reached out to Norway, Sweden, Denmark, and Russia. He arranged a marriage between himself and Princess Olga of Sweden. Unfortunetly, he would not live to see his wedding day.
In 1840, Otto was in the Netherlands, sieging Antwerp. He was giving a speech to his troops when someone fired a shot from the city's walls. Despite being rushed to the medical tent, Otto died of his wounds. He was succeeded by his brother Albert Waldemar
[8] Born as the second son and youngest child of the crown prince Charles Sigismund, Albert was never expected to become Emperor. Yet in 1840 at the age of 20, Albert was thrust not only onto the throne, but into the middle of Europe's largest conflict in decades. The young emperor's first step was to ensure his alliances in the coming struggle. Instead of continuing with his brothers betrothal to princess Olga, Albert married his 2nd cousin Countess Natalya Ilynichna to secure the russian alliance, and betrothed his elder sister Maria to the Norwegian Crown Prince Haakon.
With his flanks secured Emperor Albert set his full focus on the utter destruction of his Empire's enemies. The task would not be a simple one, while Germany & its Russian allies were the largest nations on the continent, they were stretched thin across the whole of Europe. The decision was made by the Grosser Generalstab to target the weakest links of the alliance arrayed against Germany. A combined Russo-German force under Field Marshalls von Beck & Lieutenant General Agalarov launched a mass invasion of the Italian Peninsula. Within 6 months italian resistance collapsed. Meanwhile the combined German, Russian, Swedish & Norwegian fleets dealt a devastating defeat to the combined Franco-British fleet at the battle of Heligoland Bight. Spain signed a final peace with germany after colonial troops from Texas & Kalifornien invaded the last remnants of the spanish empire, liberating an independent Mexican Empire under Albert's cousin Maximilian.
The campaign against France, Britain & Portugal would be one of the bloodiest since the Thirty years war. For five years Germano-Russian armies would trade blows in the Rhineland, Alsace, & Belgium while the navies of both powers dueled on the high seas. Eventually, after a massive offensive by the Germans out of Belgium towards Paris totaling two million men in all, the King of France surrendered to Emperor Albert and handed over alsace & her north african colonies. With all her continental allies besides portugal defeated, britain signed the "Peace with Honour" allowing britain to retain her colonies in exchange for an agreement to stay out of continental affairs.
With the war begun to destroy his brother won, Albert was hailed as the greatest ruler in European hsitory for a time. Albert dedicated the rest of his reign to ensuring the European peace he secured. Under the watchful eye of the Old Protector Europe prospered, with the industrial revolution centered on germany sweeping the continent. During Albert II's 66 year reign europe saw a new era of progress with the first fully steam powered ships, the development of heavier than air powered flight in 1902 by Otto Lilienthal, & unprecedented economic growth. Albert displayed his diplomatic prowess by negotiating a series of treaties for the peacful annexation of africa & the diffusing of tensions between Russia & the ottoman empire in the 1870's
But when Albert finally passed in 1906, he left a continent festering with old wounds only kept in check by his presence & Germany's military might. Yet without a proper war in sixty years, was Germany ready for what would face Albert's heir, his grandson Sigismund.
[9] Born to Prince Frederick Ferdinand and his wife, Princess Mathilda of Denmark, Sigismund was from a young age raised for Emperorship and the matters of the state - being a famously precocious boy, who, despite the strict surroundings and tacticts of his family, shined through. When his father died of lung cancer in 1899 and his grandfather in 1906, a fourteen year old Sigismund was placed on the German throne. While his uncle Prince Oskar took the regency, Sigismund entered highschool and college, intent on following the family tradition of having a degree and serving in the army. Nonetheless, the principal part of Sigismund's regency was the Parliamentary crisis of 1907-1908. Chancellor von Brun, an aristocrat with various liberal (and even socialistic leanings), a firm believer in liberal democracy in the British fashion, recognized the underage Emperor for what it was - a true chance to bring full democracy to Germany before an Emperor had the authority to protest it and veto it. Von Brun's political establishment would famously release secret records of Prince Oskar during his governorship of Nigeria, where the Prince, unmarried , had secretly falling in love with a African maid serving in his household and had three children secretly with her. This relationship would see Prince Oskar's political career evaporate in days, with the Chancellor posthumously refusing to appoint a new regent, putting the Emperor under the guardianship of the government and parliament.
Picture of Emperor Sigismund in 1927.
When Sigismund reached the age of 21, and thus, legal adulthood, it was not to the surprise of many that Sigismund directly challenged the changes made to the Constitution during his regency, as well as his personal friction with Chancellor Brun over the callous and cruel release of his favourite uncle's secrets. To come to a solution, Sigismund ordered that the people vote in a referendum - keep the semi-constitutional monarchy under the leadership of the Emperor, or give primacy to the parliament and the government. The Emperor and his young wife, Princess Sophie of France, would travel throughout the Empire (Texas and Kalifornien as well) presenting their case to the people, with the Emperor's young, vigorous, charming personality winning many over. Despite the industrialists support for the liberals, the referendum would be a crushing 72% victory in favour of the Imperial cause, with Chancellor Brun handing his resignation to Sigismund the very next day.
With his personal rule reinforced, Sigismund would start a cult of personality, akin to religious saints and heavily dependent on propaganda (Sigismund was, to the ease of the German government, both the face of the state and the most popular figure in the Empire), allying himself with the lower classes, aristocracy and lower middle class against the growing political parties of Germany, liberals and industrialists, shaping European politics for a generation. A stern autocrat with a penchant for moderation, Sigismund heavily cracked down on extremist ideologies during his reign, from fascists to socialists. His personal reign over Germany saw Germany proper reach a hundred million inhabitants, with Kalifornien and Texas integrated into the Federal system at his behest, adding 37 million more "Ultramarine Germans". His reign, which saw the formation of the European Entente and the European Economic Organization, with solidified Russia as an ally and reconciled with France, leading to a joint Franco-German-Russian axis over Europe which led to the "European Golden Age". Outside the frontiers of Germany proper, Germany and Russia would negotiate the independence of Poland which joined Russian Congress Poland with the Danubian Kingdom of Galicia, with the Radziwills becoming Kings of Poland. The "Euro-Ottoman War of 1914-1916" saw the final expulsion of the Ottomans from Europe, the final settlement of the Balkan frontiers, the formation of Megali Greece and the formation of the Arab Caliphate, a close European ally, in the levant.
At the colonial level, Emperor Sigismund would be a projector of settler colonialism in Africa and European continent. With Europe aligned under a single goal (Minus Great Britain), millions of Europeans would immigrate to Africa, with German Namibia and Kenya becoming majority ethnic european during his reign, with millions of others living in Tanzania, the Congo and Nigeria, and even other European powers, such as Italy, Portugal and France. This starked legacy of racism and colonialism in Africa has tarnished, in the eyes of some, Sigismund's legacy, while democrats and liberals through the world commonly claim Sigismund destroyed German democracy. Nonetheless, Sigismund would rule Germany until his death, remaining highly popular. Germany would discover the atomic bomb in 1936 and begin a space program in 1941, all at Sigismund's wishes. A prospector of "Manisfeting's mankind destiny over the stars", the European space powers (France, Germany, Russia, Italy and Spain) would form joint missions to Space.
Sigismund would die of lung cancer as his father did in 1948, leaving behind the world's first great power and a united European continent. He was succeeded by his son, Fredrick.
[10] Born in 1919, Fredrick was his parents' third son. His eldest brother, Sigsmund died when he was twelve of leukemia. His second brother, Albert was thankfully healthier. With both his brothers dominating the newspapers (even after Sigsmund's death), Fredrick was often only seen as an afterthought. He studied abroad at Oxford and then enrolled in the armed forces, serving a tour in the Middle East. He returned for his brother's wedding to Princess Cecily of England. Then tragedy struck in 1947 when Albert and Cecily, who was five months pregnant during the time, got into a fatal car crash. It was a devastating blow to the entire family, loosing three people in one fell swoop.
Fredrick barely had any time to process suddenly becoming heir as his father's health worsened by the death of his son and seven months later, Emperor Sigsmund passed away as well. Out of respect, Fredrick commanded that a year should pass before he be coronated. In the meantime, he relied on his father's advisors to guide him with statecraft as he found himself woefully unprepared. As he put it, I was taught to be an officer and a gentleman, not an emperor. Thankfully, most of his duties were ceremonial in nature and Fredrick could focus on charitable pursuits instead.
The new emperor would fund research into diseases such as leukemia, founding a children's hospital in his eldest brother's name. He also would dedicate several charities in Albert and Cecily's name, wanting to honor those who had been taken too soon. He did express an avid interest in furthering the space program, admitting that had it not been for the tragic passing of his brother, he would have tried to pursue being an astronaut.
As years passed, Fredrick managed to grow into his rule as leader. Oddly because of his lack of preparation, he was able to go with the flow of the changing society. He also was much more involved with the people, doing several radio and then eventually TV interviews.
He passed away at age eighty-three in his sleep. His son William I Waldemar succeeded him.
Frederick William would get both peace and his son back a year after the battle, paying a heavy ransom to the French in exchange for the safe return of his son. After his return to Berlin, Charles investigated how to further the might of the Prussian army - impressed by the might, manpower and quality of the armies of the Sun King. Despite the Hohenzollern's abrupt outing in the war, Frederick William of Brandenburg-Prussia came to a treaty with Emperor Leopold upon which his second youngest sister, Princess Eleonore of Austria would Charles Emil's wife. The two were married in Prague, in 1676, with Eleonore of Austria being allowed to keep her Catholic faith, although the couple's children were to be raised in the Calvinist faith. Charles Emil and his wife would move to Ducal Prussia, where the Electoral Prince and his wife would rule as governors for the rest of Frederick William's reign.
Charles began his reign with a re-structuring of the army and the General Staff - he instructed a cantonal system, created new academies for the training of officers, opened up the lower ranks to low class men. His temperamental and strict personality also gave the state's official's bare - Emil would tolerate no corruption, no failure. He introduced manuals at every level of the state giving direct procedures for each rank to follow - while failure and mistakes could be accepted, he said, a lack of ability and merit could not. The economy was also reformed to conform to mercantilist views and rapidly Brandenburg-Prussia started to prosper, with many protestant refugees from France, Austria and Poland all finding a home in the young state on the Baltic shore.
Speaking of the Baltic, Charles Emil's warlike eyes eventually looked northwards and eastwards - Sweden's hold on Pomerania deprived Brandenburg of a close port to the Baltic, while Polish West Prussia divided the Prussian lands in two and did not permit an effective ruling of the realm. Despite long years of inaction, mostly caused by his reforms and the lack of a proper opportunity. When conflict broke out between the Swedes and the Russians, Poles and Danes in what would come to be known as the "Great Northern War", Charles Emil did not hesitate to play both sides. Seeing Charles' early successes, Charles Emil made common cause with the Swedes, joining them in an alliance and striking out against the Poles in 1702. The reliable Prussian army, still adapting to the reforms, managed to occupy the whole of Royal Prussia minus Danzig, which was captured by the Swedish navy, and thus Charles decided to make peace with his Polish enemies. While King Augustus agreed to Prussian conditions, the Sejm did not, and neither did they agree to recognize Prussian independence and Charles' ambitions of becoming "King of Prussia", a title which had negotiated in consort with both Augustus of Saxony and his brother-in-law, Emperor Leopold. Angered at the Sejm's defiance, Charles Emil veteran army fell upon Greater Poland in 1703, rapidly capturing the whole of the region and most importantly it's capital, the Polish city of Poznan. With the threat of the Elector marching on Warsaw and breaking the Commonwealth in two, the Sejm signed the treaty of Krakow:
- The whole of Prussia, minus the city of Danzig, would become property of the Duke.
- Prussia's bonds of vassalage to Warsaw would be broken, with the newly independent Charles Emil becoming King-Elector of Prussia, a title recognized to him by both the Emperor and the Polish King.
- The region of Greater Poland would be integrated as "South Prussia", or the Grand Duchy of Posen, Poznan's German name, into the Prussian Kingdom.
Before leaving the war, Charles Emil's brother Frederick led an army into Danish occupied Swedish Pomerania, succeeding in ending the blockade of Stettin. While Charles Emil had expected Charles XIII of Sweden would hand him Danzig as a reward, the Swedish King denied it and thus, the bonds of alliance were broken and Prussia officially left the war. Now a King, Charles spent the rest of much of the Great Northern War acting as a smuggler and middle point for the other three powers, that is, until the end of the war, upon which he would be tempted into an alliance with Peter the Great, and thus was rewarded with both control over the whole of Pomerania and Danzig as a reward.
A whole man, a whole King for a whole Kingdom, Charles Emil military records made him one of the finest Kings of the age, becoming a patron of many universities, the arts and other projects in his old age. While he tolerated the poles under his reign, Charles Emil sent settlers both from Pomerania and Brandenburg into Posen and West Prussia, as both regions had been depopulated by the many wars, especially West Prussia. Continuing his father's colonial policies, Charles Emil was obsessed with Prussia gains a foothold in the Atlantic, choosing the Bight of Biafra as a better port than Arguim, where the Prussian Atlantic Company had settled. Founding the city of "Emilstadt" at the mouth of the Bonny River, Prussian soldiers carved themselves a small enclave around the river's mouth, establishing many relations with the neighboring natives, especially the Igbo.
Charles Emil was finally conquered by death in 1718, succumbing to lung cancer. He had survived his wife four years, leaving behind a little army of his own in children. His successor as King of the youngest realm in Europe was Charles Ferdinand.
[2] Charles Ferdinand was born in 1677 as the eldest child of Charles I Emil of Prussia and Eleonore of Austria. Like his father, Charles Ferdinand served in the army during the Great Northern War fighting against the Poles. Unfortunately, the Prince would be severely injured during battle and was thus forced to return home, being no longer able to fight on the frontlines. As a result of this, Charles Ferdinand began to read any book he could find, becoming well known among the royal courts in Europe for his knowledge about history and culture.
Charles Emil would die in 1718, leaving the Prussian throne to his son Charles Ferdinand. By this point, the new King was married to Princess Sophia Eleanora of Brunswick-Bevern, with their four children being named after famous figures in German history. Prussia didn't enter any wars during Charles Ferdinand's reign, as the King instead focused on his passion for the arts by acting as a patron to famous artists and writers of the early-to-mid 18th century. Charles Ferdinand even wrote a book on the history of Prussia from the time of the Old Prussians to the reign of his father Charles Emil.
Having become known as "the Scholar" for his intellect, Charles Ferdinand finally succumbed to his old battle wounds in 1731 at the age of 49. He was succeeded as King of Prussia by his eldest son, Frederick.
[3] Born as the eldest son of Charles Ferdinand, Frederick August was given the name Friedrich August Roger Heinrich by his father - after various historical figures - Frederick Barbarossa, Frederick Roger, the Stupor Mundi and even Augustus himself. Raised from a young age in the classical Prussian manner - or, raised by the army, as is proper in that Kingdom, it was clear that Frederick Augustus was not of soldiery stock. Even from a young age he was large, and fat clung to him no matter how much the generals made him run around the palace. Princess Sophia Eleanora eventually managed to convince her father-in-law and her husband that perhaps the army was not the way for Frederick, but both men argued that if Frederick did not fight, he would have to make due another way.
Frederick Augustus grew into a fat, pleasurable man, who was an adept at diplomacy and the matters of state, but where Frederick really shined was in the arts of cunning and secrecy - visitors to the Prussian court often commented in fellow European courts that nothing happened in Germany without the German prince having a hand in it, or at least, knowing about it. Even as a young man, Frederick Augustus convinced his father to allow him to organize the first Prussian Secret Police and Spy corps, which he would avidly use to spy on his fellow European monarchs or crack down on dissent, especially in rural Posen.
Ascending already aged 33, Frederick Augustus would not rule Prussia for long, nor would he leave any children after him, for the women did not like the Prince and neither did he like them in turn, using them most often as spies than as tools of pleasure. Frederick never consented to marriage and always considered his younger brothers as his heirs, and made sure to share the responsibilities of the state with them. Frederick continued the renovation of the Prussian civil service, as well as overhauling the economy and building new trade relationships with Britain, Hannover, the Dutch Republic, France and Sweden, all the while continuing his father's famed patronages - while preferring to focus on building new cities, building new ports, universities and installing the first obligatory primary school system in Europe.
Internationally, Frederick had to deal with the growing concerns over the Austrian Emperor's coming death - the Emperor had only left daughters behind, and while many (including Frederick), recognized her as heir, many still held doubts over it, especially as Frederick started to eye the Bohemian province of Silesia hungrily. Silesia was Austria's richest province and would only solidify Prussia as a quasi-independent state, sheltering Brandenburg from both Poland and Austria all the while vastly expanding the Kingdom and the economy. While Frederick did not live to see Maria Theresia succeed her father, he established plans for the conquest of Silesia when it did happen.
Frederick's had a major impact outside of Prussia proper, however. The Prussian Atlantic Company or "PAC" for short had entered the Bight of Biafra and had allowed Prussia control of a rich market, in slaves, ivory, gold and various other trade goods. Nonetheless, Frederick felt that if Prussia was to be taken seriously as a Great Power, it needed a colony - a true, colony at that, and for this, he decided to approach the Spanish to buy the northern half of New Spain, where indigenous tribes ran rampant and Spain suffered a net loss. Forming a conglomerate with permission from the Holy Roman Emperor (who also held a stake in it) and various German states, free cities and companies, all who could buy shares from the Colony's profits, Frederick announced the founding of the "Imperial American Company", with the first German settlers arriving in Texas in 1737. While the King and Emperor held the same stake - 35 percent of the company each, the rest of the shares were divided between Germans from all faiths and regions, and thus, Holy Roman Texas was one of the first areas of the world where freedom of religion was officially recognized. Despite the success, and while holding theoretical authority over Alta and Baja California, much of the Sonora, New Mexico and the whole of Texas, by the end of his reign, the colony still only straddled the Texan coast.
Frederick died in 1739, after a short seven year reign. He was succeeded by his brother, Albert William. He was famous for his pet tigers (which would become the animal most often associated with the Hohenzollerns, and thus, Prussia was often referred to as the "Prussian Tiger") and his long, Blackbeard, something which earned him the nickname Blackbeard, in contrast to whom he was named for, Frederick Redbeard.
[4] Born in 1701 as the second son of Charles II Ferdinand, Albert William was never expected to rule with his elder brother's unexpected death coming as a shock to many as he hadn't left any heirs of his own to succeed him. Thus this left Albert to become the next King of Prussia which he would take with a great degree of uncertainty as the kingdom was left with a great struggle coming with the planned conquest of Silesia, a conquest that had been planned by Frederick I Augustus before his untimely death. However, many saw Albert ascension to the throne as a blessing, for he had been raised to become a military commander first rather than a politician and his knowledge of military tactics would be useful during the war. Thus Albert's first year as king would be preparing military battleplans and setting up strategic alliances with several of the nearby German states to either gain their aid in the war or to keep them out of it entirely. The most important of these alliances would be one with the Archduchy of Austria and future Empress Maria Theresia. It was no secret that Emperor Charles VI's health was failing and that she would become Empress upon his death which would leave her vulnerable to attack from nearby neighbors seeking to chip away from the Empire. Thus a proposal was made, Albert would marry Maria Theresia to create a personal union between the Kingdom of Prussia and the Archduchy of Austria and in turn Albert would show the strength of the Prussian Army in its war with the Lands of the Bohemian Crown deterring would be attackers from going forward with their ambitions.
In 1740, Charles VI, Emperor of the Holy Roman Empire, would die and Maria Theresia would take the throne with Albert declaring war on Bohemia the following year, moving his men into Silesia to the surprise of the Bohemians who would be caught off guard by this action. Thus the war that would later be known as Frederick's War (in reference to King Frederick I Augustus since it was his plan before his death) would begin. The Prussian Army would follow the Oder River to quickly capture the city of Wrocław to secure their presence in the region before the Bohemian Army could meet them in battle. This would be mostly successful, with the Prussian Army coming within miles of Wrocław where they would meet the Bohemians in combat where they would defeat them moving to capture their target a few days later. With Silesia under de facto Prussian control, the Prussian Army would be ordered to march towards Prague to put pressure on the Bohemians to surrender. Along the way they would encounter the Bohemian Army again forcing them in the direction of Prague after a short battle. During their third confrontation with the Bohemians, the Bohemians would hold the line for several days before retreating. While the Bohemians would suffer critical losses, they would force the Prussians to camp for the winter not wanting to risk fighting in the extreme weather. The following spring, the Prussians would continue their march towards Prague with them forced to siege the city due to it being heavily fortified during the winter. However, it would not matter, for the city would fall a couple of months later ending the war in a Prussian victory. The treaty would call for the complete transfer of Silesia from Bohemia to Prussia.
The following year, after months of planning, Albert would marry Maria Theresia in a grand ceremony. The two would end up having several children together. The majority of Albert’s reign would be a Prussia and Germany as a whole at peace with no one wanting to challenge the Prussian might. After the third confrontation with the Bohemian Army, Albert would work to better reform the Prussian Army bringing in new minds with new ideas in to keep their army on top of the continent. Albert would also seek to strengthen the colonies in America, enforcing control over their claimed territories while managing to keep them out of the Seven Years War. The end of Albert’s reign would see the breakout of the American Revolution which Albert would seek to support so that Britain may be weakened enough to see Germany become the dominant world power. He would not see this, however, for he would die two years into the conflict with his heir, Fredrick seeing its conclusion.
{5] Fredrick was born in 1743. He was the first born child. He had the best education a boy could ask for, but he had a distant relationship with his parents as they were busy running their domains. In 1760, he would marry Princess Carolina of Orange-Nassau. They would have nine children before the American Revolution broke out. At which point, Fredrick sailed to America, leading the Prussian Army against Britain. He earned the nickname the bold when he managed to capture William Howe in the battle of New York Harbor.
He did not return home when his father died, believing it would be disrespectful to his memory if he didn't finish what the former had started. Unfortunately, two years later, Fredrick's mother died. Fearing someone might become emperor in his place, Fredrick made all haste to Austria. As Italy was divided between the King of Naples, the King of Sardina, and the King of Sicily, Fredrick choose to rename his domains as the German Empire.
He changed the capital to Prussia, feeling more comfortable in a Calvinist enivoriment. Speaking of his religion, he was forced to recall his troops from America (thankfully the war was almost over by then) so he could crush a Catholic revolt in Hungary. Despite now being in his fifties, he still was determined to lead his troops, making a speech to inspire them before the battle of Burgenland. The might of the Prussian army was far too overwhelming for the Catholic rebels, they were utterly crushed.
Fredrick was a very athletic man, but he had a tendency to push himself to exhaustion, this would lead to him having a stroke in 1800, causing his health to go on a downward spiral until 1808 when he died of a second stroke.
[6] Born during his grandfather's adventures in the American revolution, Otto Henry Sigismund Frederick was named after famed Holy Roman Emperors, as his birth was heralded as a new future for Germany. Raised in Austria, Otto was trained as any Emperor should be and more importantly for his family, possessed a deep intelligence that allowed him to learn and re-learn, with Otto being the first german prince to attend university and finish four different courses during his stay there. He would go on to join the army, where he proudly served in the subduing of Hungary as a Lieutenant-General and hasmore important modernizing generals in the Imperial army.
He was married at age 21 to Caroline of Bavaria, daughter of the important Duke of Bavaria and most importantly, a grandaughter of French King Louis XV and thus, a cousin of the French royal family. His marriage served as a way to tackle the growing Franco-German rivalry in the continent while Germany, which was attempting to leave it's "European" clutches, faced off Britain in the Americas and over the sea. With his marriage, both he and his wife retired to Frankfurt for college before eventually Otto was installed as governor of the Rhineland so as to gain political experience. In the Rhineland, Otto grew his famous fascination with industry and class-reform, with the Rhineland rapidly industrializing under his tenure and commencing the industrial revolution in the Empire.
When his father died in 1808, the various problems that lingered beneath the opulence of power both Prussia and Austria, now finally united, possessed, surfaced. First of all was the religious division between the Empire, and the infighting between the Austrian and Prussian political elites. Second was the myriad of Princedoms subjected to Imperial authority but essentially, still stuck in the ancient Holy Roman Empire and it's archaic bureaucracy. Second, was a proper constitution for the Empire, who would organize the various provinces and streamline the governing of the various, diverse duchies and Kingdoms of the land. Thus, after two years of hard-work with politicians, military generals, history professors and the various princes of the Empire, the Ottonian Constitutition of Germany, similar but also very different from the French 1792 constitution, was installed.
- The Empire of Germany is a Federal state born from the Holy Roman Empire of the German Nation. The Electors of Germany are thus elevated to the ranks of Kings, representatives of their Kingdom-Region and first supporters of the Imperial House. A wide spread land-reform and union of principalities is to be done, re-arranging the internal borders of the Empire. Besides the "Princely" regions, Germany shall be divided into administrative regions, which shall be subject to the people they govern and the Imperial Diet and the Kaiser.
- The Imperial Capital shall be Frankfurt, ancient capital of the Holy Roman Empire. Vienna, Prague and Berlin shall remain as capitals of the Archduchy of Austria, the Kingdom of Bohemia and the Kingdom of Prussia, whose crown is held by the Emperor.
- A semi-Constitutional system is put in place, with an elected parliament with a princely and a elected chamber who shall serve in an advisory position to the Kaiser and his government.
- The Electorates of Saxony, Hannover and Bavaria are elevated to the rank of Kings, as their realm cover several administrative provinces.
How Germany should look like.
With Germany settled, Otto also focused on the domains he had outside Germany - such as the Habsburg hereditary lands in Italy and the Kingdoms of Galicia-Lodomeria, Hungary and Croatia. While Otto had personally believed that to surrender these crowns of his to family members would ease the tension in these lands, especially in Hungary, many amongst Germany's elites disagreed, hoping to build a pan-germanic Empire in the ashes of the Holy Roman one. Nonetheless, Otto also ordered reforms there, for he believed that peace and prosperity were the best ways to mantain his crowns. More important for Otto during these years were the various enemies Germany had made itself in it's rise - Britain in the North and the Ottomans in the south, who had inherited much of the old enmity the muslims held for the Ottomans. Thus, it is no surprise that Germany instead decided to make diplomatic manouevers with France and Russia, Europe's two other biggest land powers, over mediation and appeasament. With Russia, it was won with a promise of a joint invasion of the Ottoman Empire and support for Russia's expeditions into Persia, Manchuria and the Caucasus, while for France, it was done with the renunciation of claims over Alsace and support for France in the Belgian crisis of 1811, when France intervened in that land after pro-French catholic revolutions in the southern Netherlands, against the Protestant Dutch Republic, who was crushing the rebellion with British support.
On the global stage, the objectives of the man that would become known as the second "Stupor Mundi" would be the growth of the German Colonial Empire. German Texas had expanded inland, while the german navy had finally consolidated authority in California, allowing for a administrative -re-arragement of the colony. The opening of opportunities (combined with a massive demographic boom in Germany itself) saw the rapid expansion of German America during his reign, securing Germany's position in the American continent. In Africa, the conquests of Nigeria, the Congo, Tanzania and Kenya would start during Otto's reign, as Africa was the only continent on earth still relatively free of European influence.
Nonetheless, Otto's greatest achievement would be the German-Ottoman war of 1821-1824, where much of the Balkans were liberated from occupation. The vastly succesfull war saw Germany expand into Bosnia and secure the loyalty of the Danubian Principalities, while Montenegro and Serbia would be joined in a German-allied state. After the war, the german liberals would form a government and plan for the independence of the "Habsburg" Kingdoms, as close allies of Germany in a customs union and perpetual alliance. The Kingdom of Romania (Combining Moldova, Wallachia, the Dobruja and parts of Transylvania) was given to Otto's younger brother Francis Ferdinand, the Kingdom of Hungary was given to the Habsburg Palatinates, Galicia-Lodomeria was put under the rule of the Radziwills, polish nobles who had married into a minor branch of the Prussian royal family, while Bosnia, Dalmatia and Croatia were formed into a singular Kingdom of Illyria under Ferdinand of Hohenzollern-Singmaringen. Tuscany and Lombardy were given to other Habsburg and Gotha cousins of Otto. Thus, Otto's greatest achievement was the Danubian Entente - a economic, military and political coalition of countries such as Germany, the Kingdoms of Hungary, Romania, Illyria, Galicia and Serbia, the Republic of Venice and the Grand Duchies of Lombardy and Tuscany.
At the end of his reign, Germany had the world's second largest economy, and it kept growing, dominance over much of Central Europe and the Balkans and was secure in it's position as Europe's strongest army and power. At his death, Prince Dalberg, Germany's chancellor, addressed parliament and concluded his speech with "The departed Emperor Otto led a coalition of new nations into the world stage, secured Germany's future and enchanted the world for his long reign. He was truly the World's marvel." He was survived by his wife and seven children, being succeeded by his grandson, Otto.
[7] Otto Fredrick, named for his grandfather and great-grandfather was the son of the Crown Prince, Charles Sigsmund and his wife, Anna Pavlovna. The couple had three children. Unfortunately, Charles Sigsmund died during the German-Ottoman war of 1821 when Otto was only four. While his grandfather was off fighting, his mother Anna fought her own battle against Empress Caroline who wanted her grandchildren to come under her supervision. When Emperor Otto returned in 1824, he quickly took control, insisting the young Ott be brought to Frankfurt so he could begin his education as crown prince immediately. However, his younger siblings could stay with their mother. The Dowager Crown Princess was unhappy, but she knew she could not refuse the emperor. When it came time to go, Anna hugged Otto so tightly, he had to be pried from her arms.
Despite the heartache, Otto thrived in Frankfurt. His grandparents were strict but allowed him certain amounts of freedom, like allowing him to walk the streets of Frankfurt (accompanied of course by two bodyguards and his governess). There could be no denying that Otto looked up to his grandfather, seeing him as a larger than life figure. The young boy would listen for hours as his grandfather regaled with tales of his battles. There is one popular story where Ott asked to accompany his grandfather to a session of parliament. When reminded that he had his lessons, Ott said, "I can learn more about ruling from you than all my tutors put together".
Ott was only seventeen when his grandfather died. He was headstrong and eager to prove himself. He doesn't have long to wait as Britain, Spain,Italy, Portugal, and France are disturbed by Germany's continued growth. They fear that the hot blooded young emperor might think himself another Alexander the Great and try to conquer the rest of Europe. So naturally, they decide to attack first.
Emperor Otto was fully prepared to fight against the alliance agianst him. However, he was not so hothead to realize that he needed allies. He reached out to Norway, Sweden, Denmark, and Russia. He arranged a marriage between himself and Princess Olga of Sweden. Unfortunetly, he would not live to see his wedding day.
In 1840, Otto was in the Netherlands, sieging Antwerp. He was giving a speech to his troops when someone fired a shot from the city's walls. Despite being rushed to the medical tent, Otto died of his wounds. He was succeeded by his brother Albert Waldemar
[8] Born as the second son and youngest child of the crown prince Charles Sigismund, Albert was never expected to become Emperor. Yet in 1840 at the age of 20, Albert was thrust not only onto the throne, but into the middle of Europe's largest conflict in decades. The young emperor's first step was to ensure his alliances in the coming struggle. Instead of continuing with his brothers betrothal to princess Olga, Albert married his 2nd cousin Countess Natalya Ilynichna to secure the russian alliance, and betrothed his elder sister Maria to the Norwegian Crown Prince Haakon.
With his flanks secured Emperor Albert set his full focus on the utter destruction of his Empire's enemies. The task would not be a simple one, while Germany & its Russian allies were the largest nations on the continent, they were stretched thin across the whole of Europe. The decision was made by the Grosser Generalstab to target the weakest links of the alliance arrayed against Germany. A combined Russo-German force under Field Marshalls von Beck & Lieutenant General Agalarov launched a mass invasion of the Italian Peninsula. Within 6 months italian resistance collapsed. Meanwhile the combined German, Russian, Swedish & Norwegian fleets dealt a devastating defeat to the combined Franco-British fleet at the battle of Heligoland Bight. Spain signed a final peace with germany after colonial troops from Texas & Kalifornien invaded the last remnants of the spanish empire, liberating an independent Mexican Empire under Albert's cousin Maximilian.
The campaign against France, Britain & Portugal would be one of the bloodiest since the Thirty years war. For five years Germano-Russian armies would trade blows in the Rhineland, Alsace, & Belgium while the navies of both powers dueled on the high seas. Eventually, after a massive offensive by the Germans out of Belgium towards Paris totaling two million men in all, the King of France surrendered to Emperor Albert and handed over alsace & her north african colonies. With all her continental allies besides portugal defeated, britain signed the "Peace with Honour" allowing britain to retain her colonies in exchange for an agreement to stay out of continental affairs.
With the war begun to destroy his brother won, Albert was hailed as the greatest ruler in European hsitory for a time. Albert dedicated the rest of his reign to ensuring the European peace he secured. Under the watchful eye of the Old Protector Europe prospered, with the industrial revolution centered on germany sweeping the continent. During Albert II's 66 year reign europe saw a new era of progress with the first fully steam powered ships, the development of heavier than air powered flight in 1902 by Otto Lilienthal, & unprecedented economic growth. Albert displayed his diplomatic prowess by negotiating a series of treaties for the peacful annexation of africa & the diffusing of tensions between Russia & the ottoman empire in the 1870's
But when Albert finally passed in 1906, he left a continent festering with old wounds only kept in check by his presence & Germany's military might. Yet without a proper war in sixty years, was Germany ready for what would face Albert's heir, his grandson Sigismund.
[9] Born to Prince Frederick Ferdinand and his wife, Princess Mathilda of Denmark, Sigismund was from a young age raised for Emperorship and the matters of the state - being a famously precocious boy, who, despite the strict surroundings and tacticts of his family, shined through. When his father died of lung cancer in 1899 and his grandfather in 1906, a fourteen year old Sigismund was placed on the German throne. While his uncle Prince Oskar took the regency, Sigismund entered highschool and college, intent on following the family tradition of having a degree and serving in the army. Nonetheless, the principal part of Sigismund's regency was the Parliamentary crisis of 1907-1908. Chancellor von Brun, an aristocrat with various liberal (and even socialistic leanings), a firm believer in liberal democracy in the British fashion, recognized the underage Emperor for what it was - a true chance to bring full democracy to Germany before an Emperor had the authority to protest it and veto it. Von Brun's political establishment would famously release secret records of Prince Oskar during his governorship of Nigeria, where the Prince, unmarried , had secretly falling in love with a African maid serving in his household and had three children secretly with her. This relationship would see Prince Oskar's political career evaporate in days, with the Chancellor posthumously refusing to appoint a new regent, putting the Emperor under the guardianship of the government and parliament.
Picture of Emperor Sigismund in 1927.
When Sigismund reached the age of 21, and thus, legal adulthood, it was not to the surprise of many that Sigismund directly challenged the changes made to the Constitution during his regency, as well as his personal friction with Chancellor Brun over the callous and cruel release of his favourite uncle's secrets. To come to a solution, Sigismund ordered that the people vote in a referendum - keep the semi-constitutional monarchy under the leadership of the Emperor, or give primacy to the parliament and the government. The Emperor and his young wife, Princess Sophie of France, would travel throughout the Empire (Texas and Kalifornien as well) presenting their case to the people, with the Emperor's young, vigorous, charming personality winning many over. Despite the industrialists support for the liberals, the referendum would be a crushing 72% victory in favour of the Imperial cause, with Chancellor Brun handing his resignation to Sigismund the very next day.
With his personal rule reinforced, Sigismund would start a cult of personality, akin to religious saints and heavily dependent on propaganda (Sigismund was, to the ease of the German government, both the face of the state and the most popular figure in the Empire), allying himself with the lower classes, aristocracy and lower middle class against the growing political parties of Germany, liberals and industrialists, shaping European politics for a generation. A stern autocrat with a penchant for moderation, Sigismund heavily cracked down on extremist ideologies during his reign, from fascists to socialists. His personal reign over Germany saw Germany proper reach a hundred million inhabitants, with Kalifornien and Texas integrated into the Federal system at his behest, adding 37 million more "Ultramarine Germans". His reign, which saw the formation of the European Entente and the European Economic Organization, with solidified Russia as an ally and reconciled with France, leading to a joint Franco-German-Russian axis over Europe which led to the "European Golden Age". Outside the frontiers of Germany proper, Germany and Russia would negotiate the independence of Poland which joined Russian Congress Poland with the Danubian Kingdom of Galicia, with the Radziwills becoming Kings of Poland. The "Euro-Ottoman War of 1914-1916" saw the final expulsion of the Ottomans from Europe, the final settlement of the Balkan frontiers, the formation of Megali Greece and the formation of the Arab Caliphate, a close European ally, in the levant.
At the colonial level, Emperor Sigismund would be a projector of settler colonialism in Africa and European continent. With Europe aligned under a single goal (Minus Great Britain), millions of Europeans would immigrate to Africa, with German Namibia and Kenya becoming majority ethnic european during his reign, with millions of others living in Tanzania, the Congo and Nigeria, and even other European powers, such as Italy, Portugal and France. This starked legacy of racism and colonialism in Africa has tarnished, in the eyes of some, Sigismund's legacy, while democrats and liberals through the world commonly claim Sigismund destroyed German democracy. Nonetheless, Sigismund would rule Germany until his death, remaining highly popular. Germany would discover the atomic bomb in 1936 and begin a space program in 1941, all at Sigismund's wishes. A prospector of "Manisfeting's mankind destiny over the stars", the European space powers (France, Germany, Russia, Italy and Spain) would form joint missions to Space.
Sigismund would die of lung cancer as his father did in 1948, leaving behind the world's first great power and a united European continent. He was succeeded by his son, Fredrick.
[10] Born in 1919, Fredrick was his parents' third son. His eldest brother, Sigsmund died when he was twelve of leukemia. His second brother, Albert was thankfully healthier. With both his brothers dominating the newspapers (even after Sigsmund's death), Fredrick was often only seen as an afterthought. He studied abroad at Oxford and then enrolled in the armed forces, serving a tour in the Middle East. He returned for his brother's wedding to Princess Cecily of England. Then tragedy struck in 1947 when Albert and Cecily, who was five months pregnant during the time, got into a fatal car crash. It was a devastating blow to the entire family, loosing three people in one fell swoop.
Fredrick barely had any time to process suddenly becoming heir as his father's health worsened by the death of his son and seven months later, Emperor Sigsmund passed away as well. Out of respect, Fredrick commanded that a year should pass before he be coronated. In the meantime, he relied on his father's advisors to guide him with statecraft as he found himself woefully unprepared. As he put it, I was taught to be an officer and a gentleman, not an emperor. Thankfully, most of his duties were ceremonial in nature and Fredrick could focus on charitable pursuits instead.
The new emperor would fund research into diseases such as leukemia, founding a children's hospital in his eldest brother's name. He also would dedicate several charities in Albert and Cecily's name, wanting to honor those who had been taken too soon. He did express an avid interest in furthering the space program, admitting that had it not been for the tragic passing of his brother, he would have tried to pursue being an astronaut.
As years passed, Fredrick managed to grow into his rule as leader. Oddly because of his lack of preparation, he was able to go with the flow of the changing society. He also was much more involved with the people, doing several radio and then eventually TV interviews.
He passed away at age eighty-three in his sleep. His son William I Waldemar succeeded him.
In insisting Margaret become his wife, William met many an objection, not the least of them Margaret's blindness and Roman Catholic faith. However, the couple's love overcame all boundaries, and they celebrated their Golden Wedding Anniversary two years ago. Margaret still practices her own faith in private, but their four surviving children, including the heir to the throne, Prince Joachim Sigismund, have been raised in their father's Lutheran faith.
Emperor William has continued many of his father's patronages, but the cause closest to his heart is the eradication of polio, as his youngest daughter, Princess Liselotte, was crippled by the disease at the age of three in 1988, after catching it during a royal tour of Tanzania. The Princess's Trust for Polio, set up in 1998, ten years after Liselotte caught the disease, is due to celebrate its twenty-fifth anniversary this year.
His Imperial Majesty is now in his eighties and there are rumours that he plans to abdicate soon, in favour of Prince Joachim and his wife, the Princess Madeleine of Sweden, but Frankfurt has yet to confirm anything in that direction.
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Hang on, that's my privilege for finishing the last one! I'm just writing up a new post as we speak!
I would strongly encourage you to read the rules in the opening post, because this isn't even the first time you've made the same slip up.
What if the Revolt of 1173-1174 was Successful?
King of England, Duke of Normandy and Count of Anjou
1154-1174: Henry II
1170-1183: Henry III [1]
[1] Crowned in 1170 to secure the Succession in his father's lifetime, as per the old Frankish tradition, Henry III of England was tall and handsome, with merry blue eyes, pale, freckled skin and a thick mop of his father's red-gold hair. Married as a young child to Princess Margaret of France, Henry was charming and popular, a keen and celebrated jouster.
Unfortunately, the Young King's skill on the tourney field did not translate to his being a skilled battle commander, and, although he succeeded in overthrowing his father in 1174, a year after Henry II tried to enfeoff Henry III's youngest brother, John, with three castles that Henry rightfully considered his, this success came at the cost of losing much of his country. William the Lion, King of Scots, who captured Henry II at the battle of Alnwick, claimed both Northumberland and the Honour of Lancaster as his prize for helping Henry overthrow his father, while Henry's greatest general, his younger brother Richard, was given hereditary rule of the Duchy of Aquitaine alongside their mother, Eleanor, and married to Dulce of Barcelona to secure his southern border.
Despite this loss of lands, however, Henry's early rule was peaceful enough. His wife, Margaret, gave birth to their first child in 1177, a boy named William, and while the young Prince died at just three days old, he was soon followed by three younger siblings
However, by 1182, Henry was beginning to worry about his brother. By then, Richard had two healthy sons, and, whether realistically or not, Henry III feared that Richard would one day seek to install his children in England or Normandy, just as their father had once tried to do with John, who was by this point Archdeacon of Oxford and promised the next vacant Bishopric, whichever that would be.
It was likely just paranoia, but, determined to secure what remained of his realm for his heir, Henry III led a force into his brother's Duchy, only to catch dysentery and die whilst besieging Angouleme on the 7th of June 1183.
He would be succeeded by _____________________________________
King of England, Duke of Normandy and Count of Anjou
1154-1174: Henry II
1170-1183: Henry III [1]
[1] Crowned in 1170 to secure the Succession in his father's lifetime, as per the old Frankish tradition, Henry III of England was tall and handsome, with merry blue eyes, pale, freckled skin and a thick mop of his father's red-gold hair. Married as a young child to Princess Margaret of France, Henry was charming and popular, a keen and celebrated jouster.
Unfortunately, the Young King's skill on the tourney field did not translate to his being a skilled battle commander, and, although he succeeded in overthrowing his father in 1174, a year after Henry II tried to enfeoff Henry III's youngest brother, John, with three castles that Henry rightfully considered his, this success came at the cost of losing much of his country. William the Lion, King of Scots, who captured Henry II at the battle of Alnwick, claimed both Northumberland and the Honour of Lancaster as his prize for helping Henry overthrow his father, while Henry's greatest general, his younger brother Richard, was given hereditary rule of the Duchy of Aquitaine alongside their mother, Eleanor, and married to Dulce of Barcelona to secure his southern border.
Despite this loss of lands, however, Henry's early rule was peaceful enough. His wife, Margaret, gave birth to their first child in 1177, a boy named William, and while the young Prince died at just three days old, he was soon followed by three younger siblings
However, by 1182, Henry was beginning to worry about his brother. By then, Richard had two healthy sons, and, whether realistically or not, Henry III feared that Richard would one day seek to install his children in England or Normandy, just as their father had once tried to do with John, who was by this point Archdeacon of Oxford and promised the next vacant Bishopric, whichever that would be.
It was likely just paranoia, but, determined to secure what remained of his realm for his heir, Henry III led a force into his brother's Duchy, only to catch dysentery and die whilst besieging Angouleme on the 7th of June 1183.
He would be succeeded by _____________________________________
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What if the Revolt of 1173-1174 was Successful?
King of England, Duke of Normandy and Count of Anjou
1154-1174: Henry II
1170-1183: Henry III [1]
1183-1201: Geoffrey [2]
[1] Crowned in 1170 to secure the Succession in his father's lifetime, as per the old Frankish tradition, Henry III of England was tall and handsome, with merry blue eyes, pale, freckled skin and a thick mop of his father's red-gold hair. Married as a young child to Princess Margaret of France, Henry was charming and popular, a keen and celebrated jouster.
Unfortunately, the Young King's skill on the tourney field did not translate to his being a skilled battle commander, and, although he succeeded in overthrowing his father in 1174, a year after Henry II tried to enfeoff Henry III's youngest brother, John, with three castles that Henry rightfully considered his, this success came at the cost of losing much of his country. William the Lion, King of Scots, who captured Henry II at the battle of Alnwick, claimed both Northumberland and the Honour of Lancaster as his prize for helping Henry overthrow his father, while Henry's greatest general, his younger brother Richard, was given hereditary rule of the Duchy of Aquitaine alongside their mother, Eleanor, and married to Dulce of Barcelona to secure his southern border.
Despite this loss of lands, however, Henry's early rule was peaceful enough. His wife, Margaret, gave birth to their first child in 1177, a boy named William, and while the young Prince died at just three days old, he was soon followed by three younger siblings
However, by 1182, Henry was beginning to worry about his brother. By then, Richard had two healthy sons, and, whether realistically or not, Henry III feared that Richard would one day seek to install his children in England or Normandy, just as their father had once tried to do with John, who was by this point Archdeacon of Oxford and promised the next vacant Bishopric, whichever that would be.
It was likely just paranoia, but, determined to secure what remained of his realm for his heir, Henry III led a force into his brother's Duchy, only to catch dysentery and die whilst besieging Angouleme on the 7th of June 1183.
He would be succeeded by his son, Geoffrey
[2] Geoffrey was born as the second child and the eldest surviving son of Henry II and Margaret of France in 1179. Which meant that when his father died of dysentery in Angouleme in 1183, Geoffrey was made King aged four. His mother, Margaret, though Dowager Queen, and a mother of two other children under two, was much more useful to England as part of a marriage contract and she was married off to Bela on Hungary by her brother-in-law, John, by 1889 with her two youngest children placed into the care of their grandmother, Eleanor of Aquitaine. John had been due to be appointed to a Bishopric but received permission from the Archbishop of Canterbury to exercise his familial duties before returning to the church. But the Regency would be due to last until at least 1195 when King Geoffrey would turn sixteen. By then, John had betrothed his nephew to Jutta of Baden, daughter of Margrave Hermann IV of Baden, and the two would marry after Geoffrey turned sixteen.
John had manipulated his nephew into retaining him as a trusted advisor, and had convinced him he could not do so alone. Jutta saw through John, and after she had birthed Geoffrey two sons, she met a mysterious end, with John being implicated in her death in court gossip. Geoffrey himself would live only a couple of years longer than his wife, dying I'm 1201 at the age of 22. He would be succeeded by ...
King of England, Duke of Normandy and Count of Anjou
1154-1174: Henry II
1170-1183: Henry III [1]
1183-1201: Geoffrey [2]
[1] Crowned in 1170 to secure the Succession in his father's lifetime, as per the old Frankish tradition, Henry III of England was tall and handsome, with merry blue eyes, pale, freckled skin and a thick mop of his father's red-gold hair. Married as a young child to Princess Margaret of France, Henry was charming and popular, a keen and celebrated jouster.
Unfortunately, the Young King's skill on the tourney field did not translate to his being a skilled battle commander, and, although he succeeded in overthrowing his father in 1174, a year after Henry II tried to enfeoff Henry III's youngest brother, John, with three castles that Henry rightfully considered his, this success came at the cost of losing much of his country. William the Lion, King of Scots, who captured Henry II at the battle of Alnwick, claimed both Northumberland and the Honour of Lancaster as his prize for helping Henry overthrow his father, while Henry's greatest general, his younger brother Richard, was given hereditary rule of the Duchy of Aquitaine alongside their mother, Eleanor, and married to Dulce of Barcelona to secure his southern border.
Despite this loss of lands, however, Henry's early rule was peaceful enough. His wife, Margaret, gave birth to their first child in 1177, a boy named William, and while the young Prince died at just three days old, he was soon followed by three younger siblings
However, by 1182, Henry was beginning to worry about his brother. By then, Richard had two healthy sons, and, whether realistically or not, Henry III feared that Richard would one day seek to install his children in England or Normandy, just as their father had once tried to do with John, who was by this point Archdeacon of Oxford and promised the next vacant Bishopric, whichever that would be.
It was likely just paranoia, but, determined to secure what remained of his realm for his heir, Henry III led a force into his brother's Duchy, only to catch dysentery and die whilst besieging Angouleme on the 7th of June 1183.
He would be succeeded by his son, Geoffrey
[2] Geoffrey was born as the second child and the eldest surviving son of Henry II and Margaret of France in 1179. Which meant that when his father died of dysentery in Angouleme in 1183, Geoffrey was made King aged four. His mother, Margaret, though Dowager Queen, and a mother of two other children under two, was much more useful to England as part of a marriage contract and she was married off to Bela on Hungary by her brother-in-law, John, by 1889 with her two youngest children placed into the care of their grandmother, Eleanor of Aquitaine. John had been due to be appointed to a Bishopric but received permission from the Archbishop of Canterbury to exercise his familial duties before returning to the church. But the Regency would be due to last until at least 1195 when King Geoffrey would turn sixteen. By then, John had betrothed his nephew to Jutta of Baden, daughter of Margrave Hermann IV of Baden, and the two would marry after Geoffrey turned sixteen.
John had manipulated his nephew into retaining him as a trusted advisor, and had convinced him he could not do so alone. Jutta saw through John, and after she had birthed Geoffrey two sons, she met a mysterious end, with John being implicated in her death in court gossip. Geoffrey himself would live only a couple of years longer than his wife, dying I'm 1201 at the age of 22. He would be succeeded by ...
What if the Revolt of 1173-1174 was Successful?
King of England, Duke of Normandy and Count of Anjou
1154-1174: Henry II
1170-1183: Henry III [1]
1183-1201: Geoffrey [2]
1201-1247: Henry IV [3]
[3]
The youngest child of Henry II and Margaret of France, Henry III, was born in 1182. As his brother’s heir, Henry’s childhood was a fertile battleground for the struggle between his uncle John, and mother Margareat. He grew to be quite mercurial and disinclined to hard work. At 14, Henry was wed to the 19-year-old English heiress Beatrice de Mandeville, Countess of Gloucester.* This was one of his mother’s victories, as Beatrice’s father Geoffrey was one of John’s most ardent opponents.
While Henry started in awe of his beautiful older bride, he soon came to resent what he saw as her condensation. In 1199, after the birth of their second child, Henry left her at their lands in Gloucester and came to court where he ended up in the influence of his uncle John. (His mother had the tendency to upbraid him for abandoning his wife and sleeping around; during the next two years he would sire three bastards) John grew quite fond of his nephew, and invited him into his inner circle.
In 1201, a winter chill swept England, with both the King and his two sons falling ill. The elder son died first, shortly followed by his father the King. This left the inheritance split between a very ill toddler, and a healthy, decently popular (he wouldn’t win an award but he didn’t have the enemies John had) adult. Needless to say, Henry was quickly crowned King.
Henry and Beatrice would reconcile (there’s nothing quite like a crown to motivate you to put up with your husband’s immaturities) and had three more children over the next 10 years.
John continued to wield much influence in England, and England did benefit from his administration. But as Henry aged and matured, he settled and learn to work, taking more and more choices into his own hands. This triggered a break in Henry and John’s relationship, and in 1215 the both accused the other of being responsible for the death of Geoffrey I. John would take custody of Geoffrey’s surviving son, also named Henry, and many believed John wished to dethrone Henry IV and crown another Young King named Henry. But, young Henry never quite recovered from his earlier bought of sickness, and that winter sickened and died. Henry IV was quick to hold this up as evidence of John’s guilt and issue a warrant for his arrest. John would die resisting arrest.
In 1224, Queen Beatrice would pass a way from what was likely cancer, and Henry remarried to the beautiful Beatrice of Savoy. (Now known to history as “the Other Queen Beatrice”) They would go on to have six children. Henry was an attentive father to all his children, ensuring all his sons received titles and all his daughters married well, irregardless if they were the children of Beatrice de Mandeville, Beatrice of Savoy, or his bastards. (He sired two more between the first Queen Beatrice’s death and his remarriage to the Other Queen Beatrice)
The last two decades of Henry’s reign were very quiet, and in 1244, Henry passed away and was succeeded by ...
*ALT daughter of Isabella, Countess of Gloucester and Geoffrey de Mandeville, 2nd Earl of Essex
King of England, Duke of Normandy and Count of Anjou
1154-1174: Henry II
1170-1183: Henry III [1]
1183-1201: Geoffrey [2]
1201-1247: Henry IV [3]
[3]
The youngest child of Henry II and Margaret of France, Henry III, was born in 1182. As his brother’s heir, Henry’s childhood was a fertile battleground for the struggle between his uncle John, and mother Margareat. He grew to be quite mercurial and disinclined to hard work. At 14, Henry was wed to the 19-year-old English heiress Beatrice de Mandeville, Countess of Gloucester.* This was one of his mother’s victories, as Beatrice’s father Geoffrey was one of John’s most ardent opponents.
While Henry started in awe of his beautiful older bride, he soon came to resent what he saw as her condensation. In 1199, after the birth of their second child, Henry left her at their lands in Gloucester and came to court where he ended up in the influence of his uncle John. (His mother had the tendency to upbraid him for abandoning his wife and sleeping around; during the next two years he would sire three bastards) John grew quite fond of his nephew, and invited him into his inner circle.
In 1201, a winter chill swept England, with both the King and his two sons falling ill. The elder son died first, shortly followed by his father the King. This left the inheritance split between a very ill toddler, and a healthy, decently popular (he wouldn’t win an award but he didn’t have the enemies John had) adult. Needless to say, Henry was quickly crowned King.
Henry and Beatrice would reconcile (there’s nothing quite like a crown to motivate you to put up with your husband’s immaturities) and had three more children over the next 10 years.
John continued to wield much influence in England, and England did benefit from his administration. But as Henry aged and matured, he settled and learn to work, taking more and more choices into his own hands. This triggered a break in Henry and John’s relationship, and in 1215 the both accused the other of being responsible for the death of Geoffrey I. John would take custody of Geoffrey’s surviving son, also named Henry, and many believed John wished to dethrone Henry IV and crown another Young King named Henry. But, young Henry never quite recovered from his earlier bought of sickness, and that winter sickened and died. Henry IV was quick to hold this up as evidence of John’s guilt and issue a warrant for his arrest. John would die resisting arrest.
In 1224, Queen Beatrice would pass a way from what was likely cancer, and Henry remarried to the beautiful Beatrice of Savoy. (Now known to history as “the Other Queen Beatrice”) They would go on to have six children. Henry was an attentive father to all his children, ensuring all his sons received titles and all his daughters married well, irregardless if they were the children of Beatrice de Mandeville, Beatrice of Savoy, or his bastards. (He sired two more between the first Queen Beatrice’s death and his remarriage to the Other Queen Beatrice)
The last two decades of Henry’s reign were very quiet, and in 1244, Henry passed away and was succeeded by ...
*ALT daughter of Isabella, Countess of Gloucester and Geoffrey de Mandeville, 2nd Earl of Essex
What if the Revolt of 1173-1174 was Successful?
King of England, Duke of Normandy and Count of Anjou
1154-1174: Henry II
1170-1183: Henry III [1]
1183-1201: Geoffrey [2]
1201-1247: Henry IV [3]
1247-1271: Thomas I [4]
[4] Having buried two sons, Henry, the Young King and Geoffrey of Winchester, Henry IV wanted a fresh name for his new son, the name chosen was Thomas, in honour of Beatrice of Savoy’s father as well as Saint Thomas of Canterbury.
Born in 1229, he was the pairs first son, but third child behind, Princess Eleanor and Princess Beatrice. His birth was celebrated as a sign from God, that the new family blessed.
When he wasn’t being tutored by the Bishop of London, given military training or taught to ride, Thomas, was seated beside his father during royal court, the bond these men shared that hadn’t been seen in England for many centuries.
In his father’s later years, Thomas enjoyed the peaceful court life.
He had hoped to find a bride before his father’s death, looking to Scotland and France for a match, however his father would pass away before Thomas had chosen, to take the hand of Ada of Holland (1232–1287) daughter of Floris IV, Count of Holland and Matilda of Brabant, as well as being a sister of William II, Count of Holland and King of Germany.
Thomas would use this marriage to secure a strong trade route between England and the Continent, by avoiding France. The marriage would also provide Thomas with seven children.
In 1249, Louis IX of France attempted to expanded his territory by annexing the English held lands in France, expecting the young, peaceful king to not want to wage war, however he was wrong.
Thomas would quickly raise an army, transported across the English Channel by the trader ships, to put down the illplanned sieges in a rapid sequences.
This war would also see Louis lose his two eldest sons, Philip of Poissy and John Tristan, for which caused Louis signing a defeated Treaty, and his new heir Peter, married to Thomas’s daughter.
Returning to England a victor, in 1259, having spent time in his French securing his castles and holdings, Thomas would find a prosperous economy through trade, taxes and the repatriation money, Thomas having imposed large indemnities on the treaty to France.
Thomas would arrange for the money to be used in restoring harbours, creating a royal naval base in London and Dover, as well as investing in new royal charters in areas such as agriculture, infrastructure and mining.
In 1267, to celebrate a great financial year as well as twenty years on the throne, Thomas hosed a feast and jousting tournament. During one of the games, Thomas was unseated from his horse, luckily his head was spared however he landed in such a way that left him with the loss of motion, feeling, and function of his lower half, for the rest of his remaining years.
Having no ability to walk, he would have a select few men around, whom were charged with discreetly carrying him from one room to the next, the room would be empty allowing him to be seating in a regal position ready to receive his guests. Although there were people who knew what was going on, they kept the secret to care for their much loved king.
His death in 1271, came with great sadness. He was succeeded by his _________, __________.
King of England, Duke of Normandy and Count of Anjou
1154-1174: Henry II
1170-1183: Henry III [1]
1183-1201: Geoffrey [2]
1201-1247: Henry IV [3]
1247-1271: Thomas I [4]
[1] Crowned in 1170 to secure the Succession in his father's lifetime, as per the old Frankish tradition, Henry III of England was tall and handsome, with merry blue eyes, pale, freckled skin and a thick mop of his father's red-gold hair. Married as a young child to Princess Margaret of France, Henry was charming and popular, a keen and celebrated jouster.
Unfortunately, the Young King's skill on the tourney field did not translate to his being a skilled battle commander, and, although he succeeded in overthrowing his father in 1174, a year after Henry II tried to enfeoff Henry III's youngest brother, John, with three castles that Henry rightfully considered his, this success came at the cost of losing much of his country. William the Lion, King of Scots, who captured Henry II at the battle of Alnwick, claimed both Northumberland and the Honour of Lancaster as his prize for helping Henry overthrow his father, while Henry's greatest general, his younger brother Richard, was given hereditary rule of the Duchy of Aquitaine alongside their mother, Eleanor, and married to Dulce of Barcelona to secure his southern border.
Despite this loss of lands, however, Henry's early rule was peaceful enough. His wife, Margaret, gave birth to their first child in 1177, a boy named William, and while the young Prince died at just three days old, he was soon followed by three younger siblings
However, by 1182, Henry was beginning to worry about his brother. By then, Richard had two healthy sons, and, whether realistically or not, Henry III feared that Richard would one day seek to install his children in England or Normandy, just as their father had once tried to do with John, who was by this point Archdeacon of Oxford and promised the next vacant Bishopric, whichever that would be.
It was likely just paranoia, but, determined to secure what remained of his realm for his heir, Henry III led a force into his brother's Duchy, only to catch dysentery and die whilst besieging Angouleme on the 7th of June 1183.
He would be succeeded by his son, Geoffrey.
[2] Geoffrey was born as the second child and the eldest surviving son of Henry II and Margaret of France in 1179. Which meant that when his father died of dysentery in Angouleme in 1183, Geoffrey was made King aged four. His mother, Margaret, though Dowager Queen, and a mother of two other children under two, was much more useful to England as part of a marriage contract and she was married off to Bela on Hungary by her brother-in-law, John, by 1889 with her two youngest children placed into the care of their grandmother, Eleanor of Aquitaine. John had been due to be appointed to a Bishopric but received permission from the Archbishop of Canterbury to exercise his familial duties before returning to the church. But the Regency would be due to last until at least 1195 when King Geoffrey would turn sixteen. By then, John had betrothed his nephew to Jutta of Baden, daughter of Margrave Hermann IV of Baden, and the two would marry after Geoffrey turned sixteen.
John had manipulated his nephew into retaining him as a trusted advisor, and had convinced him he could not do so alone. Jutta saw through John, and after she had birthed Geoffrey two sons, she met a mysterious end, with John being implicated in her death in court gossip. Geoffrey himself would live only a couple of years longer than his wife, dying I'm 1201 at the age of 22. He would be succeeded by his brother, Henry.
[3] The youngest child of Henry II and Margaret of France, Henry III, was born in 1182. As his brother’s heir, Henry’s childhood was a fertile battleground for the struggle between his uncle John, and mother Margareat. He grew to be quite mercurial and disinclined to hard work. At 14, Henry was wed to the 19-year-old English heiress Beatrice de Mandeville, Countess of Gloucester.* (*ALT daughter of Isabella, Countess of Gloucester and Geoffrey de Mandeville, 2nd Earl of Essex) This was one of his mother’s victories, as Beatrice’s father Geoffrey was one of John’s most ardent opponents.
While Henry started in awe of his beautiful older bride, he soon came to resent what he saw as her condensation. In 1199, after the birth of their second child, Henry left her at their lands in Gloucester and came to court where he ended up in the influence of his uncle John. (His mother had the tendency to upbraid him for abandoning his wife and sleeping around; during the next two years he would sire three bastards) John grew quite fond of his nephew, and invited him into his inner circle.
In 1201, a winter chill swept England, with both the King and his two sons falling ill. The elder son died first, shortly followed by his father the King. This left the inheritance split between a very ill toddler, and a healthy, decently popular (he wouldn’t win an award but he didn’t have the enemies John had) adult. Needless to say, Henry was quickly crowned King.
Henry and Beatrice would reconcile (there’s nothing quite like a crown to motivate you to put up with your husband’s immaturities) and had three more children over the next 10 years.
John continued to wield much influence in England, and England did benefit from his administration. But as Henry aged and matured, he settled and learn to work, taking more and more choices into his own hands. This triggered a break in Henry and John’s relationship, and in 1215 the both accused the other of being responsible for the death of Geoffrey I. John would take custody of Geoffrey’s surviving son, also named Henry, and many believed John wished to dethrone Henry IV and crown another Young King named Henry. But, young Henry never quite recovered from his earlier bought of sickness, and that winter sickened and died. Henry IV was quick to hold this up as evidence of John’s guilt and issue a warrant for his arrest. John would die resisting arrest.
In 1224, Queen Beatrice would pass a way from what was likely cancer, and Henry remarried to the beautiful Beatrice of Savoy. (Now known to history as “the Other Queen Beatrice”) They would go on to have six children. Henry was an attentive father to all his children, ensuring all his sons received titles and all his daughters married well, irregardless if they were the children of Beatrice de Mandeville, Beatrice of Savoy, or his bastards. (He sired two more between the first Queen Beatrice’s death and his remarriage to the Other Queen Beatrice)
The last two decades of Henry’s reign were very quiet, and in 1244, Henry passed away and was succeeded by his son, Thomas.
Unfortunately, the Young King's skill on the tourney field did not translate to his being a skilled battle commander, and, although he succeeded in overthrowing his father in 1174, a year after Henry II tried to enfeoff Henry III's youngest brother, John, with three castles that Henry rightfully considered his, this success came at the cost of losing much of his country. William the Lion, King of Scots, who captured Henry II at the battle of Alnwick, claimed both Northumberland and the Honour of Lancaster as his prize for helping Henry overthrow his father, while Henry's greatest general, his younger brother Richard, was given hereditary rule of the Duchy of Aquitaine alongside their mother, Eleanor, and married to Dulce of Barcelona to secure his southern border.
Despite this loss of lands, however, Henry's early rule was peaceful enough. His wife, Margaret, gave birth to their first child in 1177, a boy named William, and while the young Prince died at just three days old, he was soon followed by three younger siblings
However, by 1182, Henry was beginning to worry about his brother. By then, Richard had two healthy sons, and, whether realistically or not, Henry III feared that Richard would one day seek to install his children in England or Normandy, just as their father had once tried to do with John, who was by this point Archdeacon of Oxford and promised the next vacant Bishopric, whichever that would be.
It was likely just paranoia, but, determined to secure what remained of his realm for his heir, Henry III led a force into his brother's Duchy, only to catch dysentery and die whilst besieging Angouleme on the 7th of June 1183.
He would be succeeded by his son, Geoffrey.
[2] Geoffrey was born as the second child and the eldest surviving son of Henry II and Margaret of France in 1179. Which meant that when his father died of dysentery in Angouleme in 1183, Geoffrey was made King aged four. His mother, Margaret, though Dowager Queen, and a mother of two other children under two, was much more useful to England as part of a marriage contract and she was married off to Bela on Hungary by her brother-in-law, John, by 1889 with her two youngest children placed into the care of their grandmother, Eleanor of Aquitaine. John had been due to be appointed to a Bishopric but received permission from the Archbishop of Canterbury to exercise his familial duties before returning to the church. But the Regency would be due to last until at least 1195 when King Geoffrey would turn sixteen. By then, John had betrothed his nephew to Jutta of Baden, daughter of Margrave Hermann IV of Baden, and the two would marry after Geoffrey turned sixteen.
John had manipulated his nephew into retaining him as a trusted advisor, and had convinced him he could not do so alone. Jutta saw through John, and after she had birthed Geoffrey two sons, she met a mysterious end, with John being implicated in her death in court gossip. Geoffrey himself would live only a couple of years longer than his wife, dying I'm 1201 at the age of 22. He would be succeeded by his brother, Henry.
[3] The youngest child of Henry II and Margaret of France, Henry III, was born in 1182. As his brother’s heir, Henry’s childhood was a fertile battleground for the struggle between his uncle John, and mother Margareat. He grew to be quite mercurial and disinclined to hard work. At 14, Henry was wed to the 19-year-old English heiress Beatrice de Mandeville, Countess of Gloucester.* (*ALT daughter of Isabella, Countess of Gloucester and Geoffrey de Mandeville, 2nd Earl of Essex) This was one of his mother’s victories, as Beatrice’s father Geoffrey was one of John’s most ardent opponents.
While Henry started in awe of his beautiful older bride, he soon came to resent what he saw as her condensation. In 1199, after the birth of their second child, Henry left her at their lands in Gloucester and came to court where he ended up in the influence of his uncle John. (His mother had the tendency to upbraid him for abandoning his wife and sleeping around; during the next two years he would sire three bastards) John grew quite fond of his nephew, and invited him into his inner circle.
In 1201, a winter chill swept England, with both the King and his two sons falling ill. The elder son died first, shortly followed by his father the King. This left the inheritance split between a very ill toddler, and a healthy, decently popular (he wouldn’t win an award but he didn’t have the enemies John had) adult. Needless to say, Henry was quickly crowned King.
Henry and Beatrice would reconcile (there’s nothing quite like a crown to motivate you to put up with your husband’s immaturities) and had three more children over the next 10 years.
John continued to wield much influence in England, and England did benefit from his administration. But as Henry aged and matured, he settled and learn to work, taking more and more choices into his own hands. This triggered a break in Henry and John’s relationship, and in 1215 the both accused the other of being responsible for the death of Geoffrey I. John would take custody of Geoffrey’s surviving son, also named Henry, and many believed John wished to dethrone Henry IV and crown another Young King named Henry. But, young Henry never quite recovered from his earlier bought of sickness, and that winter sickened and died. Henry IV was quick to hold this up as evidence of John’s guilt and issue a warrant for his arrest. John would die resisting arrest.
In 1224, Queen Beatrice would pass a way from what was likely cancer, and Henry remarried to the beautiful Beatrice of Savoy. (Now known to history as “the Other Queen Beatrice”) They would go on to have six children. Henry was an attentive father to all his children, ensuring all his sons received titles and all his daughters married well, irregardless if they were the children of Beatrice de Mandeville, Beatrice of Savoy, or his bastards. (He sired two more between the first Queen Beatrice’s death and his remarriage to the Other Queen Beatrice)
The last two decades of Henry’s reign were very quiet, and in 1244, Henry passed away and was succeeded by his son, Thomas.
[4] Having buried two sons, Henry, the Young King and Geoffrey of Winchester, Henry IV wanted a fresh name for his new son, the name chosen was Thomas, in honour of Beatrice of Savoy’s father as well as Saint Thomas of Canterbury.
Born in 1229, he was the pairs first son, but third child behind, Princess Eleanor and Princess Beatrice. His birth was celebrated as a sign from God, that the new family blessed.
When he wasn’t being tutored by the Bishop of London, given military training or taught to ride, Thomas, was seated beside his father during royal court, the bond these men shared that hadn’t been seen in England for many centuries.
In his father’s later years, Thomas enjoyed the peaceful court life.
He had hoped to find a bride before his father’s death, looking to Scotland and France for a match, however his father would pass away before Thomas had chosen, to take the hand of Ada of Holland (1232–1287) daughter of Floris IV, Count of Holland and Matilda of Brabant, as well as being a sister of William II, Count of Holland and King of Germany.
Thomas would use this marriage to secure a strong trade route between England and the Continent, by avoiding France. The marriage would also provide Thomas with seven children.
In 1249, Louis IX of France attempted to expanded his territory by annexing the English held lands in France, expecting the young, peaceful king to not want to wage war, however he was wrong.
Thomas would quickly raise an army, transported across the English Channel by the trader ships, to put down the illplanned sieges in a rapid sequences.
This war would also see Louis lose his two eldest sons, Philip of Poissy and John Tristan, for which caused Louis signing a defeated Treaty, and his new heir Peter, married to Thomas’s daughter.
Returning to England a victor, in 1259, having spent time in his French securing his castles and holdings, Thomas would find a prosperous economy through trade, taxes and the repatriation money, Thomas having imposed large indemnities on the treaty to France.
Thomas would arrange for the money to be used in restoring harbours, creating a royal naval base in London and Dover, as well as investing in new royal charters in areas such as agriculture, infrastructure and mining.
In 1267, to celebrate a great financial year as well as twenty years on the throne, Thomas hosed a feast and jousting tournament. During one of the games, Thomas was unseated from his horse, luckily his head was spared however he landed in such a way that left him with the loss of motion, feeling, and function of his lower half, for the rest of his remaining years.
Having no ability to walk, he would have a select few men around, whom were charged with discreetly carrying him from one room to the next, the room would be empty allowing him to be seating in a regal position ready to receive his guests. Although there were people who knew what was going on, they kept the secret to care for their much loved king.
His death in 1271, came with great sadness. He was succeeded by his _________, __________.
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Oh, I had hoped someone would have taken the seed that I set for John to pull a Richard III and do a Prince's in the Tower with Geoffrey's children, but you didn't. And it turned out better than that probably would have.