List of monarchs III
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POD: Elizabeth of York is born male.
Monarchs of England:
1442-1483: Edward IV (York)
1483-1503: Edward V "the Peacemaker" (York) [1]
1503-1548: Elizabeth I (York) [2]
1548-1555: Richard III (York-Gloucester) [3]
[3] When Elizabeth and Richard of Gloucester married, it was agreed that the latter would receive the lesser title of Prince Consort, making it clear that it was the main line who ruled in hopes to avoid a civil war. Richard was born in 1515, his parents' oldest surviving son. He resembled his maternal great-grandfather in all the wrong ways being hotblooded and impulsive.
By the time, he was in his twenties, he had already sired two bastards from two different woman. He would scandalously have his longtime mistress Susan Brown, a daughter of one of his guards, live in his household, letting her act as his wife in everything but name, father another five natural children with her. This behavior continued even after he was married to Princess Margaret of Spain. Unlike the happy marriages of his predecessors, Richard despised his wife and refused to sleep with her, loudly proclaiming he'd rather bed a cow as it would be more attractive.
In 1545, war broke out between France and Brittany. The descendants of Richard, Duke of York naturally called upon England to which Prince Richard gladly took up the charge, using it as an excuse to leave his unwanted spouse and enjoy a bit of glory. He seiged Boulogne with an army of forty thousand men, hoping it would cause France to split their troops.
His plan worked but he certinally wished he hadn't. King Charles X decided that England was the bigger threat than Duke John of Brittany and had his more experienced commanders attack the Pale of Calais suspecting that this would enrage Richard and cause him to do something impulsive. He wasn't wrong, Richard, having received false resports from scouts, left the majorty of his men at Boulonge and raced to Calais, where his men were promptly ambushed and defeated. Richard managed to escape across the English channel, but the remainder of his men at Boulonge were forced to abandon the seige and later surrender.
Richard returned home a failure. Calais fell under the French's hands and Brittany was forced to make large concessions. He was so enraged by the humiliation that when he became king, he barred the French ambassador from his coronation. Almost immediately becoming king, Richard petitioned the pope for an annulment from his unhappy marriage. Years of suffering her husband's insults, mistress, and bastards, Princess Margaret wrote to her brother, Philip, to agree so she could return home and not have to deal with her husband's sins.
Despite the urging of his advisors, Richard had no wish to find another wife, preferring instead to continue sleeping his way through England, Wales, and parts of Ireland. His debachry would be his undoing as he eventually died of syphilis.
Monarchs of England:
1442-1483: Edward IV (York)
1483-1503: Edward V "the Peacemaker" (York) [1]
1503-1548: Elizabeth I (York) [2]
1548-1555: Richard III (York-Gloucester) [3]
[1] When the future King Edward V was born, he was often seen as his parents' victory as their marriage was seen quite controversial. Edward's early childhood was filled with uncertainty as the War of Roses raged on. But by the time of his father's death, the Lancaster line had nearly died out and the Yorks were in full power. King Edward was a man of seventeen, already married to Anne of France who was pregnant with their first child, when he ascended.
The marriage between King Edward and Anne of France was done in hopes of ending the fighting between France and England. It did not. However, Edward would proclaim that King Louis had blessed England with the most shrewd and perceptive queen. Their marriage was unusually happy by the standards of the time. Edward had no known mistresses and was a devoted husband.
One of King Edward's first steps was reconciling his mother's side of the family with his father's. There are certain stories floating around that Edward grabbed both of his uncles' ears and promised them if they continued to behave badly, he would send them to their rooms with no supper. His efforts mostly paid off even though they were still quite frosty with each other. In hopes of bridging the gap, Edward had one of his maternal cousins be betrothed to Edward of Middleham. Ironically the one thing the Duke of Gloucester and the Earl of Rivers did agree on was being against his decision to allow Henry Tudor to return to England, restoring his lands and titles.
King Edward believed that red and white roses needed to remain united. He arranged for the marriage of Margaret Pole and Henry Tudor, and gave the latter a place on his council, seeing it as the perfect way to bring the ranments of the line of the red rose back into the fold. Thankfully, his gamble paid off, with the Duke of Richmond proving to be indispensable as an advisor.
Over time Edward would be called the Uncle of Europe as he arranged dynastic matches for his sisters and brothers including the marriage of his younger brother Richard, Duke of York with Anne of Brittany and his sister Cecily would marry King James of Scots. He was well known for his diplomatic and pious nature. However his twenty-year-reign came to a sudden bloody and tragic end, during a joust celebrating his thirty-seventh's birthday, he received a lance to the face, knocking him off his horse. He died in agonizing pain, a violent end for a peaceful man.
[2]
Elizabeth was the sole surviving child of Edward V and Anne of France. A precocious child, she once entertained a visiting French delegation with a performance on the virginals. By the age of nine, she could read and write Latin. She studied French, Spanish, music, dance, and perhaps Greek. If her father was disappointed in having only one child, he still doted on her and she grew up quite close to the daughters of Henry Tudor and Margaret Pole. Her mother, seeing that she was unlikely to bear a living son, arranged for her to marry her cousin Richard, the namesake grandson of the Duke of Gloucester. The marriage proved very fruitful, with eleven living children after sixteen pregnancies.
Her rule is characterized by a blend of strength, intellect, and diplomacy. Queen Elizabeth becomes known for her shrewd political maneuvering, navigating the complex web of European power dynamics to secure England's interests. England experiences a period of stability, prosperity, and cultural flourishing. Known as the Elizabethan Era, her reign witnesses a surge in artistic and literary achievements; under her rule, women gain increased opportunities for education and participation in public life. Female scholars, writers, and artists flourish, contributing to the cultural and intellectual development of England. This Renaissance of female creativity and expression leaves a lasting impact on English literature, art, and philosophy. She forges alliances with Catholic monarchs, such as the Habsburgs in Spain and the Valois in France, solidifying England's position as a bastion of Catholicism.
Inspired by the Catholic humanist movement, she encourages church leaders to address corruption and promote social welfare. Monastic orders flourish under her patronage, focusing on charitable works and education. She implements social reforms, such as labor protections and poverty alleviation measures, to address the needs of the less fortunate. Her dedication to social justice and compassion earns her the admiration of the common people and solidifies her popularity among her subjects.
Her reign leaves an indelible mark on English history, shaping the religious, social, and cultural landscape of the nation. England, firmly rooted in Catholicism, develops a distinct identity as a bastion of the faith.
The marriage between King Edward and Anne of France was done in hopes of ending the fighting between France and England. It did not. However, Edward would proclaim that King Louis had blessed England with the most shrewd and perceptive queen. Their marriage was unusually happy by the standards of the time. Edward had no known mistresses and was a devoted husband.
One of King Edward's first steps was reconciling his mother's side of the family with his father's. There are certain stories floating around that Edward grabbed both of his uncles' ears and promised them if they continued to behave badly, he would send them to their rooms with no supper. His efforts mostly paid off even though they were still quite frosty with each other. In hopes of bridging the gap, Edward had one of his maternal cousins be betrothed to Edward of Middleham. Ironically the one thing the Duke of Gloucester and the Earl of Rivers did agree on was being against his decision to allow Henry Tudor to return to England, restoring his lands and titles.
King Edward believed that red and white roses needed to remain united. He arranged for the marriage of Margaret Pole and Henry Tudor, and gave the latter a place on his council, seeing it as the perfect way to bring the ranments of the line of the red rose back into the fold. Thankfully, his gamble paid off, with the Duke of Richmond proving to be indispensable as an advisor.
Over time Edward would be called the Uncle of Europe as he arranged dynastic matches for his sisters and brothers including the marriage of his younger brother Richard, Duke of York with Anne of Brittany and his sister Cecily would marry King James of Scots. He was well known for his diplomatic and pious nature. However his twenty-year-reign came to a sudden bloody and tragic end, during a joust celebrating his thirty-seventh's birthday, he received a lance to the face, knocking him off his horse. He died in agonizing pain, a violent end for a peaceful man.
[2]
Elizabeth was the sole surviving child of Edward V and Anne of France. A precocious child, she once entertained a visiting French delegation with a performance on the virginals. By the age of nine, she could read and write Latin. She studied French, Spanish, music, dance, and perhaps Greek. If her father was disappointed in having only one child, he still doted on her and she grew up quite close to the daughters of Henry Tudor and Margaret Pole. Her mother, seeing that she was unlikely to bear a living son, arranged for her to marry her cousin Richard, the namesake grandson of the Duke of Gloucester. The marriage proved very fruitful, with eleven living children after sixteen pregnancies.
Her rule is characterized by a blend of strength, intellect, and diplomacy. Queen Elizabeth becomes known for her shrewd political maneuvering, navigating the complex web of European power dynamics to secure England's interests. England experiences a period of stability, prosperity, and cultural flourishing. Known as the Elizabethan Era, her reign witnesses a surge in artistic and literary achievements; under her rule, women gain increased opportunities for education and participation in public life. Female scholars, writers, and artists flourish, contributing to the cultural and intellectual development of England. This Renaissance of female creativity and expression leaves a lasting impact on English literature, art, and philosophy. She forges alliances with Catholic monarchs, such as the Habsburgs in Spain and the Valois in France, solidifying England's position as a bastion of Catholicism.
Inspired by the Catholic humanist movement, she encourages church leaders to address corruption and promote social welfare. Monastic orders flourish under her patronage, focusing on charitable works and education. She implements social reforms, such as labor protections and poverty alleviation measures, to address the needs of the less fortunate. Her dedication to social justice and compassion earns her the admiration of the common people and solidifies her popularity among her subjects.
Her reign leaves an indelible mark on English history, shaping the religious, social, and cultural landscape of the nation. England, firmly rooted in Catholicism, develops a distinct identity as a bastion of the faith.
[3] When Elizabeth and Richard of Gloucester married, it was agreed that the latter would receive the lesser title of Prince Consort, making it clear that it was the main line who ruled in hopes to avoid a civil war. Richard was born in 1515, his parents' oldest surviving son. He resembled his maternal great-grandfather in all the wrong ways being hotblooded and impulsive.
By the time, he was in his twenties, he had already sired two bastards from two different woman. He would scandalously have his longtime mistress Susan Brown, a daughter of one of his guards, live in his household, letting her act as his wife in everything but name, father another five natural children with her. This behavior continued even after he was married to Princess Margaret of Spain. Unlike the happy marriages of his predecessors, Richard despised his wife and refused to sleep with her, loudly proclaiming he'd rather bed a cow as it would be more attractive.
In 1545, war broke out between France and Brittany. The descendants of Richard, Duke of York naturally called upon England to which Prince Richard gladly took up the charge, using it as an excuse to leave his unwanted spouse and enjoy a bit of glory. He seiged Boulogne with an army of forty thousand men, hoping it would cause France to split their troops.
His plan worked but he certinally wished he hadn't. King Charles X decided that England was the bigger threat than Duke John of Brittany and had his more experienced commanders attack the Pale of Calais suspecting that this would enrage Richard and cause him to do something impulsive. He wasn't wrong, Richard, having received false resports from scouts, left the majorty of his men at Boulonge and raced to Calais, where his men were promptly ambushed and defeated. Richard managed to escape across the English channel, but the remainder of his men at Boulonge were forced to abandon the seige and later surrender.
Richard returned home a failure. Calais fell under the French's hands and Brittany was forced to make large concessions. He was so enraged by the humiliation that when he became king, he barred the French ambassador from his coronation. Almost immediately becoming king, Richard petitioned the pope for an annulment from his unhappy marriage. Years of suffering her husband's insults, mistress, and bastards, Princess Margaret wrote to her brother, Philip, to agree so she could return home and not have to deal with her husband's sins.
Despite the urging of his advisors, Richard had no wish to find another wife, preferring instead to continue sleeping his way through England, Wales, and parts of Ireland. His debachry would be his undoing as he eventually died of syphilis.
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POD: Elizabeth of York is born male.
Monarchs of England:
1442-1483: Edward IV (York)
1483-1503: Edward V "the Peacemaker" (York) [1]
1503-1548: Elizabeth I (York) [2]
1548-1555: Richard III (York-Gloucester) [3]
1555-1599: Edward V (York-Gloucester) [4]
[4] The third son of Elizabeth I and Richard of Gloucester, Edward was the only one to survived Richard. (The middle brother Henry died at the attack of the Pale of Calais). So, at Richard's death and with Richard only having bastard children, Edward was the clear heir. A middle age widowed father of four, Edward was something of an unknown as he had mostly avoided court.
But England quickly learned that Edward was calm methodical man—that might not have any of his ancestors temper, charm, and intellect—but had an impressive work ethic. Edward went to work straightening out Englands foreign relations and finances. He would wed his children in a network of alliances that in 1560 turned on France. England would invade and retake both Calais and Normandy. Brittany would be able to shake off the concessions forced under the previous treaty. And to cap it all off, Edward would wed the widowed sister of the King of France to formalize the forced peace. Edward and his new bride would have 2 children.
The rest of his reign was rather calm, and as he got older, Edward handed more and more of the day to day responsibilities to his heir,_________, such that upon Edward's death in 1599, the hand over of power was smooth.
Monarchs of England:
1442-1483: Edward IV (York)
1483-1503: Edward V "the Peacemaker" (York) [1]
1503-1548: Elizabeth I (York) [2]
1548-1555: Richard III (York-Gloucester) [3]
1555-1599: Edward V (York-Gloucester) [4]
[4] The third son of Elizabeth I and Richard of Gloucester, Edward was the only one to survived Richard. (The middle brother Henry died at the attack of the Pale of Calais). So, at Richard's death and with Richard only having bastard children, Edward was the clear heir. A middle age widowed father of four, Edward was something of an unknown as he had mostly avoided court.
But England quickly learned that Edward was calm methodical man—that might not have any of his ancestors temper, charm, and intellect—but had an impressive work ethic. Edward went to work straightening out Englands foreign relations and finances. He would wed his children in a network of alliances that in 1560 turned on France. England would invade and retake both Calais and Normandy. Brittany would be able to shake off the concessions forced under the previous treaty. And to cap it all off, Edward would wed the widowed sister of the King of France to formalize the forced peace. Edward and his new bride would have 2 children.
The rest of his reign was rather calm, and as he got older, Edward handed more and more of the day to day responsibilities to his heir,_________, such that upon Edward's death in 1599, the hand over of power was smooth.
POD: Elizabeth of York is born male.
Monarchs of England:
1442-1483: Edward IV (York)
1483-1503: Edward V "the Peacemaker" (York) [1]
1503-1548: Elizabeth I (York) [2]
1548-1555: Richard III (York-Gloucester) [3]
1555-1599: Edward V (York-Gloucester) [4]
1599-1610: Henry VII (de Anjou) [5]
Monarchs of England, France and Ireland:
1610-1641: Henry VII and II "the Blessed" (de Anjou) [6]
Born to Edward V and his French wife, Henry was from birth Prince of Wales and Duke of Cornwall, growing into, unlike his father, a ferocious, if methodical young man, full of valour and an eagerness to prove himself that led to him being nominated Duke of Normandy and Boulogne, ruling English holdings in France from a young age. While Henry grew apart from the English gentry, he would gain valuable experience as an administrator and extensive connections with the French nobility, something that would prove him well in the future. Returning to England in 1555, upon which he assumed much of his father's responsabilities, Henry would marry Princess Aslaug of Norway, daughter of King Frederick of that land, the last Catholic remnant in Scandinavia.
Aslaug would be Henry's first queen, and also the wife with which he shared the most peaceful and loveable life. Henry was a tall, martial man, who while temperate when it came to women and food was a raging alcoholic whose temper was easy to flare. Henry's following two wives would often come to feel his wrath, often physically, while Aslaug would be the love of Henry's life until the last of his days. Queen Aslaug would die giving birth to their third child, which would cause Henry to go a deep depression. Chronicler and writer John d'Erbray and Quercy, Henry's favouriter writer and a Franco-English native of Calais, would later write in his memoirs that "The Queen Aslaug took the King's soul with her to Purgatory, and when it came back, it had killed whatever joyous youth there was still left in the King".
Henry would be taken out of his stupor when the end of the male line of the Valois would come, creating an opening for the English throne. The Catholics in France, knowing that the Princes in direct line to the throne had Calvinist sympathies, would invite Henry to became King of France and restore Catholicism to the Kingdom. Convening a grand crusade, Henry would invade France and take it for himself, renaming the House of York to the ancient name of d'Anjou and dividing his time between London, Rouen and Paris. He would, to appease the Habsburgs, who would go from allies to enemies, marry Catherine of Spain, his second wife, with whom he would have five children.
Henri would be, despite his many failings, a popular Kingdom, managing to hold the realms in personal union due to sheer strenght of personality. He would become a widower again, and re-marry once more, marrying the heiress of Britanny, Margaret, with whom he would have 6 more children, even as an old man. He would die of liver failure in 1641, being succeeded by ________.
Monarchs of England:
1442-1483: Edward IV (York)
1483-1503: Edward V "the Peacemaker" (York) [1]
1503-1548: Elizabeth I (York) [2]
1548-1555: Richard III (York-Gloucester) [3]
1555-1599: Edward V (York-Gloucester) [4]
1599-1610: Henry VII (de Anjou) [5]
Monarchs of England, France and Ireland:
1610-1641: Henry VII and II "the Blessed" (de Anjou) [6]
Aslaug would be Henry's first queen, and also the wife with which he shared the most peaceful and loveable life. Henry was a tall, martial man, who while temperate when it came to women and food was a raging alcoholic whose temper was easy to flare. Henry's following two wives would often come to feel his wrath, often physically, while Aslaug would be the love of Henry's life until the last of his days. Queen Aslaug would die giving birth to their third child, which would cause Henry to go a deep depression. Chronicler and writer John d'Erbray and Quercy, Henry's favouriter writer and a Franco-English native of Calais, would later write in his memoirs that "The Queen Aslaug took the King's soul with her to Purgatory, and when it came back, it had killed whatever joyous youth there was still left in the King".
Henry would be taken out of his stupor when the end of the male line of the Valois would come, creating an opening for the English throne. The Catholics in France, knowing that the Princes in direct line to the throne had Calvinist sympathies, would invite Henry to became King of France and restore Catholicism to the Kingdom. Convening a grand crusade, Henry would invade France and take it for himself, renaming the House of York to the ancient name of d'Anjou and dividing his time between London, Rouen and Paris. He would, to appease the Habsburgs, who would go from allies to enemies, marry Catherine of Spain, his second wife, with whom he would have five children.
Henri would be, despite his many failings, a popular Kingdom, managing to hold the realms in personal union due to sheer strenght of personality. He would become a widower again, and re-marry once more, marrying the heiress of Britanny, Margaret, with whom he would have 6 more children, even as an old man. He would die of liver failure in 1641, being succeeded by ________.
POD: Elizabeth of York is born male.
Monarchs of England:
1442-1483: Edward IV (York)
1483-1503: Edward V "the Peacemaker" (York) [1]
1503-1548: Elizabeth I (York) [2]
1548-1555: Richard III (York-Gloucester) [3]
1555-1599: Edward V (York-Gloucester) [4]
1599-1610: Henry VII (de Anjou) [5]
Monarchs of England, France and Ireland:
1610-1641: Henry VII and II "the Blessed" (de Anjou) [5]
1641-1666: Fredrick I "the Fierce" (de Anjou) [6]
[6] Fredrick was born a murderer according to his father. His mother only lived long enough to name him, choosing her father's name. After his christening, Fredrick was all but banished, being sent to live under the care of Duke Henry of Kent, son of Thomas of Kent, the fourth son of Elizabeth I. When Fredrick was ten, his father became King of France. While his brothers, Henry and Edward were summoned to France, Fredrick was not. It was a clear indication of how little his father thought of him. From then on, he referred to the Duke of Kent as his father.
Fredrick spent his childhood and adulthood mostly ignored. His stepmother, Catherine tried to reach out of him, but King Henry refused to allow it, going into a drunken tirade of he could not bear to to look upon the face of his wife's murderer. But thanks to two twists of fate, everything changed. In 1612, Fredrick's brother Henry would die of consumption. Then in 1629, Prince Edward was fatefully wounded in a dueling accident. Henry never married and Edward's wife Hernrietta of Lorraine miscarried her first pregnancy upon learning of his death.
By 1629, Fredrick was a man of twenty-seven, he had married Anne Stanley and was living a peaceful life in the countryside with her. Needless to say he was just as unhappy as his father that he suddenly became relevant in the eyes of politics. It is said that Fredrick wanted position as his father's heir as much as his father wanted him to be. That is to say none at all.
The first and last time father and son would see each other was in 1630 when Fredrick arrived in London. King Henry insisted both his son and his wife in French. While Fredrick did not understand the language, he realized that he had been in insulted and began to return the favor by disparaging his father in Spanish (he had learned it from his late stepmother). The two men had to be held back from hitting each other and it was quickly decided that if one was in England the other would be in France.
Eleven years later, Fredrick became King of England and France. When asked if he would take a regnal name, Fredrick replied, "the only present my mother ever gave me was my name. I shall not dishonor her memory by changing it." The new monarch proved to be a stubborn and uncompromising man. Unlike his father who split his time between France and England, Fredrick refused to do so, sending his foster brother, Duke Richard to act as regent, ignoring those who insisted a French regent would be better accepted.
Seven years after he came to the throne, King Louis of Navarre tried to push the disgruntled lords of France into a rebellion, supporting his claim on the French throne through his grandfather, Louis of Bourbon. In retaliation, King Fredrick sent a letter to the King of Spain, offering his daughter for the monarch's heir, suggesting that they defeated the heretic king and divide Navarre between them. The Spanish monarch was pleased to agree to those terms, expanding his domains.
Fredrick was just as uncompromising in the battle field as as he was in his life, giving no pardon to his enemies. He was however quite generous to his allies, giving them the land of the traitors. The war for Navarre ended in great victory, with Louis and Bourbon relatives being executed, their land attained. Fredrick returned home, even more hardened and grim. The only time he ever smiled was in the presence of his wife and their children.
Then just when things seemed like they were going well, tragedy struck. King Fredrick was traveling in his carriage on his way to visit his half-brother, the Duke of Brittany when he was attacked by French rebels, loyal to Louis of Navarre. While his wife was held for ransom, he was executed with his head being sent to _____.
Monarchs of England:
1442-1483: Edward IV (York)
1483-1503: Edward V "the Peacemaker" (York) [1]
1503-1548: Elizabeth I (York) [2]
1548-1555: Richard III (York-Gloucester) [3]
1555-1599: Edward V (York-Gloucester) [4]
1599-1610: Henry VII (de Anjou) [5]
Monarchs of England, France and Ireland:
1610-1641: Henry VII and II "the Blessed" (de Anjou) [5]
1641-1666: Fredrick I "the Fierce" (de Anjou) [6]
[1] When the future King Edward V was born, he was often seen as his parents' victory as their marriage was seen quite controversial. Edward's early childhood was filled with uncertainty as the War of Roses raged on. But by the time of his father's death, the Lancaster line had nearly died out and the Yorks were in full power. King Edward was a man of seventeen, already married to Anne of France who was pregnant with their first child, when he ascended.
The marriage between King Edward and Anne of France was done in hopes of ending the fighting between France and England. It did not. However, Edward would proclaim that King Louis had blessed England with the most shrewd and perceptive queen. Their marriage was unusually happy by the standards of the time. Edward had no known mistresses and was a devoted husband.
One of King Edward's first steps was reconciling his mother's side of the family with his father's. There are certain stories floating around that Edward grabbed both of his uncles' ears and promised them if they continued to behave badly, he would send them to their rooms with no supper. His efforts mostly paid off even though they were still quite frosty with each other. In hopes of bridging the gap, Edward had one of his maternal cousins be betrothed to Edward of Middleham. Ironically the one thing the Duke of Gloucester and the Earl of Rivers did agree on was being against his decision to allow Henry Tudor to return to England, restoring his lands and titles.
King Edward believed that red and white roses needed to remain united. He arranged for the marriage of Margaret Pole and Henry Tudor, and gave the latter a place on his council, seeing it as the perfect way to bring the ranments of the line of the red rose back into the fold. Thankfully, his gamble paid off, with the Duke of Richmond proving to be indispensable as an advisor.
Over time Edward would be called the Uncle of Europe as he arranged dynastic matches for his sisters and brothers including the marriage of his younger brother Richard, Duke of York with Anne of Brittany and his sister Cecily would marry King James of Scots. He was well known for his diplomatic and pious nature. However his twenty-year-reign came to a sudden bloody and tragic end, during a joust celebrating his thirty-seventh's birthday, he received a lance to the face, knocking him off his horse. He died in agonizing pain, a violent end for a peaceful man.
[2]
Elizabeth was the sole surviving child of Edward V and Anne of France. A precocious child, she once entertained a visiting French delegation with a performance on the virginals. By the age of nine, she could read and write Latin. She studied French, Spanish, music, dance, and perhaps Greek. If her father was disappointed in having only one child, he still doted on her and she grew up quite close to the daughters of Henry Tudor and Margaret Pole. Her mother, seeing that she was unlikely to bear a living son, arranged for her to marry her cousin Richard, the namesake grandson of the Duke of Gloucester. The marriage proved very fruitful, with eleven living children after sixteen pregnancies.
Her rule is characterized by a blend of strength, intellect, and diplomacy. Queen Elizabeth becomes known for her shrewd political maneuvering, navigating the complex web of European power dynamics to secure England's interests. England experiences a period of stability, prosperity, and cultural flourishing. Known as the Elizabethan Era, her reign witnesses a surge in artistic and literary achievements; under her rule, women gain increased opportunities for education and participation in public life. Female scholars, writers, and artists flourish, contributing to the cultural and intellectual development of England. This Renaissance of female creativity and expression leaves a lasting impact on English literature, art, and philosophy. She forges alliances with Catholic monarchs, such as the Habsburgs in Spain and the Valois in France, solidifying England's position as a bastion of Catholicism.
Inspired by the Catholic humanist movement, she encourages church leaders to address corruption and promote social welfare. Monastic orders flourish under her patronage, focusing on charitable works and education. She implements social reforms, such as labor protections and poverty alleviation measures, to address the needs of the less fortunate. Her dedication to social justice and compassion earns her the admiration of the common people and solidifies her popularity among her subjects.
Her reign leaves an indelible mark on English history, shaping the religious, social, and cultural landscape of the nation. England, firmly rooted in Catholicism, develops a distinct identity as a bastion of the faith.
[3] When Elizabeth and Richard of Gloucester married, it was agreed that the latter would receive the lesser title of Prince Consort, making it clear that it was the main line who ruled in hopes to avoid a civil war. Richard was born in 1515, his parents' oldest surviving son. He resembled his maternal great-grandfather in all the wrong ways being hotblooded and impulsive.
By the time, he was in his twenties, he had already sired two bastards from two different woman. He would scandalously have his longtime mistress Susan Brown, a daughter of one of his guards, live in his household, letting her act as his wife in everything but name, father another five natural children with her. This behavior continued even after he was married to Princess Margaret of Spain. Unlike the happy marriages of his predecessors, Richard despised his wife and refused to sleep with her, loudly proclaiming he'd rather bed a cow as it would be more attractive.
In 1545, war broke out between France and Brittany. The descendants of Richard, Duke of York naturally called upon England to which Prince Richard gladly took up the charge, using it as an excuse to leave his unwanted spouse and enjoy a bit of glory. He seiged Boulogne with an army of forty thousand men, hoping it would cause France to split their troops.
His plan worked but he certainly wished he hadn't. King Charles X decided that England was the bigger threat than Duke John of Brittany and had his more experienced commanders attack the Pale of Calais suspecting that this would enrage Richard and cause him to do something impulsive. He wasn't wrong, Richard, having received false reports from scouts, left the majority of his men at Boulonge and raced to Calais, where his men were promptly ambushed and defeated. Richard managed to escape across the English channel, but the remainder of his men at Boulonge were forced to abandon the seige and later surrender.
Richard returned home a failure. Calais fell under the French's hands and Brittany was forced to make large concessions. He was so enraged by the humiliation that when he became king, he barred the French ambassador from his coronation. Almost immediately becoming king, Richard petitioned the pope for an annulment from his unhappy marriage. Years of suffering her husband's insults, mistress, and bastards, Princess Margaret wrote to her brother, Philip, to agree so she could return home and not have to deal with her husband's sins.
Despite the urging of his advisors, Richard had no wish to find another wife, preferring instead to continue sleeping his way through England, Wales, and parts of Ireland. His debauchery would be his undoing as he eventually died of syphilis.
[4] The third son of Elizabeth I and Richard of Gloucester, Edward was the only one to have survived Richard. (The middle brother Henry died at the attack of the Pale of Calais). So, at Richard's death and with Richard only having bastard children, Edward was the clear heir. A middle age widowed father of four, Edward was something of an unknown as he had mostly avoided court.
But England quickly learned that Edward was calm methodical man—that might not have any of his ancestors temper, charm, and intellect—but had an impressive work ethic. Edward went to work straightening out England's foreign relations and finances. He would wed his children in a network of alliances that in 1560 turned on France. England would invade and retake both Calais and Normandy. Brittany would be able to shake off the concessions forced under the previous treaty. And to cap it all off, Edward would wed the widowed sister of the King of France to formalize the forced peace. Edward and his new bride would have 2 children.
The rest of his reign was rather calm, and as he got older, Edward handed more and more of the day to day responsibilities to his heir, Henry, such that upon Edward's death in 1599, the hand over of power was smooth.
Born to Edward V and his French wife, Henry was from birth Prince of Wales and Duke of Cornwall, growing into, unlike his father, a ferocious, if methodical young man, full of valour and an eagerness to prove himself that led to him being nominated Duke of Normandy and Boulogne, ruling English holdings in France from a young age. While Henry grew apart from the English gentry, he would gain valuable experience as an administrator and extensive connections with the French nobility, something that would prove him well in the future. Returning to England in 1595, upon which he assumed much of his father's responsabilities, Henry would marry Princess Aslaug of Norway, daughter of King Frederick of that land, the last Catholic remnant in Scandinavia.
Aslaug would be Henry's first queen, and also the wife with which he shared the most peaceful and loveable life. Henry was a tall, martial man, who while temperate when it came to women and food was a raging alcoholic whose temper was easy to flare. Henry's following two wives would often come to feel his wrath, often physically, while Aslaug would be the love of Henry's life until the last of his days. Queen Aslaug would die giving birth to their third child, which would cause Henry to go a deep depression. Chronicler and writer John d'Erbray and Quercy, Henry's favourite writer and a Franco-English native of Calais, would later write in his memoirs that "The Queen Aslaug took the King's soul with her to Purgatory, and when it came back, it had killed whatever joyous youth there was still left in the King".
Henry would be taken out of his stupor when the end of the male line of the Valois would come, creating an opening for the English throne. The Catholics in France, knowing that the Princes in direct line to the throne had Calvinist sympathies, would invite Henry to became King of France and restore Catholicism to the Kingdom. Convening a grand crusade, Henry would invade France and take it for himself, renaming the House of York to the ancient name of d'Anjou and dividing his time between London, Rouen and Paris. He would, to appease the Habsburgs, who would go from allies to enemies, marry Catherine of Spain, his second wife, with whom he would have five children.
Henri would be, despite his many failings, a popular Kingdom, managing to hold the realms in personal union due to sheer strength of personality. He would become a widower again, and re-marry once more, marrying the heiress of Brittany, Margaret, with whom he would have 6 more children, even as an old man. He would die of liver failure in 1641, being succeeded by Fredrick.
The marriage between King Edward and Anne of France was done in hopes of ending the fighting between France and England. It did not. However, Edward would proclaim that King Louis had blessed England with the most shrewd and perceptive queen. Their marriage was unusually happy by the standards of the time. Edward had no known mistresses and was a devoted husband.
One of King Edward's first steps was reconciling his mother's side of the family with his father's. There are certain stories floating around that Edward grabbed both of his uncles' ears and promised them if they continued to behave badly, he would send them to their rooms with no supper. His efforts mostly paid off even though they were still quite frosty with each other. In hopes of bridging the gap, Edward had one of his maternal cousins be betrothed to Edward of Middleham. Ironically the one thing the Duke of Gloucester and the Earl of Rivers did agree on was being against his decision to allow Henry Tudor to return to England, restoring his lands and titles.
King Edward believed that red and white roses needed to remain united. He arranged for the marriage of Margaret Pole and Henry Tudor, and gave the latter a place on his council, seeing it as the perfect way to bring the ranments of the line of the red rose back into the fold. Thankfully, his gamble paid off, with the Duke of Richmond proving to be indispensable as an advisor.
Over time Edward would be called the Uncle of Europe as he arranged dynastic matches for his sisters and brothers including the marriage of his younger brother Richard, Duke of York with Anne of Brittany and his sister Cecily would marry King James of Scots. He was well known for his diplomatic and pious nature. However his twenty-year-reign came to a sudden bloody and tragic end, during a joust celebrating his thirty-seventh's birthday, he received a lance to the face, knocking him off his horse. He died in agonizing pain, a violent end for a peaceful man.
[2]
Elizabeth was the sole surviving child of Edward V and Anne of France. A precocious child, she once entertained a visiting French delegation with a performance on the virginals. By the age of nine, she could read and write Latin. She studied French, Spanish, music, dance, and perhaps Greek. If her father was disappointed in having only one child, he still doted on her and she grew up quite close to the daughters of Henry Tudor and Margaret Pole. Her mother, seeing that she was unlikely to bear a living son, arranged for her to marry her cousin Richard, the namesake grandson of the Duke of Gloucester. The marriage proved very fruitful, with eleven living children after sixteen pregnancies.
Her rule is characterized by a blend of strength, intellect, and diplomacy. Queen Elizabeth becomes known for her shrewd political maneuvering, navigating the complex web of European power dynamics to secure England's interests. England experiences a period of stability, prosperity, and cultural flourishing. Known as the Elizabethan Era, her reign witnesses a surge in artistic and literary achievements; under her rule, women gain increased opportunities for education and participation in public life. Female scholars, writers, and artists flourish, contributing to the cultural and intellectual development of England. This Renaissance of female creativity and expression leaves a lasting impact on English literature, art, and philosophy. She forges alliances with Catholic monarchs, such as the Habsburgs in Spain and the Valois in France, solidifying England's position as a bastion of Catholicism.
Inspired by the Catholic humanist movement, she encourages church leaders to address corruption and promote social welfare. Monastic orders flourish under her patronage, focusing on charitable works and education. She implements social reforms, such as labor protections and poverty alleviation measures, to address the needs of the less fortunate. Her dedication to social justice and compassion earns her the admiration of the common people and solidifies her popularity among her subjects.
Her reign leaves an indelible mark on English history, shaping the religious, social, and cultural landscape of the nation. England, firmly rooted in Catholicism, develops a distinct identity as a bastion of the faith.
[3] When Elizabeth and Richard of Gloucester married, it was agreed that the latter would receive the lesser title of Prince Consort, making it clear that it was the main line who ruled in hopes to avoid a civil war. Richard was born in 1515, his parents' oldest surviving son. He resembled his maternal great-grandfather in all the wrong ways being hotblooded and impulsive.
By the time, he was in his twenties, he had already sired two bastards from two different woman. He would scandalously have his longtime mistress Susan Brown, a daughter of one of his guards, live in his household, letting her act as his wife in everything but name, father another five natural children with her. This behavior continued even after he was married to Princess Margaret of Spain. Unlike the happy marriages of his predecessors, Richard despised his wife and refused to sleep with her, loudly proclaiming he'd rather bed a cow as it would be more attractive.
In 1545, war broke out between France and Brittany. The descendants of Richard, Duke of York naturally called upon England to which Prince Richard gladly took up the charge, using it as an excuse to leave his unwanted spouse and enjoy a bit of glory. He seiged Boulogne with an army of forty thousand men, hoping it would cause France to split their troops.
His plan worked but he certainly wished he hadn't. King Charles X decided that England was the bigger threat than Duke John of Brittany and had his more experienced commanders attack the Pale of Calais suspecting that this would enrage Richard and cause him to do something impulsive. He wasn't wrong, Richard, having received false reports from scouts, left the majority of his men at Boulonge and raced to Calais, where his men were promptly ambushed and defeated. Richard managed to escape across the English channel, but the remainder of his men at Boulonge were forced to abandon the seige and later surrender.
Richard returned home a failure. Calais fell under the French's hands and Brittany was forced to make large concessions. He was so enraged by the humiliation that when he became king, he barred the French ambassador from his coronation. Almost immediately becoming king, Richard petitioned the pope for an annulment from his unhappy marriage. Years of suffering her husband's insults, mistress, and bastards, Princess Margaret wrote to her brother, Philip, to agree so she could return home and not have to deal with her husband's sins.
Despite the urging of his advisors, Richard had no wish to find another wife, preferring instead to continue sleeping his way through England, Wales, and parts of Ireland. His debauchery would be his undoing as he eventually died of syphilis.
[4] The third son of Elizabeth I and Richard of Gloucester, Edward was the only one to have survived Richard. (The middle brother Henry died at the attack of the Pale of Calais). So, at Richard's death and with Richard only having bastard children, Edward was the clear heir. A middle age widowed father of four, Edward was something of an unknown as he had mostly avoided court.
But England quickly learned that Edward was calm methodical man—that might not have any of his ancestors temper, charm, and intellect—but had an impressive work ethic. Edward went to work straightening out England's foreign relations and finances. He would wed his children in a network of alliances that in 1560 turned on France. England would invade and retake both Calais and Normandy. Brittany would be able to shake off the concessions forced under the previous treaty. And to cap it all off, Edward would wed the widowed sister of the King of France to formalize the forced peace. Edward and his new bride would have 2 children.
The rest of his reign was rather calm, and as he got older, Edward handed more and more of the day to day responsibilities to his heir, Henry, such that upon Edward's death in 1599, the hand over of power was smooth.
Born to Edward V and his French wife, Henry was from birth Prince of Wales and Duke of Cornwall, growing into, unlike his father, a ferocious, if methodical young man, full of valour and an eagerness to prove himself that led to him being nominated Duke of Normandy and Boulogne, ruling English holdings in France from a young age. While Henry grew apart from the English gentry, he would gain valuable experience as an administrator and extensive connections with the French nobility, something that would prove him well in the future. Returning to England in 1595, upon which he assumed much of his father's responsabilities, Henry would marry Princess Aslaug of Norway, daughter of King Frederick of that land, the last Catholic remnant in Scandinavia.
Aslaug would be Henry's first queen, and also the wife with which he shared the most peaceful and loveable life. Henry was a tall, martial man, who while temperate when it came to women and food was a raging alcoholic whose temper was easy to flare. Henry's following two wives would often come to feel his wrath, often physically, while Aslaug would be the love of Henry's life until the last of his days. Queen Aslaug would die giving birth to their third child, which would cause Henry to go a deep depression. Chronicler and writer John d'Erbray and Quercy, Henry's favourite writer and a Franco-English native of Calais, would later write in his memoirs that "The Queen Aslaug took the King's soul with her to Purgatory, and when it came back, it had killed whatever joyous youth there was still left in the King".
Henry would be taken out of his stupor when the end of the male line of the Valois would come, creating an opening for the English throne. The Catholics in France, knowing that the Princes in direct line to the throne had Calvinist sympathies, would invite Henry to became King of France and restore Catholicism to the Kingdom. Convening a grand crusade, Henry would invade France and take it for himself, renaming the House of York to the ancient name of d'Anjou and dividing his time between London, Rouen and Paris. He would, to appease the Habsburgs, who would go from allies to enemies, marry Catherine of Spain, his second wife, with whom he would have five children.
Henri would be, despite his many failings, a popular Kingdom, managing to hold the realms in personal union due to sheer strength of personality. He would become a widower again, and re-marry once more, marrying the heiress of Brittany, Margaret, with whom he would have 6 more children, even as an old man. He would die of liver failure in 1641, being succeeded by Fredrick.
[6] Fredrick was born a murderer according to his father. His mother only lived long enough to name him, choosing her father's name. After his christening, Fredrick was all but banished, being sent to live under the care of Duke Henry of Kent, son of Thomas of Kent, the fourth son of Elizabeth I. When Fredrick was ten, his father became King of France. While his brothers, Henry and Edward were summoned to France, Fredrick was not. It was a clear indication of how little his father thought of him. From then on, he referred to the Duke of Kent as his father.
Fredrick spent his childhood and adulthood mostly ignored. His stepmother, Catherine tried to reach out of him, but King Henry refused to allow it, going into a drunken tirade of he could not bear to to look upon the face of his wife's murderer. But thanks to two twists of fate, everything changed. In 1612, Fredrick's brother Henry would die of consumption. Then in 1629, Prince Edward was fatefully wounded in a dueling accident. Henry never married and Edward's wife Hernrietta of Lorraine miscarried her first pregnancy upon learning of his death.
By 1629, Fredrick was a man of twenty-seven, he had married Anne Stanley and was living a peaceful life in the countryside with her. Needless to say he was just as unhappy as his father that he suddenly became relevant in the eyes of politics. It is said that Fredrick wanted position as his father's heir as much as his father wanted him to be. That is to say none at all.
The first and last time father and son would see each other was in 1630 when Fredrick arrived in London. King Henry insisted both his son and his wife in French. While Fredrick did not understand the language, he realized that he had been in insulted and began to return the favor by disparaging his father in Spanish (he had learned it from his late stepmother). The two men had to be held back from hitting each other and it was quickly decided that if one was in England the other would be in France.
Eleven years later, Fredrick became King of England and France. When asked if he would take a regnal name, Fredrick replied, "the only present my mother ever gave me was my name. I shall not dishonor her memory by changing it." The new monarch proved to be a stubborn and uncompromising man. Unlike his father who split his time between France and England, Fredrick refused to do so, sending his foster brother, Duke Richard to act as regent, ignoring those who insisted a French regent would be better accepted.
Seven years after he came to the throne, King Louis of Navarre tried to push the disgruntled lords of France into a rebellion, supporting his claim on the French throne through his grandfather, Louis of Bourbon. In retaliation, King Fredrick sent a letter to the King of Spain, offering his daughter for the monarch's heir, suggesting that they defeated the heretic king and divide Navarre between them. The Spanish monarch was pleased to agree to those terms, expanding his domains.
Fredrick was just as uncompromising in the battle field as as he was in his life, giving no pardon to his enemies. He was however quite generous to his allies, giving them the land of the traitors. The war for Navarre ended in great victory, with Louis and Bourbon relatives being executed, their land attained. Fredrick returned home, even more hardened and grim. The only time he ever smiled was in the presence of his wife and their children.
Then just when things seemed like they were going well, tragedy struck. King Fredrick was traveling in his carriage on his way to visit his half-brother, the Duke of Brittany when he was attacked by French rebels, loyal to Louis of Navarre. While his wife was held for ransom, he was executed with his head being sent to _____.
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Wouldn't it have been better to wait for Reyne to make their amendments rather than just posting less than two hours later before Reyne has even logged back on with the amendments that you think they should have made?
POD: Elizabeth of York is born male.
Monarchs of England:
1442-1483: Edward IV (York)
1483-1503: Edward V "the Peacemaker" (York) [1]
1503-1548: Elizabeth I (York) [2]
1548-1555: Richard III (York-Gloucester) [3]
1555-1599: Edward V (York-Gloucester) [4]
1599-1610: Henry VII (de Anjou) [5]
Monarchs of England, France and Ireland:
1610-1641: Henry VII and II "the Blessed" (de Anjou) [5]
1641-1666: Fredrick I "the Fierce" (de Anjou) [6]
1666-1703: Charles X and I "the Sun King" (de Anjou) - Also Holy Roman Emperor from 1698 to 1703 as Charles VI.
[1] Charles, who at his peak was known as Carolus Rex, Rex Solis Nec Pluribus Impar, King of England, of France, of Ireland, Sovereign Lord of the Netherlands, the Rhine, Padania and Lombardy and Holy Roman Emperor, was born the eldest grandson of Frederick the I, by his own eldest son, Edward of Wales and the Dauphinate. Charles was born in La Rochelle, during his father's regency of France, staying under the care of his father and Portuguese mother in Paris rather than in London - something which caused plenty of friction with his grandfather, but lasted for most of his childhood. Despite this, Charles was not given a solely French education but a rather cosmopolitan one - Le Palais de Tuilleries, constructed by the Medici's, was the home of the Angevin royal family while in France, and in the late seventeenth century was home to a vast grouping of cultures, with men from the various Angevin Kingdoms and it's regions, alongside a vast collection of international thinkers, artists and preachers. A firm example of this is Charles famous linguistic ability - the Sun King knew how to speak over 10 languages - English, French, Latin, Greek, Italian, Provençal, Castillian, German, Dutch, Gaelic, Aramaic, Arabic and Portuguese before he hit twenty. Charles was the head of the "Angevin" generation - a generation of Franco-Angle men and women who had bridged the gap of the two Kingdoms and held ties to both, and a deep loyalty to the Angevin dinasty, who claimed heritage from both Capetians and Plantagenets.
His father would die in 1664, leaving a young Charles as his substitute for the French regency, which would itself not last. Charles X and I would become King of England and France in 1666, after the murder of his grandfather in Brittany. Charles would remain in France and be crowned in Reims, leading the vengeful expedition that would investigate and punish those who participated in the killing of his grandfather. The "War of the Fronde" would last from 1666 to 1669, culminating in the end of the autonomy of the Duchy of Brittany (John, Duke of Brittany, would be accused of plotting with the Bourbonites, angered at his brother for an apparent lack of rewards) and the nationalization of many noble lands, forever changing the history of the Kingdom of France itself. The smashing of the French parliaments and the nobility that held them up would see taxes on both the nobility and clergy put into law, the divine right of Kings established and the start of the Angevin absolute monarchy.
King-Emperor Charles VI at the Palais de Charlemagne in Aachen, post his coronation as Holy Roman Emperor.
Charles would finally move to England in 1670, with business in France calm. He did not intend to stay for long, though, as war with the Habsburgs loomed and Charles intented to strike across his destiny - unite Europe under the Angevin banner. Charles would initially enter conflict with parliament, but the King's rightful vengeance at King Frederick's murder had made him popular - and Brittany's treason made the public wary of challenges at the King's person - if even the Duke of Brittany, Frederick the I's right-arm in France for many years, could betray him, what stopped the fools in parliament? It was this wave of popular support that Charles rode to essentially both augment the importance of parliament but reduce it's power - making it subservient. Parliament was made as itinerary as the King was - and it would become a multi-national organ with representatives from England, France and Ireland. It would, however, become a mostly advisory council, with true powers in the hands of the King and his government. Nonetheless, the start of the Angevin golden age would start in England - with King's Charles taxation, colonial and naval reforms, making England the naval and colonial centre of the Angevin Empire, while France become the military and administrative center of it - with Ireland, isolated from continental Europe, meant to support both.
King Charles would marry Princess Catherine of Scotland in 1673, in York, in a grand ceremony. Grander still was the fact Catherine lacked any uncles or brothers - and thus was the heir of the Stuart line. Charles and Catherine would form a formidable couple that would go on to change the history of Europe forever. The couple would have seven children.
Charles is foremost remembered for his great victories in the "War of Luxembourg" (1677-78), the "Seven years war" (1683-90) and the "Savoyard War of Succession" (1696-97). The growing rivalry between Angevins and the Habsburgs would see the foundations of Europe shake as Charles decisively beat the Habsburg and allied powers three times - annexing the Spanish and Free Netherlands, the Holy Roman Empire west of the Rhine and many cities who straddled it, and most of Northern Italy, with Savoy, Liguria, Lombardy, Corsica and much of Padania falling under Angevin control and the Balearics and Catalonia in Iberia. A strong sense of "Gallicanism" and Romanism grew in Charles' lands during this time - Charles being God's chosen ruler on Earth and direct heir of Charlemagne and the Romans Emperors of Old. Charles would ride this tendency, bribing and initimidating his way to victory in the Imperial elections of 1698, becoming Holy Roman Emperor.
Other than his history of conquest, Charles left behind a vast cultural and economic legacy, but most fondly remembered are his palaces in Aachen, Koblenz, Strasbourg, Reims, Marseille, Bordeaux, Toulouse, Brest, Paris, Rouen, London, Birmingham, York, Dublin and Cardiff, where they were both his temporary homes while he travelled but also as the central images of a new age. North America, during Charles' time, become an exclusively Angevin zone - being colonized by Charles Irish, English, Welsh, French, Dutch, Italian and even German subjects.
Charles would die in Dublin in 1703, during a chill caught when visiting his farthest Kingdom. He left behind a strong state and a massive Empire, but many foreign enemies and tensions in Iberia, Germany and Italy. He was succeeeded by __________.
Monarchs of England:
1442-1483: Edward IV (York)
1483-1503: Edward V "the Peacemaker" (York) [1]
1503-1548: Elizabeth I (York) [2]
1548-1555: Richard III (York-Gloucester) [3]
1555-1599: Edward V (York-Gloucester) [4]
1599-1610: Henry VII (de Anjou) [5]
Monarchs of England, France and Ireland:
1610-1641: Henry VII and II "the Blessed" (de Anjou) [5]
1641-1666: Fredrick I "the Fierce" (de Anjou) [6]
1666-1703: Charles X and I "the Sun King" (de Anjou) - Also Holy Roman Emperor from 1698 to 1703 as Charles VI.
[1] Charles, who at his peak was known as Carolus Rex, Rex Solis Nec Pluribus Impar, King of England, of France, of Ireland, Sovereign Lord of the Netherlands, the Rhine, Padania and Lombardy and Holy Roman Emperor, was born the eldest grandson of Frederick the I, by his own eldest son, Edward of Wales and the Dauphinate. Charles was born in La Rochelle, during his father's regency of France, staying under the care of his father and Portuguese mother in Paris rather than in London - something which caused plenty of friction with his grandfather, but lasted for most of his childhood. Despite this, Charles was not given a solely French education but a rather cosmopolitan one - Le Palais de Tuilleries, constructed by the Medici's, was the home of the Angevin royal family while in France, and in the late seventeenth century was home to a vast grouping of cultures, with men from the various Angevin Kingdoms and it's regions, alongside a vast collection of international thinkers, artists and preachers. A firm example of this is Charles famous linguistic ability - the Sun King knew how to speak over 10 languages - English, French, Latin, Greek, Italian, Provençal, Castillian, German, Dutch, Gaelic, Aramaic, Arabic and Portuguese before he hit twenty. Charles was the head of the "Angevin" generation - a generation of Franco-Angle men and women who had bridged the gap of the two Kingdoms and held ties to both, and a deep loyalty to the Angevin dinasty, who claimed heritage from both Capetians and Plantagenets.
His father would die in 1664, leaving a young Charles as his substitute for the French regency, which would itself not last. Charles X and I would become King of England and France in 1666, after the murder of his grandfather in Brittany. Charles would remain in France and be crowned in Reims, leading the vengeful expedition that would investigate and punish those who participated in the killing of his grandfather. The "War of the Fronde" would last from 1666 to 1669, culminating in the end of the autonomy of the Duchy of Brittany (John, Duke of Brittany, would be accused of plotting with the Bourbonites, angered at his brother for an apparent lack of rewards) and the nationalization of many noble lands, forever changing the history of the Kingdom of France itself. The smashing of the French parliaments and the nobility that held them up would see taxes on both the nobility and clergy put into law, the divine right of Kings established and the start of the Angevin absolute monarchy.
King-Emperor Charles VI at the Palais de Charlemagne in Aachen, post his coronation as Holy Roman Emperor.
King Charles would marry Princess Catherine of Scotland in 1673, in York, in a grand ceremony. Grander still was the fact Catherine lacked any uncles or brothers - and thus was the heir of the Stuart line. Charles and Catherine would form a formidable couple that would go on to change the history of Europe forever. The couple would have seven children.
Charles is foremost remembered for his great victories in the "War of Luxembourg" (1677-78), the "Seven years war" (1683-90) and the "Savoyard War of Succession" (1696-97). The growing rivalry between Angevins and the Habsburgs would see the foundations of Europe shake as Charles decisively beat the Habsburg and allied powers three times - annexing the Spanish and Free Netherlands, the Holy Roman Empire west of the Rhine and many cities who straddled it, and most of Northern Italy, with Savoy, Liguria, Lombardy, Corsica and much of Padania falling under Angevin control and the Balearics and Catalonia in Iberia. A strong sense of "Gallicanism" and Romanism grew in Charles' lands during this time - Charles being God's chosen ruler on Earth and direct heir of Charlemagne and the Romans Emperors of Old. Charles would ride this tendency, bribing and initimidating his way to victory in the Imperial elections of 1698, becoming Holy Roman Emperor.
Other than his history of conquest, Charles left behind a vast cultural and economic legacy, but most fondly remembered are his palaces in Aachen, Koblenz, Strasbourg, Reims, Marseille, Bordeaux, Toulouse, Brest, Paris, Rouen, London, Birmingham, York, Dublin and Cardiff, where they were both his temporary homes while he travelled but also as the central images of a new age. North America, during Charles' time, become an exclusively Angevin zone - being colonized by Charles Irish, English, Welsh, French, Dutch, Italian and even German subjects.
Charles would die in Dublin in 1703, during a chill caught when visiting his farthest Kingdom. He left behind a strong state and a massive Empire, but many foreign enemies and tensions in Iberia, Germany and Italy. He was succeeeded by __________.