Chapter XXVI
Rome
September 12, 1507
The day had come at last. Francis would no longer chafe under his Regent. He was ruler of all his domains, and would be crowned Roman Emperor today, for his birthday, marriage, and subsequent inheritance of the Archduchy of Austria, his marriage to the lovely Eleanor giving him all the Habsburg domains by the Treaty of Rome. Some cake sounded good right now- but that was hardly befitting an Emperor's birthday! His great cousin left him an empire stretching from Scotland to Serbia, a Roman Empire. After so long, there would once again be a senior Christian state. The antiquated HRE would live on as a subdivision titled "The Duchy of Germany," which would also apply to several other areas. As for expansion, Francis planned to fight the Turks. He would free the Second Rome and restore it to the Empire, and then march on Jerusalem. While this may have sounded grandiose two decades ago, Francis knew that the empire of his cousin's building could accomplish it. Francis was destined to bring peace and order to Christendom, and unite it under his glorious Imperial banner. He suspected most governing would still be from Paris, but a slow transition to Rome might be a good image idea.
"My Emperor, it is time." Whispered the Pope.
As the grand Iron Crown of the Lombards, the Sword of Charlemagne, and an Imperial diadem were all bestowed unto Francis, the Pope spoke.
"Gratia Dei, tibi, Franciscus rex Franciae, Angliae et Romani duce Belgio Sabaudia Aragonum et Neapolitanis Imperatorem." -Solemnly cried the Pope.
Thus was the Roman Empire reborn in the person of a distant descendant of an upstart Frankish usurper of a pathetic rump of a once-great Empire.
Francis was duly married to Eleanor, who was crowned Empress, and the ruling House of Valois-Habsburg was born. Their great love for each other would surely secure the future of the young dynasty. All dignitaries from foreign states at the lavish coronation and wedding were astounded by its grandeur. The might and majesty of the Roman Emperor was all-encompassing, as the site was surrounded by an honor guard of King Louis' veterans, 20,000 strong. The celebrations were decked by every measure of finery and pomp imaginable. The representatives came from as far away as Ming China, and came with gifts rivaling those at the coronation of their great Emperor.
The ramifications echoed across Europe. Ivan III trembled before the might of the great Christian emperor he now bordered, and feared for his life on account of declaring Muscow the Third Rome. Even the great Turk would not defy Francis. Alone in defiant resistance were Scotland, and the remnants of England and Castile. The areas so quickly taken by France may have rebelled- but they genuinely saw France as a savior, a return to the greatness of Rome. The ideals of the Renaissance made this a popular ideal, but not before this time had anyone mustered the strength to truly restore the Empire.
Under the patronage of Francis and the great Pope, arts and learning spread at a rate never seen before. The greatest artists of all of the western world flocked to Paris and Rome. An important legislative reform of Francis was to standardize a language for the Empire. That language was Latin. Despite a great many of the powerful nobles and peoples speaking French, Francis wanted a Roman Empire, not French. The nobles resisted, particularly in France, but Francis gradually eroded their power away. By his death, he had complete control of the empire just like the Roman Emperors did at the empire's height. His expansion of the Empire's political power continued apace. A brutal war against the Turks in 1527 saw Constantinople sacked. The Greeks of the patriarchy were killed along with much of the Turkish population. The Second Rome was Roman again. But at what cost? Even the Pope decried the atrocities. This spelled the beginning of the end of the Ottoman Empire, now a truncated fragment. In 1571, Francis achieved his one last dream- he was carried on a litter into Jerusalem. The old emperor knelt at the Church of the Holy Sepulchre and died. Christendom was saved. The dream of 900 years was fulfilled. There would be no more Crusades to take "rightfully" Christian lands.
Some of you may be wondering why I am writing in the vulgar tongue of Lowland Anglish. Surely Modern Latin is far more refined? Eh, where I come from there is more Lowland Anglish. The regional dialects of each Roman province really are fascinating. Emperor Philip VIII rules the finest Empire ever on the planet. Mostly because, it is most of the planet! From the accession and triumphs of Louis XII the Great the rebirth of Rome is dated, a salvation on Earth for the victims of a corrupt and sinful world. The might of Rome once agains rules the world. The glass of wine that caused all this is probably fairly common. Surely Tarquinius was intoxicated when he assaulted Lucretia? If not for the glass of wine that is said to have tipped off the Burgundians to Philip the Fair, perhaps his heir, inheriting Austria, Burgundy, Spain, and the Empire most likely, could have formed a universal Christian empire of his own. Alas, we may never know...
-Idea Malejico
mmm.alternishistoriam.mer
Anno Domini MMXVII
Finis...